Copyright Lustmag.com
The online magazine “Lust” has compiled a ranking of cities that excel in terms of sexual openness.
The “Liberal City Index” is the name of the ranking of the online magazine “Lust”, which is supposed to provide information on how sexually open international cities are. The visibility of LGBTQI people also plays a role in the study. For example, the number of queer and queer-friendly bars and LGBTQI events in cities worldwide are evaluated.
To arrive at reliable results, it was examined which parameters are strongly pronounced concerning sexual permissiveness, as they say. These included, for example, the number of gay bars and whether gay marriages are allowed, permission for gender reassignment, the number of annually recurring LGBTQI events, but also access to contraceptives, anti-discrimination laws and whether sex work is legalised.
We are not a big fan of New York, but so be it. After Giuliani era NYC lost a lot of the vibe. As we expected Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam are on the list and no city from East-Europe. There are still big differences from city to city and country to country when it comes to inclusivity. And we do agree Köln/Cologne deserve their place.
Freedom goes hand in hand with sexual freedom
What’s the point? “Sexual permissiveness, also called sex positivity, is a factor in which the state of development of many parts of society coincides,” the website says. “For it says a lot about a society in general when minorities such as the LGBTQI community or even women per se are restricted in their opportunities for development within it. Such restrictions can be justified by so-called traditional values as well as by political arguments. As the feminist movements of the 20th century have shown, the emancipation of genders or minority orientations is always linked to the acceptance of sexual permissiveness.” Therefore, freedom and sexual permissiveness are inextricably linked, he said.
Which cities stand out on this issue? New York City leads the ranking. And this even though there are some restrictions in the USA, for example in the area of sex work. This deficit is compensated for by the “overwhelming offer and the far-reaching creative possibilities in New York City”, according to “Lust”.
Madrid as “surprise winner”
Cologne comes in second place. The German city once again underscores its liberal image and international reputation, finishing ahead of Berlin, which comes in a “very good third place”, followed by Madrid and Los Angeles.
This means that two German cities are represented in the top five. This is attributed not least to the entrepreneur and pilot Beate Uhse, who opened the world’s first sex shop in Germany in 1962.
While the performance of New York City and Los Angeles was rather to be expected, Madrid almost manages a “surprise victory” with fourth place, it says, but: “Because of the huge adult entertainment industry there, it’s hardly surprising, and Spain is known to be bubbling over with lust and love.”
Even the last places in the ranking are convincing, according to “Lust”. For example, West Hollywood, which comes in at 20th place (and is ranked one place lower than Vienna): The comparatively small city with just under 40,000 inhabitants impresses with its very high number of gay bars and sex shops and has developed into a “real capital” of the international LGBTQI scene in recent years, they say. It is followed by Rome in 21st place, where a “very special attitude to life between lust and spirituality has always been established”.
Bottom of the list with qualities
In 22nd place is Miami, “the US metropolis combines freedom and liberality in an endless summer that is unparalleled”. 23rd place also goes to the USA, to Dallas. “Lust” is even a little surprised about this itself. “Who would have thought that a Texan city would make it into this ranking? But our scoring system is incorruptible, and even in Texas some freedom-loving people like to be sexually permissive,” they explain.
Rank 24 goes to Santiago de Chile: “Many freedoms there are still comparatively new, such as the recognition of homosexual partnerships, but hardly any city has recently developed so positively,” the online magazine notes. The 25th and thus last place in the ranking goes to Vancouver in Canada. “It quickly becomes clear that just because a city is ‘at the bottom’ of the ranking doesn’t mean it’s not allowed to be sexually permissive,” they explain, adding: “But the competition is strong, which is a good sign for many people in this world. ”
The 25 most liberal cities in the world (here an interctive map and all details):
1. New York
2. Köln
3. Berlin
4. Madrid
5. Los Angeles
6. San Francisco
7. London
8. Amsterdam
9. Montreal
10. Atlanta
11. Sydney
12. Paris
13. Chicago
14. Toronto
15. Melbourne
16. San Diego
17. Barcelona
18. Houston
19. Wien
20. West Hollywood
21. Rome
22. Miami
23. Dallas
24. Santiago
25. Vancouver
