How Lesbian Friendly Is Australia

What We Want to Know

When we’re travelling to a new destination as a lesbian couple, there are a few things we take into consideration to figure out how lesbian friendly it is. We like to know what the LGBTQ+ laws are in that country, as well as what the social climate is. In some places the laws and the feelings of the local people don’t necessarily match. We also like to know if there are any “gaybourhoods” or areas that are especially lesbian friendly. This blog series is meant to inform other lesbian travellers about different destinations around the world, and help empower them to travel more openly when it is safe to do so. We will be sharing our experiences in each country as well as our recommendations, but as always we encourage everyone to do their own research. We can only speak to our own experiences, and everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to being out and open while travelling. The travel destinations that an LGBTQ+ person chooses, and the way in which they travel is a very personal decision, and we encourage everyone to only do what feels right to them.

Keep reading to find out how lesbian friendly Australia is!

LGBTQ+ Laws

Australia has been in the spotlight this year having just legalized same sex marriage at the end of 2017! Now their laws can be seen as very progressive in regards to the LGBTQ+ community, and this was a major step forward. Same sex sexual activity between females has always been legal in Australia, and it’s been legal for males in all states and territories since 1997. As of 2017, same sex marriage is legal following a Marriage Law Postal Survey which returned a 61.6% YES response in favour of marriage equality. There is federal discrimination protection in Australia for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and intersex status, and there has been since 2013. Same sex couples can legally adopt, and they have equal access to assisted reproductive technology. Australia has come a long way, and it looks like they will continue to move forward in the coming years.

Social Climate

Australia is regarded as a very LGBTQ+ friendly country, with research polls showing high levels of support for the community. The Marriage Law Postal Survey showed more than 60% of people in favour of same sex marriage, and a 2013 Pew Research Poll showed nearly 80% of Australians being accepting of homosexuality, making it the 5th most supportive country in the world. There are Pride celebrations held in many Australian cities and regions each year, with the largest being a three week long Mardi Gras event in Sydney. The public opinion certainly seems to be in favour of the LGBTQ+ community, but of course like other large countries, it differs by region. Attitudes in rural areas of Australia tend to be less accepting, but with the marriage equality bill being passed last year, attitudes will continue to change, and I think we will see Australia continue to push forward.

Gaybourhoods

Australia has many gay friendly areas, with the most notable being in the country’s biggest city, Sydney. Home to the Mardi Gras celebration each year, Sydney is full of gay culture with the gaybourhoods being around Oxford Street and in Newtown. Melbourne also has a thriving gay scene, specifically in the Fitzroy neighbourhood and in St Kilda; and Brisbane has it’s own gaybourhoods in the West End and Fortitude Valley. If you’re looking for gay friendly destinations outside of Australia’s cities, head to the Rainbow Region up on the North Coast of NSW, where Byron Bay, Kings Beach, Bangalow, and Mullumbimby are all gay friendly spots.

Our Experience

We’ve visited Australia three times together as a married lesbian couple, and we’ve really enjoyed our experiences. Australia is a beautiful country with thriving cities and adorable beach towns. It’s a great destination, and we’ve found it to be very lesbian friendly! Similar to other large countries, the rural areas in Australia tend to be more conservative, and the cities are quite progressive and open minded. We spent our time in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Byron Bay, and felt comfortable being out as a same sex couple and showing affection in public. We were open with locals and told them we’re a lesbian couple, and we were welcomed by everyone and treated respectfully. We imagine that if we’d travelled outside of the large cities to more rural areas in Australia, we may have felt less accepted. Overall, we love travelling to Australia and will definitely return! We highly recommend it as a destination for lesbians and lesbian couples.

Have you been to Australia? Share your experience in the comments below!

View our library of How Lesbian Friendly Is… articles here!