For those of you concerned about safety during your visit to Boise, here are several resources to help plan accordingly. Contact local host Brian Jackson with any questions or requests for help.

Boise Embraces the LGBTQ Community:

• Idaho has 13 cities with anti-discrimination statutes. The most progressive enclave is in Boise, the state capital, whose LGBT community center dates from 1983.
• Boise is the state’s most gay-friendly city, offering various LGBT nightlife alternatives for people to meet and interact. Even though same-sex unions have been legal in the state since 2014, there is no state statute prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The annual Boise Pride Festival, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, attracts enormous crowds every summer. 
• LGBTQIA+ support in the city extends further than the entertainment sector.  There’s a gay-straight alliance club present in almost every high school and at least one junior high in the city. There’s also a Pride Alliance GSA at Boise State University and a highly active Gender Equity Center.”

Websites for helping you plan your visit to Boise:

• Gaybnb Travel (LGBTQ Friendly Hotels, Bars, Restaurants)
  https://www.gaybnbtravel.com/city/boise
• Boise Pride Pages - Boise’s LGBTQ+ Business Directory
  https://www.boisepridepages.com/

Restrooms at the Conference Venue and Traveling to Boise:

• The DPS conference venue will have dedicated gender neutral restrooms as usual for AAS/DPS meetings. One bathroom is located near room 130 and the other is located near room 410A.

• The Boise airport is relatively small, with just one terminal and 24 gates. One dedicated family restroom with a lockable door is available just before leaving the concourse B secure area and heading down to baggage claim.  It is located near Bardenay in the Food Court area.
  https://www.iflyboise.com/airport-guide/airport-map/?location=restroom-…

Webpages with further information on the LBGTQIA+ Community and Resources in Boise:

• Idaho Pride Foundation 
  https://pridefoundation.org/region/idaho/
• The Community Center
  https://tccidaho.org/
• A resource for comparing Boise to other large cities (search “most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in USA”).  Note that Boise is 111th on the list, similar to Kansas City, MO and Lexington, KY.  
  https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/most-lgbtq-friendly-cities/
• The Human Rights Campaign Scorecard highlights the good and the bad of many large cities throughout the United States, giving them scores based on their support of LGBTQ+ individuals who live and work there.
  https://www.hrc.org/resources/mei-2023-see-your-cities-scores
• Boise is the most progressive city in Idaho, with a score of 73 due to large efforts among the city to make Boise a safe environment regardless of the state laws.  It has a score similar to other large cities in conservative states like Houston, TX (73), Charleston, SC (71), Jacksonville, Fl (76), and Nashville, TN (77).
  https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/MEI-2023-Assets/ME…

Medical Care - Selection of LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Health Care Resources

• St Luke’s LGBTQIA+ Health Care
  https://www.stlukesonline.org/health-services/service-groups/lgbtqia-he…
• Davis Family Medicine - Health care in an LGBTQIA+ affirmative environment
  https://davisfamilymedicine.net/specialties/lgbtq/

Selection of LGBTQIA+ Supportive Dining Establishments

Coffee Shops

• Broadcast Coffee
  https://broadcastcoffeeroasters.com/
• Flying M Coffee House
  https://www.flyingmcoffee.com/

Restaurants

• Flatbread Community Oven
  https://flatbreadpizza.com/bown-crossing/
• Elmer’s Pancake House
  https://eatatelmers.com/
• Barbacoa
  https://barbacoa-boise.com/?utm_source=GMB&utm_medium=Organic&utm_campa…
• Melting Pot Restaurant
  https://www.meltingpot.com/boise-id/
• Alavita
  https://alavitaboise.com/
• Modern Bar & Restaurant
  https://www.themodernbar.com/eat
• Tajmahal
  https://www.tajmahalofboise.com/

Bars

• Somewhere
  https://www.somewherebar.com/
• Overland Bar
  https://www.facebook.com/overlandbar.boisenightclub/
• The Mode Lounge
  https://www.themodelounge.com/
• The Balcony Club
  https://www.thebalconyclub.com/
• Neurolux Lounge
  https://www.neurolux.com/
• Water Bear Bar
  https://www.waterbearbar.com/