The Spartacus International Gay Guide has just published the updated Gay Travel Index for 2017. Published for over 45 years this travel guide for the gay community has informed its readers about the legal situation of gay men in total over 190 countries for many years now. The editorial team is in regular contact with the German Foreign Office, the foreign embassies as well as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) activists from around the world.

In Italy the registered partnership for homosexuals was introduced in 2016 and it has therefore improved its ranking by 15 positions and is now on position 49. With this the legal situation in Western Europe, at least in the question of the state recognition of homosexual partnerships, is finally uniform.

Dark times ahead as right-wing populism becomes socially acceptable
The right-wing political shift in many countries also has consequences for the legal equality of homosexuals. In some countries there is a risk of a rollback. One such example is the American President Donald Trump, who has initially been discouraged to sign a decree which as a consequence would result in the limitation of LGBT rights. Also in France adoption rights are threatened if the conservatives wins, not to mention what will happen if Marine Le Pen wins the presidential election. The publishers take the uncertain political developments in the world into account and will adjust the gay travel index several times a year and publish this update on the website www.spartacusworld.com

Glimmer of hope Botswana - Partner Country of the ITB 2017
Botswana is relatively unaffected by corruption in comparison to other African countries and impresses tourists with its nature and biodiversity. Although it is not officially prohibited in Botswana, homosexuality is seen as an "unnatural tendency" and can be punished with imprisonment. Since 2016 efforts been have made to change the law. The first LGBT organization in Botswana was founded last year after a judicial ruling.

Germany falls out of the top 20
This year for the first time Germany is no longer listed in the top 20 of the most homo-friendly countries worldwide as other countries have overtaken Germany in the legal equality of homosexuals. The rising right-wing populist climate make a possible improvement of the situation in the near future unlikely. The CDU is and remains the only party in the German parliament which is publicly against the introduction of "gay marriage". At the moment it does not look like a newly elected Parliament in September would result in other majorities in the question of the "gay marriage".

Winners and losers remain constant
As in previous years Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Russia occupy the last positions in the Gay Travel Index 2017. The top positions of the index remain unchanged: Sweden with the United Kingdom occupy position 1. The third position is shared between nine countries. The detailed Spartacus Gay Travel index can be found at: www.spartacusworld.com/gaytravelindex.pdf