"I became the toast of London. A lot of people I met came from these really decadent families where the married men were gay and no one thought anything about it"

This quote by Robert Mapplethorpe speaks to the approval of homosexuality in particular circles of London society. Mapplethorpe ended up being the toast of London, which implies that he was widely known and respected in the city. He likewise mentions that he satisfied individuals from "decadent households" where the family men were gay and nobody believed anything of it. This recommends that homosexuality was accepted and even commemorated in particular social circles in London. This quote talks to the development of LGBTQ+ rights in the city, as it implies that homosexuality was accepted and even commemorated in particular social circles. It also speaks with the development of LGBTQ+ rights in the larger world, as it reveals that acceptance of homosexuality is possible even in a typically conservative city like London.