The Way We Are Now: gay and lesbian lives in the 21st century

by Ben Summerskill

'We are complicated; we are a weird, beautiful, wise, stupid, vulnerable, dangerous form of life. Outsiders simply learn to recognise this picture of humankind sooner than the rest.' - Sir Antony Sher 'People describe me as over the top, but nobody's ever told me what the top is I'm supposed to be over.' - Maggi Hambling 'I have a strong sense of having ridden on the hard work and struggle of a lot of people who were more committed and clear-sighted than I ever was.' - Alan Hollinghurst The arrival of civil partnership in Britain in 2005 was welcomed with a Sun editorial celebrating the forthcoming wedding of Elton John and David Furnish. Beneath the headline 'Gay Pride' the newspaper - once doggedly hostile to homosexuality - claimed the event would 'lend a touch of stardust' to modern Britain.


The Way We Are Now is a compelling account of the way the world has been transformed for millions of gay people within a generation. Lesbians and gay men discuss their lives and work with remarkable candour. A proportion of the royalties will be donated to Stonewall.

Genres: LGBT

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2006

Reviews

[Sophie (RedheadReading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anthologies always end up being a mixed bag, as you'll never agree/like all the differen points of view presented. It was interesting to read a variety of outlooks from many different backgrounds which show the multiplicity of gay and lesbian experience. I'm reading this nearly 15 years after it was published, so there have been political and cultural changes in that time, which may have altered each contributors' outlook, but it was an interesting snapshot of that moment where civil partnerships became an option.