Australian-Born British Gay Activist Refuses Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Honour
Australian-born British gay activist Peter Tatchell revealed that he had refused an invitation from the organisers of the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations to join the event as a ‘national treasure’.Tatchell, in a piece in The Guardian, cited his opposition to the monarchy, the royals’ history of “war, colonialism and slavery” as well as the Queen’s refusal to acknowledge her LGBTQI “subjects” as the reason for refusing the honour.
Tatchell said that he was surprised to receive a letter from the organisers inviting him to join the pageant outside the Buckingham Palace on June 5 on the final day of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations “as one of a select group of ‘National Treasures … celebrated, respected and admired people’.”The activist, who is a supporter of the campaign group Republic, said he turned down the invitation for a number of reasons. “While I doubt that the Queen is a raging homophobe, she doesn’t appear to be gay friendly.
As far as I know, the words lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender have never publicly passed the her lips since she ascended the throne in 1952,” said Tatchell.
Responding to defenders of the monarchy, who claim many of the royal staff are gay men, Tatchell said : “So what? Having gay staff wait hand and foot on the Queen is proof of nothing, apart from the fact that she likes well mannered, well groomed male servants.”Time to move on from this hangover from feudalism.
