In 2009, Alan Cumming, now 58 years old, was awarded an OBE at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community in the US during late Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honours. However, he has made the decision to return the award.
On Friday, January 27, Cumming publicly announced that he was returning the award due to concerns about the ‘toxicity’ associated with the British Empire.
He stated:
“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).
“I’m now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again. Happy birthday to me!”
After explaining his decision, Cumming also expressed his ‘great gratitude’ for the honor he received initially.
Notably, at the time of receiving the award, same-sex marriage was illegal, and the legal rights of gay couples were not on par with those of straight couples.
