Subverting sexuality: gay men and the battle over sexual hegemony in England and Northern Ireland, 1970-1991

Abstract

This thesis analyses the experiences and activism of gay men in the UK, from the early-1970s through to the early-1990s. It represents an expansive comparative examination of gay life and activism between England and Northern Ireland. By concentrating on the interplay of gay geographies beyond London with those of the capital, it is part of a developing trend that restores the actions of gay men outside the capital to the historical narrative and offers new insights into the relationship between forms of gay activism and the response of the state to gay men at local, regional, and national levels.

Through an examination of three key themes – media, healthcare, and housing – the thesis makes key interventions into modern queer historiography. This PhD positions itself as part of a wider recent trend within its sub-discipline which seeks to highlight queer histories of the UK from outside of London. To do so, it adopts a comparative approach, examining the interactions between the state and gay groups on the key themes in both England and Northern Ireland, a geographic region which has received comparatively little scholarly attention. In addition, this thesis suggests that, despite the different local or regional responses of gay activists to state repression or indifference, the activism which came out of the gay community during this period represented tangible and meaningful resistance to domination by a state that was, on the whole, hostile to homosexuality. As such, this thesis offers an understanding of a repressive, hegemonic, sexuality promoted by the state, as well as a myriad of different forms of counterhegemonic resistances developed and encouraged by gay activists in the areas of media, healthcare, and housing.

Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2029.

Date of Award	Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Sponsors	Northern Ireland Department for the Economy
Supervisor	Kieran Connell (Supervisor) & Tom Hulme (Supervisor)