10 Most LGBT-Friendly Cities Around The World
As we celebrate Pride month this June, we highlight these cities around the world who have been and continue to be at the forefront of the LGBTQIA+ movement
We are indeed fortunate to live in a time where people, countries, and governments have started opening up to the discourse of LGBTQIA+ rights. Just a couple of decades ago, the idea of being gay or trans has been kept in the dark, spoken about only in hushed tones in fear of being ostracized or bullied.
For decades, violence and discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community have not been discussed openly. Gay men were forced to find themselves a wife and start families because that was expected of them, and girls who liked dressing up like men and acted masculine were shunned and abused to show them “what a real man is.” Drag queens had to hide their wigs and makeup, trans people had no access to transition and therapy, and being bisexual was “a phase” that people expect you to snap out of once the "novelty" of it wore off.
But not anymore. Today, we have seen the LGBTQIA+ advocacy coming out of its proverbial closet, and people are becoming more sensitive to the needs and rights of the community—things that we have trampled upon for years.
It’s so heartwarming to see more same-sex marriages being openly celebrated. Openly LGBT people are being elected to office. Establishments are being more open-minded about labelling their bathrooms. Bills tackling gay rights and discrimination are making headway in many governments. LGBT characters are taking the limelight in TV and film. The stigma that connects gay people to AIDS is slowly being corrected. More parents are becoming understanding and supportive when their children come out to them. And Pride parades all over the world continue to draw noise and attention to the movement, encouraging more people to embrace who they truly are.
While the movement has not yet succeeded entirely, these are significant victories that have legitimized, finally, the plight of the LGBTQIA+ community. This is why we’ve decided to come up with the top 10 cities all over the world (in no particular order) who have shown how LGBTQIA+ people should be treated—with respect, compassion, understanding—just like the fellow citizens that they are.
10 Most LGBT-Friendly Cities in the World
10 Most LGBT-Friendly Cities in the World
Toronto, Canada
Canada has always been one of the most progressive countries in terms of legal recognition of the LGBTQIA+ community, and as early as 2013, surveys found that more than 80% of Canadians favored social acceptance of homosexuality. Same-sex marriage was recognized in Canada as early as 2005, making them the fourth country in the world to do so. In 2019, those who identified as non-binary were also allowed to mark an “X” in the gender box in their passport. Toronto also hosts a number of LGBTQIA+ events such as the popular Inside Out LGBT Film Festival, which showcases more than 200 queer-themed films.
Photo Credit: KMR Photography/Flickr
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amsterdam has always been very open about a lot of things, but its progressiveness in the LGBTQIA+ movement is worthy of praise. In fact, The Netherlands became the very first country in the world to legalize gay marriage back in 2001, and according to many first-hand accounts of LGBTQIA+ members and couples, Amsterdam has been known generally for its tolerance of anything LGBTQIA+ related. Amsterdam is also home to many LGBTQIA+ accommodations, bars, and even venues like the Pink Point, which provides LGBT-friendly information and souvenirs. At the center of Amsterdam also stands the Homomonument, a memorial for all gay men and lesbians who have been persecuted because of their homosexuality.
Photo Credit: Once Upon a Journey
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Despite being a largely Catholic country, Argentina has been very progressive with their LGBT laws and was the first country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage back in July 2010. In fact, Argentina has been commended for having “one of the world's most comprehensive transgender rights laws,” which encompass anti-discrimination laws and the right to change legal gender without facing barriers. Buenos Aires has been a popular LGBTQIA+ tourist destination and described as Latin America's gay capital.
Photo Credit: Telam
Berlin, Germany
Berlin has been recognized as a hub for gay subculture in the whole of Europe as early as the 1920s, and that has continued to today. Berlin has many bars, cafes, darkrooms, saunas, museums, carnivals, and even districts dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. One of these districts—and the biggest—is Schöneberg, where the huge Lesbian and Gay City Festival is celebrated every June. The annual Berlin Pride Celebration or more popularly known as CSD Berlin held every July has become not only a cultural monument, but also a tourist hotspot. Same-sex marriage has been legalized in Germany in 2017, giving same-sex couples full marital and adoption rights. According to polls, a majority of Germans also voted positively towards homosexuality being accepted in society, ranking second only to Spain.
Photo Credit: Travel Gay
London, UK
London is home to the largest LGBTQIA+ community in Europe, with a robust LGBT history dating back to decades ago. It is where The Gateways Club, the longest running lesbian nightclub in the world, stood from 1936 to 1985. And today, Old Compton Street and its surrounding area in SoHo is London’s gay epicenter, filled with gay-owned clubs, bars, and shops. It has been legal for same-sex couples to get married in the UK since 2014.
Photo Credit: Nick Duffy/Pink News
Madrid, Spain
Spain in general has been praised for its openness towards the LGBTQIA+ community, but first-hand accounts have often pinpointed Madrid as one of the friendliest—if not the friendliest—city towards LGBTQ+ in the whole world. They have the largest openly gay community estimated at 500,000 people, and home to Chueca, with the highest concentration of gay bars and night clubs. It’s not surprising, too, since ancient Romans have always viewed sexual interaction between men as commonplace during the early Roman Empire. Same-sex marriage in Spain has been legal since 2005, and stipulates that any Spanish citizen can marry even a non-Spaniard regardless of whether that person's homeland recognizes same-sex relationships or not.
Photo Credit: Ted Eytan/Flickr
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Dubbed as the Gay Capital of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta has an overall welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ locals and travelers. Since 1980, the Old Puerto Vallarta neighborhood has been popular among the community after retired Canadians and Americans bought land and properties in the area to start gay-friendly businesses. Today, it’s filled with bars, restaurants, and stores that have been favored by LGBTQs. The city has also become popular for its beach, the Playa de los Muertos, which is surrounded by gay-friendly beachfront hotels. Because of this, 34% of tourists in Puerto Vallarta were found to be LGBTQIA+. The status of same-sex marriages in Mexico is quite complex, but Puerto Vallarta has already begun issuing same-sex marriage licenses in 2015.
Photo Credit: Puerto Vallarta Daily News
San Francisco, USA
San Francisco has been named as the American LGBTQIA+ mecca because of its progressive history towards the movement. In fact, the first rainbow flag was created by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker back in 1978. It is also home to Castro, one of the first gay neighborhoods in the United States; and Compton's Transgender Cultural District, the first legally recognized transgender district in the world. The very first same-sex couple who got married in San Francisco dates back to 2004 after San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom permitted the city hall to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Recent studies found that at least 15% of the population in the city is gay.
Photo Credit: Liberty Press
Sydney, Australia
Australia, in general, has been very friendly towards the LGBTQIA+ community, recognizing same-sex couples as de facto relationships since 2009 before finally legalizing same-sex marriage in 2017. Joint child adoptions have been legal nationwide, and non-binary Australians can legally register a "non-specific" sex on federal legal documents. Sydney boasts many gay-friendly bars and clubs, and is home to the very famous Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, which has been dubbed as the best LGBTQIA+ festival for tourists. It is one of the largest Pride festivals in the world and is New South Wales' second-largest income-generating event. In 2019, Sydney finally won the bid to host WorldPride 2023, which will be the first time for any city in the southern hemisphere to host the event.
Photo Credit: Carol Cho/AAP
Tel-Aviv, Israel
At the heart of the Middle East lies a city that has been dubbed one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world. Tel-Aviv is rich with gay beaches, gay bars and night clubs, and a huge Gay Pride week held every June. In fact, Israel has recognized unregistered cohabitation between same-sex couples since 1994, and as early as 2008, same-sex couples were allowed to jointly adopt. LGBT people are also allowed to serve openly in their military. Although same-sex marriage has yet to be put into law, many polls held in the country have found that majority of the Israelis support its legalization.
Photo Credit: The Times of Israel
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