Why do gay people travel to countries where it's illegal to be gay?
I am a gay person, who's 26 year old but known since the age of 18 and ever since then I've always wondered this. I know that many countries don't, or only loosely enforce these types of laws but I'd find it unsettling to go to a country like that. I would love to visit places like Dubai (well not right now, because of the geopolitical situation), Saudi Arabia or Malaysia and manyu other places but the fact that I could go to jail just for being attracted to men makes it not worth it for me.
I don't really fit any of the gay stereotypes too much. I do care about my looks, I shave daily, work out, pay attention to what I wear, eat healthy, etc... but not to a point where I'd fit any stereotype, I'm not "gay gay" (nothing wrong with that either), just a regular person who happens to be that. On paper, that would probably make it safer to travel to these countries but somehow I would still find it really risky, especially that there are a million places in the world I could go where I'd have no trouble at all (all of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, parts of Asia, most of Latin America, a significant part of the US and all of Canada), so I genuinely don't understand how someone could justify going to these places.
Also, while going there is one thing, there are people who get on these apps and hook up with others which sounds extremely scary to do so in places where it's illegal.
I'd genuinely love to hear your opinions because even the thought of this creeps me out.