Queer Planning Literature: The Short List
A few weeks ago, a friend asked me for a list of articles on “queer planning” to integrate into his artwork. I slapped something together and thought it worth sharing here. This isn’t a complete list, but it covers many of the principle pieces written by planning academics, architects, as well as the edited volumes of queer geographers. Entries are from oldest to most current. If I committed a sacrilege and left something out that absolutely must be here, let us all know in the comments section!
Urban planners/historians writing about queers and urban planning:
- Kenney, Moira. “Remember, Stonewall was a Riot: Understanding Gay and Lesbian Experience in the City.” In Making the Invisible Visible: a multicultural planning history, edited by Leonie Sandercock, 120-132. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998.
- Forsyth Ann, 2001 “Nonconformist populations and planning sexuality and space: nonconformist populations and planning practice” Journal of Planning Literature 15 339-358.
- Frisch Michael, 2002 “Planning as a heterosexist project” Journal of Planning Education and Research 21 254-266.
- Doan P L, Higgins H, 2011 “The demise of queer space? Resurgent gentrification and the assimilation of LGBT neighborhoods” Journal of Planning Education and Research 31 6-25.
Architects writing about queer space:
- Colomina, Beatrice, 1992 Sexuality & Space (Princeton Architectural Press: New York, NY).
- Betsky, Aaron, 1997 Queer Space (William Morrow: New York, NY).
Geographers writing about queer space. All edited volumes:
- Bell D, Valentine G, 1995 Mapping Desire: Geographies of Sexualities (Routledge, New York).
- Ingram G B, Bouthillette A-M, Retter Y, 1997 Queers in Space: Communities, Public Places, Sites of Resistance (Bay Press: Seattle, WA).
- Brown K, Lim J, 2007 Geographies of Sexualities: Theory, Practices, and Politics (Ashgate, Burlington, VT).
One book that pops into my head is Gay New York.
I’ve also noticed Metropolitan Lovers by Julie Abraham a number of times and thought about picking it up. Has anyone read it? Any good?
At the risk of shameless self promotion… You should include my new book: Queerying Planning: Challenging Heteronormative Assumptions and Reframing Planning Practice. It has just been published by Ashgate and has a very cool cover. http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9781409428152
this is all very exciting to read! Cannot wait!
Petra: Yes, I don’t I knew your book had come out when we published this post. (I just got it in the mail a month ago!) Petra’s book is the first of it’s kind to be squarely rooted in the field and practice of planning, specifically. Check it out!!
Zakcq: Good question on “Metropolitan Lovers” by Julie Abraham. I read a review of the book not too long ago called “Looking for Lesbians in the City.” It sounds she’s examining the conceptualization of the city and the concecupalization of queer identity as inter-locking trajectories in moden history. The reviewer bills it as super complex and fascinating but sometimes outdated and difficult to understand the author’s intentions. Anyways, sounds worth a read!