</p><p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-175009" src="https://static.travelgay.com/media/68347/portland-1840765-1920.jpg" alt="Portland" width="1920" height="1183" /></p><p>As a city that, since the sixties, has been a holder of progressive values and counterculture; it comes as no surprise that Portland, Oregon is now a city known for its gay scene, coffee houses and microbreweries. 'The City of Roses' is situated in and surrounded by fertile lands, earning its nickname. As well as that, the fertile land gives the city quick access to fresh ingredients which is why Portland has also earned itself a reputation as a desirable culinary city.</p><p>With Portland's progressive nature and counterculture, pride and passion for the unique city have been cultivated amongst its locals. The initiative, 'Keep Portland weird', is now a life motto for the people of Portland; finding its way from bumpers of cars to shop windows to street signs. With naked bike rides, soapbox derby racing and voodoo doughnuts as normal as trees, cats and dogs, there's no wonder the people of Portland embrace the unexpected, the unique, and the strange.</p><p>Portland is divided into 6 sections; North Portland, Northeast Portland, Northwest Portland, South Portland, Southeast Portland, and Southwest Portland. Portland's gay enclave was once Southwest Stark Street's Pink Triangle, but since its collapse, Portland has been left without one central area for the LGBTQ+ population to call theirs. However this has been embraced by the people of Portland, most replies come 'all of Portland is gay' or 'everywhere in Portland is a safe space'; and this, we think, is what makes Portland a truly LGBTQ+ friendly city.</p><h2>Gay Rights in Portland</h2><p>Portland's law means that currently, LGBTQ+ people have the same responsibilities and rights as non-LBGTQ+ people. Same-sex sexual acts are legal in Oregon and, as of May 2014, same-sex marriage was made legal. The discrimination of an employee, tenant or customer based on their sexual orientation or gender identity is also illegal in the state of Oregon. 70% of Oregon's population also voted in favour of anti-discrimination laws in 2019, showing the state's willingness to make timely changes.</p><p>Oregon's law and population make it one of the safest and most supportive states for LGBTQ+ people to live and travel in. Hotels, bars and other venues are all held to discrimination acts and therefore cannot and do not enact prejudice or discrimination onto any of their customers. On top of this, Portland has a very accepting and openly LGBTQ+ population itself.</p><p><img class="wp-image-173905 aligncenter" src="https://static.travelgay.com/media/68349/reguliersdwarsstraat.jpeg" alt="#reguliersdwarsstraat-amstel-kerkstraat" width="100%" /></p><h2><a href="https://www.travelgay.com/portland-gay-bars/">Gay Bars in Portland</a></h2><p>As we've covered, the gay scene in Portland is located everywhere with no single gay district existing. This means gay bars in Portland are plentiful, and no matter where you're staying you'll never be too far from one. Despite this, there are some particularly concentrated spots that are great for bar hopping and late-night excursions.</p><p>Downtown Portland is obviously a more concentrated area for bars and restaurants generally, so naturally, there are a plethora of gay bars. Among them are <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/scandals-portland/">Scandals</a>, <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/silverado-portland/">Silverado</a> and <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/stag-pdx/">Stag PDX</a>, all of which are bars aimed at the LGBTQ+ community with music, shows, and queer decor. Long-running bar <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/scandals-portland/">Scandals</a> has a friendly environment with a large outdoor patio as well as live entertainment and shows. <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/silverado-portland/">Silverado</a> is less shy with themed nights for bears, cubs, etc as well as go-go dancers and sometimes topless bar staff. <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/stag-pdx/">Stag PDX</a> is for your more adventurous gay tourist, advertised as an LGBT gentleman's club, they provide a more specific experience.</p><p>Further afield in North/North East Portland, the gay bars are slightly more dispersed. Nonetheless, they are there and most are hidden gems; <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/local-lounge-portland/">Local Lounge</a> and <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/eagle-portland/">Eagle Portland</a> are amongst the best of these diamonds in the rough. <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/local-lounge-portland/">Local Lounge</a> is a community-run venue and provides an inclusive atmosphere, serving food, drinks and hosting a variety of exciting events regularly. <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/eagle-portland/">Eagle Portland</a> is more specialised, catering to bears, daddies and leather fans; hosting a series of events including uniform/underwear nights.</p><h2><a href="https://www.travelgay.com/gay-portland-hotels/">Gay Hotels in Portland</a></h2><p>Being in one of the United States' most LGBTQ+ friendly states, Portland is also home to many gay and LGBTQ+-friendly hotels. Our top picks are the <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/dossier-hotel-portland/">Dossier Hotel</a>, <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/sentinel-hotel-portland/">Sentinel Hotel</a> and <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/jupiter-hotel-portland/">Jupiter Hotel</a>. All of these hotels are a short distance from downtown Portland and therefore give guests the opportunity to get involved and immersed in the atmosphere of the city.</p><p><a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/dossier-hotel-portland/">The Dossier Hotel</a> is a 4-star hotel based directly in downtown Portland. The Dossier features helpful staff, spacious bathrooms, and the ability to have ice cream delivered to your room!</p><p>The <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/sentinel-hotel-portland/">Sentinal Hotel</a> is also a 4-star hotel and offers several onsite dining options, fitness/wellness packages and staff who have great city knowledge.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.travelgay.com/venue/jupiter-hotel-portland/">Jupiter Hotel</a> is a more affordable 3-star hotel option, offering clean, well-equipped rooms just a 5 minute walk from downtown Portland.</p><p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-187972 size-full" src="https://static.travelgay.com/media/68350/the-nines-hotel-portland-atrium-2-928x500-1.jpg" alt="Portland" width="100%" /></p><h2>Voodoo Doughnuts</h2><p>Portland is famous for its quirky shops, events, and attractions, but by far one of its most notorious is its unique doughnut shops, specifically Voodoo Doughnut.</p><p>Voodoo Doughnut was started by friends Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson and Tres Shannon in 2000 after discovering downtown Portland lacked even a single doughnut shop. The shop went on to become synonymous with weddings and concerts happening in/near/associated with Voodoo Doughnut. All of this, and the simple business strategy of making delicious and unique doughnuts, soon saw Voodoo Doughnut rise to fame. The vendor has now appeared, most notably, on MTV, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show, Wheel of Fortune, and in PlayBoy. In the scorched trail left by Voodoo Doughnut, many more doughnut shops were born and now Portland is home to enough doughnut vendors to fill any city.</p><p>This legacy story means that people traveling to Portland simply have to visit Voodoo Doughnut and their many competitors to have truly experienced Portland.</p><h2>Getting to Portland</h2><p>Portland International Airport is a well-equipped and clean airport, with lots of restaurants and eateries to choose from while waiting in the airport. From the airport there are shuttles, buses, taxis, town cars and rentals available to get you to your hotel or into the city centre. Extended information is available on the airports website <a href="https://www.flypdx.com/GroundTransportation">HERE</a></p><p>Portland City Centre and the immediate surrounding area is accessible within 20-30 minutes of Portland International Airport by any of the travel options available, so none of those unbearably long and unimaginably expensive taxi rides.</p><h2>Getting around Portland</h2><p>Getting around Portland is not only easy, but also cost effective and pleasant. The city has a great transport infrastructure mainly comprised of MAX light rail, streetcars and bus services. There is also the options that most locals take; cycling, electric scooters and on foot. As a city that has character everywhere, electric scooter or on foot is a great way to travel while seeing the city, even for tourists.</p><h3>Streetcar</h3><p>Beginning in 2001 with just one line over 2.4 miles of track, Portland's streetcar has now been extended and built up over 20 years, running three separate lines over 16 miles of track. Tickets are $2 for 2.5 hours and $5 for all-day for adults, tickets valid across streetcar, light rail and TriMet bus services can also be purchased for $2.50 for 2.5 hours and $5 for all-day. All tickets can be paid for via the encouraged method of contactless or by exact change.</p><h3>MAX Light Rail</h3><p>The crowning jewel of Portlands public transport network in the MAX light rail. The light rail has more than 90 stations across 60 miles of track, connecting the city airport, centre and region. The MAX light rail is composed of 5 lines, Blue, Green, Red, Yellow and Orange, running from 4am till before midnight and arriving at stations in 15 minute intervals. The fares for the light rail mirror those of the streetcar with the same option to buy a ticket that is valid across the streetcar, light rail and bus services.</p><h3>Bus</h3><p>Portland's bus service covers the city and suburbs with frequent stops, low fares, wheelchair access on every bus and bike racks on most buses. The bus service is a service to locals as it aids people travelling regularly and also lends a hadn't to cyclists, given that cycling is possibly the most popular transport across the city. Bus services run during the day and again the option to buy a ticket across streetcar, light rail and bus services is available.</p><h3>Electric Scooters</h3><p>A much more local oriented mode of transport is the electric scooter. However, the electric scooter is a great way to explore the city bit by bit and on a more specific route, catching everything you want to see. The E-scooters do have their own set of road rules to maintain the pleasant transport experience in Portland, as well as the expected rules you can find a comprehensive list <a href="https://www.travelportland.com/plan/electric-scooters/">HERE</a></p><h3> Bike</h3><p>The bike is, as mentioned, possibly the most popular transport in Portland, particularly for locals. The city has miles and miles of protected bicycle lanes, with many cycling activities and bike culture events throughout the year. Cycling has become a part of the city's identity, in particular being known for one of the world's longest naked bike rides and month-long bike festival.</p><h2>Things to do in Portland</h2><p>Portland is a quirky city with many entirely unique things to see and do, discover Portland for yourself and head straight to these hugely popular spots.</p><p><ul></p><li>Voodoo Doughnut</li><li>Powell's City of Books</li><li>Forest Park</li><li>Portland Japanese Garden</li><li>Oregon Zoo</li><li>Portland Art Museum</li><li>Mill Ends Park (World's Smallest Park)</li><p></ul></p><h2>FAQs</h2><h3>Visa</h3><p>Those living outside the United States will require a temporary travel visa, and these can be applied for through the official US Embassy website or in your local US embassy.</p><h3>When to visit</h3><p>Portland's peak season is June to August, this is when the city of roses is in full bloom as well as the consistent warm weather attracting tourists and bringing to life Portland's summer culture. This means that you should book in plenty of months advance to secure reasonable room and travel rates. Alternatively, Portland being close to Mount Hood means that it is a great spot for winter sport enthusiasts, as well as winter being a much cheaper time to visit. No matter the time of year, Portland remains quirky and full of character.</p><h3>Money</h3><p>There is a good amount of ATMs in Portland, however tourists should be weary that across Oregon and the US generally, charges often apply at the majority of ATMs.</p><p>The generally accepted and expected rates of tipping in Portland, and most of the US, are 15-20% for good service.

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On 31 March 2016, Federal District Court struck down Mississippi's ban on same-sex couple adoptions. On June 26, 2017, the United States Supreme Court reversed an Arkansas Supreme Court ruling that allowed a law listing parents by gender on birth certificates to stand. The new SCOTUS ruling allowed both same-sex spouses to be listed on birth certificates. These court rulings made adoption by same-sex couples legal in all 50 states.<br />
<br />
States can however require couples to be legally married before adopting.

The ability for same-sex couples to legally adopt a child.

The difference between legal age of consent for homosexual sex and heterosexual sex.

The new FDA policy on blood donation eliminates deferrals and screening questions specific to men who have sex with men (MSM). Prospective donors will be asked the same set of questions regardless of their sex or sexual orientation

The ability for MSMs (men who have sex with men) to donate blood or tissue for organ transplants. A deferral period refers to a waiting time before a man can donate after having sex.

The FDA announced changes to blood donor eligibility policy on 2nd April 2020, reducing the MSM deferral period from 12 months to 3 months, it is not legally binding but most agencies and the American Red Cross treat it as such.

After a series of recommendations, the FDA has moved to a 12 months deferral.

Though the deferral impacts all MSMs who have had sex with a man since 1977, the policy did not go into effect until 1983.  The policy applied retroactively to 1977.

Censorship became "other punishment" in the state of Texas, and in Florida Govt. DeSantis wants to ban LGBT topics from being discussed in schools.<br />
<br />
Generally, LGBT Topics are considered under the Free Speech Clause. Due to the nature of the current laws, and state decisions such as in Florida; "Varies by region" is the best indicator to use. 

Censorship or prohibition of discussing, promoting, or teaching LGBTQ+ topics in media, schools, and in the general public.

Pride parades happen throughout the country.

Many U.S. jurisdictions require gender-affirming surgery before the person's legal sex can be changed<br />
It is important to note that surgery is not universally required to change legal sex under federal law or in some states. However, a health professional's certification may be necessary. It is essential to consult the specific laws and guidelines of your state for accurate information on the legal requirements for changing gender markers and identity documents.<br />
<br />
There is no federal law on right to change gender, varies by region

Legal recognition of sex reassignment by permitting a change of legal gender on an individual's birth certificate.

From a Federal standpoint, you can change your gender with proof that you have undergone treatment for a gender change (surgery no longer required in any agency as of June 2013)

Conversion therapy is legal in about 50% of US states starting with CA and NJ being the first ones. Can't Convert Love is the sole organization whose sole mission is banning conversion therapy nation-wide.  MN and IN are in the starting phase of attempting to ban the therapy.

Legal status of conducting sexual orientation changing therapy ("ex-gay" therapy)

LGBTQ Discrimination is illegal in all 50 states as of 2021, however states have different laws. Equality Act was passed in 2021-2022 season of House and Senate 

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

In all Federal positions, discrimination based on sexual orientation is against the law in instances related to work and employment.  In non-federal government jobs, it is based on the state's laws as no federal protections currently exist for non-employees.  Additionally, even federal employees could face discrimination unrelated to work in areas of life such as housing, health care, etc.  In fact, many groups are advocating the repeal of protections or the introduction of laws to permit discrimination.

As of June 15th, 2020 the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity is illegal under Title VII the Civil Rights Act of 1964, classified as sex discrimination.<br />
<br />
As of June 15, 2020, all persons working for employers that employ more than 15 people are protected from discrimination based solely on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity via the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County.<br />


Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in employment, including hiring, promotion, termination, harassment, etc.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that “[A]llegations of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation necessarily state a claim of discrimination on the basis of sex”, and are barred by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This ruling applies at both the state and federal level.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled on April 20, 2012 that an employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person’s gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination contained in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.<br />
<br />


The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled on April 20, 2012 that an employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person’s gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination contained in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

While Gender Affirming Care is unrestricted federally, it varies by region due to no federal laws in place. Several states have either banned or passed laws to protect gender affirming care. Office of Health and Human Services made an document stating that they are with gender affirming care in 2022. 

Medical and psychological support designed to help individuals transition to the gender they identify with, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and surgeries.

Homosexuality was decriminalized at the federal level in the United States through the landmark Supreme Court decision of Lawrence v. Texas in 2003. The court struck down a Texas statute that criminalized sexual acts between same-sex couples, declaring such laws unconstitutional. This judgment set a precedent that rendered similar anti-sodomy statutes across states unenforceable, thereby federally decriminalizing homosexuality in private, consensual settings.

Consensual sexual activity between individuals of the same sex.

Before Lawrence v. Texas, some states had already decriminalized sodomy. The first state was Illinois in 1962.

Housing protections are administered at nearly all levels of government for housing -- if at all.  From local city ordinances to federal law, protections are very scattered, and in general, few explicit laws exist to provide housing protections. Nationwide Protections pending.

Prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity when applying for housing or discrimination by landlords / property owners.

No federal or state bans on surgeries performed on intersex infants. 

Medical interventions performed on intersex infants to alter their genital appearance to conform to typical male or female standards, often without the informed consent of the child who is too young to participate in the decision-making process.

In a ruling by the US Supreme Court, all 50 states must now issue marriage licenses for same sex couples and recognize same-sex marriages performed in any state.

Marriage and marriage recognition between two people of the same biological sex and/or gender identity.

Legal status is extremely variable based on the individual state.  Recognized at a Federal level, but not in all states, for all intents and purposes except Social Security.  Social Security is based on the state of residence's recognition of marital status.

The ability for homosexuals to serve in the military and be open about their sexuality.

Biden administration overturns Trump administration's policy against transgender people serving in the military, however, Texas govt. Greg Abbot kept the ban in place for his state.

New policy goes into effect barring individuals with a "condition" known as "gender dysphoria."

Transgender individual can serve, however, the policy "will require an individual to have completed any medical treatment that their doctor has determined is necessary in connection with their gender transition, and to have been stable in their preferred gender for 18 months, as certified by their doctor, before they can enter the military."

The US Army repealed the ban to serve for openly transgender individuals

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals are permitted to serve openly in the military, however, transgender individuals are still banned.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell was the historic compromise signed by President Bill Clinton authorizing people who are LGBT to serve in the military provided they didn't disclose sexuality.  The law also removed the ability for others in the military from asking for a service member's orientation.

Since April 11th, 2022, the United States allows people to have an X gender on their passports at a national level.<br />
<br />
Other IDs are still dependent on state laws.

Legal recognition of non-binary, genderqueer, or third gender identities.

On June 15th, 2017, Oregon officials voted yes to allowing the legal representation of non-binary people. On July 3rd, 2017, this option became available to the public.

Before July 3rd, 2017, no US states legally recognized non-binary people. 

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Oregon's largest city. Portland has a bustling gay community. Enjoy avant-garde culture, iconic coffee shops, boutiques, farm-to-table restaurants and microbreweries.

Long-running gay bar in Portland (since 1979). Scandals is known for its cocktails, friendly vibe, and live entertainment and shows.<br>
<br>
The bar has a large outdoor patio and occasionally plays host to karaoke nights and themed events. Located in the original "Pink Triangle" section of downtown Portland.

Scandals Portland

Scandals

Long-running gay bar in Portland (since 1979). Sca...

A favorite hangout amongst LGBT sport fans in Portland. Sloan's Tavern features TV's showing various games, regular drink specials, happy hours and a retro jukebox.<br>
<br>
The unique dive bar has a vibrant decor and serves a selection of tasty food. On Monday through Friday.

Sloan's Tavern Portland

Sloan's Tavern

A favorite hangout amongst LGBT sport fans in Port...

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