Abstract

As evidenced by feminist geographies, decisions to make lesbian, gay and bi/pansexual relationships visible are complex, as they involve different space representations and identity practices performed in different contexts. The purpose of this article is to examine the experiences of such couples, in this case, living in gated communities or condominiums in Santiago, Chile. By doing so, it explores whether-and how-the experiences of individuals with greater economic capital differ from those of others in terms of the ways sexual and gender diversity is expressed and negotiated in urban spaces. To achieve this goal, we present the results of 24 cases, wherein life histories were gathered through in-depth interviews with lesbian, gay and bi/pansexual people who live with their partners in seven cities of different sizes in Chile. Through a comparative analysis between couples who live in condominiums and those who do not, we can discuss how differences in economic and cultural capital can produce dissimilar experiences of visibility, compared to those couples studied in upper class neighbourhoods of the Global North. To achieve this goal, we present the results of 24 cases, wherein life histories were gathered through in-depth interviews with lesbian, gay and bi/pansexual people who live with their partners in seven cities of different sizes in Chile. Through a comparative analysis between couples who live in condominiums and those who do not, we can discuss how differences in economic and cultural capital can produce dissimilar experiences of visibility, compared to those couples studied in upper class neighbourhoods of the Global North. What is most relevant in Chile, is lesbian, gay and bi/pansexual couples' capacity to make public spaces 'familiar' to avoid discrimination present in urban public spaces. But in the case of condominiums these personal strategies to privatize public spaces, transforming them into places where equality -and not difference- is the most relevant element of inclusion. Consequently, these couples within gated communities enjoy some sort of 'half-visibility', which still perpetuates different forms of discrimination present in the country.