79 - Not in my Gayborhood!

Urban Political Podcast

Gay Neighborhoods and the Rise of the Vicarious Citizen

In this episode, we are discussing Theodore Greene’s latest book, Not in my Gayborhood! Gay neighborhoods and the rise of the vicarious citizen, published by Columbia University Press in July 2024. This book is a lively and generous study of gay neighborhoods in Washington DC, highlighting the evolving dynamics of LGBTQ spaces in urban settings. Drawing on empirical fieldwork as well as Ghaziani’s concept of “cultural archipelagos”, Not in My Gayborhood! reveals the plurality and fluidity of LGBTQ spaces, illustrating a complex network of attachments and loyalties that link gay Washingtonians to both iconic gayborhoods and their residential communities. In the book, Greene introduces the concept of the “vicarious citizen,” showcasing how queer Washingtonians actively protect and develop spaces where they may not even reside. The book then explores how vicarious citizens assert their claims—whether they are normative, pushing back against the erasure of LGBTQ symbols by heterosexual communities; radical, challenging the dominant white gay gaze; or political, advocating for the enhancement of gayborhoods through activism and advocacy. Not in My Gayborhood! offers a new and maybe more hopeful take on the future of gayborhoods, and reshape our understanding of urban citizenship and belonging.