Having been born with a tiny hole in both earlobes, I’ve sometimes joked that I was a pirate in a previous incarnation. Cosmo Jarvis’s recently released ‘Gay Pirates’ single was Twittered by Stephen Fry, and by all accounts intrigued Elton John. Jarvis, twenty-one, born in the US, and a talented filmmaker, plays the part of a bullied pirate in the song’s video. His attraction to Sebastian, another young pirate (You’re my land ahoy/ You’re my boy) ends with them with hands tied being forced to walk the plank while sharing a lingering kiss. Cosmo sings:
“I’d be under the sea, but you hold me above, ‘cos you’re the man I love.”
While the bloodthirsty deeds of real pirates are well-documented, far less attention has been paid to the recurrence of pirate figures in gay culture. This image can be strong and positive, or dark and disruptive.
Russell Thorndike’s Dr. Syn novels fascinated me when I was younger, and have not a few admirers among the gay leather fraternity. Thorndike first wrote about the exploits of the former successful pirate turned preacher in 1915. Other Dr. Syn books followed between 1935 and 1944, being republished decades later in now highly-priced Arrow paperbacks, with impressive artwork on their covers. Syn leads a smuggling band of ’nightriders’ who have become part and parcel of the homoerotic landscape of Romney Marsh.
This was once the home turf of celebrated maker of gay movies, Derek Jarman. He now rests next to the beautiful St. Clements’ Church in Old Romney, whose pink interior remains, painted for the filming of several Dr. Syn adventures, one starring Patrick Mcgoohan, better known as ’The Prisoner’. I stayed at The Ship Inn where Thorndike composed some of his stories, and for me Syn remains the dashing, romantic, gay man’s pirate of choice.
In Jarvis’s video the other crewmembers bully and ill-treat the pirate lovers, reflecting the darker aspects of the character. The bullying of gay schoolchildren and teens is an ever-present problem, and so it’s good to see another new song and video by Rebecca Drysdale called, ‘It Gets Better’, putting across a strong message of reassurance. Gifted lesbian comic talent Drysdale, who also performs with the Upright Citizens’ Brigade, presents some punchy new lyrics to counter the modern equivalent of the sneering pirates of Cosmo’s vision.
The pirate boy Sebastian echoes the tale of Christian martyr St. Sebastian who was tied to a tree and is often depicted pierced by a number of arrows, in a kind of ecstacy. The attempts of the archers did not kill him, however, and tradition says he was saved by St. Irene, though later clubbed to death. The saint (whose feast day falls on January 2oth) inspired the self-immolation of gay Japanese author Yukio Mishima, and Derek Jarman’s film Sebastiane, with dialogue spoken in Latin throughout.
Normally secretive artists Gilbert and George (Gilbert Proesch and George Passmore) recently revealed some piratical behaviour of their own. For years they have been stealing London Evening Standard headline bills while one of them has distracted the newsagent by buying chocolate. An exhibition coming up soon will feature artworks fashioned from 3oo captured headlines telling the story of the dark underbelly of London life.
One of the aims of Gilbert and George is to address the way society behaves towards the gay community, in an attempt to change that behaviour for the better. Romney Marsh meets the East End meets Grange Hill. The heroic figure of the pirate may change his guise, but still answers the plight of bullied gay teens.
How appropriate that actor Johnny Depp, on location in his film role as Captain Jack Sparrow, took time out to visit a Greenwich school in full costume recently, after receiving a letter from a pupil. The world famous pirate would prove an unbeatable ally for bullied kids everywhere.
By John Hartley.
(c) Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.
