DESPITE the modern, architecturally-progressive cities that dot the undeniable beauty in this Silk Road area of Asia, the five countries that comprise Central Asia are still not as socially progressive as we’d like. Situated between Russia to its north, China to its east, and Iran and Afghanistan to its south, the only unpolitical neighbor this region has is its eastern neighbor, The Caspian Sea.

The stunning mosques that dominate the skylines of its major cities are a reminder of this area’s religious and cultural beliefs. Since homosexuality isn’t widely accepted in the Muslim religion, especially in this part of the world, we definitely feel it is a very risky area to venture to for the LGBTQIA+ community. We’re hoping as times progress, social acceptability will as well, and travel to this area will be less of a risk for those in our community.