Our top 20 most gay friendly countries in the world in 2024 🏳️‍🌈

When it comes to LGBTQ rights, Canada is a true trailblazer, which speaks volumes about how much it protects its LGBTQ community. The Province of Quebec banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in 1977 becoming the first jurisdiction ever to do so!

Canada become one of the first countries to pass an advanced set of anti-discrimination laws nationwide in the 1990s.

In 2005 Canada became the 1st country in the Americas and the 4th in the world (after Holland, Belgium, and Spain) to legalize gay marriage. Canada also has one of the most progressive transgender laws in the world. For example, the right to change legal gender is possible without the requirement of having to undergo gender reassignment surgery. Canada has also formally recognized a third-gender option since 2017.

In 2022 Canada lifted its ban on gay men being allowed to donate blood.

Almost every city in Canada has a thriving gay scene, complete with rainbow crossings and numerous gay events taking place throughout the year. The main ones are the Church & Wellesley gay village of Toronto, Le Village Gai gay village of Montreal, The Village of Ottawa, the Davie Village in gay Vancouver, and Jasper Avenue in Edmonton.

Canada is one of the few countries that hosts its own national Pride event – “Canada Pride”. The first one took place in Montreal in 2017. The 2020 Winnipeg Fierte Canada Pride was postponed to 2022 due to the Pandemic. The next one is scheduled to take place in Vancouver in 2024.

Almost every city in Canada has an annual Pride event, often strongly supported by the local government. Toronto Pride is the most famous and is also one of the largest gay events in the world, attracting almost 1.5 million people each year.

As a gay couple, we felt completely safe in all the places we visited in Canada. This is also one of the rare countries in the world where we felt confident enough to hold hands in public, almost everywhere!

The Netherlands is the ultimate LGBTQ trailblazer! Homosexuality was legalized back in 1811, but the big headline is that it became the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage in 2001!

In relation to anti-discrimination laws, the Netherlands has everything under the sun to protect its LGBTQ community including laws to combat hate speech based on who we love, gender identity, and gender expression. Most recently in 2023, the Dutch Senate voted in favor of expanding the Consitution of the Netherlands so discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation (and disability) is explicitly banned.

You'll find the best of the Netherlands' gay scene in the capital city, Amsterdam, specifically in the Reguliersdwarsstraat gay village. Here there are many gay cafes, shops, bars, clubs, and parties to check out, like PRIK, SoHo, Cafe Reality, Club NYX, Bear Necessity, and Club YOLO – to name just a few! Outside of Amsterdam, cities like Rotterdam have a handful of gay hangouts, but nothing on par with Amsterdam. Find out more in our detailed gay guide to Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Pride is well known for being one of the most unique Pride events in the world because instead of taking place on the streets, a parade of floats proceeds through the city on boats along the famous canals. Other annual gay events in Amsterdam include Amsterdam Bear Weekend in March, Amsterdam Leather Pride in October, and the IQMF (International Queer & Migrant Film Festival) in December.

The next epic event to look out for in the Netherlands is in 2026 when Amsterdam will host WorldPride.

There are few places in the world where we feel comfortable walking in the streets holding hands outside of the gay village, and The Netherlands is one of them! When it comes to tolerance, open-mindedness, and equality, we found the Netherlands to be one of the most culturally liberal and diverse places in the world. It's certainly the most progressive country we've traveled to, which is why we love it!

Spain legalized homosexuality in 1979 and passed a comprehensive set of anti-discrimination laws in 1995. In 2005, Spain became the 3rd country in the world to legalize gay marriage (after Holland and Belgium).

In 2023, Spain PAVED the way forward for transgender law. What became dubbed the “Trans Law” introduced provisions that allow for gender recognition based on self-identification through a simple administrative process. The same law also introduced measures to combat discrimination against LGBTQ people in various sectors including healthcare, employment, and housing.

All the main cities in Spain have a vibrant gay scene, usually concentrated in a gay village or street. The main ones include Chueca in Madrid, Gaixample in Barcelona, the Maspalomas gay area in Gran Canaria, and pretty much all of Sitges (in particular the Carrer de Joan Tarrida street).

Other smaller cities in Spain have an exciting gay scene, which includes Benidorm's Old Town area, La Nogalera in Torremolinos, Barrio del Carmen in Valencia, and Calle de la Virgen in Ibiza.

Almost all the cities in Spain have a Pride event. The most famous is Madrid Pride. It is lauded for being one of the largest gay Pride events in the world especially in 2017 when it hosted WorldPride. Other prominent Pride events in Spain take place in Barcelona, Sitges, Maspalomas, Ibizia, Benidorm, Valencia, Bilbao, and Manilva.

Spain is just bursting with culture, ranking as the 3rd country in the world for the number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites – a total of 48. Amongst these are Gaudi's iconic buildings in Barcelona like the Sagrada Familia, as well as the Alhambra in Granada, and the Mezquita of Córdoba (the largest mosque in the world).

In terms of museums, there's the world-famous Museo del Prado of Madrid and the Guggenheim in Bilbao. And then there's the food! From the world-famous paellas, tortillas, churos, gazpachos, jamons, and our favorite, the tasty, juicy Spanish chorizo sausages.

New Zealand legalized homosexuality for men in 1986 (for women it was never illegal). They introduced comprehensive anti-discrimination laws as far back as 1993 and legalized gay marriage in 2013.

New Zealand introduced the right to change legal gender in 1993 and also officially recognizes a non-binary gender.

In February 2022, New Zealand banned conversion therapy (the horrific practice that seeks to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression).

The main gay scene and LGBTQ community are focused in Auckland and Wellington. In Auckland, most of the LGBTQ hangouts are based in and around Karangahape Road and Ponsonby. In Wellington, it’s largely in Wellington Central. Other cities around the country will also have a few gay hangouts to check out.

Pride events have been taking place in New Zealand since the 1970s. The main ones are the Big Gay Out in Auckland in February, the Wellington International Pride Parade in March, the Christchurch Pride in March, and the North Canterbury Pride, also in March. Another one to look out for is the Gay Ski Week in August/September. What we love most about the Pride events in New Zealand is that although they’re small, everyone in the community gets involved, even the Prime Minister!

When it comes to gay travel, New Zealand is wow personified. Touristic highlights include the Fiordland National Park, the Bay of Islands, Queenstown, Lake Taupo, Tongariro National Park, Rotorua, and of course, the Hobbiton Movie Set in Hinuera.

Not only is New Zealand a stunning country to visit, but it’s also super gay friendly, everywhere. New Zealanders have embraced change openly and with much enthusiasm. This is one place in the world where PDAs are not an issue with anyone, anywhere in the country! For more be sure to hit up our gay travel guide to New Zealand.

England/Wales legalized homosexuality in 1967, Scotland in 1981, and Northern Ireland in 1982. Between 2004-2008, the UK passed a comprehensive set of anti-discrimination laws. In 2014, England/Wales/Scotland legalized gay marriage. Northern Ireland subsequently followed in 2020.

Since September 2020, the UK has implemented laws that require schools to teach children that it’s ok to be gay. In June 2021, the laws were changed to allow gay men to donate blood with no deferral period required. In February 2023, the Church of England confirmed it would back plans to bless gay couples.

Alongside Australia, the USA, and Spain, the UK has one of the highest numbers of recognized gay villages in the world! London alone has several, including Soho, Vauxhall, and Clapham.

Manchester and Brighton are often regarded as one of the best cities in the world for gay people to live, both with large LGBTQ communities and an exciting gay scene in Canal Street (Manchester) and a fabulous community concentrated in Kemptown (Brighton).

The UK has the highest number of Pride events out of any country in the world, with almost every city leading its own event usually during the summer months.

Brighton Pride and Manchester Pride (both in August) are often regarded as the best Pride events in Europe. London Pride in early July is the largest, attracting over 1 million people.

The 2012 London Pride was the most famous when it coincided with the year the city hosted the Olympic Games and also hosted WorldPride.

The UK offers so much for gay tourists such as fulfilling your Harry Potter fantasy at the Warner Bros. Studio, as well as discovering Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the stunning Lake District in Northern England, Stonehenge, Edinburgh Castle, and many many more gems.

Taiwan legalized homosexuality in…oh it was never illegal! In 2002, Taiwan began to introduce anti-discrimination legislation, which included comprehensive laws to combat hate crimes, indirect discrimination, and more.

Ximen in Taipei is the main gay scene with loads of gay bars clustered together. There are more gay places dotted around the city but the bulk is around Ximen's gay neighborhood.

Other cities in Taiwan have a few gay scenes, but nothing on par with Ximen. Read more about what gay life in Taiwan is like in our interview with local boy Po-Hung.

Taipei Pride is not only the main LGBTQ event in Taiwan but the largest in all of Asia attracting around 200,000 people! It takes place in October and includes a number of other gay parties like Formosa and the WOW Pool Party.

Other cities in Taiwan host smaller, more local Pride events, in particular, Kaohsiung City and Taichung City Pride.

Taiwan is a foodie destination! If like us, you love Asian food, Taiwan is a place you need to visit.

Other touristic highlights in Taiwan include the Taipei 101, Taroko National Park, the Sun Moon Lake, the Yushan National Park, the Rainbow Village in Taichung City, and of course the food – check out the Shilin Night Market in Taipei for example.

Australia legalized homosexuality in 1997 and passed a comprehensive set of anti-discrimination laws in 2013.

Gay marriage was legalized in 2017 following a non-binding postal vote in which 61.6% of the Australian population voted “Yes” in favor of gay marriage.

Australia also has progressive transgender laws, which include the right to change legal gender since 2013, and has formally recognized a third gender option since 2003.

Since February 2021, the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood reduced the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood to a deferral period of 3 months.

Every big city in Australia has a vibrant gay scene with a large, active LGBTQ community, especially in Sydney and

Gay Australia Tour: Summer Down Under + Mardi Gras

Swim trunks and party pants are required for this gay Australia tour. Slather on your highest SPF and get ready for this ripper adventure during ‘Straya’s summer season (North America’s winter).

This gay Australia tour begins in Melbourne and then heads to the fertile Yarra Valley to sip New World Wines. Next up to the bush and beach lining the heritage-listed Great Ocean Road. Then it’s off to temperate Tassie (or Tasmania to the rest of us muggles). Finally, this sunny sojourn culminates in splashy Sydney for Mardi Gras.

Find out more

. Sydney is so gay that a 2016 study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed how the LGBTQ community was spread out around the city in a “Rainbow Ribbon” starting from Potts Point, going out to Elizabeth Bay, down to Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Chippendale, Redfern, Darlington, Erskineville, Alexandria and round to Newtown. As such Sydney has one of the most exciting gay scenes in the world including the Obelisk gay beach.

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is one of the most famous and electrifying LGBTQ festivals in the world. It takes place in late February, attracting thousands of people from all around the world, with headliners such as Cher, Kylie, George Michael, and Sam Smith. Australia led the gay world stage in 2023 when Sydney’s Mardi Gras hosted WorldPride, which featured both Kylie and Danni Minogue opening the ceremony!

Our ultimate gay Aussie fantasy is to rent a dramatic pink camper and pay homage to Priscilla, traveling across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs and spreading fabulousness across the country.

Other touristic highlights for gay travelers to Australia (beyond Mardi Gras of course!) include The Great Barrier Reef for world-class diving, the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Ocean Road, and the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Ever since the Berlin Wall came down in 1991, Germany powered ahead to become an LGBTQ paradise. Germany passed a full set of anti-discrimination laws in 2006, the right to change legal gender, and laws preventing hate crimes based on gender or orientation.

In 2017, Germany legalized gay marriage. More recently in 2019, Germany formally recognized a third-gender option, and in 2020 laws were implemented to ban conversion therapy in minors.

In April 2023, Germany lifted its restrictions on gay blood donors, instead implementing a new “individual risk-based assessment” policy.

Most of the big cities of Germany have a terrific gay scene. We particularly love the exciting and vibrant gay nightlife of Berlin. We love it! It’s so wide and diverse. Everyone in our LGBTQ community can find their tribe.

Schöneberg was the first-ever gay village in the world when it took off as an LGBTQ mecca in the 1920s. Since then, so many cities around the globe have adopted a similar model where the gay community can share a safe space and support local queer businesses.

Berlin Pride is the largest gay event in Germany, attracting around 1 million people each year. Note that in Germany, the Pride events are referred to as “CSD”, which stands for “Christopher Street Day” – named after the street where the Stonewall riots in NYC took place in 1969.

Hamburg and Cologne are the other two main Pride or CSD events in Germany. Other gay events in Germany include the Carnival Cologne in February, the Munich Gay Oktoberfest in October, and the Heavenue Gay Christmas Market in December.

Germany offers a lot for LGBTQ tourists, especially Berlin, a city steeped with history from the Brandenberg Gate, Reichstag Building, and Berlin Wall Memorial.

Other touristic highlights include the Cologne Cathedral, the Black Forest in southwest Germany, and the super picturesque Neuschwanstein Castle. Each city heavily invests in LGBTQ tourism, especially Visit Berlin.

LGBTQ rights in Colombia are super-advanced by Latin American standards. Colombia legalized homosexuality in 1981 and then started introducing anti-discrimination laws in all areas (employment, goods, services, etc) from 2011 onwards.

In 2016 Colombia became the 4th country in Latin America to legalize gay marriages following a 6-3 vote in the Constitutional Court of Colombia.

Bogota’s Chapinero is one of our favorite gay villages, mainly because of Theatron. It’s a massive gay club that can fit up to 5,000. Every Saturday evening, the gay community comes alive here. We’d happily book a flight over in a heartbeat just to party at Theatron! Chapinero also has many other gay hangouts, which you can read more about in our gay travel guide to Bogota.

Other cities in Colombia have a large gay scene, in particular Medellin. Cartagena, Cali, and Barranquilla also have a smaller gay scene.

Bogota Pride in June and the Barranquilla Carnival in February are the most famous. Almost all the other cities have a Pride event, usually in June.

Cartagena Pride is another notable gay event in August because it also coincides with the Circuit-style “Rumours Festival”.

Other events in Colombia to look out for which aren’t expressly gay but are popular with the LGBTQ community include Medellin’s Flower Festival in August and the Cali Salsa Festival in June.

Some of our favorite travel highlights include the coffee region, the Cocora Valley, the Salt Cathedral, the Caño Cristales Rainbow River, Cartagena's old town, and the Tayrona National Park.

As a gay couple, we had no issues in Colombia and felt accepted everywhere. In one hotel in Medellin, we noticed a sign in the lift showing the penalties the police could give you for certain crimes. One of these included a fine for shouting homophobic abuse to others in public!

The only thing we’d say in Colombia, which is the case for many countries in Latin America is that the machismo culture is prevalent in rural areas, particularly along the coast. However, we didn’t encounter this on our travels in Colombia as we just avoided them. Read more in our Colombia gay travel guide.

Norway legalized homosexuality in 1972 and introduced comprehensive anti-discrimination between 1981-2013. Gay marriage was legalized in 2008.

Norway introduced the right to change legal gender in 2016 and since 2013 doesn’t require sterilization for this. In 2016, Norway passed a law allowing the change of legal gender for transgender people solely based on self-determination.

There are no gay villages in Norway, but the main cities have a few gay and gay friendly bars, in particular Oslo. Some of the best include the London Pub, SLM Oslo, Elsker Club, Bob's Pub, and even a sauna called Saunahuset Hercules.

Oslo Pride Festival in June is the main gay event in Norway attracting around 250,000 people each year. Most cities also have a pride event, the main ones include Bergen Pride in May, the Lillehammer Winter Pride in February, Skeive Sorlandsdager in August, and the Tromso Arctic Pride in November.

Norway is beautiful. Whilst there’s not much of a gay scene here or large gay events taking place, it sure packs a punch in terms of natural beauty, especially the Northern Lights. Just remember to bring money – lots of it! To give you an idea, the average pint of beer is around $10…!

LGBTQ rights in Argentina are progressive. Argentina legalized homosexuality in 1887 and is currently developing a set of anti-discrimination laws that are being implemented in Rosario and Buenos Aires, hopefully soon nationwide. Argentina legalized gay marriage in 2010.

The right to change legal gender was introduced in 2012, which allows transgender people to identify with their chosen gender on official documents without first having to receive hormone therapy, gender reassignment surgery, or psychiatric counseling. In July 2021, a new law was passed that allows a third gender option on all national ID cards and passports, marked as an “X”. Argentina is often lauded as the world's most transgender-friendly country.

We love the gay scene in Buenos Aires. It has heaps of bars and clubs spread out between Palermo and San Telmo like Glam, Sitges, and Peuteo.

We also love Buenos Aires because of the queer milongas (tango dance halls) where you can learn to dance queer tango. Most other cities in Argentina have a gay scene, such as Mendoza and Córdoba. 

The city of Rosario is considered the most gay-friendly and liberal-minded place in Argentina, often leading the way for proactive change. 

The main gay event in Argentina is Buenos Aires Pride in November which is one of the best Pride events in Latin America. The Queer Tango Festival is another fascinating queer event, so unique to Argentina.

In the wine capital of Mendoza, there is a gay segment in the annual grape harvesting festival in February called Vendimia.

We also love that the government actively supports and funds gay events, in particular, the GNetwork360 conference every August.

Touristic not-to-miss highlights of Argentina include the stunning Iguazu Falls, queer tango in Buenos Aires, wine tasting in Mendoza, trekking in El Chalten, getting up close with penguins in Punta Tombo, and going to the southernmost city in the world – Ushuaia.

We have always felt welcomed everywhere during our travels in Argentina and love returning here.

Sweden legalized homosexuality in 1944, hence the “gay since 1944” slogan! They introduced one of the most comprehensive sets of anti-discrimination laws in the 1980s. The right to change legal gender was also introduced in the 1970s in Sweden.

Gay marriage was passed in 2009 although gay unions have been recognized in Sweden since 1995.

In relation to transgender rights, Sweden does not (yet) officially have legal recognition of non-binary gender, but in 2017, it declassified “transgender identity” as an illness.

We’ll be honest, we were a bit underwhelmed by the gay scene in Sweden. There are of course several gay bars and clubs, mainly in the big cities – Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmo, but nothing on par with other gay cities like Barcelona, Berlin, or London.

There are no official gay villages or gay areas in any of the cities in Stockholm. This probably shows that Sweden is so gay friendly, that it does not need its own gay enclave.

Stockholm Pride is the big one, which is also the largest Pride in the Nordic countries. Other LGBTQ annual highlights include the Stockholm Rainbow Weekend which coincides with the city’s Pride and West Pride in Gothenburg.

Sweden prides itself on the fact that no Swede has to travel far for a Pride event, because there is one in almost every town and city! In 2021, Malmo was the place to be when it cohosted WorldPride with Copenhagen. For Eurovision geeks like me, Malmo is the place to be in 2024 when the city hosts the big event from May 7-11th.

From the famous Northern Lights in the winter months to the hidden alleyways in Gamla Stan in Stockholm, Sweden packs a punch! Visit Sweden is big on LGBTQ travel and invests a lot in promoting the country as a top gay destination, even hosting EuroPride in 1998, 2008, and 2018.

We felt totally safe in Sweden and comfortable holding hands in public in most places we visited. The Swedes are an extremely chilled and open-minded bunch who won’t give two hoots about two men expressing PDAs!

Malta legalized homosexuality in 1973 and has been introducing anti-discrimination laws since 2004. Gay marriage was legalized in 2017.

Malta is a tiny island country in the Mediterranean south of Italy, with a population of just under half a million, therefore it’s too small to have a gay village.

There are a handful of gay bars and clubs in Malta such as the Michelangelo gay club. There are also a few gay friendly hangouts dotted around the capital Valletta.

Malta Pride in September is the main annual queer event. It’s a week-long festival in which the entire island gets involved.

In 2023, Malta will be the place to head as the country hosts EuroPride in Valletta.

Valletta is one of our favorite European capital cities. It’s a small walled UNESCO-listed city, which you can walk around in a few hours. Every corner is full of history and culture.

Other highlights include The Three Cities, Mdina, the Dingli Cliffs, Comino, Riviera Beach, and Gozo.

Portugal legalized homosexuality in 1982. It introduced one of the most comprehensive sets of anti-discrimination laws between 2003-2013 including hate crime laws covering gender identity and sexual orientation.

Gay marriage was legalized in 2010 and adoption laws followed in 2016. Portugal introduced the right to change legal gender in 2011 and has since extended this to allow change of gender without SRS or forced sterilization. Since 2018, Portugal allows people to self-identify their gender.

In 2021, Portugal removed the ban on blood donations by gay men.

Lisbon has a fantastic gay scene with many gay bars, clubs, and parties, particularly around the Bairro Alto and Principe Real areas. We love that there is a gay beach just outside of Lisbon called Beach 19. See more in our detailed Lisbon gay travel guide.

Porto is another popular tourist hotspot north of Lisbon with an active gay scene, particularly around the Galeria de Paris area. Down towards the south in the Algarve, there are gay scenes in Albufeira, Tavira, and Portimão.

There are 2 main annual gay events in Portugal that take place in the capital. The first is the colorful Lisbon Pride in June. The second is the Lisbon Bear Pride in May.

The Lisbon Gay Film Festival is another excellent annual LGBTQ event in Portugal to look out for.

Touristic highlights include Lisbon’s Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, the Torre de Belém, the Convento do Cristo, hiking in the Gerês Mountain Range and the stunning UNESCO-listed Castelo de Guimarães.

Austria legalized homosexuality in 1971 and introduced comprehensive anti-discrimination between 2004-2017. Gay marriage was legalized in 2019. Austria introduced the right to change legal gender in 2009 and since 2019 it has formally recognized a non-binary gender.

In 2022, Austria lifted all blanket restrictions on gay men donating blood. Now anyone can give blood unless they've had more than 3 sexual partners in the past 3 months – a rule that applies to both straight people as well as LGBTQ.

There are no gay villages in Austria. The main cities have a few gay hangouts, especially Vienna, which has Eagle, Village, and Sling bars.

Other cities with a gay scene include Salzburg, Linz, Innsbruck, and Graz.

Vienna Pride in June is the main one, which has hosted EuroPride twice – in 2001 and 2019. Vienna Pride includes the Regenbogenparade, the “Rainbow Parade”.

The other big gay event to look out for in Vienna is the Regenbogenball which takes place on the last Saturday in January.

Other LGBTQ events in Austria include the Gay Snow Happening in March, the Pink Lake Festival in August, Ski Pride in April, the CSD Bregenz Pride in June, and Linz Pride in June.

Vienna is stunning and a city bursting with culture and history. This is a city that used to be the cultural capital of Europe several hundred years ago, especially in the classical music scene.

Austria is the home of Mozart – specifically the picture-perfect Salzburg. Other highlights of Austria include The Vienna Hofburg, Schönbrunn Palace, Hallstatt, and Belvedere Palace.

France legalized homosexuality in 1791. They introduced one of the most comprehensive sets of anti-discrimination laws between 1982-2012. Gay marriage was legalized in 2013.

The right to change legal gender was introduced in 2017 without needing to undergo surgery or receive a medical diagnosis. France does not (yet) officially have legal recognition of non-binary gender. However, in 2010, France became the first country in the world to declassify transgenderism as a mental illness.

Le Marais in Paris is the most famous gay scene in France. It’s gorgeous with lots of LGBTQ businesses, bars, cafes, and parties happening throughout the year. Most of the other cities have a small gay scene, such as Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Montpelier, and Nice.

Paris Pride is the main gay event in France, as well as Magical Pride in Disneyland Paris. Most of the other cities have a Pride parade including Biarritz, Arras, Lyon, and Toulouse.

France is also famous for its gay ski festivals in March. The main ones are the European Gay Ski Week and the European Snow Pride.

France is the #1 tourist destination in the world for good reason! From culturally rich UNESCO-listed sites to world-class cuisine, beautiful beaches, stunning scenery, and smoking hot lovers…France really has it all!

Our favorite not-to-miss highlights of France include the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Versailles Palace, the Côte d’Azur, Mont Saint-Michel, the Loire Valley Châteaux, Provence lavender fields, and Mont-Blanc – the highest peak in Europe (4,810m / 15,780 ft).

Belgium legalized homosexuality in 1795 and introduced comprehensive anti-discrimination laws between 2003-2014. Gay marriage was legalized in 2003. The right to change legal gender was introduced in 2007.

Whilst there are no official gay villages in Belgium, there are a handful of gay hangouts in the main cities, especially in Brussels with Le Baroque, Le Belgica, and Stammbar.

Other cities in Belgium with a small gay scene include Ghent and Antwerp.

The main Pride events are The Belgian Pride Brussels in May, Pride Ghent in May, Antwerp Pride in August, and the Darklands Antwerpen in March.

Other awesome queer events to look out for in Belgium include the Belgium Leatherpride in February, the Unicorn Festival in Antwerp in July, monthly dance parties like La Demence (the largest in Europe), and SPEK.

On the subject of La Demence, look out for their annual La Demence gay cruise in the summer months. It's one of the best gay cruises in the world…trust us!

We’ve been several times to Belgium as a gay couple – either on a city break to Brussels and Bruges or once on a Flanders Field “pilgrimage” to see the former WW1 battlegrounds.

We’ve loved it each time, especially my chips-loving Frenchman! Belgium is overall very welcoming to gay travelers. When it comes to holding hands in public, we generally felt ok, but there were parts of Brussels where we did not feel safe (though this applies to straight people as well).

The USA actually only legalized homosexuality in 2003 following the Lawrence v Texas Supreme Court decision, though some States did so a lot sooner, starting with Illinois back in 1961.

In 2015, gay marriage was legalized in the USA, which was monumental and groundbreaking, inspiring many other countries to follow suit! More recently, in June 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in the Bostock v Clayton County case that federal civil rights laws do protect LGBTQ workers from discrimination.

In December 2022, President Biden signed a law that protects gay marriages. This is important because it ensures that a future Supreme Court can not invalidate gay marriages nationwide and therefore protecting that epic 2015 Supreme Court decision.

The US is a dichotomy when it comes to transgender rights. On the one hand, there are trans havens with the most progressive transgender laws on the planet, formally allowing a nonbinary gender marker on ID documents.

These include Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, District of Colombia, Washington State, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and more.

Sadly, on the other hand, there are a handful of homophobic States one would take caution to avoid!

The USA leads the way when it comes to gay villages and gay scenes. It’s huge here. Almost every State has a gay village in its main cities, even places like Texas, which have the Montrose gay village in Houston!

The USA has some of the biggest LGBTQ events in the world. The most famous is New York Pride, which is also the home of the modern-day gay rights movement. In 2019, NYC hosted WorldPride, which attracted around 5 million people, making it the largest gay Pride event ever!

The USA offers so much for LGBTQ travelers. Touristic highlights include the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, the White House, Yellowstone National Park, Disney, and Universal theme parks, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Glacier National Park, Waikiki, Las Vegas, and many more…

South Africa shooketh the LGBTQ world in the 1990s! It became the first country to enshrine full anti-discrimination laws in its Constitution. Up until that point, no other country had ever done this before – a trailblazer not only in Africa but across the entire world!

South Africa legalized gay marriage in 2006 becoming the first (and to date, only!) country in Africa to do so.

The blood donation restrictions on gay men were lifted back in 2014. They were replaced with gender-neutral policies that disallow donations from any prospective donors (straight or gay) who have had a new sexual partner in the last six months or have had more than one sexual partner.

In relation to transgender rights, South Africa is lagging a bit. The right to change legal gender was introduced back in 2003 but requires hormonal or surgical treatment. A third-gender option has not, yet, been introduced in South Africa.

We loved the gay scene of Cape Town and also Johannesburg. Both cities have the largest LGBTQ communities in South Africa.

Cape Town has a gay village in De Waterkant as well as in Green Point and Sea Point.

Over in Johannesburg, whilst there is no gay village, there are many gay places spread out across the city, particularly in Melville, Parkhurst, and Rosebank. Other cities in South Africa with a small gay scene include Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Durban, Berea, and Stellenbosch.

South Africa sees Pride events happening in most of the cities. The Johannesburg and Cape Town Prides are the best ones.

Johannesburg Pride happens in October and has been nicknamed the “Pride of Africa“ because it is the largest (and one of the fewest) in the entire continent.

Cape Town Pride is a Mardi Gras-carnival-type festival that happens every February/March.

South Africa almost ticks all the boxes – stunning destination to visit, a large, active LGBTQ community, and lots of queer hangouts and events happening.

The only downside is the violent crime so prevalent around the country which makes it a little bit dangerous for all travelers whether straight or gay. Obviously, if you stick to the areas you know are safe, it’s absolutely fine!