Finding LGBTQ+ Community Abroad: Queer Communities in Lima, Fukuoka, and Florence
When you’re about to spend a semester in a part of the world that looks different, smells different, and sounds different, it’s easy to wonder: How will I feel different? And if you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, this question likely takes on even more weight.
You still wonder, like everyone else, if you’ll get along with your roommates…but also if they accept and understand you. You still worry, like everyone else, about what you’ll do if you feel homesick or overwhelmed…but also about what support is available if you face discrimination or feel isolated. You still question, like everyone else, whether you’ll feel safe in a new city…but also if you’ll be safe specifically as an LGBTQ+ person living there, taking into account the local laws and societal attitudes.
LEANING INTO SUPPORT SYSTEMS & COMMUNITY
Community plays a big role in helping us feel at home when we’re far from home—that space to be authentic, for shared understanding, for connection.
Queer community in particular takes on different forms across the globe. In some places, it is wonderfully loud and celebratory. In others, it is quieter, driven by activism, or found in underground spaces. And in certain less progressive countries, only the most subtle forms of gathering are to be expected.
For some students in some locations, the “LGBTQ+ nightlife” is what pulls them in—the neon lights and dance floors, drag shows, opportunities for nights out, and unapologetic self-expression through style and movement. But in other countries, such a vibrant and visible scene is less obvious, if it exists at all. We also know that not everyone finds belonging in those spaces, even if many do. Others—perhaps those who don’t drink, those who are more introverted, those who are new to exploring their identity, or simply those who crave a more down-to-earth connection—prefer to seek out their safe spaces among bookshelves, art, or cups of tea.
But where and how do you find the LGBTQ+ community when you’re somewhere so unfamiliar? No matter how different the societal attitudes or level of progression toward equality may seem, there are places where students can find their people in each EdOdyssey location.
As one of the largest LGBT-owned businesses in Massachusetts, it’s important to us to help you feel at ease and fully supported on an EdOdyssey program. “I'm really proud of the team at EdOdyssey,” our CEO and Founder Peter McGovern shared. “Everyone is so committed and mindful of creating inclusive programs because we want students to authentically discover the world, and we all know that happens best when each student is able to show up authentically. I wish I had this team supporting me when I was a student on my own study abroad program.”
We hope the following insights into LGBTQ+ life in each of our semester study abroad locations (Florence, Italy; Lima, Peru; Fukuoka, Japan) will help you feel more confident in finding your community, wherever you choose to travel with us:
FLORENCE, ITALY
The most LGBTQ+-friendly of our three semester program destinations, Florence has a visible LGBTQ+ presence, thanks to its arts culture, student population, and events like the Florence Queer Festival (one of Italy's main LGBTQ+ film festivals). It’s relatively easy to find LGBTQ+-owned businesses, nightlife options, and various LGBTQ+ groups. You’ll find yourself in an inclusive environment at Florence University of the Arts, and while there’s not a specific club for LGBTQ+ students, FUA runs related community events, for example, lectures featuring guest speakers from IREOS (a Florentine association dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ individuals). While Italy hangs on to a lot of cultural conservatism, Florence leans to the more progressive side, where social acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community is more common. You’re likely to stumble across queer zines in bookshops, drag art in galleries, or conversations about gender and identity at student-organized panels or open mics.
3 places to check out:
IREOS – Centro Servizi Autogestito per la Comunità Queer: This is Florence’s LGBTQ+ community hub which hosts cultural events, discussions, and inclusive meet-ups as well as offers mental health support.
Cinema La Compagnia: This local indie theater regularly features queer cinema and works with Florence Queer Festival every November.
Libreria Brac: Not only a queer-friendly bookstore and vegetarian café, this space also often curates exhibitions and book launches with LGBTQ+ themes.
LIMA, PERU
Peru’s capital city, the vibrant Lima, comes in as our middle option in terms of LGBTQ+-friendliness. Peru doesn’t legally recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions, and LGBTQ+ rights aren’t strongly protected, but Lima does have a visible queer scene, particularly around Miraflores and Barranco, although a significant number of venues unfortunately closed during the pandemic. There is a lot of social conservatism here, but the community is strong, shaped by activism and solidarity. You’ll notice queer voices expressed through mural art, fashion, and independent zines sold at markets like the Feria del Libro Queer. At our partner institution, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, LGBTQ+ students are supported through inclusive policies like the “Policy for Respecting Gender Identity” and related cultural events. “The first time I went to a gay club in Peru, and realized I could find the same love and acceptance there, I felt for the first time in a long time that I could be open about who I was,” EdOdyssey alumna Johanna M. shared in a blog post after her program. “Talking to my friends, to other young Peruvians who are more progressive, and seeking out queer spaces gave me islands of safety. I felt excitement to actually embrace my LGBTQ+ identity and meet other queer people like me.”
3 places to check out:
Presente: A queer-run organization that works to promote access to rights for the LGBTQ+ community, Presente co-creates related projects and events, so keep an eye on their calendar.
OutfestPerú: An international LGBTQ+ film festival that takes place in Lima each July, now in its second decade, that has become a space for dialogue, reflection, and celebration.
La Rebelde Librería: A feminist bookshop and cultural space that is known for its progressive literature, including queer voices. They host events that highlight and celebrate LGBTQ+ themes and authors.
FUKUOKA, JAPAN.
Japan has yet to recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions, and there are no national anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ+ community. There’s low violent crime here, but it’s also the destination where the queer community is the least visible and most difficult to find. However, Fukuoka is one of Japan’s more progressive cities, and this is where you would be based. Fukuoka does have a small established LGBTQ+ community, and subtle spaces do exist for creating connections. While queer-friendly spaces may not be widely advertised, they are out there. You might notice a rainbow sticker on a cafe door that marks a safe space or stumble upon independently published queer zines tucked into bookstore shelves, but queer spaces are perhaps more subtle, reflecting local cultural norms, in comparison to the more obvious queer spaces you can spot in other cities. At our host institution, Seinan Gakuin University, DEI students are supported. There’s a group called Seinan Rainbow Pride to help LGBTQ+ students with any issues, and they host identity-safe, dry meet-ups for queer/questioning students.
3 places to check out:
Sumiyoshi neighborhood: This is the main LGBTQ+ district in Fukuoka. Popular spaces include Overall, Dai-Dai (look out for Gay Bingo nights), Mugen (popular with younger people), and Bar G Pop. Some venues are men/women only, so check in advance.
@Home: A women-only karaoke bar (men invited on certain days if accompanied by a woman) in Tenjin—an area that has additional nightlife options, like gay-friendly Doez Dose, for example, with rainbow decorations, English-language mabazines, and a Queer Film Festival.
HACO: An LGBTQ+ community center where people can drop in to meet friends, charge a phone, eat lunch, do some homework—basically “an open space for sexual minorities to use freely”, somewhere you can feel comfortable to be yourself.
JOIN AN INCLUSIVE SEMESTER ABROAD PROGRAM WITH EDODYSSEY
Inclusion is an important part of our programs and vision at EdOdyssey. We’d love to help you feel welcome and supported as you explore the wider world—including through any moments of discomfort or while navigating more conservative environments—because we believe you will walk away from a study abroad experience feeling empowered, independent, and with a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.
“After coming out in my mid-twenties, my work as an educator took on even further meaning,” Peter shared. “Through EdOdyssey, I am determined to provide LGBT+ students with safe, inclusive ways to experience the world, understand their identities, and enrich their personal and professional lives.”
We’ll leave you with a few words directly from Peter:
Inspired? Reach out for a free chat with one of our friendly advisors and find out which of our locations might be the best for you!
