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Bates Motel’s Freddie Highmore Gets A Sexy Makeover, Discusses Support For LGBT Community

unnamed-2In the past I was more often asked to support children’s charities! In some ways, change is best started with yourself. You and your friends not just being aware of what you believe in but standing up for it. If a situation arises that you don’t agree with – like someone making a joke at the expense of the LGBT community – you have to speak up for it: Hopefully remain friendly but don’t let the moment go by. When I was at school, that phrase ‘you’re so gay’ suggesting weakness was commonplace and kind of acceptable – but at uni it was happily not used. Maybe that kind of thing is the real positive education of going off to university! I don’t think people are born homophobic – at least, I hope not…Maybe familiarity has taken away the fear. That’s why it’s important to have positive role models in the public so that people can more easily gain confidence to freely express themselves. Actually, there is a phrase I’m not wholly comfortable with: ‘More tolerant’. Surely, it’s not about tolerating others as if they were a noisy neighbour, or that bloke on the tube with B.O? It’s about accepting that we’re all unique and that the world’s genuinely richer because of it. I’d also like to state that no-one should safely accept a Norman Bates as their motel manager!”

 

Former child star Freddie Highmore, who is straight and now plays future psycho Norman Bates in Bates Motel, discussing how the show’s significant gay fan base has led to his becoming an ally in a cover profile for Attitude magazine

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