Portal of the Church of Pilgrims, in Washington, DC, USA, with an LGBT banner

Gay-friendly or LGBT-friendly places, policies, people, or institutions are those that are open and welcoming to gay or LGBT people. They typically aim to create an environment that is supportive, respectful, and non-judgmental towards the LGBT community. The term "gay-friendly" originated in the late 20th century in North America, as a byproduct of a gradual implementation of gay rights, greater acceptance of LGBT people in society, and the recognition of LGBT people as a distinct consumer group for businesses.

Businesses

A shop in Amsterdam selling LGBTQ+ merchandise and goods

Many businesses now identify as gay-friendly, allowing for a more diversified employee and customer base. The Human Rights Campaign works to achieve equality for gays, lesbians, and other marginalized minorities, and publishes a list of companies in relation to issues concerning LGBT people. Companies that are noted for gay-friendly work environments include Dell and Coca-Cola. Companies such as R Family Vacations, Manspray, Volkswagen, Ginch Gonch, and numerous others offer niche products and services for gay customers. Others, such as LOT Polish Airlines sends the message of gay-friendliness by offering travel to major gay destinations with a rainbow flag.[1] Studies have shown that LGBT communities tend to favor gay-friendly businesses, even if the cost of a particular product or service is higher.[2]

World

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey in 2019 to measure levels of acceptance of LGBT around the globe.[3]

Country-specific percentage of people who say homosexuality should be accepted by society
Rank Country Percent
1  Sweden 94%
2  Netherlands 92%
3  Spain 89%
4  Germany 86%
4  France 86%
4  UK 86%
7  Canada 85%
8  Australia 81%
9  Argentina 76%
10  Italy 75%

Researchers at the Williams Institute at UCLA released a report in 2021 after analyzing findings from different surveys to develop their own LGBTQ Global Acceptance Index (GAI).[4]

Most gay-friendly countries
Rank Country GAI
1  Iceland 9.78
2  Netherlands 9.46
3  Norway 9.38
4  Sweden 9.18
5  Canada 9.02
6  Spain 8.77
7  Denmark 8.69
8  Ireland 8.41
9  Great Britain 8.34
10  New Zealand 8.23

The Spartacus International Gay Guide publishes the Gay Travel Index, a ranking of gay-friendly countries. Points are added to countries for anti-discrimination legislation, equal marriage, partnership and adoption laws, and LGBT marketing. Meanwhile, points are subtracted for anti-LGBT laws, HIV travel restrictions, religious influence, and prosecution, murders, and death sentences.

In 2023, the Spartacus Gay Travel Index featured a majority of Western European countries in the top 12 spots (Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom), rounded out by Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Uruguay. The bottom 4 places went to Afghanistan, Chechnya, Iran and Saudi Arabia.[5]

List of countries by their Gay Travel Index (2023)[6]
Rank Country Total Anti-Discrimination Legislation Marriage/Civil Partnership Adoption Allowed Transgender Rights Intersex/3rd Option Equal Age of Consent "Conversion Therapy" LGBT Marketing Religious Influence HIV Travel Restrictions Anti-Gay Laws Homosexuality Illegal Pride Banned Locals Hostile Prosecution Murders Death Sentences
1 Malta132223201200000–1000
2 Canada[note 1]1232221010000001000
2  Switzerland123223−1012000000000
4 Australia11222210020–10001000
4 Denmark11222310–11000001000
4 New Zealand1122211011000001000
4 Portugal1132231000000000000
4 Uruguay11222320100000000–10
9 Germany[note 2]102221201100000−1000
9 Iceland10222310−10000001000
9 Spain1022221001000000000
9 United Kingdom[note 3]103222−1001000001000
13 Argentina912231011–1000000–10
13 Austria9222210–11000000000
13 Colombia9222310−110000000−10
13 Taiwan932110011000000000
17 Belgium82223–10–11000000000
17 France82222−1010000000000
17 Greenland8122310−10000000000
17 Ireland[note 4]82223−10−10000001000
17 Norway82223–10−10000001000
17 Réunion82222−1010000000000
17 Sweden83221−10–11000001000
24 Andorra73223−10−10000–100000
24 French Polynesia72222−1010−100000000
24 Luxembourg72232−10−10000000000
24 Netherlands7222200−10000000000
24 New Caledonia72222−101000000−1000
29 Chile622231–1−10−1000000–10
29 Cuba63222−10−100–10000000
29 Finland63221−10−10000000000
29 Guadeloupe62222–1010−10000–1000
29 Israel[note 5]62112−1011–100000000
29 Martinique62222−1010−10000−1000
35 Brazil52223–1010−10000–10–20
35 Costa Rica52223−10−10−10000–1000
35 Greece521021010–1000000–10
35 Mexico532120001−10000−10–20
35 Puerto Rico512220011–10000−10−20
35 Slovenia53221−10−10–100000000
35 South Africa53221−10–100000000–10
35 United States512200002−1000000–10
43 Ecuador43202−1010–10000−10–10
43 India[note 6]421011000−10001−1000
45 Gibraltar3222–1−10−10000000000
45 Guam31221−10−10–100000000
47 Estonia22011−10−10000000000
48 Croatia12121−10−10−10−100−1000
48 Czechia12101−10−10−100000000
48 San Marino13110−10−10−10000−1000
51 Bermuda0122−1−1−1–1000000−1000
51 Italy01101−10−11–10000−1000
51 Liechtenstein0111–1−10−10−100001000
51 Thailand0200–1−10−11000000000
51 US Virgin Islands[note 7]01220−10−10−10000−10-10
56 Bhutan-10−10100−10000000000
56 Bosnia and Herzegovina[note 8]-12−101−10−1000000–1000
56 Latvia-11101−10−1000−100−1000
56 Montenegro-12101−10−10–10−100–1000
56   Nepal-13−10010−10–10–100–1000
56 Vietnam-10−100−1010000000000
62 Albania-22–10–1−1010−10000−1000
62 Aruba-21100−10−100–1–1000000
62 Bolivia-22001−10−10−10000−10–10
62 Japan-20−101−10−1100–1000000
62 Mozambique-21−100−10−10000000000
62 Serbia-22−102−10−10−10–100−1000
62 Slovakia-22000−10−1000–100−1000
62 Sint Maarten[note 9]-21000−10−11–10–1000000
70 Angola-31−100−10−10−100000000
70 Antigua and Barbuda-3100–1−10−1000–1000000
70 Belize-33−10–1−10−10–10–1000000
70 Bulgaria-32−101−10−10–10–100−1000
70 China (incl. Hong Kong)-300–11−10000000–10–100
70 Cyprus-31100−10−10−10–100−1000
70 Fiji-33−10–1−1000−10–100−1000
70 South Korea-30−101−10−1000000−1000
70 Laos-30−101–10–1000000−1000
70 Lithuania-32−1–12−10−10–10–100−1000
70 Monaco-3010–1−10−10–100000000
70 North Macedonia-32−101−10−10−10−100−1000
70 Romania-32−101−10−10−10−100−1000
70 Singapore-31−101−10−100–1–1000000
84 Barbados-4100–1−10−10−10−1000000
84 Botswana[note 10]-41−100−10−10–10000−1000
84 Cabo Verde-41−10−1−10−10−100000000
84 Curaçao-41000−10−10–10–100–1000
84 El Salvador-42−100−10−10–10000−10–10
84 Hungary-421–1–1−10−1000–100−1–100
84 Kosovo-43−10–1−10−10−20000–1000
84 Macao-41−10−1−10−1000000−1000
84 Mongolia-41−100−10−1000−100−1000
84 Panama-40–1–11−10−1000–1000000
84 Samoa-41–1000010−20–1–10−1000
84 Ukraine-41−102−10−10−10–100−2000
96 Benin-50−100−1–1−1000000−1000
96 British Virgin Islands-53−10–1−10−10−20−100−1000
96 Cambodia-50−10−1−10−1000–1000000
96 Georgia-52−101−10−10–20–100–10–10
96 Kazakhstan-50−1–11−10−1000000–2000
96 Lesotho-50−1–10−10−1000–1000000
96 Mali-50−10−1−10−1000000–1000
96 Niger-50−10–1−1–1−10000000000
96 Pakistan-51−10211−10–20−1−10–1–1–1–1
96 Peru[note 11]-51−102−10−10−10–100−10−20
96 Seychelles[note 12]-51−10−1−10−10−10000−1000
96 Suriname-51−100−1–1−10−10000−1000
108 Armenia[note 13]-60−100−10−10−10−100−1000
108 Gabon-60−100−10−10−10000−2000
108 Guinea-Bissau-60−10–1−10−10−10000−1000
108 Kyrgyzstan-60−101−10−10–10−100−2000
108 Moldova-61−100−10−10−10–10–1–1000
108 Philippines[note 14]-60−10−1−10−10−1000000–10
108 Sri Lanka[note 15]-61−1−11−10−10−10–1–10−1000
108 Vanuatu-60−10−1−10−10−10000−1000
116 Honduras[note 16]-72−10–1−10−10−10−100−20–10
116 Jordan-70−101−10−10−20000−2−100
116 Mauritius[note 17]-71−10–1–10−10−10−1−100−100
116 Namibia-70−10–1−10−10−10−1−100000
116 Trinidad and Tobago-70−10–1−10−10−10000−10–10
121 Bangladesh-80−10110−10−20−1–10−2–1–10
121 Burkina Faso-80−100−10−10−20−100−2000
121 Cook Islands-81−100−10−10−2–1–1–10−1000
121 Equatorial Guinea-80−10–1−10−10−20000−2000
121 Lebanon[note 18]-80−101−10−10−10−1–1–1−1−100
121 Myanmar-80−10–1−10−1000−1–10−1−100
121 Nicaragua-81−10–1−10−10−10−100−20−10
121 Paraguay-80−10−1−1−100−10−100−10−10
121 Tajikistan-80−101−10−10−20−100−2–100
121 Turkey[note 19]-80−101−10−10−1000–1–2–1–10
121 Vatican City[note 20]-80−10−1−10−10−20−1000−100
121 Venezuela-81−100–10−10−1–1000−20−20
133 Bahrain[note 21]-90−100−10−10−2–1000−2−100
133 Burundi-90−10–1−10−10−10−1–10−1–100
133 Grenada-90−10−1−10−10−10–1–10−1−100
133 Guatemala-90−10−1−10−10−10000−20–20
133 Madagascar-90−100−1−1−10−10000−20–20
133 Poland-91−100−10−10−10–20–1−2−100
133 Rwanda-90−10−1−10−10−20–100−2000
133 Tonga-90−10−1−10−10−20−1–10–1000
141 Algeria-100−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−1–100
141 Azerbaijan-100−10–1−10−10−10−10–1−1–200
141 Bahamas-100−10−1−1−1−10–10−100−20−10
141 Belarus-100−100−10−10−10−10–1−2−200
141 Central African Republic-100−10−1−10−10−20–1–10−2000
141 Democratic Republic of Congo-100−10–1–10−10−20−100−2−100
141 Djibouti[note 22]-100−1−1−1−10−10−20000−2–100
141 Guyana-100−10–1−10−10−20−1−10−10–10
141 Haiti-100−10−1−10−10−20−100−20−10
141 Kenya-100−1–10−10−10−10−1–10−2–100
141 North Korea-100−1−1−1−1–1−10−20–100−1000
141 Oman-100−10−1−10−10−1−1−1−10−1−100
141 Papua New Guinea-100−10−1−10−10−20−1–10−2000
141 Republic of the Congo-100−10−1−1−1−10−20–100−2000
141 Sierra Leone-100−1−1−1−10−10−10–1−10−2000
141 Togo-100−10−1−10−10−10−1−10−2–100
141 Tunisia-100−1−1–1−10−10−10−1–10−10–10
141 Zambia-100−100−10−10−20−1−10−2–100
159 Brunei-110−10−1−10−10−2–1−1−10−100–1
159 Chad-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2–100
159 Comoros-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2–100
159 Dominica-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−100
159 Dominican Republic-110−10−1−10−10−2–1−100−10–20
159 Eswatini-110−100−10−10−20−1−10−20–20
159 Gambia-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−100
159 Ghana[note 23]-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−100
159 Indonesia-110−1–10−10−10−20−1−10−2–100
159 Ivory Coast-110−1–1−1−1−1−10−20−100−2000
159 Liberia-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−100
159 Maldives-110−10−1–10−10−20−1–10−2–100
159 Senegal-110−10−1−10−10−20–1–10−2−100
159 Solomon Islands-110−10−1−10−10−2–1−1−10−2000
159 Sudan-110−10−100−10−2–1−1−10−2−100
159 Syria-110−101−10−10−1–1−1−10−2−1−1–1
159 Turkmenistan-110−100−10−10−2−1−1−10−2–100
159 Uzbekistan-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2–100
177 Aceh (Indonesia)-120−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2–10–1
177 Eritrea-120−10–1−10−10−20−1–10−2−1−10
177 Ethiopia-120−1−1–1−10−10−20−1−10−2–100
177 Iraq[note 24]-120−10−1−10−10−2–1−100−2−1–10
177 Jamaica-120−10−1−10−10−10−1−10−2−1–20
177 Mauritania-120−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−10−1
177 Morocco-120−10−1−10−10−10−1−10−2−2–10
177 Russia-120−101−10−10−2−1−10–1−2–1–20
177 Tanzania-120−100−1−1−10−20–1−10−2−200
177 Uganda-120−10−1−10−10−20−1−1–1−2−100
177 Zimbabwe-120−10−1−10−10−10−1−10−2−1–20
188 Cameroon-130−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−1−20
188 Malawi-130−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−1–20
188 Malaysia-130−10−1−10−10−2–1−1−1–1−1−1−10
191 Egypt-140−1−1−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−2−10
191 Kuwait-140−1−1−1−10−10−2–1−1−10−2−200
191 Libya-140−10−1–10−10−20−1–10−2–1−2−1
191 Nigeria[note 25]-140−10−1−10−10−10−1−10−2−20–3
191 Qatar-140−1−1−1−10−10−2–1−1−10−2−10−1
191 United Arab Emirates-140−10−1−10−10−2–1−1−10−2−1−1−1
197 Yemen-170−1−1−1−10−10−2−1−1−10−2−2−2−1
198 Somalia[note 26]-180−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−1−2−5
199 Afghanistan-190−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−2–2−5
199 Chechnya (Russia)-190−10−1−1000−20−1−1−1−2−2−2−5
199 Iran-190−1−10−10−10−20−1−10−2−2−2−5
199 Saudi Arabia-190−1−1–1−10−10−2–1−1−10−2−1−1−5

Not Included in Data

United States

Spartacus also publishes a Gay Travel Index for US states, listing the 50 states plus the District of Columbia with the same criteria as the country rankings. In 2023, the top spot was shared by four states - California, Colorado, New York and Washington, while the bottom eight states were mainly from the Southeast and the Mountain states with Oklahoma being the overall worst-ranked state for LGBT people.[5]

List of U.S. states by their Gay Travel Index (2023)[6]
Rank State Total Anti-Discrimination Legislation Transgender Rights Intersex/3rd Option Hate Crime Law Censorship "Conversion Therapy" LGBT Marketing Queer Infrastructure Gay and Trans Panic Defence Locals Hostile
1 California11221201120 0
1 Colorado11231201110 0
1 New York11231201120 –1
1 Washington11231201110 0
5 Illinois10221201110 0
5 Massachusetts1023120111−1 0
5 Nevada10221201020 0
5 New Mexico10231201010 0
5 Oregon10231201010 0
5 District of Columbia10221201110 0
11 Connecticut9221201010 0
11 Hawaii9221201010 0
11 New Jersey9231201000 0
11 Virginia92212−11110 0
15 Maine8221201000 0
15 Maryland8221201000 0
15 Rhode Island8221201000 0
15 Vermont823120100−1 0
19 Minnesota722120100−1 0
20 New Hampshire621120100−1 0
21 Delaware522−120100−1 0
21 Utah52−1120101−1 0
23 Pennsylvania422100001–1 −1
24 Ohio322100−101–1 −1
25 Georgia221−110−111−1 −1
25 Idaho212100−100−1 0
25 Indiana211110−100−1 0
25 Iowa222−110−100−1 0
25 Michigan222−100010–1 −1
25 Wisconsin221−110000−1 0
31 Kansas121−110−100−1 0
32 Alaska012−100−100−1 0
32 Arizona010−110−101−1 0
32 Arkansas010100−100−1 0
32 Florida[note 27]01−101−1−121–1 −1
32 Kentucky011−110−100−1 0
32 Louisiana010–11−1−111−1 0
32 Missouri011−120−100–1 −1
39 Nebraska-111−110−100−1 −1
39 North Carolina-112−10−1000−1 −1
39 North Dakota-110−100000−1 0
39 South Carolina-112−100−100–1 −1
39 South Dakota-111−100−100−1 0
44 Mississippi-211−10−1−100−1 0
44 Wyoming-211−10−1−100−1 0
46 Alabama-310−10−1−100−1 0
46 Montana-310−100−100−1 −1
46 Texas-310−11−1−101−1 −2
46 West Virginia-311−100−100−1 −2
50 Tennessee-41–1−100−101−1 −2
51 Oklahoma-51−1−10−1−100−1 −1

Notes

  1. ↑ In Canada the adoption laws vary per province. Same-sex-adoption is however possible countrywide.
  2. ↑ In Germany, due to federal government system, there are varying regulations regarding arrival/residence HIV. For example, in Bavaria someone who is HIV-positive can be denied entry. The Federal Constitutional Court has stipulated in several renditions of judgment that the politicians implement the same rights for gay men and lesbians which apply to heterosexuals.
  3. ↑ In Northern Ireland the legal situation for same-sex adoption is unclear.
  4. ↑ The Employment Equality Act allows religious-run workplaces exemption from its anti-discrimination provisions to protect their ethos.
  5. ↑ In Israel a civil marriage for both homosexual and heterosexual couples is not possible as marriage can only be performed by a Rabbi. This problem does not only apply to gays and lesbians but also heterosexuals belonging to different religious affiliations. There are limited anti-discrimination laws (exception: certain religious groups).
  6. ↑ In December 2013, the Supreme Court set aside a 2009 verdict by the Delhi High Court that had decriminalized homosexuality. This decision was once again overturned in September 2018.
  7. ↑ The United States Virgin Islands have the same legal status as Puerto Rico regarding the USA. There is also a ban on hate crimes. After the Supreme Court decided in favor of same-sex marriage in the US, there are plans to implement same-sex marriage in Puerto Rico as well.
  8. ↑ Bosnia and Herzegovina passed an unclear anti-discrimination law in 2009 in which a ban on discrimination against "sexual expression" is mentioned. There is a reference that "sexual identity" is not meant in this case. It is obvious that an attempt to adhere to the minimum requirements from the EU has been made, to be accepted into the EU.
  9. ↑ As an overseas territory of the Netherlands Sint Maarten recognizes same-sex marriages which are performed in the Netherlands. In St. Maarten itself gay marriage is still not possible, but changes can soon follow. There are no adoption laws.
  10. ↑ In Botswana homosexuality is practically illegally on the basis of the ban on "unnatural act", but in the labor law there is still an explicit prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
  11. ↑ Consensual homosexual acts in Peru between adults are legal. An exception applies for members of the military and police, who can be prosecuted with a prison sentence ranging from 60 days to 20 years or suspension from duty.
  12. ↑ In May 2016 the Parliament of Seychelles decided to make homosexuality legal.
  13. ↑ Armenia has received many reports of illegal violence from police against homosexuals.
  14. ↑ There are regional differences in the laws relating to homosexuals. In addition, the local religion is just as crucial, whether a law is implemented or not.
  15. ↑ At the request of the UNHCR Sri Lanka has announced that discrimination of homosexuals is constitutionally forbidden. It was further stressed that the anti-sodomy law is not aimed against homosexuals, but applies for all to protect public morals.
  16. ↑ In Honduras an anti-discrimination law has recently been passed, but in practice it is ignored.
  17. ↑ In Mauritius, the sodomy law tends to find application with the heterosexual population. The Equal Opportunities Act protects homosexuals against discrimination at work. It is therefore questionable whether homosexuality is classified as illegal or not.
  18. ↑ There are reports of a different judicial interpretations of the law on "sex against nature".
  19. ↑ Police stopped violently the Gay Pride on 29th June, 2015. This can be considered a de facto ban on the Pride.
  20. ↑ The Vatican City adheres to Italian law, but restrictions are possible if the ecclesiastical law contradicts Italian law. Therefore, there are conflicting opinions that homosexuality is not illegal or just not happily seen, but tolerated.
  21. ↑ In Bahrain although the paragraph referring to sodomy was abolished in 1976 from the local legal code, gay men can still be punished with imprisonment according to the laws regarding "unmoral" behavior.
  22. ↑ The Shariah-law in Djibouti is often superior to the constitutional laws, so it could be expected that homosexuality is punishable.
  23. ↑ In Ghana there is a ban on unnatural sex. The government recognizes in this a clear ban on homosexuality.
  24. ↑ Homosexuality in Iraq is formally legal, but police and military track down homosexuals, and reports of murder and rape exist.
  25. ↑ In Nigeria the death penalty only applies for homosexuals according to the Shariah laws and therefore relates only to Muslims in the north of Nigeria.
  26. ↑ Shariah laws applies in Somalia since 2012. There is however contradictory information, since, on the other hand the maximum penalty is up to 3 years in prison, nevertheless in 2013 a homosexual was stoned to death after a judgment.
  27. ↑ In 2015 Florida explicitly lifted the adoption ban for homosexuals after federal judges ruled it unconstitutional in 2010.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Wyborcza.pl". Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  2. ↑ "Gay Consumers See Themselves as Tastemakers, Prefer Gay-Friendly Companies, Says Study". EDGE Media Network. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Andrew R. Flores (November 2021). "The Global Divide on Homosexuality Persists (with a table of the 'LGBTI Acceptance Index' 2017-2020)". Williams Institute - UCLA School of Law. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "Social Acceptance of LGBTI People in 175 Countries and Locations". November 2021.
  5. 1 2 Hoppe, Sascha (8 March 2023). "Spartacus Gay Travel Index 2023". Spartacus Gay Travel Blog. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Spartacus Gay Travel Index (GTI)". Spartacus Gay Travel Blog.
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