“We found this to be a bit ironic as the reason for many of the harsh homophobic laws in countries throughout the world is largely leftover from laws created during British rule,” says Fergusson. Surprisingly, given this history, the United Kingdom is the sixth safest country in the world for LGBTQ+ travelers. “Long story short, this points to the fact that it was likely the British influence that largely led to Indian homophobia in the first place,” she says.

“In 2018, India managed to annul Section 377, a British colonial-era law prohibiting ‘unnatural acts,’ in order to legalize consensual gay sex,” says Fergusson, who points out that ancient Indian literature such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana have many references to LGBTQ+ heroes including transgender warriors and two queens who made love in order for one queen to get pregnant with an heir for their kingdom. India is an example of a country that has taken many years to make some strides. countries with laws against same-sex relationships were once part of the British Empire. The United Kingdom is the sixth safest country in the world for LGBTQ+ travelers, however, many.