Here at the ZRM, we are celebrating Pride Month and would love to find out more about queer travel from you.

What should queer travelers look out for in terms of infectious diseases when visiting different countries? What is the focus of your consultations at the checkpoint?

For sexually active queer travelers, we look at the country-specific risk of sexually transmitted diseases in addition to the general risk of infection, such as malaria. For example, the prevalence of HIV in many African countries, but also in some Eastern European countries, is significantly higher than here. A concrete example is with Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C infections are extremely rare in Switzerland but we often see travelers in our consultation hours at the Checkpoint who have been infected with Hepatitis C during a trip to the USA, for example.

When traveling, many people use dating apps to meet new people. And yet there are countries where their use can be dangerous. What are the risks and what should you watch out for?

In countries where homosexuality is still a criminal offense and can sometimes be punished with draconian penalties, the use of queer dating apps such as “Grindr” is not permitted. I haven't had much experience with this myself, but I have heard rumors that police officers in certain countries register fake profiles and lure travelers into a trap if they make contact. So it definitely makes sense to uninstall the apps or delete them completely from your cell phone in countries where queer people face the death penalty or prison.

And what should you consider for your own safety in the offline world when it comes to your own behavior? How do you prepare travelers to be sensitive to the local culture and at the same time attentive, especially in conservative countries?

In the offline world, it is unfortunately still the case that not all countries or regions show the same openness to the diverse realities of life that we find here in Zurich, for example. When preparing for a trip, it is therefore important to familiarize yourself with the written and unwritten rules of the destination. These can be traditional sources such as travel guides, but also information from the FDFA or exchanges with people who have already traveled to the countries in question. There is also specialized information on websites such as “Spartacus”.  The Gay Travel Index is also very good at showing how queer-friendly individual countries are. Points are awarded according to certain criteria, such as whether there is a threat of punishment or whether same-sex marriages are permitted. It thus serves as a barometer of which countries are queer-friendly and which countries are more difficult for queer people to travel to.

In general, you should also bear in mind that not everything that is not explicitly forbidden is okay. I think it's important to respect the local culture and values and not act like a bull in a china store - this ultimately applies to all travelers, whether queer or cis-heteronormative.

When it comes to entering the country, are there things to bear in mind if you want to take medication with you from Switzerland? Are there certain regulations or restrictions that travelers should be aware of and where is the best place to get information?

In principle, a medical certificate should always be carried when traveling with prescription medication. This confirms that the medication is personally required. We issue such a certificate to our travelers with HIV medication during consultation hours at the Checkpoint.

The situation becomes more challenging in countries where HIV infection can be a barrier to entry or where queerness or homosexuality is severely punished. Here it can sometimes actually be an option not to openly declare the medication in order not to expose oneself to possible dangerous situations. For example, you can carry medication in the packaging of an unsuspicious preparation. These are certainly special situations that should be discussed with your treating physician. This is not legal, but ultimately it is also not right to discriminate against or condemn people on the basis of their sexual identity.

Information on entry requirements for people living with HIV can be found at hiv-travel.org.

In general, it is certainly important to make sure that you have enough medication with you before you travel so that you do not have to present yourself to a doctor or obtain medication in the country you are traveling to. In most European countries, this is not a problem; you can simply go to an emergency room or pharmacy and explain the situation. In countries where homosexuality is a criminal offense and HIV is a barrier to entry, this is not recommended. It is even more advisable to take a break from treatment than to come out locally. However, this is again something that should be discussed in advance with your treating physician.

Now to your personal work: how does your work at Checkpoint Zurich differ from your work at the Travel Clinic UZH?

They are not as different as you might think at first glance. At both places, we deal with preventive approaches and try to identify and combat infection risks in advance. At the Travel Clinic UZH, this is mainly classic travel advice, for example with vaccination advice, malaria prophylaxis and mosquito protection. At the Checkpoint, the main focus is on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). What's different about the work at Checkpoint is that I also provide long-term care for patients here, for example HIV patients. Unfortunately, you only see people once at the Travel Clinic. Another big difference is that we address people as “Du” at the Checkpoint and as “Sie” at the Travel Clinic UZH.

Sexuality is not a topic that everyone likes to talk about equally. What approach do you take in your consultations?

Many people are actually not used to talking openly about sex. Yet sexuality is part of all our lives, and the fact that we exist is proof of lived sexuality. I believe that being aware of this is already an important step. I think it is important to show openness to the topic and to signal this. A good way to start, for example, is with brief information about blood-borne infections such as Hepatitis B. Here I like to mention that possible infections can also occur through sexual contact as well as through unclean needles. It is also worth adding that HIV can also be transmitted through unprotected sexual contact and that the prevalence in the destination country may be higher than here in Switzerland. At this point, you can then ask whether there is a need for further information. If the answer is yes, this is a good introduction to the topic. But of course you also have to accept it if someone doesn't want to talk about it any further.

Thank you, Kerstin, for your insights and practical advice on the safety and well-being of queer travelers.

Interview: Sofia Ricar