LGBTQ-friendly countries when travelling the world
Thinking about where to head abroad? Here are our top tips.
By Will Stroude
With many cultures not yet fully accepting of the LGBTQ community, it’s important to know where is safe and welcoming, and where isn’t.
Fortunately, there are endless countries that are accepting and embracing of LGBTQ, meaning that no one should be put off from travelling the world. Here are a few of the most tolerant countries in the world.
North America
Whilst not all of North America is cosmopolitan yet, the USA and Canada are very much not dangerous places to be gay. Canada in particular is actually ranked number one in the world for its anti-discrimination legislation and LGBT marketing.
If you’re looking to go to Vegas or Atlantic City for a casino trip, like many tourists do, then you’re absolutely welcome in both of these. Although, Canadians would argue that you should visit there and play online casino games instead.
Having said that, Vegas does have some great LGBTQ parties, endless gay bars and even NV Gay pool party events – how could you possibly turn that down?
The Netherlands & Germany
With its Red-Light District and Cannabis-smoking laws, Netherlands is an extremely modern country where many gay people move to. With their laid-back culture and progressive ideals, there couldn’t possibly be a safer country to visit as a member of the LGBTQ community – or any community in fact.
If you’re in Central Europe visiting Netherlands, then Denmark, Germany and Austria nearby are also very gay-friendly. In fact, Berlin is an incredible place for nightlife, with an abundance of electronic music, gay clubs and decadence.
Argentina
Not everyone travels for nightlife, however, and one entry to this list you may not have expected is Argentina. Argentina is among the most advanced countries in the world when it comes to LGBTQ rights, and have one of the most comprehensive transgender rights laws in the world. On top of this, it’s an absolutely stunning county.
Torres del Paine National Park is one of the most mind-blowing national parks in the world. There are also giant glaciers to visit, and South America’s second tallest mountain, Aconcagua.
Honorable mentions
There are many, many countries in which gay people are completely safe. However, these are some other countries that are spearheading progressive laws surrounding LGBTQ.
● Malta
● Sweden
● Spain
● UK
● Uruguay
● Iceland
● New Zealand
● Portugal
Final word
There are plenty of pro-LGBTQ destinations to look to when decided where to head on your adventures. It’s also important to find LGBTQ-friendly businesses too, such as hotels. This can be done on apps like MisterBnB and others.
Some notable countries to avoid are Russia, Saudi Arabia, much of Africa and the Middle East, and even most of Eastern Europe. Finally, remember to turn off your location on dating apps, just in case.
You never really know if a country has a violently anti-gay sub-culture, given that you’re new to the country. The location feature on apps like Grindr could even make you a potential target, so it’s better to be safe.