Travel Warning for LGBTQ Tourists in Greece, Orthodox Church Seen Responsible
While it states that “attitudes are generally much more welcoming in Athens and on many Greek islands, particularly on Lesvos, Mykonos, and Skiathos,” there are concerns that queer visitors could face prejudice elsewhere.
The government advice also adds: “Public attitudes towards same-sex sexual activity vary throughout the country; showing affection in public by same-sex couples may be frowned upon, especially in rural areas.”
The warning comes after a mob attack against two transgender people in Thessaloniki last month, during which the victims were verbally assaulted and bottles were thrown at them.
Greece is making great strides in LGBTQ+ acceptance, having banned so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for minors in 2022 and passing the same-sex marriage law with a parliamentary majority of 176-76 in February.
However, the popular tourist destination still remains divided over the practice.
As soon as the vote passed, protests broke out in the country, led by the Orthodox church.
Around 1,500 people took to Athens’ Syntagma Square to oppose the change and a poll by the Greek national newspaper Proto Thema found that only 55 percent of Greek people support the legalization of gay marriage. Even fewer back gay adoption rights.
Despite the opposition, in legalising same-sex marriage, Greece has become the only country in southeastern Europe to do so - joining 15 other EU member states and a further 35 nations worldwide.
But which destinations on the continent and further afield are the most accepting of the LGBTQ+ community?
Lisbon, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam are among the most welcoming LGBTQ+ destinations globally
Experts at Emisil - a company that provides prosthetics for trans men - delved into the most queer-friendly spots in Europe and worldwide.
Lisbon, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam came in first, second, and fourth places in the top 10 list respectively.
Using information about same-sex marriage and gender recognition laws, as well as the safety index and Global Trans Index 2023, Emisil’s study also looked at the number of queer clubs and bars listed on Google Maps. That gave a representation of larger trends, providing a final ranking based on all these criteria, giving each city investigated a score out of 10.
Lisbon is officially the most queer-friendly place in the world, coming in with a score of 9.26, which represents the high safety of the city and the generally positive attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community.
Its capital city also plays host to countless queer events, including Lisbon Bear Pride and Lisbon Gay Pride.
Just behind the Portuguese city was Copenhagen in Denmark.
Taking second place with a score of 9.22, the Scandinavian city has a smaller queer scene, with only 12 queer bars and clubs mentioned on Google Maps. However, the sheer number of annual events for citizens and tourists, like Draghouse Copenhagen Presents and Copenhagen Winter Pride as well as positive attitudes to the LGBTQ+ community meant it scored very highly.
Scoring 9.18, Amsterdam boasts a particularly high safety index as well as more than 20 queer bars and clubs across the city, according to Google Maps.
Outside of Europe, New York City and Taipei in Taiwan rounded out the top five. In New York, tourists can enjoy the vibrant queer scene of the city with the NYC Pride March and annual Stonewall Riots Anniversaries, while Taipei has the highest safety score out of all cities in the ranking.
Which other countries are the most accepting of LGBTQ+ people?
Overall, Emisil found that six out of the top 10 most accepting countries were in Europe.
In sixth place on the list is Barcelona. The popular Spanish city scored 8.83, thanks in part to its high ranking on the Global Trans Index of 2023 as well as being home to more than 30 queer bars and clubs for locals and tourists to explore.
Barcelona Circuit Festival and Barcelona Gay Pride are among the most popular LGBTQ+ events that attract people to this city from all across Europe.
In tenth place on Emisil’s list is Paris.
Although the cities on the list are, on the whole, very safe for LGBTQ+ people, Emisil suggests individuals should double-check laws and attitudes of destinations before traveling to them.
“This study shows that Europe is a leading destination for queer people, but we see more and more destinations all over the world that have become queer-friendly,” an Emisil spokesperson tells Euronews Travel. “Nevertheless, It is still important to check laws and tourist tips before traveling to any country to make sure you will have a safe experience.”
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