Ethical Traveling, Sex Tourism, and Power

Okay, so every December, social media fills with photos of beaches, bodies, and the viral topic of Brazil. Right now, a lot of queer men are in Brazil for New Year’s and I love it, but while joy, celebration, and connection are part of travel, there’s a conversation I feel we haven't had. and it's not only about sex. It’s mostly about power.

And if we cant talk about it honestly, we are essentially repeating the same patterns we say we hate back in the states.

When We Leave the U.S., Our Passport Speaks First

In the United States, many of us move through the world as Black, queer, and marginalized. We know what it feels like to be fetishized, we KNOW what it's like to be desired but not fully respected, to have our bodies consumed without our humanity being acknowledged.

But the moment we leave the U.S. and travel to a economically exploited country, something shifts.

While we are still black and we are still queer, our nationality comes first. Our blue passport carries power access, mobility, currency, safety, and options that many people in the Global South do not have. That power exists whether you acknowledge it or not and power always shapes dynamics.

Let’s Retire the Term “Third World”

Before i get into the nitty gritty, I was telling a friend, language matters. “Third world” is outdated and dismissive. It flattens entire countries into a single narrative of lack. When in reality they are exploited by our country. The entire south has regions shaped by colonialism, economic extraction, and uneven access to resources.

Words matter because they shape how we see people. And how we see people shapes how we treat them. (can I get an amen?)

Sex Tourism vs. Ethical Intimacy

Now this is where things get uncomfortable and nuanced especially in gay male spaces. Ethical travel does not mean abstinence. It does not mean you can't get your cheeks clapped. And it does not mean pretending attraction doesn’t exist.

What it does mean is understanding context.

Consent alone does not automatically make an interaction ethical when there are:

• major economic imbalances

• unequal access to mobility

• currency differences

• social and legal vulnerabilities
  

When money, passports, or perceived opportunity are part of the equation, even as I date a brazlian and I see how we are treated before I speak english and after. I had to ask myself hard questions, how am I pouring into the culture and humbling myself while being welcomed into another country and community.

The goal isn't to shame anyone, but it's important that we're honest, right?

The Contradiction We Don’t Talk About

What we aren't saying out loud is, it's not fair to name exploitation in the U.S. then travel abroad and ignore it when we benefit from the imbalance. We can’t talk about being fetishized at home, then refuse to examine what happens when our desirability is paired with spending power elsewhere.

Being Black does not cancel out nationality. Being queer does not erase privilege. Two things can be true at once. But whats a problem without a solution? Exactly, Complaining. So, here's what ethical travel actually looks like

The goal isn't perfection. It’s about being aware.

• Supporting local businesses beyond nightlife

• Paying fair prices without negotiating people down

• Respecting boundaries — emotional and physical

• Being mindful of transactional dynamics

• Asking yourself why you’re being chosen

• Understanding what happens when you leave
  

It means engaging with people as humans not access points.

Checking Yourself Without Shame

Some people may feel called out, but honestly, it's a call to look in the mirror, with ethical traveling it requires self-interrogation, not guilt. No one is asking for you to feel ashamed of wanted to have sex and take advantage of dollar strength. It asks us to pause and reflect instead of react defensively.

Questions worth asking:

• Would this dynamic exist without money or a passport?

• Am I being desired or accessed?

• Am I contributing to the local community or only consuming it?

• Am I curious about the culture, or just the pleasure?
  

I forgot who said it but growth starts where discomfort lives.

Travel Should Expand Our Humanity

Travel has the power to connect us, soften us, and expand how we see the world. But only if we’re willing to move with humility. Ethical travel isn’t about denying joy. It’s about pairing joy with responsibility. If we truly want liberation, not just escape, then our values should travel with us and I'll wrap my tedtalk up here shortly.

This conversation isn’t for everyone. And that’s okay. It’s for people who want more than access. More than consumption. More than temporary freedom. It’s for folks who believe travel should expand our humanity not exploit someone else’s. My goal was to make you pause, reflect because I'm a firm believer in "you don't know what you don't know". But now you know, so in the infamous words of Azealia Banks "What now?"

Want more conversations like this?

If you didn't know, share reflections on ethical travel, queer identity, Brazil, culture, and community across my platforms. You can also explore my travel guides and throughs across socials (@Amir_morris)

Travel with intention. Live with awareness.