Homemaking and mobilities among LGBT people : an interview with Andrew Gorman-Murray

What does home mean in the life conditions, prospects and trajectories of LGBT people? In my earlier work on home and homemaking for LGBT people, I found that home was quite significant for them in particular ways that may differ from heterosexual people, particularly young people growing up in the family home and then coming out, who may feel they did not fit in their family home, where it might have been traumatic to come out. So, for LGBT or queer people it might be important to find or make a location to call home later in life, as adults. As scholar David Eng (1997) said, we should not underestimate the homing desire of LGBT people, as they might always have felt out of place in their family of origin. Maybe not in all ways, but in terms of sexuality. Obviously, home is important for all people, but I think it is a particular issue for LGBT people. In essence, finding a location where you can be yourself is important.