Internship abroad programs provide life-changing intercultural experiences to young people from all over the world. Living in a large and diverse city, among a group of international colleagues, provides unique life experiences for LGBTQ students, especially since internships are offered in open-minded and accepting metropolitan cities. The following 6 safe cities for LGBTQ interns abroad offer rich and diverse international communities that know amor es amor es amor es amor. Moreover, in these 6 cities, boundless professional opportunities await LGBTQ interns seeking to boost their career and grow their international network.
1. London, UK
Interns in London will benefit from the fact that London is a world financial center and leading global city in a number of different industries, like media, healthcare and international business. This competitive city attracts the best and the brightest professionals from around the world. It doesn’t matter the industry, London offers real-world internships that will push an intern to grow personally and professionally within an international environment. Moreover, London’s rich diversity makes it an ideal climate for LGBT interns to make lifelong personal and professional contacts and explore life beyond their comfort zone.
The UK is one of the most free nations in the world in terms of protections for the LGBT community with legalized civil partnerships and strict anti-discrimination laws to ensure a welcoming workplace. The vast majority of UK citizens believe in equal protection for LGBT people and, in fact, the UK has more LGBTI members of parliament than any other country in the world. LGBT interns abroad in London will find their offices welcome them with open arms.
2. New York City, USA
Offering competitive internships in every industry, New York City is ripe with opportunities for an LGBT intern abroad. Interns will have the opportunity to work alongside highly skilled professionals as they learn the ropes of their profession. Moreover, the city has a long history of being a welcoming, open city to sexual minorities with a diverse and celebrated LGBT community. New York State legalized same-sex marriage in 2011 while discrimination protections were established in 2003.
3. Medellín, Colombia
For an internship with purpose, Medellín, Colombia is the place to go. This welcoming and developing city is known for its warm, spring-like weather year-round and its friendly, hospitable locals. Not to mention, internship roles in Medellín really put interns to work in a foreign-language environment. This kind of growth potential make internships in Colombia highly coveted. Colombia is actually one of Latin America’s most progressive countries when it comes to LGBT rights. Anti-discrimination laws based on sexual orientation have been in place since 2011 and the right to change legal gender became legal in 1993. Moreover, Colombia legalized same-sex marriage in 2016.
4. Madrid, Spain
Learn a foreign language, travel Europe and earn professional experience in the industry of your choice with an international internship in Madrid. Bohemian, free and relaxed, Madrid is a special kind of city brimming with open-minded people from all over the world and leading European professionals. Not to mention, in 2013, the Pew Research Center found the Spanish to be the most accepting country towards LGBT people among the 39 countries polled. Celebrate this year at Madrid’s World Pride celebrations, bringing in people from all over the world to celebrate queer identities. The event, put on by InterPride in a different international city each year, includes a massive parade on Saturday, July 1, along with a weekend of festivities, and promotes awareness of LGBTQ issues.
5. Dublin, Ireland
While gaining pertinent work experience LGBT interns in Dublin will be able to explore the city’s diverse night-life, gorgeous Georgian architecture and understand what makes Dublin the “City of Literature”. This fast-paced, green city is progressive, full of international students and professionals and near to a number of exciting European destinations. Ireland’s progressive views on LGBT rights are known worldwide. It was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through popular vote and in 2015 a law passed making transgendered individuals able to legally self-declare their gender.
6. Melbourne, Australia
This laid-back, active and university-filled city has a great deal of professional opportunities for interns abroad, in many different professional fields. Whether seeking experience in marketing, hospitality or international business, internships in Melbourne will prepare an intern with international work experience that will boost their resume and career prospects. Not to mention, Melbourne (Australia’s “cultural capital”) is an incredible city for young, LGBT interns looking for new life experiences and new personal and professional relationships with people from all over the world. This hip and open-minded city is also located in one of Australia’s most progressive states, Victoria, where civil unions are legal and discrimination protections are in place for LGBT people.
Learn more about how to boost your career in one of these safe cities for LGBTQ interns.
Sources: http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/06/04/the-global-divide-on-homosexuality/
https://www.theinterngroup.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Victoria
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Spain
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_New_York
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Colombia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_the_United_Kingdom
Photos
1. based on Madrid Pride Orgullo 2015 58503, by Ted Eytan, CC-by-2.0
2. by @acuartect / Instagram
3. based on Dublin Pride 2013, by Daniel Dudek, CC-by-2.0