Pride month may be coming to a close, but we believe in campaigning for inclusivity all year long. As Local Guide Cory B. so eloquently stated, “Pride is more than a day or month. It’s a way of life. Pride is about living authentically and unapologetically. It’s about being who you are and not looking back.”
We couldn’t agree more. This month and always, we’re continuing to celebrate the local businesses that create safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community and the Local Guides who put them on Google Maps.
In addition to Cory, we talked to a few others out of the many Local Guides who are active in our community and passionate about making the Map more inclusive. Here are some ways you can also help spread the word about great places near you that are welcoming for the LGBTQ+ community.
Add LGBTQ+ places on Google Maps
From the Stonewall National Monument in New York City to the Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism in Germany, there are numerous places around the world that pay tribute to LGBTQ+ history and rights. Adding places like this and keeping the information of these places, memorials, and monuments up to date is one way to create a more inclusive Map while also providing helpful information to those who want to visit.
Write reviews and share recent photos of places that have opened back up
Many places around the world have had to pivot their business models or change the actual layout of their businesses to support required changes due to the pandemic. With this, many businesses might look different, so it’s important to capture the current versions of what these places look like now. If you’ve returned to iconic gay bars like The Abbey in West Hollywood or places like Harvey Milk Plaza in San Francisco, you can add current photos so people can see what they look like now.
“Our contributions are more important every day, because they help people to make a better decision,” Local Guide Maria Ameyali told us. “That is why if someone is looking for a place to go and feel comfortable, without a doubt our help will be useful.”
Create lists of safe spaces for those in the LGBTQ+ community
Another helpful way to share information about safe spaces is to create lists of your favorite places that you’ve visited. “When I first traveled frequently it was difficult to even find gay bars,” Local Guide Ralph H. told us. Since then, he’s created lists on Google Maps like this one detailing the best gay bars in Chicago. “Feeling comfortable and understanding the environment before arriving is extremely helpful when visiting an LGBTQ+ establishment. I used to get very nervous before I entered a bar, club, or restaurant when I had no idea of what type of place I was walking into, but I knew I wanted to be in a place I could be myself,” he said.
“We all deserve a soft place to land,” Cory added. “My lists were born from the need to be able to go about our day to day without having to worry about how people could react or even if they will welcome us. My lists help highlight businesses that go out of their way to be inclusive to all,” she said. She’s created awesome lists like this one that showcase LGBTQ±friendly places in her hometown of Montreal.
Local Guides, we’d love to hear from you. Do you have any ideas for your fellow Local Guides to make the Map more inclusive? How do you map/highlight LGBTQ+ safe spaces?
!
