On 21 July 1967, the Sexual Offences Act received Royal Assent. Although the Act only partially decriminalised homosexuality and included several conditions, its importance cannot be overstated. Prior to the Act, queer men could be the victims of harsh prison sentences or cruel blackmailers who exploited the draconian laws. Despite these dangers, however, life for these men still continued. In fact, in Britain there had existed for many centuries a vibrant queer subculture, particularly in London.
For historians these stories can often be difficult to piece together. Due to the illegality, many people chose not to write about their experiences at all, lest it be discovered and used as evidence. Those accounts that do exist are found across disparate sources, from diaries and letters to newspapers and paperback fiction.
Now,…
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All About History (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 150