Alan Cumming returns OBE over ‘toxicity’ of British Empire
The actor Alan Cumming has returned the OBE he received in 2009 because he no longer wants to be associated with the “toxicity” of the British Empire.
The award-winning Scottish star revealed that he had started to feel “misgivings” about the honour following conversations about the country's history that “really opened his eyes” after the Queen’s death.
He was made an OBE in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours for his work as an actor as well as his prolific campaigning for LGBTQ+ rights in America.
At the time, he said he was “shocked and excited” to receive the OBE. But the 58-year-old decided to revoke the honour after learning more about the history of the British Empire late last year.
Explaining his decision on Friday, he wrote on Instagram saying that he wanted to tell people about “something I recently did for myself”.
The actor wrote: “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.”
He said: "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."
Speaking on his 58th birthday on Friday, Cumming added: "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!"
Cumming is not the first to return an honour, with other public figures doing so for a number of reasons - including protesting against British foreign policy.
Others, however, chose to snub the offer and say no outright, famously including David Bowie - twice - and Nigella Lawson.
Bowie turned down an honour once for a CBE in 2000 and again in 2003 when he was to be awarded a knighthood, explaining that the accolade was not what he spent his life working for.
However, Cumming made clear that his reasoning for returning the honour fourteen years later is that his doubt about being associated with the British Empire is now stronger than the good brought to the LGBTQ+ community from the recognition of his campaigning.
The award-winning stage and screen actor remains a leading equal rights activist and has previously been presented with the San Francisco Human Rights Campaign’s Humanitarian Award in 2005.
The star of The Tempest and Sky Kids, who resides in New York, supports organisations such as The American Foundation for AIDS Research, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Human Rights Campaign.
In 2014, he also backed a "Yes" vote in the Scottish independence referendum and continues to be a supporter of the cause.
Last year, he said the debate around independence is putting people off because it had become "polarised".
