Between Worlds

Book excerpt: A man's own story from the Rhondda.Jeffrey Weeks was born in the Rhondda in 1945, ofmining stock. As he grew-up he increasingly felt anoutsider in the intensely community minded valleys, afeeling intensified as he became aware of his gayness.Escape came through education. He left for London, touniversity, and to realise his sexuality. From the early1970s he was actively involved in the new gay liberationmovement and became its pioneering historian. Thiswas the beginning of a long career as a researcherand writer on sexuality, with widespread national andinternational recognition. He has been described asthe 'most significant British intellectual working onsexuality to emerge from the radical sexual movementsof the 1970s'.His seminal book, Coming Out, a history of LGBTmovements and identities since the 19th century, hasbeen in print for forty years. He was awarded the OBE inthe Queen's Jubilee Honours in 2012 for his contributionto the social sciences.