"Post-Gay" Yet? The Relevance of the Lesbian and Gay Scene to Same-Sex Attracted Young People in Contemporary Australia.
In recent years, the lesbian and gay "scene" of bars, nightclubs, and dance parties has been undergoing a structural decline in many Western cities. This article aimed to examine the relevance of the scene to same-sex attracted young adults amid these changes. An online survey was conducted with 572 same-sex attracted young women and men in Sydney. Only a minority of respondents participated in the scene at least weekly (16%), and the majority did not regard the scene as important to their leisure time (60%). However, respondents valued the scene as a space to connect with other same-sex attracted people and display same-sex affection without fear of hostility. Lesbian and gay identified respondents tended to be more socially engaged with the scene compared to other same-sex attracted respondents. The findings suggest that while the scene continues to be valued by many same-sex attracted young people, improved social attitudes have made participating in the scene less of an imperative.
a Centre for Social Research in Health , UNSW Australia , Sydney , Australia.
Toby
T
Lea
John
J
de Wit
Robert
R
Reynolds
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
bisexuals; community; gay men; lesbians; licensed venues; night-time economy; post-gay; scene