Chapter Queering the agony aunt

Abstract

A discussion of public engagement ‘on the ground’ rather than an idealised account, this chapter demonstrates some of the messiness that shifts in research and encounters with different publics can bring to public engagement projects. It discusses the development of a public engagement activity called ‘Could you be an agony aunt?’ and how it was adapted for different audiences. As the author’s research into the representations of women’s health in women’s magazines evolved to include titles aimed at LGBTQ+ readers, she included examples from these sources in the activity. The chapter reflects on how people responded to this representation in the context of different events, exploring the difficulties of framing public engagement activities for marginalised groups that neither ignore nor replicate the terms of that marginalisation. Taking a reflexive approach, the chapter also discusses the author’s own grappling with the question of what queer public engagement looks like as a queer academic and how the conversations she had with people at these events influenced her perspective. In documenting an ad hoc approach to public engagement, the chapter demonstrates the value in remaining receptive to unexpected opportunities and conversations. However, it also highlights the importance of attending to the audience not just in terms of identity but also within the context of the event and those individuals’ likely experiences of representation or invisibility at similar events.