Paper short abstract:

This paper aims to shed light on political practices and everyday life in the spacial context of the ‘Rosa Lila Villa’, the first Viennese LGBT community centre that celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2017 – a place that was and still is meant to be a ‘home’ for gays, lesbians and transgender people

Paper long abstract:

In early 2016 when the café of the Viennese LGBT community center, 'Rosa Lila Villa', has been closed this event has been discussed intensively within the local LGBT population: LGBTs who were coming of age in the 1980ies/90ies remembered this place as one of the few places where they always had felt unquestioningly welcome, while younger LGBTs claimed that they would miss the café's acknowledged cuisine. The collective lament about the loss of the café however largely covered up the fact that gastronomy was only a component of the political and social project, pursued by the center's activists. Established in 1982 in a run down structure by gay/lesbian squatters the 'Villa' has never been meant to only serve coffee for LGBTs but also and to a greater degree to provide legal advice and counseling, space for political activism and an empty building to initiate a gay/lesbian residential community. Yet these facets of LGBT activism substantially fell into oblivion - partly because of the community's diversification, partly because of its depoliticization. But these facets of activism are upheld - yet by a new generation of 'queer' activists who are focusing new inequalities and challenges and maintaining the idea of creating a 'home' for the 'community'.

Based on interviews with activists and the analysis of primary materials the paper aims to shed light on the day-to-day life and the political practices in the special context of the center with special attention to the aspect of maintaining a home for the community.