Discretion and Daring

How do you affirm and express yourself when who you are, and who you love, is unaccepted, censored, even illegal?

Writing and drawing comics is something that you can do on your own. Comics can be made with just ink and paper, then shared with others like you in print. In this way, generations of queer people have made graphic narratives to defy oppression and share their lives, stories and dreams.

In England and Wales, sex between men was a criminal offence until 1967. Life was difficult for other queer people too, although there were no laws against them, because their existence was barely recognised by the state.

The first creators of queer comics worked at a time when comics were thought to be suspicious. In UK law they were potential “harmful publications”. Both queer media and comics were censored. Still, some creators were determined to make queer comics, either in secret or cleverly disguised.