Arcadia Spain

It is widely recognized that Granada is not London, Madrid or Barcelona. This is not a large city full of crowded areas and the olive trees surrounding the city may lead you to think this is simply a town. To be honest, many people still think this is just a tiny town with beautiful views and delicious food.

Students often approach their study abroad experience as something that will make them more independent, a new opportunity to spread their horizons and know other peoples and cultures. However, certain destinations can make us feel that certain rights or, more specifically,  sexual orientations, may be seen as something outrageous or, simply, as something “different.”

Unfortunately, many places around the world still see sexual orientation as something that cannot be discussed.

For Arcadia Abroad, your right to be yourself is important and all our centers and destinations around the world encourage and promote individual identity and safe environments where you can feel, experience, and share who you are.

We are always asked if Spain can be considered as an open-minded or closed-minded country, but generalizations are hard to apply since each person is different. Nevertheless, Spain is considered one of the most open-minded places in Europe. This can be confirmed by the Rainbow Europe 2020 Report and Map published by ILGA-Europe (the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association). According to this research, Spain obtained the 6^th position (67%) in the ranking for human rights and LGBTIQ+ community.

The LGBTIQ+ community in Spain has therefore full legal rights, although as a country, we are still facing some issues to make sure that equity and diversity are always guaranteed.

As a student, you may be thinking that these statistics are interesting but still incomplete. How will my sexual orientation be perceived in a medium-sized city like Granada? Why is Granada not as widely known as Madrid or Barcelona regarding LGBTIQ+ issues?

A single answer for each of these questions cannot be given. Being a medium-sized city makes Granada a special place. It does not mean that you cannot go out and have fun. In fact, you can do many things locally and experience the 15 Must-See Places to Visit in Granada. We may not be as well known as Chueca in Madrid or Sitges in Barcelona, but Granada has lots to discover which will help you be yourself and express your own identity.

Granada is also a university city. In fact, the University of Granada (UGR) is the 5^th largest Spanish university with around 55 000 students, including all the students at the Center of Modern Languages where you will be taking most of your courses. The Equality Unit of the UGR also offers many services for LGBTIQ+ students and different webinars, conferences, and informal meetings are held to discuss different topics and ways to improve equality and diversity both on- and off-campus.

Being abroad is a unique opportunity. You will be living in a new city with other students and our aim is to make you feel at home. The Arcadia staff will support and inform you about the LGBTIQ+ events, seminars, and activities offered in the city and will help you with any questions or concerns that you may have during your stay.

It is true that the pandemic is changing the way we live and the LGBTIQ+ community is dealing with it too. Despite this, the city and province of Granada are continuously working to provide a wide range of activities and events promoting diversity, identity, and safety. As a LGBTIQ+-friendly destination, we invite you to experience and share who you are and contribute to the equalitarian and respectful society we deserve.

Are you ready? See all the places you can visit here!