This thesis studies the experiences of queer adults in Hamilton, Ontario with sense of
place and migration. Fourteen (n=14) individuals who self-identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ were interviewed over Zoom between 2022 and 2023, all of whom had moved to Hamilton but lived
in Canada immediately prior to moving to Hamilton. This study applies an interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA), informed by the geographic and phenomenological literature,
which is appropriate to a small number of cases and attends to context and intersubjectivity. Each interview was analytically coded for dominant themes in an individual’s migration timeline, with special attention paid to their gender and sexual identity and how they relate to other people and places. Collective analysis of the interviews yielded three different perspectives on these participants’ experiences: embodiment as it relates to spatiality, sense of place, and migration decision making and barriers. The results of this thesis contribute to existing literature on lived experiences of gender, romantic, and sexual minorities (GRSM) and sense of place research. Together, they challenge dominant understandings of sense of place with a holistic perspective on how space is lived phenomenally. They also challenge discursive narratives of queer friendly or unfriendly spaces, highlighting the nuance in individual perceptions of various spaces and the importance of past experiences and social connections in these perceptions. Among the material circumstances that precondition queer migration decisions are housing affordability, safety, and community. I conclude by emphasizing how important these considerations are in the current and immanent political climate in which queer individuals are increasingly precariously visible, making further research on this subject crucial. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis studies the experiences of queer adults who have moved to Hamilton, Ontario.
Fourteen (n=14) individuals who are queer (2SLGBTQIA+) were interviewed over Zoom and
asked questions regarding their experiences with gender and sexuality, the places they had lived
in before Hamilton, and how their moving process to Hamilton went. They were also asked
about their overall feelings and connections they held toward various places in Hamilton, which
together are referred to as ‘sense of place’. The interviews were recorded and examined both
individually and together for important themes related to sense of place and migration. Most participants felt positively about their experiences moving to and living in Hamilton, were optimistic about their future in the city, but also didn’t expect to remain in Hamilton for the long
term. This thesis ultimately contributes to the existing research on queer people, migration, and
sense of place by offering a careful in-depth treatment of a small number of cases, as well as finding interesting data about how queer individuals move through their worlds and navigate barriers to their mobility.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/30308 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Towle, Caris |
| Contributors | Newbold, K. Bruce, Geography |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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