Queering the ballot: the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and queer vote in troubled times and contexts

Abstract

The literature on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and queer (LGBTQ+) vote has established the constitutive role of sexuality and gender identity in vote choice. However, knowledge about how LGBTQ+ people vote in troubled times and contexts and how their voting choices and rationales relate to and affect conceptualisations and enactments of LGBTQ+ politics remains limited. This article addresses these questions based on Cypriot LGBTQ+ participants’ perspectives. The analysis of material from interviews with and questionnaires completed by LGBTQ+ participants identifies two approaches to voting among participants: voting abstention and LGBTQ+ intersectional voting. I argue that these two approaches to voting show that LGBTQ+ people understand and enact themselves as agents of intersectional social justice and radical political change. Therefore, beyond contributing to discussions about the LGBTQ+ vote, the article demonstrates the importance of LGBTQ+ individuals’ perspectives and intersectionality considerations for a well-rounded understanding of the LGBTQ+ vote and the LGBTQ+ community’s political power potential.