British Library Restores Oscar Wilde's Reading Room Access 126 Years Later

More than 126 years after being barred from the British Museum's Reading Room, Irish writer Oscar Wilde is finally having his library access restored. On June 15, 1895, Wilde was excluded from the precursor to the British Library following his conviction for "gross indecency," a Victorian-era crime used to punish men for relationships with other men. Wilde was subsequently imprisoned.

This week, the British Library announced it would right this historical wrong by reinstating Wilde's Reader Pass. In a symbolic gesture, Wilde's grandson Merlin Holland was handed the restored card on Wilde's birthday, the same date he was originally denied entry to the library. The event marks a long-overdue recognition of Wilde's legacy and the injustices he faced.

Wilde, renowned for his wit and literary works like "The Picture of Dorian Gray," was a pioneering voice for LGBTQ+ rights in the late 19th century. His exclusion from the Reading Room was a shameful act of discrimination that has now been rectified by the British Library, which is honoring Wilde's memory and contributions to literature and society.