Over the past five years, Pride Month has become a major event in the DC Universe—an affair where many of our greatest heroes come to recognize their personal identities and show the world that being different isn’t just okay, but something beautiful that’s worth celebrating. If you happen to be visiting the DCU this month, you’re spoiled for choice for the best spots to see if you want to take in a parade or just catch the local LGBTQ scene. To help you out, we’ve put together this guide on the most queer-friendly spaces on Prime Earth.
 

STAR CITY

Green Arrow’s home turf is a landmark destination in the queer landscape not for any particular notable scene, but for its historical significance. During his tenure as the city’s mayor following Infinite Crisis, Oliver Queen became one of the first government officials to recognize gay marriage, personally officiating Star City weddings between same sex couples. This was in 2006, nearly ten years before gay marriage would be legalized throughout the United States.

Star City is also notable as the home of the DCU’s most prominent asexual hero, Connor Hawke. As a former bearer of the Green Arrow mantle and member of the JLA, Connor stands as a worthy representative for an often-marginalized identity within an already marginalized space.
 

METROPOLIS

In addition to its recent parades often captained by the younger Superman, Jon Kent, Metropolis is noted for its vibrant community of extraterrestrials and other misfits nicknamed “A-Town.” (Or, as some residents call it, “Gay Town.”) Known for its lively clubs and ball culture drag shows, A-Town is a community of radical acceptance of anything you are or want to be. It’s where many of Metropolis’ newer heroes, like trans heroines Galaxy and Dreamer, make their home.
 

GOTHAM CITY

The city of Batman, Robin and the world’s most colorful supervillains has always been a place of queer icons, a backdrop defined by dual identities larger than life. Gotham City is full of queer-owned businesses, like the Molly’s and Dixieland gay bars and Alysia Yeoh’s Red Eye Cafe. If you’re cool about it, some locals may help you find a legendary speakeasy meeting place for the gay community going back to World War II, where queer dreamers would make their mark for their wishes to come true.
 

THEMYSCIRA

Paradise Island can be difficult to score an invitation to. But once you make it, it’s a Sapphic paradise. Currently governed by Queen Nubia with her partner Io, leadership of Themyscira was founded by the ascended Queen Hippolyta who had her own consort among the Amazon tribe, Philippus. Princess Diana’s homeland has been a place of constant, open queer love since it first appeared in the 1940s and continues to celebrate that throughout the year. Just don’t be caught off guard when the parties start to get competitive.
 

NEW GENESIS

As seen in last year’s DC Pride special, if Apokolips is the home to shame and despair, it stands to reason that its counterpart, New Genesis, should be a beacon of pride and joy—and so it is. The home of the lighter New Gods, as Orion shows us, is a place of frequent panromantic celebration, as beings of all kinds recognize the very thing that makes life worth living. Darkseid may pursue the Anti-Life Equation, but life itself is defined by love.
 

PALMERA CITY/SMALLVILLE

Outside of the big hero locales, queer joy can even be found in the smaller places on the map. Both of Blue Beetle’s big city stomping grounds of Palmera City and Smallville boast their own active drag culture. Take in a show featuring such unforgettable performers as Queen Lantern, Crime Allie, Mother Boxxx and Goody Rickles.
 

OBLIVION BAR

The last spot on this year’s tour is a bar you won’t find on any map, unless you happen to have a magical invitation. The Oblivion Bar is the premiere hangout for the DC Universe’s occult community, from Arion to Zatanna—and the overlap of magic and queerness within the DCU is practically a circle. Last year’s party was hosted by Traci 13, but there’s always something popping off here for the queers, especially in June. After all, what’s more magic than being gay?
 

Alex Jaffe is the author of our monthly "Ask the Question" column and writes about TV, movies, comics and superhero history for DC.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @AlexJaffe and find him in the DC Official Discord server as HubCityQuestion.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Alex Jaffe and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.