Terms
Use of the terms “gay ghetto” and “gay village”
The terms “gay ghetto” and “gay village” are applied to many cities around the world in which the proportion of LGBT residents in certain districts is considerable. Generally these terms suggest that the district in question:
- a. has many services and companies aimed at LGBT visitors and residents
- b. has a large population of LGBT people
At the moment there is no need to apply these terms to districts in Helsinki due to the negative connotation attached to these terms and also to the fact that Helsinki’s districts lack the required corporate culture or the adequate size of the LGBT population. HeSETA ry agrees with this stance.
Glossary
- LGBT = lesbian, gay, bisexual, transvestite/transsexual/transgender
- HeSETA = Helsingin seudun SETA ry,
Helsingin seudun SETA ry (HeSeta) is the local Helsinki Region chapter of SETA ry (“Sexual Equality Association”), a Finnish NGO that works to improve the social position of sexual minorities and transgenders.