New Books Network Kevin Guyan, "Rainbow Trap: Queer Lives, Classifications and the Dangers of Inclusion" (Bloomsbury, 2025)
Jul 5, 2025
Kevin Guyan, a researcher and Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, dives deep into the complexities of LGBTQ inclusion in his latest book. He discusses how everyday classifications shape queer identities and the constraints they impose on marginalized communities. The conversation explores the superficiality of corporate inclusivity claims, the tensions in dating apps, the impact of representation in film, and future directions in queer studies. Guyan advocates for breaking free from restrictive labels to envision a more inclusive future.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
The Rainbow Trap Concept
- Inclusion can demand LGBTQ people conform to predefined categories to enter institutions.
- This 'rainbow trap' limits which queer lives are valued and restricts possible queer futures.
Comprehensibility Shapes Inclusion
- Inclusion depends on who is comprehensible to decision-makers and who is excluded by rigid category definitions.
- Some LGBTQ identities get erased when institutions define inclusion narrowly.
Safety Tied to Classification
- Police hate crime laws and immigration classifications both decide who is safe or vulnerable.
- People falling outside neat categories risk exclusion or danger due to rigid systems.