“Queer Wales” with Emily Garside

From popstars to rugby players, this episode has all the Welsh queer icons you could want. Emily Garside teaches me about H from Steps, Russel T. Davies, the Ladies of Llangollen and so many other fascinating LGBTQIA+ people from Wales. We talk about whether wondering if you’re queer enough is similar to wondering if you’re Welsh enough and how the prejudice against ‘sounding gay’ relates to sounding Welsh.  

Books by Emily Garside:
Rainbow Wales: Queer Icons Past and Present (Calon, May 2026)
Out of the Box: Queer TV through the Decades (Manchester University Press, January 2027)
Gay Aliens and Queer Folks: How Russell T Davies Changed TV (Calon, 2023)
Seasons of Love: Why Rent Matters (Applause)
You Are My Happy Ending: Schitt’s Creek and the Legacy of Queer TV (Applause)
Angels in America at the British National Theatre (McFarland)
Love that Journey for me: The Queer Revolution of Schitt’s Creek (404 Ink)  

Other References:
Russel T Davies
Ladies of Llangollen
Edward II.
Piers Gaveston
Steps
Ian ‘H’ Watkins
Elliot Page
Luke Evans
Eisteddfod
Cymru
Marquess of Anglesey
Viscount Tredegar
Norena Shopland
Jan Morris’ Conundrum
Ivor Novello
Colin Jackson
Connie Orff
Alun Saunders
Natha Wyburn
Queer As Folk
It’s A Sin
Lisa Power
Section 28
@emigarside (IG)
https://thenerdynotebook.substack.com/
https://emilygarside.com/
Surrey Rainbow Choir 
https://www.rainbowchoir.co.uk/    

Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:

1.      Is there such a thing as a cohesive Welsh queer identity? What are Emily’s thoughts on this and what is her approach?
2.      Emily speaks about parallels between attitudes towards Welsh and queer identities. Which one does she discuss? Is there a facet of your identity that feels similar yet different from your queerness?
3.      What is an eisteddfod? Please look it up if you’re not familiar because we forgot to explain the term in the episode.
4.      Have you ever askes yourself whether you are queer or trans enough? How do we speak about this question in this episode?
5.      Who was your favourite person to learn about in the episode?