Gay Men's Press
Encyclopedia
Gay Men's Press was a publisher of books based in London
, United Kingdom
. The company published from 1979 until 2006.
Launched in 1979, the publisher was a welcome company for gay writers attempting to get published. The book business had been unwelcoming to such writers, publishing only works of a homosexual nature where they were felt to have a literary provenance. The company published the children's book Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin
in 1983. The book prompted the introduction of the Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988
, which forbade the "promotion" of homosexuality by local government, after the Daily Mail
, a tabloid newspaper, reported that a copy of the book was provided in the library of a school run by the left-wing, Labour
-controlled Inner London Education Authority
.
The company closed in 2006 because of dwindling sales, caused in part by a lack of exposure in the big chain
bookstores.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The company published from 1979 until 2006.
Launched in 1979, the publisher was a welcome company for gay writers attempting to get published. The book business had been unwelcoming to such writers, publishing only works of a homosexual nature where they were felt to have a literary provenance. The company published the children's book Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin
Jenny lives with Eric and Martin
Jenny lives with Eric and Martin , originally Mette bor hos Morten og Erik, is a black-and-white picture book by the Danish author Susanne Bösche, published in 1981 in Danish and in 1983 in English...
in 1983. The book prompted the introduction of the Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988
Section 28
Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 caused the controversial addition of Section 2A to the Local Government Act 1986 , enacted on 24 May 1988 and repealed on 21 June 2000 in Scotland, and on 18 November 2003 in the rest of Great Britain by section 122 of the Local Government Act 2003...
, which forbade the "promotion" of homosexuality by local government, after the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, a tabloid newspaper, reported that a copy of the book was provided in the library of a school run by the left-wing, Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
-controlled Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
.
The company closed in 2006 because of dwindling sales, caused in part by a lack of exposure in the big chain
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
bookstores.