Alan Cumming Returns His OBE Due to the "Toxicity of Empire"
Alan Cumming is no longer an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. In an Instagram post shared on his birthday, the Scottish actor has announced he's returned his OBE.
"Today is my 58th birthday and I want to tell you about something I recently did for myself," he wrote. "I returned my OBE." He received the award in 2009 as part of Queen Elizabeth's birthday honors list. It was award for "activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community, USA."
At the time, he said, "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."
Cumming, born in Scotland, became a dual UK-U.S. citizen in 2008. Yet, he shared, the death of Queen Elizabeth made him rethink this honor. He writes, "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)."
He concludes his post, "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!"
The comment section filled up with praise and birthday wishes. For example, actress Ariana DeBose wrote, "Such respect for you sir! HBD you unicorn." Amy Sedaris, too, commented, "Happy Birthday You always amaze me."
Cumming is not the first person to return his OBE (or a similar honor). In 1969, John Lennon returned his Member of the Order of the British Empire, or MBE, in protest over Britain's role in the Nigerian Civil War. In 2016, Welsh actor Michael Sheen returned his OBE over the "tortured history" between Wales and England. Sheen has been outspoken in critique of the "Prince of Wales" title over the years.
Others have outright turned down the honors, like Stephen Hawking, John Oliver, Roald Dahl, and David Bowie. Oliver said, "The ‘B.E.’ part of that is a hell of a thing to want after your surname," referring to the "British Empire."
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