Medellin - Guide for Gays, Lesbians and Queers

Most of Medellín's queer venues are in El Poblado, especially in Provenza, a part of the district that Colombia's tourism board singles out as particularly LGBTI-friendly. This is where Bar Chiquita stands, at Carrera 37 #8a-88. It started as a small drag cocktail bar and is now the heart of the city's drag scene, with shows every night until the early hours, pop and techno in between, and a colourful interior with a rainbow staircase. It sees itself as a place where people can be themselves, and draws locals and visitors alike.

The tourism board also lists Club Oráculo and Purple Club among the city's LGBTI venues. Drag shows are central to the local scene, and Chiquita is the best-known stage for them.

Outside the nightlife, the community is easiest to reach through its organisations. The Alianza Social LGBTI de Antioquia works with young volunteers, and Corporación Stone Wall helps organise Pride. The city administration has its own office for queer residents, the Gerencia de Diversidades Sexuales e Identidad de Género, which runs projects and programmes across the city's districts.

Colombia's legal situation is good: same-sex couples can marry and adopt jointly, and trans people can change the gender marker on their documents. The high point of the year is the Marcha del Orgullo in June or early July. Its route is set anew each year and most recently ran from Calle Barbacoas to Parque de las Luces. For a larger club scene, Bogotá and its Chapinero district are the main destination in the country.