Beyond Straight Lines: Affective Geographies of Young Queer Men in Cyprus

Abstract

This thesis investigates the affective geographies of young queer Cypriot men in Cyprus, a geopolitical context characterized by unresolved ethno-national divisions, where heteronormativity is deeply entrenched in nationalist discourses, and political and institutional regimes. While existing queer geographies scholarship frequently defaults to Anglo-American metropolitan contexts, this research seeks to contribute to efforts of decentring queer geographical scholarship and argue that the lack of formal gay infrastructure in (semi)peripheral contexts does not translate to a lack of queer lives and ecosystems. As such it asks: How is heteronormativity constituted, felt, and affects how queer Cypriot men express their sexual orientation in different places in Cyprus? How do queer Cypriot men navigate, find, or create places in Cyprus so they can express their sexual orientation and gain a sense of belonging? Drawing on scholarship from queer geographies and phenomenology, this study employs semi-structured interviews with nine queer Cypriot men. The findings reveal that the parental home often operates as an atmosphere of surveillance, that extends into the public sphere, often requiring queer Cypriot men to deploy self-censorship tactics and compartmentalize their erotic lives. To find a sense of...