Peter Tatchell is not everyone’s cup of tea. Actually, let’s drop this whole understated, litotical British thing: Peter Tatchell is a thundering nuisance. Self-righteous, hectoring and permanently outraged, the gay rights activist has agitated his way through life without ever having much in the way of a proper job. Since leaving Australia for Britain in 1971 to evade the draft, he has drifted from one political campaign to the next, shouting down the patriarchy, the church and Western capitalism in general.

Still, not even his severest detractors would deny his courage. Many gay activists confine themselves to attacking softie bishops, knowing that bishops are enjoined by their faith not to retaliate. Sure enough, Christians — or Anglicans, at any rate — fall over themselves to apologize for their past oppression of minorities.