Gatekeeping and Homophobia: From Bouncers in Bars to the Macro-social, Interpersonal, and Intrapsychological Practices of Homophobia

There are links between the theoretical construct of gatekeeping and Madureira's conceptualization of homophobia as a boundary phenomenon. The gatekeeping phenomenon exposes the process through which borders and boundaries of social conduct are regulated and maintained. Hence a focus on gatekeeping practices reveals how conduct becomes scrutinized and restricted in crucial gated sites. Following Madureira's model, these gated areas can be identified and analyzed at macro-social, interpersonal, and intrapsychological levels.