Equaldex<\/a> can help you match your needs with their policies.<\/p>\nMexico is also a signatory to international human rights treaties that protect LGTBQ rights, and its Supreme Court has issued a number of rulings protecting those rights. That said, laws are only as strong as the administrators that enforce them, and even with anti-discrimination laws on the books, some local authorities can be more responsive than others. On the whole, though, Mexican law is more affirming than even laws in many states in the U.S.<\/p>\n
2, Is it welcoming?<\/h2>\n
Yes, in general, and very much so in many areas.<\/p>\n
Obviously, laws don\u2019t dictate public sentiment, and neighbors can be more or less welcoming than the laws that govern them. \u201cI had a concern a lot of people have,\u201d Jesse says, \u201cit being more of a Catholic country.\u201d<\/p>\n
As uncomfortable as that might feel, it\u2019s a valid concern, particularly for LGBTQ immigrants leaving U.S. states dominated by the religious right. Mexico is, in fact, predominantly Catholic, and some parts of the country lean socially conservative. As with any country, some areas are more welcoming to LGBTQ residents than others. But Jesse\u2019s research into M\u00e9rida turned out that \u201cnot only was it a super-safe city \u2014 one of the safest \u2014 but also very gay-friendly, gay-welcoming,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a very Catholic, conservative state, but still more open to the gay lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kenny Upton, who moved to Nuevo Nayarit earlier this year, appreciates the ultimate level of welcoming: being completely unremarkable. No looking over his shoulder, no worry that people will treat him differently. \u201cI am free to be who I am, as is my husband, and we go about our mundane existence without thinking twice that anyone even pays attention to us,\u201d he says, \u201cwhich is the safest and most secure feeling we can have as a gay couple living in Vallarta.\u201d<\/p>\n
3. Is there community?<\/h2>\n
Yes, and growing.<\/p>\n
In making any move, legality and acceptance aren\u2019t the only concerns. You want people you can identify with, connect with, celebrate with. Luckily, Mexico has a strong and growing LGBTQ community, for old residents and new. Across the country, you\u2019ll find Pride celebrations, LGBTQ meetups and events, and queer-owned businesses that welcome, and are welcomed by, locals and newcomers. Mexico City actually has one of the largest Pride parades in Latin America every June, and Puerto Vallarta\u2019s Zona Rom\u00e1ntica turns into a gay pride block party every May.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a visible, growing community here, both locals and expats,\u201d says Miles Villalobos Soto, who moved from her home city of Mexico City to La Paz in 2015. She notes parades, drag shows, film screenings, and cultural events organized by groups like La Paz es Diversa. \u201cIt\u2019s an incredible welcoming and safe place to live.\u201d<\/p>\n
For his part, Jesse found not just community but also his future husband in M\u00e9rida. He first talked with Miguel Pav\u00f3n Calva in 2021, and in January of 2023 \u2014 less than three months after same-sex marriage became legal nationwide in Mexico \u2014 they were joined in a sacred union by a traditional Mayan shaman, on the beach, surrounded by 50 of their closest loved ones from the U.S. and Mexico.<\/p>\n
While no LGBTQ expat can be guaranteed their own Miguel, you can look to Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and even TikTok pages and YouTube channels that will help you find your people in nearly every part of the country. You can move to Mexico knowing you won\u2019t just be legally protected but also embraced, affirmed, and surrounded by people who want you to be yourself, with them. And, ideally, with tacos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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