The Light of Day

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

Christopher Stephens, Louise Radnofsky

$34.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Headline Press
26 August 2025

Biography: general; True stories; Social & cultural history; Social discrimination; Gay & Lesbian studies

In June 1960, several British newspapers received a letter so shocking some thought it was a hoax. Beginning 'Sir, we are homosexuals . . ', it was signed by Roger Butler and two others.

Publishing such a letter seven years prior to the decriminalisation of homosexuality was a radical and dangerous move. But it was a risk that marked a huge milestone in the fight for gay rights. By the 1970s, the Gay Liberation Front was calling on people to come out to help reduce stigma, and it continued to be a core tactic in the 80s and 90s. Roger, however, had done this a full decade earlier. This is the story about of first man to voluntarily come out in his own words, using his own name, to the entire British public.

Taking us through a criminalised underworld of pubs, parties and campaign gatherings, The Light of Day charts how Roger helped bring about a change in the law, legalising sex between men, but soon found himself marginalised from the movement he kickstarted after becoming completely blind in his early 30s. Worn down trying to navigate life afresh in London, he left for Oxford, where he became increasingly isolated and never found the life partner he so desperately wanted.

Enter Christopher - an Oxford University student asked by a friend to visit and read to an old, blind man. Though their intergenerational friendship bloomed, Roger never spoke of his revolutionary act. Instead he wrote about it secretly, leaving his account to Christopher after his death, along with a sealed pink folder. It was in that folder that the Roger revealed his final wish, for Christopher to tell his remarkable story.

A hugely moving and powerful story about sexuality, disability, friendship, isolation, love and more, The Light of Day is a vital piece of missing history about a brave revolutionary in the fight for equality.

By: Christopher Stephens, Louise Radnofsky
Imprint: Headline Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 232mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 38mm
Weight: 500g
ISBN: 9781035421534
ISBN 10: 1035421534
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 26 August 2025
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Christopher Stephens (Author) Christopher Stephens is an academic based in south west London. He is also CEO of an educational charity that promotes research into issues of importance to contemporary society. He has published on a range of topics, from ancient church history to language and practices relating to diversity and inclusion. Christopher's book The Light of Day made use of the extensive materials left to him by Roger Butler, the first man to come out as gay as a political act, and reflects on his shared life and friendship with Roger. Louise Radnofsky (Author) Louise Radnofsky is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal in Washington, D.C., where she has covered healthcare, the White House, immigration and, currently, sports. She holds two degrees in modern history from Oxford, where she attended University College, and one from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She and Christopher have been friends for more than 20 years.

Reviews for The Light of Day: The first man to come out at the dawn of gay liberation

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 Shines a light on a forgotten milestone in LGBT history and a gay man of great courage who came out publicly in the press when homosexuality was still punishable in Britain by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment -- Peter Tatchell, LGBT+ campaigner 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 A compelling read and a fascinating education. The Light of Day is an important piece in the jigsaw of gay history * Jill Nalder, actress, activist and author *