Montreal’s Gay Village: The Story of a Unique Urban Neighborhood Through the Sociological Lens

The Gay Village in Montreal is a vibrant and unique neighborhood born in the 1980s. It serves as the locus of much of the social life of LGBTQ persons, and is the site of many celebrations including annual pride activities such as the Divers/Cité arts and music festival, Community Day, and the Pride parade. As a result, it has become a popular draw for tourists from around the world. Montreal's Gay Village explores the neighborhood from a variety of vantage points and attempts to answer many salient questions about its origins, name, residents, and more: When and why did the Village emerge as a gay neighborhood? Where did it get its name? Who are the residents of the Village? Is the Village primarily a space for gay men, or is it open to a diverse group of people? Is it truly a village, or is it a ghetto-and what are the differences? Is it a safe neighborhood to live in and visit? How do LGBTQ persons, tourists, the media, the city, and the tourist industry view the Village? Does the Village have a future as a viable gay neighborhood? This scholarly profile explores the answer to these and many other questions regarding this unique, internationally known community.