James Wharton

Born in Wrexham, Wales, and raised in nearby Gwersyllt, James Wharton served in the British Army and became known as one of its first openly gay soldiers. He drew national attention after appearing on the cover of Soldier magazine in 2009, a moment that reflected the army's changing public stance on homosexuality.

Wharton later wrote Out in the Army: My Life as a Gay Soldier, a memoir about his time in service and the challenges of coming out in that environment. He also wrote Something for the Weekend: Life in the Chemsex Underworld, widening his focus from military life to difficult realities inside parts of contemporary gay culture.

Alongside his writing, he has been described as an LGBT activist. What stands out across his work is a direct, personal style: he writes about identity, pressure, and belonging in a way that aims to make complicated experiences feel human and immediate.