Sweden The Most LGBT Friendly Country A Shame The U.S. Lags behind
Scandinavian countries have performed well in a new index of 150 countries’ friendliness towards LGBTQ+ travelers. Sweden tops the list as the world’s most LGBTQ-friendly country followed by Canada and Norway. Nordic nations Finland (7th), Iceland (9th) and Denmark (14th) all placed well.
The LGBTQ+ Danger Index ranks the 150 most-visited countries on eight different factors that may impact gay, lesbian and trans travelers. These include the legal status of same-sex marriage, protection of worker rights, the presence of any anti-discrimination laws, and whether any anti-LGBTQ+ “morality” laws are in place.
While some of the factors included in the index do not directly impact travelers, the research states that such factors are a good overall indication of the attitudes within a culture.
Progressive rights in Sweden
Sweden has a long history of LGBTQ+ rights. Sexual activity between those of the same gender was legalized as long ago as 1944. Sweden was the first country to allow transgender persons to change their legal gender after reassignment surgery.
Same-sex civil partnerships were made legal in Sweden in 1995, with same-sex marriage legalized in 2009. A joint study by the Danish Research Institute for Suicide Prevention and researchers from Stockholm University found that suicide rates among LGBTQ+ people in relationships have dropped significantly in both Denmark and Sweden.
Most relevant for travelers, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression has been illegal since 1987. The U.S. “has a long way to go”
While the Nordic nations and many other European countries perform well, the U.S. lags behind the likes of South Africa, Uruguay and Colombia at number 24.
The American researchers Asher and Lyric Fergusson told The Guardian that one of the reasons for the relatively poor ranking is the lack of consistencyacross the country: “There are no constitutional or broad protections for LGBTQ+ rights under federal law in the US.”
They also highlighted the lack of information available to LGBTQ+ youth in some states because of laws that prohibit the “promotion” of homosexuality. “The US may have come far, but it has a long way to go in terms of LGBTQ+ rights, especially for young transgender people,” they added.
The worst in the world
Although the U.S. ranks relatively low among developed countries, it is still far ahead of the most dangerous countries. The research revealed the world’s most dangerous countries for LGBTQ+ travelers to be Nigeria, Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Tanzania.
In Nigeria, homosexuality receives up to 14 years in prison, or the death penalty under Sharia law in certain states. The country also criminalizes the discussion of LGBTQ+ rights.
In Qatar, the country that is due to host soccer’s FIFA World Cup in 2022, homosexual acts are punished by between one and three years in prison, flogging, or the death penalty under Sharia law. Despite this, a leading Qatari World Cup official has said LGBTQ+ fans would be welcome to attend the tournament. However, he did stress that visitors “would have to respect Qatari customs.”
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