On This Day in History: May 25

Oscar Wilde goes to prison

AUDIO VERSION HERE

Most people know the name Oscar Wilde. They also recognize the character Dorian Gray. But fewer realize the connection: Dorian Gray was created by Wilde’s imagination. So, now that you can name one of Wilde’s most famous stories, you’re ready to learn about his imprisonment for the crime of being gay. 

--On This Day in History, Shit Went Down: May 25, 1895--

Toward the end of the 19^th century, Wilde was the talk of the theatre scene in London for writing plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest. It was during that play’s run that Oscar ran afoul of England’s stodgy sex laws.

Despite homosexuality being a criminal offense, Wilde was not overly discreet. Where he got into trouble was owing to his tempestuous relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, who, despite the risks, flaunted his sexual orientation like it was San Francisco in June. Douglas introduced Wilde, who was known for saying “I can resist everything except temptation,” to the underground world of gay prostitution, where he began to solicit a series of impoverished boys as young as 16.

So, while the criminalization and persecution of homosexuality has long been a blight upon human history, in modern times Wilde could be charged under UK law with “paying for the sexual service of a child” for the hiring of underage prostitutes. As Wilde said, “The truth is never pure and rarely simple.” While homosexuality should not be punished, his predations upon underage prostitutes are another matter. Under modern morals of fucking we’d proclaim Wilde was prosecuted for the wrong fucking thing.

Becoming a paid subscriber is the right fucking thing.

The story broke because Douglas’s dad was one of those manly men (sarcasm font) who didn’t like that gay stuff. He held the title of Marquess of Queensberry and is credited with sponsoring the development of the modern rules of boxing (called Queensbury Rules). The Marquess preferred to punch men’s faces rather than kiss them, and he threatened to “thrash” Wilde for his relationship with his son.

When the Marquess made a public accusation of sodomy against Wilde, the writer made the ill-advised decision to prosecute him for criminal libel. Of course, truth is a defense against libel, so the Marquess hired private investigators to find evidence of Wilde’s homosexual acts. And find them they did. The libel charge was dropped, and instead Wilde found himself facing prosecution.

His friends advised Wilde to flee to France, but he would not. The first trial was a mistrial. But in the second he was found guilty of “gross indecency” on May 25, 1895 and sentenced to two years of hard labor.

He served his time, which wore on his fragile health, then fled to France the day of his release, where he died three years later at the age of 46.

Get the book On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down.