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New York

The city of Quentin Crisp and Judy Garland is surely the gay capital of the world. It's a place where lesbians and gay men of all ages and races are so integrated into work and political culture that their sexuality is often the least significant thing about them. Obvious gay districts include Greenwich Village, where the Stonewall riots of 1968 began; upmarket Chelsea; and the seedier East Village. Across the East River, Brooklyn is now home to many arty gay men and lesbian families. Tolerance is the norm, but it pays to take care in remoter areas like Harlem and Central Park at night - same-sex marriage is illegal in New York State.