Mexican authorities on Tuesday sent conflicting messages about the violent death of a leading LGBTQ figure after thousands marched Monday night demanding justice.
Jesús Ociel Baena was found dead next to their partner in their home in the central Mexican city of Aguascalientes on Monday, according to state prosecutors. Baena, the first openly nonbinary person to assume a judicial post in Mexico, was one of the most visible LGBTQ figures in a country where the community is often violently targeted.
Baena and their partner had already received death threats and hateful messages and had protection from state security, prompting many across the country Monday to call their death a hate crime.
Authorities have provided minimal details about the slaying and local prosecutors hinted it may have been a murder-suicide.
“It may seem like a not very credible hypothesis to many, but we’re being very careful to leave a record and preserve all evidence,” said state prosecutor Jesús Figueroa Ortega.
Federal authorities, however, urged caution in the investigation Tuesday. Félix Arturo Medina, an official with Mexico’s Interior Ministry, said “it’s important to not throw out any line of investigation,” adding that they hoped to coordinate with state authorities to investigate the deaths.
“It’s a relevant case for us, not just because of the activism the magistrate was carrying out,” but also because the government wants all crimes to be investigated, Medina said.
Impunity runs rampant in Mexico. Only 1% of all crimes committed were reported, investigated and resolved in 2022, according to a survey by National Institute of Statistics and Geography.
The state authorities’ hypothesis was quickly rejected by many in Mexico’s LGBTQ community.
Alejandro Brito, director of the LGBTQ rights group Letra S urged authorities to continue to investigate the incident and to take into consideration the context of the case, and threats of violence against Baena.
Brito called state prosecutor’s version of events “loaded with prejudices” and said quick conclusions made by local authorities have only deepened distrust of authorities among historically victimized communities.
“In these types of homicides they always try to disqualify or belittle,” Brito said. “These statements that the prosecutor is giving, what they’re doing isn’t clarifying the acts, they’re adding fuel to the fire of these prejudices.”
People who knew Baena said the magistrate and Herrera in recent weeks were chipper and talked passionately about future activism.
Brito was echoed by thousands who gathered in the heart of Mexico City lighting candles over photos of Baena and other victims of anti-LGBTQ violence Monday night. They shouted “Justice” and “We won’t stay silent” and demanded a thorough investigation into the deaths.
“Ociel is, and was, the most relevant figure in today’s fight for human rights for the LGBTQ+ community,” said Humberto Dena, a 24-year-old carrying a candle alongside thousands of others in the march. “We want [the authorities] to continue to investigate this case, and not just say it was a ‘crime of passion.’”
In becoming a magistrate in October 2022, Baena was thought to be the first nonbinary person in Latin America to assume a judicial position. Baena broke through another barrier this May as one of a group of people to be issued Mexico’s first passports listing the holders as nonbinary.
Baena appeared in regularly published photos and videos wearing skirts and heels and toting a rainbow fan in court offices and advocated on social media platforms, drawing hundreds of thousands of followers.
“I am a nonbinary person. I am not interested in being seen as either a woman or a man. This is an identity. It is mine, for me, and nobody else. Baena posted on X, formerly Twitter, in June. “Accept it.”
Last month, the electoral court presented Baena with a certificate recognizing the magistrate with the gender neutral noun “maestre,” a significant step in Spanish, a language that splits most of its words between two genders, masculine or feminine.
While Mexico has made significant steps in reducing anti-LGBTQ violence, Brito’s Letra S documented a jump in violence against sexual minorities in 2019. In that year alone, at least 117 lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender people were slain. Many were grisly killings, including brutal stabbings and public slayings.
The National Observatory of Hate Crimes Against LGBTI+ Persons in Mexico registered 305 violent hate crimes against sexual minorities in 2019-2022, including murder, disappearances and more.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
The Trevor Project, a national suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth, announced it is leaving X, formerly known as Twitter, because of “increasing hate & vitriol on the platform targeting the LGBTQ community.” The decision comes just over a year after billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk finalized his $44 billion purchase of the company.
“LGBTQ young people are regularly victimized at the expense of their mental health, and X’s removal of certain moderation functions makes it more difficult for us to create a welcoming space for them on this platform,” the organization wrote in a tweet Thursday.
The Trevor Project, which has nearly 350,000 followers on X, said the decision to leave was made with “input from dozens of internal and external perspectives.” In particular, the group wrote, “we questioned whether leaving the platform would allow harmful narratives and rhetoric to prevail with one less voice to challenge them.” But in the end, the group decided that leaving was “the right thing to do.”
At the end of its message, the organization directed LGBTQ young people to TrevorSpace.org, its own social networking space for queer teens and young adults. The Trevor Project also noted that it will continue to maintain its presence on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and Facebook.
X’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on The Trevor Project’s departure or its characterization of “hate & vitriol” on the platform.
As NBC News reported last month on the one-year anniversary of Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, many LGBTQ people say the once-hospitable home for community building has turned toxic.
This, they say, is due in part to a number of policy changes and business decisions at the company, including the layoff of employees who worked on reducing misinformation and harassment on the platform, and the removal of the site’s previous ban on intentionally using the incorrect pronouns or names for transgender people, practices known as misgendering and deadnaming.
GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advocacy group, releases an annual Social Media Safety Index and Platform Scorecard that evaluates social media platforms’ policies for ensuring the safety of LGBTQ users. In its most recent scorecard, published in June, X ranked in last place among the major social media platforms.
Since Musk took over the platform, LGBTQ people running some of the most-followed X accounts have abandoned it. Elton John, who has over a million followers, announced he was leaving in December, and Ellen DeGeneres, who has 75 million followers, hasn’t tweeted since April.
And The Trevor Project is not the only LGBTQ nonprofit to leave. The San Francisco LGBT Center, LGBTQ Youth Scotland and the U.K.-based Mermaids, a transgender charity, have also left the platform, just to name a few.
Policies pertaining to LGBTQ+ Americans and their rights have dominated headlines over the past year. Recently passed anti-LGBTQ legislation has underscored the urgent need to examine the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in America as many LGBTQ Americans announce they’re on the move to more accepting cities, states, and even countries.
The Human Rights Campaign declared a “state of emergency” for LGBTQ Americans and issued a national warning and guidebook, which highlights the ongoing struggles this community faces. We found in prior research that 38% of Americans still oppose same-sex marriage, a sobering reminder that the fight for equality is far from over.
Amid these challenges, we find glimmers of hope and resilience in various corners of the U.S. Pittsburgh’s city council passed bills aimed at protecting the LGBT community, while Kansas City proudly declared itself an LGBTQ sanctuary city. Notably, New York City hosts one of the world’s largest pride celebrations, attracting a staggering 2 million attendees and showcasing the vibrant and resilient spirit of its LGBTQ community.
Our study not only balances the fun aspects of the LGBTQ community but also the political realities necessary for LGBTQ Americans to thrive when they are moving across state lines for better futures amid rising costs of living.
To identify which cities are the most LGBTQ-friendly, our weighted rankings evaluated the following criteria:
7x: Percent of state population that is LGBTQ
7x: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) chapters per 100,000 residents
6x: Designated LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per capita
6x: Number of anti-trans legislation passed at the state level
6x: Pride events per 100,000 residents
5x: National LGBT Chamber of Commerce chapters
5x: Percentage of residents opposing to anti-discrimination laws
5x: Gay bars per 100,000 residents
3x: Percentage of residents opposing same-sex marriage
3x: Municipal equality score
3x: State equality tally score
3x: Inclusive curricular standards
2x: Parental opt-out laws
2x: “Don’t Say Gay” laws
Find out how the 50 most-populous metros in the U.S. stack up against each other in terms of LGBTQ-friendliness.
Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities Stats 🏳️🌈
San Francisco is America’s most LGBTQ-friendly city, while Memphis is the least friendly. Jump to section👇
California has the highest state equality tally score (100), while Tennessee has the lowest (-11.5).👇
Fifteen of the 50 most-populous metros in the U.S. are located in states with “Don’t Say Gay” laws.👇
New Orleans has the most pride celebrations per capita (0.32), while Houston has the fewest (0.01).👇
New Orleans has the most gay bars per 100,000 residents (1.43), while Riverside, California, has the fewest (0.06).👇
Raleigh, North Carolina, has the highest number of LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per capita (5.73), while Buffalo, New York, has the lowest at just 0.09 providers per capita.👇
Providence, Rhode Island, and Nashville, Tennessee, residents are the most supportive of anti-discrimination laws. Just 9% of residents oppose them. Kansas City, Missouri, and Birmingham, Alabama, have the highest opposition rate at 33%.👇
The 50 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities, Ranked
Rank
Metro
State LGBTQ Population (%)
Gay Bars per Capita
Pride Events per Capita
Municipal Equality Score*
State Equality Tally Score**
State LGBTQ+ Inclusive Curricular Standards
State Parental Opt-Out Laws
State “Don’t Say Gay” Laws
PFLAG Chapters per Capita***
NGLCC Chapters****
LGBTQ Affirming Health Care Providers per Capita*****
State Anti-Trans Legislation Passed
% of Residents Opposing Non-Discrimination Laws
% of Residents Opposing Same-Sex Marriage
–
Study Average
5.1
0.3
0.07
95
16.7
N
N
N
0.08
0.9
1.4
1.7
19%
27%
1
San Francisco, CA
6
0.63
0.09
100
43
Y
N
N
0.13
2
1.73
0
12%
21%
2
Hartford, CT
5
0.08
0.08
100
39
Y
N
N
0.25
1
1.65
0
22%
11%
3
Las Vegas, NV
6
0.57
0.22
100
40.5
Y
N
N
0.04
1
0.39
0
12%
19%
4
Portland, OR
8
0.36
0.04
100
38.5
Y
N
N
0.04
1
3.07
0
20%
17%
5
Denver, CO
6
0.61
0.03
100
42.5
Y
N
N
0.07
1
1.75
0
17%
15%
6
Los Angeles, CA
6
0.11
0.07
100
43
Y
N
N
0.07
2
0.58
0
15%
25%
7
San Diego, CA
6
0.37
0.12
100
43
Y
N
N
0.03
1
1
0
14%
18%
8
Sacramento, CA
6
0.29
0.04
100
43
Y
N
N
0.08
1
0.79
0
17%
26%
9
Chicago, IL
5
0.22
0.05
100
37.5
Y
N
N
0.11
1
0.79
0
15%
25%
10
New Orleans, LA
5
1.43
0.32
100
-4.5
N
N
Y
0.08
1
1.82
1
11%
31%
11
San Jose, CA
6
0.26
0.05
97
43
Y
N
N
0.05
0
1.23
0
17%
13%
12
Richmond, VA
5
0.3
0.08
100
25.5
N
N
N
0.15
1
1.29
0
21%
20%
13
Pittsburgh, PA
4
0.25
0.08
100
16.5
N
N
N
0.08
1
2.72
0
14%
18%
14
Baltimore, MD
5
0.18
0.04
100
31.5
N
N
N
0.14
1
1.76
0
19%
27%
15
Milwaukee, WI
6
0.45
0.06
100
18.5
N
N
N
0.13
1
0.83
0
20%
24%
16
Minneapolis, MN
4
0.22
0.03
100
36
N
N
N
0.03
1
2.06
0
10%
17%
17
Boston, MA
6
0.12
0.02
100
36
N
N
N
0.02
1
1.49
0
15%
16%
18
Seattle, WA
5
0.47
0.05
100
38.25
N
N
N
0.02
1
2.02
0
18%
23%
19
Cleveland, OH
5
0.34
0.1
100
10.75
N
N
N
0.05
1
1.78
0
16%
27%
20
New York, NY
5
0.37
0.04
100
40.5
N
N
N
0.05
1
0.49
0
16%
28%
21
Providence, RI
6
0.36
0.06
100
33
N
N
N
0.06
0
1.07
0
9%
32%
22
Philadelphia, PA
4
0.14
0.02
100
16.5
N
N
N
0.14
1
1.3
0
20%
23%
23
Riverside, CA
6
0.06
0.02
100
43
Y
N
N
0
0
0.15
0
17%
19%
24
Washington, DC
5
0.25
0.05
100
38.5
N
N
N
0.05
1
0.38
0
18%
25%
25
Indianapolis, IN
5
0.14
0.05
80
0
N
N
Y
0.14
1
3.76
3
16%
25%
26
Columbus, OH
5
0.51
0.05
100
10.75
N
N
N
0.05
1
2.14
0
18%
35%
27
Louisville, KY
3
0.23
0.08
100
5.25
N
N
Y
0.08
1
5.68
2
15%
38%
28
Detroit, MI
4
0.18
0.02
100
22
N
N
N
0.09
1
0.78
0
22%
24%
29
Charlotte, NC
5
0.19
0.04
86
7.25
N
N
Y
0.15
2
1.37
3
21%
30%
30
Salt Lake City, UT
6
0.32
0.08
100
9.25
N
N
N
0.08
1
1.98
4
17%
38%
31
Austin, TX
5
0.26
0.13
100
-1
N
N
Y
0.09
1
2.21
4
16%
23%
32
Atlanta, GA
4
0.21
0.02
100
-0.5
N
N
N
0.13
1
1.2
1
14%
34%
33
Cincinnati, OH
5
0.27
0.04
100
10.75
N
N
N
0.09
0
1.5
0
19%
24%
34
Raleigh, NC
5
0.07
0.07
85
7.25
N
N
Y
0.07
1
5.73
3
16%
45%
35
Virginia Beach, VA
5
0.17
0.06
100
25.5
N
N
N
0.06
0
0.22
0
21%
20%
36
Phoenix, AZ
6
0.26
0.02
100
6
N
Y
N
0
1
0.44
0
18%
27%
37
Buffalo, NY
5
0.34
0.09
94
40.5
N
N
N
0.09
0
0.09
0
26%
46%
38
Nashville, TN
3
0.35
0.05
77
-11.5
N
Y
N
0.2
1
0.94
10
9%
15%
39
San Antonio, TX
5
0.38
0.04
100
-1
N
N
Y
0.08
1
0.92
4
24%
16%
40
Orlando, FL
5
0.22
0.15
100
-0.75
N
Y
Y
0.04
1
1.23
5
18%
16%
41
Kansas City, MO
5
0.27
0.05
100
-0.25
N
N
N
0.05
2
0.95
3
33%
35%
42
St. Louis, MO
5
0.21
0.04
100
-0.25
N
N
N
0.07
0
0.89
3
20%
25%
43
Tampa, FL
5
0.28
0.03
100
-0.75
N
Y
Y
0.12
1
1.09
5
16%
26%
44
Oklahoma City, OK
4
0.42
0.07
78
-5.75
N
N
Y
0.14
0
1.04
3
18%
30%
45
Dallas, TX
5
0.24
0.04
100
-1
N
N
Y
0.04
1
0.57
4
22%
22%
46
Miami, FL
5
0.08
0.1
89
-0.75
N
Y
Y
0.03
2
0.72
5
17%
32%
47
Birmingham, AL
5
0.18
0.09
100
-9.5
N
N
Y
0.18
0
0.9
2
33%
35%
48
Jacksonville, FL
5
0.12
0.06
79
-0.75
N
Y
Y
0.06
0
0.61
5
14%
11%
49
Houston, TX
5
0.22
0.01
73
-1
N
N
Y
0.03
1
0.37
4
20%
29%
50
Memphis, TN
3
0.22
0.07
54
-11.5
N
Y
N
0
1
0.37
10
14%
36%
*100-point scale **43.5-point tally scale ***Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays chapters ****National LGBT Chamber of Commerce chapters *****Within a 25-mile radius
The 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities
With five cities in the top 15 — including San Francisco, our No. 1 LGBTQ-friendly city — California is the most LGBTQ-friendly state. In terms of its policies, it has a near-perfect equality tally score of 43 out of 43.5, which is attractive to LGBTQ Americans looking to move to more inclusive states.
In addition to laws passed by their state congresses, the top 15 cities have enacted municipal laws that protect their residents. The top 15 cities have an average city municipal equality score of 99 out of 100.
Only one city in the top 15 is located in a state that has passed anti-trans legislation. Louisiana may have restrictive laws, but New Orleans stands out from other cities in the South.
The top 15 cities, of course, have a high number of gay bars per capita: 0.4 per 100,000 residents on average — compared to 0.22 in the bottom 10 cities.
Despite hosting the world’s largest Pride celebration, New York City didn’t make the top 15 — coming in at No. 20 instead. New York City has a particularly low number of PFLAG chapters, with just 0.05 per 100,000 residents — 38% fewer than the average metro (0.08).
It also has just 0.49 LGBT-affirming health care providers per 100,000, which is 65% fewer than the average metro in our study (1.4). There are also no inclusive curricular standards in the state of New York.
1. San Francisco, CA
🌈 Rainbow Families San Francisco need not prove why it’s the No. 1 most LGBTQ-friendly city, as it’s already a popular destination for LGBTQ tourists. LGBTQ locals are also in luck: The Bay Area has 0.13 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 residents, 63% more than the average metro in our study (0.08).
San Francisco got a big boost for being located in a state with such inclusive policies for LGBTQ Americans. However, it boasts some impressive stats on its own.
With a remarkable 0.63 gay bars per 100,000 residents, it soars 110% above the average city in our study, making it a vibrant hotspot for LGBTQ+ nightlife and culture. But it’s not just about the party scene. San Franciscans are more inclusive than average, with only 12% opposing non-discrimination laws for LGBTQ Americans — 37% lower than the national average of 19%.
At 6% of its total population, San Francisco’s LGBTQ community slightly surpasses the national proportion of 5.1%, solidifying its status as a welcoming and diverse haven.
2. Hartford, CT
🏛️ Representin’ Hartford is the only Connecticut city in the 50 most-populous metros in the U.S. As such, it gets to represent its state in our study, and its residents should be proud! Connecticut’s state equality tally score is 39 — 134% higher than the average state’s tally score of 16.7.
Hartford is the third-smallest metro in the study, so it has just 0.08 gay bars per 100,000 residents, which is tied with Miami for the third-lowest number. That’s 73% fewer gay bars than the average city in our study (0.3).
However, it makes up for this by having a more inclusive and supportive community than other cities. The Hartford metro area has 0.25 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 resident – 213% more than the average metro in our study (0.08). Additionally, just 11% of Hartford residents oppose same-sex marriage, the lowest percentage in the study. That’s 59% fewer than the national response of 27%.
3. Las Vegas, NV
🎰 Pride Jackpot As a city known for its nightlife and party scene, it may come as no surprise that Pride Month in Las Vegas is exceptional. The Las Vegas metro area has 0.22 pride events per 100,000 residents annually — 214% more than the average metro in our study (0.07).
Las Vegas doesn’t just dazzle on the famous Strip. It shines as an oasis of LGBTQ inclusivity. Just 19% of its residents oppose same-sex marriage. That’s 30% fewer than the average city in our study (27%).
Keeping with its image, Las Vegas also boasts 0.57 gay bars per 100,000 residents — 90% more than the average city in our study (0.3). Las Vegas is home to the popular Hamburger Mary’s and The Phoenix Bar & Lounge, both staples of the LGBTQ community.
With a state equality tally score of 40.5, Nevada as a whole scores an impressive 143% above the average state’s tally score of 16.7.
4. Portland, OR
🧑🤝🧑 In Good Company Boosting Portland’s rank is its location in Oregon, the state with the largest percentage of LGBTQ residents. Oregon’s LGBTQ population of 8% is 57% more than the national proportion of 5.1%.
When it comes to LGBTQ inclusivity, Portland isn’t just leading the way, it’s also setting the pace. With an impressive 3.07 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents, it rises 119% above the average metro in our study (1.4), ensuring the community’s health care needs are met with care and compassion.
Oregon’s commitment to equality is also undeniable, with a state equality tally score of 38.5, an astonishing 131% higher than the average state’s score of 16.7. Portland also benefits from having a thriving LGBTQ community. With 0.36 gay bars per 100,000 residents, Portland is home to 20% more than the average city in our study (0.3).
5. Denver, CO
🤲 Sound State Cementing Colorado’s reputation as a progressive state and Denver’s allure to the LGBTQ community, Colorado’s state equality tally score is 42.5 — 154% higher than the average state’s tally score of 16.7
In Denver, diversity thrives. With a stunning 0.61 gay bars per 100,000 residents, it stands 103% above the average city in our study (0.3). This city doesn’t just embrace love, it also champions it, with only 15% opposing same-sex marriage, a substantial 44% lower than the national average (27%).
Moreover, Denver ensures access to compassionate health care, boasting an estimated 1.75 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents, a solid 25% more than the average metro in our study (1.4).
6. Los Angeles, CA
🎬 Lights, Camera, Action Like San Francisco, Los Angeles is another Californian city known for its LGBTQ community. It’s the filming location of community staples such as RuPaul’s Drag Race and Dragula. It is also known for the iconic neighborhoods of West Hollywood and Silver Lake, which are home to several notable gay bars.
The number of annual pride events in Los Angeles is tied with the national average at 0.07 per 100,000 residents. The L.A. Pride Festival & Parade is one of the most well-attended pride events in the country, with an estimated 146,000attending last year.
Los Angeles is also slightly more tolerant than other U.S. cities. Just 15% oppose non-discrimination laws, a noteworthy 21% less than the national average of 19%. Moreover, when it comes to same-sex marriage, the city stands out with only 25% opposing, a commendable 7% below the national average of 27%.
7. San Diego, CA
💃 Time to Party In “America’s Finest City,” the pride truly shines through, boasting an impressive 0.12 pride events per 100,000 residents annually, a spirited 71% above the average in our study.
San Diego has long been a popular LGBTQ destination, dating to the 1950s when venues like Bradley’s and Blue Jacket attracted travelers from all over the country. These days, the iconic Gossip Grill – a bustling lesbian-centered bar and grill – is a community standout that is a hot spot for LGBTQ tourists and locals alike.
Given its illustrious LGBTQ history, it’s no surprise that people in San Diego are more progressive when it comes to LGBTQ topics. Just 14% of San Diego residents oppose non-discrimination laws, which is 26% lower than the national response of 19%. Furthermore, only 18% are in opposition to same-sex marriage, a significant 33% less than the overall national response of 27%.
8. Sacramento, CA
🏆 10s Across the Board Sacramento is yet another California city with a commitment to protecting the rights of LGBTQ residents. It has a perfect municipal equality score of 100.
In Sacramento, just 17% of residents oppose non-discrimination laws — 11% below the national average of 19%. Additionally, only 26% oppose same-sex marriage, a heartening 4% lower than the national average of 27%.
But Sacramento doesn’t stop there — it’s a city that actively fosters LGBTQ+ inclusivity. It boasts a National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, demonstrating its dedication to providing resources and opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community to thrive.
9. Chicago, IL
📜 Legislating by Example When it comes to state policies concerning LGBTQ+ rights, Illinois stands out with an impressive state equality tally score of 37.5, surpassing the average state’s tally score of 16.7 by a remarkable 125%.
Chicago has a reputation for being a progressive city in the Midwest, and the stats support that view. Chicago is home to 0.11 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 residents – 38% above the average metro in the study (0.08).
Chicagoans also seem to be a bit more tolerant than Americans in other cities. Only 15% of its residents oppose non-discrimination laws, a remarkable 21% lower than the national average of 19%. Moreover, just 25% oppose same-sex marriage, a modest 7% lower than the national response of 27%.
10. New Orleans, LA
🎭 A Southern Standout Despite being in a state with a low equality tally score (-4.5), New Orleans’ LGBTQ community continues to thrive. New Orleans is home to 1.43 gay bars per 100,000 residents — the highest in the study! That’s 5x more than the average city (0.3).
With 0.32 pride events per 100,000 residents annually, New Orleans has 357% more pride events than the average metro in our study (0.07). It proudly claims the title of most pride events per capita, proving that in NOLA, celebration knows no bounds.
But New Orleans doesn’t just stop at parades and parties. It is home to 1.82 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000, which is 30% more than the national average (1.4).
When it comes to inclusivity, NOLA is an example in the South. Just 11% of its residents oppose non-discrimination laws — 42% lower than the national average of 19%.
11. San Jose, CA
💫 Well-Rounded Compared to other California cities, San Jose ranks the lowest, only above Riverside. However, given that California is one of the highest-ranked states in terms of equality, San Jose still proves to be an LGBTQ-friendly city.
In the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose charts its unique course when it comes to LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Although it has 12% fewer LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents than the average metro area (1.4), it’s buoyed by its location in a progressive state and a near-perfect municipal equality score of 97 out of 100.
Its residents are also more tolerant than those in other cities. With just 17% opposing non-discrimination laws, it stands 11% below the national average of 19%. Moreover, in the realm of love and marriage, San Jose is a leading city with only 13% opposing same-sex marriage, a remarkable 52% lower than the national average of 27%.
12. Richmond, VA
🤝 Rich in Friends Richmond not only boasts a perfect municipal equality score of 100, it’s also home to 0.15 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 residents — 88% more than the national average — making it another standout LGBTQ city in the South.
Although Virginia could improve its policies pertaining to LGBTQ rights, its state equality score of 25.5 is still 53% higher than the average state’s score of 16.7.
Richmond, specifically, is slightly more tolerant than other cities in the country. Just 20% of Richmond residents oppose same-sex marriage — compared to 27% nationally.
When it’s time to celebrate, Richmond knows how to do it right with a spirited 0.08 pride events per 100,000 residents annually, a robust 14% more than the average metro in our study,
13. Pittsburgh, PA
🏥 An Abundance of Care Pittsburgh is another standout when it comes to LGBTQ health care accessibility, offering 2.72 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents. That’s 94% higher than the average metro in our study, ensuring that the community’s medical needs are well-cared for.
Pittsburgh is leading the way in municipal policies that protect LGBTQ residents. These policies are backed by a thriving community whose culture is also putting Pittsburgh on the map as an LGBTQ destination.
Pittsburgh hosts 0.08 pride events per 100,000 residents each year — 14% more than the average metro in our study (0.07).
But Pittsburgh isn’t just about parades. It’s also a city of acceptance. With just 14% of residents opposing non-discrimination laws, there are 26% fewer Pittsburghers in opposition to these protections than the national average (19%).
14. Baltimore, MD
⚖️ Tipping the Scales While not perfect, Maryland does stand out from the crowd. With a state equality tally score of 31.5, Maryland’s score is 89% higher than the average score of 16.7.
With an impressive 0.14 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 residents, Baltimore is home to 75% more PFLAG chapters than the average city (0.08). Baltimore also champions health care accessibility, boasting an estimated 1.76 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents — 26% more than the national average (1.4).
Although Maryland’s LGBTQ+ population hovers just below the national proportion at 5%, Baltimore stands out with its dedication to progress. It not only hosts an NGLCC chapter, but it also proudly boasts a perfect municipal equality score of 100, showcasing a commitment to ensuring LGBTQ rights are protected via policy and support for LGBTQ business.
15. Milwaukee, WI
👪 In Good Company Family support is crucial for the well-being of LGBTQ individuals. With 0.13 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 residents, Milwaukee has 63% more chapters than the average city in our study (0.08).
The Milwaukee metro area shines with 0.45 gay bars per 100,000 residents — 50% more than the 0.3 in the average city. Additionally, Milwaukee residents demonstrate a lower rate of opposition to same-sex marriage. Just 24% of Milwaukeeans oppose same-sex marriage, which is 11% less than the national average of 27%.
Furthermore, Wisconsin earned a state equality tally score of 18.5, an 11% higher than the average state tally score of 16.7.
Vatican officials said Wednesday that transgender people can be baptized in the Catholic church.
“A transgender person, even if they have undergone hormone therapy and sex-reassignment surgery, can receive baptism under the same conditions as other faithful, if there are no situations in which there is a risk of generating a public scandal or disorientation among the faithful,” a Vatican office said in a documentpublished Wednesday in Italian on its website.
The document was a response to six questions that Bishop Jose Negri of Santo Amaro in Brazil sent to the Vatican in July, regarding LGBTQ people’s involvement in routine Catholic practices, and released by the Vatican’s Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith. The document said it had been approved by Pope Francis on Oct. 31.
Vatican officials also concluded that transgender people can be godparents and witnesses at religious weddings. They added that an individual in a same-sex relationship can also be a witness in Catholic weddings.
The document appeared to suggest that children either adopted by same-sex couples or conceived through surrogacy cannot be baptized. It also implied that people in same-sex relationships should not be godparents to baptized children.
The Vatican’s stated willingness to include trans people in the church is the latest step it has taken to extend itself to the LGBTQ community.
Last month, Francis signaled an openness to allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis. However, Francis, 86, added that same-sex blessings should not be seen as synonymous with heterosexual weddings.
Some leading Catholics who have advocated for the inclusion of LGBTQ people in the church praised the Vatican’s statement.
The Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit who runs outreach ministry for LGBTQ Catholics, wrote on the X platform that pastors in some dioceses had prevented transgender people from being baptized, serving as godparents or being witnesses to marriages.
“As such, this is an important step forward in the church seeing transgender people not only as people (in a church where some say they don’t really exist) but as Catholics,” Martin said.
In 2008, Dan Leveille, 35, was studying computer science at the Rochester Institute of Technology when California voters passed Proposition 8, eliminating the right of same-sex couples to marry in the state. It was a sucker punch to the queer community, including Leveille, who found himself wanting to bring order to how he thought about LGBTQ+ rights in the US.
His solution was Equaldex, a passion project that visualizes the state of queer rights not only at home but around the world. The site has become a trusted resource for governments, the media, and LGBTQ+ travelers everywhere.
Related:
LGBTQ Nation spoke with Leveille about Equaldex from his home in Los Angeles.
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LGBTQ Nation: What inspired you to come up with an LGBTQ+ rights visualization tool?
Dan Leveille: When the Prop 8 stuff happened, I got pretty interested in it. And then there were a lot of states that were legalizing same-sex marriage, and a lot of laws were changing. And I remember at some point I was like, “Wait, did that state legalize it? When did that happen?” And I’m like, “Wow, I wish there was like some sort of site that showed all of these changes, like, a map.”
I launched it in 2014.
LGBTQ Nation: How did you envision it being used by others as you were building it?
DL: I first imagined it for my own use just tracking all the changes. But the number of countries that criminalize being gay, the number of countries that, you know, jailed people or even have the death penalty, that stuff is really compelling. And maybe the LGBTQ activists know this, but the general public might not. And I think bringing to light those facts is very important. This could kind of put pressure and visibility on the parts of the world that aren’t progressing.
LGBTQ Nation: What are some of the unexpected ways that Equaldex has been used since you put it up?
DL: One thing that is very obvious, probably, but just didn’t occur to me is how it’s used as a travel guide. That wasn’t immediately obvious to me, but it makes perfect sense. There’s been a lot of interest from travel agencies so that travelers will know, “Oh, this country you’re visiting, these laws, you might want to be careful or reconsider.”
General Electric, they use Equaldex data for some of their internal systems for traveling for employees. It makes sense because companies want to be careful about where they’re sending their employees, especially if there are laws against being gay.
LGBTQ Nation: Does General Electric throw you some bucks for using Equaldex?
DL: No, it’s generally not really a big deal to me. If a company wants to apply this data, I don’t have any issue with it. I like keeping the service free, just in principle.
LGBTQ Nation: GE could make a donation for your trouble.
DL: Yeah, for sure.
LGBTQ Nation: What’s the most LGBTQ+-friendly country on the planet?
DL: Currently I have this system on the site called the Equality Index, which ranks legal rights and public opinion. It’s a newer metric that I added. The countries with the highest ranking right now are Iceland, as number one, and Denmark and Norway. Malta, the Netherlands and Canada are up there.
LGBTQ Nation: And what’s the country you identify as the most hostile to LGBTQ+ identity?
DL: If you’re looking at the Equality Index, the Middle East and Africa are generally the worst in terms of both the laws and the public opinion there.
LGBTQ Nation: You’re looking at the data pretty much every day. What are some of the trends that you can point out?
DL: That’s a good question. Outside of the Middle East and Africa, there’s definitely a lot of progress being made overall. I focus a lot on the US, and polling has shown overwhelmingly that, you know, things are moving positively in terms of the public opinion. Even Republicans and religious groups, they’re moving to being more open.
LGBTQ Nation: In the US, do you see the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in red states as an anomaly, or is there anything in the data that indicates maybe those right-wing Republicans are on to something?
DL: Some of the US polls have shown that while it is becoming more accepted, it also is starting to polarize the more people are being exposed to it. So they have a lot of opinions on it. You know, you see things like drag queen bans and all those book bans and stuff, so people might form an opinion, whereas before, maybe they didn’t have an opinion. It’s interesting. We’re seeing a lot of progress in the US, but there are definitely some laws that are going backward. Hopefully it doesn’t continue that way.
LGBTQ Nation: The site would be a big undertaking for anyone, let alone somebody who’s just doing it as a passion project. Did you ever think, “I’m way over my head on this?”
DL: Yeah, definitely. Especially with big publications and even some governments and organizations that reference Equaldex. So when I see, like, the UN referencing it in one of their reports, I’m like, God, it’s a lot of pressure. Fortunately, I built Equaldex in a way where I don’t need to change everything myself, with such a big community of users who are contributing.
LGBTQ Nation: Tell us about those volunteers.
DL: When I first started Equaldex, there were a lot of people who were very interested in the project, and I got a handful of people who were just super passionate about it. They were super crucial in the first six months to a year of the site. Like, we had all these countries with no data, and people were just going in, adding all the laws. We’ve added a Discord community, as well, that has been really great at attracting editors and moderators.
LGBTQ Nation: Who pays for all of this?
DL: I pay for it myself. It’s not super expensive to run. And I share the cost with a pretty successful gaming app I run called Dododex, which is a companion app for the game ARK. And that helps to pay for software and Chat GPT to help program and stuff.
LGBTQ Nation: What’s the participation rate in some of those red countries for people who help out with the site?
DL: It’s very low. It’s challenging, especially when there are language barriers, too. But in really red countries, those users probably don’t want to publicly join a service like Equaldex, for reasons you can imagine. Fortunately, there are a lot of international organizations, research organizations who dig into the laws and maybe expose some of the things that are happening there, and we do have a handful of contributors who are from countries more familiar with those places.
LGBTQ Nation: Who are some of your go-to’s for the information you’re putting up?
DL: When we’re sourcing laws we try to get to the actual government site that shows what the law is. Unfortunately, sometimes what the government is saying is different than what they’re actually doing. We reference some big LGBT organizations like ILGA. The UN has some great resources exposing things in these homophobic countries. And of course, you know, reputable sources, the BBC, CNN, sites like yours who are reporting.
In terms of like, public opinion, there are a lot of really great organizations like Gallup that are always our go-to’s in terms of public opinion data.
LGBTQ Nation: What’s new on the site?
DL: I am working on a new feature that will — I hate to call it, like, a Yelp for LGBTQ rights, but it’s kind of that same idea where you’ll be able to share your opinion of the state or the province or the country that you lived in and share how comfortable you were about being open in public. What are politicians like? Are there out celebrities? Things like that. If you’ve lived there you have more experience, and it helps people who are traveling, so they can be like, “Okay, definitely don’t hold hands with my partner in public.” And even like, hotel reservations. In some countries you shouldn’t reserve a single bed with your partner in the same room. Stuff like that is good to know, and you might not think of it.
LGBTQ Nation: What’s been the most satisfying part of Equaldex for you so far?
DL: I think seeing the big publications and organizations use the site. There are a bunch of Ivy League schools that reference Equaldex for their students when they’re traveling. The UN, the UK Government, the US government, they’ve all read it and reference it. It makes me really proud, like, “Wow, this is something that people are very interested in.” So it kind of validates the work I’ve been doing for many years.
At a more personal level, hearing that people use it and it’s super helpful is super validating. When people say, like, “Oh, I always use it. Make sure to check Equaldex before you travel,” it’s really rewarding to hear it’s helpful to people in that way.
“The experiences of non-binary youth in organized team sports in Canada have been drastically understudied,” said researcher Martha Gumprich.
“Our report found that many youths avoid team sports due to abuse and discrimination but there are some solutions that would make sport more inclusive for non-binary participants and benefit everyone.”
Two-thirds of non-binary youths surveyed said that their reasoning for not joining an organised sports team boiled down to rules that would force them to play on a binary-gendered (men’s or women’s) team.
Meanwhile, four out of five non-binary youths said that they had avoided joining an organised team sport because of the layout of changing rooms or locker rooms.
Half of those surveyed said that they had avoided organised sports teams because of the teammates and coaches. Similarly, half opted not to take part because of discriminatory comments they had witnessed.
Finally, one in six non-binary youths avoided organised sport because they had witnessed someone being physically harassed because of their gender.
Compared to their US neighbours, Canada hasn’t been too strict with restricting trans or non-binary people from their chosen sport – though there is plenty of grey area for athletes and teams to navigate.
A star player on Canada’s Women’s World Cup 2023 team was a non-binary athlete.
Footballer Quinn has also made history as the first out trans, non-binary athlete to win an Olympic medal, after taking home the gold for Canada at the Tokyo Games.
Meanwhile, in the US, 23 states have passed laws that restrict transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming athletes’ participation in organised sports – particularly school sports – in the past three years alone.
This can have serious repercussions on gender non-conforming youth, who are excluded – voluntarily or not – from team sports that help to build, not just a players’ athletic abilities, but their social skills, team-building abilities, and leadership and problem-solving skills.
Alongside their findings, TransConnect and Simon Fraser University researchers offer a number of possible solutions to these concerns that would encourage non-binary athletes to participate in sports again.
Those solutions include: allowing non-binary participants to choose the gendered team they’d like to play on, offering co-ed team options or dividing teams by competitiveness, creating gender-neutral changing areas with single stalls, and offering better education on diverse genders and sexualities.
“Participation in physical activities, particularly activities with the sociality of team sports, is a key part of preventative health measures,” said Simon Fraser University’s health sciences assistant professor Travis Salway.
“Non-binary youth deserve the same opportunity to participate in team sports as everyone else.”
Former Utah therapist Scott Owen was arrested Wednesday in connection with accusations that he sexually abused patients during sessions.
Owen, 63, was booked into the Utah County jail on suspicion of six counts of object rape and four counts of forcible sodomy. A Utah County judge has ordered that Owen remain in jail without the opportunity to post bail, finding that he could be a danger to the community and would likely flee if released.
Owen was arrested on allegations connected to two former patients, both who say Owen engaged in sexual contact with them during therapy sessions. That alleged touching included kissing, cuddling and Owen using his hand to touch their anuses. One man also alleges Owen performed oral sex on him.
Owen agreed to meet with Provo and Spanish Fork police at the Spanish Fork Police station, they said, so that he could be transported from there to the Utah County Jail. Owen did not show up at the station, and authorities said they began searching. He was located on Wednesday afternoon in the town of Thistle, which is nearly 24 miles from Provo.
Officer Janna-Lee Holland, with Provo police, said that he was located alone in his car and a standoff with police occurred after he was found. Highway 89 was closed in the area while police worked to get Owen to safely surrender. Holland said tactical units were called in from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office in order to do so.
Once he surrendered, Owen was booked on six counts of object rape and four counts of forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies. “We are grateful to tactical units of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office whose skillful work resulted in safe apprehension without injury to anyone,” Holland said.
My previous reports on Owen are here and here. And now he makes our running tally of infamy.
The now-older Australian man convicted of the 1987 gay-bashing murder of a man he thought was gay received what amounted to a life sentence in a Sydney courtroom late last month.
NSW Supreme Court Justice Dina Yehia sentenced on October 20, Stanley Bruce Early, 77, to a maximum of 22 years in prison for the murder of Raymond Keam, 43, in a public park in the early morning hours of January 13, 1987. According to the Sydney Morning Herald,the sentence includes a mandatory 15 years and six months behind bars, meaning Early won’t be eligible for parole until the age of 91 in 2037.
Keam, was a martial arts expert but was suffering from an injury the night he was murdered. He identified as straight, was divorced from one woman and in a relationship with another. He had two children.
Keam was attacked just outside a public restroom in Allison Park by “ringleader” Early and a small group of youths looking to assault gay men who cruised the park in search of gay sex. Keam was beaten to the ground and stomped about the head and chest. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be one or more fatal blows to the head. His lifeless body was discovered the following morning.
Yehia described Early’s actions as “an affront to civilized society” and chastised him during sentencing.
“The offender continues to deny his involvement in the murder,” Yehia noted according to QNews. “He has shown no remorse whatsoever.”
At the time of the murder, Early was known as Stanley “Spider” Sutton and had a hardscrabble upbringing. He reportedly struggled with his sexuality (he now identifies as bisexual). He was also a survivor of sexual assault as a child and after a stint in jail. He was out on bail at the time of the murder after being charged with committing an indecent act against a 12-year-old boy.
Early was arrested at his home in Victoria two months after a $1 million reward was offered for information leading to a conviction in the case. He was subsequently extradited to neighboring New South Wales where he has been held in jail during the trial.
Yehia said she was unable to say with certainty that Early delivered the fatal blow or blows and that she did not believe he warranted a life sentence. However, she did say his actions directly caused Keam’s death and that there was a “real chance” he would die in prison.
We often feel duty-bound to tackle everything from a worsening climate catastrophe to systemic racism, economic inequality, global humanitarian crises, public health emergencies, rampant corporate greed and the potential threat of authoritarianism, just to name a few. It can be not only daunting, but also downright exhausting to face the challenges inherent in fighting for a more just and peaceful world.
At the same time, we’re organizers precisely because we want to make progress on intractable problems, and we know the solutions lie in the communities more directly impacted. In the midst of moments that feel hopeless – where it’s easy to slip into despair or inaction – we can instead use proven tools to spark action.
So, where to begin? It often takes multiple, aligned strategies to win meaningful change, and, as we point out in our book, Practical Radicals, context matters when you’re considering the best strategies to advance your vision. While some organizers may need to stop and take a bigger, long-term view before launching their efforts, others might need to hit the ground running to begin building a deep and diverse base of supporters. Drawing on our combined six decades of experience in movement building and organizing for progressive causes, we wrote our book to offer organizers some guidance in this fraught moment and to help them identify the strategies they need to win. Along the way, we dive into approaches used by dozens of other organizers past and present to show why strategy is vital to building and sustaining any movement for change.
One of the efforts we zeroed in on can be summed up as “how people make change when things are as terrible as they can be.” The Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) was founded in 1982 as the AIDS crisis had begun to devastate gay communities from New York to San Francisco and everywhere in between. GMHC exemplifies the strategy for social change we call collective care: efforts by an oppressed group to meet its own needs for survival and safety, often when the state fails to meet urgent human needs.
GMHC focused on education on HIV and prevention, supportive care for those who were sick and policy advocacy – work that ultimately laid the foundation for the emergence of more militant action later. Volunteers led and created an astonishing array of programs including GMHC’s signature “buddy program” where ten thousand volunteers were placed with total strangers in their homes to provide practical daily help, compassionate care and emotional support.
GMHC built trust, took risks and built care infrastructure with a political goal in mind: ending the AIDS crisis and uprooting homophobia. They rooted their policy advocacy in the experience of the people they were serving, as former volunteer-turned-leader David Hansell told us. GMHC moved the ball forward in ways that the movement’s direct action side couldn’t, but a collective-care group could. An example is how GMHC built bridges to important stakeholders like leaders in the Catholic Church who – despite their appalling hostility toward gay communities during the crisis – were critical to passing policies to support people with AIDS and could be won over on a tactical basis.
As former GMHC executive director Tim Sweeney said, “We bent the arc of the pandemic. We changed it. We didn’t bring an end to it, unfortunately, which is what our goal was, but we definitely saved millions of people.”
Collective care is a vastly underappreciated but essential element for social change movements. It strengthens solidarity by building trust and relationships that can be harnessed for political action. When care is embedded in the culture of an organization, it increases the capacity of ordinary people to engage in struggle and of organizers to stay in the movement for the long term.
Collective care strategies, like disruptive movements, often emerge as a response to crises and tragedies, particularly when governments are failing to meet the moment. When it feels like the world is ending, as it did for queer people in the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, sometimes the only thing you can do is turn toward each other and care for one another. In such circumstances, collective care can be a form of both survival and strategy.
And we know change doesn’t happen overnight. Like so many movements for transformative change, the AIDS crisis presented upsurges of intense activity between slow periods of frustration and even defeat. Landmark AIDS legislation wasn’t passed until 1990, eight years after GMHC’s founding, and there was still important work left to do. Movements need stamina, which is where care becomes not only helpful but also essential to staying in the fight.
This is all why you see elements of collective care strategies present in many different organizing lineages, including parts of the Black radical tradition, mutual aid, feminism, disability justice, labor, environmental, immigrant rights, and Indigenous traditions. And it operates alongside other, important strategies to win, like changing the narrative and engaging in disruptive action.
GMHC is emblematic of many movements for change that show that, even amidst periods of rage and despair, the world is full of generosity and kindness. By looking back, we can find the inspiration to move forward. Our movement ancestors show us that there is always a strategic and humane response available to us, even in the darkest times. They rose to the challenge of taking care of one another and our shared planet in circumstances even more challenging than we face today.
In the spirit of that history, every organizer needs to be rooted in lineage. You can find strength in generations of organizers who left us tools and strategies – including, notably, how to build and care in dark times – that we can renew and adapt to change the world.
Amber Hollibaugh, an activist, organizer, author of “My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home” and a self-educated leading public intellectual in the LGBTQ, feminist, sexual liberation and economic justice movements, died suddenly of complications of diabetes in her home in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Oct. 20. She was 77.
Hollibaugh is she is survived by her life partner, award-winning novelist Jenifer Levin, and stepsons Mak Levin and Van De Laurier.
Hollibaugh was born in Bakersfield, Calif., on June 20, 1946. She lived in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Mississippi, Chicago and Canada before she moved to New York in 1981.
“Amber loved life with an embodied passion. She brought that passion to seek justice in the world for us in a way that was unwilling to leave any of our complicated selves behind. Amber’s work for lesbians living with HIV, poor and working-class queer folks and older LGBTQ+ members of our community was groundbreaking and sometimes left Amber not appreciated in the very movements that she was trying to move towards more liberation,” said Beth Zemsky, a former co-chair of the National LGBTQ+ Task Force and the former director of the University of Minnesota’s LGBT Programs Office. “Amber was a fierce friend, somebody you could count on to see you fully and show up for you. I’m grateful to have been able to look into her dazzling blue eyes and see the best of who we could be.”
Barbara Satin, a Task Force faith consultant, also mourned Hollibaugh.
“My early activism had focused on trans inclusion plus the affirmation of queer folks within faith settings — then I met Amber who introduced me to the beautiful, old LGBT community — my peer group. These pioneers, on whose shoulders we have built a burgeoning progressive movement, had hopes, expectations, fears and concerns around aging that were seriously overlooked by the broader community,” said Stein. “Through her work on LGBTQ aging at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, including the publication of ‘Outing Age,’ the seminal work on the issue, Amber spotlighted the needs and expectations that our elders had and offered practical and appropriate responses to their difficult situations. Amber added an important element to my activism and the applause I have received over the years for my work on aging are directly connected to her influence on my life. As I approach my 90th birthday, Amber Hollibaugh still is my role model for doing activism with grace and style.
Another remembrance notes Hollibaugh’s legacy “is an integral part of the history of the modern LGBTQ+ and feminist movements.”
“Her contributions were always visionary, as she worked at the intersections of sexual and economic inequality, LGBTQ and women’s health disparities,” it reads. “Her legacy and long-term impact in progressive movements is inestimable, and her loss will be widely and deeply mourned throughout queer communities and beyond.”