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Spartacus GTI Total

-20

-15

-10

-5

5

10

15

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Gay-Friendly Countries / GLBTQ+ Friendly Countries 2024

A country is considered gay-friendly based on how accepeting they are to the gay community and whether or not the laws in their community are supportive of gay issues. While a country may legally support gay individuals, laws alone are not a sole indicator of being gay-friendly.

Some key factors that determine whether or not a country is considered gay-friendly are:

  • The political views toward gay issues
  • LGBTQ+-friendly laws
  • Whether or not gay marriage is legal
  • Available quality healthcare for the LGBTQ community
  • LGBTQ+-friendly recreation and social activities

Additionally, gay-friendly countries are ranked based on how members of the gay experience their lives in the nation.

The Most Gay-Friendly Countries in 2022

The most gay-friendly countries in 2022 are as follows:

Canada

Canada was one of the first countries to pass significant anti-discrimination laws to protect gay individuals. The cities of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouer are home to the largest gay and queer population in North America. Canadian citizens also have a welcoming attitude towards the gay community, with 91.8% stating that they would be comfortable with a gay neighbor according to a 2019 Gallup poll.

New Zealand

New Zealand was one of the first countries to offer gay friendly travel ceritfications for the hospitality industry in 1998. The country has also embraced gay-frienly legislation, providing the right to gay marriage, the right for gay couples to adopt, the right to serve openly in the military, and equal housing and employment protections.

Iceland

In 1940, a law in Iceland criminalizing homosexual acts was repealed. Over the decades that followed, Iceland has passed several gay-friendly laws such as those that target anti-discriminiation, fair adoption, equal age of consent, and gay marriage. Iceland’s Parliament voted unanimously to redefine marriage as between two individuals rather than a man and a woman.

Greece

Greece has a long history of homosexuality, both culturally and in their mythology. That tradition has carried over into the modern world making Greece and welcome destination for the LGBTQ+ community, Mykonos in particular along with several other major cities and islands are the centers of Grecian gay nightlife.

Malta

In the last 10 years, Malta has become one of the most progressive countries in terms of LGBTQ Rights. While the island nation is traditionally Roman Catholoc, in 2014 progressive leadership ushered in pro-LGBTQ legislation including criminializing conversion therapy and several trans-rights bills. According to a 2019 Eurobarometer poll, by 2019 67% of the population agree with same-sex marriage.

France

France has always embraced unconventional lifestyles and when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, they are leagues ahead of the rest of Europe. Since the 1970’s, Paris has welcomed the lifestyle as well as other major cities like Lyon and Marseille. The country has strong anti-discrimination laws, legal same-sex marriage and adoption.

Portugal

Portugal is one of the most nonchalant countries when it comes to same-sex PDA and is very progressive when it comes to gay marriage and gender identity. In 2010, Portugal became the 8th country to allow same-sex marriage, making it a popular desitnation for members if the LGBTQ+ community. A 2019 Eurobarometer poll showed that 80% of Portugal’s population support equal rights for lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

Australia

In the early 2000’s Australia became one of leaders of gay and lesbian rights and acceptance. 79% of people in Australia feel society should accept homosexuality, making it the fifth mosy accepting country in the world. Sydney sports one of the biggest pride events in the world along with Melbourne and Brisbane.

Thailand

Thailand exudes a welcoming philosophy when it comes to tourism and hospitality and helps LGBTQ+ travelers to feel welcome. Bangkok is one of the most welcoming to gay travelers cities in Asia. While Thailand is a fantastic destination for same-sex weddings, locals are not able to get married or have the legal rights of partnership. In spite of that, there are a number of anti-discrimination laws regarding employment and housing.

Argentina

In 2010, Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage and in 2012, the Gender Identity Law passed granting rights to transgender individuals. Argentina opened Latin America’s first trans community center, making it the LGBTQ+ center of South America.

Note:
- The Williams Institute's Global Acceptance Index (GAI) measures the extent to which LGBTI people are seen in ways that are positive and inclusive, both with respect to an individual�s opinions about LGBTI people and with regard to an individual�s position on LGBTI policies.
- The Spartacus International Gay Guide publishes the Gay Travel Index (GTI), a ranking of gay-friendly countries. Higher scores are preferable. 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. Not all categories are displayed.
- The GIA score for United Kingdom pertains only to Great Britain. The Spartacus score for China includes Hong Kong.

Download Table Data

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Country
Spartacus GTI Total
Countries Global Acceptance Index
Anti Discrimination Legislation
Marriage Civil Partnership
Adoption Allowed
Transgender Rights
Homosexuality Illegal
Death Sentences
Locals Hostile
Murders
Malta138.01222300–10
Canada129.0232220010
Switzerland128.0032230000
Australia118.0322220010
Portugal116.8732230000
Denmark118.6922230010
New Zealand118.2322210010
Uruguay117.902223000–1
Germany107.73222100−10
United Kingdom108.3432220010
Spain108.7722220000
Iceland109.7822230010
Colombia96.102223000−1
Argentina97.071223000–1
Taiwan95.7432110000
Austria97.2022220000
France87.7322220000
Belgium87.9522230000
Sweden89.1832210010
Norway89.3822230010
Ireland88.4122230010
Reunion822220000
Greenland812230000
Netherlands79.4622220000
Luxembourg77.8222320000
French Polynesia722220000
New Caledonia7222200−10
Andorra77.483223–1000
Chile66.832223000–1
Cuba65.8032220000
Israel65.6921120000
Finland67.9632210000
Guadeloupe6222200–10
Martinique6222200−10
United States57.421220000–1
Brazil57.22222300–1–2
Mexico56.50321200−1–2
South Africa56.013221000–1
Greece55.442102000–1
Costa Rica56.35222300–10
Puerto Rico57.52122200−1−2
Slovenia56.2132210000
India45.28210100−10
Ecuador45.47320200−1–1
Guam312210000
Gibraltar3222–10000
Estonia25.2520110000
Czech Republic15.8721010000
Croatia15.05212100−10
San Marino1311000−10
Thailand05.81200–10000
Italy06.94110100−10
United States Virgin Islands0122000−1-1
Bermuda0122−100−10
Liechtenstein0111–10010
Vietnam-14.990−1000000
Nepal-17.843−10000–10
Latvia-14.42110100−10
Bhutan-14.180−1010000
Montenegro-13.53210100–10
Japan-25.260−1010000
Mozambique-24.921−1000000
Bolivia-25.24200100−1–1
Serbia-23.712−10200−10
Slovakia-24.82200000−10
Albania-22.652–10–100−10
Aruba-211000000
Sint Maarten-210000000
China-33.6900–110000
South Korea-34.530−10100−10
Angola-33.661−1000000
Romania-34.102−10100−10
Laos-34.890−10100−10
Bulgaria-34.192−10100−10
Singapore-35.861−1010000
Lithuania-34.382−1–1200−10
North Macedonia-33.132−10100−10
Cyprus-35.16110000−10
Fiji-33−10–100−10
Belize-34.143−10–10000
Antigua and Barbuda-33.52100–10000
Monaco-3010–10000
Ukraine-42.911−10200−20
Hungary-45.0821–1–100−10
El Salvador-45.222−10000−1–1
Panama-45.280–1–110000
Mongolia-42.711−10000−10
Botswana-44.301−10000−10
Macau-44.011−10−100−10
Cape Verde-46.781−10−10000
Barbados-44.43100–10000
Samoa-41–100–10−10
Curacao-4100000–10
Pakistan-53.661−102−1–1–1–1
Peru-55.151−10200−1−2
Niger-52.970−10–10000
Mali-52.740−10−100–10
Kazakhstan-52.690−1–1100–20
Cambodia-54.960−10−10000
Benin-53.880−10000−10
Georgia-52.942−10100–1–1
Lesotho-54.180−1–100000
Suriname-54.641−10000−10
Seychelles-51−10−100−10
British Virgin Islands-53−10–100−10
Philippines-66.060−10−1000–1
Sri Lanka-63.231−1−11–10−10
Kyrgyzstan-62.160−10100−20
Moldova-61.911−10000–10
Armenia-62.170−10000−10
Gabon-62.800−10000−20
Guinea Bissau-60−10–100−10
Vanuatu-60−10−100−10
Jordan-71.870−10100−20
Honduras-75.152−10–100−2–1
Namibia-74.930−10–1−1000
Trinidad and Tobago-74.700−10–100−1–1
Mauritius-75.341−10–1−1000
Bangladesh-83.690−101–10−2–1
Turkey-83.940−10100–2–1
Myanmar-84.110−10–1–10−10
Venezuela-85.511−10000−2−2
Burkina Faso-82.960−10000−20
Tajikistan-81.560−10100−20
Nicaragua-85.571−10–100−2−1
Paraguay-84.740−10−100−1−1
Lebanon-83.630−101–10−10
Equatorial Guinea-80−10–100−20
Cook Islands-81−100–10−10
Vatican City-80−10−10000
Poland-95.151−10000−20
Madagascar-93.360−10000−2–2
Guatemala-94.710−10−100−2–2
Rwanda-92.770−10−100−20
Burundi-93.300−10–1–10−10
Bahrain-95.730−10000−20
Grenada-93.880−10−1–10−10
Tonga-90−10−1–10–10
DR Congo-103.320−10–100−20
Kenya-103.620−1–10–10−20
Algeria-104.280−10−1−10−10
North Korea-100−1−1−100−10
Zambia-102.040−100−10−20
Tunisia-103.380−1−1–1–10−1–1
Haiti-103.320−10−100−2−1
Papua New Guinea-100−10−1–10−20
Azerbaijan-101.420−10–100−10
Belarus-103.380−10000−20
Togo-103.150−10−1−10−20
Sierra Leone-102.970−1−1−1−10−20
Republic of the Congo-103.270−10−100−20
Central African Republic-102.620−10−1–10−20
Oman-100−10−1−10−10
Djibouti-102.890−1−1−100−20
Guyana-104.360−10–1−10−1–1
Bahamas-104.090−10−100−2−1
Indonesia-112.790−1–10−10−20
Sudan-112.990−10−1−10−20
Uzbekistan-113.680−10−1−10−20
Ghana-112.680−10−1−10−20
Ivory Coast-113.550−1–1−100−20
Syria-115.220−101−1–1−2−1
Chad-112.720−10−1−10−20
Senegal-111.850−10−1–10−20
Dominican Republic-114.980−10−100−1–2
Turkmenistan-110−100−10−20
Liberia-112.650−10−1−10−20
Gambia-112.440−10−1−10−20
Eswatini-110−100−10−2–2
Comoros-113.470−10−1−10−20
Solomon Islands-110−10−1−10−20
Maldives-110−10−1–10−20
Brunei-110−10−1−1–1−10
Dominica-113.560−10−1−10−20
Russia-123.280−10100−2–2
Ethiopia-121.630−1−1–1−10−20
Tanzania-123.270−100−10−20
Uganda-123.630−10−1−10−20
Iraq-123.810−10−100−2–1
Morocco-123.390−10−1−10−2–1
Zimbabwe-121.570−10−1−10−2–2
Mauritania-121.770−10−1−1−1−20
Eritrea-120−10–1–10−2−1
Jamaica-123.830−10−1−10−2–2
Malaysia-133.480−10−1−10−1−1
Cameroon-132.790−10−1−10−2−2
Malawi-131.750−10−1−10−2–2
Nigeria-142.180−10−1−1–3−20
Egypt-142.480−1−1−1−10−2−1
United Arab Emirates-140−10−1−1−1−2−1
Libya-143.780−10−1–1−1−2−2
Kuwait-143.610−1−1−1−10−20
Qatar-143.540−1−1−1−1−1−20
Yemen-173.410−1−1−1−1−1−2−2
Somalia-180−10−1−1−5−2−2
Iran-192.110−1−10−1−5−2−2
Afghanistan-193.320−10−1−1−5−2–2
Saudi Arabia-190−1−1–1−1−5−2−1
Guinea3.06
South Sudan2.73
Hong Kong6.38
Palestine3.20
Sao Tome and Principe3.15
Saint Lucia3.80
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines3.04
Saint Kitts and Nevis3.71
showing: 206 rows

Which countries are the most friendly to gay people?

Canada is the most friendly to gay people, it has several antidiscrimination laws and 91.8% of citizens would feel comfortable with a gay neighbor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources