Safety. Family. Home.

After the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, The New York Times asked readers what L.G.B.T.-friendly spaces meant to them. One of those three words, or some variation, came up in almost every response.

For many who responded, gay bars, community centers and nightclubs are their only true space of inclusion. They are venues where they can exchange glances and flirt without fear, where they can talk about attraction without stigma or reproach, and where same-sex couples can touch and kiss without worrying who might be watching.

The responses illustrate the role these places play in the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Here is a sampling of replies, which have been condensed and edited.