A fun and fascinating compendium of LGBTQ+ icons, one for every day of the year, and a celebration of queer history - or as RuPaul would say; Herstory Discover your queer hero and learn something new every day with 365 Gays of the Year, an accessible and fun introduction to LGBTQ+ history through the people that made it.
Carefully curated and thoughtfully researched, author Lewis Laney assigns a person or group of note to each day of the year to form the ultimate LGBTQ+ hall of fame.
Legendary queer icons such as Marsha P Johnson and Freddie Mercury sit alongside lesser known but equally important names such as activist Ren e Cafiero, blood donor Barbara Vick, and Sappho the lesbian poet (who was doing her thing in 570BC).
All have contributed amazing achievements to the LGBTQ+ story. Each month also features one ally - inspiring heterosexual people who have all contributed something significant to the lives of the LGBTQ+ community. People like Elizabeth Taylor who "brought AIDS out of the closet and into the ballroom - where there was money to be raised".
Each entry comprises a short biography plus a brief explanation about why that celebratory date represents an important milestone.
Lewis brings international figures to life (famous and lesser-known) with his witty and uplifting prose which are peppered with little-known facts and accompanied by bright illustrative portraits from the hugely talented Charlotte MacMillan-Scott.
This witty, unique celebration of queer history promises to inspire and empower readers with its wealth of bright stars.
About the Author
Originally from Derbyshire, Lewis Laney headed to the bright lights of Blackpool in his teens and began writing queer fiction. After having his first short story published in The Next Wave: The Gay Times Book of Short Stories (2002) at eighteen, he went on to write for various publications including the iconic music magazine The Face. His first book The Little Book of Pride was published in 2020 and immediately topped Amazon's LGBTQ History category. Lewis works in publishing and lives in London, where he works with local establishments to provide safe spaces for queer meet-ups.
About the Illustrator
Charlotte MacMillan-Scott is a pen and digital illustrator based in the UK. Her lively works explore empowerment, visibility and identity. They are full of bright colours, bold lines and famous characters. She also creates stickers.
Industry Reviews
'A wonderful and fascinating tribute to the people who have changed our world' - Matthew Todd, award-winning author of 'PRIDE: The Story of the LGBTQ Equality Movement'
'An invaluable book to read and to consult' - Peter Ackroyd, author of 'London: The Biography' and 'Queer City: Gay London from the Romans to the Present Day'
'With queer rights yet again under attack around the globe, it's an entirely refreshing change to receive news of a book like 365 Gays of the Year. What Laney has created serves as a timely reminder that while we have always faced persecution from the white, heteronormative, cis-gender, patriarchal establishment, they have not and will never succeed in erasing our identities. 365 Gays of the Year offers 365+1 reasons to get up every day and keep fighting. We're here, we're queer and as long as we have the likes of Laney championing our voices, we will never go quietly.' - Addicted Magazine
