Ian McKellen says ‘homophobia is alive and kicking’
The uproar over the “gay moment” in the recent Disney film, “Beauty and the Beast”, shows that homophobia is still prevalent, Sir Ian McKellen said.
The Lord Of The Rings actor told The Daily Telegraph that there is still a lot of “fear and prejudice and negativity in the world”.
The Disney movie was censored in several countries, including Kuwait, Malaysia and Russia.
Ian McKellen, who plays Cogsworth (the clock) in the film, said Disney was “brave enough to feature two seconds of men kissing”.
But he says that some countries censored the film on the premise that this gay kiss scene encourages homosexuality.
“The argument being that if you show young people two men kissing, they will be so attracted to the idea that they will be turned from red-blooded heterosexuals into gay boys in that instant.”
The actor thinks that it is important that that “we should hear these objections and know that homophobia is alive and kicking.”
It is the second time the 78-year old has spoken out about homophobia in the past week.
In an interview at the Variety Studio in Cannes Lions, he criticised the Trump administration for rolling back on LGBT rights.
“It’s appalling and quite unnecessary and very un-American.”
The White House has refused to acknowledge June as Pride Month.
The X Men actor also said that he would like to see more gay superheroes.
He thinks there should be a gay James Bond.
“If you play James Bond as an outwardly camp, silly gay man that no one took seriously and then he turned out as many gay men are underneath their clothes – buff and strong and as hetero as any hetero – we might have a more truthful story than the one that has been told,” he said.
Sir Ian McKellen is currently working with producers on a new series of short films aimed at LGBT youth.
It will be about and feature members of the LGBT community.
People are invited to submit their ideas.
