From Hollyoaks to Hollywood

BAD
BOY

Guardians of the Galaxys

Emmett Scanlan is
literally In The Flesh
EXCLUSIVE
Courtney Love
on why shes one
for boys who
love boys

BEING GAY
AND HOW
TO FIX IT
YOUR GUIDE
TO ABSURD
GAY CURES

THE ORIGINAL GAY MAGAZINE

MAY 2014 UK 4.30

aleyw
D
Tomhis ne ss)
on edo-le
w
e
(SpTV sho

RUPAULS
DRAG RACE
EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEWS
WITH ALL 14
QUEENS!

30

OF
RS S
YEAYTIME
GA

You
cant sit
with us!
The rise
of the
Mean
Gays
Blonde
ambition
Debbie
Harry on
Beth Ditto,
Gaga and
Warhol

Lesley Joseph / Kristian Nairn / Dana International / Xavier Bettel / Panti Bliss

IMAGES MATHU ANDERSEN

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WorldMags.net

gaytimes magazine number 432 May 2014


[digital special]

gaytimes.co.uk / @gaytimesmag

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sissy that walk

[05/14]

WorldMags.net

Editor DARREN SCOTT

Assistant Editor LEE DALLOWAY
Staff Writer RYAN BUTCHER
Editorial Assistant BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH
Design & Art Direction MARK KING
Style and Grooming LLOYD-SCOTT TYLER
Music BOB HENDERSON
Editor-at-large JOHN MARRS
Columnists PJ BRENNAN, BENJAMIN COHEN, THE
GUYLINER, EDD KIMBER, ALAN ROSENTHAL, PAUL
THORN, MICHELLE VISAGE, MIKEY WALSH
Contributors JOE MCCORMICK, JAMIE
TABBERER, DANIEL MARTIN, MATT PEAKE,
LUKE SMITH, TIM MITCHELL, MIKE HIRD, MILO
WAKELIN, JUSTIN MYERS, TOM JONES, PERRY
JUBY, ZAZZ WALKER, AARON GOLIGHTLY, NICK
VERRELL, JOSHUA HAMMOND, LIAM LESLIE,
DARRELL LARKIN, MOLLY PAGEANT
Pug-at-large TOBY

Thanks to LUIS VENEGAS (EY Magateen), SHAY

KEREM (Dana Music), JENNY BROWN (BBC), CLAIRE
WILSON and LUKE MORRISON (Sky), JAKE SLANE
(VH!) JAKE LEMMENES (Producer Entertainment),
SHEILA MUNGUIA, LAUREN KENYON, JENNA HUDSON
(Rogers & Cowan), BRITISH REECE and KELLEY
KIRKPATRICK (PMK BNC), LUCY BARWELL and
MICHAEL FORD (DAA Management), FIONA SWANSON
(Live Nation), CHRISTINA GUGGENBERGER and STINA
BENGTSSON (Visitstockholm.com), DEBBIE BENNETT
(Bennett Public Relations) TINA BISCUIT (Drag PR)
Production & Distribution Manager
ALEXANDER SMITH
Marketing & Advertising Designer LUKE BENJAMIN
IT & Digital Management FERNANDO SAFONT
Magazine Marketing Executive LLOYD PHILLIPS
Management Accountant ARNAUD SEGUIN
GT Advertising Sales KEITH MCDONNELL
020 7424 7406 keith@gaytimes.co.uk
&ODVVLHG$GYHUWLVLQJ6DOHV ASH ALLIBHAI
020 7424 7451 ash@millivres.co.uk
Escort Advertising Sales RAJ VALENTINO
020 7424 7457 escorts@gaytimes.co.uk
Editorial 020 7424 7400 Fax 020 7424 7401
Sales/Distribution 020 7424 7400 Fax 020 7424 7401
Editorial e-mail edit@gaytimes.co.uk
Advertising e-mail advertising@gaytimes.co.uk
Website gaytimes.co.uk
Postal address GT, Spectrum House, Unit M,
32-34 Gordon House Road, London, NW5 1LP
Newstrade distribution: Conde Nast and National
Magazine Distributors Limited, Unit 3, Tavistock Road,
West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE Tel: 01895 433 600
Newstrade enquiries: karen.donohoe@comag.co.uk
Subscriptions UK 0844 856 0637
Subscriptions e-mail gt@servicehelpline.co.uk
Subscriptions Overseas 01795 414 896
Printed in the UK by: Wyndeham Group
Disclaimer: All copyrights and trademarks are recognised
PUBLISHED BY MILLIVRES PROWLER LTD
Non-executive Chairman CHRIS GRAHAM-BELL
Managing Director SIMON TOPHAM
Media & Marketing Director KIM WATSON
Operations Director ROBERT HANWELL
Financial Director ANTHONY MARTIN

[40]

Email edit@gaytimes.co.uk
Facebook gaytimes
Twitter @gaytimesmag
Instagram gaytimesmag
Snapchat gaytimesmag

[64]

2014 GAY TIMES All rights reserved ISSN: 0950-6101

The mention or appearance or likeness of any person or organisation in articles
or advertising in GAY TIMES is not to be taken as any indication of the sexual,
social or political orientation of such persons or organisations. Unless they
paying your bills, pay them bitches no mind. No responsibility can be assumed
for any unsolicited materials, and submission is construed as permission to
publish without further correspondence and the fee payable (if any) at our usual
rates. Advertisers are advised that all copy is their sole responsibility under the
Trades Protections Act and must comply with the British Code of Advertising
Practice. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior
written permission of the publishers.

gaytimes.co.uk

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[contents]

[82]WorldMags.net

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

[56]
rst

features

08
12
16
20
22
26

40 In The Flesh:
Emmett Scanlan
52 Debbie Harry
56 Game of Thrones:
Kristian Nairn
60 Courtney Love
64 5X3DXOV'UDJ5DFH

Fitty at the front

Tom Daley
Mikey Walsh
Panti Bliss
Michelle Visage
Sweetie, Darling?

news
28
30
32
35
36

The Gay Prime Minister

News debate
30 Things: Eurovision
Ben Cohen
Heroes: Dana International

[12]

style
75 Spring/Summer
82 Home style

entertainment
86 Music
92 Print: Trevor Kleinhans
95 Stage
96 Screen
99 Geek
100 Tech

real life
1035HDGHUVOLYHV
104 The Guyliner
107 PJ Brennan
110 Mean Gays
114 Gay cures
119 Parenting
120 Edd Kimber
121 Alan Rosenthal
122 Fitness
125 HIV

travel
127 Letter from...
128 Stockholm
132 Gran Canaria

Big gay telly shows used to

come with a fanfare. And not
a flashy trumpet proclaiming
their arrival, but usually
some bigot and a red top or
two telling us why it was the
end of civilisation. That era
thankfully now seems to be (mostly) gone. But
funnily enough, the end of civilisation is the theme
of one of the most important gay dramas in the
last decade. Blink and you might have missed In
The Flesh last year. To describe the BBC Three
show as a gay zombie drama is to do it a massive
disservice. But thats the easy way out, and I have
limited space. Space that would be better spent
telling you how Dominic Mitchells programme
broke my heart, made me cry and cheer at its
sheer brilliance. Its not a programme where being
gay *is* the drama for once, but its right at the
core and is utterly, utterly wonderful.
And thats why we welcome the extremely
handsome Emmett Scanlan back to our pages.
Just watch the show. Spoilers!
But if gay drama is what youre after, then look
no further than RuPauls Drag Race. Hands down
the best programme on television (that isnt In
The Flesh), weve been telling you how amazing
it is for six years. Were serving fish again this
issue, with exclusive interviews with all 14
season six contestants.
And if its gay drama starring someone gay bear
with me, its all linking up here then by now
youll have been screaming at your gogglebox
for Game of Thrones season four. We chat with
Hodor himself, Kristian Nairn, who recently came
out. Except he didnt, he just didnt realise people
didnt already know. Changing gay times - no big
fanfare required. Q Darren Scott @darren_scott

E
SSU
I
T
LE
NEX

SA
ON MAY

14

GT432 MAY 2014

Cover image by Joe McCormick
Grooming by Evan Huang

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[05/14]

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WorldMags.net[first]

Teen Titans Our very favourite magazine in the world (after GT) is back,
and this time the hot young models of Luis Venegas EY! Magateen are
waking up in the city that never sleeps New York. Photographed by
Steven Klein, its too hot even for us. Pass the smelling salts! Or just the
stripper kit that comes with this limited edition which includes Diesel
underwear and EY dollars. Oh yes. EY! Magateen issue nine is available
(without our strategically-placed logo) in May from byluisvenegas.com. Q
gaytimes.co.uk

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9

[05/14]

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This might well be our
most anticipated movie
of 2014 though were
not sure which side
of the debate we fall
under: dont make the
live action movie about
Sleeping Beautys
protagonist Malecent
too much like Wicked
or please make the
live action movie about
Sleeping Beautys
protagonist Malecent
like Wicked. Either way,
were rocking horns
this summer. Q

the
witchback
is

0DOHFHQWLVLQFLQHPDV0D\6KHFDQEH
IRXQGWZHHWLQJ#PDOHFHQW

Dragged out We love a bit of trashy telly as much

as the next gay, but Drag Queens of London is set
to make TOWIE and Geordie Shore look like an
episode of Question Time. Brought to you by the
brand new London Live TV station, the eight-part
fly-on-the-wall documentary series stars some of
the capitals biggest stars from Baga Chipz to Rosie
Beaver. Following their lives on and off the stage,
this is a London look like youve never seen before.
But trust us, its going to be anything but a drag... Q
'UDJ4XHHQVRI/RQGRQVWDUWV$SULODWSPRQ/RQGRQ/LYH)UHHYLHZ6N\DQG
9LUJLQDQGRQOLQHDWORQGRQOLYHFRXN#'UDJ4XHHQV

10

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net[first]
IMAGES COURTEDY OF THE BARBICAN / COPYRIGHT JEAN PAUL GAULTIER / PIERRE ET GILES / PATRICE STABLE / RAINER TORRADO / EMIL LARSSON / HERB RITTS FOUNDATION

From the sidewalk to the catwalk Iconic couturier Jean Paul Gaultier has dressed everyone from queens of pop Madonna and Kylie and
collaborated with the likes of Warhol, Aldridge and LaChapelle oh my! The legendary designer truly had an extraordinary vision, and now
youre welcomed into it for the very rst time with The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier at Londons Barbican an exhibition made up of
more than 140 of his boundary-pushing designs. Its open to the public until 25 August, so theres no excuse not to celebrate a true artist.
From theatre and performance to dramatic displays of androgyny, this has it all. Whatre you waiting for? Q barbican.org.uk

SPEED
DATE

JD\WLPHVFRXN

From 17 April
Soon-to-be super
mega star Kristin
Hoffmann comes
to the UK for the
YHU\UVWWLPHZLWK
a string of shows,
starting at the
Maltcross in Nottingham. Beautiful
YRLFH(DV\OLVWHQ
ing just got easier.
kristinhoffmann.
com Q

From 22 April
Call us predictable, but we love
old women having
DPRDQ*UXPS\
2OG:RPHQ)LIW\
Shades of Beige is
set for a massive
UK tour, with awardwinning comic
-HQQ\(FODLUDQGFR
setting the world to
ULJKWVJUXPS\ROG
womenlive.com Q

From 2 May
&ULWLFDOO\DFFODLPHG
hit The Pajama
Game comes to the
West End. Set in
1950s America, it
follows handsome
superintendent Sid
Sorokin who falls
head-over-heels
IRUIHLVW\XQLRQUHS
Babe Williams.
VKDIWHVEXU\WKHDWUH
com Q

4 May
The Southbank
Sinfonia performs
opera and ballet
FODVVLFVDW/RQGRQV
/LQEXU\6WXGLR
Theatre. With singers from the Jette
Parker Young Artist
Programme and
dancers from The
5R\DO%DOOHWWKLVLV
RQHIRU\RXFXOWXUHG
W\SHVURKRUJXNQ

WorldMags.net

6 May
US alt-rockers du
MRXU1HRQ7UHHV\
in from the US for
DJLJDW/RQGRQV
+HDYHQ7KH\UH
promising surprises
DVWKH\SHUIRUP
songs from album
Sleeping With A
Friend a subject
of which we know
NOTHING about.
heaven-live.co.uk Q

11

teen idol

[05/14]

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If youre expecting to see Tom Daley

wearing his trademark tiny Speedos
in exotic locations for his new series,
prepare to be disappointed. Because in his
y-on-the-wall documentary, Tom Daley
Goes Global, the usually super-groomed
teenager covers up and actually lets his
appearance go as he backpacks around
the world with best pal Sophie Lee. Taking
in Thailand, Japan, Australia, Morocco
and New Zealand, they wont be staying
in posh hotels, theyll be roughing it in
hostels, night trains and shacks. But with
the topic of his private life (hes dating
screen writer Dustin Lance Black) strictly
off limits, Tom tells GT why tossing himself
off great heights was so appealing

AROUND
THE WORLD
IN 80
DALEYS
You were away for eight
weeks how did you cope with
homesickness and missing your
family and boyfriend Dustin? In
Thailand there was a moment when
we did get homesick, but we were
so busy doing so many different
things it was kind of hard to think
about home. And we could get WiFi
literally anywhere we even got
it in the middle of the rainforest
in Thailand, so there was the
opportunity to FaceTime.
Did you find that your coming
out video make you more
recognisable internationally?
12

Well, the YouTube video hadnt

come out at that point because we
filmed this in July and August last
year. But there were lots of British
people in New Zealand so they took
a lot of photos of me.
Youre a well-groomed man
how did you cope without styling
products and living out of a
backpack? As we move on further
into the series, youll see by the
time New Zealand came around, I
looked like Id been living rough
on the streets. My hair was tattered,
and I had a beard. I enjoyed letting
myself go for a few weeks and by
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net[first]
living out of a backpack, there
wasnt much we could take with us.
Are you now an action man?
A sky dive was something Ive
wanted to do all of my life, so when
I jumped out of that plane, it was
so exhilarating. A bungee jump
was something I dreamed of doing
and I loved every second of that,
too. It was scary but it was a fun
scary. In fact every challenge that I
shouldnt have liked, I loved. It got
my heart going.
Why did you choose to slum
it instead of staying in luxury
hotels? The trip taught me so
many different things, like its
not all about luxuries when you
go and see the world. You can
actually switch off and have
fun with the bare basics. And
I wanted to try all the different
cultures because if you do stay
in nice rooms in nice hotels
eating nice food, its kind of the
same thing everywhere. When
you venture outside of that,
you experience a lot more fun.
Normally when I travel around
the world diving or training, I
only get to see the hotel room and
the pool. On this trip I was able to
see everything and to explore.
What will we learn about you
from watching the show? You get
to see the real me especially in
New Zealand when Im very tired
and I do have a bit of a snap at
Sophie. Youll see how we develop
as backpackers as well. When
we started in Thailand we really
didnt know what we were letting
ourselves in for. The further it goes
on the more we let our hair down.
After Splash, you must have
received a lot of TV offers. Why
did you pick this series? I was
given eight weeks off after the
World Championships in Barcelona
and I always wanted to travel. So
when this opportunity came up, it
was the perfect chance to see the
world, have it all documented and
to raise the money for The Brain
Tumour Charity, which is close to
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

my heart [Toms father Robert died

in 2011 of a brain tumour]. Each
challenge Im doing, I hope that
people might be able to donate
money to it.
What were the most memorable
moments of the trip? Pretty
much every situation I wouldnt
ordinarily have got myself into, I
enjoyed. In Japan we stayed at an
internet caf. You walk in and your
bedroom is like a box. You have a
mat on the floor and a TV screen
on the wall with private internet
booths you can hire overnight. The
homepage is a porn site so you can
imagine exactly what happens in
those booths!
What was your worst experience?
The place where we stayed in New
Zealand was freezing cold, it was
like a tin white shed and we slept
on wooden planks and a possum
crept inside in the middle of the
night, along with rats. It was not
easy to sleep there.
Did you do any diving on your
trip? No, I had a complete break. I
trained every now and again in the
gym but my first dive was in Cannes
when we had one moment of luxury
and went on a yacht and hung out
with Mollie from The Saturdays. I
dived off the back of the boat but
that was as far as it went.
So thats the only time well get
to see you in Speedos? Sorry no,
they werent even Speedos! I was
just in shorts.
Boo! Are you looking forward
to competing again in Londons
Aquatics Centre, where you
won a bronze medal during
2012 The Olympics? I compete
on 27 April so Im really excited
for that, its going to be great fun
in front of a home crowd. I came
fourth in Dubai in March which was
frustrating because I could have
won, but I messed up one of my
dives. Hopefully Ill be able to take
it to the next level in London. Q
Tom Daley Goes Global, Thursdays, 10pm,
ITV2, thebraintumourcharity.org,
@TomDaley1994

13

WorldMags.net

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column

[mikeyWorldMags.net
walsh]
THE CONTINUING
ADVENTURES
OF GYPSY BOY

I have a mate called

Simon and hes
homophobic.
Ive tried to get to the bottom of
his way of thinking and alter his
perception, but he wont budge.
His ridiculous theories about gay
people are unshakable and make
me furious, to the point of wanting
to push my coffee cup into his face
as hard as he can stand it.
But we always end our gay debate
not agreeing to disagree. Simon,
by the way, is also a gay man.
And not exactly new at it either.
Hes 38-years-old and has lived in
London for more than ten years.
Hes handsome, has a great job and
a close relationship with his family.
His only issue is that he refuses
to come out to them, even though
its quite obvious by now that they
already know.
I asked why hed never actually
opened up about his sexuality with
them. His answer was nothing to do
with them being unable to accept
it. The truth was that he couldnt
live with the idea that theyd think
he was like one of those ones.
And as that sentence fell from
his mouth, he actually did a limp
16

wrist gesture that made me sick to

my stomach.
I saw my homophobic father and
his proud poof-hating family
imitating gay people in such an
ugly stereotypical way as a child.
My only guess was that Simon had
also been brought up in that kind
of circle too small town bigots
seeing only the closeted gay man
on early 80s TV; neither male or
female caricatures, full of anal
innuendo and self hatred. I believe
bigoted imitations of them are why
so many of us have come to loathe
our vintage camp icons so much.
Somehow, though, this ugly
mentality had stayed with Simon,
and the slightest unmanly gesture
from a guy along Compton Street
would actually make him wince
and growl godawful comments
under his breath.
Sadly, its a fact that Simon is not
the only one, and homophobia
among gay men is quite common.
Theres something truly ugly
about a large chunk of the gay
community loathing even the
slightest effeminate gesture and
pretending to be straight.
Straight acting. Its bonkers to

Straight
acting. Its
bonkers
to believe
in this
day and
age that
so many
gay guys
identify as
this

@thatbloodymikey

[rst]

believe in this day and age that so

many gay guys identify as this.
If youre a culprit of this, Id
genuinely like to know what the
term gay acting actually means to
you, and why its so terrible?
After taking enough of Simons
ridiculous rant, I told him this:
Its not your right to judge how
gay someone should be acting.
And its nothing whatsoever to
do with what you find attractive.
What you put across is pure
homophobia, and its the gay
community that should be
ashamed of people like you.
You have problems living
with yourself as a gay man and
thats something you need to
deal with, without taking it out
on those who are living happily
with what they are.
Weve all overcome our battles
with our sexuality, our coming
out and the random bouts of
homophobia that still hit hard and
horribly when were forced to face
them... and the idea of having to
fight it in our own community is a
thought that stupefies and disgusts
me in equal measure.
After three days of silence, I got a
text from Simon saying that he was
moving out of London, that he could
not change the opinion he had and,
finally, that he wished there was
indeed such a thing as that dreaded
urban legend straight pill.
With clear memory of having this
conversation with him time and
time again, I opted out of texting
him back with a lecture... Instead, I
simply wrote a pill cannot change
what you are. This is not X-Men 3.
I havent heard from him since.
And, despite his opinions, I care
for him very much. I hope that one
day he will come to terms with
himself.
For anyone who uses the term
straight acting... of course, its none
of my business. But please, for your
own sake, just take a
moment to ask yourself
why you do. Q
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

MAGICAL
PRIDE
Greatdays Holidays in partnership with Manchester Pride present

AN ENCHATED WEEKEND
AT DISNEYLAND PARIS
16 - 19 October 2014
An unforgettable weekend. The magic of Disneyland Paris with the
sparkle of Manchester Pride.
Be enchanted by Disney during the day, and in the evening, party
the night away in The Disney Village Dome with entertainment by
Manchester Pride. Packages from just 299* if purchased before 01 July 2014

magicalpride.com

Manchester Pride is a registered charity: 1117848

WorldMags.net

*This holiday is operated by Greatdays

Holidays, ABTA Y0380, for whom
Manchester Pride is an authorised
retail agent. All bookings are subject
to Greatdays Holidays terms &
conditions a copy of which can be
found online manchesterpride.com/
disneytc. Price is based on 4 adults
sharing 1 room for 3 nights bed & buffet
breakfast, 2 day dated park hopper
and the Magical Pride wristband
worth 100.00 for exclusive entrance
to the Enchanted Ball on Friday
17 October 2014 & the Halloween
Party on Saturday 18 October 2014
and official Magical Pride T-shirt.

silver screen

[05/14]

WorldMags.net

#amazing
Yes, he may well do
whatever a spider can,
but we doubt a spider
would look quite as good
from behind as Andrew
Garfield does in *that*
suit. Back for another
city-smashing, baddybashing 3D cinema
outing, this time round
the teenage web-slinger
tackles Electro, Rhino
and the Green Goblin
who all have Oscorp
Industries in common
Will three villains and
a corrupt organisation
be too much? Well it
certainly didnt ruin the
best superhero movie
ever, Batman Returns Q
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is in cinemas
18 April, @spidermanmovie

Get your
Pollocks
out for the
lads!
Celebrate three of
WKHWKFHQWXU\V
most colourful artists
with this fabulous
collection of books
by Catherine Ingram.
In the This Is series,
Pollock, Dali and
Warhol have their
lives and careers
immortalised through

18

a series of delicious
illustrations by
Andrew Rae and
Peter Arkle. We
particularly love the
Warhol book throw
in a rippling six
pack and a pair of
skimpy briefs and it
ZRXOGQWEHWRRIDU
removed from a GT
FRYHU,QVLGH\RXOO
QGDFROOHFWLRQRI
:DUKROVEHVWZRUN
including an iconic
1978 painting of Liza
0LQQHOOLKRZG\DOLNH
them apples, Ellen

DeGeneres?)
With Pollock and
Dali completing the
series, these are a
PXVWKDYH7KH\OO
also inject some
exquisite colours
into your dreary old
bookshelf, slotting
DORQJVLGHWKRVHRO
dusty cook books
\RXYHQRWXVHGVLQFH
you accidentally
gave that cute guy
food poisoning when
he came over for
dinner no? Just
us? Q

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net[first]

WORDS-26+8$+$0021'

Case Closed
As America elected
its first ever
African American
President, voters
in California voted
yes on Proposition
8, rendering all
marriages between
gay and lesbian
couples void. The
Case Against 8 follows
the proceedings that
followed. GT speaks
to the directors

he Case Against 8
is one of the most
sensitive and personal
documentaries about US
OHJDOSURFHHGLQJV\RXUHHYHUOLNHO\
to see. In the aftermath of California
VWDWHVVKRFNLQJ\HVPDQGDWHRQ
Proposition 8, a ruling saying that
PDUULDJHLVFODVVLHGDVEHLQJRQO\
between a man and a woman, four
outraged citizens a gay couple and
a lesbian couple agreed to stand up
for gay rights in front of court to get
their marriages recognised.
While Paul Katami, Jeff Zarrillo, Kris
3HUU\DQG6DQG\6WLHUWDNHFHQWUH
stage, directors Ben Cotner and Ryan
:KLWHZHUHZRUNLQJDORQJVLGHWKHP
IRUYH\HDUVWRJHWWKHOPPDGHDQG
released. Following the case from
state courts to the US Supreme Court,
the directors became close with those
DWWKHKHDUWRIWKHWULDO1DWXUDOO\E\
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close with these people the further
along you are with the process I
WKLQNWKH\OLNHGKDYLQJXVDURXQGDQG
they were used to having us as part of
WKHIDPLO\E\WKHQ
Despite the subject matter and the
assured style, The Case Against 8
was an early project of both Ben and
5\DQVZLWK%HQSUHYLRXVO\ZRUNLQJ
as an executive for Paramount and
2SHQ5RDG7KH\VWDUWHGZRUNLQJ
on the documentary just two short
PRQWKVDIWHUUVWPHHWLQJDWWKH
Sundance Film Festival.
$WWKHWLPH3URSRVLWLRQKDGSDVVHG
already and it was being challenged
LQWKH&DOLIRUQLDFRXUWV%HQH[SODLQV
$IHZPRQWKVDIWHUZHPHWLWORVW
at the California court level and we
KDSSHQHGWRQGRXWWKURXJKIULHQGV
WKDWDODZVXLWZDVJRLQJWREHOHGLQ
the federal courts, so we approached
the organisation that was starting the
ODZVXLWDQGDVNHGWKHPDERXWOPLQJ
it just in case it turned into something
ELJ$WWKHWLPHQRERG\NQHZLWZRXOG
EHVXFKDODQGPDUNFDVH
$VWKHWULDOWRRNWKHPWRVXFK
heady heights as the very top of the
American legal system, the historical
nature of what was occurring became

JD\WLPHVFRXN

WorldMags.net

FOHDU$TXLFNRYHUWXUQLQWKH
California courts would have had huge
KLVWRULFDODQGFXOWXUDOVLJQLFDQFH
IRU&DOLIRUQLDQVVD\V5\DQEXWDV
IDUDVVWRU\WHOOLQJJRHV,GRQWWKLQN
it would have had the weight that our
movie does now without it going to the
6XSUHPH&RXUW<RXFDQWKRSHIRU
better than that, the Supreme Court of
the United States, if you were writing
a script for a legal drama then that
ZRXOGEHWKHHQGLQJ
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ZDLWWRRNLWVWROO5\DQWHOOVXV,WZDV
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judicial system and you just have to
sit through all of these waiting periods
ZKLFK,PVXUHZDVPXFKPXFK
worse for the people who were in our
OPUDWKHUWKDQXV
With gay marriage being such an
emotive subject for both sides of
the argument in the US, the level
of vitriol aimed at the plaintiffs was
unprecedented. Footage even
showed the infamous Westboro
Baptist Church campaigning outside
courtrooms. These potential dangers
EHFRPHSDUWRIWKHEDFNJURXQG
unfortunately here in the US. People
MXVWNLQGRILJQRUHWKHPEHFDXVH
SHRSOHNQRZWKH\UHQRWJRLQJWRGR
DQ\SK\VLFDOKDUPH[SODLQV%HQ
The Case Against 8 is coming
to London, for the UK branch of
Sundance Film Festival, something
the directors are particularly excited
DERXWRQHRIWKHPDLQUHDVRQVZH
wanted to play Sundance London
because we thought the timing was
VRJRRG,PVXUHWKHUHDUHPDQ\
FRQYHUVDWLRQVWDNLQJSODFHULJKW
QRZLQWKH8.,WVEHHQNLQGRI
LQWHUHVWLQJVRIDULQWKDWZHUHWDNLQJ
RXUOPWRSODFHVZKHUHJD\PDUULDJH
seems relevant. The UK is one of
WKRVHREYLRXVO\VRZHUHMXVW
ridiculously excited to come to the
8.DQGVHHWKHOPZLWKRXUUVW
LQWHUQDWLRQDODXGLHQFHQ
The Case Against 8 will be showing at
Sundance London on 26 and 27 April. The
directors will be hosting Q&As after the
screenings, sundance-london.com/event/
case-8

19

WorldMags.net
Hes riled up rightwing Catholics,
been celebrated
by Madonna and
even remixed by
the Pet Shop Boys.
Hot on his stiletto
heels of becoming a
YouTube sensation,
GT finds out why
Irelands Panti Bliss
is rewriting all the
rules when it comes
to what a drag
queen is capable of

PANTI
BLISS

WORDS RYAN BUTCHER IMAGES AARON MCGRATH

20

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

t took Panti Bliss just ten

minutes and 48 seconds to
become a household name.
Panti or Irelands Rory
ONeill when hes not wearing
a dress walked on stage at the
Abbey Theatre in Dublin on 1
February and gave one of the most
empowering gay rights speeches in
recent memory.
Luckily, it was filmed and
uploaded to YouTube, where its
since been watched by more than
half a million people, and applauded
by everyone from Stephen Fry to
RuPaul. If you havent seen it yet
whatre you waiting for?
If Id have known that many
people were going to see it, Id have
brushed my fucking hair, laughs
Panti, as we catch up with him at his
aptly-named Pantibar in Dublin.
Its one thing for half a million
people to watch a 15 second video
of someone tripping over a box of
puppies, but its another thing to
click on a video that you know is ten
minutes long and is a speech about
oppression and homophobia. That
fact that people watched it, well, I
could never have predicted that.
Although Panti is now in the calm of
his perfect gay storm, three weeks
prior to his noble call at the Abbey
he was embroiled in a massive legal
row now affectionately referred to
as Pantigate. During an appearance
on RTEs Saturday Night Show, he
named a number of Irish journalists
and a right-wing Catholic think tank
as homophobes which got their,
ahem, panties in a bit of a twist. It
resulted in the channel paying out
thousands in compensation, while
defamation lawsuits loomed over
Pantis head.
I thought the speech would be
my opportunity to set the record
straight, he tells GT. Up to that
point, I thought the real issue had
been lost.
What I wanted to do was
remind people what everyday
homophobia actually is. No, were
not living in Russia or Uganda, but

that doesnt mean that we dont live

with a lower level of homophobia
on a day-to-day basis.
We gays become so used to it
we dont even notice it ourselves.
We almost accept homophobia
as an ordinary part of life. And
of course, its not. Were just so
used to it we dont even notice
it happening anymore. I wanted
to remind people of those small,
psychic cuts that happen to you
every day as a gay person.
But Panti also had a confession to
make in his speech a guilty secret
hed been dying to get off his chest,
whatever the consequences.
I thought, here I am, Im a
drag queen, I own a gay bar, I
make speeches about gay rights,
I campaign for equality, and yet
even I struggle with the fact that
sometimes Im embarrassed by my
friends gayness. I thought it was my
guilty, awful, embarrassing secret,
but it turns out that every gay man
even the ones I thought would never
feel that way feel that way. Ive
been really, really amazed at the
response to my own homophobia.
The image of a man in a frock
making such an eloquent, honest
and passionate speech, and
sparking debate on LGBT equality
across Ireland, has led to a dynamic
shift in the perception of what a
drag queen can do.
Most people have only seen drag
on their holidays and thats what
they think of when they think of a
drag queen, explains Panti. They
think every drag act is about dick
jokes or whatever. And I love a good
dick joke, Im not knocking them.
But drag can be so many things, and
Ive always had to fight that.
I would get called up by TV
companies or newspapers because
they wanted what they thought was
the stupid drag stuff. They wanted
me to be a punch line in a comedy
sketch or to talk about what I
thought of John Travoltas wig at the
Grammys. Now, though, the view
of me and drag queens in Ireland

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

[rst]

has changed entirely. Now they

call me up and they want to know
what I think of the Prime Minister or
equality issues.
People used to dismiss me a lot
before just because I was a bloke in
a dress. People thought whos this
fucking drag queen? Drags werent
taken seriously, but now they are,
and thats a great thing as far as Im
concerned.
And rightfully so. Panti isnt just
some fucking drag queen who
slipped on some fishnets and decided
to throw shade to make a cheap buck.
He was first bitten by the drag bug
after spending his teenage summers
in London chasing legendary
performance artist Leigh Bowery (if
you dont know who he is, for shame
look him up at once). After graduating
from art college, he toured Japan as
a drag double act for five years and
thats where Panti was born.
Leigh was very lovely to me
and in a way I identified with him,
because he was from an arsehole
town in the middle of Australia and
made himself into this incredible
creature, and I was from this
arsehole town in the west of Ireland.
It was hanging out with him that got
me interested in performance and
transformation, and all of that stuff. I
started doing drag and I enjoyed it
it was creative and fun.
Basically, Panti is a storyteller.
She tells personal stories that
hopefully illuminate a larger truth
if that doesnt sound too up my own
arse and there are plenty of dick
jokes in there too. Shes like the
teacher you could get drunk with on
school trips.
After a career thats seen Panti
travel across the world, play to
audiences big and small from the
furthest Australia to the exotic far
east, its these last few weeks that
have afforded Panti his biggest
career highlight to date the fact
that a simple YouTube video has
opened up debate on LGBT equality
in Ireland. But we think its a line
in his now-famous speech about

21

lifes a drag

[first] WorldMags.net
striving to be the best gay possible
which is the legacy Panti will leave
behind.
The best gay possible is someone
whos totally at peace with who they
are and never feels the need to
check themselves, he explains. I
used to think that Id see those kinds
of gay people and be so envious of
them. You know, absolutely flaming
queens and Id think wow, how great
to be that unconcerned, to be that
free. But it turns out lots of people I
thought were that way actually arent.
They struggle with the same issues.
Thats what the best gay possible is
someone whos utterly unconcerned
with what other people think of them.
But if youre somebody whos
constantly checking themselves,
or finding that people are being
homophobic towards you, its a
horrible experience and its not
pleasant. Theres nothing anyones
going to say to make that OK. But
what I would say to young gay people
is, in the long run, these struggles
actually make you a stronger
person, a more empathetic person,
a nicer person. People whove never
actually faced those things actually
turn out to be arseholes.
And with such strong words from
someone who could quite possibly
be the best drag possible, we cant
really argue with that. Q
3DQWLVUVWHYHUVWDQGXSVKRZ+LJK+HHOVLQ
/RZ3ODFHVWDNHVSODFHDW'XEOLQV9LFDU6WUHHW
RQ-XQHSDQWLEDUFRP#SDQWLEOLVV



[05/14]

Question

:KDWDUHYH
random facts
about you? From
#&DVWURB'DYLG

Answer

e
l
e
h
iM cisage
V

Hello my British
babies! Now, LOADS
of people ask me
why I wasnt in seasons one and
two of RuPauls Drag Race so let
me fill you in...
Ive been a radio presenter of
breakfast shows for the past 17
years. Ru conceived the whole
Drag Race idea with me sitting to
her right. Working in radio here,
you arent allowed more than one
week for holiday. I went to my
boss to ask for three weeks off to
shoot and he asked me to explain
what it was. I did and he turned
me down immediately. After
letting it sink in, I went back into
his office the next day to ask why.
He said, it isnt the right image
for our station. There it was; he
was a homophobe. Not only was I
gutted for having to turn my BFF
down, but now I was working for
a homophobe. Then I got the call
two years later to join for season
three. I knew this time I would
have to fight, so I asked again,
only this time, he knew what the

Ready, here goes...

,PDELRORJLFDO
IHPDOH,76758(
&ORZQVVFDUHPH
,GRQWGULQNDQ\
DOFRKRODQGQRUGR
,QHHGWR
,KDWHWRPDWRHV
EOHXUJK
,KRVWHGRLO
ZUHVWOLQJPDWFKHVDW
DVWULSFOXELQ1<&
,KRSHWKRVHZHUH
UDQGRPHQRXJKIRU
\RX;;;09Q

show was. YES! He turned me

down, but there was NO way I
was going down without a fight.
I rang the vice president of the
company and he had no problem
with me being on the show. Why
on EARTH would someone not
want their radio personality to be
on a TV show? Its great publicity!
I guess its because he thought
then Id be associated with drag
queens and gays (as if I wasnt
already, clearly he had NO clue
who I was!) In the end, I left for
LA for five weeks to shoot and the
best part? Mr Homophobe was
fired right before I left!
The moral of the story is
that everyone comes across
someone(s) in their lives who tries
to oppress them stay strong,
speak up and dont stand for it.
Rest assured my little ones, I will
ALWAYS be on that panel, dont
you worry! Until next month get
at me on Twitter @michellevisage
and come see me at
michellevisage.com.
XXX MV Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

boys, boys, boys

[05/14]

WorldMags.net

Oh! You pretty things

Weve developed a bit
of an eye for spotting
the next big band here
at GT. While The Big
Reunion is tickling
nostalgic fancies, its
Manchester four-piece
Rixton whove got us
excited about the future
of pop. We knew what
we wanted huge pop
songs with soul, says
the bands lead singer
Jake Roche. If their
debut single Me and
My Broken Heart is
anything to go by, these
guys are gonna be
huge. Q #5L[WRQ2IFLDO

hands free

You spend all that money

MonkeyTail can be wrapped

wanting some kind of tablet or

around headrests, handles

e-reader to hold in your hand,

and even legs to allow hands-

then you need your hands free

free use. You can even coil it

to do something else. Were

to be freestanding. Fret not,

just SO busy.

the powerful Vacuum Dock

Thanks to Octa, now you can

holds all manner of devices

have your tablet and eat cake.

securely to the MonkeyTail.

Their TabletTail: Monkey Kit

No flinging for this monkey,

brings the agility of chimps

thankfully. Q

to a mounting system, were

told which means the
24

TabletTail: Monkey Kit is available

exclusively at Selfridges, 49.99

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net[first]
We all enjoyed The Big Reunion, right? The drama, the dancing and most importantly the unabashed pop.
Well, ITV have announced a new tour for later this year, featuring all seven of the boy bands from the shows
two series. We didnt know who to be more excited about, so we decided to pit four of our favourites against
one another, gladiator styley. Well, not quite, but boys can dream

A1

Blue

---------Hits
Caught in the Middle
is one of the best
pop tracks of the
VDVIDUDVZHUH
concerned. They had
a few others after that,
but nothing to write
home about. Same
Old Brand New You
was alright, we guess.
Hotness
It seems like Ben
Adams is an ageless
YDPSLUH$QGZHUH
pretty much experts
DIWHUWKHKRXUVZHYH
put in studying his
countless shirtless
VHOHV$WRXJKMRE
but someone had to.
Low points
Despite reforming in
WKH\KDYHQW
had the same level of
chart success as the
others. Unless you,
urm, count the charts
LQ1RUZD\
We reckon
7KH\OOEHJRRGIRU
a sing-a-long, on a
couple of tracks at
least. You can always
yelp for Ben to whip
his top off if it gets a
bit dull.
----------

---------Hits
All Rise, One Love,
Too Close, If You
&RPH%DFNWKHOLVW
FRXOGJRRQ/HWV
MXVWQRWPHQWLRQWKDW
(XURYLVLRQVLQJOH
2."
Hotness
Duncan James. Need
ZHVD\PRUH"+H
featured on our cover
last year wearing very
little, and rightly so.
The other lads are hot
too, of course. Well,
except Antony.
Low points
Lee Ryan on
Celebrity Big
%URWKHU"1RWIRUXV
thanks. Although, we
GLGHQMR\WKHPHQWDO
image of Lee and
Duncan together,
rumour or not.
We reckon
A decent back
catalogue of pop
FODVVLFVDQGWKH\UH
still pretty easy on the
eye. We think we have
our winners. All rise,
Blue, as it were.
----------

5ive
---------Hits
:KHWKHULWV*RW7KH
)HHOLQ(YHU\ERG\
*HW8SRU.HHS2Q
Moving 5ive WILL
make you get down,
now.
Hotness
The boys have aged
pretty well, truth be
told. Ritchie Neville
had us weak at the
knees when he
stripped off for our
naked issue last year.
Low points
5ive became four
when Jason J Brown
decided not to return
for The Big Reunion.
Wrong move, if you
ask us.
We reckon
7KH\YHJRWWKHWXQHV
DQGWKH\YHVWLOOJRW
WKHORRNVZHMXVW
wish our JJ was along
for the ride, too.
----------

5th Story
---------Hits
Collectively, the boys
have an extensive
back catalogue,
ZKHWKHULWV*DUHWK
*DWHV8QFKDLQHG
Melody or the brilliant
Dane Bowers collab
with Posh Out of
Your Mind.
Hotness
.HQ]LHLVORRNLQJ
pretty buff these days,
EXWWKH\HDUVKDYHQW
been too kind on the
RWKHUV
Low points
A group made up of
former solo artists all
XVHGWRHQMR\LQJWKH
OLPHOLJKWRQWKHLURZQ"
What could possibly
JRZURQJ"
We reckon
7KH\YHJRWWKH
PXVLFDOUHSRZHU
ZHOOJLYHWKHPWKDW
But it might end
up being more fun
watching them battle
for centre stage.
----------

A1

5ive

Blue

ON
S
D
LA OUR
T

5th Story

The Big Reunion The Boy Band Tour kicks off

on 17 October for 13 dates. Tickets are on sale
now from livenation.co.uk, @bigreunionITV

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

25

WorldMags.net
Shes best known
as money-hungry
man-eater Dorien
Green in the
recently revived
Birds of a Feather
and now stars as
menopausal Myra
in saucy musical
Hot Flush. Shes a
gay mans dream
and the perfect
candidate to face
the unpredictable
questions lurking
in our sweetie
jar... Gents, its
the divine Lesley
Joseph

Swe
e
t
Da ie,
rling
?
WORDS LEE DALLOWAY IMAGE LIAM LESLIE

26

WorldMags.net

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net
We hear youre having a Hot
Flush [Laughs] Its my latest show,
for women of a certain age, and its
very funny. One man plays about
15 parts in it. Hes a randy vicar,
a young stud, and theres a speed
dating number where he comes
on in a leather mask and a thong.
The women in the audience go
completely berserk. I even get to do
a bit of stand-up in the middle.
We loved the return of Birds!
What was the biggest difference
between doing it then and now?
Before it was the Thatcher years,
the white van man and big white
stilettos. Now its iPads, Twitter
and TOWIE. We didnt have the
internet when Birds of a Feather
started and we used to sit waiting
for reviews come out. Now if
people came to see it, literally,
we knew halfway through taping
what they thought of it. Youve got
instant word of mouth, which never
happened before.
Of all of Doriens eye-catching
outfits, which is your favourite?
Oh, Ive got nearly all of her
costumes in my wardrobe! All
the first nine series. Theyre so
daring; theyve got shoulder
pads for miles. This new series
she looks like Sylvester Stallones
mother with a leopard print bag.
She always thinks she looks
fantastic, yet she looks like a
dogs dinner. But thats part of her
appeal. She takes me two hours to
get ready! I wonder if I should do a
sale of Dorien clothes but I cant
part with them cos theyre sort of
part of my life and none of them
could be worn again.
[Sitcom geek alert!] Hang on one
continuity buggering minute
Didnt Tracey sell Dalentrace and
move out of Chigwell to Onger?
Do you know what, when we did
this new series, Linda [Robson]
would say Im sure we should be
Shalentrace now, not Dalentrace.
And real birds fans have picked up
on it. Its not the same house as in
the original though.

Are you a fitness freak or

couch potato? Well, when we
started to think about clothes for
Dorien this time around I really
had to work on the figure to get
the legs looking good. You cant
show Dorien looking podgy, it
aint gonna work. Shes got to be
looking really killer! I lost about
a stone and a half and fine-tuned
my legs my legs ended up
getting great reviews [laughs].
Whats your craziest career
moment? I job shared with Paul
OGrady on Annie! I was doing it
at the Victoria Palace and Id been
booked for panto, as I always do,
and Paul Elliott, the producer, said
lets get Paul OGrady in as Lily
Savage to play Miss Hannigan. It
was the most bizarre thing [laughs].
Every good diva should have
a dramatic entrance whats
your best one? It was when we
did the stage version of Birds of
a Feather. Sharon and Tracey
get a letter out of the blue from
Dorien saying shes in an old
age home and can they come to
visit her. They go and there are
five old people in wheelchairs.
Sharon walks up to one and says
I can recognise those sagging
knockers anywhere. Dor, you still
getting enough nookie? and then
suddenly I enter in a red dress that
barely covers my bum with huge
heels and hair and say, Probably
more than you do, Sharon! The
audience went wild.
Whats your favourite place in
the world? Japan. Beautiful. Ive
walked around the shrines of Kyoto,
Ive seen geishas in Gion. From the
oldness to the modernity of Toyko,
and, oh my god, the Shinkansen, the
bullet trains. Beautiful.
If you were a kangaroo, what
would you keep in your pouch? If
it was Dorien, probably her diary
so she could read over all her old
exploits. If it was me, a kohl eye
pencil, because a kangaroo should
always look wonderful.
If you could have one

JD\WLPHVFRXN

WorldMags.net

[rst]

superpower, what would it be?

Invisibility would be amazing. To
be a fly on the wall listening to a
conversation, who wouldnt want
that? Id be on the tube, nobody
would recognise me but maybe
theyd get a waft of my perfume
[laughs]. Listening to random
conversations, Id love it.
What offends you? Rudeness. And
Im really offended at the moment
by someone who goes to Africa
just to shoot a wild animal, even if
its an animal thats at the end of its
breeding time. It just makes me so
angry that anybody in this world
could get pleasure from killing
these beautiful animals.
Madonna or Kylie? Oh, neither
[laughs]. Im a musical queen; I love
West End musicals.
Telly or theatre? If you had to put a
gun to my head, I would say theatre,
cos thats my first love. Pauline
[Quirke] adores television, she
loves being in the studio.
Growing old gracefully or
disgracefully? Oh, disgracefully!
Reality TV yes or no? Yes.
Its here to stay. Not all of its
for me; I couldnt do the jungle.
Strictly Come Dancing? Fantastic!
You know Andy Warhol said
everybody has their 15 minutes
of fame, and I think you have to
embrace it. You cant pretend its
not there and were still getting
great dramas. I dont think
reality television has destroyed
television; television has taken a
leap forward. And you cant say,
urgh the old days were much
better. Were in the now, and
everybody is slowly coming back
to dramas again.
Telly judge Lesley Joseph has a
nice ring to it I wouldnt mind
being a judge, but Id have to
know about the subject. I couldnt
do X Factor as I dont know
enough about pop music. Maybe
something like Dancing on Ice or a
similar show, but for actors. Q
'RQWPLVV/HVOH\LQ+RW)OXVKWRXULQJWKH8.
XQWLO0D\DWJWLFNHWVFRPVKRZVKRWXVK

27

analysis

[05/14]

WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

WorldMags.net

IS THE BRITISH PUBLIC READY

FOR A GAY PRIME MINISTER?
IN LAST MONTHS GT, BOTH ED
MILIBAND AND NICK CLEGG
SEEMED TO THINK SO. TO FIND
OUT JUST WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE
AN OUT GAY LEADER, WE MET
UP WITH XAVIER BETTEL, ONLY
THE SECOND GAY MAN IN THE
WORLD TO LEAD A COUNTRY
WE CAUSED QUITE THE STORM
last month, didnt we? The Daily Mail
was inundated with concerned
readers. Britain is ready for gay
Prime Minister, stated the headline.
They wont be happy until its
compulsory, the top comment read,
with almost 2,000 green arrows
supporting it. I dont care if someone
wants to be tied to a bed, walked
over with 6 heels and called Barbara
in their spare time, as long as he or
she can do the job, wrote another.
We had put questions from you,
GT readers, to the top three men
in British politics. They answered
everything from how best to tackle
the spread of HIV among young men,
to how theyd react if their children
came out. But it was the question of
whether were ready for a gay PM that
really got people talking.
Nick Clegg argued we are. Im
confident that the British people
would judge him or her on their
ability to lead and be a good Prime
Minister, he said, and not on who
28

they choose to share their life with.

And Ed Miliband told us that given
the rapid change in attitudes over
the last 20 years, an out gay Prime
Minister may well be on its way.
Though they may think its
possible, to date it has never
happened. Or at least they havent
been out. Currently 6% of the men in
parliament identify openly as gay or
bisexual, which is the same as in the
general population so theres no
reason why it shouldnt happen.
Iceland became the first country
in the world to elect one of us, when
Jhanna Sigurardttir, a lesbian,
became its head of government
in 2009. Iceland is a tolerant
and welcoming country, but still
Sigurardttir faced homophobia on
the international stage the leader
of a Faroe Islands political party
refused to dine with her because her
wife would also be there.
Two years later, Belgium saw the
election of the first gay man to the
top job, when socialist Elio Di Rupo

became PM. The left-wing Belgian

caused something of a stir after
coming to power, being filmed topless
and being spotted in Brussels gay
bars, to the horror of some. While it
may not be what we immediately think
of in a statesman, would the same fuss
really be made if David Cameron were
seen having a drink with his wife?
One man that knows the answer is
Xavier Bettel. Mr Bettel is only the
second gay man to lead a country,
becoming the PM of Luxembourg at
the end of 2013. The 41-year-old was
formerly the Mayor of Luxembourg
City and a talk show host. Hes now
Luxembourgs first liberal Prime
Minister since 1979, and only the
worlds third gay leader.
I take the right decisions not
thinking if Im straight or not straight.
I never make this my way of thinking,
Bettel tells GT, keen to be seen in the
same terms as any other politician.
Im not a gay politician or wanting
to be known as a politician who is gay.
Thats not how I wish to be seen.
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
[news]
Even in largely welcoming countries,
like Iceland and Luxembourg, coming
out remains a challenge, not least
when its in the public eye. Bettel faced
this challenge some years ago, after
meeting the man he shares his life with
to this day. I told it to my parents, I
told it to my family, that I was in love. It
was not that easy at the first moment.
Bettels mum worried about how
this would affect his career little did
she know that he was to become the
countrys Prime Minister. I remember
the first reaction of my mum was that
she was a bit scared, and it took some
days to see that she was accepting
me like I am. But I didnt lose any
friends or family because of my sexual
orientation. It was just a nervous
experience.
Its not an experience he regretted,
though. Being gay hasnt harmed
his career, as hes now one of
Luxembourgs youngest-ever leaders.
When I did my coming out I realised
that life is much more easy than trying
to hide things to others, but first you
have to accept it by yourself.
One matter that is tougher to resolve,
though, is the attitudes of other world
leaders. Were looking at you, Putin.
British political leaders abstained from
attending Russias Winter Olympics,
while President Obama sent a
delegation including gay and lesbian
athletes to highlight the countrys poor
human rights record.
For Prime Minister Bettel, these
issues are personal. One thing
is for sure: I wont hide or play
something else just because of a visit
to other countries or commercial
agreements. I am how I am and I
wont hide myself to anyone.
It was once unimaginable that any
world leaders could be gay without it
being a major issue. In many countries
it still would be. But the likes of
Xavier Bettel show that a gay PM can
get elected. It may be an optimistic
aim, though, considering only one
woman has ever taken the job, let
alone an LGBT person. Only time
will tell if Britain is ready to follow
Luxembourgs lead. Q
gaytimes.co.uk

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29

WorldMags.net
[debate]

[news]

ARE WE READY
FOR A GAY PM?
Miliband and Clegg
certainly think so.
But would British
voters accept an out
gay Prime Minister?
Could a camp man
be PM? Or a drag
queen? We asked
two leading voices if
the UK is gay-OK
READY Chris Bryant MP

NOT YET Phyll Opoku-Gyimah

Chris Bryant has represented Rhondda in Wales since 2001, and is a

prominent voice for gay rights in parliament. He tweets @ChrisBryantMP.

Phyll is director of UK Black Pride and head of campaigns for the

Public and Commercial Services union. She tweets @MsLadyPhyll.

I dont doubt British voters would be happy with

an out LGBT prime minister. After all, weve probably
had a gay PM or two before, albeit not an out one. Most
people now dismiss talk of Edward Heaths sexuality,
but the marquess of Rosebery and Pitt the Younger may
well have been gay. And when courtiers were pushing
the lithe young George Villiers in the direction of
King James in 1614, they were in luck. James approved
of George, took him to bed, made him Master of the
Horse, a duke and his virtual first minister.
More importantly, its three decades since Chris
Smith came out and voters have shown time and
again that a politicians sexuality is irrelevant to
them. Ben Bradshaw defiantly saw off a virulently and
openly homophobic campaign in 1997 to win a seat
in Exeter and when Stephen Twigg defeated Michael
Portillo in Enfield, the viewing public was far more
interested in the fact that he looked gobsmacked than
in who he went to bed with.
Thats not to say that there havent been snide and
catty remarks along the way. On one occasion a Tory MP
(now the Defence minister Andrew Robathan) told me
I couldnt have a view on smacking children because
I would never have children of my own. Ive also been
called a pantomime dame in the House of Commons by
two Conservative Cabinet ministers (George Osborne
and Iain Duncan Smith) and while neither of them
may be homophobic, I suspect they only chose that
particular term of abuse because Im gay.
That leaves the press. While most papers have
abandoned their prejudice, some still drag up the
likes of Alexander Boot (London is so tolerant it could
be twinned with Sodom) and Jan Moir (of Stephen
Gatelys death she wrote the ooze of a very different
and more dangerous lifestyle has seeped out for all to
see). Too often they cant resist a dig, so the paper that
once ran Elton takes David up the aisle would almost
certainly still portray a gay MP as camp and a lesbian
as butch. But the public have far better sense. Q
30

A 2008 poll found that 75% of British people would

vote for a gay Prime Minister. Women were more in
favour than men (79% to 70%). Support was highest
among 35 to 44 year olds (85%) and lowest among
people over 65 (58%). More recent polling has continue
to show positive public attitudes with increasing
numbers of people in Britain supporting gay rights.
Politicians are catching up with public attitudes
most notably among the Conservative Party which
has had to come a long way from its deeply pernicious
Section 28 policy that was repealed by Labour in 2003.
While some political parties may be slow to change,
the seismic generational and public opinion shifts do
mean that more openly gay candidates will be able to
stand for and win elected office. The British political
scene can boast role models, from the like of Lords
Waheed Alli and Peter Mandelson; through to MEP
Michael Cashman, MSP Ruth Davidson and Cambridges
trans mayor, Jenny Bailey, alongside many MPs.
Despite all of them being trailblazers the fact
remains that there are still too few openly gay
politicians, let alone Prime Ministers. Discounting
the rumour that former British Prime Minister Edward
Heath was secretly gay, or that Winston Churchill had a
one-off fling with Ivor Novello, there are few examples
of openly gay world leaders.
The fact is that to make this happen there will need to
be more openly gay candidates elected as MPs since
they have a higher likelihood of being elected Prime
Minister, and it remains very difficult for non-MPs
to make the jump directly. It will also take time for
more Britons to consolidate the change in their social
attitudes within political parties.
From the perspective of a lesbian of African descent,
a more radical question for me is whether there will
be change enough in social and political attitudes in
Britain to ever elect a black or lesbian Prime Minister.
That will be a real marker of a seismic shift in the
British political landscape. Q
gaytimes.co.uk

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douze points

[05/14]

WorldMags.net

Whether its whacky

performances or
iconic moments in
music, Eurovision
always delivers.
From Abba to a herd
of monsters, we
look at its best bits
WORDS DARRELL LARKIN

[01] Ruslana won for Ukraine in

2004 with the adrenaline-fuelled
Wild Dances. She then become a
Member of the Ukraine Parliament,
proving contestants are more than
just a decent voice.

[02] Abba performing Waterloo

in 1974 didnt just establish them as
ultimate gay icons they changed
the perception of pop music thanks
to their phenomenal songwriting.
[03] Loreen took Eurovision to
the mainstream with 2012s slick
international hit Euphoria.
[04] Dana International made
history in 1988 as the first-ever
transgender entrant. But more on
her later in the issue
[05] Verka Serduchka became one
of our favourite drag queens in 2007
with the infectious Dancing Lasha
Tumbai, proving if you wanna make
it, youve just gotta be yourself.
[06] Gina G in 1996 may have
been the UKs last big Eurovision
star her Kylie-esque Ooh Ahh
Just A Little Bit is camp as anything,
but its the last time one of our own
contestants topped the UK charts.
[07] Lordi performed Hard Rock
Hallelujah in 2006 dressed as
monsters. The heavy metal band
were surprising winners, proving
talent primarily comes from within.
[08] Olivia Newton-John became
one of the biggest filmstars
of the 70s, but it all started in
1974 at Eurovision, with a sweet
performance of Long Live Love.
[09] Hera Bjrks 2010 song Je
Ne Sais Quoi for Iceland not only
became a gay anthem, but it proved
to everyone else why shes backed
32

30
THINGS

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WorldMags.net
[news]
by the Sigur Rs and actual Bjrk.
[10] Remember nil pois? 2003
was a bad year for the UK, with
Jemini hitting rock bottom. How
many times have you heard
complaints about the Eurovision
being too political since then?
[11] which brings us to last year
when we all believed in Bonnie. But
even a global star didnt help. Too
political reared its ugly head again.
[12] Did you know Celine Dion
got her big break thanks to
Eurovision? She won in 1988, and
spring-boarded off her success to
become one of the biggest female
vocalists ever.

represent Croatia, but finally won

the right in 2010. Alas, they didnt
make it to the final, though
[21] Cascada taught us you should
never believe your own hype. They
went in as favourites representing
Germany last year, but ended up in
a shameful 21st place.
[22] Lulus Boom Bang-a-Bang
wasnt just a camptastic pop hit it
won in 1969 alongside Spain, the
Netherlands and France, changing
tiebreaker rules for years to come.
[23] Norways Alexander Rybak
made Eurovision history in 2009,
receiving a record-breaking 387
points. He hasnt been beaten yet.

[13] Katrina and the Waves used

[24] They became a viral hit as

the Russian grannies in 2012, but
Buranovskiye Babushki actually
proved age is no limit, coming a
close second behind Loreen.
[25] When Ireland sent TV
presenter Dustin the Turkey in
2008, his track Irlande Douze
Pointe was supposed to be a
playful satire at the absurdity of
Eurovision. Shame it went over
a few peoples heads
[26] Sabina Babayeva set a
precedent in 2012 for Azerbaijan,
with a modern tearjerker proving
its not all about fun and dance.
[27] The Brotherhood of Man
changed their sound from soul
to unabashed pop for Save Your
Kisses, winning for the UK in 1976.
[28] Valters and Ka a turned
Orwellian activists in 2005 with
The War is Not Over, with the
Latvia duo warning millions not to
listen to them in charge.
[29] Marie N embodied true
femininity in 2002 with I Wanna.
The sight of her dancers stripping
her to reveal a stunning red
dress has gone down as one of
the contests most talked about
performances.
[30] Jade Ewen gave a cringeinfused but sweet performance
of Its My Time in 2009 for the UK,
but somehow we dont think that
was her time. She later joined the
Sugababes. Obviously. Q

Eurovision to step back into the

limelight from almost-obscurity,
winning for the UK in 1997.
[14] Greeces Michalis Rakintzis
had the weird factor in 2002 with
S.A.G.A.P.O. Be whoever you want
to be was the message here.
[15] Neither the UK nor Ireland
gave t.A.T.u any points in 2003,
which led to Russia complaining to
the BBC and RT. Its almost like
we knew, even back then
[16] Sandie Shaw was the first UK
act to ever win Eurovision back in
1967. But who couldve predicted
shed inspire one Steven Morrissey
frontman of the iconic The Smiths.
[17] One for stat fans Ireland has
won more than any other country,
and Johnny Logan is the only man
to win with a song composed for
him, his own song, and to compose
a song for another winner.
[18] Montenegros WHO SEE and
Nina Zizic brought performance
art to the millions last year by
dressing as astronauts on a stage
full of smoke. It was, ahem, out of
this world.
[19] Bucks Fizz wrote themselves
into the annals of history in 1981,
winning with Making Your Mind
Up. Its held in high esteem by
purists as a classic Eurovision hit.
[20] Feminnem taught us that
perseverance is key in Eurovision.
They failed twice in a bid to

GT VAULT

21 YEARS AGO
Issue 176, 1993
Right Said Freds Richard Fairbrass fronted this issue,
telling us about his unfaltering support for gay rights
and his own story of struggling to crack the music
industry, while still managing to stay true to his own
unique self.

30

OF
RS S
YEAYTIME
A
G

16 YEARS AGO
Issue 236, 1998
Outspoken social activist Mary Whitehouse reignited
her one-woman crusade against homosexuality as we
recalled her various attempts to maintain a righteous
Britain. She even took our very own editor to court!
Crikey.

8 YEARS AGO
Issue 332, 2006
Trying to discourage homophobia in sport, we
celebrated the gradual changes in football to
discourage anti-gay prejudice. Alas, its still an issue
these days, but who doesnt enjoy 90 minutes of sweaty
guys in shorts?

gaytimes.co.uk

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33

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column

[news]

PUBLISHER [benjamin cohen]

WorldMags.net
OF PINKNEWS

During March, a
teenager named
Richard Kennedy
found himself at the centre of
a social media storm after he
posted a photograph of himself on
Facebook. This was no ordinary
photograph. It showed him with
broken teeth caused by what he
claimed was a homophobic attack.
After it had been shared by more
than 180,000 people on Facebook
within just a few hours, PinkNews
tried to reach him to find out more
on what appeared to be a horrific
attack on the streets of Blackpool.
We received no reply, so we tried
to reach him where he works,
and at the university where he
studies contemporary theatre.
Although we had no response,
the police confirmed that they
were investigating his claims, so
PinkNews published a story that
was shared on Twitter a number of
times by Stephen Fry. It didnt take
long before the story became a
mainstream news event with local,
national and international media
joining in the coverage.
However, just a week later,
the police revealed that the

teenager had actually suffered

his injuries from falling over, it is
understood while drunk, and had
no recollection of what actually
happened.
Richard is not the first person
of late to have used social media
to stir up a huge outpour of
public attention over made-up
homophobia. Dayna Morales, a
waitress in New Jersey, claimed
that a customer wrote a note on a
receipt refusing a tip because of
her lesbian lifestyle. Dayana used
social media to solicit thousands of
dollars of support from the public
before being exposed as a fake,
then refunded the money to those
who supported her.
DJs at a radio station in New
York also used Facebook to post a
supposedly homophobic response
to a birthday party invitation sent
to the child of a gay couple. A
few days after their image made
newspapers around the world, the
DJs admitted they made it up.
Its starting to become something
of a trend make something up,
post it to social media and make
yourself famous, until youre found
out. My initial reaction to Richard

Its starting
to become
something
of a trend
make
something
up, post it
to social
media
and make
yourself
famous
until youre
found out

@benjamincohen

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

Kennedys Facebook post was

that it was made up, or part of his
coursework for his contemporary
theatre degree. However, the
police investigation meant that we
needed to take it seriously.
In their respective weeks, all
three of these made up stories
were the most read articles on
PinkNews. They were shared
by more readers than anything
else and generated the most
comments. They resonated, even
though they were completely
fictitious, made up by individuals
with motivations that only they
can explain.
What they did do was appeal
to normal people, people who
arent necessarily LGBT, but
who collectively feel a sense of
revulsion when someone beats
up a bi teenager, refuses to tip a
lesbian or insults gay parents. In a
sense, there is something positive
that can be taken from them. They
show that the majority of people
are appalled by homophobia and
are outraged by its existence in
modern society. While this is,
in its own way, a good thing, the
actions of these people should not
be encouraged.
There is a clear negative. Aside
from misleading people, the idiots
behind these scams devalue real
homophobia and transphobia, and
contribute to a situation where
LGBT people might not always
be believed when they report
a crime, harassment or general
rudeness to the authorities, or to
society in general.
Real homophobia and
transphobia ruins lives, drives
individuals to suicide and has
resulted in the murder of many
LGBT people. I just hope that the
public revulsion generated from
these three high profile fictitious
homophobic incidents can be
used for good for society as a
whole to condemn and
fight homophobia in all
its forms. Q

35

WorldMags.net

DANA

HEROES
WORDS BOB HENDERSON

INTERNATIONAL

36

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WorldMags.net
On 9 May 1998,
the National
Indoor Arena of
Birmingham bore
witness to the
global arrival of
a mega-diva and
instant gay icon, the
incomparable Dana
International. As
winner of that years
Eurovision contest,
she personied all
the drama of her
winning song Diva
and secured her
place not just as
a Eurovision icon
but an indisputable
LGBT hero. We
nally caught up
with the elusive
Israeli...
Do you feel like a gay icon? Well
you know its a hard question Ill
give you an example. If after a good
show I feel the love of the crowd,
you get some thoughts that maybe
the hand of God touched me to sing
to people, to make people happy,
to help them in many ways. Then I
go home and I put off my make-up,
hug my dog and just come back
to real life and understand that
all singers are just normal human
beings when they come home. Its a
big thought, it would make me feel
more responsible to every bit of my
life and I dont want to. I want to feel
free like a bird.
We get the feeling everything
youve done in your life is not
to break barriers, be a first or a
representative, but because you
want to be yourself. Yeah! Its very
dangerous you know, each one of
us has an individual mind and Im
coming from a certain place, its my

own life, my own brain. Its not that

you have a prescription of how to be
this and that, to mess with peoples
minds in a very private decision. I
just try to keep my hands off.
But did you have a role model
when you were growing up? Wow,
of course. You know Divine back in
the 80s? It was my biggest, sorry to
say. But even today I put on shows
that I like and Im shivering you
know? My biggest idol was Divine,
better than Wham!, Culture Club
and the lives of everyone else. I
liked the make-up so much, the
person, you could understand how
just by seeing and hearing the
songs and the video clips that this
person just didnt give a damn about
anyone else. And maybe it gave me
courage in my unconscious.
If Divine was still alive now
do you think youd be working
together? Ah, I dont know. It
would be very old. Its easier
sometimes to have success
because of the vulgar image, it
was a parody. Its much easier to
accept a man wearing wigs and
being like that, fat and sexy, than
to accept just a boy who wants
to be a girl and a singer. I think
its much easier to accept vulgar
images than people who want to
be normal, when reality says we
are not normal.
Is that something youve strived
for, being normal? It was an aim
of mine, but I realised a long time
ago that there is nothing like being
normal. No one is normal, not the
straights, not the gays. For years
I was looking upon the straight
community and learning how
to be accepted, then I was very
accepted in the gay community and
everything was the same; the same
jealousies, the same competition,
the fights are the same fights. Its
just that the gay community is very
competitive, very intense, you get
everything really fast, very quickly
and in big doses. And thats why Ive

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

[news]

found myself, at the age of 45, a little

bit bored of life.
But you did Eurovision! You came
out of nowhere for us. I think I
came out of the Eurovision, which
is not like the MTV music awards,
it was a bit of a joke and I didnt
understand that. You can take all the
examples from Eurovision, no one
has a big career or second or third
song. In just one case, which is the
phenomenon of ABBA. Or groups
which came from the UK. I didnt
realise that at the time, I thought I
was going to conquer the UK, but it
was a regular thing that you have
the deserved amount of success
and then to go back. Thats what
Eurovision is all about.
It made you live up to your
name though, you became truly
international. I used to travel all
around Europe and I had a lot of
success in Eastern countries. For
example, I went many times to
Russia, to Spain, to Germany, to
Belgium to countries that give
Eurovision respect, bringing
out the artists and making shows
about them. The UK is not one
of these countries, the UK treats
Eurovision like a joke, you never
want to win again. It takes money
from your budget. Countries that
love Eurovision treat you with a lot
of respect, until you die you can
travel around with the Eurovision
programmes. Its like a pension. The
first winner is still being invited,
the first winner from 1954! Im just
thanking God that Im still able to do
TV shows. I was also a judge on the
Israeli Idol show. Doing things like
that, growing up and developing
myself on TV, making records and
living my life more happy.
Weve seen a bit of your Israeli
TV show Banot [where Dana
is auditioning girls to form a
girlband, a bit like Girls Aloud].
What is it youre looking for? Well
to tell you the truth, Im making a
living. Im doing it for a cheque.

37

[news]

WorldMags.net

Thats the bottom line, I was doing

nothing of pursuing my dreams.
They offered me some amount of
money, we had a negotiation, I got
what I wanted and Im a judge on
the Banot show. I can just tell you
its very hard to deal with so many
girls, so many hormones, so many
jealousies. I would much prefer to
deal with boys. It would be much
more interesting for me.
We loved your last album HaKol Ze Le-Tova (which roughly
translates to Its All For The Best)
and cant wait to hear your new
as-yet-untitled album due out in
June, whats it going to be like?
Its going to be very progressive,
Ive decided that I dont care what
people think and that Im not going
to be average any more just for
people to like me. Im doing things
my way. Have you seen [her last
video] Loca? Im going to do things
more of this atmosphere and less

average Israeli song for the radio

to like me, and just to express
myself in a very intimate way.
Whats your favourite word in
Hebrew? BARUUUUR! Obvious.
We dont have to say thats, its
just obvious. Like when someone
says something that you already
know, and they know that you
already know. Im always saying it,
you dont know how many people
are saying it right now. The exact
word is barrur, its short, but for us
its baruuuuuurh.
Youre always well turned
out on stage, are you high
maintenance in your daily
life? Im a very simple girl, I
hate glitter and high heels and
everything. But I know the effect
on the crowd, my tools of war
you know? When Im going to
work, Im wearing my weapons
and everything. Onstage is
something else. I feel like I am

Beyonc, I know the fact that I

am not but I dont care. I drink
two glasses of wine and imagine
I am the queen, there could be
50 people in the crowd and I can
imagine 50,000.
Are you tired of being a diva?
Of course I tire of being a diva
because I was much happier
when I wasnt getting all that
much respect. Ive been there,
done that, again and again, and
Im looking for all fresh things
exciting me these days. And diva
is like a person you are when
youre 25. But when youre 45
its a different kind of diva. I want
to be a teenager again, rather
than be a diva. I want to not feel
responsible for the decisions that
I make because I was giving 20
years of my life to my career just
doing what I was told to do. And
more freedom, to do what I want to
do when I want to do it. Q

30

OF
RS S
YEAYTIME
GA

38

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Death Becomes Him

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[cover]

Where do you turn once youve

played soaps ultimate bad boy,
a cop in the best drama of 2013
and a gangster hitman? If youre
Emmett J Scanlan, then your
obvious choice is to become a
zombie. He tells GT why hes
joined the new series of In
The Flesh, and what happens
when Marvels Guardians of the
Galaxy come calling...
Its difficult to reconcile the man
dancing in front of GT to the Human
Leagues last album in a penthouse
apartment, with the fearsome
Brendan Brady from Hollyoaks.
During his two and a half
year tenure on the soap, actor
Emmett J Scanlans antics, most
notably murder and domestic
violence, made him both scary
and strangely sexy at the same
time. Now, 12 months after leaving
the gay moustached rogue to
languish behind bars, Emmett
has never been more in demand
by producers. But today, hes
dancing shirtless in front of our
photographer, 29 floors above the
London skyline, just to stay awake.
Youll have to forgive me,
he apologises in his lilting Irish
brogue. Id just finished filming
In The Flesh and had two weeks
off before The Fall starts so I threw
in 12 days of playing a gangster
hitman in a movie. Id have gone
insane if Id rested.
Judging by Emmetts relentless
workload, resting is not a priority.
I work at 90 miles and hour, Im
fucking intolerable to be around
sometimes, I dont know how my
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girlfriend puts up with me, he

begins. Theres so much going on
in my head and I couldnt name one
person whod turn around and say
Im easy to be friends with. But Im
more myself than any other time
when Im on a film or TV set. Im
more at peace with myself when Im
playing somebody else I can take
a break from being me.
As Emmett sits down and stretches
a hirsute arm across the back of
a white leather sofa, the next 45
minutes will probably be the only
rest Emmett allows himself for the
rest of the year. Is he a workaholic?
Maybe, but hes definitely the most
passionate actor youll ever meet.
When I leave this world, I
want to leave behind a box set of
characters that Im fucking proud
of, he continues. I left Hollyoaks
without having anything to go into.
The initial plan was to be there
for six months but, because of
Brendans popularity and the fun I
was having, I stayed longer. I shot
360 episodes but if Id continued
going, Id have been repeating
the storylines but with different
characters. You have to know when
to leave the party you dont want

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EMMETT WEARS SUIT BY CANALI

SHIRT AND TIE BY TOPMAN
UNDERWEAR BY CALVIN KLEIN

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to be the last one standing. I had to
try something else. And its a turnon not knowing whats next and the
endless possibilities of who the next
character you inhabit could be. The
thrill and adrenaline is like jumping
out of a plane and hoping your
parachute opens.
Of course sometimes the parachute
can send an actor veering off course
and landing in a project that doesnt
quite work. Emmett throws his head
back and laughs. Oh, Id remove
fucking everything Ive made before
the last four years off my CV! Ive
done a lot of bad shit where Ive
been the worst thing in it. One show
I made was so shit it was a travesty
to watch. But that humiliation was
one of the most humbling of my life
and I promised Id never, ever, be
that bad again. I lied, because I have
been that shit again, but I think Im
becoming less and less shit.
Shit isnt a word GT would use to
describe Emmett at all. Because
the 35-year-olds knack for
finding unconventional, flawed
and fascinating characters makes
him one of the most adaptable,
provocative actors out there. By
the time you read this, hell be
ensconced in filming the second
series of Gillian Andersons
critically acclaimed drama, The
Fall. He plays DCI Glen Martin, on
the trail of a serial killer played
by the insanely hot Jamie Dornan.
And Emmett understands why his
interviewer accidentally lets slip
a small swooning sound at the
mention of Jamies name.
I get that, especially now hes
playing Christian in Fifty Shades
of Grey, walking around with his
chiseled jaw and his six pack
Im very happy for him! he says in
mock-envy. No, I am really, Jamies
a lovely man. I met him briefly
for a couple of scenes in the last
series of The Fall. Could I handle
playing Christian Grey? Yeah, in a
heartbeat, man. I havent read the
book but I hear its predominantly
sex and bondage and who cant
46

handle that? Thats a normal

Saturday night.
But just how far would Emmett go
for a character he truly believed in?
To the ends of the earth, he replies
in a heartbeat. If you believe in
the script and the character and
I know this sounds wanky but
it means the world. I did a movie
called Charlie Casanova, and that
guy was a sociopath making his
decisions on the draw of a card. I
played that game two weeks before
shooting and it brought me to dark
places. Believe in your character
and youll go to those places and itll
be justified. I hope Jamie smashes
Christians back doors in.
First up for Emmett this year is In
The Flesh, the BBC Three drama
about the aftermath of a zombie
apocalypse as the undead are
reanimated and re-introduced back
into the community. The first series
focused on gay teenager Kieren
Walker, played by Luke Newberry,
and his struggles to be accepted
which paralleled those living with
AIDS in the 1980s and the racism of
1950s Britain. If you missed it, dont
assume its a watered-down British
take on The Walking Dead; its so
much more than that.
I watched all three episodes of the
first series in one sitting and thought
it was perfect, smiles Emmett. It
didnt cater for a wider audience
it pretty much said fuck you, this
is who I am, take me or leave me.
Those episodes gave me a chubby
and I was ready to sign up to do
series two without knowing anything
about the script or my character.
All actors grow up wanting to
play a vampire because they have
personalities, power and sex,
and In The Flesh is the first time
personality has been given to the
zombie. But you cant categorise it
as a zombie drama, even though
Im abso-fucking-lutely a fan on
the zombie genre. From the age of
seven my mum reared me on horror
films. I could watch zombies eat
the brains of living people but the

EMMETT WEARS VELVET TROUSERS BY TOPMAN

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EMMETT WEARS VELVET TROUSERS BY TOPMAN

&2$702'(/62:1

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EMMETT WEARS T SHIRT BY TOPMAN

moment half a tit was shown, shed

make me close my eyes.
Emmett plays rehabilitated
zombie Simon, one of the twelve
disciples of the Undead Liberation
Army. He has Partially Deceased
Syndrome and died of a heroin
overdose in his first life, Emmett
explains. Hes never been able to
relate to the living in either lives
and he has a very dark past and
carries a lot of that into his undead
state. The Undead Liberation Army
gives him purpose hes never
had before. But thats soon to be
challenged by the presence of
Kieren who hes infatuated with
from the get go. So Simon is torn.
And heres where we have to selfedit. You see, weve had to remove
the next paragraph... why? Because
we dont want to spoil any surprises
for you. Youll have to check out
gaytimes.co.uk from mid-May to
find out not only what Emmett has
to say, but from show creator and
writer Dominic Mitchell and co-star
Luke Newberry. But for now, back
to Mr Scanlan...
Off screen, Emmett (who lives with
his girlfriend, Hollyoaks actress
Claire Cooper and has an 11-yearold daughter Kayla from a previous
relationship) admits he shuns
the world of celebrity because it
terrifies him. Claire tells him she
prefers him kissing men on screen
than women, but when it comes to
remembering his first encounter
with a gay person, he draws a blank.
Its like asking me to remember
the first black man I ever met,
he shrugs. I cant remember that
because I dont think it matters. I was
raised with no prejudice, racism or
homophobia. Those things belong
to the mind of an ignorant, weak
person and I have no time for them.
In this world you need compassion
and love, and love comes in all types
of fucking colours and sexualities so
it doesnt really matter. People are
who they are. I have straight friends
and I have gay friends but most
importantly, I just have friends.

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As our interview draws to a close,

Emmett teases that before The Fall,
In The Flesh and Breakdown, there
has also been a massive top secret
movie project hes been involved
in, but has been contractually
forced to keep his lips sealed. He
promises me that as soon as he can
talk about, he will.
Three weeks later, a charged
Emmett is true to his word and
phones me at home. It turns out that
just weeks after leaving Hollyoaks,
he landed a part in Marvels
Guardians of the Galaxy, opposite
Bradley Cooper, Glenn Close and
Karen Gilan to namedrop just a few.
It was the first gig I got after
Hollyoaks, he recalls. I read a
scene once, took it in, played with it
and two months later it became the
part that I got. It was one of those
surreal experiences when I was
screen testing I turned around to
see I was surrounded by Marvel
props, which is a boys wet dream.
I told them I didnt give a shit
whether they just gave me a line
in it or if I was just walking in the
distance, I just wanted to be in this
movie. Dont get me wrong, Im just
a gentle stroke on the massive balls
of Marvel, but enough for it to tickle
where it matters.
Emmetts still not allowed to talk
about the plot, the scripts or his
character, but he does add with
his usual self deprecating humour,
Suffice to say hes an arsehole, a
role Ive been perfecting for about
five years now. But the part is big
enough that it matters to me. The set
was bigger than your dreams. When
youre walking through the car park
and you see John C Reillys trailer
on your left and Glenn Close on the
right, you pinch yourself. Its a long
way from Hollyoaks.
I cant wait to see what happens
in the next chapter of my life. I cant
fucking wait. Q
,Q7KH)OHVKVWDUWVRQ%%&7KUHHWKHUVW
week of May, and on BBC America from 10
May. Check out gaytimes.co.uk in May for
more interviews and In The Flesh giveaways.
@EmmettScanlan

51

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It was fine
Weve just asked Blondie legend
Debbie Harry about the experience
of being interviewed by Lady
Gaga for a 2011 issue of Harpers
Bazaar (Blonde On Blonde read the
headline; Gay Icon on Gay Icon
might also have been applicable).
Suffice to say, the Heart Of Glass
singers nonchalant response leaves
a lot to be desired. Ive always
thought highly of her talent, she
adds coolly, before seemingly
implying the interview was a little
awkward because it happened
over the phone. Its different when

to be absolutely amiable the day

of her GT chat not to mention
surprisingly self-deprecating. A
fabulous outfit are you kidding?!
she cackles when I ask the fashion
icon to describe todays ensemble.
Its a blizzard here [in New
York]. Were inundated with sleet
and snow and wind. I have on
warm sweatshirts and waterproof
clothing its a nightmare. I look
like I could be on a fishing boat in
the North Sea
Perceived fashion fail aside
(were sure you made it work
Debbie), the stars in decidedly

DEBBIE
HARRY.
youre actually face to face with
someone, she adds, cryptically.
Its a lot better, you get a clearer
picture of who the person is
They say you should never
interview your idols. And while
Debbie is world-famous for many
reasons for Blondies hit-packed
back catalogue; for her exquisite
beauty and coquettish upper
register; for inspiring everyone
from Gaga to Madonna to Alison
Goldfrapp among entertainment
journalists, shes known for being
a reluctant and somewhat difficult
interviewee. Thank God then, that
Gaga hiccup aside, we find her

52

high spirits on the eve of the release

of Blondies latest album Ghost of
Download, and with a slot at this
years Glastonbury festival already
confirmed. Im excited because I
love the new stuff, she gushes. Its
always a chance to breathe fresh
air. Its good for artists to step out of
their comfort zone. Chris [Stein]s
interest in Latin music has brought
a fresh feel to the songs, but I think
were still very true to the pop
format. I want people to like it!
One faction of Blondies fan base
who are guaranteed to like the
album are the gays not least
because it features guest vocals

WORDS JAMIE TABBERER

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from Beth Ditto and a cover of
Frankie Goes To Hollywoods
Relax. Many of us renewed loyalty
to the queen (and kings) of disco
after Blondie declined an invitation
to perform at the Sochi Winter
Olympics earlier this year, citing
human rights abuses amid global
outcry at Russias barbaric anti-gay
propaganda law. We didnt feel
comfortable with it, although we
have a lot of fans in Russia, she
explains. There is so much denial
going on from the government it
was the right thing to do. You have
to choose your moments. We turned
down [a gig] a long time ago, in
South Africa back in the 70s because
of apartheid. We do occasionally
make an effort at being political.
This naturally invites the
political question of the decade:
where does Debbie stand on gay
marriage especially given she
never married herself? I dont
have a view about it except people
have a right, if theyre not hurting
other people, to live their lives
the way they choose, she says.
Loving a person is a very valuable
procedure. Nobody should get in
the way of that, its an important
thing in a persons life. I know gay
men who have married and taken
genetic codes from each of them
and created a child by artificial
insemination, and that way carried
on lineage. Were living in a
different age!
Were [both] metropolitan
entities, she continues, describing
her relationship with gay fans.
Theres a lot of love and mutual
respect. Ive probably taken a more
aggressive approach from a female
point of view, a lot of my songs I felt
I were representing both sexes, as I
was a singer in an all-male band. It
transcended femininity, it became
a little bit more expansive. In
truth, to call Debbie a queer poster
girl would be no understatement.
Shes admitted to experimenting
with same-sex relationships in the
past, and 2013 single A Rose By
54

Any Name, featuring Beth, touches

on themes of bisexuality and
androgyny. It started out when Matt
[KatzBohen] was expecting a child,
and they didnt know the sex, she
explains. So his inspiration was
he was having this child and he
didnt care if it was a boy or a girl.
Then it became clear to him that it
has a bigger meaning as far as
the sexuality thing goes, Beths so
outspoken about her choices, so its
very appropriate. Shes fantastic.
For her own unique brand of
liberal-mindedness, Debbie credits
her parents. Its hard for me to
understand why prejudices exist I
grew up that way, I was given that
kind of upbringing, she says. My
mother was quite intelligent, and
my father was very supportive.
They wanted me to make my own
decisions about it and I think thats
the best education a parent can give
a child: make your own decisions.
Find out who you are and what
youre comfortable with and not
freeze somebody into a mould.
Indeed, Debbies never fitted
a conventional mould as
encapsulated by fellow 70s New
York scenester, the late Andy
Warhol, who, in making her his
muse, made an irreversible mark
on pop culture. In my meagre
explanation, he was a genius,
she sighs. He was a person who
could observe and listen, and that
was the very special thing about
him, I was kind of amazed. He
wasnt always the one who had to
be talking. He also had boundless
energy and was very nice to me.
Im very happy I got to know him a
little bit and I was very sad when he
died. I was shocked by what a great
part of my thinking he had become
without my realising it. I was in
mourning for a couple of years I
had physical feelings about it. I still
wish he was with us.
Our time with the icon rapidly
drawing to a close and having
covered everything from love and
loss to sexuality and politics, we

struggled to find a lighthearted note

to end on. She helps us out. You
know who was in town this week?
she says conversationally. Boy
George. He went to dinner with my
friend. I was working that night,
[but] we said hello! I wouldnt
say were friend-friends, but were
acquaintances. I respect him for his
talents and all the things hes been
through. And from one peerless
British musical export to another, I
blurt out the following: Have you
ever heard of Atomic Kitten? It
lingers for a moment. Of course!
Debbie laughs. So what did she
make of their version of The Tide
Is High? I thought it was OK,
she replies. Its funny how that
song keeps coming around, its
very interesting how that happens.
Theres something about it. Weve
been working on a surprise with
that song [for the new album], she
teases. Theres a guest
artist on it Heres hoping its
Atomic Kitten Q
Ghosts of Download is out 13 May

We d
id
com nt feel
fo
perfo rtable
r
at th ming
e
Olym Winter
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was ics. The
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s
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n
t
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ia
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was nment n
it
th
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have to do. Yo
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t
your o choos
e
mom
ents
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ES D
ANIE
LLE

ST L
AUR
ENT

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KRISTIAN
NAIRN

The Game of Thrones star was unexpectedlty thrust into the

spotlight of the world stage when he came out last month.
And, of course, the next step was always going to be an
exclusive gay press interview with GT. We catch up with
Kristian to talk about his pride for Belfasts gay community,
looking for romance and his effinity with his character Hodor
WORDS RYAN BUTCHER

In the realms of Westeros, Kristian Nairn

plays Hodor the loveable, simple-minded
servant charged with protecting the
youngest Stark children after Winterfell is
overrun by the dastardly Theon Greyjoy.
But back in the real world, Kristian Nairn is
a 7ft tall, 38-year-old deep house fan from
Belfast. Oh, and yes, hes a gay man.
Kristian came out during an interview
with a Game of Thrones fansite, saying that
when you talk about the gay community,
youre talking about my community. Next
thing the actor knew, his homosexuality
was being reported everywhere from the
New York Post to the British tabloids and
even the Mexican version of CNN.
It was fucking ridiculous, laughs
Kristian. GT is catching up with the man
56

himself over in LA, whos admittedly

a little hungover from the big series
four premiere the night before. It was
a real explosion and a bit of a strange
experience. I never thought it would go
much further than reaching a few fans, and
if there were a few gay fans of the show out
there it might give them a bit of support.
I certainly didnt imagine it would be
such a big deal. But its nice to know now
that even though it was never hidden it
cant be thrown back at me negatively in
any way. You know what the media are
like! Well, obviously not GT!
It was never a big deal for me. Its
something thats always been in my
life. But Im extremely lucky to have the
family and friends I have I know not

everyone has that. If me coming out helps

anyone, thats important to me and Im
happy to do my part.
But for a lot of people, Kristians sexuality
was never kept a secret. We heard from
all manner of GT readers in Belfast whod
caught one of Kristians now-legendary DJ
sets at The Kremlin [the citys biggest gay
club], and hes even taken some of the Game
of Thrones cast there to party and unwind
after a hard days filming in the Northern
Irish countryside. In fact, Kristian has been
involved with Belfasts gay community since
he first came out as a teenager.
I immediately got involved with the
community in Belfast, and the local gay
helpline our version of the Lesbian and
Gay Switchboard. I always had a mature
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head on my shoulders from being pointed
at and stared at I always looked different!
Its why I didnt go straight onto the gay
scene, though.
I remember after the first couple of times
I went, people just wouldnt believe that I
was gay because I had long hair, was 7ft tall
and covered in piercings. I just didnt fit in
to peoples box of what a gay person was.
It put me off for a while, to be honest. But I
found my feet with a good group of friends
and the community in Belfast is pretty
strong. Its only a small regional city, but
the girls, boys and everything in between
all party together, which I really liked. You
dont get that in every city and Im really
proud of Belfast for it.
Its not too far a reach to say that the
reaction to Kristians coming out is a
reflection to how far the LGBT community
has come in the fight for equality. Theres
same-sex marriage in England and Wales

according to the Bible. But the most

important thing to me is the legal aspect.
My mother works for the Rainbow Project
[an organisation which supports the LGBT
community on mental and physical health
issues], and I remember hearing horror
stories about life partners not being able to
see each other on their death bed because
they had no legal right, and they were
being kept out by relatives. But on the
crusade to equality, its all about having
the choice. I dont want to get married but
I want my friends, who its important to, to
be able to get married. And why not?
Although Kristian might not want to get
married, he is single, gentlemen, and he
knows what hes looking for when it comes
to a guy. Im definitely a complicated
guy when it comes to that kind of stuff, he
laughs. But Im old enough now to look
back and see patterns in the kind of people
I went for. I definitely go for people for the

[television]

going to be and its impossible to arrange

things Im constantly having to cancel stuff
and move things around. Its probably why
Im single!
As youre reading this, the hotlyanticipated fourth series of Game of
Thrones will have already started airing
on Sky Atlantic (or HBO if youre over in
the States). At a time when a well-crafted
television series is held in higher esteem
than a Hollywood blockbuster, Kristian
knows full-well the opportunity hes been
given. But it was actually an audition for
Hot Fuzz which got him his big break on
the show. Five years after first auditioning
for the Nick Frost and Simon Pegg copcomedy, he was called back to read for the
role of Hodor. And the rest, as they say,
became Westeros history.
Series four is fucking incredible, he
says. Everyones really at the top of their
game making this show. For Hodor and

I always had a mature head on my shoulders from being

pointed at and stared at I always looked different. I
remember the first couple of times I went onto the gay scene,
people just wouldnt believe I was gay because I had long
hair, was 7ft tall and covered in piercings. I just didnt fit into
peoples box of what a gay person was
now, and its well on the way elsewhere
too, of course, and as Kristians says
himself, the negative comments hes
received have been one in 1,000.
The internet can be a breeding ground
for trolls, he says. There have been
some incredible steps forward, but I think
sometimes because theres been such
huge progressions, it can trigger more
anti-gay extremism. There has been a
bit of a panic reaction from some people,
but we need to let these people know
that we dont want to change or take over
their lives we just want to live equally. If
anyone has a problem with that, then thats
their own issue. I dont know why some
people have an issue with a fellow human
being wanting the same rights as they do
thats all we want!
Like same-sex marriage. Im not
a religious person. You cant eat
marshmallows on a fucking Tuesday

chase people I could never have! But the

minute I get a whiff that somethings actually
going to happen, Im like abort, abort!
Now, though, I know what Im looking
for. I like someone with a bit of mystery
and a spark about them, but also someone
whos pretty creative in their own right and
pretty deep.
But when youre one of the stars of the
biggest TV show of the 21st century, it can
be hard to meet someone.
I dont want to sound like a bit of a twat,
but my Gaydar since the whole revelation
thing has turned into eHarmony! Its really
nice and Im so flattered its sweet. But I
dont really know what to do with it. There
are some really cool guys out there and well
see what happens, but, I dont think people
do it deliberately, but being on Game of
Thrones you do get treated differently. And
its hard to get attached to someone when
you travel so much. I never know where Im

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Bran [Stark, a boy with magical abilities

but relies on Hodor to get around having
lost the use of his legs], in this series you
see a bit more of the magic grow that was
hinted at the end of series three. You see
more of their bond.
I love Hodor, though. In the land of
Westeros, hes the only sort of real true
and genuine person. He doesnt have
a hidden agenda, hes very loyal and,
you know, he kind of reminds me of my
hidden self without any cynicism of the
world. He reminds me of a young me
but Im able to talk!
And thankfully Kristian can. After
coming out in such a noble way, providing
support and inspiration to millions fans,
and being a wry, charming Irishman to
boot, if it was up to us, hed be sat on the
Iron Throne in a heartbeat.Q
Game of Thrones is on Sky Atlantic, Monday, 9pm.
@KristianNairn

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COURTNEY
AND
THE
WORDS DANIEL MARTIN

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[music]

COURTNEY LOVE RETURNS

TO THE UK NEXT MONTH, FOR
A UK TOUR THAT TAKES IN
TWO NIGHTS AT LONDONS
SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE. AND,
AS IS ALWAYS THE WAY WITH THE
GRUNGE WIDOW, SHES LEFT
VERY LITTLE TO CHANCE
We decided to do that, were
talking to Courtney from LA about
her new UK tour, because we
wanted a lot of my audience to
come, which are a lot of little girls
and gay guys, and they dont want
to go to Brixton. I think Brixton
[Academy] is a better venue soundwise, and we probably could have
done two or three nights. The ticket
sales were really good.
Thats some commitment to the
team. Courtney, she explains, first
realised she was a gay icon when
I was sat one night with Michael
Kors and Calvin Klein and two other
famous gay guys and I was playing
with Liza Minnelli. And I was like,
how did this happen?! I dont sing
disco music you know, this is crazy!
Which begs the question, on the
occasion of what is probably her
first UK gay interview, what makes a
gay icon?
I think its suuuuuurviiiviiiiing,
purrs the 49-year-old. It has to be.
Surviving, and also the ability to do
drag, to clean up nice. I might look
like shit this morning, but you know,
I clean up nice. And also... Ive done
things that other people cant do.
Ive crossed over, Ive been a movie
star, you know, Ive lived through all
sorts of crazy things I shouldnt have
lived through. Ive had huge ups,
huge downs and Ive landed on my
feet. I think thats what qualifies you.
gaytimes.co.uk

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Also, I grew up around gay guys and

Im the least homophobic person
on the planet. I expect everyones
pretty gay, I expect gayness. So gay
guys can relate to me.
Actually, her gaydar isnt quite
as finely honed as she might claim.
After sharing a working relationship
for almost ten years, she had no idea
your GT correspondent was that way
inclined (so thats why we get on so
well! she later messages.) But its
true that the woman born Michelle
Harrison, from her rock alias down,
definitely ticks the boxes. Growing
up in an abusive childhood she calls
Dickensian, she moved to the
UK, took acting roles and moved to
England to play rock n roll, often
with her legs splayed open, and got
into smack. The relationship that
would define her her marriage
to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain
ended in tragedy when he shot
himself in the head in 1994. After
melting down spectacularly, she
pulled it round, with another
blockbusting Hole album, Celebrity
Skin, and enjoyed a successful
acting career, most notably in The
People vs Larry Flynt and Man on
the Moon. She then lost it all again,
getting into crack mere months
after, having got over heroin, did
her first ever bump of coke in 2002,
and found herself crawling around
the pavement on the cover of one

61

WorldMags.net
the fucked up little girls and the
fucking gay guys than the straight
guys that are just going yeah man,
Superbowl Sunday!
Does that make you a fag hag?
No. I was when I was a kid. I was
definitely what you would call a fag
hag because thats how I learned
how to dress and be extrovert and
walk into a room. But at the same
time [rock musician] Julian Cope
taught me a lot about that too when
I lived in Liverpool, and he wasnt
gay. I would say my freshman
year of learning how to be a rock
star was just hanging around
drag queens, and my sophomore
year was going to Liverpool and
spending about two years with that
crew of people and learning.
So yeah, I was a total fag hag, but
then I was a kind of rock limpet. I
wasnt a groupie. I didnt have any
tits, so no one wanted to fuck me,
and I had a really big nose. I liked it
better that way, I would have hated
to have been a groupie. If I had
breasts and I wasnt so sexually...
although I did lose my virginity in
Liverpool, but it was to someone I
liked, and I think hes gay. I said it in
the NME and he ran like hell. I dont
think he ever denied it, but he just
had no comment.
If were bitching, then from one
blonde icon to another, whats gone
wrong for Lady Gaga?

FOO FIGHTERS GET ALL THE

STRAIGHT GUYS! I LIKE MY
FANBASE BETTER. ID RATHER BE
AROUND THE FUCKED UP LITTLE
GIRLS AND THE FUCKING GAY
GUYS THAN THE STRAIGHT GUYS
THAT ARE JUST GOING YEAH
MAN, SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!
62

IMAGE KATARINA BENZOVA / LANDOV / PA

UK music magazine, and dressed as

Donald Duck having just performed
with Elton John on another. Having
got over that she found herself in
years of legal quandaries and jury
trials, in thrall to Americas hardcore
prescription drugs, and legally
emancipated from her daughter, who
took out a restraining order. Yes, any
trauma you could name, Courtney
has probably lived through, and
survived. So yes, we reckon shes
allowed into the gay icons club.
And now, clean, back on her feet
financially, reunited with Frances
Bean and with her rock career
back in action (a searing returnto-punk single, Wedding Day, is
on the way), it seems the worst is
finally behind her.
Yet what most people dont quite
get about Courtney Love is how
funny she is. In San Francisco
there were a lot of transgender
people in the audience as well, and
I love them. So theres, like, older
women in the audience as well, and
some men, some straight men, not
a lot, the intelligent ones as I like to
call them. Its mostly, like, young
girls and gay guys. No offence to
Dave [Grohl, her husbands former
bandmate and longtime nemesis],
its people that dont go see the
Foo Fighters really. Foos got all
the straight guys! Listen, I like my
fanbase better, Id rather be around

Well, Im friendly with her.

She started hanging out with a
lot of my art friends and I think it
influenced her and thats great,
but it doesnt necessarily translate
into the masses. Its the same, my
friend Ricardo, my friend Klaus,
Marina, these fine art people, but
then she tried to take it on and
sort of acclimate it into pop, and
you know, she was super white hot
relevant. With Florence [Welch,
from Florence and the Machine]
theres never any controversy.
And Florence is gonna have a
long career because of that.
Everyone loves Florence who
doesnt? Florence doesnt have any
behavioural issues.
Her other favourite Brit of the
moment? #TeamNigella. I thought
the Nigella Lawson trial was a really
LA trial, like the Grillo sisters. That
shouldve happened in LA! What
the fuck was that doing at the Old
Bailey, what? Thats an LA thing,
$650,000 stolen by the assistants?!
And I love Nigella, shes such a
genius, Yes I did cocaine seven
times that day! But who cares?
She handled herself so well, and I
followed it completely. Basically I
thought Saatchi was just shaming
her, and you know, fuck him. She
got really shamed and I was really
pleased with The Guardian and
even other media outlets like the
London Times [sic] for protecting
her. Because generally you know,
they go on the attack on somebody,
a Murdoch paper would go after her
and I think the Murdoch papers did.
The Guardians my favourite paper
in the world, I read it almost every
day. I read it more than I read The
New York Times, I just think it tells
the truth more.
Is it too much to ask that we might
see La Lawson down the front
at Shepherds Bush with all the
fucked up little girls and fucking
gay guys? To this woman, far, far
stranger things have happened. Q
Courtney Love tours the UK from 11 May,
ticketweb.co.uk, @courtney

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

gaytimes.co.uk

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[music]

63

WorldMags.net

THE
RACE
IS ON

WORDS DARREN SCOTT IMAGES MATHU ANDERSEN

The library is open! We meet all 14 queens from

season six of RuPauls Drag Race, hunty

64

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[drag]

WorldMags.net

Joslyn Fox
Patrick Joslyn, 27
---------Career highlights:
Miss Gay Worcester
2010-2011.
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
got into drag was:
For an amateur night
in Boston. It was
the weekly show I
was always in the
front row for. I was
QDOO\JLYHQWKH
opportunity to share
the stage with my
idols. Unfortunately,
the contest was
cancelled, but I got
to spend the entire
night mingling and
really experiencing
UVWKDQGMXVWKRZ
much fun I could
KDYHLQGUDJ
My drag
inspiration is:
Any and all drag
TXHHQV:HUHDOO
artists and can
learn so much
from each other.
,VWULYHWREHD
multi-faceted drag
TXHHQVR,ORYH
to absorb all that
I can from other
queens no matter
what their style.
My greatest drag
tip is: To contour
and highlight your
chest for instant
FOHDYDJH5HDO
women can do it,
WRR,WVZKDW,OLNH
to call The ThreeMinute Boob Job.
My ultimate
song to lip-sync
to is:%H\RQFpV
&UD]\LQ/RYH
The reason this is
the ultimate song
is:%HFDXVHLWVVR
full of sassy power.
7KHUHVQRWKLQJOLNH
strutting across the
stage to that song,
VHUYLQJVRPHHUFH

gaytimes.co.uk

joslyn
WorldMags.net

eye stares out into

the audience.
7KHGHQLQJ
drag moment in
herstory to date
was: Drag queens
in the front lines of
WKH6WRQHZDOO5LRWV
I think a lot of people
forget about that.
Drag challenges the
ideas of what is right
and what is wrong,
so who better than a
queen to say enough
is enough.
The shadiest thing
ever is: Ginger
OHDYLQJWKH6SLFH
Girls. Way to ruin my
childhood, Geri.
The season six girl
I would kai kai with
is: Milk, please.
For me, being a
drag queen means:
being a larger than
life persona that
people can relate
to. A role model that
people can aspire to.
Because the reality
is that the queen is
MXVWDQH[WHQVLRQRI
the boy behind the
makeup. It should be
an inspiration to all
WREHEHWWHUYHUVLRQV
RIRXUVHOYHVDQGWR
always stay true and
honest to who you
DUH/LYHRXWVLGHRI
the box, for no one
but yourself.
My drag dream
is: To conquer the
world!
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
Back home waiting
tables, at a seafood
UHVWDXUDQWVR,GVWLOO
EHVHUYLQJVK
facebook.com/
MRVO\QIR[
#MRVO\QBIR[Q

65

WorldMags.net

lagan
ja

MILK
Dan Donigan, 26
---------Career highlights:
5X3DXOV'UDJ5DFH
season six and
giving up soda.
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
JRWLQWRGUDJZDV
7KHUVWVWHSWR
addiction!
0\GUDJLQVSLUDWLRQ
is: Art, music and
fashion.
0\JUHDWHVWGUDJ
WLSLV Flaws are
ZRQGHUIXO'RQWEH
afraid of them.
My ultimate song
WROLSV\QFWRLV
6LVV\7KDW:DONE\
RuPaul.
The reason this is
the ultimate song
is: Because it is
DYDLODEOHRQL7XQHV
*wink*.
7KHGHQLQJ
GUDJPRPHQWLQ
KHUVWRU\WRGDWH
was: The moment
53'5ZDVSLFNHG

Laganja Estranja
Jay Jackson, 25
---------Career highlights:
As a young child,
I toured nationally
with The Will Rogers
Follies starring Larry
Gatlin and was
featured in several
commercials. In
2007, I was named
Presidential Scholar
in the Arts for my
choreography
and presented my
piece, Not Today,
at the Kennedy
Center in front of
the President. In
2012, I started drag
and then made it to
5X3DXOV'UDJ5DFH
just two years later!
The moment I
UVWJRWLQWRGUDJ
was: As a child, my
grandmother use
to let me play in her
pearls and perfume.
I truly consider this
P\UVWWLPHLQGUDJ
for it was when the
GUDJEXJELWPH
Technically though,
P\UVWWLPHLQIXOO
drag was my last
year of college
in 2011, at The
California Institute of
the Arts for CalArts
is Burning, a spin-off
of Paris is Burning.
0\GUDJLQVSLUDWLRQ
is: Alyssa Edwards,
Brooke Candy, Bette
Midler.
0\JUHDWHVWGUDJ
WLSLVBe yourself
DQGQHYHUEHDIUDLG
to do something a
little different. And
perform your ass
off, no one wants
to see you stand
WKHUHDQGMXVWEH
pretty. Most of the
times you perform
until after midnight
and the children
want a SHOW! So if
\RXGRQWGDQFHRU

66

VLQJQG\RXURZQ
gimmick to impress
the kids okcurrrr!
My ultimate song
WROLSV\QFWRLV
:RUN,WE\0LVV\
Elliott.
The reason this is
the ultimate song
is: Missy Elliott is
P\KHUREHFDXVH
she changed the
concept of what a
EODFNIHPDOHERG\
KDGWREHLQWKHUDS
industry, and her
music just makes me
want to shake my
EDGRQNDGRQN
7KHGHQLQJ
GUDJPRPHQWLQ
KHUVWRU\WRGDWH
was: When I won
P\UVWDPDWHXU
competition at
0LFN\VDQGRI
course, when I
take the crown for
season six!
7KHVKDGLHVW
thing ever is: Not
paying your rent on
time and screwing
your roommates
RYHUEXWUHDOO\
EDVLFDOO\DQ\WKLQJ
involving money and
friendship!
The season six girl
,ZRXOGNDLNDLZLWK
is: Gia Gunn.
For me, being a
GUDJTXHHQPHDQV
Being fearless day
to day and showing
RWKHUVZKDWLWVOLNH
WROLYHDOLIHIXOOOHG
0\GUDJGUHDPLV
7REHRQ$PHULFDQ
Horror Story or work
with Ryan Murphy in
some capacity!
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH A
hippy on hill wishing
my life away!
laganjaestranja.
WXPEOUFRP
@laganjaestranja Q

up for television.
Shedding more
light on drag as a
prominent art form!
7KHVKDGLHVWWKLQJ
ever is:'XVNLQ
autumn.
The season six girl
,ZRXOGNDLNDLZLWK
is: No shenanigans
LQGUDJ'RQWZDQW
WRUXLQP\VXEWOHOLS
For me, being a
GUDJTXHHQPHDQV
Taking risks.
Running around in
eight inch platforms
is always risky!
0\GUDJGUHDPLV
To continue to push
myself with my art.
1HYHUEHVWDJQDQW
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
Figuring out another
ZD\WRJHWLQWRFOXEV
for free.
ELJDQGPLON\FRP
#ELJDQGPLON\Q

im lk
THE
RACE
IS ON
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

[drag]

WorldMags.net

ador

Kelly Mantle
Kelly Mantle, 37

Adore Delano
Danny Noriega, 24
---------Career highlights:
$SSHDULQJRQ
5X3DXOV'UDJ5DFH
DQG$PHULFDQ,GRO
The moment I
UVWJRWLQWRGUDJ
was::KHQ,ZDV
\HDUVROG
My drag inspiration
is:3RSFXOWXUHDQG
OLIH
My greatest drag
tip is: %/(1'
My ultimate song
to lip-sync to is:
3DWUyQ7HTXLOD"
The reason this
is the ultimate
song is:(YHU\RQH
LVGUXQNZKLOH,P
GRLQJLW
7KHGHQLQJ
drag moment in
herstory to date
was: 7KH6WRQHZDOO
Riots.

The shadiest thing

ever is::KHQ\RX
VLWXQGHUDELJWUHH
The season six
girl I would kai kai
with is:0LOHV'DYLG
0RRG\
For me, being
a drag queen
means:,WPHDQV
HYHU\WKLQJHYHU\RQH
HOVHWROG\RXZDV
ZURQJJURZLQJXS
FDQQRZEHULJKWLW
PHDQVKDYLQJVXSHU
SRZHUV
My drag dream is:
7REULQJGUDJEDFN
LQWRPDLQVWUHDP
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
:RUNLQJLQEDUV
JRLQJWRVFKRRO
PD\EH"
DGRUHGHODQRFRP
#DGRUHGHODQR Q

---------Career highlights:
,YHEHHQLQDEXQFK
RIPRYLHVDQG79
VKRZV6WDQGXS
FRPHG\VSHFLDORQ
/2*2$QG,YH
UHFRUGHGWKUHH
DOEXPVWRGDWH
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
got into drag was:
:KHQ,ZDVQLQH
\HDUVROGSHUIRUPLQJ
P\RQHSHUVRQ
YHUVLRQRI$QQLH
LQP\JUDQGPDV
NLWFKHQ,PWKLQNLQJ
RIUHODXQFKLQJLW
DQGFDOOLQJLW/LWWOH
2USKDQ7UDQQ\
My drag inspiration
is: Booze
My greatest drag
tip is:8VHDVWUDZ
,WVDYHV\RXUOLS
DQG\RXOOJHWGUXQN
faster.
My ultimate song
to lip-sync to is:
,1HHG$0DQE\
(XU\WKPLFV
The reason this
is the ultimate
song is: FX]LWV
GUDJDOLFLRXV$1'
URFNQUROO$QGLW
OHWVPHJHWDOO
VH[LHGZLWK
WKHPHQVHVDQG
ZRP\QV
7KHGHQLQJ

drag moment in
herstory to date
was: :ULWLQJ
FRSURGXFLQJDQG
VWDUULQJLQP\RQH
SHUVRQVKRZ7KH
&RQIXVLRQRI0\
,OOXVLRQDWWKH/LO\
7RPOLQ-DQH:DJQHU
7KHDWUHDWWKH/$
*D\DQG/HVELDQ
&HQWUH
The shadiest thing
ever is:'D\WLPH
GUDJ
The season six girl
I would kai kai with
is:,PDVZLWFK
KLWWHUEXWDLQWQR
ZD\,PJRQQDKLW
WKDWVZLWFKELWFK
For me, being a
drag queen means:
/LIHOLEHUDWLRQDQG
WKHSXUVXLWRIORRNLQJ
OLNHDFKHDSZKRUH
My drag dream
is:7RSHUIRUPZLWK
'ROO\3DUWRQDWWKH
7UDQ2OH2SU\
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
$KRRNHURQ79
NHOO\PDQWOHFRP
#NHOO\PDQWOH
&KHFNRXW.HOO\V
QHZVRQJYLGHR
(OLPLQDWHGRQ
<RX7XEHDQG
L7XQHVQ

kel y

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67

WorldMags.net
Magnolia Crawford
Reynolds Engelhart, 28
---------Career highlight:
,PDSURIHVVLRQDO
LJKWDWWHQGDQW
DQG,WKRURXJKO\
ORYHZKDW,GRIRUD
OLYLQJ$VVXFKP\
HQWLUHFDUHHUKDV
EHHQDKLJKOLJKW,Q
IDFW,ORYHP\MRE
VRPXFK,PDOZD\V
WU\LQJWRUHFUXLWIRU
LWNQRZRIDQ\RQH
ZKRGPDNHDJRRG
VWHZDUGHVV",FDQW
LPDJLQHGRLQJ
DQ\WKLQJHOVH$V
IDUDVGUDJJRHVLWV
QRWP\FDUHHUEXW
UDWKHUDKREE\WKDW
,WKRURXJKO\ORYH
*HWWLQJRQ'UDJ
5DFHLVWKHKLJKOLJKW
VRIDU
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
JRWLQWRGUDJZDV,
QHHGWRVSHFLI\WKLV
LVWKHUVWWLPH,JRW
LQWRGUDJDQGOHIW
P\KRXVHEHFDXVH
,XVHGWRSOD\GUHVV
XSDOOWKHWLPHDV
DNLG:KHQ,ZDV
\HDUVROG,ZHQW
WRD+DOORZHHQ
SDUW\LQGUDJ,KDG
DEURZQZLJZDWHU
EDOORRQERREV
KRUULEOHPDNHXS
DQGUHGSUHVVRQ
QDLOV,WKRXJKW,
ORRNHGVRJRRG
0\JUHDWHVW
GUDJWLSLV
$OZD\VEHWUXHWR
\RXUFKDUDFWHU
UHJDUGOHVVRIZKDW
RWKHUVVD\'UDJ
LVDZRQGHUIXO
RSSRUWXQLW\WR
GHYHORSDFKDUDFWHU
ZKRFDQEHDQ\WKLQJ
\RXZDQWKHUWREH
2QFH\RXKDYHRZQ
LWDQGEHWUXHWRLW
,YHIDFHGDORWRI
SUHVVXUHWRDGMXVW
P\FKDUDFWHUIRU
SHRSOHSDUWLFXODUO\
RQ'UDJ5DFHEXW
,YHVSHQW\HDUV
GHYHORSLQJDQG
UHQLQJ0DJQROLD
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SOHDVHGZLWKWKH
FKDUDFWHU,YHEXLOW
0\XOWLPDWHVRQJ
WROLSV\QFLV
3URIHVVLRQDO+LW
E\WKH'LUW\/LWWOH
Rabbits.
7KHGHQLQJ
drag moment in
KHUVWRU\WRGDWH
ZDV2GGO\HQRXJK
,PLQRUHGLQ+LVWRU\
DWXQLYHUVLW\2I
FRXUVH6WRQHZDOOLV
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RIGUDJKLVWRU\EXW
,PQRWVXUHWKHUHV
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VRWKDQNIXOIRUWKH
ROGHUTXHHQVZKRYH
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ZD\IRUXVQHZHU
TXHHQV4XHHQVOLNH
'LYLQH'DPH(GQD
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7KHVKDGLHVWWKLQJ
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7KHVHDVRQVL[
girl I would kai
NDLZLWKLV:HOO
OHWVEHKRQHVW
VHDVRQVL[KDVDORW
RIYHU\KDQGVRPH
JX\V7KDWEHLQJ
VDLG,KDYHDYHU\
KDQGVRPHER\IULHQG
DWKRPH
For me, being
a drag queen
PHDQV'UDJLV
DQRSSRUWXQLW\WR
GHYHORSDFKDUDFWHU
ZKRFDQEHDQ\WKLQJ
,ZDQW0DJQROLD
DQG5H\QROGVDUH
SRODURSSRVLWHV,
JXHVV0DJQROLDFDQ
EHHYHU\WKLQJWKDW
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0\GUDJGUHDPLV
7RJURZP\<RX7XEH
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,GUDWKHUEHGRLQJ
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,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
$ORWOHVVKDWHG
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youtube.com/
PDJQROLDLVPH
#PDJQROLDLVPHQ

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darien
ne

[drag]

WorldMags.net

Darienne Lake
Gregory Meyer, 508 months
---------Career highlights:
Landing a spot on
5X3DXOV'UDJ5DFH
season six, being
IHDWXUHGLQWKH9+
GRFXPHQWDU\%R\V
:LOO%H*LUOV
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
got into drag was:
)ULGD\$XJXVW
,WZDVD
EDOP\KRWQLJKW,
ZDVSDLQWHGXSE\
DIHZGUDJTXHHQV
DQGSHUIRUPHG2WWR
7LWVOLQJE\%HWWH
0LGOHU
My drag inspiration
is: 'LYLQH%R\
*HRUJH5X3DXO
'ROO\3DUWRQ%XJV
%XQQ\
My greatest
drag tip is: take
a moment to
UHPHPEHUDQG
UHFRJQLVH\RXUIDQV
My ultimate song
to lip-sync to is:
,:LOO6XUYLYHE\
*ORULD*D\QRU
The reason this is
the ultimate song
is:(YHU\RQHORYHV
it, can sing along,
can connect to it.
7KHGHQLQJ
drag moment in
herstory to date
was:6XSHUPRGHO
<RX%HWWHU:RUN
EXVWHGGRZQWKH
GRRUVRIVWUDLJKW

KRXVHKROGVDQG
ZRNHSHRSOHXSWR
DQHZZDYHRIGUDJ
FHOHEULW\
The shadiest thing
ever is: 3HRSOHZKR
MXGJH\RXEHIRUH
\RXYHVWHSSHGRQ
VWDJH*RDKHDGDQG
WDONVKLWEXWRQHGD\
\RXPD\HDWWKRVH
ZRUGV
The season six girl
I would kai kai with
is:ZKRHYHUZLQVWKH

For me, being
a drag queen
means:$Q\WKLQJ
LVSRVVLEOH,FDQ
WUDQVIRUPP\VHOILQWR
DQ\FUHDWXUH,FDQ
imagine.
My drag dream
is: To play Edna
7XUQEODGRQVWDJHRU
VFUHHQ
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
:RUNLQJLQDFXELFOH
SDVVLQJDURXQG
DQHQYHORSHZLWK
DELUWKGD\FDUGIRU
&DUROHYHQWKRXJK
VKHGLGQWSXWLQ
HQRXJKPRQH\DW7*,
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:HDOONQRZWKH\
FRVWPRUHWKDQYH
GROODUV:KDWDELWFK
GDULHQQHODNHFRP
#GDULHQQHODNH Q

Bianca Del Rio

Roy Haylock, 38
---------Career highlights:
Too many to
PHQWLRQ*RRJOHLW
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
got into drag was:
3UREDEO\ZKHQ,
ZDVWHQ25,
ZDVIDVFLQDWHGE\
WKHZLJV7KH%V
ZRUH
My drag inspiration
is:-RDQ&UDZIRUG
DQG%R]RWKH&ORZQ
My greatest drag
tip is:1HYHUOHWD
ELWFKVHH\RXVZHDW
My ultimate song
to lip-sync to is:
$Q\WKLQJE\5X3DXO
The reason this is
the ultimate song
is:&DXVHVKHVP\
ERVV
7KHGHQLQJ
drag moment in
herstory to date

bianc

was:7KHGD\,
IRXQGRXWZKDWZKLWH
H\HOLQHUZDV
The shadiest
thing ever is: My
YRFDEXODU\
The season six
girl I would kai kai
with is:'DULHQQH
/DNHFDXVH,OLNHD
FKDOOHQJH
For me, being
a drag queen
means:)UHHGRPRI
H[SUHVVLRQ
My drag dream is:
7RUXQIRU3UHVLGHQW
RIWKH8QLWHG6WDWHV
2UWRVHOO$YRQ
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
$ORVWVRXO,P
NLGGLQJ,ZRXOGORYH
WRMRLQWKHFLUFXV
WKHELDQFDGHOULRFRP
#WKHELDQFDGHOULRQ

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

THE
RACE
IS ON
69

WorldMags.net
Vivacious
Vivacious, 41
---------Career highlights:
Meeting Mother
RuPaul. She means
so much to me. She
blew the doors off
mental negativity on
what others think of
JD\VDQGGUDJ,WV
EHFDXVHRIKHUZHUH
in the mainstream.
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
got into drag was:
Daring and brave.
After watching them
all do it for weeks, I
realised to put it on,
to look good, took a
lot of dedication and
time.
My drag inspiration
is: Shequida,
Candis Cayne,
Lina Bradford aka
Girlina, Onyx Noir,
Leigh Bowery,
Lee Chappell and
Lavinia.
My greatest drag
tip is: Baby oil with
baby wipes, tuck for
the gods.
My ultimate song
to lip-sync to is:
Kristine W, Land
Of The Living and
Shades Of Love,
Body To Body.
The reason this is
the ultimate song
is: The emotions
that have to be
conveyed to the
crowd and the high
energy of the tracks
to turn it and sell it to
the crowd watching.
7KHGHQLQJGUDJ
moment in herstory
to date was:
Meeting my truest
mentor RuPaul,
ZKR,YHPRGHOOHG
my life after. Which
from her teachings
allowed: when the
patrons of the Sound
Factory came up to
me one by one to
let me know what I
did was something
they looked forward
to every week. From
then on, performing
to make them
want more was my
motivation.
The shadiest
thing ever is: Girls
who put on drag to
use it as a power
platform to be rude
and shady to other
queens or patrons.

70

7KDWVWKHLURZQ
personal thing.
Do not bring your
personal life into
drag to give it a bad
name.
The season six girl
I would kai kai with
is: Lies huni, no kiki
no kai kai.
For me, being
a drag queen
means: Everything.
It allows me to
touch the souls of
the uneducated,
being I mostly
work in straight
clubs. Through
performance and
overall just taking
a high professional
role on how I
conduct myself,
it sets itself as a
positive example
and role model. And
it make others want
to know more of my
world and where I
come from and what
LWVDERXW,WVWKHQ
I use what I know
to educate them on
tolerance towards
JD\V,WVDOODERXW
changing one heart
and mind at a time.
My drag dream
is: To own my own
performance club
space where I can
do really huge
production shows for
my fans and those
who appreciate
forward thinking
performance art.
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
7U\LQJWRQGDZD\
to still entertain
EHFDXVHLWVLQPH
Check out my tracks
on iTunes. They
were created for gay
pride season coming
XS7KH\UHDERXW
taking negative
things and turning
them positive. Prelisten to my tracks
at soundcloud.
com/vivaciousnyc,
then buy them on
iTunes Enjoy and
thank you. Website
coming soon
@vivaciousnyc Q

vivaci
ous

Gia Gunn
Scott Ichikawa, 23
---------Career highlights:
Cosmetologist
graduated from Pivot
Point International.
,YHZRQDFRXSOH
of pageants in the
Chicagoland area
Miss Roscoe 2011,
Miss Diosa 2012,
Miss Roscoe
Allstar 2013.
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
got into drag was:
Four years ago with
very little makeup
and my natural
hair just down at a
straight club.
My drag inspiration
is: Any queen that
walks out of the
house with a wig and
heels on
My greatest drag
tip is: Invest in your
drag!
My ultimate song
to lip-sync to is:
How Many Licks by
/LO.LP
The reason this is
the ultimate song is:
She is ferocious and
to the point, kinda
like me!
7KHGHQLQJGUDJ
moment in herstory

gia

to date was: Getting

the call that I made
it to RuPauls Drag
Race, one of the most
rewarding moments
in my life and I will
never forget this life
changing experience.
The shadiest
thing ever is: My
wonky eye!
The season six
girl I would kai kai
with is: Absolutely
QRERG\,PQRWD
lesbian!
For me, being a
drag queen means:
Being able to express
your talent through
makeup, hair,
performance and
costume!
My drag dream is:
To perform on an
international level
and grace every
legendary stage with
my presence!
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
Pursuing my hair
career and continuing
to express myself
through talent.
facebook/giagunn,
@giagunn Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

[drag]

WorldMags.net

e
m
e
r
c
a
l
e
d
n
be

THE
RACE
IS ON

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

BenDeLaCreme
Ben, 31
---------Career highlights:
My whole career
feels like a highlight!
I get to do what
I love everyday!
My favourite thing
is getting the
opportunity to
collaborate with
awesome people
who inspire me.
I do a bunch of
shows with two of
my best friends,
Kitten Larue and
Lou Henry Hoover,
under the production
name DeLouRue
Presents. Homo for
the Holidays and
Freedom Fantasia
are two of our
big annual ones,
DQGWKH\UHUHDOO\
rewarding. Being
on that show with
RuPaul was pretty
cool too.
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
got into drag was:
The day I was born
the nurse rolled me
up in a blanket and
I was WORKING
it, mama! I fell into
a death drop and
yelled COME ON,
ZUDSGUHVV/HWV
get SWADDLED!
I believe what Ru
VD\VLVWUXH:HUH
born naked and
the rest is drag. I
have been playing
with makeup and
fashion since I was
a child, this is just an
extension of that.
My drag inspiration
is: Ann Miller, Ann
Margaret, Marcia
Brady, PeeWee
Herman. Not in that
order.
My greatest drag
tip is: Make up your

own rules! Pay more

attention to what
\RXUHSDVVLRQDWH
about than what you
think other people
want to see.
My ultimate song
to lip-sync to is:
Any audiobook
narrated by Meryl
Streep.
The reason this is
the ultimate song
is: Self evident.
7KHGHQLQJ
drag moment in
herstory to date
was::RDWKDWVD
ELJTXHVWLRQ'RQW
you want to know my
favourite colour or
something? I guess
,GKDYHWRJRZLWK
6WRQHZDOO,WVRQH
of many historical
moments that places
drag queens at the
forefront of social
change.
The shadiest thing
ever is: Bianca Del
Rio in a sun hat.
The season six girl
I would kai kai with
is:<RXUHFOHDUO\D
pervert. Hit me up
on Grindr later.
For me, being a
drag queen means:
Holding your pee for
a long time, letting
society know how
goofy and arbitrary
LWVUXOHVDUHDQG
dying young of
hairspray inhalation.
My drag dream is:
,PEHLQJFKDVHGE\
a giant spider with
6DQWLQR5LFHVKHDG
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
GUDJUDFH,GEH
Poor.
bendelacreme.com,
@bendelacreme Q

71

WorldMags.net
April Carrin
Jason Carrin, 24

THE
RACE
IS ON

---------Career highlights:
Winning the most
important Pageant in
PR, Miss Krash 2011,
being the face of PR
Queer Film Fest,
being part of PR
High Fashion Week
as a model, being
*ORULD(VWHIDQVGUDJ
persona in her music
video Hotel Nacional.
,PDOVRDSDUWIURP
a documentary that
KDVQWFRPHRXWEXW
is competing and is
gonna be presented
in TriBeCa Film
Festival called Mala
Mala (about the trans
world in PR) and
of course being in
5X3DXOV'UDJ5DFH
The moment I
UVWJRWLQWRGUDJ
was:,PDQDUW
VWXGHQWDQG,UVW
got interested in
drag because I saw
how drag queens
could tranced a
gender. I found it
so conceptually
simulating I did
lots of art projects
sculptures,
paintings, drawings
photography. But
then I decided to
take it a little further
and experience
it for myself; so I
took it upon me
to document the
whole process
and of course
participate in a
talent competition.
And to my surprise
I won and people
really liked my
character.
0\GUDJ
inspiration is: My
inspiration comes
from anything and
everything. Every
VLQJOHORRN,GR,YH
put some thought
LQWRLWEHFDXVHLWV
an art form and not
just about being
pretty and being
VK%XW,PDOZD\V
paying attention to
be relevant in the
fashion world and
mix it with art and
create something
really cool. I would
consider myself a
mix between Coco
Rocha and Bjrk.
0\JUHDWHVWGUDJ
tip is: To always
ALWAYS be true
to you, be who you
want to be, and

72

have a purpose,
GRQWMXVWGRLWWR
GRLWQGVRPH
meaning to it and
WKDWOOPDNH\RXU
character so much
PRUHFRQGHQW
And always wear
nails or at least get
a manicure.
My ultimate song
to lip-sync to is:
Wow... Let me see,
I love Titanium my
'DYLG*XHWWD7KH
beat, the lyrics,
just everything! So
powerful!
7KHGHQLQJ
GUDJPRPHQWLQ
KHUVWRU\WRGDWH
was: I would say
EHLQJLQ5X3DXOV
'UDJ5DFHKDV
been the most
GHQLQJPRPHQW
,PHDQKHOOR,P
a boy from a tiny
island, Puerto
5LFRDQG,P
doing an interview
for a magazine in
London. I know
RuPaul is gonna
be a huge stepping
stone in my career
DQGIURPWKDW,P
gonna grow as an
artist and branch
out into many
spectrums.
7KHVKDGLHVWWKLQJ
ever is : Being
shadier than a palm
tree [laughs].
The season six
JLUO,ZRXOGNDLNDL
with is: Ummmmm,
you could take a sip
on some Milk.
For me, being
DGUDJTXHHQ
means: My drag
dream is to take
this art form and
present it in new
creative outlets so
more people can
open their minds
to possibilities and
embrace diversity.
And of course,
rule of the world
[laughs].
,I,ZDVQWRQGUDJ
UDFH,GEH I would
probably be just
collaborating with
a lot of friends for
art projects and
FRROVWXIIZKLFK,P
doing now, but with
lots of followers.
aprilcarrion.com,
@aprilcarrion Q

april

WorldMags.net

gaytimes.co.uk

[drag]

WorldMags.net

trinity

Courtney Act
Shane Jenek, 32
---------Career highlights:
6HPLQDOLVWRQ
$XVWUDOLDQ,GRO
The moment I
UVWJRWLQWRGUDJ
was:,JRWLQYLWHG
WRD&RPHDVWKH
OHWWHUFRVWXPH
SDUW\ZKHQ,ZDV
DERXW,DVNHG
IRUWKHOHWWHU:VR,
FRXOGJRDV:RQGHU
:RPDQ0\0XP
WRRNPHWRWKH
FRVWXPHVKRSDQGD
VWDUZDVERUQ
0\GUDJLQVSLUDWLRQ
is:,ORYHJRLQJWR
OLYHVKRZV,DPLQ
1<&DWWKHPRPHQW
DQGJRLQJWRVHH
2XU/DG\-.LQN\
%RRWV-XVWLQ%RQG
&LQGHUHOODDQG/DG\
*DJD7KRVHVKRZV
DUHVXUHWROOPH
ZLWKLQVSLUDWLRQ
0\JUHDWHVWGUDJ
WLSLV%HNLQGWR
\RXUNQHHV
My ultimate song
WROLSV\QFWRLV,
GRQWNQRZ,KDYHQW
OLSVXQNVLQFH,ZDV
EXWEDFNWKHQLW
ZDV&KHUU\/LSVE\
*DUEDJHRU'DQFH
/RRNVIURP$
&KRUXV/LQH0\IDY
WRVLQJLVDEDOODG
PHGOH\RI3RNHU
)DFH&DQW*HW<RX
2XW2I0\+HDGDQG
Vogue.
The reason this
is the ultimate
song is:7KHUHLV
VRPHWKLQJNLQGD
PDJLFDODERXWLW,WLV
VORZGUDPDWLFTXLHW
EHDXWLIXODQGIXQ
7KHGHQLQJ

Trinity K Bonet
Joshua Jones, 23
---------Career highlights:
:LQQLQJP\UVW
QDWLRQDOSDJHDQWU\
WLWOHDQGEHLQJD
FRQWHVWDQWRQ'UDJ
Race.
7KHPRPHQW,UVW
JRWLQWRGUDJZDV,
ZDVDWP\PRWKHUV
+DOORZHHQSDUW\
0\GUDJLQVSLUDWLRQ
is:%H\RQFp-DVPLQH
%RQHW7RPPLH5RVV
DQG5X3DXO
0\JUHDWHVWGUDJWLS
is:%H\RXUVHOI1HYHU
OHWDQ\RQHFKDQJH
ZKR\RXDUH7KLVLV
DFKRVHQFDUHHUWR
KDYHVRGR\RXU
EHVWDQGKDYHIXQ
My ultimate song
WROLSV\QFWRLV
0\/LIHE\'RQQD
Summer.
The reason this is
the ultimate song is:
,WWHOOVWKHVWRU\RIP\
OLIH,WVD\V\RXFDQ
EHDVWDUDQGDOZD\V
IROORZ\RXUGUHDPV
7KHGHQLQJGUDJ

moment in herstory
WRGDWHZDV7KH
FDOOIRU'UDJ5DFH
GRHVQWJHWDQ\
EHWWHU
7KHVKDGLHVWWKLQJ
ever is:0\PRP
EHLQJVLFNDQGDOPRVW
ORVLQJKHU7KH
IHHOLQJXJK
The season six girl
,ZRXOGNDLNDLZLWK
is:7ULQLW\
)RUPHEHLQJDGUDJ
TXHHQPHDQV'RLQJ
ZKDWHYHU,SOHDVH
RQVWDJHEHLQJ
IXQDQGFUHDWLYH
EHLQJGLIIHUHQWIURP
HYHU\RQHHOVH
0\GUDJGUHDPLV
7REH%H\RQFpLQ
Vegas.
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
'RLQJGUDJPDNHXS
DQGKDLU
facebook.com/
WULQLW\NERQHW
#WULQLW\NQRQHW Q

court

GUDJPRPHQWLQ
KHUVWRU\WRGDWH
was:%HLQJRQ
5X3DXOV'UDJ
Race...
7KHVKDGLHVWWKLQJ
ever is:$GUDJ
TXHHQZKRZRUNHG
LQDPDNHXSVKRZ
VROGPH6SLULW*XP
DVH\HODVKJOXH
ZKHQ,ZDVVWDUWLQJ
GUDJDW0\H\HV
ZRXOGZDWHUDQGP\
PDNHXSZRXOGUXQ
HYHU\WLPH,JRWLQWR
GUDJ
The season six
JLUO,ZRXOGNDLNDL
with is:,ZDQQDOLFN
0LONVVXEWOHOLSULJKW
RIIKHUIDFH
For me, being a
GUDJTXHHQPHDQV
+DYLQJWKHDELOLW\
WRH[SUHVVP\VHOI
ZLWKQRUXOHV%R\V
DUHWDXJKWKRZWR
DFWOLNHER\VJLUOV
DUHWDXJKWKRZWR
DFWOLNHJLUOVEXW
ZKHQDER\GUHVVHV
XSDVDJLUOKHKDV
QRFRQGLWLRQLQJRQ
KRZWRDFWVRKHFDQ
GHQHWKHODG\ZLWK
RXWWKHFRQVWUDLQWV
of society.
0\GUDJGUHDPLV
7KH&RXUWQH\
$FWYHUVLRQRI
&KHUV
FRQFHUWDW&DHVDUV
3DODFHLQ9HJDV
,I,ZDVQWGRLQJ
'UDJ5DFH,GEH
'RLQJWKHVDPH
WKLQJEXWQRW
DVPDQ\SHRSOH
ZRXOGNQRZ
FRXUWQH\DFWFRP
#FRXUWQH\DFWQ

ney

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

73

WorldMags.net
INNOVATION

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Technology keeps
my skin refreshed,
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protected.

IN SKINCARE
from

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Anderson

Wellman Skin Technology

NEW dynamic perfomance
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WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[style]

M&S is going from strength-tostrength with the launch of Best of

British. And now the high street
stalwart is taking inspiration from
Savile Row by launching a brand
new, personal tailoring service.
Available at M&Ss Marble Arch
store in London, there are more
than 1,500 fabrics and 100 styling
options on offer. Its going to be
difficult to make a choice from
such a gorgeous selection, but
garments are created to the
specific styling requirements
and fit of each customer. They
really have thought of everything,
from standard construction or
the premium half-canvassed
construction, as well as the option
of adding waistcoats to make a
three piece suit. Every detail is
left down to you, from the buttons
to the fabric lining just as youd
expect from any other tailors. The
main difference though, is the
cost, with M&S suit prices starting
at 499 a pinch compared with
what youd pay anywhere else.
Suits us just fine. Q

suits
you,
sir

For more info call 0207 935 7954

WORDS LLOYD-SCOTT TYLER

[05/14]

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

75

in the nude

[05/14]

WorldMags.net

NUDES
RE:UNITED

United Nude is known

for its architectural
shoes, and this
well-built reputation
carries on through its
spring/summer 2014
collection. Modern, but
with wearability and
comfort, with strong
colours, interesting
shapes, new materials
and silhouette
introductions... its an
all-too-rare comfortable
fashion. And with new
styles on the way, it
certainly makes for an
exciting season from
the United Nude team.
And thats just the
naked truth, as they
say. Q unitednude.com

76

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[style]
WORDS LLOYD-SCOT TYLER

SPA STOP COWLEY MANOR

Cowley Manor is perfect
for a spring detox; to
unwind and get skin
healthy for summer. A
contemporary country
house hotel in the
Cotswolds, surrounded
by a serene 55 acres
of parkland, woods
and meadows, Cowley
is also an awardwinning designer hotel.
Contemporary country
at its best, its the ideal
place to relax, unwind
and indulge in the heart
of the British countryside.
Not only is the hotel
space itself relaxing,
along with the grounds
to walk and enjoy, the
C-Side spa is glorious;
swimming pools,
sauna, steam room and
gym are all available
to enjoy throughout
your stay. Theres four
rooms offering a range
of treatments using
products from the
detoxifying Green and
Spring range.
We chose the Green
and Spring facial, which
is designed to repair
and rejuvenate with

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

an intense cleanse.
The heavenly, natural
products felt fresh on the
skin, with good textures
for exfoliating and
cleansing without being
abrasive. The honey
in the treatment felt
luxurious and leaves you
smelling great. Cowley
even let you choose your
own music to accompany
the treatment you want.
The staff are perfectly
attentive, extremely
knowledgeable and
follow the treatment
with suitable product
recommendations.
We stayed in one of the
Exceptional Rooms, a
large tranquil space to
unwind in, with large
bath tubs in a warm and
cosy environment, a
fire place and a balcony
which will be ideal in
those warm spring and
summer months.
Cowley Manor is perfect
for a spa break to relax,
unwind and rejuvenate.
Reasonably priced
luxury with prices
starting from 295. Q
cowleymanor.com

77

sportwear with style

[05/14]

WorldMags.net

Always a favourite at GT, ASOS

has brought back its ASOS Black
range for spring/sumer 2014 as a
slick 30-piece streetwear-inspired
collection. Bold graphic prints are
at the core of the collection, with a
striking colour palette of ink blue,
white, grey and sulphur yellow. It
continues the trend of bridging the
gap between sports tailoring and
fashion sportswear something
thats still seen on the catwalk today.
Technical fabrications define the
sportswear silhouette; shorts and
joggers are boxy with neoprene,
for example, with bonded jersey
cut and sew paneling. Sweaters

ASOS
SS14
are oversized with print and panel
details, while bomber jackets
are available in both leather and
nylon. Shirts and jersey pieces
are enhanced with geometric
sublimation prints and rubberised
panelling, so there really is a
piece in this range to compliment
anyones wardrobe.
The collection is finished with
a range of sportswear-inspired
accessories. Hybrid shoes come
in slip-on and lace-up options,
with some styles featuring monk
strap fastenings and others with
geometric embossing. Bucket hats
have been updated in nylon, while
backpacks feature bungee cord
ties and concealed zips, boasting
the technical elements of this
impressive collection. Q asos.com

78

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[style]
WORDS LLOYD-SCOT TYLER

OPPERMANN
is the latest label to
emerge from East
/RQGRQGHQHGE\
DVW\OLVKDHVWKHWLF
WKDWLVERWKFOHDQ
DQGFRQVLGHUHG
The 40-strong
FROOHFWLRQUHWDLOV
from 35 to 369,
and is made up of
EDJVEULHIFDVHVDQG
ZDOOHWVRKP\
Fashioned in
vegetable tanned
leathers, the range
FRPHVLQDULFK
SDOHWWHRIHDUWK\
FRORXUVOLNHJUH\

JD\WLPHVFRXN

WorldMags.net

FKRFRODWHFRJQDF
QDY\UDFLQJJUHHQ
EXUJXQG\DQGRI
FRXUVHDFODVVLF
EODFN
,WVDGLVWLQJXLVKHG
range with simple
DUFKLWHFWXUDO
VKDSHVEXWLWVWKH
VXEWOHGHWDLOVOLNHWKH
embossed logo in an
XQGHUVWDWHGVFULSW
WKDWKHOSVPDNHIRU
WLPHOHVVSLHFHV
7KHKHURSLHFHRI
WKHFROOHFWLRQLVWKH
KRXU3DOLVV\
%DJ7UXVWXVLWV

VRPHWKLQJ\RX
ZRQWEHDEOHWROLYH
ZLWKRXWRQFH\RX
start putting it to
JRRGXVH
7KHSHUIHFWFURVV
EHWZHHQEULHIFDVH
and overnight bag,
LWVELJHQRXJK
WRFDUU\DODSWRS
while turning a few
jealous heads in the
RIFHEXWFDQDOVR
KROG\RXUJ\PNLW
IRUWKRVHSUHZRUN
VHVVLRQWRR
oppermannORQGRQFRPQ

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bank
gets
sporty
80

A new season
means a fresh new
direction over at
BANK Fashion. The
in-house design
team has taken
inspiration for the
spring/summer
shows and added
references to
music and celebrity
culture to create a
trend-driven and
exciting collection.
7KHUHVVRPHWKLQJ
for everyone with
BANK Fashion
especially with
exclusive subbrand Nanny State

incorporating a
wealth of classic
WUHQGV,WVZK\
WKH\YHEHFRPH
synonymous
with collections
designed for guys
who like to look
good while living life
WRWKHIXOO7KHUHVD
ELJVSRUWLQXHQFH
running through the
collection too. And
with sportswear
still on the catwalk,
this is a brand
you can take to
the bank (sorry).
bankfashion.
co.uk Q

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
[style]
WORDS LLOYD-SCOT TYLER

Made of Stone The Stone Roses were one of the most important British bands
of the 20th century, spanning the 80s and 90s with hits like Waterfall and Fools
Gold. Its no surprise, then, that Sandro have paid tribute to Ian, John, Mani
and Reni with a limited edition collection of sweatshirts and t-shirts that put the
bands iconic album artwork on centre stage. Rock n roll. Q

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81

interiors

[style]

WorldMags.net

Furnishings that look

almost exactly like their
original design sketch are
a big trend this spring.
Strong lines can add
either exciting structure
The pendant
or simple silhouette to
Scribble Metal Wire
pendant, 70,
your interiors. Whether alexanderandpearl.co.uk
---------you choose complex
scribbles or lone lines
its time to get graphic!
WORDS MARK KING

The bowl
Hatton bowl, 30,
habitat.co.uk
----------

The candle holder

POV wall candle holder
by Story North, 30,
storynorth.com
----------

LINES
DRAWN
The coat stand
Matrix coat stand by
Made In Ratio, 1,200,
madeinratio.com
----------

The vases
Weight vases by Thinkk
Studio, from 81,
madeindesign.co.uk
----------

82

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WorldMags.net
[home]
home
The lamp
Hive lampshade,
PDGHFRP
----------

INGR
BOX
VE
CLE

The table
Yeoman zinc topped
dining table, 300,
habitat.co.uk
----------

The oor lamp

Bowie Square
RRUODPS
made.com
----------

If you just toss your dirty clothes

onto a pile in the corner until
wash day, its really time to stop
and get organised. So why not
man-up while you tidy up and get
a workout at the same time? This
hanging laundry holder doubles
up as a punch bag that you can
bash until you wash, giving you a
tidier room and stronger arms. A
thumping good idea, etc. Q
Laundry punch back, 20, suck.uk.com

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83

WorldMags.net

KENNEDY STREET in association with THE AGENCY GROUP present

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ooooft

[05/14]

WorldMags.net
[reviews]

HEAR
ME ROAR
Ever wondered what
became of Chris
Crocker? Yes, he of the
infamous Leave Britney
Alone! video. Well
wonder no further,
for hes appearing in
a new, ahem, adult
entertainment movie,
where he and his
boyfriend Justin Dean
somehow manage to
lose all their clothes.
How unfortunate! Q
&KULV&URFNHUV/XFDV
(QWHUWDLQPHQWVGHEXWLVDW
OXFDVHQWHUWDLQPHQWFRP
9HU\PXFK16):REYLRXVO\

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albums

[reviews]

WorldMags.net
Lykke Li I Never Learn Nine
WUDFNVRISXUH6FDQGLQDYLDQ
heartbroken misery, elegantly moped
WRPHODQFKROLFSHUIHFWLRQ/\NNH
/LVGRRPODGHQSRSKDVUHPDLQHG
virtually unchanged, as her gloriously
GHSUHVVHGDQGDIIHFWLQJYRLFHIRUFHV
LWVHOIWRFDUU\RQZLWKOLIHDQGQHZ
material. Fully acoustic, this album is
PRVWO\SLDQREDVHGWKRXJKRQ/RYH
0H/LNH,P1RW0DGH2I6WRQHVKH
strips things down to devastating
HIIHFWZLWKMXVWDEOXHV\JXLWDU:KLOH
the whole thing taps into every
WHHQDJHLPSXOVHRIVHOISLW\HYHU
H[SHULHQFHGLWVVRFODVV\,WOOPDNH
you want to throw on some black
FKLIIRQQQQQQ

Clean Bandit
New Eyes
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JLUOGXMRXU-HVV*O\QQKDVDOUHDG\WRSSHG
JOREDO6KD]DPFKDUWVDQGWKH8.V7RS
7KHLUZLQQLQJFRPELQDWLRQRIVRXOIXOYRFDOVDQG
VDVV\VWULQJVKDVQDOO\ZRQWKHPDQRSHQGRRU
to the mainstream. And their debut cements
their place simultaneously in that pristine pop
position, with unique collaborations between
WKHXVXDOO\PRUHULJLGFRPSRQHQWVRIXUEDQ
DQGFODVVLFDO8UELFDO&ODVVLEDQVRPHRQH
ZLOOKDYHWRPDNHDJHQUHIRUWKHPDQGWKH
inevitable copycat sounds on their way.
<RXFDQKHDUKDOIWKHVRQJVRQWKLVDOEXPRQ
WKHLUVRXQGFORXGIURPFDOOLQJFDUG0R]DUWV
House to early, well-rounded singles like Dust
Clears and A+E. The album versions though
have been subtly pimped out with the odd bolder
EDVVVRXQGRUDQH[WHQGHGVWULQJLQWUR
7KHODVWIRXUWUDFNVDUHDPDVWHUFODVVLQ
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contribution. The only criticism you could aim
DWWKHPLVWKDWWKHJXHVWYRFDOSOXVYLROLQELW
YHUJHVRQIRUPLQJDIRUPXODEXWIXFNLQJKHOO
ZKDWDIRUPXODQQQ Q Q

86

Owen Pallett In
&RQLFW From
Arcade Fire to
Robbie Williams,
2ZHQVVWULQJ
arrangements are
everywhere and
his solo vision is
equal parts kooky
and melodic, never
quite reaching
conventional pop
constructions yet
borrowing all their
hook-laden addictive
tricks. You can
hear the electronic
LQXHQFHRI%ULDQ
Eno in places
(literally!) as Pallett
plucks, glides and
glissandos his way
WKURXJKWKHVRXQGRI
couples therapy.
QQQQQ
.HOLV Food 7KHUHV
only one culinary
GHOLJKWZHZDQWIURP
.HOLVDQGWKDWVKHU
milkshake. Gone are
WKHGD\VRI/RYHER[

crowd-pleasing
RnB bangers and
slow burning electro
a cappellas, and
in their place are
DFRXVWLFIRONEDOODGV
and soul bongos.
,WVQREDGWKLQJ
MXVWDVLGHVWHSIURP
IHVWLYDOKHDGOLQHU
into the chill-out
tent. QQQQQ
We Have Band
MOVEMENTS Third
WLPHOXFN\IRUWKH
discopunk trio, and
WKH\YHPDGHWKHLU
danciest album
yet. Bouncing at
breakneck speed
EHWZHHQ/LWWOH
Boots, Duran Duran
and Chicks On
Speed, they save
WKHEHVWIRUODVWLQ
closing track Blue.
,WVWKHVRXQGRID
nightclub collapsing,
breaking down in
syncopated stabs.
QQQQQ

Iggy Azalea The New Classic The

PRVWVXUSULVLQJWKLQJDERXW,JJ\V
ORQJDZDLWHGGHEXWDOEXPLVMXVWKRZ
slow it all is. Though she can rap like
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Work (work-work-work-working on her
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narrative gets hard to swallow 12
WLPHVDQGWKLQJVWDNHDWXUQIRUWKH
dubious on Goddess. A distorted
VDPSOHRI%URZQ*LUO,Q7KH5LQJ
babbles in the background as she
EDUNVERZGRZQ\RXGRQWGHPDQG
respect, you earn it. QQQQQ
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WorldMags.net
[music]
WORDS BOB HENDERSON

f we had a reality show, we could

come across MENTAL, says
24-year-old Annie.
Were like three boys, says
same-aged Frankee (formerly of Mini Viva
*scream*), which just leaves 22-year-old
Nadine to clarify the situation, girlband
by day, boyband by night. And this is
how they roll, Modus Operandi, or in their
more commonly used abbreviation, M.O.
Apparently this comes from Lil Wayne
who drops the phrase into one of Drakes
verses on The Motto. As Annie observes,
I keep hearing people say M.O all the
time now. I heard it on Corrie! We have
to get her to use it in a sentence, just so
were on the same page.
Police people would say to she gives
us as an example, the other police people
at the scene of a crime, what was the M.O,
what was the motive, what was the plan?.
The plan for this brand new girlband
appears to be crazy sexy cool dancepop.
Citing 90s chart music as a massive

inspiration, theyre actually delivering

something a little more soulful, fresh,
RnB and eclectic. Theyre obsessed
with old-school J Lo, make their own
arrangements for covers on YouTube
and are prone to bursting out into song.
Even like, TV adverts, says Frankee
before launching into a quick operatic
interpretation of the Go Compare jingle.
M.O all live together, and we can only
imagine the noise they make.
Eschewing the traditional audition
routine, these girls knew each other
already presumably from all previously
being in girlbands. Their experiences
have made them determined and well
connected, as their latest single is
destined to make hard-earned waves.
Jess Glynn co-wrote our new single,
For A Minute, says Nadine, we got in
the studio with Loadstar and Bless Beats
and that came out wicked.
And theres plenty more where that
came from. Having already supported

Ciara, Disclosure and Rudimental, they

have a VERY EXCITING tour about to
be announced that they cant talk about
yet. So we go back to that name we
cant get our head round and a logo we
thought was a bunny (its a cat formed
out of the letters M and O).
We were trying for ages to come up
with a name, says Annie, and we liked
a few you dont wanna know some of
the names we had. You literally could
not be more wrong.
Without missing a beat, Annie replies
Mix Chicks and the room erupts with
laughter. Brown Sugar Nothing was
quite right.
Chocolate Caramel. Chocolate
Brownie. Caramac, Nadine carries
on in an unstoppable trail of un-PC
girlband names and northern accents.
We definitely want to be in their gang,
whatever theyre called. Q
02VODWHVWVLQJOH)RU$0LQXWHLVRXW$SULO
IDFHERRNFRPRIFLDOPRPXVLF

O
.
M

JD\WLPHVFRXN

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profile

[reviews]

WorldMags.net
last saw him troubadouring at The

IMAGE MICHAEL HART

Luminaire (RIP), but hes been far

from idle; he opened a private venue
and recording studio in Brooklyn
while his label collapsed, freeing
him of contractual obligations.
During downtime he became a farm
caretaker before moving to run his
own small farm complete with his
many cats, chickens and goats.
Despite being a foot too small
to be a model, fashion mags are
always keen to get Garneau in the
latest garbs, and his Facebook
feed is a string of Parisian
photoshoots. Not that it will ever
go to his head, as we take a good
ten minutes to get him to concede
that hes good looking.
Ive always been insecure
with everything, not just physical
insecurities. I was always really
shy and very withdrawn, especially
when I was younger. I had a very
difficult time even having a normal
conversation with somebody. When
it comes to photo time, I can see
that I take a good picture, Ill admit
it Chris finally says, bashfully.
But I think you can make anybody
look really nice on film or in a

CHRIS
GARNEAU
GET WINTER
THE GROOVE
----------

the record, Winter Games, is as

rewarding as it is melancholy.
Five years in the making, it
started as a simple concept asking
close friends and family for their
memories of winter as far back as
they could remember.
One thing that I was really

We might finally be seeing

fascinated with in winter is that

the back of winter, but singer-

its a time when people struggle,

For me
to ask
people for
all these
memories
of winter
was to
examine
how
people
struggle to
overcome
something

photo, its not really difficult.

Shyness is nice, but shyness didnt
stop Chris being basically naked on
the cover of his album. Rather than
a cynical ploy to entice the gays (it
would probably work), it was simply
shot in the unthematic summer
climate, after being thwarted by
nature during the winter months.
Every time we just got completely
fucked, there was no snow, nothing,

songwriter Chris Garneau (he has

Chris tells us. Historically its when

a boyfriend, sorry girls) is only

everything dies, and then after you

just getting to spring his seasonal

see how people, animals and nature

offering onto the UK. Though the

get on with it. Its a dark time and its

beautiful. Everything is dead, its

winter he sings of on his third album

literally dark. For me to ask people

really dark, its just not so nice. I

is a bleak one of discontent, its

for all of these memories of winter

didnt really want to partner a bunch

utterly beguiling if you dont need to

was to examine how people struggle

of press photos that were dark and

hear ADD bass and the sound of an

and overcome something. In the end

depressing with an album that was

808 drum in everything you listen

Winter Games is really about that

already not so easy to get through.

to. Garneau mixes echoing piano

struggle and that triumph as well.

Take solace in that summery shoot,

chimes, the lush orchestration of a

We were struck by how long Chris

marching band and his haunting,

has taken to record this album,

gentle croon into all his work. And

given it was so long ago since we

88

it was cold and you know how in

winter if there isnt snow, its not so

Winter Games is an album worth

getting to know. Q
Winter Games is out 28 April, chrisgarneau.com

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
[music]
WORDS %2%+(1'(5621

Bright Light Bright Light

and Elton John I Wish
We Were Leaving This unbelievable collaboration
between a great old dame and a hot young thing is
a fascinating footnote in the world of gay pop. And it
VRXQGVDQDZIXOORWOLNHWKH%HDFK%R\V*RG2QO\
Knows. Q Thief Closer Sparse minimal electronics,
big bolshy brass backing and a chorus featuring the
OLQH,PWRRWLUHGZDWFKLQJ\RXIXFNPHRYHUPDNHV
this an indier alternative to the Justin Timberlakes
of this world. Q Kishi Bashi Philosophize In It!
Chemicalize With It! A mental barnstorming mix
of classical strings, a Mumford and Sons hoe down
with a massive rocket up its arse, a Disney mouse
choir, and banjo boy realness. Q Rixton Me and
My Broken Heart Sounds like so many other
VRQJVEXWWKHUHVRQHWKLQJZHFDQDOOKHDULW
sounds like a hit. A stealth future summer smash
in waiting. Q Cash + David Funn Vocoda smooth
vocals and harmonies are delicately interwoven with
a huge riff. And any video of dancing, scrapping
drag kings is worth a watch. Q The Saturdays Not
Giving Up Like any number of Wideboys remixes,
LWVJD\RRUWDVWLF%XWQRDPRXQWRIVWULSOLJKWLQJ
waved around will make this sound innovative,
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Lady Gaga vs Pokemon Theme Applause For
Pokemon,WVKRXOGQWZRUNEXWWKHUHVVRPHWKLQJ
about the intensity of soft rock guitar solos and
*DJDVSRIDFHGVLQFHULW\WKDWWV3HUIHFWO\Q

[tracklist]

sheezus
cchrist
hrist
superstar
Lily Allen is back!
back! back! And this
WLPHVKHVSLQQHG
down the zeitgeist
and face fucked it
with autotune. Her
whole new album
Sheezus is dripping
with acidic critiques
(or like the title,
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SUHHPSWLYHVZLSH
at the inevitable
comparisons to
RWKHUSRSVWDUV
ZLWKYDJLQDVLQ
the opening track.
Elsewhere she
inverts the smooth

5Q%PDQEDOODG
with Insincerely
<RXUVVWDWLQJ/HWV
EHFOHDU,PKHUH
WRPDNHPRQH\
managing to juggle
charm, wit and
a tune you could
hear hummed in a
playground.
There are some
frank (and still,
IXQQ\VH[FDSDGHV
put down in songs
OLNH/&005DQG
&ORVH<RXU(\HV
which are more
Kath & Kim than
LPPDFXODWHVH[ERW

RFS Electro boyband RFS are not German,

but in fact Australian. We know for sure as
were chatting to drummer James over Skype
while hes in Sydney at his parents house,
leaning against a Frank Zappa poster. And hes
explaining the whole umlaut thing.
In Germany its unpronounceable, its
completely grammatically incorrect. Its more
about creating something bold and foreign, and
as a visual element, its symmetrical. The funny
thing was people in Australia thought we were
German, but were just three Australian dudes
making beats. Along with those beats they
make up various stories about where their name
comes from, such as Swedish soap companies,
prostate gland nicknames and fictitious dogs. In
the countless blog interviews theyve conducted,
theyve been grilled over their influences, but
were just taken by their sound; both euphoric
and chilled out at the same time.
Weve had that feed back from a lot of people,
says James, and its funny that thats the case, as
it was never a conscious thing to go oh, well be
chilled out but euphoric and driving but thats
just a dichotomy thats just occurred. Which is
pretty funny. And pretty cool.
We either want to listen to it off our faces, or in
the bath. Which begs the question, where is the
best place to listen to RFS?
Off your face in the bath replies James.
Obviously. Q 5h)h6GHEXWDOEXP$WODVLVRXW$SULO

Kylie. Allen remains

utterly internet
savvy, wistfully on
Life For Me and all
guns blazing on
URL Badman, where
she takes down
bedroom trollers in
their own dubsteppy
genre. With catchy
nursery rhyme
hooks and laugh out
ORXGO\ULFVLWVWKH
most exuberant pop
UHFRUG\RXOOKHDU
this year. Sheezus
is out on 5 May on
Regal Recordings,
lilyallenmusic.com Q

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89

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WORDS$$521*2/,*+7/<1,&.9(55(//

[reviews]

WorldMags.net
[print]
1000 Tattoos H Schiffmacher
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Danielle Paige
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road is crumbling
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WorldMags.net

The Glass Closet: The Risks

and Rewards of Coming Out in
Business John Browne)RU
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91

WorldMags.net
My Chemical Romance How does a successful
businessman and teetotaller become a
crack cocaine addict at the age of 40?
Trevor Kleinhans knows why and he reveals
all in his no-holds-barred autobiography
Secrets Make You Sick. Trevor, 52, also tells
GT about the impact being sexually abused
by his brother had on his life, growing up in a
homophobic South Africa, spending 80,000
on drugs and contracting HIV
WORDS JOHN MARRS

You write frankly about being abused.

When did it begin? I was six-years-old
when I was first sexually abused. All four
brothers slept in one bedroom and on
nights my parents went out, my eldest
brother would quietly coax me into his
bed and guide my hand to where he
wanted it to be, and it became a sexual
experience for him. The strange thing was
how exciting it was for me; the ambiguity
of being sexually abused and the fact your
older brother is giving you all this attention
and at the same time you know its wrong
and cant say anything about it.
The abuse continued till you were 12.
Who was the first person you told? I
was in my thirties when I told my mother.
She was blaming herself for my sexuality
and I know Im not gay because of my
brother, but I was getting frustrated at her
constantly thinking shed done something
different with me. One day I just lost it and
said, If theres any reason Im gay its
because I was sexually abused by Mark.
Did you eventually tackle Mark about
what hed done? I didnt, but my mother
did. He admitted it but said it only
happened once. Hes never made any
attempt to contact me or show remorse,
and I dont see it ever coming. Ive dealt
with it through therapy and I dont need
an apology from him. I later discovered
he had been sexual with my sister too. I
havent spoken to him for over 20 years.
What was it like to live in South Africa
when homosexuality was illegal? I
didnt come out of the closet till I was 29,
so Id do a lot of cruising and cottaging as
a teenager. There were public toilets with
92

glory holes and a couple of beaches gay

people would cruise. At certain times of
the night they became popular and youd
go down there and strut your stuff. Before
the ANC began their terrorist activities, the
police had a lot of time on their hands and
theyd infiltrate the gay scene. Theyd send
their hunky-looking police men dressed
accordingly, youd cruise them up and be
lured into a trap. I was arrested and fined
twice. I feel for what gay people are going
through in Uganda right now.
While your career was successful, your
choice in men wasnt. Why? My first
relationship was full of emotional abuse
that I couldnt escape, and in another
relationship I write about, we were
both using drugs regularly. My last two
relationships were with younger guys,
its basically me wanting to take a young
damaged guy and repairing him because
Im looking for that little boy in myself who
needs to be repaired. Im hoping the next
one is the right one!
You spent most of your life anti-drugs and
then suddenly became a crack addict.
How did that happen? Six months before
my first drug, I saw one of the directors
in my business smoke a joint and I was
horrified and reported him to the CEO. Six
months later I was 40-years-old and taking
my first E. Everything came together at
the wrong time. Id just ended a nine-yearrelationship; I had tremendous pressure and
responsibility on me at work. Friends told
me I was working so hard and not having
fun, so I took this pill and I realised I could
forget that world for a short period. Slowly
but surely when youre around people

taking cocaine, you get used to it and it

looks normal, then you try it and so the
progression begins to crack. Ignorantly I
got caught in a world I couldnt escape.
How much did you spend on drugs? I
had company loans, credit cards, bonded
my house and in ten months, I spent
67,000 on crack. Before that, Id spent
over two years on other drugs, so about
17,000.
When do you think you contacted HIV? It
was around that time. People are sexually
irresponsible when theyre on drugs. You
lose all your inhibitions and youre quite
prepared to take risks, and eventually
youve been sexually negligent for so
long, you assume that you must have HIV
by now. But you dont want to go and get
tested so you live in this dangerous period.
When you have sexual encounters with
other people, you assume they are of the
same mind-set as you. But they might be
thinking the opposite that because youre
not using protection you have been tested
and that youre safe. To be infected and not
deal with it at the time, further down the
line, you worry how many people you have
infected and you have to live with that guilt.
When sparked your recovery? I was 42
when I went into rehab. As an addict at
that age, you have so much more than a
20-year-old has to lose. Id worked so hard
to build a business, a home, own a car
and lots of nice material things. I risked
losing my friends and family. I realised I
was going to end up dead or in jail. It was
the face of my Jack Russell dog that pulled
me out of it. She was my whole life and I
neglected her for a while, then she helped
me realise what I was doing.
What prompted you to write your book?
I didnt write it to air all my dirty laundry.
My therapist suggested I started writing it
all down as a way of purging my emotions
and getting everything out of me. I slowly
realised it was becoming a book about
my life. At first I didnt want anyone to
read it, eventually I gave it to a few of my
friends and they told me I had to publish it
as there were things I could learn from. I
have fallen off the rails a few times over the
years, but Ive been clean for 14 months
and its a daily fight. Q
Secrets Make You Sick by Trevor Kleinhans is out now,
secretsmakeyousick.com

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

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93

WorldMags.net

LONDON
KITCHEN
SHOP

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FOR CURRENT
OFFERS
Arch 70, Albert Embankment,
Vauxhall, London SE1 7TJ
Tel: 020 7793 9091
vauxhall@londonkitchenshop.com
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WORDS%(1-$0,1%877(5:257+

[reviews]

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[stage]

Dirty Dancing These days slut

drops and twerking are what
constitutes dirty dancing.
Once upon a time, though,
there was a classier aspiration.
Dirty Dancing first flustered
a generation 27 years ago
(would you believe it?), with
Patrick Swayzes moves helping
the film gross a mega $214
million. Now its back and on an
acclaimed nationwide UK tour.
Get your clogs, girls! Q
8QWLO1RY'LUW\GDQFLQJWRXUFRP

Until 3 May
Miss Nightingale
tells the story of
one feisty northern
singer and her gay
refugee friend. The
pair are hopeless in
life until a wealthy
aristocrat picks
WKHPXS,WVJRW
RXWUDJHRXVRXWWV
saucy dancing and
scandalous love
WDOHV3OXVLWVD
British original.
Missnightingale.
co.uk Q

14 April 24 May
It was the summer
of 66 when Bobby
Moore lifted the
World Cup while
a nation sang
7KH.LQNV6XQQ\
Afternoon. The hit
was the anthem of
a generation. Now
6XQQ\$IWHUQRRQ
WKHSOD\WHOOV
the story of its
OHDGVLQJHU5D\
Davies. Hampsteadtheatre.
com Q

22 April 17 May
The 80s were a
tough time for many
gay men. Even
tougher if you had
$,'6VWLJPDWLVHG
by a media witch
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the story of the anJHUFRQIXVLRQDQG
fear that engulfed
countless
gay relationships.
An important
UHHFWLRQLQ
Tristanbatestheatre.
co.uk Q

7-25 May
We all fall into bad
habits. Drinking
WRRPXFK6SHQG
ing too much.
Drinking too much
still. Fleabag is the
epitome of these
EXWVKHVGHFLGHG
to change her life.
The pizzas are out
and the health in.
<DZQ6WLOOLWVIXQ
to watch someone
HOVHVVWUXJJOH
6RKRWKHDWUH
com Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

9 May 7 June
Not many shows
win a Tony Award
(who even is
7RQ\"EXW,Q7KH
Heights is so good
it was nominated for
:LWKWKHGLUHF
tors of Matilda and
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EHKLQGLW/DWLQRKLS
hop dancing and a
UDJVWRULFKHVVWRU\
LWVQRZRQGHULWV
EHHQDKLW6RXWK
warkplayhouse.
co.uk Q

95

cinema/disc

[reviews]

WorldMags.net

Transcendence Johnny Depps

personality, emotions and intellect
is uploaded to a supercomputer which promptly tries
to take over the world. People are forced to grow
eccentric goatees, wear bandanas well into their late
40s, and follow Tim Burtons increasing erratic creative
decisions without question. Q Cheap Thrills A down-ontheir-luck duo bump into a wealthy married couple who
offer them ever-increasing sums of money to complete
dares for their amusement. As the stakes get higher,
the comedy grows darker and the consequences ever
more gruesome. Sounds like a Channel 5 gameshow.
Q Bad Neighbours Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne
play a young couple with a newborn baby whose
tranquility is shattered when Zac Efron, James Franco
and Christopher Mintz-Plasse move in next door.
Presumably the ensuing cloud of pot smoke blots out
the sun and the child dies of rickets. Q Sabotage The
Arnold Schwarzenaissance continues with this violent
crime drama from director/co-writer David Ayer. The
Austrian Oak stars as John Breacher Wharton, leader
of an elite DEA squad who turn on each other following
a major drugs raid. He may have the worst haircut of
his career, but Breacher is easily the best nickname. Q

[also out]

Nymphomaniac Volumes I & II

Disc,I\RXPLVVHG/DUVYRQ7ULHUV
tumescently provocative dissection of
sex, lust, and lonely desire, now you
can experience it in the comfort of your
own basement. Be warned: although
WKHUHDUHIDQQLHVDSVVWVDQGPDOH
members all shapes and sizes all
IHVWRRQHGZLWK\LQJMXLFHVWKLVLVQW
explicit escapism. Von Trier is out to
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bottoms. QQQQQ
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Disc This biopic of Madiba was so
long, the great man himself died during
the premiere (thankfully, he was in
bed in South Africa at the time). For
RXUPRQH\,QYLFWXVGLGDEHWWHUMRE
RIEULQJLQJ0DQGHODVLQFUHGLEOHVWRU\
to life, but Idris Elba is a powerful
cinematic presence, and Naomie
Harris is absolutely fucking terrifying as
trouble-and-strife Winnie. QQQQQ
Bill And Teds Excellent Adventure
(25th Anniversary Edition) Disc
The 25th anniversary release of this
stoner time travel comedy will whisk
you back to 1989, an era when youth
culture was centred around cannabis
and air guitar, not mephedrone and
WZHUNLQJZKRDDQGGXGHZHUH
considered acceptable catchphrases,
and Keanu Reeves still had the
cheerful youthful demeanour of a
/DEUDGRUSXSS\7KDQNIXOO\WKHOPV
sense of fun has survived the quarter
FHQWXU\:HMXVWZLVKZHFRXOGVD\WKH
VDPHDERXW.HDQXVQQQQQ

TITTER YE NOT
As Jon Snow in
Game of Thrones,
Kit Harington has
mastered the art of
stomping through
snowy wastelands,
shivering under
matted furs, and
huddling in front of
G\LQJUHV1RZKH

96

must prove his acting

ability at the other end
of the thermometer in
3DXO:6$QGHUVRQV
pyroclastic account
of the fall of Pompeii.
:HUHJXHVVLQJWKLV
includes stripping to
the waist, brushing
aside sweat-soaked

forelocks, and riding

horses through
VKHHWVRIDPHEXW
DQ\OPLQYROYLQJDQ
explosive eruption
and a protagonist
called Milo wins
WKLVFULWLFVVHDORI
approval. Pompeii is
released 2 May Q

Anchorman 2: The Legend

Continues Disc Somewhere in this
VFDWWHUVKRWVHTXHOWKHUHVDQHDUQHVW
critique of the triviality of the 24 hour
QHZVF\FOHEXWLWVEXULHGEHQHDWKD
EDUUDJHRIMRNHVWKDWVWKLFNHUWKDQ
5RQ%XUJXQG\VPRXVWDFKH-XVW
incase the original theatrical version
RIWKHOPZDVQWHQRXJKWKHVHW
includes two new editions of bonus
profanity. Burgundy and the news
WHDPDUHDGRUDEOHEXWOLNHMD]]XWH
you can have too much of a good
thing. QQQQQ
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[screen]
WORDS0,/2:$.(/,1

The Wind Rises Cinema Hayao

Miyazaki is one of the greatest
directors of all time; as an animator,
KHVVHFRQGRQO\WR:DOW'LVQH\
8QOLNHPDQ\JUHDWGLUHFWRUVKLVOPV
are also fantastically entertaining
and this, his swan song, is no
H[FHSWLRQ$QXQH[SHFWHGO\HSLF
biopic of Jiro Horikoshi, the engineer
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JKWHUDLUFUDIWLWVDSRLJQDQW
exhilarating, and only occasionally
pedantic tribute to the purity of
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we realised we were watching
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tenderness, the lump in our throat
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Locke Cinema
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FRPHWUXH:ULWWHQDQGGLUHFWHGE\6WHYHQ
.QLJKWWKLVWDXJKWGUDPDQHYHUH[FHHGVWKH
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Hardy, resplendent in a full beard, thick
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Locke, a respected, responsible construction
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middle of the night to rush to the hospital bed
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free telephone, he must break the news to his
wife, banter about soccer to his teenage son,
console his mistress, placate his boss, and
somehow successfully complete the biggest
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WKHOPDVDUDGLRSOD\/RFNHZHOHDUQLVD
PDQZKRDGRUHVFRQFUHWHPRUHWKDQKHORYHV
people; its reliability and solidity clearly inspires
his personal and professional life, but as his
WRXFKLQJZLWW\MRXUQH\SURJUHVVHVWKHFUDFNV
EHJLQWRVKRZQQQQQ

The Harry Hill

Movie Disc Years
before TV Burp
DQG<RXYH%HHQ
)UDPHG+DUU\+LOOV
TV career began
with Fruit Fancies,
surreal black and
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that were almost
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big screen debut
is mostly funny,
and the bits that
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DYDQWJDUGHHQRXJK
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QQQQQ
Theatre of Blood
Disc Vincent Price
yearned to be
taken seriously
as an actor, but
had to settle for
life as a horror
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QHYHUEHWWHUFDVW
than as Edward
Lionheart, a failed
Shakespearean

ham who takes

EORRG\UHYHQJH
on a circle of
critics; the classy
supporting cast
includes Michael
Hordern, Milo
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5LJJQQQQQ
The Secret Life
of Walter Mitty
Disc Thanks to Ben
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direction, this is
an entertaining
reimagining of
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but the incessant
product placement
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Sequences shot on
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are genuinely
stirring, and Sean
Penn seems to be
acting in his own,
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QQQQQ

JD\WLPHVFRXN

WorldMags.net

Next Goal Wins Cinema On the

VXUIDFHWKLVPD\VHHPOLNHMXVW
another documentary about a sport
some people eat, sleep and breathe,
DQGRWKHUVMXVWFRXOGQWJLYHDWRVV
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inspiring, heroic and genuinely funny
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want to right that wrong in a
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WKH:RUOG&XS)HDWXULQJWKH
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Jaiyah this heartwarming tale
VKRZVMXVWKRZEHDXWLIXOWKH
EHDXWLIXOJDPHFDQEHQQQQQ

97

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ONLY

2.49

WHEN YOU
SUBSCRIBE

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DOWNLOAD YOUR FAVOURITE BACK ISSUE
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WORDS TIM MITCHELL

[reviews]

WorldMags.net
[geek]
,WVDWUDS,WV
not). Stay warm
inside the belly of
the beast! Look,
we all know it
never ends well for
the Tauntaun, but
think how warm
\RXOOEH$QGWKH
added bonus is
\RXGRQWKDYH
to smell like a
dead, brazed alien
camel/kangaroo.
Lightsaber zipper
detail and guts
interior pure
genius! Q

LOKI: AGENT
OF TUMBLR
(WE MEAN
ASGARD)
----------

Who? What now? The who-isLoki question tends to bring up

more than 70 years of comic book
backstory or thousands of years
of mythology, but well try to
keep it brief.
If you havent been watching,
Tom Hiddleston played him in
three hugely successful Disney/
Marvel movies as Thors quickwitted, silver tongued, three
quarters evil little brother.
Hes the Norse god whos both
trick and treat. Hes a touch
gender-fluid, and at least a little bit
into guys (after some ALMOST boy
kissing in the last issue of Young
Avengers After Party) and he is BIG
on the internet.
Like, Ryan-Gosling-toplessholding-a-French-bulldog, big.
Marvel have finally given in,
listened to the fanboys (and girls)
of Tumblr. And seen logic in the
math: Hot young thing + savvy

(obsessive) internet following =

ohthemoney!
For a while now comics have
been written for a wider audience
than the traditional (stereotypical)
basement dweller. This title is
being marketed to a younger
audience, new breed of comic
book reader, the post-Marvel
movie crowd. Hawkeye described
it best, in that Loki has started to
look a little One Direction-y.
This reiteration of the classic
Asgardian bad seed has the
metrosexual god of mischief
looking more like Ian Somerhalder

Ghostbusters I
Love This Town
Minimates Box Set
There is no Dana,
only Zuul. Just
NLGGLQJ7KHUHVQR
Zuul either. Sorry
about that.
5HFUHDWHWKHQDO
scene of the classic
1984 horror comedy
with pocket sized
and adorable
Venkman, Stantz,
Spengler, and
Zeddemore!
'RQWEHDIUDLGRIQR
ghost! Q

Life Sized Penguin

Commando
.OD[RQWe have
no idea how The
Penguin bankrolled
his venture, but now
YOU can unleash
an army of Penguin
Commandos on
Gotham City! Each
twenty-inch replica
(YES!) comes
complete with mindcontrol helmet and
candy-cane striped
URFNHW$QGWKH
JRRGQHZVLVLWV
only 400. Q

Half-Man, Demon-Monkey,
[P]Imp and Action Figure
Its not easy being drunk all the
time. If it were easy, everyone would
do it. Gentlemen, gentlemen, hes
rich, hes charming, he can make
you laugh and is a decorated war
hero. Tyrion Lannister is Westeros
most eligible bachelor. Well, sort
of. (They all look like they could do
with a good wash really). If you ever
fancy yourself a lord of Casterly
Rock, or as the hand of the Hand
of the King, unlike Peter Dinklage,
this snarky half-man from house
Lannister, will t in your pocket. Q

than Tom Hiddlestone.

Its quite exciting to live in a time
when a major publishers premier
anti-hero is into guys canonically,
but the important thing is Loki
is back, and as personal spy to
Asgardias All-Mother, hes off the
leash and craftier than ever.
The surprises start here. With
his unusual tastes, natural charm,
serpents tongue (they dont call
him the Prince of Lies for nothing)
and penchant for literally stabbing
his brother in the back. Oh, and
hes off speed dating too. Did we
mention the speed dating? Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

99

idle hands

[reviews]

WorldMags.net
[apps]

ES
GAM
Lego The Hobbit
Game of the Month
Whether you like it or not, Lego is taking over
the world. And its next step to global domination
comes with the arrival of Lego The Hobbit across
pretty much every single gaming platform; hot on
the heels of Lego Marvel Super Heroes, The Lego
Movie (and associated game), and the list goes
RQ7KHUHVDFRPSHOOLQJDUJXPHQWWKDWWKHIRUPDW
is getting a little tired (and that the incessant PR
stunts involving the little plastic bricks are getting
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ZKHQ\RXORRNDWVDOHVJXUHVDQGWKHXQGHQLDEOH
levels of humour, attention to detail and creativity
displayed in the games. Lego The Hobbit pays
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GRQW[LWDV%LOERVDGYHQWXUHVLQWKHUVWWZR
OPVRIWKHWULORJ\DWOHDVWDUHEURXJKWWRYLEUDQW
shiny life. As ever, the game features a huge
roster of playable characters and an enormous
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DUHUHDOLVHGLQIDPLOLDUSROLVKHGGHWDLO:HYHQRW
VHHQKRZ6PDXJWKHVHFRQGOPVVFDO\GUDJRQ
shaped star, will be realised in plasticky glory, but
LIWKHZDFN\KXPRXURIWKLVJDPHVHULHVLV\RXU
%DJJLQVH[SHFWWREHFKDUPHGQ
Lego The Hobbit is available across formats now

Tinder 7KHZRUOG
storming dating app
KDVDQQRXQFHGLWV
offering celebrity
YHULFDWLRQ$PLG
news that celebs are
stalking its halls for
love like the rest of
us, head honchos
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app have decided to
make the path to true
love run smoother.
So, if you want to be
VXUH\RXUHDUUDQJLQJ
to meet a former S
&OXEHUQRZV\RXU
chance! Q

OneNote,WVQRW
RIWHQWKDWDSS
mongers are craving
to allow Microsoft
into the Church
of Apple, but Mr
*DWHVXQGHQLDEO\
XVHIXOQRWHVKDULQJ
app, OneNote, is
reportedly coming to
Macs everywhere.
Further reports
are suggesting
this is a precursor
to other Microsoft
services being made
available for iPad.
Watch this space. Q

Infamous: Second Son

Sucker Punch returns to
the universe created in
the first two Infamous
games, but attaches a new
protagonist and a whole
new set of super powers,
as the curiously named
Delsin Rowe must get to
grips with a hell of a lot
more than growing pains
in a beautifully realised
digital Seattle. Q
Out now on PS4

The Sly Trilogy

Arguably the starting
point for Infamous, Sucker
Punchs other franchise
featuring master thief Sly
Racoon, gets repackaged
as a slick trilogy box set.
Charming, gorgeously
cel-shaded and inventive,
Sly and his friends (a turtle
and a pink hippo love!)
are hard to ignore and
now also portable. Q
Out 16 April on PS Vita

100

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WorldMags.net[tech]
WORDS MIKE HIRD

01

If the desktop
isnt dead then its
certainly approaching
ventilator status as
laptops, and even
phones, outrank
the power of their
more cumbersome
cousins. All but
the most ardent of
gamers and techie
types can nd their
computing needs
wrapped up in
increasingly slick and
slim-line packages.
Here, GT caters to
(some of your) lapbased needs

Casual
Observer

02

Chromebook
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VRPHWLPHVDODSWRS
MXVWQHHGVWREH
a laptop and
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EHQHWLQJIURP
VRIDSSV%XW
LWVDOVR\RXNQRZ
DODSWRSKSFRP
KSFKURPHERRNQ
----------

Design Savvy
Acer Aspire R7
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$VSLUH5FRPELQHV
NH\ERDUGDQG
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WorldMags.net

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----------

101

WorldMags.net

SOHO 5-7 Brewer Street, Soho, London, W1F 0RF, 020 7734 4031
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IMAGE JOE MCCORMICK GROOMING EVAN HUANG USING MAC, SHU UEMERA AND MAKEUP STORE WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

[05/14]

WorldMags.net

[life]

Dick Disco
Watford,
31, building
surveyor and
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readers lives

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

103

readers dilemmas

[life]

WorldMags.net

Im 28, gay, and pretty much

in the closet. I want to tell my
mum Im gay but every time I
try, something bad happens.
First, my dad cheated on her
and they broke up, then our
car was stolen and more
recently our house caught
re. I feel like Ill never fall in
love each time Ive thought
it was happening, it turns
out the guy was never that
into me. Ive never even had
a gay kiss. Im bringing up
my nephew so I dont get out
much. I feel like nding love
is out of my reach and that
Ill never be able to come out
and feel free. Nick, by e-mail

The Guyliner replies First

of all, and most importantly, bad
things are not happening because
you are trying to come out the
WZRDUHQWOLQNHGDWDOO<RXUIDPLO\
has experienced a run of bad luck,
and that must be tough, but you
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but compared to everything else
VKHVEHHQWKURXJKKHUVRQ
coming to terms with who he really
LVDQGVKDULQJWKDWZLWKKHULVQW

@theguyliner

need advice?

104

necessarily going to be so traumatic

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being in one, and to think: Why
would anybody be interested in
PH"7KHUVWVWHS,WKLQNLVWR
come out; you might look at dating
and relationships in a different
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was more interested in us than
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after your nephew is taking up a
ORWRI\RXUWLPHZK\QRWWU\QGLQJ
support groups for gay parents in
\RXUDUHD"7KH/RQGRQ/HVELDQ
and Gay Switchboard has a
national database that could help
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Need some good old-fashioned advice on matters of love, life or relationships?

E-mail me in total condence on theguyliner@gaytimes.co.uk. I cant
respond individually and your e-mails may be edited for use in the magazine.
We wont use your real name or publish any contact details.

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[advice]
THE GUYLINER LENDS AN EAR TO
YOUR LIFE DILEMMAS AND DISHES
THE DIRT ON THE UNDATEABLES

The Gesture Junkie

Sometimes all it takes
to keep a bit of romance alive is
the odd bunch of flowers and a
BJ. But this guy is out to impress
and show just what a brilliant
boyfriend he can be. Why have
one bunch of flowers when
you can awake on a bed of
roses? Why take a cab to
dinner when youve got a
limo and champagne on ice
outside? The problem with the
Gesture Junkie is that he takes
the phrase never a dull
moment and runs with it he
fears the ordinary. He wants to
give you the best time youve
ever had, whether its
surprising you at work with a
helicopter ride home or booking
a weekend to Paris just because
you paid off your overdraft. This
man thinks big. Weeknight
drinks become hedonistic
boozing sessions that would
make a Roman emperor blush.
Sounds great, right? But the
trouble with grand gestures is
theyre just a distraction: when
it comes to the small stuff, like
talking over your work dramas
or deciding which kind of pizza
to have for dinner, he goes to
pieces. Want to talk about where
youre going to spend
Christmas? He runs a mile. Hes
only there for the thriller, not
the filler; all his romantic ideas
are from the movies. Every
relationship needs its fair share
of boring, but this guy is allergic
to humdrum.

WORDS THE GUYLINER IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO

[01]

ALL
THE MEN
YOU
SHOULD
NEVER
DATE

The solution Make him

understand he doesnt always
have to impress you you want
him because of who he is, not what
outlandish weekends he can take
you on. Introduce him to more
simple pleasures, go on some
low-key dates, and check whether
he is still interesting once you
strip away the pizzazz. He might
be a secret dullard. But whatever

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

you do, do NOT go to the top of

the Eiffel Tower with this man
youre likely to come back down
married, or by parachute.
---------The Faultnder
Remember that old
adage if you cant say anything
nice, dont say anything at all?
Obviously its utter bunkum,
because if we all lived by that
rule all wed hear would be
babies crying and dogs barking.
But guys who can find the
scratch on the surface of even
the most perfect diamonds are
best given a wide berth. Oh, you
know the type: when shown
round a friends immaculate
new flat, hell search for a
wonky shelf; as you show off
your latest finery, hell step
forward with a grimace and
gently smooth down the lone
hair you had out of place. A
faultfinder cant admit
something or someone is more
wonderful than he is, so will
look for any chance to bring
everyone crashing back down to
Earth at breakneck speed.
Lovely dinner, shame the wine
was too warm. I think that
suit wouldve been beautiful if
hed got the next size up. The
holiday wouldve been even
better if it hadnt been so hot.
Hell offer praise, before
lobbing a turd right into the
middle of it. Theres no pleasing
some men. Especially this one.

[02]

The solution Sometimes

faultfinders dont realise what
theyre doing. Reply to any moan
with Oh well, you would say
that you dont like anything.
Nobody wants a reputation
for being a whinger. Or try
countering his nit-picking with
positive statements of your
own, but you might need the
hysterically cheery outlook of
a Disney princess to get you
through it. Q

105

The 24th Annual

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PRIDE WEEKEND
Brighton & Hove Pride Festival 2014
Celebrating theFreedom to Live

1st - 3rd August

PRIDE ARTS & FILM FESTIVAL

18th July - 3rd August

Film Arts Theatre Cabaret Comedy Debate Spoken Word Sport

d
Vote DOOR
OUT RIDE
T
S
BE ENT/P L
EV STIVA
ne
FE
gazi

This year we have much to celebrate in the UK,

with same sex marriageequality and ourFreedom to Live.
However inve countries across the globe
Homosexuality is still punishable with the
deathpenalty, while a further 70 imprison
citizens because of their sexual orientation

a
zm
Boy

THE WORLDS A
Sunday 20th July 2014
DOGGY PRIDE
Hove Rugby Club, 12noon-5pm
WOOF! Last year Doggy Pride was the most
successful ever. 2014 has Novelty classes, pedigree
classes, doggy fun and games - in association with
Coastway Veterinary Group and the Dogs Trust. For
market stalls, traders or to enter your pooch this
year, go to Brighton-Pride.org

Sunday 27th July 2014

PRIDE RAINBOW RUN, SPORTS DAY & PICNIC
Preston Park, 10am-5pm
5K Rainbow Run/Drag Race/Bears tug of war and
much more. Come and join in the community fun
day - open to all. For more details and to register go
to Brighton-Pride.org.

PRIDE ARTS & FILM FESTIVAL 2014

18th July-3rd August 2014
Two weeks of events celebrating Freedom to Live
LGBT Arts, Film and Spoken Word.
To register an event please go to
Brighton-Pride.org

Saturday 2nd August 2014

LGBT COMMUNITY PARADE
Madeira Drive 11am
The Worlds A Disco celebrates music, dance
and colour from around the globe, whilst
highlighting the plight of communities where the
parties yet to start and they still dont have their
basic Freedom to live !
To register go to Brighton-Pride.org

photos ChrisJepson.com

Saturday 2nd August 2014

PRIDE FESTIVAL
Preston Park 12noon-10pm
Pride is back, Bigger and brasher with extended
opening times.
8 entertainment areas/ Main stage/
Dance tents /Funfair / Market/ Community area.

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

Prices frozen until Easter
9 Super Early Bird tickets SOLD OUT
12.50 Early bird tickets WHILE STOCKS LAST
Tickets then go up to 15 advance rst release*
Then 17.50/20.
More on the day.
*Available for a limited time only

Brighton-Pride.org
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CHARITY PARTNERS

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column

[life]

WorldMags.net
[pj brennan]

Yesterday, I spoke
at my high school
for career day. This
sentence has about ten different
meanings in my head. For starters,
it means Ive been out of high
school long enough to merit
coming back and talking about
my experiences. It means Im that
much further away from being
born and that much closer to my
final hours on this earth. It also
implies that I know where my life
is, that I even have it together in
the first place.
The fact that speaking at my
alma mater made me feel like
filing my retirement papers
already meant I had to accept the
offer. Imparting wisdom on others
would surely rub off on me, right?
If I convinced enough people that
I knew what I was doing with my
life, then maybe Id happen to
convince myself as well.
The freshmen were actual
children; little boys eager for
the attention of the young female
teacher who escorted me to the
cafeteria for lunch with my fellow
speakers, most of whom were
over 50 and true professionals in

CAREER DAY: GOING BACK TO

SCHOOL TURNED OUT TO BE
FULL OF GOOD SURPRISES

their chosen fields. Watch this,

miss! One kid shouted at us as
we crossed the basketball court.
He proceeded to shoot the most
magnificent air ball Ive ever seen
in my life (woosh!). Nice try, kid.
The all-boys Jesuit Catholic
high school of my youth was alive
again, confronting all my senses.
I struggled to stay in the present; I
kept seeing the corner of the room
where my friends and I would
waste all of our free periods and I
swear I could hear them over the
din of the other children.
I walked into the cafeteria
to a room full of familiar faces
that had changed just enough,
like seeing a snowman you had
built the day before who spent a
day in in the sun. You know its
the same one but the lines are
different and the posture has
shifted. My French teacher had
laryngitis just like she always did
back in the day, and I wrapped
her in my arms and hugged her
now comparatively small frame.
Another had let her hair turn
into a magnificent grey and she
looked even more beautiful and
kinder than before, something

I told a
story
about how
that very
morning I
had given
my seat
up to an
elderly
man on
the train
the fear
still in me
that if a
teacher
saw me
ignore the
old man I
would get
detention

@peejaybrennan

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

I had not thought possible. One

of my old English teachers gave
me a smile that made me feel so
confident that she was genuinely
happy to see me I smiled right
back, as hard as I could. A kid
who was a year below me was
now a religion teacher; same
gentle voice, and maybe a
little less hair. Now that youre
back, this has to be a regular
thing, okay? They all asked me.
Whatever trepidation I had about
coming back had dissipated.
I had to give the same talk to
three separate groups of juniors,
which meant I was nervous for
a whole bunch of reasons. I had
to be myself (yikes), I had to
repeat the process several times,
and I had to make my life sound
interesting. Every 35 minutes the
bell would ring and a new group
of polite and well-behaved young
men would file into the room. I
knew that they were given a list
of all the speakers a few days
prior and they had to rank the
speakers they wanted to see,
from one to three. Of course, I
was convinced I was such a good
judge of character, I could tell
how they ranked me just from
looking at them. Whats your
name? Michael? What was I to
you, like a three? I was a three,
wasnt I, Michael? Just say it! Or
Paul, huh? You didnt even rank
me at all, did you? You were just
placed here!
Once I started talking though, a
lot of the nerves just faded away.
I told a little story about how that
very morning I had given my
seat up to an elderly man on the
train, something I learned in high
school; the fear still in me that if
a teacher saw me ignore the old
man, I would get detention (or as
we called it Justice Under God).
Maybe not the purest of intentions
to start with, but it shaped me.
Now, I do it because there is no
other option. Today, I offer him my
seat, and maybe one day someone

107

column

WorldMags.net
[pj brennan]

Im sorry, attendance of
the gay club is up now
that the sports seasons
are coming to an end?
Take that, bigots! One
more stereotype down
the drain! Huzzah!
will do the same for me, but in
the here and the now, I see him
struggling to stand and I decide to
do something about it.
I went on to discuss my time
portraying a gay character coming
out on TV and how it made me see
another side to acting; not just as
a profession, but as a means to
affect change in people, to offer
support to others, and perhaps
just to provide a voice for some
who previously felt they didnt
have one. I expected some of the
guys to squirm in their seats, but
they listened, I mean they really
listened. I remembered with a
smile, the scene from 21 Jump
Street where Channing Tatum tries
108

to take the piss out of someone

by calling him gay, a joke which
basically flies over the heads of
the actual teenagers because that
word has lost so much of its bite
over the years.
You know, weve got a GayStraight Alliance here now, right?
A teacher told me after I finished
speaking with the first group. Hol
up, I thought. Hold. The. Phone.
A Gay-Straight Alliance at my all
boys Catholic high school?
Hows the attendance? I was
skeptical.
Well, athletics are finishing up
so its gotten really good now.
Im sorry, attendance of the
gay club is up now that the sports

[life]

seasons are coming to an end? I

asked.
Yeah. Take that, bigots! One
more stereotype down the drain!
Huzzah!
We headed down to the gym
where the juniors crammed onto
the bleachers and us old timers
sat in folding chairs down on the
basketball court, facing them. In
the centre was a podium where the
keynote speaker proceeded to talk
about God and Jesus, and it was
only then that I realised I didnt
mention either one of those folks
during my talks. But I looked at the
juniors and I saw them examining
the ceiling with such intensity
while the keynote speaker went on,
youd think they were all structural
engineers. Im not saying that
Jesus isnt worth talking about
necessarily, but it sounded hollow
coming from him, and these kids
seemed to realise that too.
Either the ceiling in my
classroom was structurally sound
or I did a pretty good job of
talking. Im going to choose to
believe the latter. Not because I
narcissistically want to pat myself
on the back; I told each group that
the experience of talking to them
was just as important for me as it
was for them, if not more so. It was
an affirmation of where I came from
and where I am hopefully going.
I revisited relationships that sat
on the shelf for nearly a decade,
they came back to life, and they
told me that Im doing all right. I
felt a kind of love you only get to
feel as time passes. It was love that
I forgot about for a long time, but
never forgot about me, and when
we reconnected, it smiled because
it was happy. So thats one positive
about growing up; I have that to
look forward to. For that, I am so
grateful. Id suggest you keep your
eyes and ears open, and when
you experience it too, youll know
exactly what Im talking
about. And it will feel
amazing, like living. Q
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

CHECK OUT THE NEW

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COLOURS
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110

MEAN
GAYS
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
Are gay
men getting
bitchier?
According to a
GT survey, most
of us think we
are and admit
were getting
worse. We
ask if being
branded a bitch
is something
to be proud
of, or whether
mean gays
are a negative
stereotype
affecting our
reputation
MOST MEN HAVE MOCKED
behind a friends back their
weight, what theyre wearing or who
theyre dating. When a straight man
does it, hes being funny. But when a
gay man does it, hes called a bitch.
In a survey of gay men
commissioned by GT during the
tenth anniversary of Mean Girls on
the silver screen, no less 62% of
us think our community is bitchy,
compared to just 3% who think its
an unfair stereotype. More than
half of us have ditched a gay friend
because we thought he was acting
too vile towards others. Only 12% of
those who admit to being bitchy are
actually proud of it. A quarter of us
are ashamed of our sharp tongues
and 60% of the gay community
thinks our bitchy comments and
attitudes are getting worse.
If youre gay and believe that all
gay men are bitchy, you may feel
that you need to get in touch with
your inner-bitch, explains Matthew
Hodson, chief executive officer

of charity GMFA. Stereotypes

become useful signifiers of
homosexuality for scriptwriters and
journalists. The images of gay men
that we see on TV or read about will
often conform to these stereotypes
in some way. They become selfperpetuating; if you think gay men
are more likely to do particular
things then you may be more likely
to adopt those behaviours yourself,
to assert your gay identity.
Not since Queer As Folk did
a television show divide a gay
audience like Vicious. When the
Sir Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi
sitcom about snippy elderly gay
couple Stuart and Freddie first
aired on ITV last year, it was
accused of reinforcing the popular
misconception that incessant
bitching is part of a gay mans DNA.
The argument will rage on next year
when series two begins.
Vicious attracted a lot of criticism
from some gay people but I actually
thought it was fucking funny,
admits Mark Simpson, author of
End Of Gays. I laughed out loud,
which is the first time Ive done
that watching a British sitcom this
century. I recognised the couple
presented by McKellen and Jacobi
and the bitchy humour.
But I think many of the people
objecting to it did too. Thats what
they didnt like about it. Yes, theres
a fine line between being funny
and bitchy, but I suspect that if you
worry too much about crossing it,
you wont be very funny. And I dont
think bitchiness is in itself special
to gay men straight men can be
very bitchy too. Though its usually
passed off as banter.
From real-life bitches like Bette
Davis, Joan Rivers and Madonna, to
fictional TV characters like Alexis
Colby, Karen Walker and Tom
Farrell, theres no question that
gay men are attracted to a sharp
tongue. And its been that way
for the last 200 years. In the 19th
century, many gay men began to
reject manly activities for womanly

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

[life]

pursuits like fashion, gossip, and

culture such as opera and theatre.
Womens conversational style,
then known as dishing, included
sarcastic retorts, vicious putdowns,
and malicious gossip. By the turn of
the last century, closet homosexuals
adopted their style and rebranded it
fag talk as a means of articulating
their feminine side. And that
became what we now call bitching.
Its possible the bitching is more
likely among older gay men, who
experienced much greater legal
inequality and intolerance than
younger generations, points out
Matthew Hodson. Bitchiness can
be a defence mechanism, a desire
to get the attack in before you get
attacked yourself.
According to body language,
behavioural expert and author Judi
James, there are two main motives
for bitching. Assassination
Bitching is when there is a specific
target who you try to attack and
that target is known to you. It
seems to raise your power and
status while lowering theirs, so it
provides a more tangible purpose.
And Bond Bitching is used to
create rapport, a bit like animals
grooming one another. If you both
laugh and you both join in you will
feel an instant bond, especially as
it is a bit naughty.
The latter motive is bore out by
our survey. More than a quarter of
us say were only bitchy to amuse
each other. 32% of us say we use it
as a defence mechanism we attack
before were attacked.
One problem with stereotyping
is that if people assume a trait,
IE bitching, they will often keep
prompting it, adds Judi James.
A lot of women will assume gay
friends are more likely to enjoy
bitching more than other guys
and keep pushing until it might
appear impolite not to join in. But
I also know a lot of gay men who
find bitching distasteful and a very
negative stereotype.
Shucking off years of stereotyping

111

WorldMags.net
EY
V
R
SU
Are gay men generally quite bitchy?
16% Very often
62% Quite a lot
19% No more than straight men
03% 1RWKDWVDIDOVHVWHUHRW\SH
----------

Are we getting worse?

60% Yes
28% No
12% 7KHUHVQRGLIIHUHQFH
----------

Are we bitchy because

09% :HDUHHQFRXUDJHGE\RXUIULHQGV"
32% ,WVDGHIHQFHPHFKDQLVPZHDWWDFNEHIRUHZHDUHDWWDFNHG"
28% :HVD\WKHVHWKLQJVWRPDNHHDFKRWKHUODXJK"
11% :HKDYHDFROOHFWLYHFKLSRQRXUVKRXOGHUV"
12% :HDOOWKLQNWKHVHWKLQJVEXWJD\VDUHQWDIUDLGWRVD\WKHP"
08% Other
----------

On a scale of 1-10 (1 being not at all and 10 being

extremely) how bitchy are you?
04% 1
04% 2
10% 3
12% 4
16% 5
24% 6
18% 7
06% 8
04% 9
02% 10
----------

Compared to your friends, are you

24% 0RUHELWFK\
37% /HVVELWFK\
39% (TXDOO\ELWFK\
----------

If youve ever been told you are bitchy, were you

13% 3URXGRILW
25% (PEDUUDVVHGE\LW
50% $JUHHGZLWKLW
12% 'LVDJUHHGZLWKLW
----------

Have you ever ditched a friend because they

were too bitchy?
52% Yes
40% No
08% ,FRQVLGHUHGLWEXWFKDQJHGP\PLQG
----------

Are gay men bitchier in cities compared

to small towns?
48% Yes
05% No
47% Makes No Difference
----------

Are you bitchier on social media or in person?

39% ,QSHUVRQ
20% 2QVRFLDOPHGLD
11% The same
30% Neither
----------

112

might be difficult, especially when

people prompt you to respond in a
way that they might enjoy, like an
off-duty comedian being prompted
for wall-to-wall jokes.
Only 19% of gay men in our
survey think we are no bitchier
than straight men. Matthew Hodson
adds: I suspect that heterosexual
men are generally less likely to
comment on the appearance of
other men, probably because
theyre not attracted to them. I did
notice when I started working for
a gay company that some of my
colleagues and volunteers thought
that it was okay to criticise my dress
sense and appearance, which Id
never experienced elsewhere. And
perhaps the boundary between
helpful and bitchy can get a bit
blurred at times.
But I dont think that theres
anything intrinsic about being gay
that makes us bitchy. Sure, Ive
met some acid-tongued queens in
my time, and often enjoyed their
company, but Id also say that some
of the most caring, thoughtful and
compassionate men I have ever met
have also been gay.
Being bitchy might find you
laughs, but will it find you love?
Not according to Lemarc Thomas,
of Seventy Thirty, the exclusive
matchmaking and introduction
agency. No one comes to Seventy
Thirty looking for a partner saying
I want someone whos bitchy.
he begins. No one likes a mean
girl. In fact, most people tell
me they find it unattractive and
theyre ashamed when they adopt
this attitude themselves. Bitchy
sarcastic attitudes are off-putting
and carrying those attitudes into
the relationship can also be very
problematic.
There is often some conflict when
you start seeing someone, which
helps the relationship develop;
but bitchy sarcastic attitudes or
behaviours are maladaptive and can
lead to relationship break down.
Being bitchy is not attractive. Q

e
h
t
n
ab bitch
Fed up of being a bitch?
Dating expert Lemarc
Thomas tells us how
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

Bitchy behaviours can

be very difcult to break,
particularly if youve created
a role within your social
group as the bitch.
----------

[01] You have to want to

change and recognise your
behaviour is not helpful.
This has probably become
an automatic response, so
youll need to think about
social situations where you
are being a bitch.

[02] Practice substituting

your bitchy behaviour for
something more helpful.
You will slip up, and
someone will come along
and give your inner bitch
an opportunity you cant
miss. But keep at it. Try
to compliment people
instead of being bitchy,
dont say everything that
comes to your mind; use
a lter.
----------

[03] Think about your social

identity. What positive things
are you known for? Perhaps
youre the funny one, make
jokes at your own expense
rather than others. Think
of other ways that you can
make people laugh.
----------

[04] Learn to control your

emotions suppressing
them is likely to result
in an explosive reaction
disproportionate to the

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

[life]

situation. Think rationally

and logically; learn to be
assertive rather than bitchy.
----------

[05] In the long term,

focus on the insecurities
that the bitch protects
you from. When you start
showing the real you, you
will receive conrmation
that you are a great person
and that people love you
and not the comments you
make about others. Q

113

WorldMags.net

WORDS JOHN MARRS

WE CAN
CURE YOU
*

CANT

114

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

[life]

IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO

For centuries theyve tried to cure

us of our gayness. Theyve sent us
to camps to brainwash us, removed
our testicles, exorcised our demons
and tried overdosing us on porn.
But Gay Conversion Therapys days
could soon be numbered
YOU DONT NEED TO BE STEPHEN
Hawking to calculate that, with an
estimated 340 million gay people
living in the world, trying to cure
us of homosexuality is like trying to
find a needle in a gaystack.
But that hasnt stopped right-wing
organisations and fundamentalist
religious groups from trying their
hardest to change our nature. For
decades, their Gay Conversion
Therapy (GCT) programmes have
been based on the assumption
weve chosen to be gay, and with
rigorous counselling, can be trained
to become straight.
Of course, we know were
born this way and mainstream
psychologists agree. They also
agree the therapy is ineffective,
unethical and often harmful,
increasing anxiety and self-hatred
among those treated for what
isnt actually a mental disorder.
But in America, where GCT has
traditionally been at its most
prevalent, the summer of 2013 saw a
major shift in attitudes when Exodus
International closed its doors. For
40 years, the Christian ministry
preached that we could be cured
through therapy and prayer. Then
suddenly, it changed its mind.
And its leader, Alan Chambers,
even confessed that he omitted
his ongoing same-sex attractions
while ministering gay people. We
have done wrong, he admitted,
I am sorry that some of you
spent years working through the
shame and guilt you felt when
your attractions didnt change.
I am sorry we promoted sexual

orientation change efforts and

reparative theories about sexual
orientation that stigmatised
parents. I am sorry there were
times I didnt stand up to people
publicly on my side who called
you names like sodomite or
worse. I pledge that future
endeavours will be focused on
peace and common good.
Chambers is not the only one
to have a change of heart. In May
2003, Robert Spitzer first published
his paper Can Some Gay Men and
Lesbians Change Their Sexual
Orientation? His studies claimed
to prove therapy worked and that
after intervention, 66% of men
had achieved good heterosexual
functioning.
The criteria for that functioning?
Being in a relationship for a year;
having heterosexual sex several
times a month and not thinking
about gay sex more than 15% of the
time while having heterosexual sex.
However, in 2012, after pro GCT
groups used his findings to back
their cause, he retracted his paper.
He said: I was quite wrong in the
conclusions that I made it does
not provide evidence, really, that
gays can change. And thats quite an
admission on my part.
Up-and-coming gay country
singer Steve Grand, whos video
All American Boy became an
international viral hit last July,
admitted he had undergone
failed counselling attempts as a
teenager to turn him straight. I
was so consumed by the voices
I grew up hearing my parents

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Want to stop
being gay?
Then dont bother
following this
expert advice
Swap testicles
In 1919, Viennese doctor Eugen Steinach
transplanted testicles from straight men
into gay men to try and change their
sexual orientation. However, his methods
were doomed to fail for many reasons,
including our immune system which
rejects transplanted glands.
----------

Get exorcised
In 2009 Manifested Glory Ministries
released a 20-minute YouTube video
showing a 16-year-old boy have an
exorcism to cure him of homosexuality.
+HUROOVDURXQGRQWKHRRUDVFKXUFK
members stand on his feet, hold him
under the arms and scream, Come on,
you homosexual demon! Loose [sic] your
grip, Lucifer!
----------

Have sex with a prostitute

Baron Albert von Schrenck-Notzing,
a 19th century German psychiatrist,
claimed getting very drunk then visiting a
EURWKHOZRXOGVWRSDPDQVJD\GHVLUHV
In 1892, he tried hypnotising the gay out
patients. Of his 32 cases, he claimed it
worked on 12.
----------

Overdose on porn
Psychologist Ian Oswald gave gay men
sickness-inducing drugs, surrounded
them with cups of urine and played
recordings of gay men having sex. He
hoped they would overdose on gayness
and want to have sex with women instead.
----------

Take cocaine
Physician Denslow Lewis would prescribe
cocaine to women from 19th century
ZHDOWK\IDPLOLHVZKRZHUHDWULVNRI
becoming lesbians. He claimed that
some ex-patients had gone on to get
married and have children, but at least
one went insane and died in an asylum.

115

WorldMags.net
Download an app
In 2012, Christian ministry Setting
Captives Free created a free app that
FRXOGUHOHDVHXVHUVIURPWKHERQGDJH
RIKRPRVH[XDOLW\LQMXVWGD\V,W
claimed homosexuality was caused
E\GHPRQVWKHUHZDVDFXOWLQWKHJD\
community that worships male genitalia
DQGWKDWDQDOVH[PDNHVPHQORVHERZHO
control. After complaints, the app was
pulled from online stores.
----------

stroke a horse

Cuddle a man
3HRSOH&DQ&KDQJHV-RXUQH\,QWR
0DQKRRGZHHNHQGUHWUHDWLVKHDY\RQ
SK\VLFDOFRQWDFWIURPZUHVWOLQJWREHDU
hugs. They also encourage group cuddles
ZLWKPDQ\PHQ(UHFWLRQVDUHMXVWDSDUW
of the healing process! say organisers.
----------

Buy a bike
American neurologist and sports
enthusiast Graeme M Hammond thought
that cycling could cure homosexuality. In
KHFODLPHGJD\QHVVZDVURRWHG
LQQHUYRXVH[KDXVWLRQDQGWKDWELF\FOH
exercise would restore health and
KHWHURVH[XDOLW\
----------

Stroke a horse

give up soy

In 2012, chief pastor Raymond Bell of the

&RZER\&KXUFKRI9LUJLQLDFODLPHG\RXG
VWRSEHLQJJD\LI\RXVWDUWHGVWURNLQJ
KRUVHV+HEHOLHYHV(TXLQH$VVLVWHG
Psychotherapy teaches men to stop
EHLQJJD\DQGPDQXS($3FDQKHOS
any person who is living the homosexual
lifestyle in anyway, he said.
----------

Give up soy
,Q-DPHV5XW]FKDLUPDQRI
Megashift Ministries claimed using
VR\ZDVPDNLQJXVJD\HU6R\EHDQ
products are feminising, he said.
<RXUHJHWWLQJVXEVWDQWLDOTXDQWLWLHV
of oestrogens female hormones.
,I\RXUHDPDQ\RXUHVXSSUHVVLQJ
your masculinity and stimulating your
female side, physically and mentally. It
GHFUHDVHVWKHVL]HRIWKHSHQLVFUHDWHV
sexual confusion and homosexuality.
----------

buy a bike

Avoid women
-RVHSK1LFRORVLFOLQLFDOSV\FKRORJLVWDQG
DXWKRURI$3DUHQWV*XLGHWR3UHYHQWLQJ
Homosexuality, suggested doing more
VSRUWDYRLGLQJJD\DWWUDFWLRQVOLNH
museums and operas and hanging out
ZLWKVWUDLJKWPHQWRFRS\WKHLUEHKDYLRXU
$QGDOOZRPHQVKRXOGEHDYRLGHGXQOHVV
LWVIRUURPDQFHRUPDUULDJHQ
----------

116

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WorldMags.net
telling me I need to change and
I was in straight therapy for five
years, he said. I was seeing a
clinical psychologist and part of
the therapy was dealing with my
attraction to men. In my situation my
therapist believed homosexuality
was the result of unmet needs in
childhood. We just ended up having
a completely different perspective.
According to Dr Jamie F Lawson,
anthropologist at Durham
University, gay cures exist for
one reason. They exist because
people pay for them, he tells GT.
The interesting question is, why do
people take them up? Why would a
person be so unhappy to realise that
they are gay and would be willing
to pay to be made straight? For an
answer to that question, we have to
look at the places these people are
living. We have to look at how their
family and friends are reacting to
them, and we have to understand
what we as a society are saying
about what it means to be gay.
In July last year, more than 40
LGBT groups, and trade union
organisations the TUC and Unison,
asked the government to ban
GCT. A petition of 2,002 signatures
was submitted to the House of
Commons. And more than 40
backbench MPs signed a motion
calling on the government to ban
conversion therapy for under 18s
and investigate NHS links with
conversion therapists.
In 2009, Lesley Pilkington became
the first British therapist to be struck
off by the British Association for
Counselling and Psychotherapy
for trying to cure a client. Labour
MP Geraint Davies urged Health
Secretary Jeremy Hunt to consider
a total ban on GCT from being
provided by psychotherapists. He
said: Theres obviously no need to
offer treatment for something thats
not an illness. Its based on outdated
views and dodgy science.
Such a ban horrifies Dr Joseph
Berger, a consultant psychiatrist at
the Royal College of Psychiatrists

in Canada, and a practitioner

of change therapy. I consider
it unethical to propose such
bans, Berger said at a debate in
Westminster in January last year.
Considerable proportions of
people come forward asking for
help. Some studies suggest as high
as 79% [of people seeking CGT]
have been helped. I treat people,
not homosexuality.
Some techniques to cure gayness
have become dangerous and even
fatal. In 2012, Australian doctor
Mark Craddock, a member of a
conservative Christian sect, was
banned from practicing medicine
after he prescribed a gay 18-yearold a chemical castration drug to
cure him.
Its not just religious programmes
that try and chase the gay out of you.
In 2011, 15-year-old South African

[life]

their anger at a controversial law

known as the gay cure. It wouldve
allowed psychiatrists to treat
homosexuality as a disease. The
politician responsible, Joo Campos,
backed down when it became clear
it was going to be defeated.
While campaigns like that
have failed, other organisations
attempts have descended into farce.
American-based Homosexuals
Anonymous is a 14-step program
modelled on Alcoholics Anonymous.
Founded in 1980 by minister Colin
Cook, his credibility was shattered
in 1986 when, while trying to cure his
male clients of gay feelings, he gave
them nude massages to desensitise
them to the pleasures of male flesh.
And instead of desensitising them,
ten out of the 12 ended up having sex
with each other. After resigning then
laying low, Cook made headlines

Gay cures exist because people

pay for them. But why do people
take them up? Why would a person
be so unhappy that they were gay
and pay to be made straight?
Raymond Buys parents enrolled
him at game ranger training
camp. But during his ten week
stay, he was alleged to have been
starved, suffered skull fractures,
electrocuted, forced to eat his own
faeces, not allowed to use the toilet,
beaten with planks of wood, and
chained to the bed every night for
being perceived as gay and clearly
effeminate. Eventually he died as
a result of his injuries. Camp owner
Alex de Koker and his employee
were charged with murder, child
abuse, neglect and two other cases.
He was the third teen to die at Echo
Wild Game Rangers in four years.
In 2012, California became the
first American state to ban exgay therapy for minors due to its
psychologically harmful effects.
And in Brazil, gay protesters took
to the streets in July 2013 to express

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again in 1995 for having phone sex

with patients and insisting they bring
gay porn to sessions.
In 2012, a group of former
patients and their parents brought
a consumer-fraud lawsuit against
Jews Offering New Alternatives To
Healing. They accused counsellors
of making them take their clothes
off and masturbate in front of some
of them as part of the $10,000 a
year healing process. The lawsuit
said their conversion therapy also
included stripping naked in group
sessions, cuddling and intimately
holding other men and visiting
saunas in order to be nude with
father figures.
Dr Jamie F Lawson adds: Despite
all the advances in recent years, gay
people still do not have equality,
and until we do, gay-to-straight
therapies will continue to exist. Q

117

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FREE TO JOIN
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LOGIN WITH FACEBOOK

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small things

[life]

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[parents]

TONY & FAMILY EMBRACING DIFFERENCE

Were Tony, 42, and
Hendrik, 39 partners
for nine years who
decided to go the adoption route to
add a little one to our family.
Our gorgeous little daughter,
Hannah, arrived two years ago,
aged 18 months shes a quarter
Caribbean with the most stunning
afro hair so, as two blokes with
more hair on our chins than
our heads, we needed to find
the right hair products. Luckily
a chance encounter with two
other gay dads and their similar
heritage child helped us out. We
joke now about how we cruised
each other across the playground
to discuss toddler hair oil!
Weve yet to experience obvious
homophobia in this country even
when the littlun shouts Daddy!
then Papa! making us come out
to complete strangers regularly. In
Hendriks native Germany, we felt
a lot more stares than back home
in the UK.
Re-entering the UK by ferry, an
over-officious passport controller
seemed intent on scanning
Hannahs passport repeatedly as if
in disbelief of our family set-up
probably just misplaced his copy

of The Daily Mail.

Were eager that our child
embraces difference and is
proud of it. We regularly talk to
Hannah about different family
set-ups among family and friends
and use some brilliant books from
Gays The Word to help.
We always make sure Hannah
has access to plenty of female
role models although we clearly
didnt model very well when pottytraining, as she wanted to stand up
to pee the first time.
Nursery have been very
supportive now that shes starting
to hear other kids talk about their
mummies. Were always totally
honest with her and use ageappropriate language to answer
questions. Quick chats about
tummy mummy who loves her
very much are usually followed
by rushing straight back to her
trains (no gender-stereotyping in
our house!).
Its been hugely positive and we
love her dearly, and forget that our
family came about in a different
way to many. Were now part way
through the process of
adopting a little brother
or sister! Q @tonyereira

Fingers on the pulse

British-based childrens clothing
brand Dirty Fingers have
designed an outright adorable
range of LGBT garments
guaranteed to make any
parent go gaga.
Slogans such as Baby Pride
and I Love My Daddies adorn a
selection of t-shirts and romper
suits, with the designs available
in an array of sizes, ranging from
newborn to 11-years.
The beauty of Dirty Fingers is
that all of their products are
made from 100% chemical-free,
organic cotton, which is as soft
as well, a babys bum. Q
([SHULHQFH'LUW\)LQJHUVIRU\RXUVHOIDWGLUW\QJHUVFRXN

JD\WLPHVFRXN

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119

please yourself

[life]

WorldMags.net
Place the flour, cocoa powder,
baking soda and sea salt into a
bowl and mix together, set aside.
Place the butter into large
mixing bowl and using an
electric mixer beat until
smooth and light. Add the
sugars and vanilla extract, and
beat for a couple of minutes until
smooth. Add the dry goods to
the bowl and mix together until
you have a mixture that looks
sandy, add the chocolate and
mix to combine. The final dough
should almost look like soil, it
should not have formed into one
large ball of dough.
Tip the mixture out onto the
work surface and gently press
together to form a uniform
dough. Divide in half and roll
into two logs, 4cm thick. Wrap in
cling film and refrigerate until
firm, about three hours. At this
point you can freeze the dough
and bake at a later date, or do as
I do and bake off one half of the
dough and freeze the second.
Preheat the oven to 180C

I love quick and easy recipes and this is

as easy as it gets. Ive dressed it up a bit by
dipping the cookies in dark chocolate and
sprinkling with cocoa nibs, which give them
the most beautiful cocoa flavour. Even better
though is that once youve made the dough
it can be frozen for up to month and, if you
really wanted, you could bake off one cookie
at time, when the craving strikes.

120

R
EDD
E
B
M
I
K
O
WH
Y
O
B S
HE
IS T BAKE

(160C fan) and line two baking

trays with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the
fridge and using a thin sharp
knife cut into rounds around
1cm thick. Place the cookies
onto the baking trays, leaving
about a couple of centimetres
between each cookie. Bake in
the preheated oven for ten to

Cocoa Nib Cookies

Makes 35
275g plain flour
40g cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp flaked sea salt
200g unsalted butter, room
temperature
50g caster sugar
200g light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
175g dark chocolate (60-70%
cocoa solids), roughly chopped
Coating
250g dark chocolate, melted
2 tbsp cocoa nibs

12 minutes or until set around

the outside but still soft in the
middle. Allow the cookies to
cool on the trays for ten minutes
before transferring to a wire rack
to cool completely.
Once cool dip the cookies
halfway into the melted chocolate
and set onto a piece of parchment
paper and sprinkle with a few
of the cocoa nibs. Allow to set at
room temperature. Stored in an
airtight container these cookies
will keep for up to a week. Q
Author of The Boy Who Bakes and Say It
With Cake, @TheBoyWhoBakes

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WorldMags.net[food]

A SIDE
ORDER OF
ALAN
ROSENTHAL

SPOT ON
Last year Gordons added
a cool slice of cucumber
to their classic brand.
Now just in time for
the return of the sun
theyre launching the new
Gordons With A Spot of
Elderower. Yes, thats
its full name. And it also
comes in a can, pre-mixed
with tonic. No excuse for
not lazing in the park at
the weekend now... Q
*RUGRQV:LWK$6SRWRI(OGHURZHULVDYDLODEOHLQ7HVFR
Waitrose and Asda

Ever since witnessing a mouse

that has a lid. Season the chicken

helping itself to the contents of my

thighs with salt and black pepper

kitchen cupboards a few weeks

and brown them on a moderate

DJRP\DWKDVEHHQGHFRUDWHG

heat, skin side down, in the hot

throughout with state of the art

RLOIRUYHWRVHYHQPLQXWHVXQWLO

traps. Lacing them with crunchy

golden. Turn the thighs over, cook

peanut butter initially proved

for a couple of minutes and then put

LUUHVLVWLEOHWKHOLWWOHURGHQWVFRXOGQW

them aside till later.

get enough of it with four getting

Now, add the red onion to the hot

squished in a matter of days.

oil in the pan. Fry gently for about

However, since the initial windfall,

YHPLQXWHVXQWLOWKHRQLRQKDV

the little grey beasts have been

started to soften. Then add the

staking out in the cavity walls,

garlic, ginger, chilli and bay leaves

keeping me awake at night with

and continue to cook gently for

their loud scratching and chewing,

YHPLQXWHVXQWLOWKHRQLRQVDUH

avoiding the traps at all costs;

completely soft.

could a pack of their larger cousins

Remove the pan from the heat and

actually have moved in...?

stir in the paprika. Then add the

,YHEHHQGRLQJP\EHVWWRLJQRUH

tomatoes and return the pan to the

the prospect of living with rats

heat. Cook for a couple of minutes

and have, instead, embraced the

before stirring in the peanut butter

plentiful supply of peanut butter in

and chicken stock, some salt and

the house; the inspiration for this

black pepper. Return the browned

PRQWKVUHFLSH

chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side

Ghanaian chicken with peanuts,

ginger and chilli
Serves two
2 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken thighs
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
JDUOLFFORYHVQHO\FKRSSHG
FPJLQJHUSHHOHGDQGQHO\FKRSSHG
VFRWFKERQQHWFKLOOLQHO\
chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp mild paprika
100g chopped tinned tomatoes
75g crunchy peanut butter
125ml chicken stock
Salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

up and cover with a lid. Gently cook

for 25-30 minutes until tender; stir
regularly as the peanut butter has a
tendency to stick.
Check for seasoning and serve with
plain brown rice and some thick
slices of cucumber dressed with a
little olive oil, lemon juice, salt and
black pepper. Q
Alan Rosenthal is the author of Stewed!
80 Stews and One Pot Wonders,
available on Amazon, @alanrosenthal3

121

with tom jones

[life]

WorldMags.net

HOW TO GET GREAT

ARMS WITH THREE
SIMPLE EXCERCISES
IMAGE JOE MCCORMICK

122

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WorldMags.net
[get fit]
Follow this guide
once or twice a
week alongside a
good diet and youll
have arms ready
for those summer
months
One of the joys of being a
professional wrestler, working in
sports and a personal trainer, is
that I obviously work out a lot.
And when Im not working out, Im
usually on the road travelling and
trying to fit in training sessions
whenever I can.
Admittedly, working out and
looking the part is all hand in hand
with what I do. But as a young gay
man, Id be telling a bit of a white
lie if I swore it was all in the name
of my profession.
Who doesnt want to look great
on a Saturday night? Who doesnt
want to receive compliments from
strangers about how well we scrub
up (even if it did take all day)? But
what we forget is no matter how
much time and money we spend on
a new outfit to get us looking our
best, it has to fit us... right?
If we talk to a guy whos arms
are bulging from the sleeves of
his t-shirt, our mind should be on
one thing and one thing only how
many reps does he do? His answer
is probably a lot less than you think.
When we see someone in shape
we instantly presume they spend
hours in the gym. Some people
do. Some people love fitness
classes, a bit of weight training and
then capping it all off with some
spinning. A lot of us, though, we do
it because we just want to look good.
Arms and chest are normally
the first things we notice about
another guys body, so lets start
our focus there.
The upper part of the arm is mainly
made up of biceps and triceps. The
bicep itself only covers the front part
of the arm the peak and is made
up of three heads; the long head,

the short head and the brachialis

muscle, which combine to give
us that 3D effect on our arms. The
triceps, on the other hand, are the
muscles along the rear of the arm.
So if you want to compliment that
fitted t-shirt look with guns to be
proud of, these are the exercises
for you.
First on our list is the barbell
curl, which is best done in sets of
four with eight repetitions. This
is a mass builder when it comes
to arms and the exercise that
you should be strongest at so
dont be afraid to push yourself to
achieve the best results.
The second exercise is the EZ bar
cable curl, with three sets of ten
repetitions. By changing the grip
and using cables instead of free
weights, we change the resistance
and pull of the weight. Plus, we start
to hit a more concentrated area than
straight bar curls alone.
The third exercise is called the
hammer curl and, again, you should
be looking at three sets of ten
repetitions. This is the movement
which hits the outside of the arm and
not just the peak between the inner
elbow and shoulder joint. Itll help
with the growth of the whole arm.
To wrap up this bicep blasting
work out, we go back to our second
exercise. But this time, you should
find the weight you curled at your
very strongest, and then cut it by
half. Then, proceed to do as many
cable curls as you can to really burn
the biceps and make sure theyre
pumped to the very fullest.
This is called a burn out and can
be performed a second or third time
by repeatedly halving the weight
and working until you physically
cant continue.
I dont want to sound too much
like your mother, though, but dont
forget; the days are starting to
heat up, so be sure to drink plenty
of water. Youll look and feel a lot
better alongside your results in the
gym. So, as always, eat well, train
well and look hot! Q

[ask tom]
A lot of big guys
in my gym seem
to just train
upper body, but
it looks weird
having a big
upper body with
little legs. How
important is
it to train the
whole body, or
can we pick
and choose?

Its very
common for
guys to miss
leg training.
Admittedly, it
can be a lot of
hard work. But
if our bodies
grow too out of
proportion as
in with a big
upper body and
little legs then
it can cause
extra stress
on joints and
ligaments, as
well as looking
a little wonky.
Id recommend
training the
entire body so
other parts dont
fall behind. Q

Need advice? Ask Tom on Twitter @tomgt1

I often review supplements and

tness products, but this month
were going online! If youre
serious about your training, then
youre serious about your food.
Musclefood.com is a nutrition-based
website selling award-winning lean
and trimmed meats, high protein
snacks and even protein bread.
You can buy ready-peeled eggs and
protein crisps. It pretty much caters
for all your nutritional needs.

gaytimes.co.uk

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123

WorldMags.net
Show us your superpowers at Walk for Life and help us
to raise a heroic amount for people living with HIV.

Distance: 10K
START: BLOOMSBURY SQUARE GARDENS

REGISTER NOW AT
.ukk
co.u
rlifife.e.co
kfoorl
wwwwww.w
alkf
.wal

or
or call
call the
the walk
walk
for
for life
life hotline
hotline on
on

020
020 7812
7812 1665
1665

@
@ WALKFORLIFE14
WALKFORLIFE14
Terrence Higgins Trust is a registered charity in
England and Wales (reg no. 288527) and Scotland
(SCO39986).

WorldMags.net

IMAGE CHRIS GILES PHOTOGRAPHY

column

[life]

WorldMags.net
[paul thorn]

Theres no doubt in
my mind that being
newly diagnosed
HIV-positive, or having the virus
for many years, can be used as a
catalyst for change in your life.
There are those who say its the
best thing (with hindsight) that
ever happened to them. There
are also those who hear others
gratitude for being HIV-positive
and get annoyed. I suppose it
might sound a bit glib to them,
or like something from an Oprah
show, but I definitely fall into the
first category. If you choose to,
being HIV-positive can allow you
to transform your life in many
remarkable ways.
In previous columns Ive
written about making the choice
for change, self-esteem and a
method for giving yourself a
quick overview of where you life
is, and where you want it to go
in the future. But at some point,
the sordid question of coin has to
come into play. How much does
changing your life cost in real
financial terms?
The answer to this question is
that it really doesnt have to cost

HIV:
RECIPES
FOR LIFE

you anything, should you choose

it not to. Its first and foremost
an inside job. Its about how you
feel about yourself and perceive
the world around you. Im not
saying that money isnt important,
and I can tell you from personal
experience that having more
money than you need will not
change the way you feel about
your life in the medium to longer
term. I received a substantial
amount of money for a medical
negligence case in the late 1990s.
I wasnt expected to live very long
when I received compensation,
so I used the money to try and
enjoy what time I thought was
left. Knowing what I do now,
Id certainly have done things
differently! I had some quick-fix
fun along the way, but ultimately
having money didnt make me
happy. I could more or less have
what I wanted, I just didnt know
what that actually was. It was if
anything frustrating, and burst
the bubble of my thinking that
plenty of money would and could
change the way I felt. It didnt.
Theres a difference between
having the money for what we

There are
those who
say being
HIV-positive
is the
best thing
that ever
happened
to them.
There are
also those
who hear
others
gratitude
for being
HIV-positive
and get
annoyed

@paul_thorn

gaytimes.co.uk

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need and what we want. Having

the money we need is a necessity.
The rent and household bills must
be paid. We need to eat, clothes on
our backs and its very important to
have some fun along the way, else
what is the point of it all?
Being HIV-positive for a long
time, I got used to living for the
moment. I had a devil-may-care
attitude about money. When I
decided to take control there
was quite a financial mess that
needed to be cleared up. This has
been an ongoing process that still
goes on today. Admittedly, I can
feel resentful sometimes about
my hard-earned cash seemingly
evaporating from my account on
the day its paid, but the truth is
that with ARV treatment, I may
be on this earth quite a bit longer
than I had once thought. I need to
prepare for it.
I had to bite the bullet and list
what I owed to my creditors and
also what income I had coming
in. I made realistic re-payment
proposals to my creditors, and
for the most part managed to
make those payments on the day
that money comes into my bank
account. It hasnt been easy, but
over time my debt has decreased
considerably. I can cover the cost
of the things I need and Ive a little
disposable income each month
which allows me to do and buy
some of the things I want. Soon
Ill have even more disposable
income for the things I want, as
each individual debt is finally put
to bed. Im clearing the wreckage
of my past that I (yes me!) created
piecemeal. By making a choice to
address the problem I have taken
control of it. Being HIV-positive
doesnt absolve anyone (at the
very least) from trying to meet
their responsibilities. If we are
going to attain the kind of life we
want for ourselves, then we must
take responsibility for
it. No one else is going
to do it for us. Q

125

WorldMags.net

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WORDS MATT PEAKE IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO

[life]

WorldMags.net
[rights]

LETTER FROM SLOVAKIA WE LOOK AT THE LIVES AND

RIGHTS OF GAY MEN FROM AROUND THE GLOBE IN 2014

Filip Jankovic
explains: Being gay
in Slovakia is not easy.
People are still very old fashioned
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proud of who I am. But something
did happen to me not so long ago
LQ%UDWLVODYDDEXQFKRIER\VZHUH
PRFNLQJP\OHDWKHUWURXVHUV,QG
LWIXQQ\QRZEHFDXVHZKHQ,ZRUH
those same trousers in London,
people came up to me and asked
where I got them from. Personally
LWZDVGLIFXOWWRFRPHRXWWRP\
parents when I was 17. My mum
has the same mentality as many
other people in Slovakia. She cares
DORWDERXWZKDWWKHUHVWRIVRFLHW\
WKLQNVDERXWKHU6KHWKRXJKW,GEH
DWWDFNHGE\RWKHUSHRSOHZKHQVKH
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to turn straight for my own sake.
Although religion was oppressed
during the communist era, there
KDVEHHQDUHFHQWLQFUHDVHLQWKH

YES
Same-sex sexual activity legal
Equal age of consent
Anti-discrimination laws in employment, the provision of
goods and services and in all other areas (inc. indirect
discrimination, hate speech)
Gays allowed to serve in military

NO
Same-sex marriage
Recognition of same-sex couples
Right to change legal gender
Both joint and step adoption by same-sex couples
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples
MSMs allowed to donate blood

QXPEHURI&DWKROLF6ORYDNV7KH
religious situation is dramatically
GLIIHUHQWIURPWKH&]HFK5HSXEOLF
ZKLFKLVQRWDEOHIRULWVDWKHLVWRU
LUUHOLJLRXVPDMRULW\(YHQWKRXJK
people usually comment that
WKHUHVDGLIIHUHQFHLQYLHZWRZDUGV
KRPRVH[XDOLW\EHWZHHQWKH&]HFK
5HSXEOLFDQG6ORYDNLD,WHQGWR
disagree. Czech society thinks the
VDPHDERXWWKHJD\FRPPXQLW\
WKDWLWVQRWZHOFRPHEXWVRPHKRZ
LWVDFFHSWHGLQWKHZD\WKDW\RXUH
not killed on the street. In Slovakia,
although we do have a few gay
EDUVHVSHFLDOO\LQ%UDWLVODYDZH
GRQWKROGKDQGVLQSXEOLFRUVKRZ

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

DQ\SXEOLFVLJQRIDIIHFWLRQ7KDWV
DELJQRQR
There are a lot of slang terms in
Slovak for the gay community, such
DVIDJJRWDQGFDPSER\DQGRQHV
WKDWGRQWWUDQVODWHLQ(QJOLVKOLNH
EX]QDDQGEX]HUDQW8QIRUWXQDWHO\
LWDSSHDUVWKDWVRFLHW\WKLQNVLWV
OK to use them.
,Q0D\6ORYDNLDKHOGLWVUVW
gay pride event in Bratislava. The
pride participants were met with a
PHPEHUFURZGRIGHPRQVWUDWRUV
who threw stones and even tear gas
JUHQDGHV7KHULJKWZLQJH[WUHPLVW
group were shouting derogatory
terms such as odpad (waste),
EX]HUDQWLIDJVRU6ORYHQVNR
MHQDH6ORYDNLDLVRXUV0DQ\
EURXJKWDEDQQHUWKDWVDLG6WRS
chylom (Stop pervert). Although
many demonstrators were arrested,
speech writer Michael Hvoreck felt
that the police failed. I spoke with
several foreign participants, who
said that their country would severely
criticise the police and the action they
WRRN8QIRUWXQDWHO\,GRQWNQRZ
PXFKDERXWJD\SULGHLQ%UDWLVODYD
Just the thought of it makes me
XQFRPIRUWDEOH3HRSOHWHQGWRQRW
VXSSRUWVXFKDWKLQJDQG,PVXUHWKDW
WKHUHDUHPDQ\KRPRVH[XDOSHRSOH
ZKRGRQWJHWLQYROYHG
However, we do have Ganymedes,
which is a movement for the
equality of gay citizens in the
6ORYDN5HSXEOLF,WVWKHLUPLVVLRQ
to promote and defend the rights
and interests of gay Slovak citizens
in order to achieve full legal and de
IDFWRHTXDOLW\IRUWKHKRPRVH[XDO
minority in the country.
$OWKRXJKKRPRVH[XDOLW\LVQRW
widely accepted, a Slovak man
called George Duroy created one of
the most famous porn companies,
Bel Ami. In general, people are not
DZDUHRI%HO$PL,WVRQO\WKHJD\
FRPPXQLW\WKDWNQRZVDERXWWKLV
company. I personally know a few
%HO$PLJX\V7KH\UHDOOVWUDLJKW
DQGQRWP\W\SHEXW
,PKDSS\IRUWKHPDQG
their success.Q

127

WorldMags.net

STOCKHOLM
SWEDEN
WORDS LEE DALLOWAY IMAGES OLA ERICSON / HENRIK TRYGG

128

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WorldMags.net
[travel]

ts indicative of Stockholms
allure that this writer is even
more excited to return to
this cluster of islands for a
second time. Summer in particular
is when Scandinavias finest comes
into her own. From the gorgeous
weather to the infamous pride
celebrations, the days are long,
the water sparkles and one of the
planets most picturesque cities
effortlessly tickles the eyeballs.
In just two short hours from
Heathrow to Arlanda, the UKs
own capital city and all of its
chaotic joy melts away, replaced
by Stockholms more serene
charms. Our home for the next few
days is the Hotel Skeppsholmen,
a collection of former military
barracks dating back to the late
17th century. Located on an island
right in the heart of the city,
this ultra-chic residence mixes
historical and modern styles
effortlessly, boasting wonderful
staff, a fabulous dining experience
and all the comforts of home.
Quirky yet comfortable, we
absolutely love Skeppsholmen.
(Hotelskeppsholmen.com)
But we cant stay in the hotel
all day so we went to another
one. This time we shimmied to
the Nordic Light Hotel and their
Ice Bar. Not just a fancy name, the
whole drinking den is a giant block
of ice. Wrapped up in sassy silver
smocks, we may have looked like
right tits, but we didnt care by our
third cocktail, lovingly poured into
special ice glasses. (spoiler alert:
drinking is going to be a major
factor in this weekends festivities
even though Stockholm is fun for
teetotallers too we imagine). You
can even get married in the Ice Bar
if youd like something quirky for
your special day, or merely want
to finish off a nasty elderly relative
via hyperthermia. It can be a gay,

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129

stockholm

[05/14]

STOCKHOLM SWEDEN
POPULATION 881,235
SIZE 73 SQUARE MILES
TIME ZONE CET (UTC+1)
GAY LEGAL SINCE 1944

WorldMags.net

straight or everything in-between

wedding by the way. This is
Sweden marriage is for everyone!
(Icebarstockholm.se)
When it comes to LGBT rights,
Sweden is certainly one of the most
progressive countries on the issue,
and we must admit that we had a
slight ulterior motive for visiting
when we did Stockholm Pride!
Weve rarely seen a city where
literally EVERYONE gets involved
in the festivities. Half a million
people flock to this amazing event
every year. Rainbow flags adorn
shops, restaurants, buses, even
police cars, as people take to the
streets and the Pride Park plays host

Scandinavian jaunt this year, do

try to make it during pride you
wont be sorry. And as a side note,
for us personally, bumping into
the legendary Agnetha Fltskog
backstage at Pride Park was
probably the highlight of the
summer. (stockholmpride.org/en)
We returned to our exploration
of Stockholms finest campery
with a trip to the ABBA museum.
There comes a point in life when
you eventually realise ABBA arent
just cheesy tunes for kiddies
they were ahead-of-their-time
pop-producing geniuses! Even
if you arent a certified fan of
the retro quartet, theres plenty

Blessed with a sundrenched weekend,

the city was an
explosion of colour,
love and joy as
people from all over
the world arrived for
Stockholm Pride
to a raft of entertainment. Blessed
with a sun-drenched weekend, the
city was an explosion of colour, love
and joy as people from all walks of
life and all over the world lined the
streets to cheer, embrace equality
and dance in the street to Whitney
Houstons So Emotional.
Last years pride event was also
a shout out to the people of Russia.
While Saint Petersburg is just an
hours flight from Stockholm, life
for LGBT citizens there is obviously
very different. Sweden reached
out to our Russian brothers and
sisters with messages of hope and
support before, during and after
the event. If youre planning a
130

here for you to enjoy. Trace the

bands history, see inside their
dressing rooms, gawp at exclusive
photos and videos, sing Dancing
Queen alongside 3D holograms
of our heroes and then buy some
ABBA-related tat to take home. Its
actually joyous; you wont be sorry
if you Take a Chance (sorry) on a
ticket. Do bear in mind that The
Stockholm Card, which costs 210
SEK (around 20) a day and gives
you free access to 80 museums,
attractions and public transport,
wont get you in here. Poor Benny
and Bjrn clearly need the extra
cash (abbathemuseum.com)
If youre looking for gay bars, or at

least bars with gays, in Stockholm,

you wont be disappointed.
Ranging from continental-style
pubs to trendy watering holes,
the city is chock-full of pop musicpumping palaces, wall-to-wall
with ridiculously fit and friendly
homosexuals. The social life is
extremely mixed here, and youll
find gays and straights side-byside; theres no issue with kissing
your boyfriend or getting flirty
with a local fella. Chokladkoppen,
Sidetrack and Torget are three of
our favourites, and a shimmy to the
Berns night club is always a good
giggle. But our ultimate nightlife
destination has to be 8QGHU%URQ a
massive warehouse-esque outdoor
club underneath a bridge. Boasting
a polysexual crowd, funky decor,
top music and an almost Berlin-like
vibe. This is one of the most fun
clubs weve been to and you must
give it a go. Also, gurrrrrrrrl, you
aint seen NOTHIN until youve
seen Swedish girls cut a rug on the
dancefloor! (Tradgarden.com)
Last but certainly not least, we
cant visit Stockholm and not
direct you to probably the best
gay restaurant in the world. Yep,
were making that bold claim.
The gorgeous Mlarpaviljongen
is located on a pontoon at the
riverbank of Kungsholmen. This
is the place to be and be seen
during the summer months,
boasting gorgeous food, an electric
atmosphere, stunning views and
live DJs spinning some seriously
sexy summer sounds. Amazing. Just
go! (malarpaviljongen.se)
Of course, were not just about
partying, we did soak up some
culture too and Stockholm is
bursting at the seams with history,
art, education and enlightenment.
The Swedish Center for
Architecture and Design contains
all you need to know about Swedish
architecture and construction from
the 19th century to the present day.
They also do special events and
exhibitions; we saw the absolutely
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WorldMags.net
[travel]
stunning Fashion World of Jean
Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk
to the Catwalk. Photography buffs
should have a vada at Fotografiska,
one of the worlds largest
meeting places for contemporary
photography exhibits.
We never thought wed get
excited over a ship, but The
Vasa Museum, based around an
awesome, almost fully intact,
salvaged 17th century ship,
documents the history of the old
girl and Stockholm around her,
and for some blissful tranquility,
head over to Millesgrden, an art
museum and sculpture garden
located on the island of Liding. A
stroll here in the sun is just as headclearing as several sessions with
a therapist. Something else thats
good for the noggin, a blast of fresh
air for the lungs and yet another
treat for the eyes is travelling
around the archipelago via local
ferry. Its a stunning way to see the
ABOVE SOCIALISING BY THE
WATER ON STRANDVAGEN
BELOW GAY PRIDE
CELEBRATIONS IN THE CITY

city just make sure you double

check which direction the boats are
going in. If, like this writer, youre
particularly dense, you could end
up spending much of the day on
various boats. Not the worst way to
spend an afternoon, though.
As the sun set on another
Stockholm adventure, we were
even sadder to leave this time
around. It may be frustrating that
you cant find booze outside of
a bar after a certain time, and if
youre someone whos looking
for a city with more edge/dirt
under its fingernails like Berlin
or Amsterdam then Stockholm
may be a little too laid back for
you. But for a relaxing, cultured
break full of light-hearted fun, we
cant recommend this city enough.
Beautiful surroundings, gorgeous
people, lively nightlife; very few
places sit firmly in our hearts as
much as Swedens capital city. Q
GT travelled via SAS Airlines. Flights are
available daily from Heathrow and other
PDMRU8.FLWLHV\VDVFRPHQXN6HHPRUH
DWYLVLWVWRFNKROPFRP

JD\WLPHVFRXN

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131

winter break

[05/14]

WORDS KEITH MCDONNELL

WorldMags.net

eve had months of

grey skies, rain,
flooding of Biblical
proportions and
chilling temperatures. Yes, the
start of the year in the UK can be
a depressing time indeed. The
excesses of Christmas are but
a dim and distant memory, and
when youre trudging back to
work after the New Year break,
the arrival of spring, gambolling
lambs and lighter evenings seem
so far off that its tempting to retire
under the duvet with a bottle of
Night Nurse and simply wait for the
clocks to go forward.
Thats one option, but its possible
to escape the grim Arctic chill of
mother England and be basking in
sunnier climes within four hours,
as we did when we decided to beat
the winter blues and head south
to the biggest, sunniest and, most

constituted a fair, some might

argue unhealthy, percentage of
our time on the island. There really
is something for everyone and
anyone who turns their nose up at
the mere mention of Gran Canaria,
jumping to the wrong conclusion
that its tacky and trashy, should
think again. It couldnt be further
from the truth.
The gayest part of the island is in
the south Maspalomas and Playa
del Ingls. Both these areas are a
stones throw from the warmth of
the Atlantic Ocean, reached by
a trek across the dunes; miles of
undulating sand formations that
also provide the backdrop for
the most popular cruising areas.
Rarely can a walk to any beach
be littered with so many potential
distractions, but bear in mind that
figure of Adonis shimmering in the
distance may, on closer inspection,

for the capital, Las Palmas, which

is situated at the northern tip of
the island. Not only is there an
amazing selection of restaurants
serving local cuisine, but the Casa
de Coln, a museum devoted to
Christopher Columbus, proved to
be both enlightening and educating
and gave us an interesting insight
into the history and culture of the
island. See its not all about boys
in Speedos!
Although the majority of gay
tourists flock to the island for
some winter sun, Gran Canaria is
becoming increasingly popular in
the spring and summer months,
due in no small part to the
popularity of Maspalomas Pride
which, since it first dipped its
glittery-rainbowed toe into the gay
pride arena in 2001, has grown into
one of the biggest international
pride events on the LGBT circuit,

GRAN CANARIA
importantly, gayest island of them
all Gran Canaria.
Nestled off the western coast
of Northern Africa, the largest
of the Canary Islands enjoys
the unenviable reputation of
guaranteed sunshine all the year
round. Well more or less. Suffice
to say that from stepping off the
plane, to dragging our reluctant
asses back on seven days later, the
sun shone intensely for practically
all of the week and, although
a jacket came in handy in the
evening, swimming trunks were all
that was needed during the day, as
the temperature regularly topped
23C, which aint all that bad for
this time of year.
But a trip to Gran Canaria is
not just about lying by the pool,
nurturing a tan and eyeing up the
totty, although we must fess up and
say that in our case, all of the above
132

not be quite as hot as you thought.

On more than one occasion we felt
as despondent as C-3PO trekking
across the barren wastelands of
Tatooine, so be warned!
To paraphrase the late Whitney
Houston: So when the night
falls, my lonely heart calls so
it was out for an evening of camp
frivolity or debauchery. And
theres plenty in abundance at
the Yumbo Centrum. By day you
can buy rip-off designer goods,
by night you can be singing
along to a rendition of Delilah
in one of the many drag bars,
then be getting down and dirty
at Bunker. We needed a siesta
most evenings to cope, as the
Yumbo doesnt burst into life
until midnight.
Managing to drag ourselves
away from the pool mid-week,
we hopped on a bus and headed

with more than 150,000 attending

last year. This year promises to be
even bigger and runs from 19 to 25
May, and includes a men-only pool
party, the Mr Gay Gran Canaria
contest, drag shows, a big street
parade, fundraisers and climaxes
with a star-studded show at the
Yumbo Centrum with Cascada and
our super-sexy past cover stars,
Sam Callahan and Kingsland Road.
Although we last attended
Maspalomas Pride eight years
ago when it was still in its
infancy, even then it was still a
pretty blinding week of fun and
debauchery, some of which wed
rather draw a veil over. But when
youre on holiday, who cares?
Gran Canaria is fun-filled island
with sun all the year round, and
with gay credentials which are
second to none. Quite frankly,
whats not to love? Q
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WorldMags.net
[travel]

ABOVE THE MASPALOMAS

DUNES, A NATURAL RESERVE
BELOW VILLAGE HIGH IN THE
VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS

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HOLIDAYS
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CL ASSIFIED FEATURE

FRASER MERIDIES NORTH CYPRUS

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Visit www.frasermeridies.com
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A TO Z
To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 E-mail ash@millivres.co.uk
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