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  • Published: 15 March 2018
  • ISBN: 9780552778404
  • Imprint: Black Swan
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 400
  • RRP: $29.99

Straight Jacket




A groundbreaking and controversial book which explores contemporary gay and bisexual culture and asks if gay people are as happy as they could be. Todd explores why statistics show a disproportionate number of gay people suffer from mental health problems, and why significant numbers experience difficulty in sustaining meaningful relationships. It is a call-to-arms for society to protect and nurture young people, regardless of their sexual orientation.

'This is an essential read for every gay person on the planet' - Elton John
'A really brilliant and moving read for everybody, especially LGBTQI+ people' - Olly Alexander, star of It's A Sin

Straight Jacket is a revolutionary clarion call for gay men, the wider LGBT community, their friends and family. Part memoir, part ground-breaking polemic, it looks beneath the shiny facade of contemporary gay culture and asks if gay people are as happy as they could be - and if not, why not?

Meticulously researched, courageous and life-affirming, Straight Jacket offers invaluable practical advice on how to overcome a range of difficult issues. It also recognizes that this is a watershed moment, a piercing wake-up-call-to-arms for the gay and wider community to acknowledge the importance of supporting all young people - and helping older people to transform their experience and finally get the lives they really want.

WINNER BOYZ BEST LGBT BOOK 2017
SHORTLISTED FOR THE POLARI BOOK PRIZE 2017

'Insightful, inclusive, clever and engaging' - Jeremy Langmead'Utterly brilliant' - The Guardian

  • Published: 15 March 2018
  • ISBN: 9780552778404
  • Imprint: Black Swan
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 400
  • RRP: $29.99

About the author

Matthew Todd

Matthew Todd is the editor of the UK's bestselling gay magazine, Attitude. In 2011 he was named Men's Magazine Editor of the Year by the British Society of Magazine Editors and Stonewall Journalist of the Year. In November 2015 he won Editor of the Year in the Men's Brand Category at the British Society of Magazine Editors Awards.He has written for national newspapers, including the Guardian, Observer, Telegraph and Sun. He appears regularly on tv and radio and is a regular seaker at conferences and events, including the Terrence Higgins Trust HIV Prevention CHAPS conference. He lives in London.

Praise for Straight Jacket

I recommend it to everyone I meet. I've bought 15 copies to give to people. In my opinion it should be on every teacher's reading list. Whoever you are - especially if you are straight - go and buy it now. It could help change your life and the world around you.

Rankin (photographer, director)