Lesbian collaborative web mapping: disrupting heteronormativity in Portugal

Abstract

Public spaces are constructed around hidden, subtle, non-verbalized and implicit codes of behaviour. These hidden and implicit codes of behaviour are pervasive heteronormative expressions that inscribe socio-spatial landscapes. As a consequence, same-sex public displays of affection are modified, or entirely absent. In the Portuguese sociocultural context public displays of heterosexual and familial affection are common, which prompted us to research how lesbians and bisexual women negotiate same-sex displays of affection in public spaces. The article begins by examining: the co-production of space, gender and sexualities; the pervasive invisibility of lesbian sexualities in public spaces; and the potentialities of participatory geospatial web that connects geographic location to photographs, text and other media shared online. The second half of the article presents the research project ‘Creating Landscapes’. It is argued that a collaboratively created web map by lesbians with positive public space experiences may promote agency and empowerment for lesbian and bisexual women. The article concludes by arguing that creating and sharing collaborative web maps of positive experiences of same-sex public displays of affection can disrupt heteronormativity and create public spaces that are empowering for lesbians and bisexual women.

La cartografía colaborativa lesbiana en la web: desestabilizando la heteronormatividad en Portugal

Los espacios públicos se construyen alrededor de códigos de comportamiento ocultos, sutiles, no verbalizados e implícitos. Estos códigos de comportamiento ocultos e implícitos son expresiones heteronormativas ubicuas que inscriben paisajes socioespaciales. Como consecuencia, las demostraciones públicas de afecto entre personas del mismo sexo son modificadas, o totalmente ausentes. En el contexto sociocultural portugués, las demostraciones públicas de afecto heterosexuales o familiares son comunes, lo cual nos llevó a investigar cómo las mujeres lesbianas o bisexuales negocian las demostraciones de afecto entre ellas en los espacios públicos. El artículo comienza examinando: la co-producción de espacio, género y sexualidades; la invisibilidad ubicua de sexualidades lesbianas en los espacios públicos; y las potencialidades de la red participativa geoespacial que conecta los lugares geográficos con las fotografías, los textos y otros medios compartidos online. La segunda mitad del artículo presenta el proyecto de investigación “Creación de paisajes”. Se argumenta que un mapa en la web creado colaborativamente por lesbianas con experiencias positivas en el espacio público puede promover la agencia y el empoderamiento de las mujeres lesbianas y bisexuales. El artículo concluye sosteniendo que crear y compartir en la web mapas colaborativos de experiencias positivas de demostraciones públicas de afecto entre personas del mismo sexo en espacios públicos puede desestabilizar la heteronormatividad y crear espacios públicos que sean empoderadores para las mujeres lesbianas y bisexuales.

女同性恋者的协力网络製图：打断葡萄牙中的异性恋常规

公共空间围绕着隐晦、微妙、无法言喻且间接的行为编码所建构。这些隐晦且间接的行为编码，是铭刻社会空间地景的普遍异性恋常规之表现。同性恋情感的公共展现，因此是经过修饰的，或是全然不存在的。在葡萄牙的社会文化脉络中，公开展示异性恋与家庭情感非常的普遍，促使我们研究女同性恋及双性恋女性如何协商公共空间中的同性恋情感展示。本文首先检视空间、性别与性的共同生产；公共空间中女同性恋性慾的普遍不可见性；以及将地理位置连结至网络上分享的照片、文本及其他媒体的参与式地理空间网络之潜力。本文后半部分呈现名为“创造地景”的研究计画。本文主张，由女同性恋者协力生产的有关正面公共空间经验的网络地图，或可提升女同性恋和双性恋女性的能动性及培力。本文提出以下论点做结：创造并分享同性恋公众展现情慾的正向经验的协力网络地图，可以断开异性恋常规，并创造得以培力女同性恋和双性恋女性的公共空间。

Keywords::

• lesbians
• collaborative web mapping
• heteronormativity
• sexual orientation
• public spaces
• Portugal

Palabras claves::

• lesbianas
• cartografía colaborativa en la web
• heteronormatividad
• orientación sexual
• espacios públicos
• Portugal

关键词::

• 女同性恋者
• 协力网络製图
• 异性恋常规
• 性倾向
• 公共空间
• 葡萄牙

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all participants for their time and willingness to contribute to the research. We thank the anonymous reviewers for their excellent suggestions, helping us to focus and to clarify our arguments.

Notes

^1. For simplicity we will use the term ‘lesbians’ to refer to both lesbian and bisexual women, given that the results do not differentiate between them.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eduarda Ferreira

Eduarda Ferreira has a PhD in Geography from New University of Lisbon, a master degree on e-Learning Systems Management and a degree on Psychology. She is a researcher in e-GEO Centre for Geographical and Regional Planning Studies, and a member of Space, Sexualities and Queer Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society. She is a founding and editorial board member of LES Online – Digital Journal on Lesbian Issues, a member of the scientific and organizing committee of European Geographies of Sexualities Conference in 2011 (Brussels) and 2013 (Lisbon), and she was a member of the National Implementing Body of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All (2007).

Regina Salvador

Regina Salvador has a PhD in Geography from New University of Lisbon, a PhD in Economics by the London School of Economics and Political Science and is Full Professor and Coordinator of the Geography and Regional Planning Department at the New University of Lisbon. Regina is also a researcher at e-GEO, Centre for Geography and Regional Planning Studies and IDE (Institute of Spatial Dynamics).