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Ian McKellen has received yet another honorary doctorate – this time from his alma mater, Cambridge University.
The 75-year-old Lord of the Rings actor, whose full title is Dr. Sir Ian McKellen, also had a rainbow flag hoisted above the buildings in honour of his continued campaigning for LGBT rights.
“I am now an honorary Doctor of Letters at Cambridge University UK. My old college St Catharine's celebrated by flying the rainbow flag,” he captioned a beaming image of himself, standing outside St Catharine's, posted via his official Facebook account.
The classically trained actor once studied English literature at the academic institution.
Show all 15 1 /15The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws When Madonna performed in Russia, she took to the stage with the words "No Fear" scrawled across her back. "Show your love and appreciation to the gay community," she urged her audience.
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws "In solidarity. From Russia with love," Tilda Swinton posted alongside this photograph of her holding a rainbow flag in support of the LGBT community outside the Kremlin in Moscow.
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws "As a gay man, I can’t leave those people on their own without going over there and supporting them," Elton John said ahead of his boycotted string of shows in Russia in 2013. "I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ve got to go."
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws "The Russian government is criminal," Lady Gaga tweeted in August. "Oppression will be met with revolution. Russian LGBTs you are not alone. We will fight for your freedom." She later noted: "Sending bravery to LGBTs in Russia. The rise in government abuse is archaic. Hosing teenagers with pepper spray? Beatings? Mother Russia?"
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws "I think we should do more than just send gay Olympians there," the Star Trek actor said in a recent interview. ''What's happening there in terms of gay rights or the lack of it is extraordinary and awful."
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws Gay Star Trek actor George Takei that Russia's "cynical and deplorable actions against the LGBT community have given license to hate groups within its borders to act with violence and impunity against a group, based solely on whom they were born to love."
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws Prisonbreak star Wentworth Miller publicly came out in an open letter to Russia regarding its anti-gay laws. "I am deeply troubled by the current attitude toward and treatment of gay men and women by the Russian government," he wrote, turning down an invitation to a Russian film festival. "The situation is in no way acceptable, and I cannot in good conscience participate in a celebratory occasion hosted by a country where people like myself are being systematically denied their basic right to live and love openly."
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws Jamie Lee Curtis was one of many celebrities who joined the 'Love Conquers Hate' T-shirt initiative, lauched by the Human Rights Campaign, the largest gay rights activist group in the US.
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws Kevin Bacon also joined the 'Love Conquers Hate' initiative."We stand with Russia's LGBT community and their allies," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "We are committed to doing as much as we possibly can to support their efforts to repeal this heinous law."
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws “I'd boycott Russian goods if I could think of a single thing they made besides the rest of the world depressed," Hugh Laurie posted on Twitter in January 2014.
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws "I can’t name names but my friend called who is a big oligarch over there, and asked me if I’d like to be an ambassador for the Olympics and open the show," Cher told Maclean's writer Elio Iannacci. "I immediately said no. I want to know why all of this gay hate just exploded over there."
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws Putin "is making scapegoats of gay people, just as Hitler did Jews," Stephen Fry warned in his appeal to the IOC.
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws "For real: Tell Russia & the @Olympics that #LoveConquersHate. Join @HRC and share your pic. #Sochi14," actress Kristen Bell tweeted, promoting her gay rights advocacy T-shirt scheme.
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws "Help us show Russia & the world that #LoveConquersHate," Wolf of Wall Street star Jonah Hill tweeted as part of the same campaign alongside a picture of himself wearing the T-shirt.
The A-list opposing Russia's anti-gay laws Grammy-winning singer Melissa Etheridge released a song, “Uprising of Love”, in support of the Russian LGBT community, and partnered with Bruce Cohen to launch a coalition of celebrities and influential public figures, too.
The award makes McKellen is an honorary doctor twice over – he received his first doctorate from the University of Ulster in Ireland last year.
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