Justin Bengry designed and led the world’s only MA in Queer History at Goldsmiths, University of London, from 2017 until 2024. Even as his appointment as the UK’s first lecturer in queer history signaled an important moment in the development of queer history in the UK, the field remains fraught with challenges from within and beyond the academy. Queer historians face attacks on specialisation from their own institutions, while on social media we are caricatured and condemned. But it is precisely for these reasons that an inclusive and critical queer history is more urgent than ever. Drawing from these experiences, this talk will reflect on the state of queer history in the UK and the challenges we face going forward.