Alan Cumming is a lovely bisexual Scotsman turned naturalized American. He lives in New York with his husband Grant Shaffer and most of his work is New York-based too, on TV shows and Broadway. He’s been pro-Scottish independence for years, but he also accepted an OBE in 2009. An OBE is “Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire,” an honor given by the monarch. Cumming was given the honor for his contributions to the arts, but also his contributions to LGBTQ rights. At the time, he accepted his OBE and he even went to the ceremony and he got his little medal from Princess Anne. Then, a few days ago, Cumming posted this message on his Instagram in honor of his 58th birthday:
Today is my 58th birthday and I want to tell you about something I recently did for myself.
I returned my OBE.
Fourteen years ago, I was incredibly grateful to receive it in the 2009 Queen’s birthday honours list, for it was awarded not just for my job as an actor but ‘for activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community, USA’. Back then the Defence of Marriage Act ensured that same sex couples couldn’t get married or enjoy the same basic legal rights as straight people, and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ensured that openly gay, lesbian or bisexual people were barred from serving in the military. (Incidentally both these policies were instituted by the Clinton administration).
This is the statement I made at the time: ‘I am really shocked and delighted to receive this honour. I am especially happy to be honoured for my activism as much as for my work. The fight for equality for the LGBT community in the US is something I am very passionate about, and I see this honour as encouragement to go on fighting for what I believe is right and for what I take for granted as a UK citizen. Thank you to the Queen and those who make up her Birthday honours list for bringing attention to the inaction of the US government on this issue. It makes me very proud to be British, and galvanised as an American’.
The Queen’s death and the ensuing conversations about the role of monarchy and especially the way the British Empire profited at the expense (and death) of indigenous peoples across the world really opened my eyes. Also, thankfully, times and laws in the US have changed, and the great good the award brought to the LGBTQ+ cause back in 2009 is now less potent than the misgivings I have being associated with the toxicity of empire (OBE stands for Officer of the British Empire).
So I returned my award, explained my reasons and reiterated my great gratitude for being given it in the first place. I’m now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again.
Happy birthday to me!
[From Alan Cumming’s IG]
I’ve always loved him but I love him even more right now. I like the way he explains why he accepted the honor in the first place and why his philosophy towards the British Empire and the Windsors has evolved. This isn’t some huge republican screed – it’s a man acknowledging that times change and people need to change too. What was acceptable and even welcomed in 2009 isn’t acceptable or welcomed in 2023. The larger problem is that the Windsors remain frozen in amber, unable to make substantive changes for their own survival. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn6UtxFucen/
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instagram.
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