A Gay History of Britain

"Covering nearly a thousand years from the Norman Conquest to the Internet age, it is a history rich in personalities, not only public figures like Richard Lionheart or Derek Jarman, but also little-known individuals such as 'Eleanor', a cross-dresser in Chaucer's England, and Mark Partridge, branded a 'mollying bitch' in eighteenth-century London. A Gay history of Britain tells their stories against a shifting historical background of changing laws, fluctuations of popular prejudice, and unexpectedly influential events, such as the coming of the railways." "Drawing on a wealth of research, the authors - each an expert in his field - have worked closely together to deliver a highly-readable narrative. Broad in its coverage but nuanced in its detail - including never-before-seen illustrations - it is an eye-opening exploration of the many different ways in which British men have expressed their love and desire for one another."--Jacket.