Understanding gender and sexual politics in hospitality as Hospo-gender

Abstract

This editorial introduces the idea of Hospo-gender, a new understanding of ‘hospitality as gender and sexual politics’; the theme of this Special Issue which covers how gendered relations are conveyed in hospitality. The rationale for the Special Issue is discussed, followed by an outline of gender research in Hospitality & Society and beyond, before the contributions of the four papers in this Special Issue are highlighted. The four collectively illustrate how the diversity of hospitality settings and the complexity of gendered social relations shape hospitality expressions in the home and at work. The authors reveal how markers of gender and sexual identity can change social interactions in significant ways, depending on the organizational and national context. In conclusion, the editorial defines the features of Hospo-gender and presents aspirations for future research.