Dame Jacqueline Wilson is back with a brand new book (Picture: David Levenson/Getty Images)
Dame Jaqueline Wilson has revealed her delight at being described as a ‘gay icon’ just four years after coming out.
The British children’s author, 78, is most famous for penning The Story of Tracy Beaker, which was later adapted into a TV series by CBBC, starring Dani Harmer.
In 2020, Dame Jacqueline revealed she was in a long-term relationship with a woman, saying it was ‘old news’ to people who knew her, having been in the relationship for nearly 20 years at the time.
Now, four years later, the beloved kids’ book writer has said that while she doesn’t see herself ‘rampaging around with a rainbow flag’ any time soon, she’s ‘delighted’ to be regarded as a gay icon.
‘I’m very touched to be thought of as a gay icon, it’s an absolute delight. [I don’t see myself] rampaging around with a rainbow flag, but I highly applaud and approve of anyone who does.’
She also divulged to the BBC that, after publishing more than 100 books, she’s finally written her first adult novel, which explores same-sex relationships and other mature themes.
The Tracy Beaker author came out publicly back in 2020 (Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
‘[An adult novel] has been on my mind for years – it started when my daughter asked me if I ever wonder what happens to my characters when they grow up.’
She continued: ‘In real time the girls would be hitting 40, and that’s a significant age where you have to make big decisions, and, for some people, life doesn’t look like what you dreamt of as a teenager.’
Only in recent years has Dame Jacqueline started to explore LGBT themes in her work, with her 2020 novel Love Frankie being the first to feature an openly gay protagonist.
Dame Jacqueline and her partner Trish Beswick have been together 22 years (Picture: Getty)
Dame Jacqueline’s Tracy Beaker novels were turned into a TV show by CBBC (Picture: BBC)
‘[I could have written one sooner but] there would have been far more “Oh my gosh, Jacqueline has written about someone who is gay!” Whereas now it’s not a big deal.’
In her latest novel, titled Think Again, the main character finds herself falling in love with a woman after divorcing her husband, which is similar to Dame Jacqueline’s own life story.
Between 1965 and 2004 she was married to William Wilson – her relationship with current partner Trish Beswick began shortly before the divorce was fully finalised.
‘[You won’t see me] rampaging around with a rainbow flag, but I highly applaud and approve of anyone who does. (Picture: Getty Images)
However, the Tracy Beaker author has insisted that the book isn’t meant to be autobiographical and that she was still using her imagination when designing her character.
Dame Jacqueline published her first book in 1969, going on to release several standalone novels outside of her main novel sagas, including Tracy Beaker, Sleepovers, Hetty Feather, and The Werepuppy.
In the 2008 New Year Honours, Dame Jacqueline was given a DBE (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire), six years after being given an OBE for services to literacy in schools.
Upon coming out in 2020, she said at the time: ‘I’ve never really been in any kind of closet. It would be such old news for anybody that has ever known anything much about me. Even the vaguest acquaintance knows perfectly well that we are a couple.’
Explaining that only her mother was ‘appalled’ at her relationship, she pointed out: ‘That wasn’t too devastating for me because my mum cordially hated my ex-husband. She didn’t really approve of any of my friends.’
Think Again is set for release on September 12 and will be available to purchase inall good online bookstores, including Waterstones, Foyles, WHS Smith, and on Amazon.
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