Introduction

SUMMARY This paper provides an introduction to this volume by outlining the emergence of lesbian geographies and the contribution they have made to understanding the mutual constitution of sexuality and space. It begins by tracing the development of these geographies from initial studies which aimed to map lesbian neighbourhoods to later work which has drawn on theorists such as Judith Butler, to explore the production and regulation of heterosexual space. It then goes on to situate the papers included in this volume within this literature by outlining their contents and the themes which crosscut them.