From Hegemonic to Where? The Public Spatialities of Shifting Positionings for Those Who Are Opposed to/Concerned About Socio‐Legal Changes in Sexual and Genders

Abstract

In 21st‐century Ireland, Canada and the Great Britain, significant changes to sexual and gender legislation, abortion access and associated social and cultural life include the legalisation of same‐sex marriage, employment rights, access to abortion and self‐identification/gender recognition. This paper draws on interviews from the Beyond Opposition research to explore the experiences of those who are concerned about and/or actively oppose these socio‐legal changes. We consider participants understandings of themselves as losing power within social relations and the ways in which their positionings can be seen as excluded or marginalised in public spaces. Examining their experiences of public space offers insights into experiences of new power relations, including state sanctions, that contest binaries of marginalisation/privilege. These positions between marginalisation/privilege, illustrate the effectiveness and limitations of framing these views as ‘unacceptable’ in public arenas. Operating between marginal/privileged requires a reworking of these 20th Century paradigms for 21st Century social divisions.