Ian McKellen backs Liverpool homophobia campaign

Written by Daniel Garrett

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:47

Sir Ian McKellen is supporting a project from a group of gay and lesbian teenagers in Liverpool to promote tolerance. A documentary made by the group Homotopia is being rolled out across schools and youth centres on Merseyside and is designed to demonstrate the effects of hate on others. The documentary was partially filmed on a trip by the group to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. The documentary and accompanying pack is designed to help stop homophobia and hate crime by demonstrating the effects it has on people. Openly gay actor Sir Ian McKellen is supporting the campaign and last year he backed a Stonewall campaign to stop homophobic bullying in schools.

“I fully support Homotopia’s determination to tackle the violence which defaces the reputation of Liverpool as a friendly, inclusive community. Homophobia, in all its manifestations, should always be challenged. We are all different, thank goodness: we all deserve to be treated equally with respect.” – Sir Ian McKellen

The actor is probably best known for his roles in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, X-Men and his range of stage plays. The actor is due to reprise his role of wizard Gandful for the highly anticipated, and much delayed, film adaptation of the Hobbit. His other roles include an extended guest stint in ITV soap Coronation Street several years ago and it was recently announced he is to appear in a forthcoming Radio Four adaptation of the James Bond novel Goldfinger.