In the 1980s, WH Smith was Britain’s largest – and most homophobic – newsagent. Its outlets had seen numerous protests in the 70s as activists fought the company’s ban on Gay News. The ban was eventually lifted and the 80s finally saw queer publications beginning to make an appearance on the shelves.

But there was still a double standard between straight and queer publications. The latter were always treated like some kind of obscene publication to be treated with great care and even greater disapproval. But there was little concern about the heterosexual soft porn that filled the top shelves.

The image that proved too much for WH Smith; Erwin Olaf’s photograph ‘Joy’

Consequently there was immense panic when one queer magazine had the temerity to adorn its cover with something unambiguously homoerotic. Gay Times decided to put Erwin Olaf’s photograph ‘Joy’ on the cover of its May 86 edition. A naked man holding a strategically placed champagne bottle that was emptying its contents in an immense frothy ejaculation. Time to get the smelling salts out!

Or, more to the point, time to get the red pen of censorship out. WH Smith refused to stock Gay Times unless the cover was changed to something that wouldn’t frighten the horses.

Gay Times didn’t have the time or resources to remove the cover then attach a new one so they simply added an additional cover. With this blatantly queer sexuality safely back under wraps, W H Smith agreed to stock the magazine again.