Full story here http://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/display.var.1762264.0.0.php Info about the book here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Entrapped-Mike-Soper/dp/1847481086/
thank you for putting this story here Paul, I hope it does a little better here this man lives about 30 minutes down the road from me and I have the book on order from the library
What a terrible waste of a life. I am glad he found the courage to write his book. I know it is hard for people today but huge progress has been made over the last few decades... Thank God!
Yes - it's an interesting reflection on how things have changed in the last few decades. I'm sure Paul can correct me if I am wrong - but I imagine, if he is 93 now - he would likely have been closing in on retiring age before homosexuality actually ceased to be illegal in the U.K. Makes you think, doesn't it?...
Close... Homosexuality was illegal in the UK until 1967, when it was legalised with very strict conditions (privacy of own home only) for those aged 21+. I believe that because of the strictness and increased awareness, this actually made things more difficult for gay couples (for example the "privacy of own home" bit did not extend to hotel rooms, not even with locked doors). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_Offences_Act_1967 He would have been 53 then, so 12 years off retirement age. So when he was the age of most of us here, gay sex would have been illegal. It was also something that was never mentioned and that many people probably had no awareness of. So he would have felt much more isolated than those struggling to accept their sexuality today. He would probably not be aware of anyone else who felt the same way as him and would not have access to any form of support. Even after 1967, through the 70s and into the 80s it was acceptable for newspapers and other media to publish extremely homophobic and offensive remarks (even though such remarks against people of other races were being made illegal). It was not until 1994, just 13 years ago when he would have been 80, that the age of consent was reduced to 18 and things generally started to improve for gay men in terms of support beginning more readily available and homosexuality not being regarded as a disease. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_rights_in_the_United_Kingdom He would have spent so much of his life either denying his homosexuality or being afraid to come out, that by the time these changes in law and attitude had come about, his way of life would have been so well established that he would probably be very reluctant to make any changes. Indeed from reading the news story, it seems that his coming out was prompted by him being asked about his book rather than him just volunteering the information. At least he felt comfortable enough not to deny it any longer. This does show that it is never too late to come out. But it also shows that the earlier you can come out, generally speaking, the better it is as you don't have to go through the years of denial.
at least he was never technically in denial, since he has been in a relationship for 40 years its safe to say he always knew he was gay, its just a shame that it was illegal for him to openly be himself. (I am glad that this story is being dealt with in a more supportive manner than some others managed )
Yes, I know where you mean.... That's where I found it (having seen it reported in the mods area there) and I thought people here would find it interesting.
it was reported?! I thought people there would find it interesting, a lot of people read it but those who commented chose to attack him