06/11/12….Actor helps Thame school tackle sexual bullying

SIR Ian McKellen, the esteemed RSC actor, star of The Lord of the Rings and the X-Men, and co-founder of Stonewall (a LGBT rights charity) visited Lord Williams?s School today, as part of a campaign to eradicate homophobic bullying in schools.

Lord Williams?s is a Stonewall School Champion and Sir Ian gave talks at both sites to excited and receptive audiences of students across the year-groups.

Sir Ian spoke eloquently about his early experiences of his sexuality in a society in which the only mention of homosexuality was by the derogatory term ?queer?. This lack of acceptance from the wider society of the time partly led him to the more tolerant and relaxed theatre industry, where he was able to flourish as an openly gay actor.

He emphasised the importance of being aware of the offence that can be taken from using the word ?gay? as a synonym for ?bad?, ?useless? or ?broken? ? particularly among teenagers at school. He implored the students to think before they spoke, and respect the feelings of their peers.

While admitting there were understandably differing views in society on controversial issues such as gay marriage, Sir Ian stressed the extreme importance of equality regardless of sexuality, speaking of how he co-founded Stonewall to achieve this both legally and in day-to-day life.

Students were then invited to ask questions about his life and work, and he was happy to tell stories of his experiences in different campaigns, recount how ‘coming out’ had allowed him to develop more confidently as an actor, and even wittily remind students that if they did not study hard, ?You shall not pass!? (a line from his famous role as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series).

After rapturous applause following his extremely engaging and thought-provoking presentation, students surrounded him, anxious to meet such an eminent and highly-respected actor, having heard him discuss such a personal issue. Many students were impressed by his openness. Some admitted that their preconceptions regarding homosexuality had been changed after hearing such an honest account, and that they had previously been unaware of the hurtfulness of using ?gay? as a disparaging term.

Overall, Sir Ian?s visit appears to have made a big impact on the students and teachers at Lord Williams?s, and we are extremely grateful to him for coming to talk to us about this incredibly important issue.

SOURCE: Contributed by Meg Roberts, a Year 13 pupil at Lord Williams’s school