Good as You

Overview

The definitive pop cultural history of British gay men

In 1984, the pulsing electronics and soft vocals of Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" would become an anthem uniting gay men. A month later, an aggressive virus, HIV, would be identified and a climate of panic and fear would spread across the nation, marginalizing an already ostracized community. Yet, out of this terror would come tenderness and 30 years later, the long road to gay equality would climax with the passing of same sex marriage. Paul Flynn charts this astonishing pop cultural and societal U-turn via the cultural milestones that effected change—from Manchester's self-selection as Britain's gay capital to the real-time romance of Elton John and David Furnish's eventual marriage. Including candid interviews from major protagonists, such as Kylie, Russell T. Davies, Will Young, Holly Johnson, and Lord Chris Smith, as well as the relative unknowns crucial to the gay community, we see how an unlikely group of bedfellows fought for equality both front of stage and in the wings. This is the story of Britain's brothers, cousins, and sons. Sometimes it is the story of their fathers and husbands. It is one of public outrage and personal loss, the (not always legal) highs and the desperate lows, and the final collective victory as gay men were finally recognized, as Good As You.

Reviews

"Fascinating and entertaining . . . as incisive about gay culture as Caitlin Moran's books are about feminism." —Boyd Hilton, Heat

"One of civilisation's great pop-cultural writers . . . tells the story of some of the most amazing decades in British history." —GQ Style

"Lively, timely and lovingly researched: thoroughly gay, in both the old and the new senses of the word." —Louis Wise, Sunday Times

"Insightful and engaging look at the past 30 years of gay social history in Britain." —Attitude

"Wonderful book . . . sensitively written and well researched. I'm honoured to be included." —David Furnish

Author Biography

Paul Flynn has worked as a journalist for the last 23 years. He began writing at City Life magazine and is currently the Senior Contributing Editor at Love, Features Director at Man About Town, 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, Observer, Sunday Express, and the Sunday Times newspapers.