The Spartacus International Gay Guide publishes its updated Gay Travel Index for 2015 in this edition. The travel guide for the gay community, which has been published for over 40 years, has been providing information on the legal situation of gays and lesbians in almost all countries worldwide for many years. The editorial staff is in regular contact with the Federal Foreign Office, foreign embassies in Germany and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) activists from all over the world.

Winners of 2014 include Finland (+7 ranks) and Reunion (+27 ranks).
This is change is due to the introdcution of new laws or constitutions, such as the legalisation of gay marriage or new anti-discrimination laws.

USA: The Supreme Court will decide in 2015

Several states continue to be in a political struggle to allow homosexual marriage. Many courts have already decided in favour of equality, making homosexual marriage possible in California, Massachusetts, New York, Nevada, Arizona, Florida and Texas. The Supreme Court will not make a general decision until summer, so the suspense remains.

Under surveillance: Mongolia – partner country of ITB 2015

Since 2014, Mongolia has been considering introducing anti-discrimination laws to protect the LGBTI population from social marginalisation and hostility. Although homosexuality is exempt from punishment since 1961, it is reported time and again that approximately 80% of the LGBTI population experience violent attacks because of their sexual orientation. Mongolia ranks 55th in the upper middle of the index (as of February 2015).

Germany under pressure

In Germany, on the other hand, there is still a standstill when it comes to extending rights for gays and lesbians. Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel expressly spoke out against homosexual marriage and a equal rights of adoption. After the great success of the CDU in the past federal elections, gays and lesbians can only hope for the Federal Constitutional Court, which has been demanding equal treatment of gays and lesbians in law for years.

Top and last positions remain unchanged

As in the previous year, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Somalia and Russia, among others, are at the bottom of the Gay Travel Index 2015: Sweden and Great Britain share first rank, followed by Belgium and the Netherlands (2nd rank) and Francet that shares third rank with Canada, Denmark and Réunion.

The complete Gay Travel Index can be found here:
An interactive display can be found here. Two maps allow an easy comparison of the current results with former ones.

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