Glad to be gay: The surprise hit that became a pride anthem

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When Tom Robinson realised he was gay, as a lonely boy at boarding school in Britain in the 1960s, homosexuality was a criminal offence. The pressure of keeping his feelings secret pushed Tom into depression and eventually to attempt suicide. Salvation appeared in the form of an unlikely school for ‘disturbed and disturbing’ boys in the English countryside, and later, in London, Tom discovered his twin passions: music and gay activism. When police harassment of gay men rose sharply in the mid-70s, Tom wrote Glad to be Gay as a bitterly sarcastic response. He tells Emily Webb about how it became an unlikely hit, and how he kept updating the song’s lyrics to reflect not only changes in society but in his own life too. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support and advice at the BBC Action line website, or at Befrienders.org Presenter: Emily Webb Producer: Laura Thomas Photo: Tom Robinson performing in 2016 (Credit: BBC)