Interview with Boy George at London Gay Pride July,4th 2009

Boy George has always been taboo and for many of us who are now hot
stepping around the big 30 he was our first glimpse of a life less ordinary
He was the boy that we all thought looked a bit like a girl and blew
the roof off preconceived ideas of gender and sexuality. Danielle Carter
asks him about his sexuality, experiences and how he is doing…

Danielle Carter:I have found it harder than I thought I would to find
celebrities who will talk about their sexuality, why do you think this is?
Boy George:I suppose for some people it's still a big personal issue
but I find being open cuts out so much of the small talk and allows you
to breathe more easily . I can only speak for myself but I find that my
sexuality is not such an issue in my everyday life because it runs ahead
of me screaming and waving a huge glittering placard.
Some celebrities don't want it to overshadow their art but my sexuality
informs my art so there would be no point in refusing to talk about it.
I love being queer, I don't think it makes me special or worse, it's just what I am
and I've never been one of those people who wishes they had been born straight…
To quote Quentin Grisp"God made,he,she,me'.

Danielle Carter:Was it ever a consideration that you would not publically come out?
Boy George:When I was dating my drummer in Culture Club there was a panic.
about it becoming public and that was a huge strain on me because it made
me feel hypercritical and also made me think Jon was ashamed of me.
I guess it's difficult in a relationship if one of you is a born attention seeker.
and the other is supposedly straight and more private.
It usually ends in tears and that's exactly what happened.
I think nowadays I'm more protective of my partners and I would rather keep
my relationships private but I no longer have to hid what I am. I think as
I've gotten older I seen a need to keep certain things private and a bit
sacred but that's very different from being ashamed or your own sexuality.

Danielle Carter:Do you find that people pigeon hole you as a gay artist or do you find
that people don't care anymore?
Boy George:My audience is so mixed and always has been and I don't think many
of them think too much about whether I'm a gay artist or not.
They obviously know I'm gay and I have found that some audiences get
uncomfortable if I make too much of a point of it but I no longer edit
myself on stage.
I remember feeling a bit of hostility once when I performed a track of
mine called 'She was never He' and it's happened with the song
"unfinished business" but it's gives the performance an edge.
I remember once saying "oh the gail" when I finished
'unfinished business 'because it has the line 'you walk like Jack
and you love like Mary and your more than like a bit of a queen'
which one or two mums might find challenging but as long as no
one actually dies it's all good!

Danniëlle Carter:What influence do you think your sexuality has had your career?
Boy George: Even when I kept it quiet during the early 80s I think my sexuality
was sending huge messages and waves of energy throughout the universe
If you were a young kid in Idaho or somewhere in suburban Great Britain
who was coming to terms with their own sexuality then my arrival on TV and
in magazines was pretty nuclear. As the saying goes 'every dog knows their
own' so I don't ever underestimate how important my sexuality was despite
being slightly repressed it still had a massive effect. In a way the repression
spoke volumes because what young gay person isn't holding part
of themselves back?.
My sexuality has shaped my entire life as well
as my entire career.

DaniëlleCarter: When did you come out?
Boy George:I was about 15 when I first told my mother I was gay but I was called
gay from about six years old.

Daniëlle Carter:Our them this year is 'Come Out and Play'
What would you advice be to someone who Is coming out?.
Boy George:I was very lucky because I always had support from my family.
When my dad told my brothers they just said"we know turn the TV back on'
and that was it really. To be honest it was a relief that everyone in my family
knew, in a way they are the most important people to come out to.

Daniëlle Carter:Why do you think Pride is important?, Do you attend Pride?
Boy George: Obviously a life in the closet no life at all but you should never put yourself
in danger, make sure you choose the right person to confide in.
Ultimatley,anyone who can't deal with it is not worth having in your life.
It's a cliché I know but 'life is not a Rehearsal 'You need to live it now and
be proud of who you are. Yeah,I try to attend Pride if I'm in the country
and I have had many great Pride experiences in my life, right from the very first
Pride I sheepishly attended in the late seventies. I joined the march from Lewisham
and I was so terrified someone might spot me but it was also very exciting

Daniëlle Carter:The team at Pride London have won World Pride in 2012
What do you think this will do for our standing as a gay friendly country?,Will you be coming?
Boy George:I think it's wonderful news and I'll certainly come if I am invited to perform
in some capacity. There are still so many countries where homophobia is rife and
accepted and one is reminded of the terrible attack on Peter Tatchell in Moscow
so it's hugely important to let the world know that the UK is gay friendly.

Daniëlle Carter:As a role model you are the proof LGBT people can have a career and influence.
Did you have any role models when you were growing up? Who were they and why?
Boy George:My role models weren't always gay but certainly exotic, David Bowie in the 70s and
of course the likes of John Waters and Divine.
There were lots of people that had a huge influence on me as a kid coming
to terms with being queer.
Philip Sallon was probably the first openly gay man I encountered and he
influenced my greatly.

Daniëlle Carter: What project are you currently working on?
Boy George:At the moment I'm writing lots of new songs and I am looking forward to making
my next album and then touring heavily next year.
I am also opening a pop-up shop in Newburgh street behind Carnaby street for my
B-Rude clothing line in the next couple of weeks which I'm really excited about.

Daniëlle Carter: You have been through a difficult time, how are you?
Boy George:I can actually say that I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life, I fallen madly
in love with nature and my heart is full of gratitude for the lovely people I have in my life.
I really want to just focus on what it is that I actually do and be the best Artist I can be
and most importantly to enjoy doing it.

Boy George will be supporting the
transgender community on the Trannyshack floatTrannyshack.UK