Filled with ups and downs, but overall, it has made me the man that I am today.” Obinna shares in a conversation with The Rustin Times. “My experience living in Atlanta has been a true journey. Although he is a first-generation Nigerian American raised in Houston, moving to Atlanta played an integral role in fully accepting himself. In 20, Atlanta became the only city in the state of Georgia to achieve MEI “All-Star” status for scoring above 85 despite being in a state with no LGBTQ-inclusive state-level protections.īut what is it about the city that is inviting for black LGBT+ folk? Image from ATLGBTQ “…a certain degree of freedom and self-expression.” In 2013, the city earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index and was the 2020 Top Destination City by the Gay Travel Awards.
![gay pride parade atlanta 2021 gay pride parade atlanta 2021](https://d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/06-20-2021/t_17604c4ca4b4459abe172d0f08933cf5_name_image.jpg)
It currently attracts many black people from the United States and the African continent, the Caribbean, and the global black diaspora. It also didn’t come as a surprise, coming from a city that has been nicknamed a Mecca for Black LGBT+ folks, seeking a place to freely express themselves regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.Ītlanta has been no stranger to the global conversation around equality for LGBT+ people. In a country where the conversation around inclusive bathrooms is controversial, this move was praised in many quarters as a commitment from the city to protect trans and gender non-binary people.
![gay pride parade atlanta 2021 gay pride parade atlanta 2021](https://nique.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Pride-Online-3-982x505.jpg)
In June of 2021, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms made headlines for signing an executive order into law that required public restrooms across the city to be gender inclusive.