An absolutely first-class service all round! The 10 most (and least) LGBTQ-friendly cities in the world have The rate of state support for LGBTQ+ families or hopeful families is one of the lowest in the top five, scoring 2.5/5. Canada is at the top of the list for gay travel safety. "There's a support group for everything but LGBT here in Laredo," resident Natalie Scotttold the Laredo Morning Times. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Within the graphic of the results we have highlighted the particular factors for which each city scored highest, having received a score of 3+ for these factors. Gentrification, changing nightlife trends and an increasingly accepting society mean many have disappearedbut there are still several different gay villages in the UK to choose from when you are traveling here are some of our favorites we think you should try out! That progressiveness is visible on a city level, too. WebIn addition to the 150 most touristed countries on the LGBTQ+ Danger Index, the report calls out five other Caribbean countries where same-sex relationships are illegal: In the evening, the individual areas of London come alive. In 2016, the Cumberland School District, located in the northeasternmost town in Providence County, became the first in the state to pass an official policy protecting transgender students, according to FFAA. Jamaica. However, it misses out on second place due to there only being 0.2 LGBTQ+ bars and clubs per 100,000 people. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. In 2019, Brunei passed a penal code that made homosexual acts punishable by death by stoning. Relatively new on the scene, its gay quarter was only established in 2018 but now encompasses The Moor, Hereford Street and the long-running Dempseys bar and club. Vauxhall is another gay neighborhood in London, this one with a more up-and-coming vibe. That being said, every single country, including Canada, has a long way to go in turning those laws into an on-the-ground reality, says Fergusson. The harsh reality is that the majority of the world is still far from safe for LGBTQ+ people, says Fergusson. Everything you did for us whilst we were away was hugely appreciated, and Ampersand has been exemplary in every way. Place to eat or drink: Head to theRainbow & DoveGay-friendly cafe/bar, known for cocktails and salads. |+44 (0) 20 7819 9770. Many countries have pending legislation but are stuck in limbo and aren't pushing anything forward. Ann Arbor has a long history of supporting its LGBTQIA+ community. Worst States for LGBT People While things have improved in some places, there are still major issuesespecially in the United States. At number five on the LGBTQ+ friendly travel destinations list is the UK. The most accepting cities in the world were measured using a worldwide indicator sourced from Social Progress on the level of acceptance in each country, Tripadvisor data on number of LGBTQ+ establishments as well as their ratings. Its also the first British city that has officially recognised The Pride Quarter with rainbow flags leading the way to the Stanley Street Quarter. This technology helps us gather statistical and analytical information for marketing purposes, but the choice to accept cookies is always yours. We use cookies and similar technologies. Nigeria and Saudi Arabia still utilize the death penalty as a possible punishment for being LGBTQ+, while lesser punishments can include lashings, flogging or life in prison. "We want this to be a community-driven space," said volunteer Jules Shindel. The gay area is called the Pink Triangle and is right in the center of town. This Caribbean island has rainforests, mountains and beaches. 2023 GAY TIMES Group. Unsurprisingly, an anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment has pervaded nearly every city in the stateespecially in its capital city of Pierre. Many of Glasgows hottest restaurants are here, and the area is also known for hosting festivals of all kinds throughout the year. Canada has been named the safest place in the world for LGBTQ travelers. Theres a lot of good news this year, and we hope to see more as 2023 progresses, says Fergusson. ", if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { While it might not have the biggest LGBTQ+ scene in the UK, Leicester is home to an intimate, friendly and personable LGBTQ+ community. For the leather crowd, REM Bar and Company Bar are great choices. Although this area is bustling, its relatively unknown to most tourists, and instead is full of independent shops that give you an authentically Scottish experience. To find out the answers, journalists Lyric and Asher Fergussonwho run a travel site dedicated to safetyrecently published a report called The 203 Worst (& Safest) Countries for LGBTQ+ Travel in 2023, which takes a close look at the state of travel around the world. Additionally, 30% of this community in Hawaii are raising children, the highest rate of the top five states, despite the family support score being among the lowest. is home to an intimate, friendly and personable LGBTQ+ community. WebEquality Index Methodology Equaldex's Equality Index is a rating from 0 to 100 (with 100 being the most equal) to help visualize the legal rights and public attitudes towards LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex) people in each region. New Zealand is making it easier for trans people to change their legal gender identification without surgery. California is the fourth most LGBTQ+ friendly state according to our data. Further, Salem has seen an influx of LGBTQIA+-owned businesses, including The Rainbow Times, New England's largest LGBTQIA+ publication. The Best Gay Villages In The United Kingdom For Fabulous Though LGBTQIA+ organizations like Pierre Pride do exist, the HRC couldn't even give the city partial credit for services and programs. Brighton. Reykjavik came out on top of our index and is crowned the most LGBTQ+ friendly city, so chances are youll feel extremely welcome and free to be completely yourself wherever you go in this city. Getty Images. Dublin, Ireland9. Portugal The most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in the UK, 15 of the most visited counties in the UK, Seven best safari parks in the UK to explore, Pet Free Last Minute Holiday Cottages in the UK, Mothers Day walks: 11 lovely walks to enjoy with your mum, 11 picture-perfect chocolate box villages in the UK. If you do one thing: Head to Broadway Cinema and check out the range of LGBT films on show. If you do one thing: Andro and Eve have a thriving events calendar featuring pop up events like film nights, spoken word evenings and drag king nights. These bars and clubs also have a high average rating of 4.0 on TripAdvisor, showing that not only are there establishments you can go to, but that they are great quality establishments, too. Brussels, Belgium10. LGBT friendly colleges are critical for the safety and well-being of gay, lesbian, trans, and nonconforming young people all over the nation. Any and all access or use of this site is at the risk of the user. Difficult to articulate just how good the service from you and your team really was. If you do one thing: Ponder around Shelf Life Books and Zines, a unique place thats dedicated to giving the underrepresented a voice. Queer In The World is not liable in any manner whatsoever for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages arising out of the access, use, or inability to use this site or any third-party website. Since 2001, the state of Rhode Island has had anti-discrimination laws in place to protect members of the LGBTQIA+ community. When youre ready to go out, head to Charles Street Tap for food, drinks, and cabaret right on the water, and then dance the night away at Bulldog afterward. Its also the birthplace of reggae music. The city has serval non-profit LGBTQIA+ organizations, includingThe Center Long Beach (which provides group therapy and youth programs for members of the LGBTQIA+ community) and St. Mary Medical Center's C.A.R.E Program (which offers services for those affected by HIV/AIDS). These people and events changed the course of history. The hotels were amazing but Maya Villa was a highlight I loved just hanging out in the hammock reading my book and watching the peacocks chase the cows! Renowned all over the world for its gay village. By day, the city has a vibrant cultural and social scene with everything from LGBTQ+ comedy and cabaret shows to pop-up galleries. Theres a little bit of everything here when it comes to nightlife Speakeasy is a sexy option for the hipster crowd, Delmonicas is perfect for karaoke, DJs, and quiz nights, and The Riding Room hosts cabaret and burlesque shows. Changing the gender marker on both your birth certificate and driving licence is among the easiest in the country, scoring 5/5 on our index. Additionally, Bloomington offers an impressive array of events for the LGBTQIA+ community, including multiple pride festivals each year. This small Wyoming town, which has a population of around 23,000 people, received no points or bonus points from the HRC. is the biggest gay bar in the city open seven days a week until the early hours, theres even karaoke to tempt you. It offers everything from community-owned theatre nights and comedy clubs to independent music evenings and underground bars. To rank the states, we looked at the difficulty of changing the gender marker on your birth certificate and driving licence, rate of state support for LGBTQ+ adults who have started or wish to start a family, safety at work rank, the percentage of adults who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and the percentage of LGBTQ+ adults raising children. isnt just about late-night bars and partying until the early hours. It offers everything from community-owned theatre nights and comedy clubs to independent music evenings and underground bars. The majority of the gay bars and attractions are centered around Old Compton Street. "The progressive city, often jumbled together with Boston, is home to a thriving gay- and lesbian-owned business scene in which many belong to the Greater Boston Business Council," wrote The Advocate in 2016. (Listed alphabetically.) Another frustrating revelation: It is disappointing to see in the U.S. that LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly being used as a political tool for hate, says Fergusson. Pictured here: Sainte Catherine street in [+] Montreal's Gay Village. If it is queer or prideful chances are you will find it here. Once again, the ease of changing the gender marker on your birth certificate is high, scoring 5/5 on our index. America's 10 Least Gay-Friendly Big Cities - Towleroad Gay News Cities LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index: 203 Countries Ranked in 2023 } Another challenge: While some of the world is catching up to equal rights for gay and lesbian couples, transgender and non-binary people still have the furthest way to go. Overall, the state has one of the highest percentages of adults over 18 who identify as LGBTQ+, at 5.3%, so you will definitely be able to find a welcoming community wherever you go. Place to eat or drink: Lisbon Bar on Stanley Street is a basement bar open until the early hours. However, only 21% of LGBTQ+ adults in Maine over 25 are raising children. To find the best gay hangouts, the top neighborhoods include the U Street Corridor, Dupont Circle or Logan Circle with LGBT favorite spots like Cobalt, 30 Degrees, Green Lantern or DIK Bar. And for more city lists, check out The Fastest Growing Cities in America. The area is very walkable, with many streets being pedestrian-only. The Street and The Regent Bar offer a more casual experience thats still very lively. These are the friendliest cities in the UK, according to the 2022 Readers' Choice Awards. In rural Alaskan communities like Ketchikan, the LGBTQIA+ community is rarely given a voicesomething that's evident in the city's lack of LGBTQIA+ resources. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { WebThe most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in the UK. Annually, there's a Long Beach Pride festival, which has been going on since 1983. You can see the top 10 best cities for LGBTQ acceptance below. All rights reserved. The city has a variety of LGBTQIA+ centers, bars, nightclubs, and non-profits. Nevertheless, there are other states where gay, trans and non-binary people are targets, both legislatively and in their day-to-day lives, he says. It found that the Icelandic city of Reykjavik is the best place to live for LGBTQ people, achieving 10/10 on the ranking thanks to full legal equality as well as strong representation in parliament and the media. WebAt number five on the LGBTQ+ friendly travel destinations list is the UK. If you do one thing: Head to Above the Stag Theatre, the UKs only dedicated LGBT+ theatre which boasts an eclectic calendar of events. Best for: A cultural weekend filled with LGBT bars, restaurants and activities. We offer guides to 200+ cities worldwide and know the best gay bars, hotels, clubs, saunas, parties, beaches, and not-to-be-missed experiences. 5 Safest Places For Gay Travelers In 2019 (And The Most This includes the LGBT Foundation Charity and Switchboard and BiPhoria the UKs oldest bisexual community organisation. They were a delight to deal with! Love Johnson City, an LGBT Idyll Right Cities like Manchester, Blackpool and Brighton all have vibrant queer scenes and the capital city of Plus, the first professor of Gay and Lesbian studies also came from Nottingham! Coming in second on the list is Sweden, followed by the Netherlands. Boasting an incredible daytime and nightlife scene, as well as a whole host of LGBTQ+ friendly services. The LGBTQ+ scene in Newcastle isnt just about late-night bars and partying until the early hours. In second and third are two Netherlands cities, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, both of which scored 9.8/10. Place to eat or drink: Village Soho, and its three themed floors, is an iconic venue within the community and one that wont disappoint. This area is sometimes called the Pink Triangle, with some of the gay bars extending onto nearby Leith Street. Azerbaijan is the least LGBTI-friendly nation in Europe, according to ratings released by a leading rights organisation. Known as Rainbow Cities, each is jam-packed with LGBTQ+ owned bars and restaurants, a fantastic nightlife scene and lots of things to do and see while making everybody feel welcome. The Merchant Hotel offers lodging for luxury lovers, while the Bullitt Hotel has a quirkier vibe. Its ongoing support for the LGBTQ+ community. We couldnt have hoped for anything more. } In the United Kingdom, things first started to change following the decriminalization of sexual activity between men, in 1967 inEnglandandWales, and later inScotlandandNorthern Ireland. itself is frequently described as the gay capital of the North, so we couldnt not include it on our list. However, thats not the case with Dublin which is vibrant, fun, and very LGBT- friendly. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); Anything above 0 is too many.. For their research, the HRC looks at each locale's non-discrimination laws, availability of resources for the queer community, whether or not they work in coordination with the Human Rights Campaign, and many other detailed criteria. Reykjavik, Iceland 2. WebSome of the findings are unsurprising: six of the 10 local authorities with the highest relative lesbian, gay and bisexual populations are in inner London, including Hackney, Lambeth Malta is also one of very few countries with a trans murder rate of less than 0.1 per million residents. Not only do LGBTQ+ people not have rights, but they are also actively targeted and imprisoned for their sexual identities and gender expression, says Fergusson. Everybody I know will hear about how amazing Ampersand is! Place to eat or drink: The Kings, and its terrace and two floors, is a great place to start your evening. Sheffield might not have been on your list as a place to visit but when it comes to LGBTQ+ it offers a friendly and fantastic trip away. Its also in one of the oldest parts of the city, so its full of beautiful buildings and all of the businesses are independently owned. The state of Hawaii is the most accepting and LGBTQ+ friendly state in the USA according to our data. Place to eat or drink: Eden, and its regular drag queen shows, will certainly not disappoint. For incredible drag shows, its also worth heading to Rustys, a quirky spot beloved by the locals. WebYou can see the top 10 best cities for LGBTQ acceptance below. have an incredibly varied LGBTQ+ scene but its history is just as impressive. The USA has many liberal and progressive areas to visit and live in, but some more so than others. There arent many dedicated LGBTQ+ bars and clubs, only 0.2 per 100,000 people, but the ones that do exist score a high average of 4.3 on TripAdvisor. "It means so much to me that there are so many people that support us being out in the open and support our decision to be happy no matter who we are with," resident Bridgette Patterson said at the event. In 2019, the town held its first Pride festival on May 4th, according to local station KFVS12. However, in 2018, a discriminatory adoption bill that allows "private and publicly-funded adoption agencies to refuse to place a child with an LGBTQ person by claiming a religious or moral exception" did make it through, according to FFAA. Officially ranked as the second most creative city in the UK, if art, theatre, music and performance are your thing, Brighton offers you everything you could need and more. Around 4.8 percent of the Cambridge population identifies as LGBTQIA+, according to a 2018 Gallop poll, which is higher than the national average of 4.5 percent. Other countries are rolling out extremely slow changes and approving marriages on an individual basis.
