▁activ ism , ▁the ▁actor ▁commented ▁that : ▁ ▁McK ellen ▁is ▁a ▁co - found er ▁of ▁Stone wall , ▁an ▁L GB T ▁rights ▁lo bb y ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁Stone wall ▁ri ots . ▁McK ellen ▁is ▁also ▁patron ▁of ▁L GB T ▁History ▁Month , ▁P ride ▁London , ▁Oxford ▁P ride , ▁G A Y - GL OS , ▁L GB T ▁Foundation , ▁and ▁F FLAG ▁where ▁he ▁appears ▁in ▁their ▁video ▁" Par ents ▁T alk ing ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁at ▁the ▁closing ▁ceremony ▁of ▁the ▁Gay ▁Games , ▁he ▁briefly ▁took ▁the ▁stage ▁to ▁address ▁the ▁crowd , ▁saying , ▁" I ' m ▁Sir ▁Ian ▁McK ellen , ▁but ▁you ▁can ▁call ▁me ▁Ser ena ": ▁This ▁nick name , ▁given ▁to ▁him ▁by ▁Stephen ▁F ry , ▁had ▁been ▁circul ating ▁within ▁the ▁gay ▁community ▁since ▁McK ellen ' s ▁kn ighth ood ▁was ▁con ferred . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁C ele br ity ▁Grand ▁Marsh al ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁P ride ▁Par ade ▁and ▁he ▁attended ▁the ▁Academy ▁Awards ▁with ▁his ▁then - boy friend , ▁New ▁Ze al ander ▁Nick ▁C uth ell . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁McK ellen ▁spoke ▁at ▁the ▁pre - launch ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁L GB T ▁History ▁Month ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁l ending ▁his ▁support ▁to ▁the