Faire face à la LGBTphobie dans une ville moyenne : le cas de Charleroi

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to improve understanding of the specific mechanisms of LGBT-phobia in the medium-sized city of Charleroi in Belgium and the daily life of LGBT people there. Belgium is considered a liberal country as regards to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). We argue that despite a well-developed legal and policy national framework, prevention of and combat against LGBT-phobia at the local level reflects the socio-economic context of the city. This context has an impact on structures and resources and, as a consequence, on the daily life of LGBT people. In the context of scarcity of resources and socio-economic transition in the city, we find that LGBT people have developed a wide range of strategies to adapt to the local context to avoid LGBT-phobia according to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and social and cultural capital in which the law is not often mobilized.

Keywords

• LGBT
• Discrimination
• Public action
• Hate crime
• Medium cities
• Sexual orientation