New York City has been a hub for LGBTQ culture and activism since the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Today, New York is home to many LGBTfriendly businesses that cater to or are owned by LGBTQ+ people. Some of these businesses offer retail items such as Pride-themed Skittles and t-shirts, while others support the community in other ways. For example, Queens-based designer Bianca Negron offers an independent online shop that sells inclusive LGBTQ+ pride enamel pins and clothing along with thoughtful collaboration pieces such as the “I Love You” ASL patch with Gregor Lopes.
Others, such as Sammich, a Portland-based food truck and two restaurants, use their business as a platform to support the community through philanthropy. The restaurant serves sandwiches made with house-smoked meats and is listed on Everywhere Is Queer’s map of LGBT-friendly businesses. The restaurant has also donated to local animal shelters and hunger initiatives, and is working to repair the Ali Forney Center, a homeless youth center.
In addition to its role in LGBT activism and community building, the city is a hotspot for entertainment and nightlife. The Theatre District is home to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, while Hell’s Kitchen features a wide variety of gay bars and clubs, including the sexy Flaming Saddles Saloon with an authentic Western feel and the upscale, drag-focused Therapy. A few blocks further is Chelsea, home to a large number of gay-friendly boutiques and eateries. Chelsea is also where you can find fully-furnished apartments that are perfect for gay renters.
Beyond the city’s famous bars and clubs, there are plenty of LGBT-friendly businesses that can be found throughout the country. For example, there are LGBT-friendly hair salons, therapists, and car mechanics in every state, as well as many gay-friendly bookstores. There are even LGBTQ-friendly hotels, such as the aforementioned The Inn at Irving Place in Manhattan, and LGBTfriendly cruise clubs like Playwrights Horizons in Miami.
With the help of the internet, it’s now easier than ever to find LGBTfriendly businesses near me. There are websites such as Everywhere Is Queer that feature a worldwide searchable map of LGBT-friendly businesses, and other sites like OpenTable that allow you to see restaurants’ sexual orientation on their profile page. You can also look up top-rated CEI employers, which are companies that have taken steps to ensure that their workplaces are more inclusive and welcoming for LGBTQ employees and visitors.
The list of LGBTfriendly businesses is growing and expanding, and it’s important to support these small, locally-owned and operated businesses. It’s especially critical to do so this June, as the month of Pride celebrates the legacy of the Stonewall riots and highlights the community’s continued struggle for diversity and inclusion.
So go out and support LGBT-friendly businesses this month, and year-round, and show the world that you’re proud to be LGBTQ+. Happy Pride!
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