Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires has the most established LGBTQI+ scene in South America — Wikipedia describes the city as 'the gay capital of South America' (LGBT rights in Argentina). The scene is spread across several poles rather than concentrated in a single 'gay village' like Chueca or the Castro:

Palermo Soho = the porteño queer core (Plaza Serrano, the bars Sitges, Glam, Casa Brandon, ~15 venues), Palermo Hollywood = nightlife + restaurants (~8), San Telmo = alternative queer and LGBT tango (La Marshall, ~6), Almagro = trans hub + emerging (~3), Recoleta = upscale residential with no night scene. The scene runs 7 days a week in Palermo, with late closing times (parties don't get going before 2am at weekends — a porteño convention).

The Buenos Aires Pride March (Marcha del Orgullo) is held on the 1st Saturday of November (not June: the date commemorates the founding of Nuestro Mundo, Argentina's first homosexual organisation, in November 1967). Wikipedia documents ~250,000 attendees in 2011 and sustained growth since.

The first march was on 28 June 1992 with about 250 people, many wearing masks so as not to be recognised, according to Wikipedia — the post-dictatorship context made visibility dangerous. Today the march leaves from Plaza de Mayo and ends at the National Congress, the historic route. Carlos Jáuregui (founder of the CHA in April 1984) is the historic reference figure. Supporting calendar: BAFICI (independent cinema, with a queer section) and Asterisco (the LGBTIQ+ film festival).

Palermo Soho is the modern subdivision of Palermo Viejo, according to Wikipedia, around Plaza Serrano, described as a 'zone of fashion, design, restaurants, bars and street culture'. It attracts upper-middle-class young people and tourists after a 'hipster' atmosphere. It is the densest queer pole in Buenos Aires.

Queer/LGBT-friendly venues: Sitges (the iconic porteño gay bar), Glam (club), Casa Brandon (queer feminist cultural space). The immediate complementary pole: Palermo Hollywood (to the north), upscale restaurants and nightlife. Subte line D, Plaza Italia station, connects to the Centro (~15 min). The whole neighbourhood is walkable day and night with standard care.

Buenos Aires concentrates one of the oldest and densest LGBT infrastructures in Latin America. The Comunidad Homosexual Argentina (CHA) was founded in April 1984 by Carlos Jáuregui — the country's first LGBT organisation, key to winning marriage equality (2010) and the gender identity law (2012). FALGBT (the Argentine LGBT Federation) and 100% Diversidad y Derechos are today's national organisations.

LGBT health: Hospital Durand (a specialised HIV and trans service) and Fundación Huésped (HIV testing and PrEP, sliding scale). The 2012 gender identity law obliges the public system to cover gender-affirming treatment.