‘Just’ cruising in liberal Denmark: ambiguities at the nexus of queer intimacy and public green area management

Cruising – intimate encounters in public places undertaken by gay men – is a longstanding activity including in green areas. Yet cruising exists in an ambiguous relationship to public green area management norms, which gives rise to environmental justice concerns. We examine distributive and procedural justice aspects at the cruising/green area management nexus in Denmark, a country known for sexual liberalism. Yet cruising-related conflicts nonetheless persist. We shed light on both public manager perspectives and practices that impact cruising around the capital city, Copenhagen, and cruisers’ experiences with, and needs and desires, in relation to green area management. A justice lens reveals distributive injustices, although the desirability of typical forms of procedural justice is less straightforward. A queer ecology perspective also illuminates unexpected commonalities amongst cruisers and managers. Our results clarify ongoing problems and suggest alternatives, not least through recognition of those who challenge norms of where and how intimacy may occur.