Beyond the Queer Village: Lived Experiences of Queer of Colour Belonging and Space-Making

This PhD examines how Queer, Trans, Black People of Colour (QTBPOC) in European cities form, negotiate, and rework urban space in contexts shaped by their systemic invisibility and marginalisation. Dominant narratives of Western “queer utopias” obscure ongoing structural inequalities while constructing queerness as predominantly white and Western, thereby rendering QTBPOC identities impossible. These dynamics not only marginalise QTBPOC individuals within broader society but also shape their experiences within both predominantly white queer spaces and cisheteropatriarchal racialised communities, where belonging is often contested. In response, QTBPOC communities have developed strategies of resistance, notably through the creation of separate spaces that foster safety, solidarity, and collective identity. While existing scholarship has explored these dynamics in Anglophone contexts, less is known about how such processes unfold in continental Europe, particularly in cities lacking clearly defined queer neighbourhoods. This project addresses this gap by focusing on Belgian cities (e.g. Antwerp, Leuven, Ghent, and Brussels) as interconnected regional hubs. It investigates how QTBPOC individuals use spatial practices that combine physical environments with digital platforms to produce alternative forms of belonging and territoriality. Particular attention is given to the performative dimensions of space-making, including the use of sound and symbolism. Methodologically, the research employs a critically informed, participatory ethnographic approach, incorporating walking interviews, participatory mapping, photography, and sensory documentation. It also engages reflexively with the ethical challenges of researching communities that depend on partial invisibility for safety. By foregrounding community agency, the project seeks to document the hybrid infrastructures of QTBPOC life while allowing participants to determine the limits of visibility.