The Gay Village

The Gay Village

A gay village (also known by its English word gay gay village or town) is an urban area with generally recognized boundaries where the population is mostly or at least a high percentage of people, the collective LGBT: lesbian, gay, transgender and / or bisexual. Such neighborhoods also often contain a number of establishments in the environment as gay bars, gay clubs, saunas, restaurants, bookstores or other businesses geared to this audience.

These sites represent an oasis of tolerance in the often hostile cities. Its spaces are used by gays and lesbians to socialize and express their feelings freely without having to be aware of who is watching them and to make public their cultural expressions. In places or times where homophobia is prevalent these places are considered a form of “ghetto "gay.

Manchester is one of the most gay-friendly destinations in the United Kingdom. Today's gay neighborhood has been admired by millions of people who listened to the first version of the popular television series Queer as Folk. Manchester's gay district is centered on Canal Street. It is especially here that one finds a multitude of bars and clubs for gays and lesbians. In the evening, Canal Street is literally invaded by clubbers, but also the curious who like the lively districts.

History

In the 20's was generalized term ghetto to describe the segregated areas for different groups enabled the majority of society considered outside the norm, including poor, racial minorities, gays, bohemians and prostitutes. Although the concept of separate quarters and had put in place for religious minorities since the Middle Ages such as the Jewish quarters , Christian neighborhoods in Muslim countries.

These ghettos were located in districts often deteriorated inner cities, often crowded where sexual minorities could gather anonymously. From this point of view, these spaces were created marginal areas because of homophobia in the community and heterosexual majority, but otherwise providing security for sexual minorities and gender. Remember that at that time in most countries were in force laws for the repression of homosexuality. For this, specialized gay communities ...