This paper seeks to make an intervention into a number of debates about contemporary cities and city-spaces. In particular, we want to explore the interrelationships between the global cities thesis, discussions of new forms of urban citizen and citizen-spaces, changing forms of urban governance and the production and consumption of ‘gay space’ in cities. Our key focus is the impact of the ‘new urban order’ on sexualised spaces in cities. These spaces, we want to suggest, are caught between imperatives of commodification and ideas of authenticity.