Pride month in June is the momentous part for major demonstrations and parties for our accepted friends and family. The celebration has a series of street festivals, hosts different types of events and rites to celebrate the day of liberation, and roughly brings together various organizations and associates to fight for equal rights.
For people who were exposed to a heteronormative environment while growing up, coming out is multiple times harder than it is. People in the LGBTQA+ community continuously seek validation from other people just because their preference is not conventional. However, there is still a number of good places in the world that embraces homosexuality and celebrates this identity. These places do not only view the LGBTQA+ community as a natural part of the society, they even hold events and celebratory occasions for them. Let’s look at these places that are just full of love and acceptance in which people from the community should visit and experience at least once the love for everyone.
1. Ireland
Ireland has progressed so much as a country when it comes to LGBT rights. They went on from being such a conservative country to becoming the first ever country in the world to legalize gay marriage by popular vote in 2015. Dublin is a particular city that has been prone to a lot of gay scenes and events. This includes Dublin Pride, Dublin Bear Events, and Trans Pride
Dublin.
2. Austria
Just like Ireland, Austria also used to be a conservative country and progressed into a country that also legalized gay marriage. The gay marriage law was passed in the country in 2019. Transgender legislation has also been shed a light on in the country and is continuously being normalized. Vienna is the city that has held several events for the community. It has been known for hosting several events such as Vienna Pride, Gay Snow Happening, Pink Lake Festival, and Ski Pride.
3. Malta
Malta has been presenting anti-discrimination laws since 2004 and finally legalized gay marriage in 2017. The country has been praised by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) with its attitude towards the LGBT community and is even referred to by the Head of Equality and Non-Discrimination, Charles Radcliffe, as “a beacon of human rights for LGBTIQ issues.” So, when visiting this place, you can expect little to no discrimination regarding sexual preferences as the whole country has already pretty much embraced it.
4. Norway
“Norwegians are girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and boys and girls who love each other. Norwegians believe in God, Allah, everything and nothing,” said King Herald V of Norway. Norway has always been a gay-friendly country, especially in the workplace as it has been referred to as the best country for LGBT workers. They were also the first country to pass anti-discrimination laws which happened during 1981. Moreover, the country has legalized gay marriage in 2016. Oslo is the city with the gayest hangouts in the country. Throughout the years, the country has hosted several events for the community such as Oslo Pride Festival, Bergen Pride, Tromso Arctic Pride, Raballder Sports Cup, and more.
5. Finland
It is the home of Tom of Finland and his all-so-sensual homo art pieces which are present in almost every gay bar. Finland has been a country with anti-discrimination laws passed since the 1990s. The country has maintained their transgender-friendly identity as laws to protect transgender was passed in 2002. Gay marriage was legalized in the country in 2017. Helsinki is the city known for having a few gay bars in the country and was known for hosting the Helsinki Pride event. Also, a trip to the Northern Lights would be fantastic as well as being gay is already normalized in the country. Walking hand in hand with your lover below the Northern Lights would be a magical experience.
6. France
Paris has been known as the city of love, but what people don’t know is that it is also a city of pride. France has been holding on to this belief of “laissez-faire” towards gay relationships. This belief refers to not interfering in personal matters to respect everyone’s privacy. You would have no problem outing in the country as pretty much everybody has that kind of mindset. For years, the country has done several events as well for the community such as Paris Pride, Magical Pride in Disneyland Paris, and Biarritz Pride.
7. Argentina
Argentina is the first-ever country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage (2010). Not only is the country a beautiful place to visit as it has a lot of eye candy scenes, Argentina, especially Buenos Aires is especially gay friendly as it is also a city with frequent gay visitors. It is also said to be the world’s most transgender-friendly country. Moreover, the country has hosted several pride events as well such as Buenos Aires Pride, Gay Vendimia Grape Harvesting Festival in Mendoza, and Queer Tango Festival in Buenos Aires.
8. Portugal
Before legalizing gay marriage in 2010, Portugal has pursued the legalization of same-sex relationships since 1982. Also, the country is known to have one of the most advanced transgender-friendly laws in the world which was the Law of Gender Identity which was approved in 2011. The main gay city attraction in the city is Barrio Alto and Príncipe Real in Lisbon which also hosted events for the community such as Lisbon Pride and Lisbon Bear Pride.
9. Iceland
Boosting up the pride, gay marriage was legalized in Ireland with a unanimous vote in 2010. The country is also known to host the pride events Reykjavík Pride and Rainbow Reykjavik both in Reykjavík. It is also referred to as one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world. The community would surely love visiting this country because despite having “ice” in its name, their people are surely filled with warmth and just so much love.
10. New Zealand
New Zealand has been passing down anti-discrimination laws in the country since 1993 such as the right to changing legal gender, LGBTQ ban in the military, and gay marriage. Moreover, the country is known for having gay ministers serving the country and is also very open about it. Some of them are Grant Robertson, Louisa Wall, Charles, Chauvel, and Georgina Beyer. It’s a good thing to have such ministers as they have all the capacity to influence the people in the country. New Zealand has several places home for gay scenes such as Karangahape Road in Auckland (or “K Road”), Ponsonby in Auckland, and Wellington Central. They have hosted tons of pride events like Big Gay Out in Auckland, the Gay Ski Week, and the Wellington International Pride Parade.
11. Denmark
Denmark has been supporting and fighting for the same sex relationship for so long. It goes as far back as 1933 and became the first country in the world to legalize gay relationships in 1989. The country has always been so open to the community, especially the people in Straedet in Copenhagen and Skolegade in Aarhus. Although they are not so much of a party city, Denmark has hosted some pride events as well such as Copenhagen Pride, Copenhagen Winter Pride Week, Aarhus Pride, and WorldPride 2021 in Malmo.
12. Colombia
Colombia would not be off the list as the country has become somewhat the gay haven for travelers. It is also known to be one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world. To top it all, the country owns the biggest gay club in Latin America, the Theatron gay club. The main place of attraction for the community would be Chapinero in Bogota and El Poblado in Medellin. Moreover, some of the well-known pride events the country has hosted are Barranquilla Carnival, Bogota Pride, Cartagena Pride, and Medellin Pride.
13. Taiwan
The country is said to be one of the most comfortable places to flaunt gay identity with. It is known for having the largest gay festival in Asia which is the Taipei Pride. While some may argue that gay marriage is still an overlooked issue in Asia, Taipei thrives as the first and only place in the continent to legalize same sex marriage (2019). If you’re finding a spot in Asia, Taipei is the place for you.
14. Australia
What are Australians highly in favor of? Gay marriage! In 2017, Australians answered a big “Yes!” when asked to vote on marriage equality. The country itself has a whole lot of gay spots such as Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills in Sydney; Collingwood and South Yarra in Melbourne; Fortitude Valley and New Farm in Brisbane; and Northbridge in Perth. Not to mention the people themselves carry such a gay-friendly attitude wherever they go. For example, Bang Chan aka Christopher, the leader of the South Korean boy group Stray Kids who’s an Aussie himself, has mentioned countless times in their live streams and concerts that everyone is valid no matter what gender, race, nor age even though he works in an all-so-conservative country when it comes to same sex relationships and it says a lot about the people from Australia. Furthermore, Australia has held several pride events like Mardi Gras in Sydney, Broken Heel Festival, and Midsumma Festival in Melbourne.
15. Germany
Germany itself has already been known to be one of the gayest countries in the world and there’s a reason for that. Berlin is a big avenue for gay scenes and it’s already common knowledge in the LGBT community. “Whether you’re a perky twink or a rough and ready leather daddy, there’s something for you in Berlin!” Germany holds tons of places all open for the gay community. This includes Schöneberg, Kreuzberg, Neukölln und Friedrichshain in Berlin; Heumarkt-Matthiasstraße and Rudolfplatz-Schaafenstraße in Cologne; Lange Reihe in Hamburg and Glockenbachviertel in Munich. Moreover, some of the pride events they have hosted include Berlin Pride, Cologne Carnival, and Munich Gay Oktoberfest.
16. Sweden
Home of the largest Pride event in Nordic countries, the list would not be complete without Sweden. Not to mention the country even has their slogan “Gay since 1944!” and it says a lot about how open the whole country is for the community. It’s a country full of validation, love, and colors, if one may say as it has a big number of pride festivals per capita. Their biggest gay events would be Stockholm Pride and Gothenburg Pride.
17. United Kingdom
The UK is known to have the most pride events hosted annually in the world. Other than satisfying your Potterhead fantasies, the country will surely satisfy your need for self-expression as a part of the LGBT community. There is little to no homophobia in the country as the government themselves invests in LGBT tourism. In the UK, gays are very welcomed! Some of the main places for the community would be Soho/Vauxhall in London, Canal Street in Manchester, Kemptown in Brighton, Pink Triangle in Newcastle, Broughton Street in Edinburgh, Hurst Street in Birmingham, Liverpool Gay Quarter. The country has also hosted pride events including Pride in London, Brighton Pride, Manchester Pride, and Mighty Hoopla.
18. Netherlands
The Netherlands is notably the first-ever country in the world to legalize same sex marriage (2001). Its main place of attraction for the gay community would be Reguliersdwarsstraat in Amsterdam. Some of the events they have hosted are the Amsterdam Pride, Amsterdam Bear Weekend, and Amsterdam Leather Pride. Moreover, this country is known for having the most tolerance to the phenomenon as well and its people are well aware of this fact. Stefan Aretris, a writer for Nomadic Boys, shared how he outed to his straight Dutch friend: As my Dutch (straight) male friend so beautifully put it when I came out to him – “you don’t need to come out to me, Stefan – I’m from Holland, the most open-minded country in the world!
19. Spain
Spain is one of the countries with the most gay-friendly locations. Madrid is arguably the most famous place for the gay community when it comes to hosting pride events. It is also a known fact that the country has such an incredibly open-minded society when it comes to diversity and the LGBTQA+ is not an exemption to that. Moreover, the best places in the country for the community would be Chueca in Madrid, Gaixample in Barcelona, Sitges and Maspalomas in Gran Canaria. Some of the pride events they have hosted include Madrid Pride, Circuit Barcelona, Snow Gay Weekend, Sitges Bear Week, and Maspalomas Pride.
20. Canada
Canada is known to be the most gay-friendly country in the world as they welcome all gay travelers with such warmth. Not to mention their Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is a straight white man, leads the pride parade as he waves a transgender flag. Imagine having a leader who not only fully accepts your identity but even leads the fight for it. Well, Canada pretty much relates to that. The country’s main spots for the community would be Church & Wellesley (Toronto), Le Village Gai (Montreal), The Village (Ottawa), Davie Village (Vancouver), Jasper Avenue (Edmonton). And the best gay events they have hosted include Toronto Pride, Fierte Montreal, and Whistler Pride & Ski Festival.
Disclaimer:
Please note that this article is written for inspiration and a better future travel experience only. This does not mean we encourage our readers to travel during the pandemic. To someone who wishes to travel this time, we would recommend to our audience to please check and follow the Travel Advisories for your intended destination and choose the method that works best for you. Also, the details above may vary to change at any time.
