ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of the book. It provide concrete, relevant and directly-applicable planning and policy perspectives for how planners can improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, whether they reside in queer spaces or not. It goes beyond the queer space by examining less well-studied queer neighborhoods that are primarily gay male spaces. It examines the ways in which LGBTQ populations outside traditional gay villages organize themselves and make demands for better and safer urban environments. It also explicitly considers the ways that cities and planners can improve the experiences of the wider LGBTQ community by including people of color, recent immigrants, and lesbian women. It also examines the concept of intersectionality and considers how it can be usefully applied in planning for the needs of LGBTQ people. The book also address the interplay between health and social activism within the municipal arena.