John Barrowman: I felt great about Commonwealth Games kiss
John Barrowman has opened up about his famous kiss during the opening ceremony of this year’s Commonwealth Games.
The Torchwood and Arrow star locked lips with a kilted man at the beginning of the Glasgow ceremony in July, to a shout of “here’s to equality in Scotland”.
Volunteers were also seen wearing rainbow colours, including rainbow tartan, as the ceremony went on.
Speaking to Digital Spy, the actor revealed the kiss was planned early on in the scripting of the ceremony.
He said: “I felt great about it, because it was a scripted thing that was in there.
“We’d been rehearsing it and I’m glad that it raised everybody’s awareness.
“I think it’s like 80% of the Commonwealth countries where gay marriage and being gay is illegal.”
“We did it to show that Scotland is proud of the gay community, of gay marriage, of equality for everybody.”
Homosexuality is currently punishable with prison sentences in 42 out of 54 Commonwealth nations, many under archaic Colonial-era British laws.
Despite the participants, the Equality Network claimed he Glasgow Commonwealth Games set a “new benchmark” for LGBT equality.
The Network said: “From the new ‘Glasgow kiss’, leadership on LGBTI issues from the top of the Scottish Government, and rainbow flags being flown across Scotland, to opportunities to talk about the Commonwealth human rights record on LGBTI equality, the Glasgow 2014 games have set a standard for LGBTI visibility and inclusiveness which we hope future games will build upon.”
