Alan Cumming has returned the honorary OBE award he received from the Queen in 2009 saying his eyes had been opened to the “toxicity” of the British Empire in the wake of her death in September.
The X-Men actor announced he had handed back the OBE – which stands for Officer of the Order of the British Empire – in a post on Instagram to mark his 58th birthday.
He said he had felt “incredibly grateful” to receive the award in 2009, especially because it was not just for his achievements as an actor but also for his activism, campaigning for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community in the U.S.
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“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,” he wrote.
The Scottish-born actor, who has lived in New York since 2000, where he is currently hosting the U.S. version of The Traitors, said his feelings toward the award had changed.
“The ensuing conversations about the role of the 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 wrote.
He added that conditions for the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S. had evolved for the better.
“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,” he wrote.
Cumming said he had returned the OBE stating his reasons for the move at the same time as reiterating his gratitude for being given it in the first place.
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