Sir Ian McKellen kisses male fans at Manchester Pride

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Sir Ian McKellen kisses male fans at Manchester Pride

Sir Ian McKellen knows how to celebrate Manchester Pride, taking full advantage of his position to kiss male fans along the route.

The X Men and Lord of the Rings star was the grand marshal, leading the parade throughout the northern English city in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators.

He had also designed the Gay Star News Pride tote bag, with the words ‘You Shall Not Pass… Anti-Gay Laws!’, taking on Gandalf’s famous line from the Fellowship of the Ring.

Sir Ian McKellen holds up tote bag designed by Sir Ian McKellen at Manchester Pride

Speaking to GSN, in an exclusive interview, he gave his thoughts on the new Stonewall film, dressing in drag and being thrown out of Taylor Swift’s apartment.

He also gave his thoughts on Pride.

He said: ‘I suppose Pride is different for every person. Some people are just gawping. For me it’s a celebration: being out and not giving a damn. Being grateful that we’re in a country where that’s possible. But it does make me think. Three hours away in Moscow, they’re not going to have another pride march for 100 years, it’s been banned. I wouldn’t like to be growing up gay in Russia.

‘People say it’s all over here, but in Northern Ireland it’s not. Gay people can’t get married in Northern Ireland. Southern Ireland voted [yes] in the referendum and everyone was very proud. But in the north… So I think Pride’s about realizing you can’t take your rights for granted. Coming out, for me, and for a lot of people – it does politicize you. It makes you take an active interest in politics, because you watch the way your life and other gay people’s lives can be affected by it.

‘Politics is really about making connections. We’re all brothers, whatever we look like, however old we are or what our gender is. Rather than a community, it’s an international movement. And there will be some people today who come out. They come in from the countryside and by the end of the evening have made friends and think ‘I’m not on my own.’

Check out more of the best pictures from the Pride parade here.

Here’s McKellen in action, along with stars of popular UK TV soap Coronation Street, which is set in Manchester, newly out Rugby League star Keegan Hirst and other pride-goers: