Picture this: you are walking arm-in-arm with your significant other and are following a guided tour of the city that aims to raise awareness about the history of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual population. Sounds amazing, right? Well, that is something LGBT history tours provide – a chance to enjoy an unusual and engaging approach toward understanding the history of queer communities in some of the world’s most popular cities.
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These are not only the standard package tours where people get to visit many beautiful sites, but people get the chance to be in places where the important figures of the LGBT community lived, struggled, and created art throughout the years. From the city that witnessed the dawn of the fight for gay rights to the towns and cities which might be home to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans history, discovering the culture of gay history tours is the rainbow of histories.
Stepping Back in Time: LGBT History Tours
New York City
In this journey, we are going to begin in New York City–the birthplace of the gay rights movement. Here, the tour by Gay’s freely navigates you to Stonewall Inn, the place where the infamous police raids, as well as riots in the year 1969, sparked a revolution. Standing outside this symbolic building, your guide will describe this moment and share with you how it led to the first Pride marches.
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You will also get to know more about leaders such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, the transgender women of colour who actively participated in the Stonewall Riot. They fought for the rights of the LGBT people and created the freedoms we have nowadays. The tour will also introduce other relevant points of interest in Greenwich Village, which has been the epicentre of gay New York for many years.
Berlin
Hopping across the Atlantic, we arrive in Berlin, a city with a fascinating queer past. Berlin was dubbed the “Gay Capital of Europe” in the early 1900s, and history gay excursions here will transport you back to that time. You will learn of famous gay personalities such as Christopher Isherwood, who depicted the city’s liberal and wild partying lifestyle in his book Goodbye to Berlin, which was later turned into the musical Cabaret.
The tour will also explore the period of the Nazis and their persecution of homosexuals, as well as the struggle of the community in the past. You will take a tour to Schwules Museum, which is the first gay museum in the world and boasts of a rich collection of gay history and artworks and learn how the gay scene has revived and grown over the decades, and the city has become one of the most popular gay destinations in the world.
Sydney
Moving from the sombre setting of Berlin, we go to the sunny coast of Sydney, Australia. Here, an LGBT history tour is given a fabulous twist because of the drag queen tour guide. Finally, as you are walking along Oxford Street, the heart of Sydney’s gay community, you will discover more about the founding and development of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
Immersing Yourself in Contemporary LGBT Culture
While LGBT history tours offer a fascinating window into the past, there’s also much to be discovered about the vibrant queer communities and spaces of the present. That’s where LGBT cultural tours come in – these experiences are all about immersing yourself in the fabulous gay scenes of cities around the world.
Amsterdam
Starting our cultural journey in Amsterdam seems appropriate, as the city has been historically accepting of gay people. During the Gay Nightlife Tour of the city, your professional guide will take you to the most important gay establishments – bars, clubs, and restaurants. You will discover that the Netherlands has been at the forefront of fighting for the rights of the LGBT community, especially in the aspect of same-sex marriage, which the country allowed in the year 2001.
While walking along the beautiful canals to the next places of interest, you will visit such places as Café t Mandje, one of the oldest gay bars in Amsterdam. You will be told about Bet van Beeren, who opened this bar against all odds during the period of the late 1800s – early 1900s and provided a refuge for lesbians and gay men. And you will get to learn first-hand experience on how accepting and welcoming Amsterdam is to gay travelers.
5. Paris
Next stop: the beautiful and romantic Paris or the City of Lights as it is often referred to. Here, the ‘LGBT Cultural Tour’ will take you directly to the Gay part of town, Le Marais, famous for its trendy retail outlets, art galleries, and café. Your guide, part of the Parisian Gay community, will help you understand where to shop, where you can eat, and which parties and events are worth attending.
Sightseeing while walking down these pavements, you will also hear about the gay personalities who have lived in Paris, from Wilde to Baldwin. You will learn how the city has been associated with the artistic and sexual revolution and freedom as gay people from all over the world come to be embraced by the city. Of course, you will be able to taste exquisite French food and wines during your visit – because no gay Paris guide would be complete without that!
6. Mumbai
For our final stop, we venture to a city that may not be on every gay traveller’s radar (yet): Maharashtra is a state in western India, with Mumbai as its capital. An LGBTQ cultural tour in this enormous city is basically a “gay day out” with an informed, local homosexual guide. It will be possible to familiarize yourself with the new and developing gay nightlife, cafés, bars, clubs, discos, drag shows and performances of transvestites.
This way, your guide will describe the everyday life of gay people in India, where homosexuality has been legal only since September 2018. You will discover the struggles and accomplishments of Mumbai’s queer people as they seek to be out and embraced in society. And you’ll come across unknown gay locations, for example, a theatre that has been home to gender-Sussex performances for quite some time now.
The tour will also highlight sexual and gender minorities in India, ranging from the gay-affirming sculptures in the ancient Hindu temples and the third-gender Hijras. You will leave with richer and more nuanced ideas about how sexuality is entwined with culture and religion in India.
Conclusion
Get out there and book that fabulous LGBT tour and take off through the stars and across the centuries, as you can never anticipate what colourful treasures are in store for you in the gay capitals of the world. Enjoy your journey, and do not forget to swish!
