Virginia and USA Rank Poorly on Gay Travel Index

Spartacus International Gay Travel has prepared a gay tourism advisory index that ranks the various states in the United States and foreign nations based on their acceptance (and legal protection) of or hostility towards LGBT individuals. Scroll down to find the state rankings. The company describes the compilation effort this way:

The Spartacus International Gay Travel Index rates all of the Spartacus destinations listed in the Spartacus International Gay Guide according to the laws and local customs of each country. We have 15 categories ranging from gay-marriage to death penalty for homosexuals.

As for the individual states in the United States, the company had this to say:

As the legal situation for homosexuals in the different US states is so varied, we have listed each of the 50 states which make up the USA.

In the state rankings, Virginia is ranked in the third from the bottom category and 35th overall. It wins a zero total in points. The only positive pointed cited for Virginia is that it has an equal age of consent for straight and gay individuals. This positive is negated by the notation "locals are hostile." Not exactly positives in attracting one of the most resilient tourism market niches.

As for the international rankings, the United States - the supposed land of liberty and religious freedom - comes in nine tiers down from the top ranking, behind all of pretty much all of Europe, Canada, Australia, a number of South American nations and even places like New Caledonia. One of the reasons for the poor ranking is the lack of any non-discrimination laws at the federal level. Yes, the image that the USA likes to project of itself is sadly, largely a myth. The truth is that the USA is a land of special rights for far right Christians.