In his review of 30 years of gay, pop culture, Paul Flynn begins with an auspicious moment in 1984 and the confluence of two, groundbreaking songs.  “Smalltown Boy” by Bronksi Beat and “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, were released in the same year.  The former was an achingly beautiful take on the pressures of a young, gay man confronting his limited, and potentially dangerous, realization of his sexuality in the confines of an unwelcoming community.  The latter, a forceful anthem that celebrated out, loud gay sex in anthemic lyrics championed the very idea of gayness.  For those of us in young adulthood at the time, it seemed like a double-gift.  This was the second British music invasion and carried as much cultural weight, or more, than the first.

During this period, Manchester surpassed London as the center of gay culture that was new, confrontational and affirming.  Much of the reaction in the culture was rooted in response to Margaret Thatcher’s odious promotion of Clause 28, which prohibited any “promotion” of homosexuality.  Sound familiar? 

Many think of gay Manchester as embodied in “Queer as Folk..”  Flynn posits that the show was what ruined the edginess of the city.  While gay characters kept popping up on “EastEnders” and “Coronation Street,” two wildly popular British programs, it was “Queer as Folk” that pushed the boundaries.  Now it seems quaint that such subject-matter was so controversial.

Flynn is unflinching in his support of certain public figures and condemnation of others.  Some were surprising.  Kylie Minogue, who is Australian, became a U.K. sensation and seems like the most self-effacing and affirmative celebrity to ever warrant endless attention.  Madonna seems like a coarse bitch.  Holly Johnson, the “Frankie Goes to Hollywood” frontman is deemed overt, while the Pet Shop Boys were covert in channeling their gay sensibility.

As a veteran in the publishing industry, Flynn recounts many pivotal moments when the advertising and entertainment industries began to embrace gay culture.  The section on Marky Mark’s Calvin Klein underwear ads was interesting in its frank assessment.   It portrayed a straight man as an object of gay desire but also spoke to the culture of rent-boys and the appeal of “trade” in the gay community.  Interestingly, this interest in sculpted, worked-out bodies in Britain usually meant the public assumed you were an escort.

The ascent of reality TV, beginning with “The Real World” on MTV, was another touchstone.  Pedro Zamora’s story in 1994 provided a stunning portrayal of a young, gay man, who is HIV-positive, and his interactions with a random group of housemates.  It moved everyone with his deeply personal story.  Though the early days of “Big Brother” provided other notable characters that entered the public consciousness, it seems that venue of acceptance has been exhausted.  Reality TV has now morphed into a cesspool, where the only gay characters seem to be presented as filler, never representing an original voice.

There are many examples of the cross-pollination of gay culture into mainstream pursuits. One of his excellent examples is Robbie Rogers, a gay footballer, whose journey is telling.  There are so many stories to tell and Flynn only covers 30 years.  However, the rapidity of change in 30 years is stunning. 

It is a credit to Flynn that he can weave together stories from so many realms and create a highly readable narrative history.  It is a really terrific work and written with aplomb.

Biography

Paul Flynn has worked as a journalist for over two decades. He began writing at City Life magazine in Manchester and is currently the Senior Contributing Editor at Love and a columnist for Attitude and Grazia. He has previously been a contributing editor and writer at i-D, Pop, Dazed, Fantastic Man, The Gentlewoman and GQ Style and has written for the Guardian and Observer, Sunday Express and the Sunday Times newspapers. He lives in London.

Published by EBURY PRESS and available globally via Amazon

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