Mark Jason Williams was diagnosed with leukemia when he was five years old, and because of his compromised immune system—and overprotective mother—he couldn’t travel and was desperate to go to Disney World like all the other kids. Williams’ mother, Betty, brought National Geographic magazines and maps to the hospital so they could fantasize about all the places they’d go when he got better.
From his childhood hospital bed, Williams dreamed of traveling to all seven continents, which he accomplished by his early forties. As of this writing, Williams has visited 50 countries and has another dream coming true—National Geographic has published his first book, Out in the World, an LGBTQIA+ (and friends!) Travel Guide to More Than 120 Destinations Around the World, co-authored with Amy Scher.
Williams lives in White Plains with his husband, Michael, and will be at Rough Draft in Kingston on Tuesday, June 11, from 5 to 7 pm for an author meet-and-greet and book signing.
What motivated you to write this book?
Williams: I didn’t feel seen. In most travel books, if there was an LGBTQIA+ section, it was in the back and had limited information. I’m a 46-year-old gay guy who is always looking to go to different places with my husband, and sometimes I want a small town where I can go antiquing, eat at local restaurants, walk around the neighborhood, and feel welcome. Most guidebooks told me to go to Miami or another traditional hotspot, and it’s great that people want to go to Miami and visit the trendy bars and clubs—I support that and value it—but it doesn’t represent everyone.
This is the first book of its kind that opens up a lot more choices to LGBTQIA+ travelers plus our friends and allies. I wrote this book because I want more representation and more choices.
How did you choose what destinations to include in Out in the World?
Williams: Amy Scher, my co-author, and I had about a hundred conversations. We didn’t want Out in the World to be a “must go here, do this” book that sets an agenda like other guidebooks. We provided suggestions and our favorite spots, but also wanted to encourage people to make up their own adventures, so we created themes and then chose 10 to 12 locations for each theme. We also wanted to represent each continent, and we even managed to get Antarctica in there.
Places like Provincetown and Thessaloniki are well known for flying rainbow flags and were included for good reason, but what were some of your favorite unexpected queer-friendly destinations?
Williams: Communities can celebrate pride year-round, not just in June, and one thing that I’ll say over and over again is that even in more conservative places, that doesn’t mean every person in that place believes the same thing. In every red state, there’s a city—or a pocket of a town—that will be more rainbow-oriented than others.
In the United States, I was surprised by Salt Lake City, Utah—which actually has one of the highest percentages of queer residents in the US —and also Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Louisville, Kentucky, and Columbus, Ohio, where there were a large number of queer-owned businesses, and everyone was very inclusive and welcoming.
How does the book work?
Williams: Readers can go front to back or skip around, but each destination starts with “The LGBTQIA+ Lowdown.” In each lowdown, my co-author and I talk about what makes a destination particularly queer-friendly or appealing to the LGBTQIA+ community, and we provide tips for places that may be more conservative.
Whether you identify as queer or straight, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and know what behavior, clothing, etc. is appropriate in various places. What advice do you have for travelers?
Williams: Ultimately, I think you should only go where you feel comfortable. I personally feel comfortable traveling to places where, on paper, homosexuality is a punishable crime—such as Morocco, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka—because I know that laws don’t reflect everyone’s beliefs. Yet I know there are certain customs I should adhere to.
For example, if you’re the type of couple that likes to have a PDA, there are a lot of places I wouldn’t recommend because that’s not a custom there. But here’s the thing—it’s not a custom for anybody. A common misconception is that the LGBTQIA+ community is being singled out, but in Japan, for example, PDA is frowned upon for everybody.
We should all be respectful travelers, and we all possess instincts. Your instincts will tell you, “This is a place where I feel comfortable, or this is a place where maybe I don’t.”
Why did you include straight travelers in this book?
Williams: I want to stress how important being an ally is and how personally grateful I am because I don’t think that I could be the confident gay adult I am today if it hadn’t been for the support of my great family and friends, both straight and queer. Writing a travel book that included everyone felt really important to me. I know what it’s like to be excluded, and I wouldn’t want to do that to anyone.
