I traveled to Abu Dhabi at the beginning of April after Etihad Airways began direct service to Boston. Boston is the fourth US city that Etihad now services. But in the weeks leading up to my trip, I wrestled with the decision to go.
Instead of casually checking the weather forecast to determine what to pack, I was reading the US Department of State report on human rights practices in Abu Dhabi. The report called out violations such as government censorship, arbitrary arrests, and laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults.
As a gay man, I’d be traveling to a country where it’s illegal to be gay. I would not pack my “Drag Is Not a Crime” or “Kiss Me Bro” T-shirts. Kidding aside, I was torn.
My curiosity and assurances from friends and conversations with colleagues convinced me to take a chance. Abu…
