The Light of Day

The first man to come out at the dawn of gay liberation

De: Christopher Stephens, Louise Radnofsky

Narrado por: Christopher Stephens, Griff Mellhuish

'Your book is the "really good book. Just one" that Roger Butler would have wanted' - Sir Ian McKellen

'Miraculous. The Light of Day reclaims a forgotten hero . . . I couldn't put it down' - Will Tosh

'Sir, we are homosexuals . . .'

So began the letter penned by Roger Butler and sent to several British newspaper editors - some of whom were so shocked they thought it was a hoax - in June 1960. Writing such a letter seven years before the decriminalisation of homosexuality was a radical and dangerous move. It was a risk that set a major milestone in the fight for gay rights - one that has been almost entirely forgotten.

This is the story of the first man to come out voluntarily, using his own name, to the entire British public, a decade before activists started petitioning gay people everywhere to 'come out proud'. Taking us through a criminalised underworld of gay pubs, parties and activist meetings, The Light of Day charts how Roger helped bring about the legalisation of homosexuality, but soon found himself marginalised from the movement he kickstarted after losing his sight in his early 30s.

Enter Christopher - a student asked to visit and read to an old, blind man at the beginning of a new century. As their intergenerational friendship bloomed, Roger came to trust Christopher with his most precious possession: memoirs of his revolutionary past, locked away in his home. After Roger's death, Christopher opened a series of unsent letters, left in a pink folder, addressed to him. They contained Roger's final wish, for Christopher finally to bring his remarkable, hidden story into the light of day.

'At times gripping, at times very personal, this remains an important piece of objective history, faithfully recorded and beautifully written' - Matthew Parris

'A compelling read and a fascinating education' - Jill Nalder©2025 Christopher Stephens (P)2025 Headline Publishing Group Limited

Reseñas de la Crítica

Miraculous. The Light of Day reclaims a forgotten hero of the struggle for queer civil rights in a story that is a testament to courage, determination and love across generations. Christopher Stephens and Louise Radnofsky write with tenderness, power and scorching honesty. I couldn't put it down (Will Tosh, author of Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare)

Immersed as I have been in the twentieth century campaign for homosexual equality, I had never known about Roger Butler, nor met anyone else who knew. What he did was quite something, and that today we should be so surprised that it was a shock bears witness to the revolution he helped start. At times gripping, at times very personal, this remains an important piece of objective history, faithfully recorded and beautifully written (Matthew Parris, political writer, broadcaster and former politician)

More than a biography of a shamefully overlooked activist, The Light of Day paints a beautiful portrait of a friendship the gay reader will find instantly familiar and deeply moving. Tender, contemplative, wise, and funny, it fills the heart and then breaks it. Thanks to Christopher Stephens, Roger Butler is seen again (AJ West)

Your book is the "really good book. Just one" that Roger Butler would have wanted (Sir Ian McKellen)

An engrossing, beautiful book about a chance encounter and the unfolding story of a forgotten gay hero! Now, as the rights of people are increasingly under threat, this book is a reminder of the sacrifices that have been made to achieve liberation (Lord Michael Cashman)

Searching, sad and quietly exhilarating, The Light of Day evokes British society's gay enlightenment through the prism of a single remarkable life. More than this, it tells a resonant story of youth, age and the possibilities of platonic love (James Cahill, author of Tiepolo Blue and The Violet Hour)