Queer Economic Geographies: Sexual Hegemony, Queer and Trans Work, and Homocapitalism

Abstract

While queer and trans perspectives and theories are significant themes in most areas of critical human geography today, the same cannot be said of economic geography. This paper argues for the importance of theorising the relations between non-normative sexualities and gender identities in economic geography. This argument builds on research in feminist economic geography and beyond about the centrality of cisheterosexuality to the economy and structures of capitalism. I show how queer and trans geography and feminist economic geography have already contributed to research about the relations between non-normative sexualities and gender identities and the economy, then outline three queer economic geographies as examples of how economic geography might further engage with sexuality beyond cisheterosexuality: (1) sexual hegemony; (2) queer and trans work; and (3) homocapitalism. Together with existing research on the economy in queer and trans geography, these queer economic geographies—each touching on concepts central to economic geography—contribute further to our understandings of how non-normative sexualities and gender identities can be theorised in economic geography.