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Ronan McCrea talks to Philippe Sands

The End of the Gay Rights Revolution

Hay Festival 2026, 

Changes to the law, shifts in culture and greater freedoms can make it seem like the gay rights movement in the West has succeeded beyond its wildest dreams. But, argues academic Ronan McCrea in his book The End of the Gay Rights Revolution, there are threats to the movement’s victories, from political developments to migration patterns.

McCrea, who is professor of constitutional and European law at University College London, discusses the challenges ahead, why the gay rights movement is ill-equipped to deal with them, and what comes next, with human rights lawyer Philippe Sands.