Resumen
Sexile is a type of migration which is mainly motivated by sexual orientation. This article offers an initial study about the form of sexile which takes place in Catalonia between rural areas and the city of Barcelona. Many young homosexual men “escape” from their villages where they cannot openly and freely live their sexuality in order to get to the big city where, under the umbrella of anonymity, they can meet their needs. Although nowadays the rural-urban dichotomy is no longer as relevant as it once was, this article analyses the different elements shaping urban and rural areas and how these intersect with factors related to gender and sexuality, in order to understand the reasons that caused this migration. The collective imagination concerning village and city realities, along with demographic, social and cultural issues, have a significant influence in perpetuating this phenomenon. Sexual repression, the feeling of being controlled and social institutions such as family act as driving factors for these migrations. Nonetheless, visibility, the recognition of sexual and gender diversity, the LGBT community’s settlements and the gay identity promoted by pink capitalism clearly become poles of attraction.