Sir Ian McKellen On Gay Life And Settling Down

November 06, 2009

 

Sir Ian McKellen, gay rights activist and decorated actor, has given insight into the way things were for gay men and settling down.

McKellen, famous for movies such as Lord of The Rings and X Men, in an interview with Details magazine, spoke about his earlier life experiences.

On being gay when he came out back in the day when he still lived in Bolton, he said: 'Outside London where I lived, there was no gay pub or bar you could go to. And even if you found one, it was “Knock three times and ask for Louis.”

“It was horrible living this secret life. You could feel a little bit what it was like to be a Jew in central Europe during a certain period. It was horrible.'

Despite having been involved in two serious long-term relationships, one with Brian Taylor and the other with Sean Mathias, he said:

'It's never crossed my mind that it'd ever be possible for me. That's the scar that I and so many others bear—we believed ourselves to be second-rate citizens for so long, the idea of being able to say This is my husband, these are my children' was not an option.'

Insightful words from a remarkable man.

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