A space of one's own: queering the map, challenging the borders: the production of safe spaces in Italian urban areas

Abstract

In this essay, I analyse the development of Italian queer and feminist communities through the production of safe spaces, trying to understand how belonging and togetherness occur in the search of ‘a space of one’s own’. The dimension of space is taken into account as the environment in which the movements carry out their political activities and as a product of the community in itself. Furthermore, the contested notion of safety is challenging to understand the grassroots responses to violence and exclusion. These topics are crucial in order to understand contemporary sexual democracy and sexual citizenship from a southern perspective, and to shed light on the role new political actors such as queer people and feminists play in shaping cities, social networks and politics.