Lesbutantes, Guerilla Queers, and Dyke Nights: Transgressing Heteronormative Borders and the Folklore of Queer Resistance

Abstract

Abstract: Recent publications have lamented the death of lesbian bars and the absence of distinct urban gayborhoods. The Lesbian Bar Project points out that there are just fifteen lesbian bars left in the United States as of 2021. The rise of social-sexual mobile applications, the impact of gentrification, and a cultural shift in attitudes surrounding acceptance have all contributed to the decline of dedicated lesbian spaces. Comparing the popularity and availability of mobile applications and social-sexual outlets for gay men, such as Grindr, with those designed for queer women—as well as new and unique queer pop-up events, social media forums, and networking opportunities—reveals the ways queer women are subverting authority, resisting changes, and disrupting space through shared practices and experiences. New opportunities and sites for queer spatial resistance have emerged and mobile applications like Meetup facilitate the literal takeover of popular urban spaces. Though technology may have reterritorialized certain sexual geographies for the lesbian community, this essay shows how queer practices are now informing place in ways that assert a queer spatial justice.