News / Podcast

Episode eight of the Queer Catch-Up: Science fiction, politics and LGBTQ+ history

By Lowie Trevena  Friday May 28, 2021

In the eighth and final episode of season one of the Bristol24/7 Queer Catch-Up, Kit and Lowie discuss local politics and chat to Cheryl Morgan, a prominent figure of the city’s LGBTQ+ scene.

At the beginning of May, Bristol elected a host of new political figures. Lowie has been asking them what they’re going to do for the area’s LGBTQ+ communities during their term in office.

The pair discuss responses from re-elected Bristol mayor Marvin Rees, who has written an opinion piece on the topic for Bristol24/7, West of England Combined Authority (WECA) mayor Dan Norris and police and crime commissioner (PCC) Mark Shelford.

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Rees acknowledges the way the queer community enriches Bristol, highlighting groups such as Kiki Bristol and Brigstowe, but says that it’s a group that still needs support, especially transgender people.

Labour WECA mayor Norris says that he hopes to connect LGBTQ+ people living in rural areas of the West of England area and Tory PCC Shelford saying “it is priority to support and help anyone who is a victim of crime, including those with protected characteristics”.

Kit and Lowie ask elected politicians what they’ll do for LGBTQ+ people in Bristol and the surrounding areas. Photo: Emily Lloyd

Kit and Lowie discuss the importance of holding elected officials to account and the importance of being hopeful at a difficult time, both for the LGBTQ+ community and in the wider world.

The pair also talk to Cheryl Morgan, Hugo Award-winning science fiction critic and major figure in Bristol’s LGBTQ+ scene.

They chat about representation in science fiction, both in books and in the authors writing them, and being a prominent trans woman not only in Bristol, but across the country.

Cheryl often hosts events on historical figures that can be inferred as LGBTQ+, and the trio discuss how queer history has always been.

Cheryl is a prominent part of the city’s LGBTQ+ scene. Photo: Tusko

Following episode eight, the Queer Catch-Up will be taking a short break. Kit is taking over from Lowie as LGBTQ+ Editor, and the pair need a rest.

They will be back before long, so keep an eye on social media.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Main photo: Lou Abercrombie

Read more: Seventh episode of Queer Catch-Up talks feeling good and Bristol Pride

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