RESUMEN
The article presents selected results from the two studies on the everyday life of lesbians and gays in Slovenia carried out in 2004 and 2014. It focuses on the experiences of homophobia and violence and coming out in different social settings. The findings are presented in a comparative perspective with an attempt to identify the main changes in the ten-year period. Although it was expected that the comparative analysis would show an improvement in the situation in the everyday life of gays and lesbians in Slovenia, the results show about the same level of violence against lesbians and gays in the public sphere and an increase of violence in school settings. However, there are more positive narratives from the private sphere, especially within the family, where there are fewer negative reactions and greater acceptance after coming out. Nevertheless, even here lesbians and gays often experience the "transparent closet," a social situation where after coming out they face silence and indifference from other family members. The situation is discussed considering broader social, political and cultural changes that have happened in Slovenia in the last two decades, including continuous attempts by conservative actors to re-traditionalize Slovenian society.
RESUMEN
The article deals with the comparison of the characteristics, experiences, and perceptions of everyday life of gays and lesbians living in rural and urban areas of Slovenia. We focus on the following thematic aspects: (1) coming out; (2) intimate partnerships; (3) the access and the use of gay infrastructure; and (4) violence against gays and lesbians. The article also addresses and discusses the urban/rural divide as a Western construct that might not be completely applicable to other social and cultural contexts. Taking Slovenia as an example, this article questions the self-evidence of rural/urban divide as an analytical concept. On the basis of our research, we conclude that this concept requires continuous revisions and reinterpretations in a concrete social and cultural context(s). The characteristics of gay and lesbian everyday life either in rural or in urban context in Slovenia lead to the conclusion that even within a specific social and cultural context, the concept of urban/rural divide should be used carefully, taking into account complexities of everyday lives and various factors that influence them.