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 Monaco is!
LGBTQ+ Laws
The LGBTQ+ laws in Monaco are surprisingly conservative compared to their neighbouring country, France, as well as the rest of Western Europe. Same sex sexual activity is legal and has been since 1793, but Monaco is the only country in Western Europe with no legal recognition for same sex couples. Since 2013 there has been work on a civil unions bill, so hopefully things will move in the right direction. There are no anti-discrimination laws in place, but hate speech and incitement to hatred is banned in Monaco, and there was a case in 2010 when a man was fined and imprisoned for a homophobic incident. There are no adoption rights or access to family planning for same sex couples, and citizens do not have the right to change their legal gender. Monaco is definitely behind when it comes to their laws regarding LGBTQ+ people, and none of the active political parties have publicly supported LGBTQ+ rights. Hopefully we will see progress in the coming years.
Social Climate
Most citizens of Monaco affiliate with the Catholic Church, which doesn’t traditionally support the LGBTQ+ community. That being said, the small country also has a strong relationship with France and most locals tend to adopt the same tolerance for LGBTQ+ people and same sex couples. In 2017, the daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco participated in the NYC Pride Parade and expressed her support for the community. Hopefully the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in Monaco will become a more of a topic of public discussion.
Gaybourhoods
Monaco is a tiny country on the coast of France, and there is no active gay scene there. That being said, the country doesn’t have a history of hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community, and can still be considered a safe place to travel.
Our Experience
We spent a day in Monaco on a road trip through Western Europe, and had a nice visit. It’s a very small country with beautiful views, and there is plenty to do in the city of Monte Carlo. Despite the country’s conservative laws, the social atmosphere felt similar to France and other Western European countries, and we felt safe being an open lesbian couple. Monaco doesn’t have any specifically LGBTQ+ friendly establishments, but we felt like we were welcome everywhere, and had no issues at all during our time. If you find yourself near Monaco and want to pop in to cross another country off the list, we definitely suggest a quick visit. But if you’re looking for lively gay culture or a European country with laws that are more inclusive and accepting of our community, you may want to travel elsewhere in Europe.
Have you been to Monaco? Share your experience in the comments below!
