Gay-friendly

(Redirected from Pro-gay)

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.

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

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
RankCountryPercent
1  Sweden94%
2  Netherlands92%
3  Spain89%
4  Germany86%
4  France86%
4  UK86%
7  Canada85%
8  Australia81%
9  Argentina76%
10  Italy75%

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
RankCountryGAI
1  Iceland9.78
2  Netherlands9.46
3  Norway9.38
4  Sweden9.18
5  Canada9.02
6  Spain8.77
7  Denmark8.69
8  Ireland8.41
9  Great Britain8.34
10  New Zealand8.23

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 2024, the Spartacus Gay Travel Index featured a majority of Western European countries in the top 12 spots (Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland), 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 (2024)[6]
RankCountryTotalAnti-Discrimination LegislationMarriage/Civil PartnershipAdoption AllowedTransgender RightsIntersex/3rd OptionEqual Age of Consent"Conversion Therapy"LGBT MarketingReligious InfluenceHIV Travel RestrictionsAnti-Gay LawsHomosexuality IllegalPride BannedCensorshipLocals HostileProsecutionMurdersDeath Sentences
1  Canada[note 1]12322210100000001000
1  Malta1222232011000000–1000
1  New Zealand12222310100000001000
1  Portugal12322310100000000000
1  Spain122223201100000–10000
6  Australia11222210110–100001000
6   Switzerland113223–10110000000000
8  Denmark10222310–100000001000
8  Germany[note 2]1022212011000000−1000
8  Iceland10222310−100000001000
8  Norway102223–10100000001000
8  Uruguay102223101000000000–10
13  Austria9222210–110000000000
13  Chile922231010–10000000–10
13  Colombia9222310−1000000010−10
13  Finland93223–10–110000000000
13  Ireland[note 3]92223–10–110000001000
13  Luxembourg93223−10–110000000000
13  Sweden93222–10−110000001000
13  Taiwan93221−10110000000000
21  Andorra83223–10−100000000000
21  Argentina812231010−10000000−10
21  Belgium82223−10–110000000000
21  France82222−10100000000000
21  Greenland8122310−100000000000
21  Netherlands8222210−100000000000
21  Réunion82222−10100000000000
21  United Kingdom[note 4]83222−10000000000000
29  Costa Rica7222310−10−100000−1000
29  French Polynesia72222−1010−1000000000
29  New Caledonia72222−1010000000−1000
32  Brazil622230010−100000−10−20
32  Cuba63222−10−100−100000000
32  Estonia62222−10−100000000000
32  Guadeloupe62222–1010−100000–1000
32  Martinique62222−1010−100000–1000
32  Slovenia63222−10−10–1000000000
38  Greece521021010−10000000–10
38  Israel[note 5]52112–1010–1000000000
38  South Africa53221−10−1000000000–10
41  Mexico432120000–100000–10–20
41  Puerto Rico412220010−100000–10–20
41  United States412200001–10000000–10
44  Ecuador33202–1010−10000–1−10–10
44  Gibraltar3222–1−10−100000000000
44  Guam31221−10−10–1000000000
44  India321011000–100000–1000
48  Croatia22121−10−10−100000−1000
49  Czech Republic12101−10−10−1000000000
49  Liechtenstein1112−1−10−10−1000001000
49    Nepal1300110–10−10−1000−1000
49  San Marino13110−10−10–100000−1000
49  US Virgin Islands[note 6]12220−10−10−100000−10−10
54  Aruba01100−10−110−100000000
54  Bermuda0122−1−1−1−10000000−1000
54  Bolivia02111−10−10−100000−10−10
54  Thailand0200−1−10−110000000000
58  Bosnia and Herzegovina[note 7]-12−101−10−10000000−1000
58  Cyprus-11100−1010–10−1000–1000
58  Italy-11101−10−10–100000–1000
58  Latvia-11101−10−1000−1000−1000
58  Montenegro-12101−10−10−10−1000−1000
58  Vietnam-10−100−10100000000000
64  Albania-22−10−1−1010−100000−1000
64  Bhutan-20−10000−100000000000
64  Singapore-21−101−10100−1−100−10000
64  Slovakia-22000−10−1000–1000−1000
64  South Korea-20001−10−10000000−1000
64  Ukraine-21−102−10−10–10–10000000
70  Angola-31−100−10−10−1000000000
70  Antigua and Barbuda-3100–1−10−1000–10000000
70  Belize-33−10–1−10−10–10–10000000
70  Curaçao-31000−10−11–10–1000−1000
70  Fiji-33–10–1−1000–10–1000–1000
70  Japan-30–101−10−1000–10000000
70  Laos-30−101−10–10000000−1000
70  Marshall Islands-32−10–1−10−100–100000000
70  Monaco-3010–1−10−10–1000000000
70  Mongolia-31−101–10–1000–1000−1000
70  North Macedonia-32−101−10−10–10–1000−1000
70  Romania-32–101−10−10–10–1000–1000
70  Serbia-32−102−10−10−10−1000–1–100
70  Sint Maarten[note 8]-31000−10−10−10−10000000
84  Barbados-4100−1−10−10−10−10000000
84  Botswana[note 9]-41−100−10−10−100000−1000
84  Cabo Verde-41−10−1−10−10–1000000000
84  Cambodia-4000−1−10−1000−10000000
84  Kosovo-43−10−1−10−10–200000–1000
84  Lithuania-42−1−12−10−10–10−100−1−1000
84  Macao-41−10–1−10−10000000−1000
84  Micronesia-42−10–1−10−10−100000–1000
84  Saint Lucia-41−10−1−10−1010−1−1000000
93  British Virgin Islands-53−10−1−10−10–20−1000−1000
93  Bulgaria-52−10−1−10−10–10−1000−1000
93  China (incl. Hong Kong)-500−11−10−100000−1−10−100
93  El Salvador-52–100−10−10−10000−1−10−10
93  Hungary-521−1−1−10−1000–100−1−1−100
93  Kazakhstan-50−101−10−1000000−1−2000
93  Lesotho-50−1−10−10−1000−10000000
93  Mauritius[note 10]-51−10–1−10−10−10−10000000
93  Moldova-52−100−10−10−10–100−1−1000
93  Mozambique-51−1−1−1−10−1000000−10000
93  Niger-50−10−1−1−1−100000000000
93  Panama-50−1–11−10−1000–100−10000
93  Peru[note 11]-51−102−10−10−10−1000–10−20
93  Samoa-51−10–10010−20−1−100−1000
93  Seychelles[note 12]-51−10−1−10−10–100000–1000
93  Suriname-51−100−1−1−10−100000−1000
109  Armenia[note 13]-60−100−10−10−10−1000−1000
109  Benin-60−10−1−1–1−10000000−1000
109  Cook Islands-61−100−10−10−1−1−1000−1000
109  Georgia-62−101−10−10−20−100−1−10−10
109  Guinea-Bissau-60−10–1−10−10−100000−1000
109  Mali-60−10−1−10−1000000−1−1000
109  São Tomé and Príncipe-60−10−1−10−10−100000–1000
109  Sri Lanka[note 14]-61−1−11−10−10−10−1−100−1000
109  Vanuatu-60−10−1−10−10−100000−1000
118  Honduras[note 15]-72−10−1−10−10−10–1000−20−10
118  Kiribati-71−10−1−10−10−10−1−100−1000
118  Kyrgyzstan-70−101−10−10−10−100−1−2000
118  Pakistan-71−10210−10−20−1−10−1−1−1–1−1
118  Palau-70−10−1−10−100−1−1000−1000
118  Philippines[note 16]-70−10−1−10−10−10000−100−10
118  Poland-71−100–10−10−10−1000−2−100
118  Saint Kitts and Nevis-7000–1−10−10−1−1−1000−1000
118  Trinidad and Tobago-70−10–1−10−10−100000−10–10
127  Burkina Faso-80−100−10−10−20−1000−2000
127  Gabon-80−10−1−1−1−10−100000−2000
127  Grenada-80−10−1−10−10−10−1−100−1000
127  Lebanon[note 17]-80−101−10−10−10–1–1−1−1−1000
127  Namibia-80−10–1−10−10−10−1−100−1000
127  Nicaragua-81−10−1−10−10−10−1000−20−10
127  Paraguay-80−10–1−1−110−10−100−1−10−10
127  Tuvalu-81−10–1−10−10−1−1−1–100−1000
127  Vatican City[note 18]-80−10–1−10−10−20−10000−100
127  Venezuela-81−100−10−10−1−10000−20−20
137  Bahrain[note 19]-90−101−10−10−2−1000−1−2–100
137  Bangladesh-90−10110−10−20−1−10−1–2–1–10
137  Guatemala-90−10−1−10−10−100000−20−20
137  Guinea-90−10−1–10−10−10−1−100−1−100
137  Tajikistan-90−101–10−10−20−100−1−2−100
137  Tonga-90−10−1−10−10−20−1−100−1000
143  Azerbaijan-100−10–1−10−10−10−10−10−1−200
143  Bahamas-100−10−1−1−1−10−10–1000−20−10
143  Burundi-100−10−1−10−10−10−1−100−2−100
143  Central African Republic-100−10−1−10−10−20−100−1−2000
143  Comoros-100−10−1−10−10−20–1−100−2000
143  Democratic Republic of the Congo-100−10−1−10−10−20–1000−2−100
143  Equatorial Guinea-100−10−1−10−10−20000−1–2−100
143  Guyana-100−10−1−10−10−20−1−100−10−10
143  Haiti-100−10–1−10−10−20−1000−20−10
143  Jordan-100−100−10−10–20000−1−2−1−10
143  Kenya-100−1−1010−10−10−1−10−1−2−1−10
143  Myanmar-100−10−1−10−1000–1–10−1−1−1−10
143  Papua New Guinea-100−10–1–10−10−20−1−100−2000
143  Republic of the Congo-100−10−1−1−1−10−20−1000−2000
143  Rwanda-100−10–1−10−10−20−100−1−2000
143  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-100−10−1−10−10−1−1−1−100−10−10
143  Sierra Leone-100−1–1−1−10−10−10−1–100−2000
143  Togo-100−10−1−1000−10–1−10−1−2−100
143  Turkey[note 20]-100−101−10−10−1000−1−2−2−1−10
162  Belarus-110−100−10−10−10−10−1−1−2−200
162  Chad-110−10−1−10−10−20–1−100−2−100
162  Djibouti[note 21]-110−1−1−1−10−10−20000−1−2−100
162  Dominica-110−10−1−10−10−20–1−100−2−100
162  Dominican Republic-110−10−1−10−10−2−1−1000−10−20
162  Gambia-110−10–1−10−10−20−1–100−2−100
162  Liberia-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−100−2–100
162  Madagascar-110−1−1−1−1−1−10−100000−20−20
162  Maldives-110−10−1−10−10−20−1−100−2–100
162  North Korea-110−1−1−1−10−10−20−100−2−1000
162  Solomon Islands-110−10−1−10−10−2−1−1−100−2000
162  Uzbekistan-110−101−10−10−20−1−10−2−2−100
174  Algeria-120−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−1−100
174  Eswatini-120−100−10−10−20−1−10−1−20−20
174  Ghana[note 22]-120−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−1−2−100
174  Ivory Coast-120−1–1−1−1−1−10−20−100−1−2000
174  Jamaica-120−10−1−10−10−10−1−100−2−1−20
174  Mauritania-120−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−1−200−1
174  Oman-120−10−1–10−10−1−1−1–10−2−1–100
174  Sudan-120−10−1−10−10−2−1–1–100−2−100
174  Zambia-120−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−1−2−100
174  Zimbabwe-120−10−1−10−10−10−1−100−2−1−20
184  Cameroon-130−10−1−10−10−20−1−100−2−1−20
184  Eritrea-130−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−2–100
184  Indonesia-130−1−10−10−10−20−1−10−2−2–100
184  Senegal-130−10−1−10−10−20−1−1−1−1−2–100
184  Syria-130−10–1−10−10−1−1−1–100−2−1−1−1
189  Brunei-140−10–1−10−10−2−1−1−1−1−2−100−1
189  Egypt-140−1−10−10−10−20−1−10−1−2−2–10
189  Ethiopia-140−1−1−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−2−100
189  Aceh (Indonesia)-140−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−2−10−1
189  Iraq[note 23]-140−10−1−10−10−2−1−100−2−2−1–10
189  Malawi-140−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−1−2–1–20
189  Morocco-140−10−1−10−10−10–1−10−2−2−2−10
189  South Sudan-140−10−1−10−10−20–1−10−2−2−1−10
189  Tunisia-140−1−1−1−10−10−10−1−10−1−2−2−10
189  Turkmenistan-140−10−1−10−10−2−1−1−10−2−2−100
199  Malaysia-150−10−1−10−10−2−1−1−1−1−2−1−1−10
199  Tanzania-150−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−2−2–10
201  Kuwait-160−1−1−1−10−10−2–1−1−10−2−2−200
201  Libya-160−10−1−10−10−20−1−1−1−1−2−1−2−1
201  Qatar-160−1−1−1−10−10−2–1−1−1−1−1−2−10−1
201  United Arab Emirates-160−10−1–10−10−2−1−1–10−2−2–1−1−1
205  Nigeria[note 24]-170−10−1−10−10−10−1−1−1−2−2−20–3
205  Russia[note 25]-170−100−10−10−2–1−1−1−1−2−2−2−20
207  Somalia[note 26]-180−10−1−10−10−20−1−100−2−1−2−5
207  Uganda-180−10−1−10−10−20−1−1−1−2−2−1−1−3
209  Yemen-190−1−1−1−10−10−2−1−1−10−2−2−2−2−1
210  Afghanistan-210−10−1−10−10−20−1−10−2−2−2–2−5
210  Chechnya (Russia)-210−10−1−1000−20−1−1−1−2−2−2−2−5
210  Iran-210−1−10−10−10−20−1−10−2−2−2−2−5
210  Saudi Arabia-210−1−1–1−10−10−2–1−1−10−2−2−1−1−5

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 2024, the top spot went to New York while the bottom ten states were mainly the southern 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 (2024)[6]
RankStateTotalAnti-Discrimination LegislationTransgender RightsIntersex/3rd OptionHate Crime LawCensorship"Conversion Therapy"LGBT MarketingQueer InfrastructureGay and Trans Panic DefenceLocals Hostile
1  New York142312111201
2  California132212111201
2  Colorado132312111101
2  Nevada132212111201
2  Oregon132312111101
6  Washington122312011101
6  District of Columbia122212111101
8  Illinois112212111100
8  Massachusetts1123120111−11
8  New Jersey112312011001
8  New Mexico113312010100
12  Connecticut102212010101
12  Maryland102212010101
12  Rhode Island102212110001
15  Hawaii92212010100
15  Maine92212010001
15  Vermont923120100−11
15  Virginia92212−111100
19  Minnesota832120100−10
20  Michigan722−120111–10
20  New Hampshire721120100−11
20  Pennsylvania722100011–11
23  Delaware622−120100−11
23  Utah620120101−10
25  Ohio522100−101–11
26  Arizona421−110011−10
27  Wisconsin321−110000−11
28  Georgia120−110−111−1−1
29  Alaska012−100−100−10
29  Arkansas010100−110−1−1
29  Idaho010100−100−10
29  Indiana01011−1−100−10
29  Louisiana010–11−1−111−10
29  Missouri010−120−101–1−1
29  South Carolina012−100−100–10
36  Iowa-120−11−1−100−10
36  Kansas-12−1−110−100−10
36  Kentucky-110−110−110−1−1
36  Nebraska-110−110−100−10
36  Texas-110−11−1−111−1−1
36  Wyoming-111−100−100−10
42  Florida[note 27]-21−101−2−111–1−1
42  North Carolina-210−10−1000−10
42  North Dakota-21−1−100000−10
42  South Dakota-210−100−100−10
46  West Virginia-310−100−100−1−1
47  Alabama-410−10−1−100−1−1
47  Mississippi-410−10−1−100−1−1
47  Tennessee-41–1−10−1−101−1−1
50  Montana-51−1−10−1−100−1−1
51  Oklahoma-61−1−10−2−100−1−1

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. ^ The Employment Equality Act allows religious-run workplaces exemption from its anti-discrimination provisions to protect their ethos.
  4. ^ In Northern Ireland the legal situation for same-sex adoption is unclear.
  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. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  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. ^ 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.
  15. ^ In Honduras an anti-discrimination law has recently been passed, but in practice it is ignored.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ There are reports of a different judicial interpretations of the law on "sex against nature".
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ Police stopped violently the Gay Pride on 29th June, 2015. This can be considered a de facto ban on the Pride.
  21. ^ The Shariah-law in Djibouti is often superior to the constitutional laws, so it could be expected that homosexuality is punishable.
  22. ^ In Ghana there is a ban on unnatural sex. The government recognizes in this a clear ban on homosexuality.
  23. ^ Homosexuality in Iraq is formally legal, but police and military track down homosexuals, and reports of murder and rape exist.
  24. ^ 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.
  25. ^ The LGBT rights movement was declared an 'extremist organization' by authorities in Russia in 2023.
  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. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. 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.
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