Gay men and Gay spaces: Space Syntax Analysis of 'Gay Soho'.

TERMINOLOGY Due to the ambiguity regarding this topic, terms as interpreted in this study are explicitly stated here.

Gay

Gay meaning ‘homosexual’ which became established in the 1960s as the term preferred by homosexual men to describe themselves.

Gay Space

In this study, Gay space is the material/ physical space appropriated by gay males referring to spaces where gay men are present, engage with their ‘community’ and/ or socialize. These constitute gay bars, café’s, pubs, or even neighbourhoods, such as Gay Villages etc.

Queer

An umbrella term for individuals who are non-heteronormative.

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Gay men and Gay spaces: Space Syntax Analysis of 'Gay Soho'.

Published on Feb 28, 2019

Aditya Vinod

The paper reports a three-month research on the evolution of gay spaces in Soho, City of Westminster - an area popularly dubbed as the ‘Gay Village of London’ (Collins, 2004). It investigates how ideas such as ‘gay villages’1 represent the physical embodiment of gay cultural identity and through spatial analysis explores whether this identity emerged from space or was it imposed onto space. The investigation begins by identifying spaces which are/were gay spaces through three historical periods selected upon certain principles and understanding on the study area and culture of gay men. The exploratory phase of the research delves into literature on cultural identity and the ‘placeness’ of gay men to identify these gay/queer spaces. How are they positioned in the network? The research also explores gay practices and identifies the spatiality of these practices. A reference is made with space syntax theories on segregation of cultures in urban areas and builds on studying gay community clustering as spatial.

Articles inside

Introduction

1min

pages 6-7

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