Gay travel writers are now members of a full-blown profession in its own right with many distinguished authors contributing to both gay and non-gay media around the world. Listed here are the travel writers I know or know about. More will be added as they become known to GlobalGayz, or readers may submit names to the list.
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Jan Morris
Born James Morris in 1926, she became Jan Morris after undergoing sex reassignment surgery in 1972. With a writing career spanning 6 decades, Jan has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Glyndwr Award in 1996, honorary doctorates from the University of Wales and the University of Glamorgan, and the 1957 Cafe Royal Prize for her travel book “Coast to Coast.”
- Coast to Coast (1956)
Winner of the 1957 Cafe Royal Prize - Sultan in Oman (1957)
- The Market in Seleukia (1957)
- South African Winter (1958)
- The Hashemite Kings (1959)
- The World of Venice: Revised Edition (1960)
Winner of the 1961 Heinemann Award - The Presence of Spain (1964)
- Oxford (1965)
- The Venetian Empire (1980)
- A Venetian Bestiary (1982)
- The Matter of Wales (1984)
- Hong Kong (1988)
- Sydney (1992)
- A Writer’s World: Travels 1950-2000 (2003)
Patrick Lee Fermor
Patrick Michael Leigh Fermor (11 February 1915 – 10 June 2011),was a British author, scholarand soldier who played a prominent role behind the lines in the Cretan resistance during the Second World War.[1] He was widely regarded as Britain’s greatest living travel writer during his lifetime,[based on books such as A Time of Gifts (1977). A BBC journalist once described him as “a cross between Indiana Jones, James Bond and Graham Greene.” The Patrick Leigh Fermor Society was formed in 2014.
Michael Luongo
A travel writer and freelance editor with over 80 countries under his belt, Michael Luongo is the author of the recently popular book “Gay Travels in the Muslim World.” More notably, he was also the author of the first post-war travel article on Afghanistan, entitled “In Afghanistan’s Capital, Hospitality and New Hope,” appearing in the New York Times in 2003.
- Between the Palms: A Collection of Gay Travel Erotica (2004)
- Frommer’s Buenos Aires (2007)
- Gay Travels in the Muslim World (2007)
Andrew Collins
Roaming the globe since 1991, Collins started as an editor for Fodor’s Travel Publications before moving onto full-time freelancing in 1993. On top of writing a slew of gay travel books for Fodor’s, he also has been writing the gay travel column “Out of Town” since 1996, which appears in various LGBT newspapers, as well as serving as a contributing writer for OutTraveler Magazine.
- Fodor’s Gay Guide to the USA, 3rd Edition (2001)
- Fodor’s Gay Guide to Los Angeles and Southern California (1997)
- Fodor’s Gay Guide to New York City (1997)
- Fodor’s Gay Guide to San Francisco and the Bay Area (1997)
- Fodor’s Gay Guide to the Pacific Northwest (1997)
- Fodor’s Gay Guide to South Florida (1997)
- Fodor’s Gay Guide to Amsterdam (1998)
Raphael Kadushin
A Madison, Wisconsin native, Kadushin serves as the Senior Acquisitions Editor for the University of Wisconsin Press, overseeing the Living Out series. As part of his freelance career, he travels the globe covering food and travel for the National Geographic Traveler, Cond Nast Traveler, and Bon Appetit.
Jesse Archer
Yet another freelance travel writer, Archer writes a monthly column for “Out” magazine, and had his debut book “You Can Run” published in 2007. Along with writing, he also dabbles in acting, starring in the gay romantic comedies “Slutty Summer” and “A Four Letter Word,” along with appearing in the Off-Broadway hit “Birdy’s Bachelorette Party.”
Lucy Jane Bledsoe
A diverse writer, Lucy’s books range from both fiction to non-fiction, earning her the Stonewall Book Award, as well as two Lambda Literary Award finalist titles. She has also been writing children’s books since 1995.
- Gay Travels: A Literary Companion (1998)
- Lesbian Travels: A Literary Companion (1998)
- The Ice Cave: A Woman’s Adventures from the Mojave to the Antarctic (2006)
Bruce Chatwin
Though spending much of his early life working around artwork and later studying achaeology, Chatwin started his writing career in 1972 for the Sunday Times Magazine, travelling the globe to cover many international assignments. He later went on to author six books, though his career was tragically cut short after succumbing to HIV/AIDS in 1989.
Brian Whitaker
A long-time editor for The Guardian, Brian Whitaker delved into book-writing in 2006 with “Unspeakable Love.” He also owns and runs AL-BAB, a website devoted to Arab culture and politics.
Edmund White
A writer since the early 70’s, Edmund White has also been a prolific literary and cultural critic; being a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- States of Desire: Travels in Gay America (1991)
- The Flaneur: A Stroll Through the Paradoxes of Paris (2000)
William Storandt
A freelance writer from Connecticut, Storandt has been a contributing writer for Cruising World magazine for over 20 years. In addition to writing, he also teaches it for the Bass Writing Program at Yale University.
Douglas Thompson
A long time resident of southeast Asia, Thompson is an American writer who has studied and traveled extensively in Asia. He is the owner of Purple Dragon gay and lesbian tour company based in Bangkok and writes regularly for international media as well as thePurple Dragon blog. He also publishes a travel newsletter Club Sanook.
Richard Ammon
Owner and writer for GlobalGayz.com, a worldwide LGBT travel and culture website. A former college professor and psychologist now continuing to travel the world to interview LGBT people about their lives in their cultures. GlobalGayz has LGBT information about every country in the world.