‘Gay rights, women’s rights, black rights are paper-thin’
AFTER he finished working on Doctor Who, Russell T Davies says he made a pledge – to only work on gay scripts.
So far, not only has he stuck to that promise, but it’s paying dividends.
The positive reviews flooded in for his latest work – Years And Years. Shown on BBC One, it starred Emma Thompson, Rory Kinnear, Russell Tovey and Jessica Hynes and told the story of a family surviving the future.
The parallels with Trumpism in particular made it a timely watch and the positive reviews flocked in.
His next project is a five-part Channel 4 series on Aids in the 1980s – although he’s tight-lipped on the premise, three episodes are written and filming will start in October.
“It’s what I write well and I am passionate about it and I feel I have a lot to say on it, which I hope will continue long into the future.”
While Years And Years is the show on everyone’s lips at the moment, this year is the 20th anniversary of Queer As Folk – a show which was genuinely groundbreaking. It was so much more than a drama about gay men in Manchester’s Canal Street, but something which changed a generation.
In his 56 years, he’s seen and experienced a lot. In his mid-30s, Davies suffered an accidental overdose. He has described it previously as being “pretty bad” and the moment he realised he had to “settle down”.
As he set upon the task of finding a partner, he went out “ferociously – five nights a week, looking for the one”. “Number 35” was Andrew Smith and they met in a club.
They went on to marry and he’s touchingly described their relationship as full of laughter “night and day”.
But, in 2011, Andrew was diagnosed with a brain tumour and given a 3% chance of recovery. Russell took time off to care for his partner and his earnings went to his care. By the end, Russell was his carer.
He’s frequently open about his life – more than some in his position – because he wants to help others. He won’t use the term “role model” for himself – although many would disagree – saying he’s not entirely sure what the term means, “as I never had one myself”.
But he is determined to talk about being gay and gay rights in “every interview I do”.
“If you’re a 12-year-old and beginning to wonder about yourself, then seeing people in public talking about the life they’re living is so important.
“But gayness isn’t everywhere. It’s not part of our culture or our books, you don’t see it in Dickens or Asterix or the Bible. We don’t exist in the vast quantity of literature and culture.”
A common question is why lists like our Pinc List even exist. For Russell it’s simple – it’s for every person who asks why it exists: “While those people are still angered by it, that’s why we should do it.”
But, his worry is society is “going backwards”.
“This country is always in the shadow of America and, when you watch what’s happening there, I’m worried.
“Gay rights, women’s rights and black rights are paper-thin, I have been saying that for decades. In fact, I get tired of saying it.
“When you have the President being racist... how did we get there? Why aren’t we taking to the streets? And why aren’t we standing up against him? It’s a disgusting age.”
He’s pleased attitudes have changed within his lifetime. He speaks of the “miracle” of gay teenagers who are comfortable coming out and the strength allies can bring to the gay community.
“It’s wonderful, but it needs to be fought for. You do hear good stuff. It’s very easy to forget that when you hear the bad stuff.”