On Sat., Oct. 23, Queer to the Left hosted a meeting at Gerber/Hart Library, 1127 W. Granville, that looked at how LGBT communities are affected by gentrification. The event was marked by a showing of the documentary Flag Wars, followed by an open discussion.
Flag Wars was originally shown on PBS in June 2003. The movie details the changes that occur in Olde Towne East, a historically Black neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, that is defined by its classical homes, most of which are in need of extensive restoration. This need has brought new buyers, predominately gay white men, into the neighborhood. Needless to say, this development brings out tensions regarding race, class, and homophobia. Viewers witness clashes between those who are losing their identities and those who want to establish theirs. By the way, the title of the documentary comes from the gay-liberation flags displayed in front of these newly purchased homes of gay residents.
After the showing, people talked about a variety of topics. Among the subjects discussed was how, much like the longtime neighborhood residents in the film, people are seeing their areas lose their meaning—primarily because of what large businesses see as golden opportunities to expand. This loss of identity translates to favorite local stores and bars being replaced by chain stores, resulting in a more homogeneous city.
At the meeting, Queer to the Left also had copies of 'gentrification keywords' that represent various ways of thinking and that show how misleading some terms can be. For example, 'affordable housing' is shown to be exactly the opposite for most people who live in Chicago.
Queer to the Left is a Chicago-based political group that is involved with housing issues regarding the LGBT community.