Score = Legal 50/60 + Scene 29/40 = 79/100
United States ranks #24 of 208 countries and territories in the GayOut Gay Travel Index 2026, with a composite score of 79/100 — a legal safety component of 50/60 and a scene score of 29/40. Updated 2026-08-17 · release 2026.3.
| Criminalization | Legal · varies |
|---|---|
| Partnership | ● Yes (marriage equality) |
| Anti-discrimination | ● Partial |
| Gender recognition | Restricted — heavy barriers (surgery, courts) or rarely granted |
| Enforcement reality | Calm — no active persecution documented |
Research note: Federal birth-sex passports since EO 14168, states vary — GayOut Index 2026.3 legal research (ILGA World / Human Dignity Trust / Rainbow Europe / Equaldex).
Fulfilment per component (100 = maximum). Weights: criminalisation 35% · partnership 20% · enforcement 20% · anti-discrimination 15% · gender recognition 10%.
| LGBTQ+ venues listed | 4,485 |
|---|---|
| Dedicated gay bars | 488 |
| Gay saunas | 58 |
| Gay bars per million | 1.45 |
| Saunas per million | 0.17 |
| Events per million | 29 |
| Cities with a scene | 277 |
| Pride parades | 69 |
| Queer film festivals | 5 |
| Coverage grade | A |
| Scene score | 29/40 (raw scene index 73/100) |
Explore 2319 venues in United States
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4,485 venues tracked in the frozen 2026.3 dataset (all categories) · 2319 browsable venue pages in the live directory today.
United States is rated Some caution on the GayOut Gay Travel Index 2026, scoring 79/100 overall with a legal safety component of 50/60. On enforcement reality, no active persecution is documented.
Yes. Same-sex marriage is legal in United States. Overall legal status: Legal · varies.
Yes. GayOut lists 4485 LGBTQ+ venues in United States, including 488 dedicated gay bars, across 277 cities with a scene, and tracks 69 Pride parades there.
New York has the largest documented LGBTQ+ scene in United States, with 158 venues listed in the GayOut directory, followed by Seattle (147 venues).
GayOut currently lists 488 dedicated gay bars and 58 gay saunas in United States, and tracks 69 Pride parades there. Counts exclude venues that are merely gay-friendly.