Some theoretical implications of gay involvement in an urban land market

Abstract

This paper examines the theoretical significance of gay involvement in the gentrification of a New Orleans neighborhood. A narrative describing three sets of events that were crucial in the neighborhood's transformation is presented and analyzed. These events featured key actors who were gay men but who represented a complex configuration of interests. Contrary to expectations, those most active in advancing gay community development were gay speculators and developers, while those most resistant to promoting a gay political and social agenda were gay neighborhood activists. The role of state actors is seen as relatively minimal. These findings suggest that, in some land markets, the class interests of those who treat land as a financial asset can be facilitated by forming cross-cultural and cross-class alliances with gay communities. Because gay involvement in the neighborhood was overwhelmingly that of males, the study further suggests that gay community development can, under certain circumstances, facilitate, rather than undermine, the economic and social dominance of males in the urban environment.