Attitude Pride Award winner: ‘Oldest Gay In The Village’ George Montague
By Ben Kelly
The campaigner and Brighton Pride ambassador George Montague has lived an extraordinary life, well documented in his book The Oldest Gay In The Village. Despite not coming out until he was 59, George has been a proud and public representative ever since, and is still going strong at 92 years old. We’re proud to award George one of our inaugural Attitude Pride Awards in tonight’s ceremony, in association with Delta Air Lines. Watch George tell his incredible story in his own words below:
Born in 1923, when homosexuality was still the love that dare not speak its name, George Montague has lived his entire life against the backdrop of the gay rights movement; from the trial of Lord Montagu in the 1950s, to decriminalisation in 1967, through the AIDS epidemic and Section 28 in the 1980s, to civil partnerships and finally marriage. Through those years, George served in the Second World War, ran his own business, and was a prominent Scouts leader. He married a woman, who shared the secret of his sexuality, and they had children. After he came out in 1982, he rediscovered himself as a gay man, and has been with his partner Somchai since 1997. A true gem of the gay community, George is lauded every year as he joins in the Brighton Pride parade. He campaigns to end homophobic bullying in schools, to bring awareness to issues around HIV, and for the introduction of the so-called Turing’s Law, pardoning historic offense charges against gay men.
You can read more about George and the rest of our wonderful Attitude Pride Award winners in the new issue of Attitude, in shops now. You can download the mag from Pocketmags.com/Attitude or order a copy from newsstand.co.uk/Attitude.
