University of Edinburgh axes queer and trans course
– 2 min read
The University of Edinburgh has come under fire from LGBTQ+ advocates and academics after abruptly cancelling its honours-level course Queer Geographies: Spatialising Sexuality and Gender just one week into the autumn term.
The decision, officially described as a “pause” due to low student uptake, has raised concerns about the marginalisation of queer and trans scholarship in British higher education.
The course, part of the School of Geosciences, aimed to explore how sexuality and gender shape the spaces we inhabit, using queer, trans, and feminist approaches to human geography. Students were reportedly informed during their first scheduled session that the module might be withdrawn, and were later redirected to alternative units.
A university spokesperson stated that the course was paused for the 2025–26 academic year due to insufficient demand, adding that Edinburgh “regularly reviews and refreshes its degree programmes” to ensure quality and relevance. However, the university declined to disclose how many students had enrolled.
Critics argue that the cancellation is part of a broader trend of financial cuts disproportionately affecting minority-focused programmes. Edinburgh is currently grappling with a £140 million budget shortfall, prompting widespread restructuring, voluntary severance schemes, and course closures across departments.
Martin Zebracki, chair of the Space, Sexualities and Queer Research Group at the Royal Geographical Society, warned that the move risks further marginalising LGBTQ+ topics in academia. “Courses like this help students understand social marginalisation and challenge norms — not just in theory, but in everyday life,” he said. “The popularity of a programme should not determine its value. Are other universities going to copy this? It sets a dangerous precedent.”
The controversy echoes similar concerns at Goldsmiths University, where staff redundancies have threatened the future of pioneering MA programmes in Queer and Black History. Dr Justin Bengry, director of the MA in Queer History - the only degree of its kind globally - was made redundant earlier this year, prompting accusations of “cultural vandalism”.
LGBTQ+ students and allies have expressed dismay at what they see as a rollback of inclusive education. “This is more than just a course being dropped,” said one student. “It’s about whose stories and identities are deemed worthy of academic attention.”
