The Only Gay in the Village? Everyday Life of Gays and Lesbians in Rural Slovenia

• Published in: Journal of homosexuality Vol. 61; no. 8; pp. 1091 - 1116
• Main Authors: Kuhar, Roman, Švab, Alenka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 01-01-2014; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Adult; coming out; Conceptualization; Culture; Everyday Life; Female; Focus Groups; gay infrastructure; Gays & lesbians; homophobic violence; Homosexuality; Homosexuality, Female - psychology; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Lesbianism; Male; Rural Areas; rural gays and lesbians; Rural Population; rural/urban divide; Rurality; same-sex partnerships; Slovenia; Social influence; Sociocultural Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Urban Areas; Urban Population; Villages; Slovenia; rural gays and lesbians; homophobic violence; gay infrastructure; same-sex partnerships; Slovenia; rural/urban divide; coming out
• ISSN: 0091-8369; 1540-3602
• DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2014.872492

The article deals with the comparison of the characteristics, experiences, and perceptions of everyday life of gays and lesbians living in rural and urban areas of Slovenia. We focus on the following thematic aspects: (1) coming out; (2) intimate partnerships; (3) the access and the use of gay infrastructure; and (4) violence against gays and lesbians. The article also addresses and discusses the urban/rural divide as a Western construct that might not be completely applicable to other social and cultural contexts. Taking Slovenia as an example, this article questions the self-evidence of rural/urban divide as an analytical concept. On the basis of our research, we conclude that this concept requires continuous revisions and reinterpretations in a concrete social and cultural context(s). The characteristics of gay and lesbian everyday life either in rural or in urban context in Slovenia lead to the conclusion that even within a specific social and cultural context, the concept of urban/rural divide should be used carefully, taking into account complexities of everyday lives and various factors that influence them.