great video on how to be an ally to LGBTQ+folks on the Camino

[catgnat]

Hey y'all, I saw an earlier post about difficulties on the Camino as a LGBTQ+ person and thought I'd recommend this video by Wanderlusting Lawyer. I'm a cis white straight woman and found it really helpful in giving advice about how we can be supportive of our fellow peregrinxs on the road:

 

[ivar]

I have not seen the video yet, I am sure it is great… will leave it up but close the thread.

 

[ivar]

After talking this over with the mods, I have decided to open up this thread again..

 

[Former member 95219]

After talking this over with the mods, I have decided to open up this thread again..

The Camino is such a conservative environment (both walkers and geographically) I do think folks would benefit from throughts and insight! Obv if forum rules are broken the usual rules can be applied!

 

[Former member 59618]

Very glad to see this posted! Happy pride month!

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Very glad to see this posted! Happy pride month!

You to.

 

[Theatregal]

Hey y'all, I saw an earlier post about difficulties on the Camino as a LGBTQ+ person and thought I'd recommend this video by Wanderlusting Lawyer. I'm a cis white straight woman and found it really helpful in giving advice about how we can be supportive of our fellow peregrinxs on the road:

Thank you for posting this video!

 

[klimmo]

Thank you for sharing! and thank you to Ivar for reopening this thread.

Let's be supportive of our fellow humans whatever their shape or form, and support and hold each other up on our road to wherever we need to go to be the best we can be.

 

[RJM]

The Camino is such a conservative environment (both walkers and geographically) I do think folks would benefit from throughts and insight! Obv if forum rules are broken the usual rules can be applied!

Not sure what Camino/s you have walked, but I have never observed it to be "such a conservative environment (both walkers and geographically)". Did you stay in albergues and meet and hang out with other pilgrims at all? Have communal meals, go out drinking and dinner? I did and met pilgrims of all walks of life, demographics, age, politics, religion, orientation etc etc etc. I never saw anyone (and that's 180+ days on Camino routes) be treated any different or intolerant by locals or other pilgrims, based on any of those things. I honestly don't think anybody gave it any thought. It's not medieval Europe anymore.
Is Spain still predominantly Catholic? Yes, obviously and the church is still quite conservative and the Camino is a pilgrimage to a Catholic cathedral but the Way opens its arms to all walkers.
Have you observed intolerance while walking the Camino? If so please share. It would be informative and useful.

 

[Mfazio]

I have not seen the video yet, I am sure it is great… will leave it up but close the thread.

We just finished the Frances route and never seemed to encounter any negativity, just a lot of generous and friendly folks, all happy to be on their journey.

You tend to see all kinds of stuff on the Camino and I raised my eyebrows on more than one occasion. But to each their own, live and let live, never my place judge or comment.

There was a comment earlier about creating a “safe place”, whatever that is, for others to walk. I do not feel it is anyones responsibility to provide those kind of accommodations for others, since I really have no idea what kind of journey you may be on. I will always treat my fellow pilgrim with kindness and respect and help if asked, not to intrude unnecessarily. I think that is just common courtesy and being a good human being.

 

[Marc S.]

I never saw anyone (and that's 180+ days on Camino routes) be treated any different or intolerant by locals or other pilgrims, based on any of those things. I honestly don't think anybody gave it any thought. It's not medieval Europe anymore.

I agree we are not in medieval Europe anymore, and I have not experienced the camino as an ultra conserative environment. But I did witness racist, homophobic and sexist behaviour/comments on the camino. Not on a large scale, but I realise it is well possible that I only saw a fraction of it, as such comments are not directed at me.

As sexism, racism and homophobia occur in normal society, it also happens on the camino. I see no reason to create fear about this for future walkers, but I also think it is a bit ignorant to claim that "these things do not happen on the camino".

 

[RJM]

I agree we are not in medieval Europe anymore, and I have not experienced the camino as an ultra conserative environment. But I did witness racist, homophobic and sexist behaviour/comments on the camino. Not on a large scale, but I realise it is well possible that I only saw a fraction of it, as such comments are not directed at me.

As sexism, racism and homophobia occur in normal society, it also happens on the camino. I see no reason to create fear about this for future walkers, but I also do not feel the need to be defensive and claim that "these things do not happen on the camino".

I never said they don't happen and not being defensive, just that I did not observe them to happen. I do realize the Camino is not an insulated bubble. Free of intolerance, crime and everything else. I think that's quite obvious by the multiple posts on here about crime victims on the Camino. I would also guess that the members of this forum are quite aware of all those things and nowhere on this forum have I read anything intolerant. Personally I don't think any of the members probably need to be schooled on how to be tolerant.
Tell us about your experiences? What did you observe? Hear? Maybe sharing your experiences can help others. When, where and what.

 

[Sho]

On this Camino I was more willing to just say "my wife" most of the time, and received no visible reaction either way from pilgrims.

 

[Pilgrim1960]

We are people and pilgrims... We have social responsibility to respect others and that goes both ways.