For LGBTQIA+ travelers, safety and inclusiveness are important factors in vacation plans, and the latest news Gay Travel Index once again highlights destinations that exceed expectations, meet expectations or fall short. Since 2012, Spartacus has used a meticulous grid to rank countries from most gay-friendly to least, providing a reliable measure – for locals and travelers alike – of which countries are improving and which are getting worse.
The intensive rating system includes 18 categories ranging from anti-discrimination laws and transgender rights to oppressive religious influence, prosecution and the death penalty. Zero points is the neutral mark, with points added or deducted based on human rights – or lack thereof. Positive and negative points are weighed against the severity of local laws or customs. For example, countries that still punish homosexuality with the death penalty benefit from more deductions than countries that apply the death penalty but do not follow through on it.
This year, the most gay-friendly destinations, with 12 points each, are tied at five for first place: Canada, Malta, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain, followed closely by Australia , Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Norway and Uruguay. The United States earned a lukewarm ranking of 41, with a total of just four points. In contrast, the most hostile countries remain Saudi Arabia, Iran, Chechnya and Afghanistan, which still practice the death penalty for homosexuality.
This year, Norway was remarkable, going from 17 to 8, thanks in large part to its reversal of conversion therapy. Estonia also jumped 15 places to 32, thanks to the nation legalize same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, the UK fell 9 to 21, losing points due to diminished LGBT marketing and a hostile local population. The United States also lost ground, from 35 to 41 due to religious influence and hostility from the local population. Russia saw the biggest drop, falling from 177 in 2023 to 205, losing five more points due to increased prosecutions of LGBT people.
The index also ranks all 50 states individually, with categories unique to the United States like hate crime laws, gay and trans panic defense, and queer infrastructure, while the censorship category reflects the various laws “Don’t Say Gay” types across the country. With 14 points, New York ranks first for its LGBT protection, lack of censorship and conversion therapy, and concerted efforts on LGBT marketing and infrastructure. California, Colorado, Nevada and Oregon all tied for second, followed by Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Mexico. Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Montana are among the least gay-friendly states, with Oklahoma taking last place for the second year in a row, due to censorship, lack of trans rights and, as This is tragically proven by the recent murder of non-binary student Nex Benedict – hostile residents.
