Sexual Dissidence, Enterprise and Assimilation: Bedfellows in Urban Regeneration

Abstract

This paper offers a pragmatic, principally economic perspective on the body of work analysing the genesis and development of urban 'gay villages'. The Soho Gay Village in central London is presented as a case study. Its evolution and principal features are considered in the light of the existing corpus of research into gay agglomerations and the documented experiences of some other urban gay villages in England. It is suggested that, even with differing historical roots and widely differing levels and forms of municipal support, a recurrent developmental pattern seems to be discernible. This is characterised by an urban area in decline progressing through several broad stages of economic enterprise denoted by: sexual and legal liminality; gay male social and recreational opportunities; a widening service-sector business base; and, ultimately, the assimilation of the area into the fashionable mainstream.

An Examination of Spaces Used as Meeting Points by Lgbtt Individuals in the Scope of City Planning

“…Cinsellik tüm durum ve mekânlarda sergilenebilen insani bir durum olmasına rağmen (brown&Knopp 2003) bu konu üzerine yapılan çalışmalar da ötekileştirilmek-tedir. görünürlük ve mekânlar üzerine yapılan araştırmaların bü-yük çoğunluğu gey erkekler için yapılmış komşuluk ünitele-ri (Collins 2004;Knopp 1998) (Mitchell,1995;Valentine, 1996). bu araştırmaların odak noktası lezbiyenlerin dışarı çıkmasına ve şehirdeki lezbiyen mekânların gelişmesine engel olan geniş sosyal faktörleri tanımlamak olmuştur.…”

Economic, Cultural and Social Factors Influencing the Development of Gay Businesses and Places: Evidence from the European Union / Ekonomické, Kulturní A Sociální Faktory V Pozadí Rozvoje Gay Podniků A Míst: Situace V Evropské Unii

“…This offers an opportunity to test some hypotheses proposed by the large body of scientific research on gay, lesbian and queer geography during the last decades. Such research suggests some explanations for the development of gay residential and commercial neighbourhoods -by gentrification and central urban regeneration processes in England (Collins, 2004); for Spain, Garcia Escalona (2000) uses the term 'ghetto' when dealing with Madrid's Chueca's case; and in France the 'Marais' case in Paris is explored by Michael Sibalis (2004). Although most of the existing research makes use of case studies and local or national data sources, this article utilises a rich international database for the purpose of uncovering and analysing complex mechanisms and trends which may lead to the diverse and uneven development of gay spaces in Europe.…”

Imagining Cities, Living the Other: Between the Gay Urban Idyll and Rural Lesbian Lives

“…The history and development of geographies of sexualities is well documented [30][31][32][33]. Here it is important to note that geographies of sexualities began with the mapping of gay ghettos as sites of political power, freedom and sexual expression, and this territorial emphasis continues to this day (see for example [34][35][36][37][38]). It has been argued that cities are heterosexualised differently dispelling the myth of a uniform 'urban' sexuality [39][40][41][42].…”