A map of affects in motion

Spaces, memory and friendship in the life paths of older lesbian women

Abstract

This article examines the friendship practices of older lesbian women in the city of San Sebastián. Specifically, the study focuses on the analysis of the experiences these women shared in certain cultural-political, leisure and party spaces that were significant for them in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. These spaces served as catalysts for relationships that extended beyond the night and became vehicles for identity and community.  We explore the relationships and affective networks that emerged through these encounters and physical spaces, focusing on their symbolic and material consequences, examining how they have changed to the present day, and how this map of practices shapes their politics of intimacy, care, and the organization of affective life. For this purpose, we present findings from interviews with nine older lesbian women who have built their lives in San Sebastián, examining certain friendship practices that may challenge heteronormativity through their ways of living, experiencing, and reflecting on their relationships. Issues related to time management, the adaptation and transformation of bonds throughout life, and strategies for enjoyment and care within their networks help us paint a picture in which friendship is both political and a catalyst for resistance to dominant norms. We also explore the influence of political participation and certain social spaces on the creation and maintenance of their current networks. In this way, we can understand how certain spaces facilitate the creation of meaningful, complex, and evolving bonds, especially within the LGBTIQ+ community.