Considerations for LGBTQ+ travelers and Life as a Digital Nomad

Join World Footprints as we interview a friend and Knight Wallace Journalism Fellow about the challenges facing LGBTQ+ travelers and hear from a digital nomad about her life on the road.

First, travel journalist, Michael Luongo, has researched and written about the role travel journalism plays in tourism development in conflict zones and urban areas under stress. Michael also has his pulse on travel issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community including the considerations that go into travelling around the world for Gay travelers.

Then, if you’ve ever dreamed of a life full of travel but have never taken the plunge, you can vicariously experience the digital nomadic life through our interview with Kellie Paxian. Kellie joined us from South Africa where she’d been for the previous three months. At the time of our call she was planning to explore more of South Africa before moving on Bali. Hear how she does this.

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It is important to note that we spoke to both Michael and Kellie before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world. At the time Michael was based in New York City, the U.S. epicenter of COVID-19. The movement of coronavirus through the African nations prompted Kellie to return to her home in Vancouver, Canada where she remained until the pandemic is lifted.

Michael Luongo is an award winning freelance journalist and photographer based in New York, and one of the few travel writers gossiped about in the New York Post’s Page Six. With visits to over 100 countries and all seven continents, his specialties include the Middle East and Latin America, conflict reporting, business travel; gay travel; and human rights.  His bylines include New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Bloomberg, National Geographic Traveler, Gay City News and others. His books include Gay Travels in the Muslim World, Frommers Buenos Aires and a novel The Voyeur. He was 2013 Journalist of the Year for the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and 2010 and 2014 Grand Prize in Travel Journalism Award Winner for the North American Travel Journalists Association. He has taught writing at universities in the USA and China, and currently for UCLA. Michael’s website is www.michaelluongo.com and Twitter @michaelluongo

World Footprints Editor Kellie Paxian is living the digital nomad lifestyle as she explores six continents (and counting — looking at you, Antarctica). Her office locations are determined by a mix of wanderlust and Wi-Fi.  From the top of mountains to the bottom of the ocean, there is no bucket list item that Kellie won’t chase. She is passionate about wildlife, adventure, and making the most out of every experience on her travels, whether it’s good or bad.  Follow her footprints across the world on Instagram at @kelliepaxian

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