Daniel Craig has spoken about sexuality and he’s spot on
Perhaps now I’ll forgive him for marrying my lifelong crush, Rachel Weisz
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Your support makes all the difference.Daniel Craig, undoubtedly the hottest Bond and a man who appears to have been carved out of some kind of delightful sun-kissed stone, has said something incredibly sensible. And he deserves all credit for it.
Craig reprises his role as detective Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion, which premiered in cinemas last month and will arrive on Netflix on 23 December. It was recently confirmed that Craig’s character is gay, and speaking to The Sunday Times, he said: “It’s normal. But we don’t want to make a song and dance out of it. It just feels right.”
Amen, Daniel. Let your voice ring out. Shout it from the rooftops: LGBT+ relationships are normal. As for the song and dance element, personally, I am so looking forward to a time when sexuality is no longer a big deal. I want it to just be accepted, like having blue eyes (Craig’s got a nice pair) or size 10 feet.
Wouldn’t it be great if same-sex relationships were so accepted that they never needed to be remarked on in the first place? Sexuality is a spectrum, and we all fall somewhere upon it. Being queer isn’t weird or “other” – it’s perfectly ordinary. My hope is that we’re moving towards a place where more people feel able to come out and live authentically, without having to explain or justify themselves.
Rather than slotting people neatly into boxes, I’d love it if we all felt a bit freer; less constrained by rigid categories of “gay” and “straight”. If I had to label myself, I’d have to go with the rather clunky term “pansexual” – that is, someone who is attracted to people regardless of their gender presentation. And that’s changed over the years, as I’ve understood more about gender and sexuality. It’s also perfectly normal to find that where you are on the spectrum shifts over time.
My wish for LGBT+ status and relationships to be unremarkable is not in any way meant as a criticism of those who celebrate their sexuality – it is a radical and joyful move to unapologetically honour this part of who you are, as many of us did, including Independent staff, at this year’s Pride in London. And it’s still radical, and so important, because the world isn’t there yet in terms of LGBT+ rights, something that we have been reminded of during the World Cup in Qatar – a country where homosexuality is criminalised.
Qatar is one of 70 nations around the world that legislate against the LGBT+ community – 11 of them threaten the death penalty. Even in Britain, hateful rhetoric directed at trans folks (the “T” in LGBT+), on social media and in certain sections of the press, proves how far we still have to go – and prompts a powerful sense of deja vu among queer people. For example, Section 28, introduced by the Conservative goverment under Margaret Thatcher, was only repealed in 2003 and the harm it caused is still very much within living memory. It’s not difficult to draw a parallel between how gay people were treated in the 1980s and 90s and how the trans community are targeted today.
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But part of winning this battle – for tolerance and equality, and yes, for love – is presenting LGBT+ relationships as just as valid and messy and beautiful and normal as straight ones.
In the same interview, Craig said that when making films, “you are supposed to reflect life. And that [gay] relationship reflects my life.” I’m sure this statement has already generated plenty of speculation, and questions about whether Craig was referring to his personal relationships or the wider need for LGBT+ representation on screen. If Craig meant himself, then I’m delighted for him – and if he was speaking more generally, then that’s positive, too.
Craig deserves praise for bluntly normalising the decision to make his Knives Out character gay. Perhaps now I’ll forgive him for the “James Bond shouldn’t be played by a woman” comments – and for marrying my lifelong crush, Rachel Weisz.