How Gender and Race Shape Travel Experiences
What does traveling as an interracial and non-hetero relationship have to do with “workplace bias, equity, and inclusion?”As it turns out, they are both strong determinants of bias in travel. My spouse and I are rarely perceived or treated the same when we travel together, even though we both hold advanced degrees and are award-winning professionals in our respective fields.
We do our research to avoid locations with documented histories of recent race-related or anti-LGBTQ+ violence, but we still experience differences. The hotels, airlines, tourist agencies, and restaurants we interact with are all workplaces, and their biases negatively impact our travel experience.
We receive vastly different treatment from the same flight attendants, service workers, guides, and other travelers. Guides and hospitality workers go out of their way to speak to my spouse and meet his every need while often ignoring me or seeming bothered to interact with me. Over time, I learned to be more vocal and to state my expectations unapologetically.
This skill has been necessary when we travel together, especially abroad. In my experience, people (irrespective of their race, gender, or age) treat my spouse with almost comical reverence.
When he speaks, they listen. When he walks, they move or follow him. When we eat out, they hand him the check almost every time, even when my wallet is on the table. When we use a ride-share service, the driver instinctively opens his door and lifts his luggage.
This is not a “rant” of how slighted I feel because I desire the unearned advantages associated with whiteness; it is more so to illustrate that wherever we go, our experiences are shaped by the expectations others have learned to have of us. Pro-white reverence and hetero-normativity are learned, meaning they can be unlearned. They’re a relic of the past that cost businesses money and goodwill while leaving them open to reputational damage.
Whose time matters, whose expectations must be met, and who deserves respect is socially constructed and determined. If we want to rid ourselves of bias against People of Color and LGBTQ+ people, we must counter and divest from harmful and limited beliefs. Reach out for support in reducing workplace bias.