Chapelle de la Trinité

  

For my second visit, I thought it would be without justice if I didn’t visit any of the churches here in Lyon, questioning those spaces for their queerness. Thus, I decided to visit the Chapelle de la Trinité. I had been here once before with my architecture course from last month, and was so taken aback by the space. Chapelle de la Trinité is apart of a school building in Lyon around the Hôtel de Ville area. It is not that easy to get into, and luckily the people from my last visit recognized me and allowed me back into the space. The “church” has been hollowed out and is now used for musician events. The ceiling and much of the original Baroque decoration remain, including the front stone altarpieces and golden sun near the entrance. The space, with the marble flooring and ornate décor is just gorgeous (one might even call it a little gay in there).

I wanted to negotiate this space for its queerness specifically because of its modern identity. That is, the space has been transformed from its original purpose as a holy space to a musical venue. The comparison alone is really interesting: a church has such specific energy governing where and how someone enters within it. When entering one of these churches, it would be for a number of reasons, but it would all center on someone seeking communities, or salvation, or even penance. The space called on you to stand in awe or fear of it. The visiting of a church is one of rigid standing and hushed tones. While a musical venue could best be described as its antithesis. You are encouraged to roam there; music and laughter fill more space than the air itself. The body is free to move explosively and passionately. Turning this space of confining worship and religious community into a space of boundless bodily expression and a new, modern community is somewhat ironic. This transformation is seen further, and more meaningfully, by this space also being used to exhibit art. In particular, this art is rendered in a religious Medieval Christian-esque style with the subjects being those you would not have found during the Dark Ages: Refugees. Rendered here in this style, these portraits decenter the harmful ideas that surround someone who is a refugee. Even more, these are now holy characters, symbols of family, faith, and community. They are divine, like they always have been but now validated and forced to been seen with the reverence and compassion they deserve.

When I was walking the now massive nave, avoid of its pews and bibles, I couldn’t help but imagine how many other queer people, both modern and Medieval peoples, had entered this space. My research asks this very question applying it to current churches. Spaces like this reveal the very essence of what I hope to unravel and demonstrate: That queerness and religiosity are not two-ends of a spectrum, but rather as interwoven as all others aspects of identity and self. I could rest easy in the fact that I know that I was not the first queer person in this space. I might have been one of the few and first opening queer persons, which is sad in a way, but to know that regardless of whatever law or hateful people would revel to see me and people like me extinguished, we persist.

Librairie à Soi(e)

 

To say that I simply adore books is an understatement. Libraries and bookstores have always felt like places separated from the rest of the world. Pockets from the noise of everything. A place where you can go to rest or escape into an adventure of any kind. Naturally, I sought out a bookstore and visited Librairie à Soi(e). The store is women-owned, and features a plethora of French books, including some that we’ve gotten familiar with, like Colette. The interior was comfortable, and I could just imagine myself cozying up to a nice book there.

There was one section of the bookstore, the back corner, which was dedicated to not just questioning gender norms, but questioning gender norms with child. That is, this section was French books for children were the topics related to understanding what being queer means and how to understand where you fall on that spectrum. It was so cool to see such a section in this bookstore. It’s just a reminder of how important and easy it is to introduce these topics to children. I imagine if I had had books like these, that features queer themes in them, how might that have helped me understand myself? For me as a kid, books were safe spaces, so it made me incredibly happy to see so many safe spaces on one shelf.

Pulling away from the corner of the bookstore to the very front, on display were these gorgeous pieces of art, made in the likeness of vaginas. Next to those, were cards which also features vaginas on the front. Being queer, there is this liberation and control in embracing sexuality. In embracing something that others have always told you to keep quiet or hidden, as if ashamed. Here, among the many books about sexuality, gender exploration, and an openness to the reality and beauty of anatomy (decoupling the hyper sexualization of certain body parts), Librairie à Soi(e) felt like a queer space. There is nowhere else, aside from queer spaces, where you’ll find ceramic vaginas greeting you as you checkout. There is humor and acceptance there. More spaces like this, which makes room for those topics or people that are told to stay quiet or out-of-the-way are needed. I couldn’t recommend going here enough.

Meltdown eSports Bar

 One of the things I was most looking forward to when studying abroad was finding the eSports scene in the area and more specifically the smash tournaments in the area. In my home town helping host and organize the tournaments has been one of the best ways to make new friends and a community of people with a shared interest and passion so I was excited to find that here in Lyon too. 

The first place I found was an eSports bar called meltdown and despite the larger smash tournament scene in Lyon being very active, meltdown seemed to be one of the smaller tournaments in the area and I was mostly hoping I'd be able to use it as a jumping off point for larger events. However, I was quite wrong in my initial judgments of the space. Each week the bracket has around 36 people and everyone that I've talked to here has been amazing too. 

Meltdown is also one of the few places that I've seen a pride flag as well so it was nice to immediately find a queer space even when it's not what I was initially looking for when trying to find tournaments in the area. It's a very queer friendly space with a really wide range of people who come here both for smash and just to hang out. 

Spaces like these are really neat because they attract such a wide range of people around a common interest regardless of who you are.  This is especially true for queer people because it can offers an environment where everyone is just there to have fun around something that we all know and love. That's not always easy because even within LGBTQ+ centers it can lack a common interest besides just being queer so it can hard to bond with just that alone but when you go to a smash tournament, you know you have something that you can both talk about together regardless of any other lived experience. 

This is even true for the straight people that're there too and for some it's their first real interactions with a queer person. While it's not the responsibility of queer people to always educate them, it can be a really good opportunity that would not exist otherwise.

Le Petite Salon

 

Contrary to queer friendly spaces however, queer centric spaces serve as a designated place for queer people to socialize and exist without having to worry about getting hate-crimed for misinterpreting someone's body language. That's why gay and lesbian bars are really important for queer people because it's a space that's just ours as opposed to just being a space that we're "allowed" to be in. You know everyone there is gay or otherwise queer so you don't have to worry about that before talking to someone. 

And that's been a big part of how my interactions at the two types (queer friendly vs queer centric) of spaces have differed because although well intentioned, queer friendly in action doesn't actually mean much of anything since the bars are not necessarily responsible for the people that attend them. So despite a "queer friendly" atmosphere, that little nagging at the back of your head telling you to be careful and to pay close attention fo body language doesn't really go away. You're one misread gesture away from the disapproval of a straight person and even if there's other queer people there, they're usually just as paranoid to act as you. 

That's pretty much my experience when going out to places like Le Petit Salon. A queer friendly club that I found individually and wanted to go to as part of the field blog assignment. The building had a really interesting layout with multiple rooms for different types of music each having their own distinct vibe so you could find wherever you preferred and enjoy the music. Overall I thought the space was really neat but admittedly, I don't know if I'll go back. 

Not a single thing was wrong with the place and the music was fine and the drinks (for educational reasons of course) were fine too. I just had a very hard time immersing myself in the space because, at the end of the day, queer friendly and theoretically safe space, just did not at all seem like it was for me. I was just a guest and I'm not one to overstay my welcome.

Notre-Dame de Fourvière

 

At first, I was planning to visit Sales Gloss Ink for my second field study, but as it happened to be closed, I had to think of another option. I then decided to do something completely different from my first chosen locations and made the trek all the way up to La Basilique de Fourvière. There was something extremely fascinating about taking the LGBTQIA+ analytical eye and applying it to something historically constructed for the Catholic Church; especially since religion has such a huge impact on the lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals, since it is commonly used to delegitimize the rights that queer people are entitled to. 

Looking up at Fourvière is always a wonder. The beautiful basilica, constructed in the 19th century with a Romanesque architectural style, truly captivates the eye. On the outside, it is well lit and stands beautifully aglow (both day and night). Walking in, your eyes are drawn through the center, where you are engulfed in detailed gold accents and a contrast of cool and warm tones. Rich gold tones reflect within the blue, and the candlelit ambience adds on to the beauty. Its beauty is unarguable, yet its history is questionable.

I always find myself reflecting on my views on the Catholic religion while visiting churches, for my experiences as a queer individual in Catholic school and how common it is for members of the Catholic Church to speak negatively about the LGBTQIA+ community, do not always reflect on it highly. It is also worthy to note the differences between the relationship between the church and the LGBTQIA+ community within the USA and France. 

In effect of the political turmoil going on in America, I have been hearing a lot of politicians use religion as a mean to justify hateful laws and beliefs surrounding women and LGBTQIA+ rights. Since then, it has been hard to keep the belief the church has over queer identities out of my mind, especially in the states. As we discussed earlier in class, France does seem to have more of a handle on keeping religion and politics separate, or at least the idea of being “universal”, making it seem as though it is safer for members of the community. However, there are indeed churches in America that accept queer individuals and have pride flags hanging outside of them. In France, I don’t believe that the hanging of pride flags around churches is very common. It is also important to note that as of now, I have not had many discussions with French citizens on the subject! 

In addition, I feel as though many queer people who grew up with some sort of influence from the Catholic church hold tension around the subject. Since France has a very strong Catholic influence and history, it is important to remember the way that the LGBTQIA+ community has been treated within those times, and how fragments of that ring true today. 

Blitz Bazar & Galerie

 

My first stop on my field study was the Blitz Bazar & Galerie, around the Hôtel de Ville/Croix-Rousse area. I had walked this area time and time and again, yet have never made my way into this particular area. Some of my favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and art galleries can be found nearby, so I was thrilled to discover more. Going into this experience with an analytical eye, I was immediately scoping out the connection this store had with the LGBTQIA+ community. When first approaching Blitz Bazar, it seems like a hip store that sells little trinkets, not necessarily in association with the community. Outside on display, you’ll find funky plates and glassware, pitchers shaped like lemons, a vase shaped like a butt, and more items in the similar realm. There are lots of colors everywhere, and it is clear that the store supports local and independent artists with creative and colorful eyes. One thing I immediately noticed about the outdoor decal was that there were no pride flags or any symbols that directly tied this store to be a dedicated space for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Walking in with a first glance, I continued to notice various trinkets such as stickers, posters, plates, jewelry, vases, pins, etc., all in various shapes and colors. It was then when I began to notice that all around the store were figurines in the shape of very muscular men, who wore pretty sexual attire. There were figurines of men in jockstraps, stripping their clothes, wrapped in towels, and more of the variety. They were all described as “bears” which is a classifying term in the gay community, commonly used to sexually categorize and describe gay men who are physically built and hairy. Around the store, I found many posters, art prints, books, and magazines that highlighted gay relationships. I first picked up “BUTT” magazine, which is a magazine directly described as “a magazine for homosexuals”. This magazine is dedicated to sharing queer stories and featuring gay relationships and most commonly uses photos of naked men. Most if not all of the photos were tied to sex. The book that I picked up (which gave very strong Robert Mapplethorpe vibes) was similar. Every page featured queer individuals (mostly men) in various poses, either by themselves or with partner(s), continuing to visualize the sexual experience and liberation of queerness. 

There are many ways in which art like this serves the LGBTQIA+ community. It alludes to sexual freedom and queer liberation, and is able to tell a lot of stories of LGBTQIA+ history through photo documentation. That being said, these were the only aspects and items in the store that I found directly tied to the community. Firstly, they primarily only focused on gay men. In none of the work that I looked at did I find much representation of the diversity within queer individuals. Granted I did not look at everything, I did pick up what was primarily on display. By only focusing on the sexual intimacies of gay men, the works felt dismissive of other members of the community and felt, in a way, oversexualizing since they were only looking at gay men through a sexual lens (which isn’t uncommon). This brought to mind our class discussions where we mentioned the underrepresentation of lesbian stories, yet using them as vessels to portray homosexuality. However, the art was beautifully composed and I did learn a lot through reading some of the articles in the magazine. It is always nice to see queer representation, and it was also nice to know that places like this exist around Lyon. 

In comparison to the US, I feel like this particular location can be pretty commonly found there as well. A lot of the artwork felt similar to some that I have seen in America, but I also believe that the ambience of places that would carry similar inventory would be different.

In conclusion, visiting Blitz Bazar & Galerie did bring up points that I believe would make interesting class discussions, specifically centering around the question if whether or not being gay and part of the LGBTQIA+ community is commonly oversexualized. I would definitely recommend checking this place out! Especially if you are a lover of funky furniture and appliances.

L Bar and Basilique de Fourvière

  

While exploring what places I wanted to write about, I knew I had to stop at the L bar to see what it was like. L bar is the only lesbian bar in Lyon. When I heard that there was a lesbian bar, I was fairly surprised, as most places do not have bars that cater strictly towards queer women, so I was determined to go check it out. It is conveniently located just a few blocks away from the Hôtel de Ville metro stop. As with most bars in Lyon, it is not very big, having a small inside area that looks to be dedicated to gathering or dancing primarily, where the actual bar is located. The outside area has a few tables with string lights set up, this is where I sat to try and get some breeze. As I went fairly early in the afternoon, there were not many people there, just myself and two other woman at another table. Something I noticed in regards to what I have learned about French culture, is that it is not noticeably a queer bar from afar. This seems normal to French standards, as the bar fits with the other bars on the street uniformly, just like how LGBTIA+ people are expected to conform into the rest of French culture without being too outwardly queer. The atmosphere in the bar was welcoming and comfortable. The bartender was very personable and asked me about my life in Lyon and how I was settling in. She also told me a bit about her life her, as well as running a bar with her wife while also having children. It was overall a wonderful experience. The one disappointing thing I noticed was that it was not as well frequented as both the other bars on the street and as other gay bars I have been to in Lyon, even at this time. It goes to show how queer women are often pushed aside in the community to cater towards queer men due to most of the queer community still existing within the patriarchy. Overall, it was still a wonderful experience and I hope to come back before I leave to experience the bar at its fullest. 

 

I started out my field day in the Basilique de Fourvière. Since Roman Catholicism plays a significant role in both my queer experience, and the experiences of French LGBTQIA+ people, I thought that visiting a church of some might be beneficial. The basilique is a grand church overlooking the city of Lyon from the hill of Fourvière. The church and the outside constrasted greatily with the bright sun and white exterior of the church and the dark wood and gold accents of the inside. When stepping inside, I was in awe of the grand woodwork and painting as seen in the photo taken. The atmosphere in there felt larger than life and extremely extravagant. This church in particular holds a lot of significance to the LGBTQIA+ community in France as it demonstrates the power and hold the Catholic Church has over French society, that even though the government and country might be secular, a main tourist attraction of Lyon continues to be a church. It relates back to French history in regard to the LGBTQIA+ community because it shows how long the Catholic church has been in power in the country and the influence it has always had, which can be shown through the phrase of referring to the hill of Fourvière as the hill that prays. This differs from the way religion affects the United States. While the U.S. is very affected by religion in the country, it is not affected primarily by one sect, just Christianity in a broader sense, while in France, Catholicism affects most parts of French life and culture. This hold religion has on the culture can be seen in many of the readings and histories of the authors we have studied so far. It relates to me because I grew up in an extremely Catholic environment and I know personally how the Catholic faith affects people within the LGBTQIA+ community. I do recommend going to visit the Basilique. Though it is beautiful, it is also an important part of history and culture in France, and that history and culture will always include LGBTQIA+ people. 

 

Comparison of 2 Gay Bars

 The L Bar vs La Chapelle Café

                                The L Bar                                                La Chapelle Café

I had already been to these two bars more than once, but going back with the specific lens of either bar serving the LGBTQIA+ community in a specific way made the experience completely different.  The first time I visited the L Bar and the La Chapelle Café, it was the weekend before Pride, and both bars went all out with their lights and decorations.  The L Bar didn’t seem to change too much, compared to visiting this last weekend.  There may have been less tabletop décor, but it was a minimal change for Pride.  La Chapelle Café, however, had rainbow lights outside the bar where the blue and purple ones are in the image above.  One thing was for sure about these two bars, however: it was beyond obvious that these were queer spaces.  The L Bar took every opportunity to remind me that this was the first lesbian bar in Lyon (and some sources said only lesbian bar in Lyon), and La Chapelle Café had the flags and lights going crazy the first night I was there.  While La Chapelle Café brought it down a bit more after Pride Month, the L Bar did no such thing.

             The L Bar gave off intimate and personal vibes.  The tables and chairs were all close together, and there were only about four bar stools, encouraging patrons to sit with other people, either inside or outside.  This particular bar was not on a main road, but on a side street off the main road.  Therefore, the neighboring businesses either weren’t busy or were closed.  This meant an almost completely empty street…until you got to this bar.  The gentle glow of the wall lights hanging lights outside and the plants growing from the ceiling gave the impression that this was something of a hidden gem, something that maybe not everyone knew, or had even heard about.  The soft chatter of the patrons and some unexpected loud laughter from a table somewhere off in the crowd gave me that unexplainable feeling of a family-like community. 

            I got the impression that The L Bar was The Place To Be for some of the people there.  Several patrons sat and talked and laughed as if this was a regular occurrence, as if that was their typical seating arrangement, as if they knew the staff personally and by name.  It was a strangely isolating feeling, though I knew that places like this are needed in the LGBTQIA+ community.  That feeling did not linger, however, as talking to the bartender with my friend who didn’t speak French all that well was not as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be.  The bartender was incredibly patient over the noise and language barrier, and we ended up having a great time.  When I went over this past weekend, it was a similar experience.  There were fewer people there than the last time I had been there, but that was to be expected, as that first weekend was the one before Pride, and this last visit was the weekend right after Bastille Day.  Still, even with the lack of a full house, the bartender was still incredibly understanding and helpful, and as I sat there, alone, sipping my beer, that feeling came over me again.  The one of acceptance and community and mutual understanding and experience.  I would imagine that this is the exact purpose The L Bar serves in the queer community in Lyon: belonging and understanding.

            La Chapelle Café was definitely different.  The first time I went there, they were clearly a gay bar with the rainbow lights and the fact that several of their patrons were men who looked to be on dates with other men.  When I went this past weekend however, the vibe had shifted.  I’m not sure if it was to do with the month and said theme or if it’s because of the Bastille Day timing, but it didn’t feel as much of a space for the queer community as it did the first time.  I honestly don’t have much to say about this bar.  The last time, it just felt like a bar.  There were some people trying to dance on the small, cleared space inside, there were groups of people sitting outside at tables, people standing and talking to friends, it just felt like the other bars I had been to.  I have a feeling that this bar specifically advertises itself as queer during Pride month but slides back into heteronormativity afterwards.  So, during June, I would say that it serves the queer community in Lyon quite well but doesn’t serve said community after that month is over.  It's still advertised as a gay bar, but I didn’t see much evidence of that when I was there this past weekend. 

            With the United States, I feel like both of these bars are represented there are well.  There are definitely bars in the U.S. that feel like a small community of queer people and it feels like a cozy, homey place to be on a Saturday night.  But there are also bars that only express their queer roots and patron-base during Pride Month, and then backs off after that month is over.  I honestly liked both bars, however I do think that they serve different purposes.  Both places are good to go if you want to have a good time and have a drink with your friends, but The L Bar is going to be more inclusive, in my opinion.  La Chapelle Café is definitely fun, but if you’re looking for an explicitly queer bar, going there in June is your best bet.

word count: 940

French public figures accuse new minister of homophobic comments

 

French public figures accuse new minister of homophobic comments

- LGBTQIA+ in recent news..

Read article here

July Field Assignment 2022

 Hello July USACers!

Looking forward to Lyon field observations!

Jennifer