Gay ghetto
Gay and lesbian culture is largely urbanized. A gay village (sometimes called a gay ghetto) is usually an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries where a large number of gay and lesbian people, as well as bisexuals and transsexuals live, and usually contains a number of gay bars, clubs and pubs, restaurants and businesses.
Such areas may represent gay-friendly oases in otherwise hostile cities, or may simply have high concentrations of gay residents or businesses.
The term "gay village" derives from New York City's Greenwich Village, one of the best known and the scene of the Stonewall riots.
Gay villages around the world
- Barcelona: El Gaixample, also around Universitat metro
- Boston: South End
- Chicago: Boystown & Andersonville
- Fort Lauderdale: Wilton Manors
- Houston: Montrose
- London: in Soho, centered on Old Compton Street.
- Los Angeles: West Hollywood, Silver Lake
- Madrid: Chueca
- Manchester, England: Canal Street and surrounding streets.
- Mexico City : La Condesa, Zona Rosa
- Montreal: Le Village gai (rue Ste-Catherine, centered on Beaudry metro)
- New York: Greenwich Village, Chelsea
- Paris: Le Marais
- San Francisco: The Market District, esp. the Castro; Christopher Street
- Tokyo: Shinjuku ni-chome
- Toronto: Church and Wellesley
- Vancouver: West End, Davie Village
- Washington, DC: Dupont Circle
Furthermore, several towns, particularly resorts, are known as primarily gay areas, for example Key West, Florida; Saugatuck, Michigan; Provincetown, Massachusetts; Fire Island, New York; Mykonos, Greece (one of the Cyclades); and Sitges, Catalonia, Spain. Many such resorts welcome their gay tourists and have many facilities for them, but some do not appreciate the attention (for example, Lesbos, Greece).
See also The Village People.
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