Tony Allen stands on Waterloo Bridge overlooking the River Thames. Although Tony has had very little inner turmoil with being gay he knew the prejudice he would face being out in public. Being raised in the Catholic church and having a strong spiritual sense, at the age of 10 Tony decided he would become a Priest so that he could be celibate and not confront his fears. Despite his innocent intentions, he eventually came out when he was 18 and entered into what would become a long-term relationship. Because of the negative views around homosexuality within the Catholic Church, Tony became a searching agnostic for most of his 20’s, trying out Judaism and Buddhism. After 15 years in a monogamous relationship him and his partner split. It was at this time that Tony discovered Jesus. “It wasn’t bolts and lighting, I just sort of believed.”

Tony sits in the hall of Svenska kyrkan (Swedish Church), which has been in London for 150 years. Above his head lies a set of photographs portraying a Swedish landscape. Svenska Kyrkan is dear to Tony for its gay friendly atmosphere and the Swedish people that attend, whom Tony explains have very defined characteristics with a propensity for being friendly, comfortable and lovers of singing. After visiting Sweden for the first time in 2004, Tony fell in love with the country and its people. He has since made the trip 30 times and calls it his spiritual home. “I go back every Christmas, it’s my Bethlehem journey.”

Tony sets out cutlery and serviettes at the C4WS Homeless Project. C4WS Homeless Project, where Tony has been volunteering for several years, is a self-funded charitable organization that assists homeless people all year round, helping them to rebuild their lives. “Although it’s church run, there’s no requirement to be of any faith.” However, the Project has been confronted with prejudice even from within its own doors. In 2008, one of the paid staff from a participating church objected MCC from volunteering because of their positive affirmation of homosexual Christians. The church later pulled out.

A picture taken on Sean Paul Redding and Paul Fortmann’s day of blessing sits on a bookshelf in their home in Camden. Sean Paul and Paul have been together for 15 years, having their blessing in 2000 and marriage ceremony (civil partnership) in 2006 in a traditional church setting. Although same-sex marriage in a church is not yet legal in the United Kingdom, there are still some churches that will quietly carry out these ceremonies. “Gay marriage isn’t a big deal to me but it’s important to Paul and we should all be equal in that right,” says Sean.

Paul smokes in the backyard of his flat. Paul grew up in South Africa in a Calvinist church. Because of his upbringing and common beliefs around sexuality it has caused him lasting psychological problems such as a challenged faith, generalized anxiety disorder and periods of deep depression. For several years he has been working with friends, his partner Sean Paul, psychiatrists and counsellors to resolve the inner turmoil that has cause him so much angst over the years. “In 1998 I met Sean Paul who was a Roman Catholic. Sean Paul helped me to see how dysfunctional it was to attend a church where I had to deny who I am. We started attending an inclusive church.”

Sean Paul prepares for a dinner party for close friends. Sean Paul is a well-known vegan chef in London having several celebrity clients such as Kate Moss and Meg Mathews. When he is not seeing clients he fills in at The Good Eating Company. He also works for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) at fashion shows and the like. Sean Paul has been a huge support in Paul’s life. “Sean Paul is there beside me as I heal, as my life partner.”

Martin Saunders stands inside an art installation called Flowers of Light by Chris Levine at London’s Art 13, an international art expo. Martin grew up in a small town in South Africa where the community was shaped by the conservative views of the Dutch Reformed Church. “You wore a suit and kids were meant to be seen, not heard. Being gay was not an option!” Although Martin had girlfriends in University he was at the same time suppressing his attraction to men. He would make deals with God saying that if he passed an exam he would never have another gay thought. In his early twenties Martin moved to London where he joined a church made up of young Christians. Although Martin’s views about homosexuality were quite rigid at the time, this is where his exploration began in discovering people with a deep spiritual faith who had found peace with being gay.

With contemporary Christian themed art in the background, Martin walks around London's Art 13 and absorbs the creative atmosphere. Martin’s love for art goes beyond the simple browse at an art gallery, he will often spend hours at a showing, making sure that he sees each and every peace, considering them with thought and care.

Martin sits in his living room sharing the wonderful memories of Frank Cruz as well as the pain of having to let him go. Martin and Frank met at London’s Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) in 2007 when Frank was on a visit from his church in New York City. Despite only knowing each other for a short time, living in different continents and having complications with benefits, Frank had made up his mind that he had found somebody whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life. He told all of his friends in New York that he had found his joy and it was worth any sacrifice. They married (civil partnership) in the summer of 2007. Only a couple of years later Frank was diagnosed with Lymphoma. After five months of fighting and only after the two men had come to peace with his illness, did Frank passed away. “You just felt the joy when he was around, it was infectious. He was this really special person that I am so blessed to have had him in my life.”

Martin admires plants in a friend’s garden. Martin's friends are a part of Courage, formally a Christian ex-gay ministry. Realizing that they were doing more harm than good, Courage transformed its ministry into one that would encourage homosexual Christians instead of trying to change them. "We do not believe that gay Christians are sub-standard, sick, or second-class. Our fellowship is a place where God is at work amongst us – where we are secure in the love of God, centred in Christ and led by the Holy Spirit. We believe that the gay Christian in today’s world has an important role as witness to the power of the gospel, just as Paul wrote in Romans 1:16,17a (NIV)" - Courage Ethos