Here’s what I do when my skin colour becomes more interesting than the scenery when I travel
The article shares personal experiences of racial discrimination faced by Black and racialized Canadian travelers abroad, highlighting how their skin color often draws unwanted attention and objectification. Travelers recount incidents ranging from invasive staring to physical touching without consent, particularly in monocultural countries. These experiences underscore the emotional toll and safety concerns that can overshadow the joy of travel for racialized individuals.
- ▪Andrea Bain described an incident in Argentina where a stranger tried to touch her sister’s afro as if she were an animal in a zoo.
- ▪The author and her family experienced invasive behavior in China, including unauthorized photos and strangers grabbing their children’s hair and skin.
- ▪A 2025 Statistics Canada report found that 45% of racialized Canadians experienced racism in the past five years, with 81% facing it multiple times.
- ▪Black travelers often prepare for discrimination, with some altering their behavior or appearance to avoid unwanted attention.
- ▪The hashtag #TravelingWhileBlack is used by travelers to share their experiences of racism during international travel.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
ShareSave for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story.Log InCreate Free AccountOpen this photo in gallery:Andrea Bain on her trip to Morocco earlier this year.Andrea Bain/The Globe and MailAndrea Bain can tell you the exact moment during a trip to Argentina when things took a turn for the worse. The co-host of CTV’s The Social was admiring Iguazu Falls when she spotted a stranger’s outstretched fingers … in her sister’s hair. “My sister was wearing her natural afro, and a woman just walked up to her like she was an animal in a zoo and attempted to pet her head,” says Bain. “I could tell she really didn’t understand how what she was doing was very offensive, but immediately, both my sister and I [thought] they think that we’re not human.” In 2011, I had the same thought.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Globe and Mail.
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