Gay, but not Inclusive: Boundary Maintenance in an LGBTQ Space

Abstract

Using the framework of spaces for leisure and the homonormative lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community, this study examines the ways in which an LGBTQ “gayborhood” creates and maintains boundaries of exclusion based on hegemonic norms. Through ethnographic observations and interviews with both homeless LGBTQ individuals and community stakeholders (those in positions of power), this study demonstrates the processes through which hegemonic boundaries are created via (1) the symbolic boundary of respectability, (2) policing, and (3) exclusionary nonprofit practices. Data further reveal the complex relationship between identity and acceptance in LGBTQ public spaces of leisure, demonstrating the importance of “thinking intersectionally.”.