In this article, we will look at the 35 most gay-friendly cities in the world. If you want to skip our discussion about the LGBTQ+ community in the US, its contribution to the economy, and legal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals and their implications for corporate America, go to 10 Most Gay-Friendly Cities in the World.
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines sexual orientation as “an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction toward men, women, or both sexes”. It has been a topic of hot debate for centuries. It is only very recently that homosexuality has started to get much-needed acceptance in society. However, even as we are well within the third decade of the twenty-first century, there are places where homosexuality is not accepted. The APA recognizes the stigma of mental illness associated with lesbian, gay, and bisexual orientations. It also recognizes that sexual orientation tends to define the group in which a person is more likely to find satisfying and romantic romantic relationships.
The LGBTQ+ community in the United States is quite prominent. According to a survey by Pew Research Center, 7% of adults in the country identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation also quotes similar figures, as according to them, the LGBTQ+ population in the United States is at least 20 million or 8% of adults. This figure is also corroborated by the Gallup survey, which claims that LGBT identification in the US was 7.1% as of 2022. According to Gallup, LGBTQ+ identification in 2020 was 5.6%, so we have seen a significant increase between 2020 and 2022. Gallup survey also reports the higher prevalence of LGBTQ+ identities in the youngest US adults. Around 21% of Generation Z Americans, who have reached adulthood, identify as LGBTQ+. For perspective, this figure is roughly double of LGBTQ+ identification in millennials. The LGBTQ+ community also contributes significantly to the US economy. Their contribution, most notably, comes through entrepreneurship and business ownership. According to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), businesses owned by LGBTQ+ individuals have contributed $1.77 trillion to the economy and have created 33,000 jobs. These businesses generate more than $2 million in annual revenue.
Despite their significant contribution to the economy, LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to face financial hardships compared to other Americans. High rates of food and economic insecurity were noted among the LGBTQ+ communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, they are also more likely to face discrimination in public settings such as education and employment, which further worsens their economic hardships. Recognizing these difficulties and a bias against them, all states have legislated legal protection in favor of LGBTQ+ individuals. As of June 5, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that employment discrimination against people belonging to the LGBTQ+ community is prohibited. Rights such as anti-discrimination, fair housing, and credit and lending vary by state.
However, all states have some sort of protection for them. It should be noted that the legal landscape of LGBTQ+ individuals is constantly evolving. These protections have implications for the business in the United States. They are required to provide equal employment opportunities to LGBTQ+ individuals, and they can be held liable for any discrimination. Some of the top American companies go above and beyond for this cause. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the largest companies in the world. In fact, here is what Polen Capital, an investment management company, said about the company in its fourth quarter 2023 Investor letter:
“Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and NVIDIA alone drove over 1,100 basis points of the Russell 1000 Growth Index’s 42% return, so not owning them was a meaningful headwind to our relative return in 2023. While on a total attribution basis, Apple was not a top three detractor to our full-year return, given its extremely large weighting in the Index, we feel it’s worth sharing our thoughts.
The company’s share price appreciated nearly 50% in a year when its revenue declined and earnings per share was relatively flat with the previous year.
For 2024, consensus expectations are for low-single-digit revenue growth and only slightly faster EPS growth. These pedestrian growth rates are not surprising for a company with nearly $400 billion in annual revenue. What is more surprising is that Apple shares trade at nearly 30x forward earnings, a large premium to the market and many faster-growing, competitively advantaged businesses.”
The company also leads from the front when it comes to creating a culture of inclusivity. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:APPL) has policies that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. In addition, it donates to causes that promote equality and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:APPL) also provides comprehensive benefits to people in the LGBTQ+ community.
Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) is one of the largest beverage companies in the world. It has a long-standing support for the LGBTQ+ community. In fact, it has received 100% on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index every year since 2006. Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) also has an LGBTQ employee resource group in all the major countries it operates. The company also offers transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage to its employees. In addition, Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) is also known to put its money behind legislation to fight against anti-LGBTQ+ Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) legislation.
More recently, we are starting to see online applications aimed at improving the lives of people belonging to the LGBTQ+ community. One such product is Kalda, which is the world’s first LGBTQ+ mental wellbeing application. It provides a stigma-free community where members can access daily peer mindfulness. The app aims to support mental health within the community. Another application is Zoteria, which was launched to handle LGBTQ+ hate crimes. The app lets its users flag LGBTQ+ hate incidents and keep the community safe.
With that backdrop, let’s look at the 35 most gay-friendly cities in the world.
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Methodology
For our list of the most gay-friendly cities in the world, we relied on four (1,2,3,4) sources and gave them equal weightage. These sources ranked gay-friendly travel destinations around the world. For each city mentioned in the sources, we gave it a point equal to the total number of cities mentioned divided by its rank and multiplied by the weight. Then we totaled the points for each city, after which we arrived at the Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness score. The higher this score, the more gay-friendly the city is.
By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional looking for the best stocks to buy you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.
35 – Cologne, Germany
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 1.6
Cologne has a thriving LGBTQ+ community, with specific areas of the city dedicated to several gay establishments. These areas have gay bars, clubs, and drag shows.
34 – Reykjavik, Iceland
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 1.7
Reykjavik is one of the most gay-friendly destinations, with the majority of people having an open-minded attitude. The city even features a museum dedicated to male organs.
33 – Montreal, Canada
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 1.8
Some people regard Montreal as the most gay-friendly place in the world. Its queer bars and nightclubs are one of the most popular in the world. It is also home to one of the largest gay villages in North America.
32 – Santiago, Chile
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 2.3
The Bellavista neighborhood of Santiago has a massive gay scene, and some people regard the city as one of the most gay-friendly destinations in South America.
31 – Taipei, Taiwan
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 2.5
Taipei is touted as the ‘San Fransisco of the east’, a city that ranks much higher on our gay-friendly cities list. The city has a vibrant and welcoming gay community, and the Red House District is home to several gay bars.
30 – Stockholm, Sweden
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 2.6
Although Stockholm has no gay enclave as such, it is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world. Gay-friendly establishments are present throughout the city, and a Pride flag is a common occurrence.
29 – Bristol, England
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 2.8
Bristol is one of the most gay-friendly cities in England. The city has several darg events and gay-friendly establishments.
28 – Johannesburg, South Africa
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 3.1
Johannesburg is the most gay-friendly city in South Africa. The city has several gay hangouts and is home to a large LGBTQ+ community.
27 – Vienna, Austria
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 3.6
While Vienna does not have a queer neighborhood, it has a lively gay scene. People are incredibly friendly toward the LGBTQ+ community, which is thriving in the city.
26 – Bogota, Combodia
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 3.6
It might be surprising to see Bogota in the list of the most gay-friendly cities in the world, but the city is home to some of the most incredible gay clubs and bars. The LGBTQ+ community in the city is thriving and welcoming.
25 – Madrid, Spain
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 3.8
Spain is one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world, and its city Madrid is home to a thriving gay community. Chueca is one of the most popular gay villages located in Madrid.
24 – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 3.8
The Palmero and Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires has a thriving gay scene. The city has several gay-friendly establishments, and people are welcoming of the LGBTQ+ community.
23 – Glasgow, Scotland
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 4.2
Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, is also one of its most gay-friendly cities. The city has several gay bars and nightclubs.
22 – Toronto, Canada
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 5.0
Toronto is the most gay-friendly city in Canada. It’s east and has a gay village with several LGBTQ+-friendly bars.
21 – Dublin, Ireland
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 5.0
Ireland is home to at least eight gay and lesbian resource centers, and one of them is located in Dublin. The city has an incredibly vibrant gay scene.
20 – Tel Aviv, Israel
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 5.3
Tel Aviv hosts the only gay pride in the whole of the Middle East. The city is also home to one of the best gay beaches in the world.
19 – Brussels, Belgium
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 5.7
Brussel’s gay scene is vibrant, with several gay bars which remain crowded over the weekend. The street Rue du Marché au Charbon in the city center has a thriving gay scene.
18 – Barcelona, Spain
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 5.8
Barcelona’s gay scene attracts visitors from all around the world. The city hosts some of the major gay-specific events around the year.
17 – Berlin, Germany
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 6.1
Berlin has a reputation for being one of the most tolerant and open-minded cities in the world. The German capital has a flourishing gay scene.
16 – Zurich Switzerland
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 6.3
Zurich is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world. The city even has a lesbian mayor and gay-specific bars and cafes.
15 – Lisbon, Portugal
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 6.8
Lisbon is home to some of the most gay-friendly neighborhoods. Its Barro Alto area is home to several gay-friendly establishments.
14 – São Paulo, Brazil
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 7.3
Sao Paulo is the only South American city in the Rainbow Cities Network. It has a huge LGBTQ+ nightlife scene.
13 – Brighton, England
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 8.7
Brighton is home to one of the largest LGBTQ+ communities in England. Some people also regard this city as the gay capital of England.
12 – London, England
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 9.4
London has one of the largest LGBTQ+ communities in Europe. The old Champion Street in Soho has an abundance of gay pubs and other gay-friendly establishments.
11 – Melbourne, Australia
Insider Monkey Gay Friendliness Score – 9.4
Melbourne is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world. The city has a diverse gay population.
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Disclosure: none. 35 Most Gay-Friendly Cities in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.