You know, I follow the YouTube channel (Ethan Travels) of a young American gay man who spent about 18 months in Thailand, producing just fantastic travel videos of the kingdom and other countries in the region.

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to stay, because apparently Thailand is not exactly on the leading edge of digital nomad visas, and he found himself having trouble crossing the border. I think his being in his early twenties contributed to that, because border agents were predisposed to thinking he was up to no good or not financially stable.

While he was in Thailand, he presented what he believed to be a really balanced view of queer acceptance in Thailand. While he noted some societal negatives, he was just blown away by all the positives. These days, he's back in the United States, mostly traveling around the Southwest, and he noted recently that he's much more careful about keeping his identity quiet in the United States that he ever was in Thailand, or even in Vietnam.

That's really something to think about, isn't it?

We're so accustomed in the United States to thinking that we live free lives, but according to this kid, he was more free in Southeast Asia.