James Wharton (author)

James Ronald Wharton
James Wharton in 2013
James Wharton in 2013
Born (1987-01-01) 1 January 1987 (age 37)
Wrexham, Wales
OccupationAuthor, LGBT activist, former Lance Corporal Blues and Royals
Notable works
  • Out in the Army
  • Something for the weekend

James Wharton is the author of Out in the Army: My Life as a Gay Soldier and Something for the Weekend': Life in the Chemsex Underworld and an LGBT activist. Wharton was born in Wrexham on the first of January 1987, and grew up in the nearby village of Gwersyllt.[1] In 2009, he garnered attention by featuring on the cover of Soldier Magazine – the official monthly publication of the British Army – as an openly gay trooper in the Blues and Royals.[2] Wharton came out as gay to his regiment in 2005, aged 18 and just six years after the army's discrimination against gay people was declared a breach of human rights by the European Court of Human Rights.[1] Before 2000, Wharton could have been court-martialled.[3]

Wharton left the army in 2013 after ten years' service and in 2014, he was granted the Freedom of the City of London for his work as a prominent LGBT activist.[1] Following working in public relations and for the LGBT-specialist insurance company Emerald Life, Wharton was the Wellbeing Services Manager at Birmingham LGBT until September 2019.[4] As of 2023, Wharton is a reporter working for Forces News.[5]

  1. ^ a b c Atwood, Karen (14 October 2004). "James Wharton: The former Guard now fighting discrimination against gay soldiers". The Independent. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  2. ^ Simpson, Aislinn (27 July 2009). "Armed Forces celebrates diversity with gay serviceman in Soldier magazine". The Independent. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  3. ^ Clarke, Murray (29 July 2017). "From army poster boy to chemsex addict". The Times. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Meet the Team". Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  5. ^ "James Wharton". 31 January 2023.