Professor Kirsti Bohata

What aspects of LGBT+ history do you explore in your research? 

I am researching LGBTQ+ literature from Wales, particularly the queer Victorian fiction of Amy Dillwyn, and am editor of a new book of queer Welsh short stories from Wales entitled Queer Square Mile. https://www.parthianbooks.com/products/queer-square-mile-hardback

How, in your opinion, did the situation of the LGBTQ+ community change through the beginning of the 21st century?

Abolishing section 28, creation of equal marriage (and equal civil partnerships) are all important changes.  In academic and literary circles there has been a flowering of queer work, by writers like Mike Parker, Norena Shopland, Daryl Leeworthy and others.  LGBTQ lives have always been lived in Wales, but now we can see them much more clearly and celebrate them in all their diversity.

How do you think the allies can help the LGBTQ+ in earning real equality?

I’m no expert here.  Listening to LGBTQ+ people and pressure groups, and understanding what structures continue to inhibit equality.  These will often overlap with other areas of inequality for other groups.

How can we fight all phobias?

I am troubled at the moment by the promotion of moral equivalence between attitudes rooted in prejudice, fear or hatred and those which are based on equality and a framework of human rights.  I’m also troubled by the quality of discussions on social media.  Bigotry needs to be refuted, but changing minds won’t happen via verbal attacks.