Known globally as the "world's gay and lesbian capital", San Francisco is now leading the nation in a human rights revolution to legalize gay marriage. One of America's most strikingly beautiful cities, with hills sweeping from bay to ocean and its legendary fog, San Francisco is a beacon for anyone seeking a community that recognizes the beauty in every human.

Homosexuals are an estimated 27 percent of the city's population and a powerful and positive force in the city's political, cultural, and economic life. Current mayor Gavin Newsome, the latest in a long line of progressive local officials who have embraced gays and lesbians, became the first mayor in the U.S. to put promises into action by ordering city staff to sanction same-sex matrimony. In responding to the conservative outcry, Mayor Newsome quoted his oath of office, where he swore to uphold California's Constitution "which clearly outlaws all forms of discrimination."

Unlike other cities that might have only one or two popular gay neighborhoods, gays and lesbians live in every part of this metropolis. The queer community of San Francisco is predominately young and pervasive but there are, however, a few hotspots, like lesbian-popular Noe Valley & the Mission, guppie-laden Pacific Heights or the anything-goes South of Market [SOMA]. But homo central definitely remains the Castro which has evolved to be less male and more diverse, while staying the lively epicenter of the city's queer culture. The Bay Area at large offers many other cities where gay and lesbian communities have that small-town intimacy without sacrificing acceptance. You'll find that the residents of outlying areas also place a higher value on personal growth, spiritual exploration, and human rights than those you might find in suburban areas that surround other gay friendly cities.

If sizzling variety is your calling and you yearn for a place to celebrate your diversity safely and legally, then San Francisco welcomes you home!