Majority of People Globally Say Their City Is Good for Queer People: Poll

For the first time in Gallup's World Poll history, a majority of people around the world believe their city or area is a "good place" for gay or lesbian people to live.

Gallup surveyed 123 countries and areas with the question, "Is the city or area where you live a good place or not a good place to live for gay or lesbian people?" Fifty-two percent of respondents said they believed their city is hospitable to gay people.

This statistic represents a remarkable increase from the 21 percent reported when Gallup first posed this question more than 15 years ago.

Between 2014 to 2019, the number ranged from roughly 31 percent to 38 percent before receiving a marked boost in 2020 to 49 percent. In 2021, the number reached 50 percent. Now, Gallup has their very first majority reading.

Previous reports from Gallup found that from 2011 to 2021, more than twelve countries experienced a shift from minority views, where their residents believed their area was not suitable for gay men and women, to majority sentiment, where a significant number now affirm the opposite.

On average, European countries tracked the highest percentage of residents who perceive their areas as good for gay people, with Nordic countries — Sweden (91 percent), Norway (90 percent), Iceland (87 percent), Denmark (84 percent) — ranking particularly high. The Netherlands (89 percent), Spain (87 percent), and Malta (84 percent), also topped the list.

Outside of Europe, Australia (87 percent), New Zealand (86 percent), and Canada (89 percent) had the highest perceptions of gay acceptance. The United States polled slightly lower at 81 percent.

Significantly, Nepal (86 percent) was the only non-Western country to rank among the most accepting nations, beating out the United States and others.

Despite overall numbers trending upwards, there are still as many as 22 countries where less than 10 percent of respondents said their area is good for gay and lesbian people, among them Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Armenia, Georgia, and Kazakhstan.

You can read more about how the Gallup World Poll is conducted here.