As a female traveler, there are a number of phrases that have been said to me that have irritated the hell out of me. Whether uttered by arrogant men, naive family members, or complete strangers, here’s a list of 5 things NOT to say to female travelers.
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That place is too dangerous for a woman to travel.
This statement is simply NOT true. Sure, there are many countries or cities that are more dangerous to visit than others. However, a traveler, female or not, simply needs to remain aware of her surroundings and research the area before visiting. Common sense goes a long way! I ventured into Belize and Guatemala and managed to get out alive. If I can, so can other women! Travel insurance can also come in handy for emergencies, and keeping your mind at ease.
You need a man to travel there!
Nope. Nope nope nope. Even in more modest countries, women are easily able to travel either alone or with other women. Simply check out the long list of solo female travelers that have ventured into countries deemed “unsafe” for women…without a male companion! I have found that locals in most places are helpful and friendly to outsiders, especially women.
Other countries hate women…why even leave the United States?
I’ve heard this countless times from my sweet, worrying grandmother. I’ve attempted to explain to her time and time again that other countries are perfectly safe to explore as a woman…some even safer than the United States! This, of course, applies to other countries as well. It’s true, many parts of the world are lacking in their treatment of women, but the same can be said about any modernized, Western country. While the United States is a large and interesting country, delving into and experiencing other cultures forces you to grow into a more well-rounded individual. Staying away out of fear is a huge loss.
How did you earn the money to travel? Is your man rich?
Ugh. Implying that a woman is only able to travel due to a trust fund, a rich husband, or some kind of sugar daddy is absurd. That beautiful woman you see in that Instagram picture? She could have worked for a year to afford that luxury trip. She could have gotten inheritance money from a relative that recently passed away. Prying into the personal life of female travelers to find out where their money came from is a huge violation of privacy, and can be extremely insulting. It’s also completely NONE of anyone else’s business!
You’re still traveling? When are you going to come home and settle down?
Um, never Karen. Never. Kudos to the women out there who are happy settling down and having kids in their 20s, but that is just not what will make me happy. Chase happiness; don’t settle.
Some of the strongest travelers I have ever met have been women. No woman enjoys being spoken to like a child or assumed to be weaker or less adventurous than her male counterparts. Travel and adventure have no gender!
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I, for one, am happy for you being able to chase your dreams no matter what they are. Isn’t that what we all want for our kids?
Thank you!
These were some great points! My parents used to get upset with me driving alone a couple of hours away simply because I’m a female. Anyone who travels needs to be careful regardless of their gender. Traveling is such a great experience, and people should be more accepting of it. It honestly can cost less than having kids would, so I don’t know why people are so intent on seeing others settle down and start a family. Go out and live your dreams instead!
I completely agree. Thanks for sharing!