Boy George and Culture Club have launched their U.S. summer tour, “Life.” My family and I will be attending the July 10 show in Austin, TX, as we did two years ago—and I’ve seen them at least three times before that, dating back to the early 1980s. When I recently posted about the upcoming concert on Facebook, a friend messaged me, expressing surprise—though pleased—that a Christian conservative could be a devoted fan of Boy George. Initially I was surprised by the comment because I don’t see any inherent contradiction between my faith and my admiration for an artist. The message prompted me to reflect on civility and human relations today. But first, a little background.
The band’s name, Culture Club, refers to the members’ diverse ethnic backgrounds—George is of Irish descent, Mikey Craig has Jamaican roots, Jon Moss is Jewish, and Roy Hay is English. My attraction to the band began shortly after they started in the early 1980s. I fell in love with Boy George’s distinctive vocals and Culture Club’s polished, reggae-influenced, catchy songs. Recently my mother sent me a box of news clippings and fan club mailings I’d saved since about 1984. Reviewing those items reminded me I was a teenager then—around 13 or 14—so my collection isn’t creepy, just nostalgic; I’ve always been a bit of a fan girl.
I vividly remember bringing home their album “Kissing to Be Clever” and my strict, religious father insisting on reading the lyrics before I could keep it. He read every song, returned it a short while later, and gave it his blessing. He never objected to George’s appearance; his concern was protecting me from offensive content—something he applied to all the music I loved at 13. Not long after, he bought tickets for the Culture Club concert at Reunion Arena in Dallas, and for a school project I dressed as Boy George, which cemented my association with him among classmates.
Me dressed as Boy George circa 1983/84, and me with the governor of New Jersey sometime in the 2000s.
Over the years my initial fascination turned into a deeper respect for Boy George as a person. He has endured difficult times but has come through them with resilience. He retains a sharp wit and sometimes biting humor, yet he consistently shows empathy, compassion, and respect—qualities we could all learn from. I admire his positivity and his willingness to voice opinions even when they aren’t popular or expected. That willingness to think independently is something I value.
For example, in a recent interview about the tour, Boy George was asked about the term LGBTQ. He replied:
“I suppose I use that term because everybody else does, but I don’t really need that term. I’ve always been open and connected to everyone and everything different — and everything normal. I’m not one of these gay men that ostracizes straight people. To me, my sexuality takes up about four hours a month. It’s not the most important thing about my life. I’ve always felt like Culture Club was a one-stop shop for anyone who felt different for any reason. On a day-to-day basis, I just think people are people, and there are two types of people, nice people and not-so-nice people. It doesn’t matter really where they’re from, or what their sexuality is.”
Boy George and his mom (from my personal fan-clippings)
Reading that moved me. In a time marked by division, tribalism, and identity politics, George’s simple assessment—that people can be kind or not—feels refreshingly honest. The anger and hostility that pervade much of public life are discouraging. My friend’s surprise that a Christian could admire Boy George says a lot about our cultural assumptions: why would those two identities be seen as incompatible? Admiring someone doesn’t mean overlooking flaws or surrendering personal beliefs. It simply means recognizing common humanity and valuing admirable qualities in others.
So here’s to you, Boy George. Thank you for being unapologetically yourself, for showing resilience and strength, for speaking against injustice, and for keeping a sharp, open mind. Thank you for engaging with fans—small gestures such as birthday tweets and personal replies matter and make a difference to people who admire you.
On a personal note, thank you for accepting my cookbook and for taking the time to thank me, try a recipe, and tell me how it turned out. Your courtesy speaks to the upbringing you received. Thank you also for talking with my sons, Ben and Nathaniel, when you were in town two summers ago and for letting them take selfies with you and the band. My older son, Ben—who was 15 and skeptical of most things then—came away impressed and even picked up the bass guitar, inspired by Mikey Craig. My younger son, Nathaniel, followed your appearance on Celebrity Apprentice and rooted for you through every episode.
Yes, Boy George and I may be very different, but differences should never justify incivility or hatred. Maybe there really are two types of people—nice and not-so-nice—and I pray more of us choose to be the former.
UPDATE: The concert was great, and I even managed to convince my younger son, Nathaniel, to join in the fun.
