The Gayborhood: From Sexual Liberation to Cosmopolitan Spectacle

The Gayborhood: From Sexual Liberation to Cosmopolitan Spectacle explores the lived experiences of LGBT+ persons in an era of heightened visibility, highlighting the evolution of LGBT+ political capacity building and the loss of collective identity and space for some inhabitants due to neoliberal policies. It invites readers to reflect on the future of LGBT+ politics and look beyond the commercialized rainbow spectacle of gayborhoods to the communities and aspirations within.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 30 January 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

The Gayborhood: From Sexual Liberation to Cosmopolitan Spectacle delves into the lived experiences of LGBT+ individuals in a time of heightened visibility. Gay urban enclaves, commonly referred to as gayborhoods, have undergone significant changes over time, reflecting the evolution of LGBT+ political capacity building. While these areas initially emerged as diverse and inclusive spaces that challenged traditional institutions of marriage and assimilation into mainstream society, they have since become homogenized, often at the expense of women, transgender individuals, and non-white persons. This homogenization has been driven by neoliberal policies promoted by urban planners, leading to a loss of collective identity and space for some inhabitants. While gayborhoods were once vibrant and inclusive communities that rejected normative institutions, they have now aligned themselves with conformity and profitability to legitimize their existence. The contributors to The Gayborhood encourage readers to reflect on the future of LGBT+ politics and to look beyond the commercialized rainbow spectacle of gayborhoods to the communities and aspirations within.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793609854