Tom Robinson isn’t slowing down. At 75, the iconic queer singer-songwriter is preparing for a new UK tour—just as his anthem Glad to Be Gay turns 50. But for Robinson, it’s more than music. It’s a mission. “We have to defend [LGBTQ rights] with all our might and main… to prevent it slipping back,” he says. And he’s not wrong.
Back in the bad old days, Robinson says nobody was out. Not in schools, not on TV, not anywhere. “At that time, because gay men went to prison for four years, there weren’t any role models,” he recalls. He came out as gay at 15, long before coming out was a career move—or even a safe one.
But the story of Tom Robinson doesn’t end with one label. He “shifted from G to B,” as he puts it, when he met Sue Brearley—his partner of 35 years—at an LGBTQ charity event. “The person I wanted to spend my life with very inconveniently happened to be a woman,” he quips. Bi-erasure hit hard, though. The tabloids ran with “he’s gone straight,” and parts of the community turned their backs. He was even booed at Pride.
A Bi Comeback and a Pride Homecoming
It took years before Robinson found himself welcomed back. In 1994, Pride featured a bisexual stage at Clapham Common. For him, it was a full-circle moment. “That was the true spirit that I remember from the early ’70s… of the Gay Liberation Front,” he says. It was the beginning of a wider recognition of fluid sexuality and an early step toward LGBTQ+ inclusion beyond rigid identity boxes.
Robinson’s story is a perfect reminder that the LGBTQ community isn’t a monolith—and shouldn’t act like one. “Fluidity” isn’t just a TikTok trend. It’s a lived experience that many queer people, especially bisexuals, have had to defend against both external and internal gatekeepers. That tension still echoes today, with many bi and pan folks reporting exclusion even within queer spaces.
As for his music, Robinson is keeping it close and personal. He prefers smaller venues now, finding joy in the intimacy rather than massive crowds. “One of the advantages of only having had a handful of hits is that you can play all of them and people come away perfectly happy,” he jokes.
Standing Proud with Allies
Robinson knows the battle isn’t over. “You’ve got to really stand with your allies against your common enemies,” he says, urging the community to stay united. He links the hate faced by LGBTQ people to the broader ecosystem of bigotry affecting other minorities—a not-so-subtle clapback at far-right culture warriors trying to rewind progress.
His words echo with urgency, especially in today’s climate, where hard-won LGBTQ rights face renewed threats across the globe. Robinson’s resilience isn’t just about surviving—it’s about staying visible, vocal, and absolutely unapologetic.
If you’re queer and proud in 2025, part of the reason is people like Tom Robinson. He paved the way with lyrics, loudness, and living his truth. Now he’s handing the mic to a new generation, still singing the same tune: Glad to be gay—and bi—and whatever else you need to be.