The Well of Loneliness — Landmark Lesbian Novel Banned
Radclyffe Hall published The Well of Loneliness, a novel depicting a woman's love for another woman. Despite being relatively tame by modern standards, the book was the subject of an obscenity trial in London, where the Chief Magistrate declared it obscene and ordered all copies destroyed. The ban sparked international debate about censorship and homosexuality. The book remained effectively banned in the UK until 1949.
Impact & Significance
The trial brought lesbian identity into public discourse and The Well of Loneliness became one of the most important works of lesbian literature, widely read despite — or because of — the ban.
Reference Record
- Date
- 27 July 1928
- Era
- 1900-1949
- Sources
- 1
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