Executive summary
The “Queer Mobilities and Spatial Practices in Brussels” research project addresses these gaps by asking how queer identities influence the way people move around and experience the city. As the first academic study in Brussels in this field, it has two main goals: (1) to understand how queer residents navigate public space and daily travel, and (2) to imagine and visualise more inclusive futures through artistic and mapping practices. The research team, led by VUB Mobilise Research Group, consists of interdisciplinary researchers with backgrounds in sociology, civil engineering, and urban planning. Notably, all researchers identify as queer themselves, fostering a deeper understanding of the community's experiences.
Following a literature review, we conducted five focus groups with queer residents of Brussels. Participants drew maps of their daily routes and shared the feeling related to these movements. Local queer visual artist Mathilde Cominotto recorded these conversations through live illustrations. We worked closely with local organisations such as Grands Carmes, the Rainbow House, and the Brussels Queer Film Festival (Pink Screens 2024 edition), helping to reach a wide range of participants and co-create a collaborative map of queer-friendly spaces. Additional interviews were conducted with groups whose voices are often less visible, including older adults, migrants, and parents.
The results show that moving through the city involves constant decisions shaped by how people experience different spaces and the people around them. Three key findings stand out: perceptions of gender influence travel choices; there is no single queer experience and feelings of belonging are linked to different aspects of identity; and greater visibility of diverse queer perspectives is needed. Decisions about clothing, transport modes, routes and timing often serve as strategies for safety and comfort. Mobility planning should therefore focus not only on transport infrastructure, but also on visibility, intersectional experiences, and the importance of supportive community spaces.
Why it matters
Brussels is a hyper diverse city where public space and mobility are central to urban life, yet not everyone experiences the city as equally safe or welcoming. Although policymakers are increasingly interested in making public spaces more inclusive, LGTBTQI+ perspectives are often not considered. Queer residents and visitors, especially those facing multiples form of discrimination, face specific challenges when moving through the city, particularly if they are perceived as visibly queer. These experiences shape where, when and how people travel, affecting their sense of safety, well-being and access to the city.
By mapping and discussing queer mobility experiences in Brussels, this research helps fill an important knowledge gap. It highlights both the challenges people face and the strategies they use to protect themselves while expressing their queer identities in the public space. The findings support policymakers and mobility actors in developing more inclusive transport systems and public spaces, while broadening the debate beyond safety alone to include visibility, representation, belonging and the right to the city.
Project objectives
Objective 1: Identify key factors and map queer everyday mobility experiences and spatial practices in Brussels.
Objective2: Analyse how intersecting identities shape queer mobility experiences
Objective 3: Translate research insights into accessible, engaging visual outputs and actionable recommendations to support more inclusive mobility policy and public space planning.
Key findings
Key finding 1: Queer mobilities are complex and context-based. Everyday travel involves constant decisions about routes, transport mode and behaviour depending on where, when, and with whom someone is moving around the city.
Key finding 2: (Queer) visibility affects how people move. Being seen or perceived as visibly queer can be a positive experience but can also create a tension between self-expression and feeling safe or comfortable in public space.
Key finding 3: Safety depends also on the social environment. Feeling safe is shaped not only by infrastructure but also by who is present, such as large groups, male-dominated spaces, or signs of hostility.
Key finding 4: Time and season make a difference. Time of the day, season, and transport choices can affect comfort and perceived risk.
Key finding 5: There is no singular queer experience. Age, migration background, parenthood, gender identity, and other aspects of identity shape how people experience public space.
Key finding 6: Belonging is shaped by everyday interactions. Spaces feel welcoming or excluding based on repeated experiences, group behaviour, and subtle signals. Inclusive queer spaces are often limited and temporary, and long-term physical spaces are limited, especially for queer women.
Key finding 7: Emotions play a key role. Mobility is influenced not only by transport systems, but also by feelings such as comfort, joy, alertness and perceived risk, with consequences for wellbeing and autonomy.
Key finding 8: Perceived gender shapes mobility decisions and experiences. People perceived as women more often experience sexism and gender-based harassment, while people perceived as men are more likely to face homophobia when visibly queer.
Key finding 9: Cycling carries different meanings. For some people perceived as men, cycling was a form of self-expression or a political choice. For people perceived as women, it served as a coping strategy, offering speed and protection from harassment.
Project partners:
Grands Carmes asbl/vzw and RainbowHouse Brussels
Output
Slides of the final event
More info
Reach out to Charlotte Van Vessem, Juliana Betancur Arenas, or Imre Keserü.