Here is a list of 10 influential & inspirational UK Gay Men from my free article, Influential UK Gay Men:
10. Peter Thatchell (1952-Present)
Peter Thatchell played in politics as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Labour Party before setting up LGBT+ charity Outrage!
Thatchell has worked on various LGBT+ campaigns including those that have led to legislation that supports equality and fair treatment for all. Tatchell is an atheist and lover of outdoor activities.
Notably, Thatchell has attempted a citizen’s arrest on two occasions of President Robert Mugabe for his mistreatment of the Zimbabwean people.
Thatchell set up human rights organisation The Peter Thatchell Foundation. Thatchell has focused on human rights in recent years, believing these to be universal and that all humans are entitled to them across the world.
A famous Thatchell quote is:
“Don’t accept the world as it is, dream what the world could be and then make it happen.”
9. Jonathan Bailey (1988-Present)
Jonathan Bailey is a star of stage and screen, who is perhaps most famous for his portrayal of Anthony, 9th Viscount of Bridgerton and Fiyero in Wicked (the film with the musical of the same name.
In terms of speaking about his sexuality Bailey has said:
“If I can fill spaces that I didn’t have growing up then I feel like that’s a really brilliant thing.”
And:
“I hope queer kids will see my work and know that things will be okay.”
Bailey recalled learning that one of his fellow actors was told:
“There’s two things we don’t want to know: if you’re an alcoholic or if you’re gay.”
8. Julian Clary (1959-Present)
Julian Clary is a comedian, theatre performer, film actor, Presenter and Writer. Clary incorporates music into his comedy performances and is a proud gay man. Some people complain Clary is too much, but I think he’s just perfect and being himself.
Sadly for Clary, his partner Christopher died of AIDS in 1991. But after some time, he got a new partner Ian Mackley and they got married.
7. Mawann Rizwan (1992-Present)
Mawann Rizwan is an out gay man who is both British-Pakistani and Muslim. Rizwan would have demonstrated great bravery in coming out, with the risk of not only losing his family but also his community.
Luckily, his family have been accepting and he’s turned his story into a comedy series called Juice on the BBC. He’s even employed some of his family in the filming of it, giving it a true authenticity. Prior to this comedy he did a documentary titled: How Gay is Pakistan?
Rizwan is unconventional and quirky, yet exceptionally funny. Juice is well worth a watch. I foresee great things for Rizwan.
6. Alan Turing (1912-1954)
Alan Turing’s story is a sad one. These days his face resides on a £50 banknote and is celebrated as a hero. Turing was for all intents and purposes a genius. He is described as a creator of modern computing, a mathematician, a computer scientist, a cryptanalyst, a philosopher and a theoretical biologist. Turning studied at the top universities in both the UK and in the USA.
Turing’s story starts out quite positively. In 1936, he published a paper that outlines the ‘Universal Machine’ code that forms the basis of modern computers, even today.
Then in 1939 Turning broke the German Enigma code, giving the British a significant advantage in the Second World War. But he didn’t stop there, continuing to help break other codes that were vital to the success of the war efforts against the Germans.
After the war, in 1952 Turing was convicted of gross indecency due to all male homosexual activities being illegal until as late as 1967. Turning was made an example of. He was chemically castrated using hormones, denied the ability to work on the intellectual projects that he had done so previously and publicly shamed. Turing was hounded and harassed by the Police. They were instructed to monitor him closely, in case he became a security risk, given his previous level of security clearance.
In 1954, Turing ended his life by cyanide poisoning. He was just 41 years old at the time. Turing no doubt felt like his life was over. He was no longer allowed to do his work and he was under constant surveillance.. Like there was nothing left worth living for.
Despite those in power knowing about Turing’s contributions to the War efforts and his other great works, it took a Royal Pardon in 2013 to decriminalise him and many others who had been treated the same way for illegal homosexual acts. Just goes to show that just because something is law, doesn’t mean it’s right.
I wish so many things for Alan Turing. I wish he had lived to see the decriminalisation of homosexuality/homosexual acts.
I wish Turning had got to see the civil rights movement that followed and the strides towards equality that we have made.
I wish that they had continued to let him work, imagine what other great works he could have achieved.
I wish that he’d found acceptance from his peers, society and most importantly found love.
I wish he could see that he’s on every £50 note.
Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, said about Turing:
“Turing was a leading mathematician, developmental biologist, and a pioneer in the field of computer science.
“He was also gay, and was treated appallingly as a result. By placing him on our new polymer £50 banknote, we are celebrating his achievements, and the values he symbolises.”
I would like to hope that this would never happen again in the UK.
But across the world, there are still many places where being gay is a crime with severe punishments for those caught. Some gay people are still oppressed and discriminated against for who they love. It’s so wrong.
5. Stephen Fry (1957-Present)
Legendary Stephen Fry is considered by some to be a National Treasure. Fry is a TV presenter, comedian and author. Fry famously Presented QI on the BBC.
Fry has authored several books of both the non-fiction and fiction variety, including books on Greek Myths.
In addition to being out as a gay man and married to Elliot Spencer. See the Comedian section of this work for details on Elliot Spencer.
Fry has been out as a gay man forever. He said about it:
“I suppose it all began when I came out of the womb. I looked back up at my mother and thought to myself, ‘That’s the last time I’m going up one of those.’”
Fry is also very open about his struggles with his mental health and since 2011 has been President of MIND, a mental health charity.
4. Jake Daniels (2005-Present)
In 2022, Jake Daniels was the 2nd professional football player to ever come out as gay and he did so at the age of just 17 years old.
Daniels showed great courage and bravery in coming out. He also demonstrated with this action that young gay people want acceptance and to be treated equally.
What’s great about Daniels is that he continues to play football professionally and do well at it. Demonstrating that playing football well is a result of talent and training and nothing to do with a person’s sexuality.
3. Sir Ian McKellen (1939-Present)
Ian McKellen is an actor that has played a diverse number of roles including: X-Men’s Magneto and Gandalf in Lord of the Rings. He has many awards and much recognition for his work as an actor.
McKellen came out as a gay man on national radio in 1988, despite the negative impact that it could have on his career. His reason for coming out? To speak against a piece of legislation that he didn’t agree with.
This piece of legislation was Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which stated that local authorities in the UK “shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.”
What I personally love about this gorgeously kind man is that he co-founded the charity Stonewall – that fights for gay rights and is patron to many gay organisations such as London Pride, LGBT History Month, FFLAG and more.
A famous Ian McKellen quote:
“I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care about—nuclear weapons (against), religion (atheist), capital punishment (anti), AIDS (fund-raiser) because I never want to be forever spouting, diluting the impact of addressing my most urgent concern; which is the legal and social equality for gay people worldwide.”
What an incredible role model Ian McKellen is!
2. Sir Elton John (1947-Present)
The incredible Sir Elton John is an absolute gay icon. Incredibly talented, out and fabulous gay man. He lives life on his own terms and has contributed to the LGBT community relentlessly throughout his life. Let me tell you more about him.
John is his stage name, his real name is actually Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He started working on music in the 60s, starting to have some success in the 70s that only grew to become the iconic man he is now.
John started working with charities as early as 1986 and continues to this day. John founded The Elton John AIDS Foundation that does some amazing work supporting people who are HIV positive. John has also dragged some very famous hetrosexual performers into this work, which is brilliant and how gay people get straight allies.
John was drawn to this charitable work due to deaths of his dear friends, including Freddie Mercury. The Elton John AIDS Foundation doesn’t just work here in the UK, but internationally in the effort to ensure good, high quality and safe treatment for people that are HIV positive.
John hasn’t stopped there. He with his husband David Furnish has set up the Elton John Charitable Trust, which supports over 100 smaller charities.
John actually came out in 1992, but was said to be very comfortable with his sexuality well before this. He met Furnish in 1993.
John has spoken about having faith and belief, but not in the traditional Christian sense of the words. For example, he has said about Jesus:
“I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don’t know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East — you’re as good as dead.”
And about organised religion:
“Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays. From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organised religion doesn’t seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it’s not really compassionate.”
I love this John quote about same sex relations:
“There is nothing wrong with going to bed with someone of your own sex. People should be very free with sex–they should draw the line at goats.”
John is a truly remarkable guy that is now raising children with his husband Furnish. I can only imagine what wonderful human beings John and Furnish’s children will turn out to be. With the money and influence to continue their fathers’ work.
1. Freddie Mercury (1946-1991)
Freddie Mercury once declared:
“’I’m as gay as a daffodil, my dear!’”
Freddie Mercury is the stage name of Farrokh Bulsara. Mercury is a singer, songwriter and lead vocalist of the legendary rock band Queen.
Mercury was iconic in every sense of the word. His fashion style, singing and lyrics are all truly unique to him.
To give you a sense of who he was, here are some quotes, before I tell his story:
“I always knew I was a star, and now the rest of the world seems to agree with me.”
“I think my melodies are superior to my lyrics.”
“I certainly don’t have any aspirations to live to 70. It would be so boring.”
“I’m just a musical prostitute, my dear.”
“I like to be surrounded by splendid things.”
“The whole point of Queen was to be original.”
In 1967 homosexual acts between two men were decriminalised, but there was still a lot of stigma to being gay in the 70s. Queen released its first album in 1973 and during an interview with Mercury in 1974, he was asked about being gay. Mercury hinted at his sexuality, but didn’t go into detail. Even in the 80s Mercury kept a safe distance during his male partner of the time at public events.
Reviewers of Queen’s live performances in the 80s noted Mercury’s campness and openness on stage. He was without a doubt a flamboyant performer. But was he gay? Despite Mercury’s direct quote above, there are some that question his sexuality. So was he gay? Most likely yes. But living in a time where gay men faced stigma and open discrimination he sometimes only hinted at it. There are some theories that he could have been bisexual and liked women as well.
What makes me think he was gay, apart from his direct quote above was his reported relationships with men. Afterall, if a man has sex and a relationship with men, but doesn’t identify as gay, this would be highly unusual wouldn’t it? Not impossible. Just unusual.
In 1982 Mercury began displaying symptoms of being HIV positive. It is unclear when exactly Mercury was diagnosed with HIV, but at the time treatments weren’t like they are today. Today, someone with HIV can live to the same life expectancy as someone without HIV and can even have such a low viral load that they are undetectable.
However when Mercury was diagnosed treatment hadn’t progressed that far. In 1991, Mercury caught pneumonia as a complication of AIDS and sadly died. By this time Mercury had become what he had intended: A musical legend.
“I won’t be a rock star. I will be a legend.” – Freddie Mercury
Write soon,
Antony
