Gay and Lesbian Madrid

Same-sex couples holding hands as they walk down the street is not new in Madrid. The Spanish capital is known for being a friendly environment for gays and lesbians–Spaniards and foreigners alike.

Explore Chueca

More than just a gay ghetto, Chueca is Madrid’s super chic neighborhood where trendy shops and cool clubs attract shoppers and partiers of all sexual orientations.

Don’t Forget Marriage

In 2005, a law was passed legalizing gay marriage in Spain, making Spain the third country ever to do so. The law allows married same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities as married heterosexual couples. (However, at least one person in any couple who wants to get married in Madrid–Spaniard or foreigner; gay, lesbian, or heterosexual–must be a resident.)

Watch Cutting Edge Films

Madrid’s 15th annual gay and lesbian film festival, LesGaiCineMadrid, is on until November 7. The films hail from around the world, but most films are in English or Spanish. For more information on the film festival, go to www.lesgaicinemad.com (in English and Spanish).

[Photo: Antonio Pareja]