As the first year of the Trump administration’s second term goes on, it is clear that the LGBTQIA+ community, especially those a part of the transgender community, will continue to be the target of several discriminatory laws, policies, and ideologies. Certain states in the U.S. are becoming increasingly unsafe for transgender individuals to reside in because of their more conservative government officials and the introduction of prejudicial state legislation that allows for discrimination.

In light of the growing hostility U.S. policies have towards the trans community, here is a list of the 5 safest cities in the U.S. and 5 safest cities outside of the U.S. for transgender individuals to live.

Cities in the U.S.

All cities in the U.S. on this list have achieved a final score of 100 for the 2024 Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index reports. These reports detail the ways cities are supporting those a part of the LGBTQIA+ community who live there.

San Francisco, California

Widely known as the “gay capital of the world”, San Francisco sits at the top of many LGBTQIA+ friendly cities lists not just for their extremely popular Pride celebrations but for the resources and representation they offer trans people. As of June 2024, they officially declared the city a sanctuary city for transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and two-spirit individuals.

Within their local government’s department of health they have the Gender Health section which helps adults receive gender-affirming care and financial coverage plans for procedures. There are also several other resources, such as the San Francisco Transgender Institute and the San Francisco Community Health Center, dedicated to helping transgender individuals receive physical and mental healthcare through gender-affirming procedures and mental health services.

San Francisco goes a step further by having representation within the local government with the first and only trans-led department in the U.S., the Office of Transgender Initiatives. Their purpose is to create equity, advocate for, and represent the transgender community by creating connection between the community and local government. The city’s local government has also enacted a Gender Inclusion Policy that prohibits gender identity discrimination in the workplace.

Check out San Francisco’s Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index Report for more information on how the city is supporting its local LGBTQIA+ community.

New York, New York

As the birthplace of the modern movement for LGBTQIA+ rights, New York City is another city in the U.S. doing its all to protect and celebrate its LGBTQIA+ residents.

New York is known not only for their pride celebrations but also for their political support for the LGBTQIA+ community, passing and amending bills like the LGBTQ Healthcare Bill of Rights and the Equal Rights Amendment that state it is illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression in various settings.

In response to the constant threats the Trump Administration has been putting out towards the trans community, New York City has set out to once again enforce protections for them. This past April, the New York City Council voted in favor of a package of bills directed at protecting the civil rights and healthcare access for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. The package of bills even require improved access to resources, more inclusive administrative policies, and increased legal protections for healthcare access.

Check out New York’s Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index Report for more information on how the city is supporting its local LGBTQIA+ community.

Chicago, Illinois

The local government in Chicago was one of three states to pass a law that designated public restrooms as gender neutral back in 2019. They were also one of the few states to ban the victim blaming LGBTQIA+ “panic defense”, a policy that has been repeatedly used to justify discriminatory violence towards the LGBTQIA+ community.

Chicago is not just progressive in its politics, the city was additionally the fifth U.S. state requiring schools to teach LGBTQIA+ history. Despite the Trump Administration’s want for schools to stop teaching several subjects related to diversity including LGBTQIA+ history, Chicago has recently stated that they will be upholding their requirement for schools to teach LGBTQIA+ history.

Check out Chicago’s Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index Report for more information on how the city is supporting its local LGBTQIA+ community.

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is known for being the first major city to ever elect an openly gay mayor back in 2002. The city has since then progressed with its non-discrimination policies related to employment, and programs and services. The state of Rhode Island itself was the second state in the U.S. to add gender identity in this policy.

Last year, the governor of Rhode Island, Dan Mckee, signed three laws into action all in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. One law helps outline the process of changing your name, the second helps remove barriers to accessing HIV medication, and the third gives legal protections to healthcare providers and workers who give care to the transgender community and those in need of reproductive health care.

The city is also known for hosting the largest PrideFest in New England.

Check out Providence’s Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index Report for more information on how the city is supporting its local LGBTQIA+ community.

Boston, Massachusetts

As of March of this year, Boston declared itself a sanctuary for all individuals a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, mentioning its specific commitment to the protection of transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

The state of Massachusetts itself has laws in place to protect transgender individuals from discrimination in housing processes, healthcare, the work place, educational settings, and more. In Massachusetts, healthcare access and insurance will not be restricted even if it is for gender-affirming care or related treatments. Back in 2016, Massachusetts also passed the Transgender Rights Bill S.2407 which gives more legal protections to gender-diverse individuals.

Check out Boston’s Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index Report for more information on how the city is supporting its local LGBTQIA+ community.

Cities Outside of the U.S.

Toronto, Canada

Toronto’s Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination policies and Ontario’s Human Rights Code help protect the city’s residents from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression.

The Toronto City agency, The 519, is an agency dedicated to sharing resources for the LGBTQIA+ community, providing services and programs related to being a part of the community, and providing a non-judgmental space for all.

Toronto is known for having one of Canada’s biggest queer communities and Toronto Pride is Canada’s biggest pride celebration. Some of the most queer-friendly neighborhoods include The Village (also known as ‘The Gay Village’ and the most popular LGBTQIA+ community), Queen West (also known as ‘Queer West’), and Riverdale. Toronto also offers a plethora of LGBTQIA+ friendly bars and queer owned small businesses to support.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam prides itself on being a welcoming safe haven to all members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The city values the importance of diversity and freedom of expression. They believe in ‘equal rights, equal opportunity’. The city even has an office, the Discrimination Complaints Office of the Amsterdam Area, that people can reach out to in cases of discrimination experiences.

The city’s ‘Pink Agenda’ is a policy that helps protect LGBTQIA+ individuals and safeguards Amsterdam as a “Rainbow City”. Amsterdam is progressive city that holds inclusivity at the top of their values.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is often considered to be extremely LGBTQIA+ friendly and safe. Anti-discrimination laws have been put into place along with a law that allows individuals to legally change their gender without surgery. In 2018, the Portuguese Parliament also voted to pass a law that adopts a model based on self determination.

A great number of organizations and advocacy groups for the LGBTQIA+ community reside in Portugal. Organizations like ILGA run community centers, offer access to mental health resources and services, and create support groups for different identities. These organizations and groups play a significant role in creating a safer environment for the community and advocating for equal rights.

While queer culture can be found all around Lisbon, there are also neighborhoods like Bairro Alto and Principe Real that connect closely to the LGBTQIA+ scene and are where community can be most predominantly found.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is considered to be the most trans-friendly city in Spain. The city’s Act 11 focuses on protecting the LGBTQIA+ community from discrimination. Transgender individuals also have the right to access gender-affirming care. The city is also home to a council for consultation on sexual and gender diversity matters called the Barcelona Municipal LGBTI Council and to the LGBTI Centre which offers a space for community and provides information and direct assistance services to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Some of the more LGBTQIA+ populated neighborhoods include The Eixample District (also known as ‘Gayxample’), El Raval, and The Poblenou District.

Valletta, Malta

The country of Malta is widely known as an extremely LGBTQIA+ friendly country. It was one of the first European countries to recognize gender identity as a protected category in its constitution and has many policies in favor of the queer community. In Malta, transgender individuals are able to access and receive specialized healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare services. All discrimination against the queer community is also prohibited by the government.

The capital city of Malta, Valletta, is one of the top cities in Malta for those a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Its vibrant nightlife celebrates queer culture with several queer clubs and bars. During the day, the environment is just as supportive of individuals expressing themselves to the fullest.

While these cities are safer and more welcoming towards members of the LGBTQIA+ community, it is important to remember that unfortunately no place is free from acts of discrimination. Before traveling it is best to research your destination’s stances on matters you deem important to you and your safety.

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