For LGBTQIA+ travelers, safety and inclusivity are key elements of vacation planning, and the latest Gay Travel Index once again shines a light on destinations that exceeded, met or fell short of expectations. Since 2012, Spartacus has been rating and ranking countries using meticulous assessment criteria, from most queer-friendly to least, providing a reliable indicator for locals and travelers alike to determine which countries are improving and which are getting worse.
The exhaustive rating system has 18 categories, ranging from anti-discrimination laws and transgender rights to the influence of repressive religion, prosecution and the death penalty. A zero is a neutral score, and points are added or subtracted based on the presence or absence of human rights. Both positive and negative points are compared to the stringency of local laws and practices. For example, a country that punishes homosexuality with the death penalty will lose more points than a country that has the death penalty but does not actually carry it out.
This year, five countries share the top spot as the most queer-friendly destinations – Canada, Malta, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain – with 12 points each, followed closely by Australia, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Norway and Uruguay. The United States ranks middling at 41st with just 4 points combined. At the other end of the scale, the most hostile countries are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Chechnya and Afghanistan, all of which have the death penalty for gay people.
Notable this year is Norway, which climbed from 17th to 8th place, mainly due to the repeal of conversion therapy. Estonia also jumped from 15th to 32nd after legalizing same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, the UK lost points due to a decline in LGBT marketing and hostility from local residents, plummeting from 9th to 21st. The US also fell from 35th to 41st, due to the influence of religion and hostility from local residents. Russia saw the biggest drop in 2023, from 177th to 205th, losing a further five points due to an increase in prosecutions against LGBT people.
The index ranks the 50 states individually, with categories unique to the US, such as hate crime laws, gay and transgender panic defenses, and queer infrastructure, while the censorship category reflects the various “don’t say gay” style laws across the country. New York took first place with 14 points due to its LGBT protections, lack of censorship and conversion therapy, and concerted efforts at LGBT marketing and infrastructure. California, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon all tied for second place, followed by Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New Mexico. Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Montana are some of the least queer-friendly states, while Oklahoma came in last for the second year in a row due to its censorship, lack of transgender rights, and hostile locals, as tragically evidenced by the recent murder of non-binary student Nex Benedict.
