Not Guilty: Queer Stories from a Century of Discrimination

by Sue Elliot, Steve Humphries

Only fifty years ago, sex between men was a crime. The Sexual Offences Act 1967 changed that in part, sparking a chain of social reforms that altered the face of British society for ever. But it was only the beginning of the long fight for equality in the eyes of the law, in society and in millions of private lives.

This vital new oral history – to accompany a Channel 4 documentary of the same name – tells that story through the lives of gay men who lived through those years. Built around the intimate testimonies of some exceptional but largely unknown characters, it gives voice to previously untold stories of denial, deceit and subterfuge, public pain and secret pleasure through the ten tumultuous decades before and since that watershed Act.

The human variety of gay experience is all here: lives lived in joyous defiance of the law and a repressive society; others always in fear of a prurient tabloid press. Those committed to love and others to licence: lifelong affairs alongside casual sex.

Young gay men may now take for granted the equal treatment denied those who went before. This vibrant celebration of past achievements and hardwon freedoms offers a powerful reminder of how much has changed in the past fifty years, and a warning that hard-won freedoms can so easily be eroded in uncertain times.

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, History, Queer

352 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[charlotte, · Rating 3 out of 5]

spare a thought for willie whitelaw having to explain anal sex to margaret thatcher

[Emily Standring · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not often I read non-fiction, but when I read the blurb in the book shop, I was immediately excited to read it.

This book was so insightful and has made me reflect on a not too distant past for the queer community. My community. Though I recognise that a lot of change still needs to be made, this book is an example of how far England has come in it’s viewpoint as a whole. I also really enjoyed this book as it focused on gay men and addressed aspects of living under that umbrella term that I had never considered because that is not my story. But it’s something I can appreciate.

This book is both painful and triumphant. Really recommend!

[David Gilani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative and frequently touching account of the discrimination faced by queer folk (mostly focused on gay men) over the last century.

The book brings to life what could be a very dry discussion of the progress around the legal aspect of homophobia by involving real stories from gay men who lived and suffered through that experience.

It made me feel very grateful to be born when I did and also angry that there are people who never got to realise their full potential because of the bigotry they faced from others.

[Morgan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a huge insight into what gay life was like in the last century, it comes as no surprise to me that the police made themselves a huge nuisance to the people who probably needed them most.
I've set out this year to read more LBGTQA+ books, fiction and non-fiction alike and this one has started me off on a great path. I'd love to read up on Stonewall and how the US differed from the UK for gays and all LGBT in the past and present.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Both uplifting and heartbreaking, this book chronicles one hundred years of discrimination against gay men, letting men who actually experienced and fought against that discrimination speak. Their stories are absolutely worth hearing, and the authors do a great job placing them in a greater context. It's a fantastic book and again, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Oliver Thompson-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book both inspiring and heartbreaking. It tells the tale of the last 100 years living as a gay man in the UK. The criminalisation, stigma, denial, deceit and the fights back again injustice. Told via the testimonies of gay men who not only lived through it, but played a major but unknown part in getting to where we are today. Their stories are spliced between well written historical context, and make what could have been a very dry read into a very emotional intimate one.

[Athina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of narratives on the history of gay rights in the UK of the last century. The book alternates between personal stories and historical/political events. Nicely written, factual and emotional at the same time, it gives a concise overview on the past and future of the UK gay movement. Totally recommended!

[Caterina Fucecchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a brilliant book to read, especially during pride month. Very insightful, it’s hard to believe how much has changed in a century and it’s enraging to think of how much the gay community has had to suffer (and still suffers) because of so much prejudice.