2. Malaysia
Tourism-rich Malaysia is considered a moderate Islamic nation of relatively peaceful, prosperous, law abiding people. However, if you’re an openly gay or transgender traveler, you might want to reconsider a trip here. This Commonwealth country still has colonial laws on the books that criminalize homosexual activity. Those convicted can face fines, cane whippings and up to 20 years in prison. While this is rarely enforced, its not unheard of. In fact, the former deputy prime minister and leader of the opposition party, Anwar Ibrahim, has twice been brought up on charges of “sodomy” and served several years in prison before charges were dropped. In June of 2014, 16 transgender women were arrested at a private wedding and sentenced to fines and a week in prison for the crime of “cross dressing”. LGBT travelers need to be aware and cautious of this kind of discrimination if they choose to visit anti gay Malaysia.
