Intertextuality, the referential illusion and the production of a gay ghetto

Abstract

This paper challenges Lefebvre's distinction between Representations of Space and Spaces of Representation. Most current work in this area has assumed modernist conceptions of power, thereby interpreting representations of space (conceived space) as the property of the powerful who alone possess the ability to abstract space for their particular ends. Contrary to Lefebvre, I suggest that representation and abstraction are not the agents of state capitalism alone but are also manifested in 'counter' discourses. As an example of a 'counter discourse' I draw upon a series of editorial articles written in a local gay-oriented newspaper about a gay enclave in Vancouver, Canada. I argue that these depictions cloud the distinctions as practised between conception, abstraction and the imaginary in urban space. They also serve to promote one interpretation of space above others, and in that sense they colonize the experience of everyday life in their own way. The act of 'speaking for' presupposes a certain power, and in these cases, highlights the fact that the power of representation and abstraction does not only occur at the state or 'system' level. I suggest that by overcoming the assumption of a zero-sum ontology of power, one can see how a variety of agents in the urban context engage in the attempt to carve out their 'own' spaces of stability in the urban social imaginary.

‘Gay Enclaves Face Prospect of Being PassÉ': How Assimilation Affects the Spatial Expressions of Sexuality in the United States

“…Plurality is the name of the game today, a time when sexuality infuses into nearly all aspects of urban life. Although same‐sex partner households are less segregated in a post‐gay era than they were in the prior closet and coming out eras (Levine, ; Sibalis, ; Miller, ; Wacquant, ), this does not mean that they are placeless.…”

Festivals, Space and Sexuality: Gay Pride in Australia

“…Miller (2005) and Gorman-Murray (2006a) have specifically paid attention to the way that the local lesbian/gay 'community' print media has assisted in representing and circulating certain places as 'tolerant', 'safe' or 'gay'. Consequently, they used these sources to understand how certain places are invested with a particular understanding of gayness (for further examples, see Binnie (1995) and Hughes (2006)).…”

Gay and Lesbian Couples at Home: Identity Work in Domestic Space

“…Similarly, while there has been some consideration of the role of homes in gay/lesbian identity-construction (Elwood 2000;Gorman-Murray 2006;Markwell 1998), the focus has been largely on the experience of individuals rather than couples. Meanwhile, work on the spatiality of sexual identity more broadly has concentrated on individuals (Bell et al 1994;Kirby and Hay 1997; or communities (Forest 1995;Miller 2005;Nash 2005), rather than couples or households. Consequently, this study also adds to literature on the constitution and performance of gay/ lesbian identity in contemporary society, particularly with regard to domestic spaces.…”