Geographic Freedom —> Queer Joy

Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up in a place where queer people were the majority? Where laws, incentives, regulations all worked in our favor, not to protect us, but to allow us to thrive? Unfortunately, there is no place that is majority LGBTQ+. We will always be a minority, no matter where we are based. Our journey is not toward the pursuit of happiness, as much as it is toward the pursuit of queer joy.

Queer Joy
A profound state of being that arises when LGBTQ+ individuals live authentically, surrounded by acceptance and opportunity.

The pursuit of queer joy is about recognizing the importance of pleasure and joy in the lives of LGBTQ+ people. It's about uplifting narratives about self-acceptance, community and community acceptance, and a celebration of identity.

What’s more, queer joy is resistance, empowering us in the face of oppression. It is a defiant celebration that makes more space for us all to live freely, in a world where we feel a sense of belonging, hope and freedom.

The Evolution of Queer Liberation
In the late 1960 and 1970ss, with the Stonewall riot, and the Pride marches in the years that followed, LGBTQ+ folks finally took it upon ourselves to stand up to the oppression that we faced on a daily basis. Today, we have more rights to exist, and more social acceptance. Queer liberation has truly evolved - primarily in the west. LGBTQ+ folks in many countries have the right to participate equally in society, to live, work, and travel safely and authentically, but not everywhere.

We have had same-sex marriage rights now for just under a decade in the United States, less so in many other countries, but the right to marry should be the floor of LGBTQ+ rights and equality, not the ceiling. We can still be discriminated against almost anywhere for anything in our work or personal lives.

And so we are still deeply in search of a feeling of true liberation.

One way to chase that sense of freedom is to work toward creating geographic freedom in your life.

What is geographic freedom? First, it means the ability to move further away from family, friends and community who don’t support you - these are geographic boundaries. Sometimes, this means moving closer to a chosen family who do offer their full support.

And this creation of geographic freedomis actually completely possible. We can create the life that we want for ourselves.

Over 17 million Americans now identify as digital nomads, 35 million around the world do as well. Doing the LGBTQ+ math of 10% thinking, that means that hundreds of thousands of those folks are likely LGBTQ+.

For remote workers, you can extend your freedom beyond borders in search of the opportunity to choose where to live based on personal comfort and safety, as well as adventure, culture, and pace of life. We still fight for the right to live authentically, but we can live in a much more mobile way, in countries with an extremely reduced stress load. You still might be a minority, but you can be outside of the other stressors of daily life in the US, like access to healthcare, gun violence, unhealthy food and food deserts. You can have geographic freedom.

What exactly is Geographic freedom?
Geographic freedom falls right in the middle of the Five Freedoms Framework, a freedom hierarchy we use with our clients. The other freedoms to strive for include Physical, Emotional, Financial and Spiritual Freedom.

At the most basic level, geographic freedommeans living and traveling wherever you wish, when you wish.

There are different ways to feel geographically free. Knowing your options now can open your mind to the MANY different ways that you can start to move in search of that freedom.

Permanent relocation
This doesn’t mean moving abroad forever. This means becoming a resident in another country, so that everything switches to the new country - your banking, your taxes, and where you claim residency. To actually live abroad, you must secure official residency abroad through a visa option that allows you to stay, work or study. Moving permanently offers stability and the potential for citizenship, fostering a deeper sense of belonging.

Semi-Permanent Options
Thinking about something less permanent? Somewhere in between becoming an expat and traveling full time as a nomad, there are options that allow you to work remotely from several locations around the world without getting official visas to do so. Stay longer term in an Airbnb for a few months at a time; work, live and travel out of a van, or start housesitting! This last option is amazing for remote workers who get to live in a house like a local, for free, and working in much more comfort than a hotel or vacation rental can provide. All these options provide the freedom to explore different places without long-term commitments.

Temporary Adventures
Geographic freedom can also just mean having a big adventure when you want to. You can cycle across the country, take a three-month cruise, or live as a digital nomad, moving to a new town, city or patch of countryside every few weeks. Nomadic lifestyles offer unparalleled freedom and diversity of experiences, for long and short-term periods of time.

Benefits of Geographic Freedom
Embracing geographic freedom as an LGBTQ+ individual not only amplifies our own personal joy but also serves as a force multiplier for both the expat and local communities.

Creating Cultural Bridges
By immersing oneself in new cultures, we become ambassadors of understanding, bridging gaps and fostering acceptance.

Fostering Personal Growth
From mastering intercultural communication to navigating new environments, each experience builds our resilience and enhances our personal development.

Navigating Challenges
While the journey to geographic freedom is empowering, it’s not without challenges. As queer expats, we may face additional hurdles such as finding LGBTQ+ friendly neighborhoods, navigating immigration policies that recognize spousal relationships, or dealing with cultural norms that differ from their own.

Choosing Your Path
Whether you opt for the stability of a permanent move, the flexibility of semi-permanent arrangements, or the adventure of nomadic life, the key is finding what aligns best with your style of freedom and joy.

Embracing your own liberation
In the end, geographic freedom isn’t just about physical relocation—it’s about claiming your right to live authentically and to thrive wherever you choose to be.

At Rainbow Relocation Strategies, we believe in empowering LGBTQ+ individuals to find their path to queer joy, one geographic leap at a time. We do that through:

Community: Queer Expats
Book: How To Move Abroad And Why It’s The Best Thing You’ll Do
Consulting: One-on-One Consulting
Four-Week Strategy moves you from the dream to the reality of a life abroad.