Alan Cumming has returned his OBE (Officer of The British Empire) after reexamining “the toxicity of empire” following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Traitors host was awarded an OBE in 2009, but in an Instagram post celebrating his 58th birthday, Cumming explained that he’d recently returned the honour.
“Fourteen years ago, I was incredibly grateful to receive [my OBE] 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 [across the] USA’,” wrote Cumming.
He explained that “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.”
In a statement accepting the OBE, Cumming said: “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.”
However, “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,” wrote Cumming.
“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 of being associated with the toxicity of empire,” he added. “I’m now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again.”
The decision has been widely praised on social media, though Piers Morgan did go on to call Cumming a “pathetic, disingenuous, disloyal, attention-seeking little twerp” over the move.
Alan Cumming hosts the US version of hit BBC reality show The Traitors. The entire first season is currently available to watch on iPlayer alongside the British version.
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