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| Long Live Queer Nightlife : How the Closing of Gay Bars Sparked a Revolution
ISBN: 9780691253862
Platform/Publisher: Ebook Central / Princeton University Press
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Limited; Download: 7 Days at a Time
Subjects: Social Science;
In this eye-opening study, sociologist Ghaziani (The Dividends of Dissent) disputes the widespread notion that the queer community is suffering in the wake of an "epidemic" of LGBTQ bar closures over the past two decades. While acknowledging some problems stemming from such closures, rather than dwelling on "decline," Ghaziani argues that queer night life is undergoing a hidden renaissance, outside of mainstream view. In particular, he points to the rise of themed club nights, which are often hosted by intersectional queer collectives in rented spaces on the outskirts of cities, describing these events as ephemeral, diverse, and potentially revolutionary. Usually inclusive of members of the queer community who were previously excluded from mainstream gay bars, these gatherings, Ghaziani argues, exemplify the radical type of community-building that emerges in disruptive political moments. Furthermore, they gesture to what society could look like in a more egalitarian and collective-oriented future. As examples, Ghaziani spotlights events such as Femmetopia, a bimonthly London club night celebrating feminine gender expression, and CAMPervan, a traveling free outdoor party for working-class queer people across Europe. Ghaziani provides an immersive view of these communities, profiling partygoers and event planners and participating in the club nights himself. It's an invigorating and upbeat view of queer life. (Mar.)
Amin Ghaziani is professor of sociology and Canada Research Chair in Urban Sexualities at the University of British Columbia. He is the award-winning author of The Dividends of Dissent , Sex Cultures , and There Goes the Gayborhood? (Princeton). His work has been featured widely in international media outlets, including the New Yorker , the Financial Times , the Los Angeles Times , the Guardian , USA Today , and British Vogue . |
