Biggest ever

style issue!
70 pages
of spring/summer
essentials
YOUWILLBE
ASSIMILATED!

o
How to use tech for

N i c
a gay sex takeover
WHATADRAG!
Meet the new stars

torella of La Cage

Tor r
he acto
el
and mod e,
v
on life, loty
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bisexual g
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and look d
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rather go t,
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MUNAAUSTIN
ARMACOST
GOKWANDANIEL
LISMOREMICHELLE
COLLINSLORD
15
REASONS
EVERYONE
MICHAELCASHMAN
NICKYOUNGQUEST HATESYOUR
HUMANKENDOLL! BOYFRIEND
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 0 3 / 17 >>>

CONTENTS

44

tortorella-la land
16 92 118
Not only does Former rugby Legendary (legs
Gok Wan know player Nick and dairy) drag
a thing or two Youngquest isn’t musical La
about how to shy of losing his Cage aux Folles
look good naked, shirt. We took ƒPCNN[IGVUC
he also knows the opportunity long-overdue
what divas are to lean in a little UK tour. We chat
good for your closer for a deep to the leading
ears, too... breath... gentlemen...

9
 contents contributors < < < 0 3 / 1 7

EDITOR: darren scott

DEPUTY EDITOR: ryan butcher
ONLINE EDITOR: lewis corner
STAFF WRITER: william connolly
ONLINE WRITER: daniel megarry
DESIGN & ART DIRECTOR: phil white
EDITOR-AT-LARGE: john marrs
104 STYLE EDITOR: stephen conway
MUSIC EDITOR: nick levine
22 SCREEN EDITOR: matt risley
COVER IMAGE victoria will

columnists
PJ BRENNAN, BENJAMIN COHEN, THE GASTROGAYS,
THE GUYLINER, ALED JONES, CHRIS JONES,
EDD KIMBER, CHARLIE KING, LEE KYNASTON

culture JOSH SABARRA

116 Screen
agenda 118 La Cage aux Folles
contributors
JAMES BURTON, SIMON BUTTON, MATT CROCKETT, DAN EVANS,
MIKE HIRD, HRISTO HRISTOV, MARK KING, MARIA LOIZOU,
14 Gok Wan 122 Music TIM MITCHELL, JUSTIN MYERS, IAN NICHOLSON, LUKE SMITH,
20 The Guyliner 124 Muna DANNY WEARIN, VICTORIA WILL, THEO WILLIAMS

22 GT Fitty: Marc Diakiese 128 Play SENIOR EXECUTIVE PUG-AT-LARGE TOBY

26 Sweetie, darling? 140 thanks to

life DANIEL APOSTOLOS (PHA MEDIA), BIANCA BIANCONI (SLATE PR),

JOANNA BURNS ( JOANNA BURNS PR), MATTHEW CHRISTIAN (GABY

community 98 132 Date Night

JERRARD PR), FRAZER LAWTON (SONY MUSIC), SOPHIE LIARDET
(RIZZOLI), DERMOT MCNAMARA (CANDID PUBLICITY), ARABELLA
NEVILLE-ROLFE (TARGET-LIVE), CHANTEL STEPHEN (PUIG)
30 Tech takeover 134 PJ Brennan
36 Lord Michael Cashman 137 Sex with Josh Sabarra commercial
COMMERCIAL MANAGER MARCUS JAMES
40 Ask Aled 140 Fitness with Charlie King 020 7424 7455 marcus@gaytimes.co.uk
143 Fitness with Chris Jones SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER DAVID WILLIAMS
144 Modern Family 020 7424 7406 david@gaytimes.co.uk

style 146 Property

148 South Africa
MARKETING MANAGER JOSH RIVERS
020 7424 7457 joshr@gaytimes.co.uk
EVENTS & PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER MARTIN KMIECIK
44 Nico Tortorella 152 Northern Ireland 0207 424 7451 martin@gaytimes.co.uk
66 Margate by the sea
contact us
76 Daniel Lismore
finally
EDITORIAL 020 7424 7400
80 The Big Bang SALES/DISTRIBUTION 020 7424 7400
EDITORIAL E-MAIL edit@gaytimes.co.uk
90 Grooming
158 Austin Armacost COMMERCIAL E-MAIL advertising@gaytimes.co.uk
92 Nick Youngquest WEBSITE gaytimes.co.uk
94 Grooming Guru 160 GT Boyfriend POSTAL ADDRESS GT, STRATFORD OFFICE VILLAGE, UNIT 10,

96 Tech 162 The Late Bloomer 14-30 ROMFORD ROAD, LONDON, E15 4EA

98 The Human Ken Doll 102 distribution & subscriptions

102 Interiors NEWSTRADE DISTRIBUTION CONDE NAST AND NATIONAL
MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED,
104 Junk Bond Trader 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

158 FOR UK PRICES SEE ADVERT ON P25

SUBSCRIPTIONS E-MAIL gt@servicehelpline.co.uk
SUBSCRIPTIONS OVERSEAS 01795 414 896
96 PRINTED IN THE UK BY WYNDEHAM GROUP
DISCLAIMER ALL COPYRIGHTS AND TRADEMARKS ARE RECOGNISED

PUBLISHED BY MILLIVRES PROWLER LTD

CHIEF EXECUTIVE SIMON TOPHAM
STRATEGY DIRECTOR JAMES FROST
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR ROBERT HANWELL

GAY TIMES MAGAZINE WAS FOUNDED IN 1984

BY CHRIS GRAHAM-BELL AND ALEX MCKENNA

80 148 © 2017 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. “YES, BECAUSE THAT’S REALLY WHAT THIS WHOLE MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR
INDUSTRY IS ALL ABOUT, ISN’T IT? INNER BEAUTY.” 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.

10 
 ‘GUARANTEED
A PLACE IN
FILM HISTORY’ FILM4

NEWLY REMASTERED
AND FIRST TIME AVAILABLE FROM
ON BLU-RAY
 TRAVEL
puglia, italy | June 7–10, 2017

Join GT on a hosted group luxury holiday to Puglia, Italy.

We’ll spend four days and three nights by the glittering Ionian Sea,
with like-minded men from around the world,
in one of Italy’s most unspoiled regions.

INCLUDED
1 night at Masseria Le Fabriche | 2 nights in Palazzo Mosco Inn | Sunset tour around the vineyards with a wine tasting in
Le Fabriche | 3-course welcome dinner in Le Fabriche | 3-course welcome dinner in Gallipoli | LGBT-friendly tour guide
in Gallipoli | Sunset boat trip and aperitif on board and local fruits | LGBT-friendly tour guide in Alberobello | Cooking
class with pasta and lunch | LGBT-friendly tour guide in Ostuni | Visit to the Masseria (Typical Apulian Manor Farm), olive
oil mill and olive press | 6-course gourmet lunch and wine tasting at a typical Masseria | Transportation by deluxe private
minibus | Return airport transfers by private minibus | GT Travel rep and gay tour guides throughout

For further information, contact:

diva@focustravel.co.uk | 0333 358 3104
 0 3 / 17 >>>
F
or years I refused to write a ‘proper’ letter
from the editor. I always felt that it should be
about the team, that it’s not just one person,
and that it should be from Team GT. And, to be
honest, I’ve always found letters from editors
quite boring to read.
Years and several relaunches later, I was
persuaded (told) to do a full page, from me,
hyhu|#prqwk1#Dqg#wkdwġv#Ľqh/#vrphwlphv#
there are very important things to talk about,
things I feel passionately about, or worse –
DARREN SCOTT
uhshdwhgo|#Ľqglqj#p|vhoi#sd|lqj#wulexwh#wr#d#
fallen icon. Actually, that seems to be getting
more frequent, and it never gets any easier.
Dq|zd|1#Vrphwlphv#|rx#Ľqg#|rxuvhoi#lq#wkh#
fortunate position of not having to write an
obituary, but feel you don’t want to yet again
rant about social media, Brexit or Trump. So
what shall we talk about? I’ve never really
been on board with editors of magazines that
Ľqg#wkhpvhoyhv#idvflqdwlqj#Ğ#vxuho|#lwġv#qrw#
about you, but the brand?
I mean, I can talk about Gay Times until I’m
blue in the face. Ask anyone that’s ever been
near me when I’ve had a glass (bottle) of wine
in my hand. But is that really of interest to
you? Rather, aren’t you just happy that every
“I’ve never
day gaytimes.co.uk is updated with loads of
stories, and that every four weeks another
really been on
issue of the world’s longest-running gay
magazine appears in the shops?
board with
It’s the best job in the world, granted, but it’s
e|#qr#phdqv#mxvw#grzq#wr#ph1#Zkdw#L#gr#Ľqg#
editors of
hilarious is watching peoples faces when, over
that glass (bottle) of wine, I tell them that six magazines
people produce GT on a daily basis.
Yes, we also thankfully have people that that find
work in marketing and advertising, and
freelancers making up the bigger team. But themselves
you know what I mean – the ones that work
full time to bring you content every day.
Actually, I tell a lie, there’s seven of us if you
fascinating.”
include the pug... Apparently that’s not a lot,
considering our output, but I’ll be honest – I’ve @darren_scott
never known it any other way, given that this
the EDITOR
zdv#p|#Ľuvw#mre#rxw#ri#xqlyhuvlw|1#Lġp#wu|lqj#
to make that sound cooler than it actually is,
I was a very mature student and it was almost
ten years ago now.
But I still absolutely love it, and I know the
other guys that make up Team GT – Ryan,
Lewis, William, Daniel and Phil – do too. I
can’t really speak for Toby the pug, but he gets
treats every day and people send him gifts so I
think we’re all good.
I hope the fact that we love it comes across
in what we do – and our tongue-in-cheek tone
isn’t missed. So can I ask a favour? Seeing as
we’re chatting and all that. Me, working mum,
zlwk#Ľyh#jd|v#dqg#d#sxj#wr#ihhg/#fdq#L#dvn#|rx#
to sign up for our GT Newsletter? Quick and
easy, won’t hurt a bit, I promise – and you can
do it at our website.
Why? Well, you’ll get to see lots of *other*
things that go on with GT. For example, GT
Travel where we curate special trips for like-
plqghg#shrsoh1#Rxu#Ľuvw#wuls#lv#kdsshqlqj#
shortly, but we’ve got something for everyone
lined up in future. Then there’s discounts
dqg#vshfldo#rļhuv#iru#ydulrxv#sduwqhuv/#zlwk#
special screenings and events coming up.
And you can also shop the high street with
GT Shopping – where you can support the
boys at GT – and the dog – by buying exactly
what you’d be looking for anyway, but the
glļhuhqfh#lv#zh#pdnh#d#olwwoh#prqh|#iurp#hdfk#
vdoh#dqg#wkdw#khosv#xv#frqwlqxh#rxu#gdlo|#rĿfh#
debates about Madonna being better than Katy
Perry – she is, FYI, no competition – as well as
continue to bring GT to you, in whichever way
you consume it.
Yes, this is basically the equivalent of a
message popping up after an article on The
Guardian asking you to donate. Except you
don’t actually have to spend any money to
help keep things going for GT.
Was that marginally more interesting than
me talking about style? Don’t worry, normal
service will be resumed next month. Well, I
say ‘normal’... O
13
 0 3 / 17 >>> leetwd, lare and i  y

oh
lord...
Reach for Mercedes-Benz’s
when looking to impress.
Mercedes-Benz Man is a
fruity, bold scent with top

A FLARE FOR THE notes of rosewood and oak

moss, while Mercedes-Benz
for Men Cologne is modern,

FLAMBOYANT
London’s LGBT+ film festival, BFI Flare, returns to the Southbank from
masculine and luxurious, with
notes of citrus and explosive
pink pepper. Either are sure to,
ahem, drive your man wild!
Available exclusively
at House of Fraser.
16 March, bringing with it their usually diverse offering over ten days.
Highlights include the premiere of BBC drama Against the Law, Alan
Cumming in After Louie and The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin. And
hey, who wouldn’t want to see a documentary about a certain pair of ruby-
sequinned shoes called The Slippers…? It’s also a chance to catch Mommie
Dearest on the big screen, wire hangers optional. EȴRUJXNȵDUH

Box of delights
There are pros and cons with anniversary
editions of albums. On the plus side, you
usually get something a little bit special.
On the other hand, you’re reminded that
something like 30 YEARS have passed
VLQFHLW¿UVWFDPHRXW%XWWKDW¶V¿LLLLQHZH
can look past it with the deluxe, expanded
and remastered version of Fleetwood
Mac’s Tango in the Night – which includes
39 tracks, ten of which are previously
unreleased. Chuck in a vinyl version and a
DVD and we’re so there in our shawls.
Released in three formats on 30 March

14 
 AGENDA

e ul package!
Fitness fanatic Pietro
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SOHDVHG3LHWURKDVEDUHGDOO
#EHQFKERG\SKLQVWDJUDPFRP
SLHWURERVHOOLEHQFKERG\SK

15
 0 3 / 17 >>> gok’s divas
g o k wa n
Tweeting a couple of days after Donald
Trump’s inauguration that he “had a
wonderful dream that Friday never
happened... shame it was a dream”, Gok Wan is
still reeling from the fact the swearing-in of
the new President of the United States wasn’t
a nightmare, but a scary reality.
ģLġp#jhqxlqho|#whuulĽhg/Ĥ#wkh#xvxdoo|#xsehdw#
Gok tells us. “I know I don’t live in America
exw#Lġp#whuulĽhg#derxw#wkh#joredo#lpsdfw1Ĥ
He sighs, settling on the removal of the
LGBT+ page from the White House website
as just one example of why we should all be
zruulhg1#ģWklqjv#olnh#wkdw#pdnh#ph#whuulĽhg#
for the community over there,” he continues.
“I’m so upset and scared. LGBT+ rights
cannot be ignored. We’ve come so far but I
worry there’ll be no progression in the next
four years.”
It’s narrow-minded, the 42-year-old adds,
to think that what may or may not happen
in the US under Trump’s leadership has no
nqrfn0rq#hļhfw1#ģLwġv#wkh#prvw#srzhuixo#
position in the world and that country is
respected politically, ethically and morally.
And just because I don’t live in that country
doesn’t mean I’m not part of that community.
I’m a human being on this planet and we have
wr#Ľjkw#iru#zkdwġv#uljkw#iru#hyhu|rqh1Ĥ
But our meeting in a rehearsal room
in the London Coliseum hasn’t been
scheduled so we can talk politics; Gok is
here in the rather splendid home of the
English National Opera to promote an
album of operatic music by great divas past
and present. But when we bring up the
aforementioned tweet he feels compelled to
speak his mind and voice his fears.
Talk eventually turns back to the lighter
subject of the album, titled Gok’s Divas, and
the Leicester-born fashion expert and TV
presenter reveals the gestation of his love of
the art form.
“I never felt I could go to the opera because I
16 
felt I wasn’t posh enough or intelligent enough
or rich enough,” says Gok, whose parents
ran a restaurant in the East Midlands city.
Dreaming of becoming an actor, he attended
London’s Central School of Speech and Drama.
“So I was surrounded by the arts but even then
opera seemed way too posh so I wouldn’t allow
myself to go.”
It was until he was in his early 30s that
he bit the cultural bullet and went to see
La Traviata in Verona. “It was amazing
and I was completely spellbound,” he
recalls. Whenever his schedule as a fashion
consultant and presenter of such shows as
Gok’s Fashion Fix, How to Look Good Naked
and more recently Gok’s Fill Your House for
Free allows, he has furthered his operatic
education, favouring smaller venues or
open-air performances. His accompaniment
of choice turns out to be beer rather than
champagne. “I’m all about juxtapositions,”
he smiles. “I’m all about being contrary.”
Some of the arias on the album are personal
favourites and some were picked by him
from the Warner Classics archives, with the
divas ranging from Maria Callas to Katherine
Jenkins via Kiri Te Kanawa and Montserrat
Caballé. The only one he’s met in person
is Katherine Jenkins – “who is lovely and
adorable” – and if he could meet any of the
others, alive or dead, it’d be Maria Callas.
“I bet she’d be the best person to get pissed
with,” he smiles. “Can you imagine her
stories? The tragedies, the heartbreak. I’d be
mesmerised by her.”
With just water and Haribo sweets on his
rider, Gok’s no diva himself – although he will
throw a strop when his goat is gotten. “I love
quality and I’m not just talking about product,
I’m talking about people,” he explains. “I hate
rudeness so when I see people who are friends
of mine or who I don’t know being rude to
somebody else, I become very self-righteous
and judgemental, and I don’t hold back.”
WORDS simon button
With the album out soon, he has a busy
year ahead. Another recent tweet had him
declaring he’s so bad with secrets – “but I
have one” – and, despite our attempts to get
him to dish on what that is, he’s not at liberty
to reveal what he meant beyond the fact it ties
in with a yet-to-be-announced new project.
“It’s a massive secret but I’m really excited
about it and it’s probably to date the biggest
challenge of my career,” he teases.
There’ll be more dates for his Fashion
Brunch Club around the country, which
sees hotels serving up brunch before he
takes to a stage for a demo on current
trends followed by a catwalk show featuring
predominantly local brands.
Having launched his own LGBT+ club night
called Magazine last December at Steelyard,
the Cannon Street venue he feels might
kdyh#ehhq#d#elw#rļ#wkh#ehdwhq#wudfn#iru#vrph#
people, hence the lower-than-hoped-for
numbers, he’d like to bring it into Soho and is
searching for a suitable location.
Gok will also be DJing in Poland and hopes
for a residency in a summer locale like Ibiza
or Myknos, specialising in deep, uplifting and
yrfdo#krxvh1#ģLwġv#wkh#vwxļ#zh#xvhg#wr#jhw#rq#
the gay scene ten years ago. There’s a lot of
commercial music on the gay scene now and
there’s nothing wrong with that, but I like it a
bit deeper.”
A stalwart Stonewall supporter, you can also
bet Gok will continue to rally round for LGBT+
causes with an eye to what’s going on in the
world beyond British and American borders.
“Global equality is so important,” he
vd|v1#ģZh#kdyh#wr#wdnh#wkh#Ľjkw#wr#rwkhu#
countries where there is no equality,
legalisation of homosexuality and that kind
ri#vwxļ1#Wkhuhġv#wklv#wklqj#ri/#ĠZhġuh#grlqj#
alright here, we’re OK,’ but actually it’s not
OK elsewhere in the world.” O
Gok’s Divas is out on 10 March on Warner Classics,
gokwan.com, @therealgokwan
 17
AGENDA IMAGE TREVOR LEIGHTON
 0 3 / 17 >>> omes, omos and oes

QUEER
BRITISH
ART
Tate Britain hosts
LWV¿UVWH[KLELWLRQ
dedicated to queer
British art this
April. It marks the
50th anniversary
of the partial
decriminalisation of
PDOHKRPRVH[XDOLW\
in England and
Wales, showcasing
work from 1861
– when the death
penalty for sodomy
ZDVDEROLVKHG±WR
the passing of the
6H[XDO2IIHQFHV$FW
in 1967. We’ve had
a sneak peek at the
collection and we
have to say you're in
for a treat...O

Queer British Art 1861-
1967 runs from 5 April

FIT FOR
A KING
(OR QUEEN)
2IIHULQJDZLQGRZ
into the lives of
some of America’s
most intriguing and
eccentric personalities,
photographer Tom
Atwood has captured
FHOHEULWLHVLQVLGH
WKHLUKRPHVIRUDGHOX[H
ERRN)HDWXULQJWKH
likes of Alan Cumming,
John Waters, George
Takei, Leslie Jordan and
Carson Kressley, his
work captures moments
RIGDLO\EXVLQHVVZLWK
the intimate pauses of
their personal life. As the
old saying goes, home is
where the heart is... O

Kings & Queens in Their
Castles is released 28 March,
tomatwood.com/kings-
queens

18 

EXPRESS
YOURSELF...
...just as Cameron Dallas does daily on
Instagram. C’mon, we know you’ve seen
the pictures. Anyway, he’s joined American
Eagle Outfitters’ #WeAllCan campaign
alongside a host of millennials and their
own messages of empowerment, hoping to
inspire others to explore what they ‘can do’.
ae.com, @camerondallas, #weallcan
AGENDA
REN HANG GANG 7KHȴUVWLQWHUQDWLRQDOFROOHFWLRQRI
photographer Ren Hang’s works is certainly an eye
opener. Coffee table book it may well be, but you might
want to be careful if auntie Doris is popping round.
Putting it in context, Hang doesn’t agree that his work is
taboo, which means that other people do. Expect lots –
and lots – of naked people with very little inhibitions. O
7KHERRN5HQ+DQJȂZKLFKLVYHU\GHȴQLWHO\Ȇ16):ȇȂLVDYDLODEOHQRZ
from Taschen, priced £34.99, taschen.com
SHE’S A MANIAC, MANIAC... A ‘lost’ classic of queer
cinema returns to screens this month, as John Waters’
Multiple Maniacs enjoys a long-overdue cinematic re-
release before coming to Blu-ray. The Pope of Trash’s
second movie, from 1970, has been restored to its full,
un-cut, ghastly glory. And – of course – Divine and the
Dreamlanders shine in every sickly scene. O
On general release now, The Criterion Collection Blu-ray is
released on 20 March
19
 DATING ros efore oes < < < A G E N D A

eventually, but
you could at least
15 reasons your friends be cool about it.
Parroting his
hate your boyfriend catchphrases
and spending our
Finally, after years of swiping left and precious brunches
right, you’re in a relationship! But what’s hurling in-jokes
this? Your mates don’t seem thrilled. at each other
is not the one.
Whatever could be troubling your mostest Please desist.
and closest?
13. You don’t
The Guyliner seem that happy.
They’re worried
about you. You
way of the world, lqvxowvB#Ehlqj#d# said he was the
and will manifest elw#ryhuidplolduB# rqh1#Exw#|rxu#idfh#
itself in the old Maybe he needs to is telling us that
traditional love- fall into line once he’s just a huge
hate cliché. Just in a while and number two.
make sure it’s only stop trying to be
his pigtails your the main event. 14. You’re too
mates are pulling. Understudies happy. The rest
can’t become stars of us are trying
09. He’s bad overnight. to go about
love has only for you and they our miserable
dpsolĽ#hg#wkhlu# know you’ll 11. He gets on daily lives, but
own singledom. never see it. This far too well with all your status
lv#qrw#wkhlu#Ľ#uvw# their boyfriend. updates, texts
05. They feel time at the rodeo, Green eyes can and conversations
like a slut. You’re let’s face it. very quickly turn are like being
going on about to red, especially smacked over the
your trips to IKEA 10. He tries too during – shall we head by a greeting
and DIY weekends hard. There are say – territorial card. Misery loves
and their only very complicated disputes. company – and
tales to tell are levels and nuances you’re not invited.
what happened of appropriateness 12. You’re
in the sauna last when it comes to copying his 15. They don’t
night. You used to new guys entering mannerisms think it’ll last.
01. They that you disappear eh#sxuh#Ľ#owk>#zkdw# the fray and it – and they’re Which it won’t
preferred your into your onesies kdsshqhg#wr#|rxB could be that your bad. We know – if they’ve got
last one. When for a night on the man isn’t heeding all couples turn anything to do
you breakup with sofa with your new 06. He makes them. Hurling into each other with it. O
someone, your man, while they’re you boring. I
mates do too. You left out in the bars mean, IKEA. Why
may expect them rolling their eyes are you telling us @theguyliner
to cut all ties and and missing your wklv#fudsB
move on like you chatter.
have, but some of 07. HE is boring.
your friends may 03. All his They don’t
well have become friends are dicks understand how
very attached and you insist you can listen to
– perhaps too on mixing social his brain-dead
attached and groups. Trying to banter for any
that’s why you’re force this one can length of time –
not together – and really test your nor do they enjoy
it can be hard for friendships, so |rx#lqľ#lfwlqj#lw#rq#
them to accept keep social circles them.
new blood. separate and
sacred. 08. They
02. He makes want him for
you stay in too 04. They feel themselves.
much. Often the like an old maid. Look, if he’s half-
whinge of pals When will they decent at least one
once one of you Ľ#qg#vrphrqhB# of your mates will
gets loved up is Your newfound fancy him. It’s the

20 
 SWAN THEATRE
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
FROM 2 JUNE

OSCAR WILDE

TICKETS FROM £16

WWW.RSC.ORG.UK/SALOME
 0 3 / 17 >>> gt i  y

22 
 agenda
his month’s GT Fitty is one
we’re particularly proud of, as
it’s the first time a UFC athlete
has posed for a gay publication.
Marc Diakiese, or Bonecrusher
as he’s known, is undefeated in
MMA at 11-0. So let’s just say
we’re glad he’s on our side...
What’s the Ultimate
Fighting Championship
[UFC] for those of us
that maybe haven’t come
across it before? UFC is
the biggest and highest level
mixed martial arts [MMA]
organisation. It’s like the
Premier League; it’s the best
you can go to at this level.
It’s really what every mixed
martial artist is looking to
and aims for. It’s the dream
to get to UFC level as it’s the
biggest league.
Did you follow UFC
before joining last year
then? When you begin, your
goal is to get to UFC, and so
you follow it heavily. I did
watch before I joined, yes.
You just mentioned
mixed martial arts. Talk
us through the premise
of what that is... Mixed
martial arts is various types
of arts – like karate, kick
boxing, boxing, wrestling,
all together put into one
sport. You can come from a
judo background and meet
another guy from a karate
background. At the UFC,
you do it all together, and
\RX¿JKWHDFKRWKHULQWKH
Octagon.
How did you discover
this is your interest?
When did you discover
\RXUÀDLUDQGSDVVLRQ
for such a sport? When
,¿UVWVWDUWHGFRPSHWLQJLQ
WORDS william connolly IMAGES matt crockett
00$,GLGLWWRNHHS¿W
I joined a gym and it went
from there, really. I played
football, but I’ve always kept
P\VHOI¿WDQGXVHGWROLIW
weights in the gym. I had my
¿UVWDPDWHXU¿JKWDIWHUWKUHH
or four months and now, at
WKHDJHRI,¶P¿JKWLQJ
and competing in the UFC –
ZKLFKLVZKHUHHYHU\¿JKWHU
wants to be. It’s a very strong
disciplined sport and you
want to do more as it grows.
Did you start when you
were younger or...? I
was 17. I carried on doing
it, and I went undefeated
as an amateur, and thought
that I might give it a shot,
and carried on training
DQG¿JKWLQJWKHDPDWHXU
circuit. Then, I became a pro!
[Laughs] From there, I’ve
been giving it a shot!
Is this type of training
and sport as much of a
mental discipline as it is
physical? It’s totally both
– physical and mental. If
you’re not physically strong
WKHQLW¶OOEHGLI¿FXOW,I\RX¶UH
not mentally strong then you
ZLOOFRPHXSDJDLQVW¿JKWHUV
who will be stronger than
you, so you must make sure
you’re well prepared in both
aspects. For me, both are as
important as each other.
<RX¶UHQH[W¿JKWLQJDW
UFC Fight Night 107 at
the O2 Arena in London.
23
 0 3 / 17 >>> gt i  y
Have you competed there
before? I haven’t, this is my
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ZKLFKLVJUHDW,W¶VDELJ
DUHQDDQGVRZLOOEHQLFHWR
EHSDUWRILW
Do you enjoy having an
audience of that vast
size watching you live
in the arena? Or does
that add distractions
and pressure? ,IRXJKWLQ
0DQFKHVWHUIRUP\GHEXW
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QLFHWRKDYHIDQVLQWKHVH
ELJVWDGLXPVDQGLW¶VD
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What type of audience
member would a sport
like this attract? It’s a
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OLNHER[LQJWKLVLVDOVRRQH
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Talk us through your
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FRQGLWLRQLQJZRUN,QWKH
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,QWHUPVRIWKHVWUHQJWKDQG
FRQGLWLRQLQJZRUN,GR,
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SRZHUOLIWLQJDQGSUDFWLFLQJ
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GRQ¶WVSHQGPRUHRUOHVVWLPH
RQRQHVSHFL¿FGLVFLSOLQH
With that in mind,
would you admit to
being body conscious?
Are you aware of what
you look like physically?
1RWUHDOO\DVLW¶VPRUHRIWKH
ZD\,WUDLQ,¶PQRWUHDOO\
24 
ERWKHUHGKRZ,ORRNDVIRU
PHWKHPRVWLPSRUWDQW
WKLQJLVEHLQJUHDG\DQG
DEOHWR¿JKWZKRHYHUDQG
ZKHQHYHU,¶PDQDWKOHWHDQG
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PRVWLPSRUWDQWWKLQJIRU
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IRFXVRQ7KDWDQGPDNLQJ
VXUH,¶PERWKPHQWDOO\DQG
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vanity project for you?
(UUU,ZRXOGQ¶WVD\VR,W¶V
MXVWVRPHWKLQJ,NQRZ,¶YH
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LQYROYHGLQ¿WQHVVLQVRPH
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UXQQLQJRUSOD\LQJIRRWEDOO
ZKHQ,ZDV\RXQJHUWR
FRPSHWLQJLQWKH8)&WRGD\
What does it mean for
you to appear in a gay
magazine? ,OLNHWKHLGHD
WKDWDVSHRSOHZHDUHDOORQH
7KHUH¶VDORWRISHRSOHZKR
DUHVLQJOHPLQGHG:H¶UH
DOOWKHVDPHUHDOO\DQGDV
ORQJDV,JHWRQZLWK\RXDQG
\RXJHWRQZLWKPH,¶P¿QH
7KHUH¶VQRGLIIHUHQFH
:H¶UHLQDQHZHUDLQ
<RXFDQGRDQGEH
ZKDWHYHU\RXZDQWWREH
:HDUHDOOSHRSOHZHDUH
DOOWKHVDPHDQGVR,¶P
SOHDVHGWREHKHUHDQGEH
IHDWXUHGLQWKHPDJD]LQH
Would you say you’re a
boxers or briefs kind of
guy? %R[HUVDVWKH\¶UHUHDOO\
PXFKPRUHFRPIRUWDEOHIRU
PHWKDQEULHIV
$QG¿QDOO\ZKRZRXOG
you say is your biggest
male crush?>3DXVHVDVKH
WKLQNV@,GRQ¶WUHDOO\KDYHRQH
LIWRWDOO\KRQHVW%XW,KDYH
P\LGROVDQGP\ELJJHVWLV
8)&¿JKWHU-RQ-RQHVO
For more information on UFC visit
ufc.com. Follow Marc’s career on
Twitter at @marc_diakiese
agenda

25
 0 3 / 17 >>> go on an, you
now you ant to...

sweetie,
darling?

She played soap legend Cindy Beale in

EastEnders, left us gripped in many
nightly thrillers, treaded the boards
on stage in hit musicals, and even
landed regular stints in Hollywood.
Now preparing for a turn in the world
premiere of A Dark Night in Dalston,
how will genuine national treasure
Michelle Collins fare against our
sweetie jar of random questions?

26 

Why aren’t blueberries
blue? Is this a trick question?
They do leave a purple stain on
you, almost navy blue or black
so... Why are you asking me
this question? How the fuck do
I know?
If the president was gay,
what would you call his
husband? The First Man?
The First Lady? The First
Mister? Oh, I really don’t
know. Would be good though,
wouldn’t it?
Kylie, Madonna or Gaga?
[Long silence and she stares
directly disapprovingly] Come
on, I mean? Kylie, Madonna or
Gaga? Oh, God! I suppose Kylie
as we have the same birthday.
I’ve sort of grown up in the
same era and she’s slightly
younger than me. I’ve followed
her around and she’s great.
What word do people use
to incorrectly describe
you? Some call me a “soap
star” but I’m not really. I’m an
actor. What else? I used to get
hard-nosed quite a bit. Hard-
nosed? I’m certainly not that.
What’s your campest
moment ever? I’ve had a
dodgy music career and that
makes you quite camp, doesn’t
it? Getting to number 28 in the
charts with the theme from
Sunburn was pretty camp.
If all the world’s a stage,
where does the audience
sit? In front of the stage?
Hopefully in front of it?
Watching, maybe? There could
be billions of answers, but I
suppose all the world is a stage
and everyone is continually
acting in their lives. What
about the fourth wall? Where’s
that? Without the audience,
I don’t really have a job. Who
will watch or listen? Next.
What’s the most overrated
thing in the world? Fame?
Celebrity? Snapchat and
Instagram? All those things.
How the hell do you spend all
day on those things? It’s just
overrated. I think maybe the
bubble will burst soon.
Three words to describe
\RX¿UVWWKLQJLQWKH
morning are...? I’m not bad
in the morning, so bright. I’m
quite spritely and, maybe...
energetic. The morning is no
excuse to be grumpy, boys!
What’s the rudest word
that you know? I can’t tell
you that, can I? I know LOTS
of rude words...
Would you rather have
no teeth or no hair? Both
of those would be my absolute
nightmare. I’m very into hair
and very into teeth. I guess
you could wear a wig, and no
one looks good without teeth,
although it would give me
GH¿QLWHFKHHNERQHV>/DXJKV@
Dame Judi Dench or Liza
Minnelli? Judi Dench. I’ve
been hearing her song Send
in the Clowns a lot recently. It
was on the radio and I’d never
really realised how beautiful
that song is. She’s not a great
singer and almost speaks it, but
it’s beautiful and quite moving.
I think she’s quite fantastic. I
do, of course, like Liza — but
I’m going for the Brit.
What’s the strangest thing
you’ve ever put in your
mouth? Erm, maggots when
I was doing Bear Grylls. They
tasted quite nice as they were
WORDS william connolly IMAGE james burton
boiled. They were like porridge,
but it was strange to think I
was eating boiled maggots.
Do you believe in ghosts?
I think there’s something out
there and life after death.
I’m not sure about spooky
things, though.
Double denim – amazing
or awful? My daughter thinks
it’s TERRIBLE! I quite like it
and think it works, just as long
as it’s not the same denim. If
it’s darker and lighter shades,
then why not? You should be
able to wear what you want!
$UH\RXJRRGDWÀLUWLQJ"
Only if I’m drunk! I’m actually
quite shy and people don’t tend
to believe actors are, but I am.
I drank too much when I was
young and thought I was, but I
was terrible.
Can you parallel park?
Can I? Yeah, I’m really good
at driving. It did take me four
times to pass my driving test
because I couldn’t reverse
around a corner, but I know my
way around London without
a sat nav because I’m London
born and bred.
Have you ever stolen
anything? I’m one of these
people that if I now pick
up something from a shop
and realise I’ve not paid for
it, I will go back and tell. It
doesn’t sit well with me – not
because I’m religious or have
a Catholic angst or anything.
I nicked some perfume from
Woolworths when I was a kid,
and I also a feather boa when
I was 13. I worked in London
Zoo and would see kids nicking
rubber snakes, and I used to
turn an eye to it. It used to
AGENDA
make me laugh all the time!
Would you eat a worm for
£500? Absolutely not!
Who’s the most famous
person you’ve ever met?
I had drinks with Dustin
Hoffman once. I met David
Bowie and Mick Jagger in a
lift but was too scared to say
anything. Cameron Diaz in
LA, Prince Charles and Tony
Blair. I was quite friendly
with Tony Blair for a few
years when he was popular.
I like Tony so I don’t care
what people say. Boy George.
I also knew George Michael
and think that his death was
incredibly sad.
Christmas or birthday?
As you get older, birthdays
tend to become a little
rubbish. Christmas is about
family and friends, and the
only time people really make
the effort to sit down and be
together. A birthday is hard
as you can’t get everyone
together, especially when you
get to my age. And most of
them are dead, anyway. That’s
a joke. [Laughs]
$QG¿QDOO\ZKDW¶VWKH
craziest thing on your
rider? I’m an actor, not a pop
star, so sadly you don’t really
tend to get them nowadays.
You’re lucky if you get a bloody
cab! I mean, Jesus! You’re
lucky to get heating in the
dressing room. As an actor,
you just can’t be a diva. You
just can’t. O
Michelle appears in A Dark Night
In Dalston at London’s Park
Theatre from 7 March until 1
April, parktheatre.co.uk,
@parktheatre, @missmcollins
27
0 3 / 17 >>>

36

lord michael cashman

“Paul Cottingham took me by the hand and taught me how to love,
taught me how to live and changed my life. I’d give everything I’ve
got for one more moment with him.”

29
 0 3 / 17 >>>

The great gay

sex tech
t a k e o v e r

30 
 community

Has anyone ever told you

how clever gay men are?
Actually, don’t answer
that – pretty much all gay
men do is remind each
other just how super-
brainy and switched-on
they are. We are, as
humans go, marvellously
adaptable creatures.
Historically, we’ve had to
be – we never know when
our allies are going to get
a taste of ‘gay panic’ and
turn against us.
(YHUVLQFHWKHȴUVW
neanderthal gay
suggestively gnawed
that roasted mammoth
thigh to attract his
neighbour, or realised
you could put more than
one thing through the
hole in a wheel, the gay
community has been
making the best of what
modern invention can
provide to make things
work their way. No
brainwave too big or
small; if it’s an innovation,
and we can use it, you
can be sure as hell we’re
going to sex it up. Cold
and calculating? Maybe.
You have to be to survive.

Public toilets
The sanitised flush changed all our
lives, but for gay men, the invention
of the public lavatory was nothing
UJQTVQHCIQFUGPF6JGƒTUV
modern public loo in London
appeared in 1851, and while we
don’t have any stats to hand, we’re
sure it wasn’t long before two very
proper Victorian gentlemen were
FQKPICDKVOQTGVJCPFQHƒPIVJGKT
hat at one another, especially when
it became commonplace to build
them underground. Public loos
revolutionised gay sex because,
simply, they allowed it to happen.
Cottaging may be nothing more
than a kink now – and illegal,
don’t forget – but for many of our
gay forbears it was a necessity.
A trip to the loos was often the
most illuminating part of a visit
to the park. Of course, there’s
always someone coming along
to ruin it for everyone – cubicle
walls you can see under, perverts
knocking on your door while
WORDS the guyliner
[QWŨTGVT[KPIVQJCXGƒXGOKPWVGU
of peace and a poo – but by and
large the invention of public loos
31
 0 3 / 17 >>>
revolutionised gay sex and went
some way, at least, to alleviate
some of the oppression. Hell,
the gents’ loo even reinvented
vandalism to cubicle walls – it’s
not just a hole, it’s a glory hole!
Inspired, really.
The car
Don’t be fooled by Top Gear – cars
aren’t just for straight men in
terrible jeans to drive really fast
round a track. Cars are for the gay
guys, too. Oh, yes, they’ve changed
our world. Why? Well – and we’re
afraid, yes, this is about sex
again – you can get inside them
and go cruising. Kerb-crawling
probably isn’t the most pleasant
by-product of the invention of the
car, to be honest, but driving to
more secluded spots and then
hotfooting it to a well-known
cruising spot has broadened
horizons for many a guy wanting
to explore his sexuality. Cars also
offered what the local park lavvy
never could – somewhere warm to
have sex and have a nice sit-down
and a cigarette afterward. Why
else do you think they used to have
a lighter right there?!
Handkerchiefs
Using a handkerchief to blow
your nose on goes back to the
times of the Ancient Greeks, but
you have to come much farther
into the future before things get
really interesting for that little
square of cotton. Oh, we don’t
mean that ever so quaint pocket
square you’ve got tucked into the
top of that blazer you should’ve
stopped wearing three seasons
ago – we’re talking hanky code.
Originating in New York in the
70s, the predilection for wearing
a different coloured hanky in
your back pocket was borne of
convenience. Why waste time
asking someone “what they’re
into” when you can check out the
colour of the handkerchief they’re
packing? You see, you moan about
guys on Grindr having no chat, but
back in the day it was positively
encouraged to say as little as
possible. No “hey Mr” or “whassup
bro” – just hankies! Imagine.
Of course, this oath of silence
may or may not have something
to do with the fact it was more
common back then to get your
head kicked in for being gay. My
hanky is orange by the way, boys.
Look it up.
32 
Landlines
Having a “house phone” used to
be quite a dull experience. Nobody
ever phoned you apart from your
aunties or the guy from Kay’s
“A quick round
catalogue, but then suddenly the
world of telecommunications
realised it could very easily
squeeze some extra bucks out
of you, and invented premium
rate lines. Obviously, this being
the sexually repressed UK and in
of Call of Duty
the 80s, things started off pretty
tamely, with Dial-a-Disc and a
weekly catch up on EastEnders
is one of the
being the usual offerings. So far,
so dull. But what’s that coming
over the hill with its eye on your
easiest ways
phone bill? It’s a premium chat line!
Sure, straights started it off, but
soon services like Gay Xchange
to meet guys...”
were offering gay people up and
down the country the chance to
talk to people just like them. It’s
easy to forget now, when we spend
half our waking hours on apps
blocking people we don’t want to
talk to, just how groundbreaking
this was – but gay people outside
big cities were hugely isolated,
and while attitudes among the
wider public were improving, they
were nowhere near 2017 levels.
However, chat lines weren’t quite
the answer we were looking for –
you were usually cut off before you
exchanged any interesting details,
like addresses or phone numbers.
Let’s also not forget that the
humble landline also offered gay
OGPCRNCEGVQIGVCDKVQHƒNVJ[
talk, a tradition which continues
to this day. Fun with my straight
mate in the shower, anyone?
Polaroids
Originally conceived as a way to
instantly see your happy snaps
without waiting to get them
developed, the humble Polaroid
soon became the perfect way to
keep the prying, pious eyes of your
local neighbourhood camera shop
away from your personal pics. We
could now take shots of ourselves
kissing our boyfriends without
worrying that we’d be exposed, in
more way than one, when it came
to getting the pics printed. They
were also a very quick and easy
way – well, for the time, anyway
ŤVQUGPFCUNGC\[UGNƒGVQ[QWT
beloved. Seriously, this is how
people did it then. And you really
had to make sure those shots were
perfectly composed before you
clicked – Polaroids were pricey,
 community
and do-overs didn’t come cheap.
Any pic had to be worth the wait
while it trundled to its destination,
thanks to Royal Mail.
The internet
The internet is so gay, you’d think
it was created just for the LGBT+
community. When Tim Berners-
.GGƒTUVKPXGPVGFVJGYQTNFYKFG
web, he probably didn’t realise
just how it would revolutionise
the whole concept of being gay,
but the internet has irrevocably
changed the gay scene for ever,
and the LGBT+ gang have always
been its biggest fans. It’s easy to
dismiss the internet as nothing
DWVCEQPFWKVQHƒNVJHQTIW[U
wanting to get their rocks off, and
while there’s nothing wrong with
that – and it’s a big part of it, yes
– the internet has been a lifeline
to more marginalised sections of
the gay community, or those who
FQPŨVƒVVJGKPETGCUKPIN[PCTTQY
ideals of what a gay person in the
21st century is supposed to act
or look like. Consider the guys in
the small towns in the 90s, lacking
EQPƒFGPEGCPFGZRGTKGPEGYJQ
wouldn’t dare walk into the one
gay bar available for fear they’d
be laughed out of it. Talking on
VJGKPVGTPGVƒTUVVJTQWIJEJCV
programs like ICQ, before things
really got going with Gaydar
and Craigslist, allowed them to
meet people who were either just
like them or accepted them for
who they were. Bullying, racism,
homophobia and other forms of
abuse have always been the big
challenge against the freedom the
internet has given us, though –
there’s always some arsehole who
comes along and ruins it for the
rest of us, isn’t there? The internet
ICXGWUCEEGUUVQPQUVTKPIUUGZ
support groups and even love – “I
met my boyfriend on the internet”
is the new norm. Nice one, Tim.
Scanners and
printers
Polaroids fell out of favour and
there was a dark period when
risqué pics became scarcer –
until the invention of the digital
camera, of course. There were
umpteen opportunities to be
UGNƒGTGCF[[QWEQWNFRTKPVVJGO
off yourself or whack them in a
quick email or up on your dating
RTQƒNG#PFJQYFQUECPPGTUƒV
into this? Well, if you didn’t have
a digital camera but there was
a scanner available, you could
always take a very up close and
personal shot of your crown
jewels. Seriously, it happened.
Smartphones
Just when you thought the
internet was as good as it could
get, suddenly it was in our pockets
24/7. Hookup apps like Grindr
took the idea of getting gay men
together even further, and we
GXGPKPƒNVTCVGFVJGUVTCKIJVQPGU
like Blendr when we deemed the
straight people not to be using
them properly. Critics would argue
that the advent of dating apps
and the increased availability of
VJGCPQP[OQWUVGZVCTTCPIGF
blow job have destroyed the gay
scene, but while this may be part
of it, gay clubs with niches are
thriving, and spending four hours
sifting through time wasters on a
Saturday night when you could be
out getting drunk is not most guys’
HWPVKOGƒTUVEJQKEG2NWUYGVCMG
it for granted now, but within every
smartphone is a handy camera.
2GTHGEVHQT[QWTUWNVT[UGNƒGU
dick pics, live, erm, broadcasts
and even taking creep shots of
hot guys on public transport. No
wonder we have a permanent crick
in our neck.
Gaming
Computer games, as they were
known, were the favoured refuge
of many a young, closeted gay
YJQHGNVNKMGVJG[FKFPŨVƒVKP0QY
gaming has gone beyond the
lonely flicker of the monitor in your
bedroom and is global – you’re in
contact with guys from all corners
of the world. Yes, a quick round of
Call of Duty is one of the easiest
way to meet guys – just as long as
you’re not in any particular rush to
hook up. Oh, and even Pokémon
Go has been commandeered by us
quick-thinking gays. Spotted a hot
guy and want to take his picture?
Brushing aside moral objections
and piffling violations of privacy,
simply guide your Pokémon to
wherever this guy is, pretending
you’re trying to catch it, when
really what you’re intending to
snare is a snapshot of this much
hotter Pikachu. And who knows
who’ll you be bumping into down
your local Pokéstop? O
33
 COLUMN
Pardon me for asking, but what is a pardon
anyway? Is a pardon an acknowledgment
from another that you did something wrong
but that you’re forgiven? Or is it something
frpsohwho|#glļhuhqwB
I ask because amid great fanfare – on
the eve of the vote by parliament to
trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and
formerly begin the UK’s process of leaving
the European Union – the government
announced the royal assent of a bill that
approved a mass pardoning. The pardoning
in question was of all deceased gay men
frqylfwhg#ri#klvwrulf#jd|#vh{#rļhqfhv#Ğ#
rļhqfhv#wkdw#zrxog#qrw#kdyh#uhvxowhg#lq#
a conviction today. It also put in place a
mechanism to allow gay men still living
today to apply to the Home Secretary for
their own pardon.
While some heralded the news on social
media, I was a little ambivalent. I have an
issue with the very notion of a pardon in
these circumstances, as I have outlined in
this column before. I have always felt that
you can only be pardoned for something
you did that was wrong – and the only thing
that these men involved did wrong was
being caught.
Since I last wrote about the issue, my
views have mellowed somewhat, but I still
have concerns. Should the state really be
granting a pardon to men whose crime
was to be caught expressing their love of
someone of the same gender? Should it not
be the state instead who begs the LGBT+
community for a pardon for its own wicked
behaviour to those of us who are gay,
bisexual or transgender?
It’s important to remember that we were
rqh#ri#wkh#Ľuvw#frxqwulhv#wr#doorz#shrsoh#
convicted of a historic gay sex crime to apply
to have their criminal record disregarded.
Wkh#srolf|#zdv#Ľuvw#sohgjhg#e|#Gdylg#
Cameron in a PinkNews column in 2010 and
laid before Parliament by the then Home
Secretary Theresa May in 2012.
This only though applies to people who are
alive, therefore I understand why a symbolic
34 
<<< CO M M U N I T Y
pardon might be necessary if we want to
clear the names of those who have since
passed away.
In Germany, the country is planning to
also engage in a mass pardoning exercise,
exw#d#udglfdoo|#glļhuhqw#rqh#wr#wkh#rqh#
that we have in the England and Wales.
The county’s government will pardon men
convicted of historic gay sex crimes, but it
will also pay compensation to those who
served prison sentences.
This goes beyond the obvious and very
much needed acknowledgment of the gay
victims of Nazi persecution and up to those
fulplqdolvhg#xqwlo#4<<7/#zkhq#wkh#Ľqdo#dqwl0
jd|#odzv#zhuh#wdnhq#rļ#wkh#vwdwxwh#errn1#Ri#
the 140,000 convicted, 50,000 gay men were
convicted after the Nazi era.
BENJAMIN COHEN The German government expects 5,000
men to have a personal claim, but some
Pardon me? of the €30 million expected to be put
aside for compensation will be paid to
LGBT+ community groups operating in
Germany today.
I know that we live in a time of economic
uncertainty with intense pressure on public
Ľqdqfhv/#exw#L#uhdoo|#wklqn#d#vlplodu#vfkhph#
should operate here.
In the UK, there are around 11,000 men
who are still alive who were convicted of
historic gay sex crimes. Why can’t they be
rļhuhg#frpshqvdwlrq#iru#wkh#lqgljqlw|#dqg#
in some cases incarceration that the British
state made them endure simply for loving
another man?
Why can’t the current government
Should it not commit also to fund additional
programmes of work LGBT+ community
be the state groups as a means of apologising for the
hurt caused by its predecessors?
instead who Shukdsv#e|#grlqj#vrphwklqj#vljqlĽfdqw/#
rather than simply symbolic, the
begs the LGBT+ infrastructure of the British state will
eventually receive a pardon from the LGBT+
community for community for the crimes it committed
against us, persecuting us for who we
a pardon for are and who we love in contravention of
natural justice.O
its own wicked
behaviour to
those of us who
are gay, bisexual
or transgender?
@benjamincohen
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 CO M M U N I T Y >>>
Lord
Michael
Cashman
Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear
smart suits – like the one Michael Cashman is
wearing as he proudly gives us a tour around
the House of Lords in Westminster.
Michael knows the history of every inch of
the building. It’s enshrined to his memory,
as if he himself can’t quite believe that a
working class gay man and son of a docker
from East London could hold such a title as
Baron of Limehouse.
Anyone who’s ever met Michael will know
that he’s humble, but his résumé of activism
as part of the gay rights movement is as long
and storied as, well, the movement itself.
In 1988, when Thatcher had just introduced
Section 28 – the anti-gay law which prohibited
schools and councils from “intentional
promotion of homosexuality” – Michael
was starring as Colin Russell in EastEnders,
wkh#Ľuvw#jd|#uhvlghqw#ri#Doehuw#Vtxduh/#ehvw#
nqrzq#iru#kdylqj#wkh#Ľuvw#jd|#nlvv#lq#Eulwlvk#
soap history. It sent shockwaves through the
UK; The Sun at the time ran the abhorrent
headline “East Benders”.
A year later, in 1989, Michael cofounded
the LGBT+ charity Stonewall with Sir Ian
McKellen, Lisa Power and others. He would
go on to serve as Labour MP for the West
Midlands for 15 years, work in the European
Parliament so he could help secure the rights
of others, act as the Labour Party’s special
envoy for LGBT+ issues worldwide, bringing us
up to his appointment to the Lords in 2014.
36 
When we met with Michael on a rainy day
in London, we intended to recognise all of
this work and celebrate his life story. Every
gay person reading this owes a great debt
of gratitude to the man who’s spent his life
tirelessly campaigning for the rights and
freedoms we enjoy today.
Exw#|rx#fdq#uhdg#derxw#doo#wkdw#vwxļ#rq#klv#
Wikipedia page, as many journalists have
documented his accomplishments before.
What’s more important to recognise is that, at
66 years of age, Michael is still very much the
role model he always has been, but for reasons
he might not even know himself.
The love of Michael’s life was Paul
Cottingham – an actor, campaigner and
activist, like himself. They met in 1983 and
were together for 31 years, during which
time they became civil partners, until Paul
sadly lost his battle with a rare cancer called
angiosarcoma.
That was in 2014 and since then Michael has
been struggling – but his honesty and candour
when it comes to talking about his problems
with us is part of what makes him a hero to so
many people.
WORDS ryan butcher IMAGE dan evans
“Since Paul died, it’s been shit,” Michael
tells us halfway through our interview. “I’ve
got everything I want in my life, but not the
one person I want to share it with. I’ve battled
with huge, huge depression and I realise that’s
because I’ve spent most of my life not liking
p|vhoi>#qrw#zdqwlqj#wr#Ľjkw#iru#ph1
“Paul somehow gave me security that
allowed me to feel OK with myself. But when
he died, it was all down to me. It’s why I’ve
irxqg#lw#hdvlhu#Ľjkwlqj#iru#rwkhuv/#ehfdxvh#
I’ve always looked in the mirror and never
wkrxjkw#L#zdv#zruwk#Ľjkwlqj#iru1#Lġyh#mxvw#
come through two years of denying that there
was a huge hole in my life because of Paul
dying. People with addictive personalities,
olnh#ph/#zh#wu|#dqg#Ľoo#rxu#olyhv#zlwk#dq|wklqj#
but ourselves, because we don’t think we’re
worth anything.
“I’ve spent my life, if I’m absolutely honest,
zdlwlqj#iru#vrpherg|#wr#Ľqg#ph#rxw>#wr#vd|/#
‘No, no, no. It’s not you. You’re not the Michael
Cashman we want. You can’t legislate. You
can’t be on EastEnders. You can’t be in the
House of Lords...’”
Does any of this sound familiar? Chances
are, it might. One in four people in the UK
will experience at least one diagnosable
mental health problem in their lifetime.
And research has proved that those of us
from the LGBT+ community are at a much
higher risk of experiencing issues. However,
if there’s one thing we don’t do as people, as
PROFILE

37
 PROFILE
ichael cashman < < < C O M M U N I T Y
“It’s important to be
honest, because so many
people go through
self-loathing.”
a community, or as a society, it’s talk about
the problems we’re facing so that people in
similar circumstances know that they’re not
alone. And that’s what Michael wants people
to know: that they’re not alone.
“It’s important to be honest, because so
many people go through this self-loathing
and have low self-esteem,” he asserts. “Unless
we have this conversation, it won’t be better
for somebody else and it won’t get better for
yourself. I said to a good friend the other day,
‘I’m not well.’ And she said, ‘Well, what’s
wrong?’ I told her I had depression and I have
addiction issues – not to drugs or alcohol, but
to being loved. And in order to be loved I’ll do
almost anything.’ She laughed. I said, ‘You
don’t understand. Recovering and getting
ehwwhu#phdqv#|rx#kdyh#wr#vwdwh#lq#wkh#Ľ#uvw#
place that you recognise that you’re ill.’
“What Paul gave me was a sense of
ehorqjlqj/#dqg#wkdwġv#jrqh#qrz/#vr#L#Ľ#qg#lw#
lq#rwkhu#zd|v#Ğ#L#Ľ#qg#lw#lq#p|#zrun/#L#Ľ#qg#
it through my brilliant friends like Ian
[McKellen]. Before Paul died, he went to Ian
and a few others and said, ‘You will look after
Michael, won’t you?’ I didn’t know this at the
time. And therefore being honest about what
I’m going through is crucial to me now.”
Plfkdho#Ľ#uvw#vdz#d#wkhudslvw#4;#|hduv#djr/#
which he couldn’t recommend more to people
vxļ#hulqj#zlwk#phqwdo#khdowk#lvvxhv/#exw#wkh#
role of therapy in his life has been much more
prominent since Paul died.
ģ\rx#Ľ#qg#|rxu#ghprqv#dqg#|rx#nqrz#krz#wr#
wrestle them, but you ignore them, and then
you get into repetitive behaviours so you can
keep ignoring them,” Michael explains. “But
in therapy, you begin to learn about yourself.
38 
ord
And if at 66 I can still learn about myself, or I
can begin to learn about myself, then the last
few years will have been interesting for me.”
Olnh#d#orw#ri#shrsoh#zkr#vxļ#hu#zlwk#
mental health issues, you wouldn’t see it in
Michael just by looking at him. Throughout
our interview he jokes jovially about his
upbringing – “My mum and dad had so
many gay friends. Camp used to drip out the
zdoosdshu#dw#rxu#frxqflo#ľ#dw#zlwk#doo#wkh#gudj#
queens that would stay over!” He remembers
fondly his guest return to EastEnders at the
wdlo#hqg#ri#5349#Ğ#ģLw#zdv#juhdw#wr#zrun#zlwk#
June Brown, or Dame June Brown, as it needs
to be. I’d walk over hot coals to work with
June!” And as you might expect, he’s still
passionate about political issues – “I get so
angry about what’s happening to refugees and
the rise of Islamaphobia and xenophobia in
the wake of Brexit. All people have to wonder
is, ‘What if that was me?’ If I wouldn’t want
that happening to mine, how dare I allow it to
happen to another!”
And talking about the proudest moment
of his lifetime, he doesn’t hesitate to say:
“Meeting Paul Cottingham on 9 September
lq#4<;61#Sdxo#zdv#d#4<0|hdu0rog#er|#zkr#wrrn#
d#660|hdu0rog#pdq#e|#wkh#kdqg#dqg#wdxjkw#
him how to love, taught him how to live and
changed my life. If I could have a pact with the
devil, I’d give him everything I’ve got for one
more moment with him.
“Our relationship lived through the HIV
|hduv/#wkh#Vhfwlrq#5;#|hduv/#kh#zdv#rxwhg#e|#
the News of the World and we had a brick
through our window not once, but twice. I
couldn’t have become the man I am without
him. He gave me amazing strength and
pushed me. We went through a time where we
had to be very careful about being ourselves,
but you know what? He didn’t give a fuck. He
was amazing.”
It’s why if we’d written this interview as
we originally intended, you wouldn’t have
known that such a strong, powerful man – an
inspiration to thousands – could be feeling so
much hurt and pain. And to be frank, if it can
happen to Michael, it could be happening to
any one of your friends or family members.
It’s why Michael wants us all to talk more,
even if it’s just as simple as asking how
somebody is – and to actually wanting to
know the answer.
“I used to say to people when they’d ask
how I was – ‘Do you really want to know?’”
he laughs. “But mental health is extremely
important to talk about and get the words
out in the open. Some of us are completely
unaware that the people we’re working
dorqjvlgh#frxog#eh#vxļ#hulqj1#Wkh#rshqqhvv#
helps get rid of taboos and bring solutions.”
And considering everything Michael has
done throughout his life, working so that we
can live how we do today, we think we can
do him the simple favour of turning to the
person next to us and asking them how they
are – and actually meaning it. It could do more
for them than we may ever know. O
If you’re suffering from mental health issues
there’s always someone who can listen or help.
The LGBT+ Switchboard can be contacted on 0300
330 0630 between 10am and 10pm each day.
They also have advice online at switchboard.lgbt.
Mental health charity Mind also offer support
and information online at mind.org.uk, or can
be contacted on their helpline between 9am
and 6pm by calling 0300 123 3393. Follow Lord
Michael Cashman on Twitter at @mcashmancbe
 COLUMN <<< CO M M U N I T Y

My best friend and I have the goal of seeing everyone

known each over for more equally. That experience
than ten years – which he had could have been
means we’ve been through anything from hearing an
a lot of ups and downs! We example used by a politician,
met at university and now, seeing a news report or
here in the Big Smoke, we documentary, or having a
live together. I’ve noticed run-in with someone who,
though, since he started a if caucasian, would’ve been
new job, that he’s started about their actions, but if
speaking in more, urm, they weren’t could have been
colourful language when it about their race. The only
comes to people of colour. thing that can undo snapshot
I don’t think he’s racist or views of entire races, cultural
means offence, but casual backgrounds or religious
racism is just unacceptable. beliefs is acknowledging your
He’s started leaning on personal ignorance and doing
inappropriate stereotypes something about it.
when it comes to talking I recommend when you talk
about those from different to him you start by asking
ethnic backgrounds – and questions. “I notice you’ve
even does accents now! I started mimicking people’s

know this isn’t him, and I
can only assume it’s related
to a new crowd at work, but
how do I bring this up with
him without making things
awkward or ruining our
friendship? There’s enough
hate in the world without
casual racism. From TR
Hey TR. Your concern for your
friend and your respectful
approach is admirable. If
you’re worried about causing
offence through your actions
it’s clear to me that you have
his best intentions at heart
and that will come across
when you speak to him,
so take that pressure off
yourself. Having said that,
you can’t make someone
feel something. If he’s
open to your guidance, he’ll
appreciate it. If he has any
kind of chip on his shoulder or
acknowledgment that there
is intent behind his words, he
will be defensive and possibly
get offended. That feeling
isn’t yours to own or control.
I’m someone who believes
in each to their own. We don’t
know what past experiences
your friend has had, so
suggesting someone else
lives or uses language that we
do makes me uncomfortable.
But you’re right, there’s
evidence all around us of
40 
ask ad
what happens when casual
racism is allowed to be
culturally accepted. It puts
up barriers to understanding
others, decreases tolerance,
increases mistrust and, as
you say, it can lead to hate.
Therefore with this in mind,
I propose the real enemy here
isn’t racism, it’s ignorance.
From what you describe this
feels especially true for your
friend. Viewing this through
WKHȴOWHURILJQRUDQFHKHOSV
on two counts. Firstly,
‘being racist’ or the fear of it
shorthands the conversation
to something which carries
immense emotional
attachment. It immediately
creates offence (even if they
do display racist tendencies)
and sends the conversation
into a defensive downward
spiral where ridiculous
comebacks like ‘I’m not racist,
I...’ gets pulled out – which
helps no one.
Secondly, ignorance allows
your friend to still have the
experiences he’s had which
may have fed into his new
way of thinking, yet still allows be edited for space
80%
of black gay men say they’ve
experienced racism within
the gay community.
63%
of black and South Asian
gay men believe racism is a
bigger issue for them than
homophobia.
51%
RI/*%7$VLDQDQG3DFLȴF
Islanders (APIs) are out to
their family and friends.
1/3
of LGBT+ youth of colour
have experienced
physical violence because
of their sexuality.
65%
of homeless people
are members of racial
minorities.
51%
NEED
ADVICE?
Ask Aled at of those verbally or
advice@ physically abused
gaytimes.co.uk following the Brexit result
Your email will be kept were from South Asia.
anonymous and may
accents more recently,
where’s that come from?”
“You seem angry when you
talk about...” Ask questions
that will help you (and
therefore him) understand
where this new behaviour
comes from or what may have
triggered this new outlook.
Never judge. Never make
statements. Avoid at all costs
any sentences that start with
“you” or “you’re” and go big
on questions like: “What’s
behind...?” “Where’s this
thought come from?” “How
long have you felt...?” “Who
are you thinking of...?”
These are tactics employed
WRKHOSSHRSOHȴQGDQVZHUV
out on their own because
realisations made by yourself
will land home and stick much
better than ones told to you.
Over time you can help
him educate himself by
sharing books, watching
ȴOPVUHDFKLQJRXWWRQHZ
friends and making the
effort to understand other
people, their cultures and
backgrounds. This isn’t going
to happen overnight but it’ll
be worth the effort, resulting
in one less person to spread
hate in this world. O
@ahj
 Nextissue!
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As the dark nights and
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give in to the rebirth of
spring and the bright
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From everyday looks
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43
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WORDS pj brennan
IMAGES victoria will
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46 
 COVER

Nico Tortorella first caught our eye way back

in 2011 when he starred in Scream 4. We then
fell in love with the young actor thanks to his
turn in TV Land comedy-drama Younger,
and by the time his critically acclaimed
podcast he Love Bomb came around, we were
practically down on one knee and picking out
the wallpaper. Only inevitable, then, that we
got him on the cover of GT to talk life, love,
ambitions, bisexuality, and being the change
you want to see in the world...

he’s certainly not afraid to prepared from the outset party for her. It was kind of

A
s the camera snaps away
in a sleepy Manhattan
karaoke bar, Nico Tortorella,
seated at a piano, begins
to improvise a little ditty
from off the top of his head.
“I don’t know how to play,”
he warns, and yet, every
note makes sense from the
previous one, he manages
to stay in key, and in the
end provides his own mood
music for our cover shoot.
This kind of sums Nico up:
try and the result seems to
work perfectly.
His otherworldly
FRQ¿GHQFHLVQ¶WDUHFHQW
occurrence, either. Hailing
from Wilmette, Illinois, in
the heart of Middle America,
Nico seemed to have an
urge to stray from the pack
from an early age. “I have
this really vivid image of
me [in junior high] wearing
this bright orange soccer
jersey, overalls on top of it,
and a pair of rain boots,” the
28-year-old recalls. “I was
doing it because it was what
I wanted to wear for the day
and I got made fun of. But
I almost took pride in the
fact that I was getting made
fun of.”
That sort of resilience in
the face of childhood torment
is a rarity, yet Nico seemed
to push the boundaries
in an otherwise average
American town. In a place
where “normal” seems to be
the goal, one person stands
out for Nico as an early
role model: his junior high
principal, Dr Reid.
For his sixth and seventh
years of school Dr Reid
LGHQWL¿HGDVDPDQEXW
ZHHNVEHIRUHWKH¿UVWGD\
of eigth grade, the students
received a letter explaining
Dr Reid’s intentions to
transition and identify as a
woman. Unsurprisingly, this
sent a shock wave through
the community.
“It was a really mixed
reaction. There were families
that moved out of the
district, but there were also
a bunch of kids, me included,
who rallied up and threw a
amazing.” Both before and
after Dr Reid’s transition,
there was an unspoken
connection between the two.
“I understood that there was
something queer about Dr
Reid, for sure, and I don’t
even think I understood
what queer was at that
point,” Nico explains.
Spending hours in Dr
5HLG¶VRI¿FHWRDYRLGWKH
harsh bullying in the school
hallways, the two developed
a bond that seemed to form
in Nico the strength and
FRQ¿GHQFHYLVLEO\DSSDUHQW
today. “She always stuck up
for me and that was really
great to have. I saw that we
were more similar in terms
of mindset than myself and
my peers and I felt really
comfortable with her. I
always think about her.”
47
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0 3 / 17 >>>
$VDVHOILGHQWL¿HGELVH[XDO
man, Nico has had to face
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RSLQLRQVDERXWKRZKH
VKRXOGOLYHKLVOLIHKLVHQWLUH
SURIHVVLRQDOFDUHHU7KHVRUW
RIVXFFHVV1LFRKDVHQMR\HGLQ
UHFHQW\HDUVW\SLFDOO\FRPHV
ZLWKDVHWRIJXLGHOLQHVZKDW
1LFRFDOOV³SXEOLFLVWUXOHV´
ZKLFKRQHPXVWDELGHE\
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“I’ve dated gay
men that have not
completely understood
my bisexuality. They
just don’t get it.”
50 
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 COVER

SHIRT BY LUCIOCASTRO.COM
PANTS BY MAXNCHESTER.COM
RING BY 203JEWELRY.COM
BRACELETS BY ETONSHIRTS.COM/US

51
0 3 / 17 >>>

52 
 COVER

GLASSES BY THOMBROWNE.COM
TUXEDO BY DAVIDHARTNYC.COM
BOW TIE BY BILLYREID.COM
NECKLACE BY 203JEWELRY.COM
POCKET SQUARE BY JHILBURN.COM
SHOES BY BILLYREID.COM

53
0 3 / 17 >>>

SHORT-SLEEVED WRAP CARDIGAN

BY DEVEAUXNEWYORK.COM
NECKLACE BY 203JEWELRY.COM

54 

“I’m going to make
mistakes, but I’m
learning. I’m a
student of the world
at this point.”
According to Nico, the
conversations on the podcast
aren’t just shooting the shit,
but a genuine opportunity
to increase visibility for
marginalised sections of
society. “What I’m dedicated
to most is to bringing a more
colourful cast of characters,”
Nico explains, “I want to give
everybody a chance to have
a voice on my podcast.” But
Nico is intent on avoiding
“mansplaining” and ignoring
his own privilege as a
cisgendered white man. And
in some ways, if providing a
platform is a positive from his
privilege, he’s at least aware
enough to step back and let
others speak for themselves.
That’s not to say he hasn’t
made a gaff from time to
time, such as using the wrong
pronoun to identify someone,
which can be a tetchy topic.
“But I think what sets me
apart, is that as soon as I
make a mistake, I’ll point it
out on a public level, and try
WRGRZKDW,FDQWRKHOS¿[LW´
Nico states, without a hint of
defensiveness. “And I’m trying
everything in my power, like
UHDOO\SUD\LQJWRMXVW¿JXUH
out how to use my voice in the
PRVWHI¿FLHQWZD\SRVVLEOHWR
represent something so much
bigger than myself. I’m going
to make mistakes, but I’m
learning. I’m a student of the
world at this point.”
What seems to stand out
the most in every podcast
LV1LFR¶VRZQFRQ¿GHQFHLQ
knowing who he is and the
excitement he shows about
getting to know others, or
rather, experiencing them.
You get the impression from
the people who know him best
that he takes pleasure in living
life. In one episode, RuPaul’s
Drag Race alum and friend,
Milk, describes Nico as the
fashion forward one of the
pair. For anyone that knows
anything about Milk, this
might come as a surprise. In
another, he and Kyle Krieger
discuss their relationship, the
good and the bad, from start
WR¿QLVK,I1LFRLVWU\LQJWR
increase visibility and honesty,
this one episode alone is a
success in its stark sincerity.
It’s the last setup of the shoot
and Nico is draped along a
curved sectional couch by
the front of the bar, winter
sunlight bleeding between the
slats of the window blinds.
His instincts seem to kick in
again as he clasps the collar
of the satin button down he’s
wearing and pulls it up to
frame his already angular face.
For an instant you see James
Dean: that mix of masculine
and feminine, that unspoken
awareness that he intrigues
the viewer, the notion that he
knows a secret that we don’t
and desperately want in on.
COVER
And again, in that moment,
it all makes sense: he’s
enjoying all of this and we
can’t help but watch.
In fashion, he explains,
there’s a grey area between
the masculine and the
feminine. “I like to live in
that grey area,” he says. It’s
clear that this a mantra of
sorts for him, that he applies
this principle to most parts
of his life. For him, there is
FODULW\LQWKHÀXLGDQGDV
society seems to be more
willing than ever to accept
a less binary way of living,
Nico’s moment couldn’t come
at a better time. O
The Love Bomb with Nico
Tortorella is available on
iTunes and At Will Radio. Keep
up with Nico by following @_
nicotortorella on Twitter and
@nicotortorella on Instagram
55
0 3 / 17 >>>

JACKET BY DEVEAUXNEWYORK.COM
HENLEY TANK TOP BY MATIERE.COM
TROUSERS BY PALMIERSDUMAL.COM
NECKLACE BY 203JEWELRY.COM
CUFF BRACELETS BY ETONSHIRTS.COM/US
SHOES BY BILLYREID.COM

56 
 COVER

NECKLACE BY 203JEWELRY.COM
COAT BY PALMIERSDUMAL.COM
BELT – STYLIST’S OWN
PANTS BY TOMMY.COM

57
 0 3 / 17 >>> pring/uer 17

BRITISH
CHARM
Marks & Spencer’s Best of
British line takes a more
relaxed approach to spring/
summer this year with more
casual options. Keeping
the British in the brand,
seersucker jackets, lightweight
shirts and the Walsh trainer
are all manufactured at home
in the UK. he light and bright
colours keep the collection
feeling fresh, and the new
range can be dressed up or
down, with endless options for
your spring/summer needs.
Best of British in stores and online from 16 March

Eyes
Wide
Shut
58 
 STYLE

Ace & Tate are launching a limited

edition collaboration with Amsterdam’s
creative duo Lernert & Sander. “We
ERWKZHDUJODVVHVDQGZKHQZH¿UVW
heard from Ace & Tate we knew we
wanted to collaborate one day,” say the
DUWLVWVDQG¿OPPDNHUV³:HWKLQNWKH
young entrepreneurship of Ace & Tate
is really inspiring.” The sunglasses
IHDWXUHPLUURUHGUHÀHFWLYHOHQVHVDQG
are made of 100% bio-degradable black The limited edition sunglasses launch on
acetate, with 70% of its compounds 17 March priced £139, available online and
coming from natural sources. DWVHOHFWHG$FH 7DWHȵDJVKLSVWRUHV

59
 0 3 / 17 >>> pring/uer 17

A,M is the latest luxury brand

from London’s creative heart
to hit the shops, with their
timeless luggage that brings
together utilitarian design with
a modern street-wear edge.
A collaboration between
English art director Matt Gill
and Swedish designer Ann
Nelvig are the duo responsible
for our newest bag obsession,
with their collection made up
of four diferent styles. he
Shiford is a classic sports bag,
he Hungerford is a trapezoid
sports holdall, he Fernley is a
backpack, and he Furze is a
mini flight bag – and each style
comes in five colourways.
Starting at £230, am-bag.com

patterns
OF ATTRACTION

60 
 STYLE

man about town

boohooMAN is all about labels this season. The capsule collection
showcasing the brand’s new MAN logo is nearly as MAN crazy as we are.
All black everything and a fully logoed up wardrobe will keep you feeling
SUHWW\PDQO\,IWKHVWDUNW\SHLVORRNLQJDOLWWOHWRRFOHDQFXWDJUDI¿WL0$1
logo blazed across the back will shake things up. More discrete looks include
MAN branded underwear and trim detailing on shorts and tops. Logo-
mania seems to be sticking around for now, so it might be time to upgrade
from your old BOY London and become a MAN.
Online and in stores, boohooman.com

61
 0 3 / 17 >>> pring/uer 17

GOING CLEAR
“H&M Studio is about
contradictions,” says the retailer’s
menswear head of design Andreas
Lowenstam. “It’s the balance
between tailored tradition and
sporty modernity, and between
masculinity and a new sensitivity.”
And this couldn’t be more true than
with H&M’s latest collection, which
is your luxe sports dreams made
cloth, with a focus on lightness of
movement elevating the reworked
pieces. The colour plate strengthens
the modern looks in black, white,
pink and grey. Layered transparent
pieces in mesh and plastic are key,
but if you really want to go bold, go
for the pink nylon bomber.
In stores and online from 1 March

62 
 STYLE

RAIN, RAIN
falling down

Diesel’s X collection is giving us even more options for performance sportswear, inspired by
today’s work out culture. “Today there’s a need for a modern, active wardrobe, an amour for
the city,” explains the label’s artistic director Nicola Formichetti. “I wanted to take a biker
jacket and pants, which are strong elements of the Diesel DNA, and remix them in technical
fabrics, with a nod to denim.” he nylon outerwear is 100% windproof and rain repellent with
UV ray protection. he collection comes in four graphic themes.
Available in store and from diesel.com

63
 0 3 / 17 >>> pring/uer 17

rban ungle
Original Penguin is having some mash
up moments this spring/summer. Mixing
authentic heritage retro sportswear with
a safari expedition feeling, this collection
is ready for the real world ahead; a play
with athletic stripes for the active and
geometric and animal print for the more
wild at heart. Expect to see a mix of
colour ranging from samba red to “diva
blue”, with traditional summer hues of
coral and teal just as bright and beautiful
as a jungle bouquet.
Available at originalpenguin.co.uk

64 
 STYLE

SEEING
SPOTS
Boston’s iconic Eastpak label and
Paul & Joe’s creative director
Sophie Mechaly have teamed
up for a Malaysian-inspired
unisex collection. The two
prints – designed by Sophie
– include an origami pink
EXWWHUÀ\DOORYHUSULQWRQDNKDNL
background and a navy leapoard-
print-meets-camo blend. The
collection comes in all sizes from
lightweight luggage to the iconic
Padded Pak’r.

Starting at £70, available mid February

at eastpak.com and paulandjoe.com

putting the boot in Palladium Boots celebrates its 70th anniversary with two special collections
– the Palladium 70th Anniversary Boot and L’Originale. he 70th
Anniversary Boot comes in only black or white, adorned with
the names of 70 cities where Palladium has explored, with the
tongue also embelished with the original Palladium logo. he
boots ofers two diferent laces options, with or without
typography. L’Originale was originally worn by
the French Foreign Legion in 1947, and the
original silhouette has been revamped,
introducing the Paradrop insole which
provides extra comfort and softness.
Now that’s what we call boot-iful.
Both styles available at palladiumboots.com

65
0 3 / 17 >>>

MARGATE
y e ea

There’s just something about Marg

ate. The quaint British seaside town
some time now. Ice cream cones and has been a source of inspiration for
seagulls immediately come to mind
irresistible. A simple hop on a train , but salt water taffy pastels are also
for some – just head the opposite direc
Brighton. If you can’t make the journ tion to the tourists heading for
ey, Margate bedazzled jumpers for
ever ything has to scream for ice cream all! You can also play it low key, not
. After all, a British seaside summer
is always a bit cool.

66 
 STYLE

PHOTOGRAPHER theo william s

STYLING stephen conway
GROOMING josie chan
USING mac AND ame rican crew
THANKS TO sand s hotel mar
gate
sand shotelmargate.co.uk
FULL LOOK TOPMA N DESIGN

67
0 3 / 17 >>>

FULL LOOK
RIVER ISLAND

68 
STYLE

JACKET AND SHORTS

PENFIELD
SHIRT WÅVEN

69
0 3 / 17 >>>

FULL LOOK
H&M

70 
STYLE

FULL LOOK
FRENCH CONNECTION

71
0 3 / 17 >>>

FULL LOOK
BOOHOO MAN

72 
STYLE

FULL LOOK
SCOTCH & SODA

73
0 3 / 17 >>>

FULL LOOK
WHISTLES

74 
STYLE

FULL LOOK
NEW LOOK

75
0 3 / 17 >>>

DANIEL
LISMORE ...is the boy from Bournemouth who grew into one of the biggest names in
the British fashion industry. Hot of the heels of his new book, Daniel talks
styling the likes of Cara Delevingne and Mariah Carey, working with giants
such as Vivienne Westwood, inspiring Gaga, and how we can all use fashion
to stand in the way of control.

Dressing however the
hell he damn well pleases
means life isn’t plain sailing
for Daniel Lismore. “I’ve
experience homophobia,” the
fashion maverick sighs. “I’ve
experience transphobia. I’ve
experienced all kinds of hate
for the way I am, in London,
around the UK and online.”
He knows why that it
happens. “People don’t get it
and they feel they have to say
something, but those are the
people that don’t matter in your
life. My friends go, ‘How on
earth do you ignore it?’ But I
honestly don’t see it anymore.
If someone said something
awful about a friend I’d jump
straight on them, but if they say
something about me I’m like,
‘OK, that’s your opinion but I
don’t agree and I’ve got better
things to do.’”
That said, Daniel, 32, recalls
wearing drag and walking
through Soho with New
Romantics godfather Steve
Strange when a guy spat on
KLP¿YHWLPHVDQGSXQFKHG
him. “So I beat him up and
he was crying. If someone
hits me I’m not going to stop.”
Sounding far from proud of
76 
himself for retaliating, he gives
another longer sigh. “I’m lucky
that I’m 6ft 4ins and I can
defend myself, but it’s a part of
me I don’t really want to use
and I wouldn’t recommend it.
You never know what’s going to
happen in those situations so
I’d advise to try and get away
from it as fast as you can.”
'H¿DQWO\WKHPDQZKRZHDUV
everything from medieval garb
to tribal gear via designer bin
liners and regal crowns has
no intention of tempering his
image. “We need characters
right now,” he tells us. “We
need people who will break out
of a mould, like in the 80s when
we had Boy George and people
coming out of hard times and
just being themselves. That’s
when change happens. For
years I’ve been put down by
the art world and fashion and
society, mainly by people who
have never met me or spoken
to me. It’s not easy being
different, but it’s worth it.”
As one of the stars of our
style issue, Daniel has wide
parameters when it comes to
GH¿QLQJVW\OH³,W¶V\RXURZQ
WORDS simon button personal idea. People too often
judge what other people are
wearing, but actually if you
just put something on and you
feel OK in it, and you want to
present yourself to the world
like that, then that’s up to you.”
The way he presents himself
to the world has earned him
the oft-repeated moniker
of ‘world’s most outrageous
dresser’, which was coined
by the editors of Vogue and
now crops up every time he’s
written about. How does he
plead? “Not guilty! I don’t think
the way I dress is outrageous.
If you look at tribes around the
world they’re very similar.”
A fan and friend of Boy
George, who has penned a
poem for the companion book
to his exhibition Be Yourself,
Everyone Else is Already
Taken, Daniel believes the
LGBT+ community are still
very much trendsetters. We’ve
always stood out and been a bit
different, he feels, partly as a
way to identify each other. “And
since it’s been accepted for guys
to be gay, since we were told we
could be a certain way, there’s
a lot more of that. Everyone
follows us.”
You might wonder if his ever-
evolving, hard-to-categorise
STYLE

77
IMAGES COLIN GRAY
0 3 / 17 >>>
look is a little too out-there
for people to copy. “But I’m
imitated all the time,” he
insists, “either by small groups
around the world – kids or
whatever – or ladies in Sweden.
I see stylists taking inspiration
from me for shoots, or you
VHH\RXULQÀXHQFHLQIDVKLRQ
shows.” He laughs about his
ideas leaking into pop culture.
“Iggy Azalea, Lady Gaga and all
those – they stole my looks.”
His new book could serve as
a reference manual for such
style thieves. It features the
32 ensembles Daniel created
for his exhibition, which
premiered at the SCAD FASH
Museum of Fashion and
Film in Atlanta, and was also
featured at Art Basel in Miami.
Daniel reels off a list of people
who have provided quotes for
the book – including Stephen
Fry, Debbie Harry, Yves Saint
Laurent and Matt Lucas, with
an essay by fashion guru Hilary
Alexander. He’s got them all
on speed dial, apparently,
although he might not have
time to call them during what
looks like being a very busy
year. Having stepped down
as creative director of atelier
Sorapol label late last year, he
declares: “I’m branching out on
my own. I want to conquer the
art world.”
There are a lot of TBC
things he can’t talk about,
plus a perfume that has to be
¿QDOLVHGDQGQDPHG+H¶VDOVR
an ambassador for the Tate
Modern and plans to take his
exhibition around the world.
Among the people he’d like to
work with and design for are
Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis
and Angelina Jolie. “They’re
power women who I really
admire and they’re so sexy.”
He laughs. “But then I want to
dress the rest of the world.”
He’s clothed Nicki Minaj,
recalling: “She was quite tricky
because she changed her mind
all the time, with all these
crazy and elaborate ideas, but
she was a total dream to dress.
Her body is beautiful, so to
create stuff for her was great.”
And Sorapol made a coat for
Mariah Carey, raving: “She’s
super-sharp and so intelligent.
There’s a reason she’s gone so
far in her career.”
78 
Then there was the time he
dressed Azealia Banks and
Cara Delevingne as mermaids
and walked with them through
the London Aquarium. “They
ZHUHVKXIÀLQJDORQJDQGLWZDV
very funny. Neither of them
could move and I was thinking,
‘This is ridiculous.’”
Daniel’s style icons include
Stephen Fry “because he’s
always so dandy” and Isabella
Blow, Philip Treacy’s muse
who told him: “Always wear
UHGOLSVWLFNDQGGRQ¶WJLYHDÀLS
about what people think.”
Born in Bournemouth, the
boy who went on to study
fashion and photography
and became a model at age
17 recalls being inspired by
image-makers like David
LaChapelle. “When I was a
kid seeing his work kind of
blew my mind.” And he loves
Vivienne Westwood, who he’s
collaborated with on climate
change and human rights
projects, “because she changes
the world via clothes and that’s
what I’m about”.
Does he feel like a role model
for the LGBT+ community?
Daniel ponders the question,
then answers: “It’s not just
LGBT+, it’s anyone who’s a bit
different or thinks differently
or wants to be different.” As
WKH¿UVWEUDQGDPEDVVDGRUIRU
Illamasqua make-up, he adds:
“If you look at their make-up
it’s for people who are not
living within boxed ideas.”
He doesn’t think the
community has lost its edge.
Far from it in fact. “Ten years
ago it was a very different
world but now there are new
groups happening and new
scenes and new ideas. And
LGBT+ people are blended
in more now so they’re able
WRLQÀXHQFHPRUHVFHQHV
rather than just art, music and
fashion.”
Does tireless self-promotion
ever get tiring? “Never,” Daniel
declares. “I think social media
is fantastic and I’m just sharing
my life with the world and I’m
sharing it truthfully. It never
gets tiring and there’s no off
button because it’s real.” O
Daniel Lismore: Be Yourself,
Everyone Else is Already Taken is
published by Skira Rizzoli, priced
£40, daniellismore.blogspot.com,
@daniellismore
STYLE

79
0 3 / 17 >>>

the

We all know that the clothes make the man, but that goes double when it comes to a classic
timepiece. Finding the perfect watch can be time consuming, as a watch is extremely
SHUVRQDODQGSLFNLQJWKHȴQGLQJWKHULJKWRQHFDQȇWEHUXVKHG:DWFKHVFDQEHRIFRXUVH
RFFDVLRQDOPD\EH\RXUHYHU\GD\ZDWFKLVQȇWULJKWIRU\RXUH[WUDFXUULFXODUDGYHQWXUHV%XW
when it comes to wrist candy, we say the more the merrier – switch it up day to day! The idea
of constant change is actually pretty timeless.

PHOTOGRAPHER hristo hristov

STYLING stephen conway

BOSS SUPERNOVA
£375 AT BOSSWATCHES.CO.UK

80 
STYLE

81
0 3 / 17 >>>

DIESEL RASP
£145 AT WATCH STATION INTERNATIONAL
AND HOUSE OF FRASER

82 
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ARMANI EXCHANGE DIVER WATCH

£169 AT WATCH STATION INTERNATIONAL
AND HOUSE OF FRASER

83
0 3 / 17 >>>

THE NIXON THE STATION

£200 AT NIXON.COM

84 
 STYLE

MIANSAI M12 SWISS ROSE GOLD

£436 AT MIANSAI.COM

85
0 3 / 17 >>>

SWATCH MOSAICI AND MORE

£38 AT SHOP.SWATCH.COM

86 
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MOVADO EDGE
£525 AT MOVADO.CO.UK

87
0 3 / 17 >>>

TW STEEL CANTEEN LEATHER CS12

£219 AT TWSTEELUK.COM

88 
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WILLIAM L 1985
VINTAGE CHRONOGRAPH
IN ROSE-GOLD
£162
AT WILLIAML1985.COM

89
 S T Y L E >>> kin deep

01
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02 02
POWER OF THREE
Take three of the
most famous
and respected
perfumers, put them
together with little
to no boundaries to
WORDS darren scott create whatever they
want, and what have
you got? Project
Renegades, a trio of
new fragrances from
Buxton, Duchaufour
and Schoen
Project Renegades,
£155 each,
exclusively at Harvey
Nichols.
03
WHEN I’M
AT A PARTY…
Born from the
idea of a cocktail
in Brazil, Sophia
)TQLUOCPŨUƒTUVOCNG
fragrance is as many
descriptive words
as you can throw
in a flamboyantly-
decorated glass.
Outrageous for
Frédéric Malle has
lusty, dramatic,
festive and colourful
in the mix, but most
importantly it’s
downright sexy,
with bergamot
blending into musky
01 03 cinnamon. £130,
libertylondon.com.

OUT OF THIS WORLD

When you’ve gone to the ends of the world in your
quest to look younger, where’s left? Why, outer
space of course! Step up Lab Series’ Maxcellence
range, produced in limited quantities, and including
rare meteorite extract and deep-space technology.
It may well be that no one can hear you scream in
space, but no one needs that when looking in the
mirror planet-side. From £105, labseries.co.uk and exclusively at Harrods

90 
 grooming

Top-to-toe
No one is going to deny that
hairy is sexy, but sometimes
the garden just looks a lot
more inviting when it’s tidy,
if you know what we mean…
Panasonic’s GB80 Multi-
Groomer has got you covered
– or un-covered in this
instance – from all angles.
With its three attachments,
you can take on your
beard, your body and your
bonce with more than 40
adjustment settings. And yes,
that includes ‘delicate’ areas...
£59.99, nationwide

Join our club

Just when you thought Acqua di
Parma’s Colonia Club couldn’t get any
better, they’ve added Aftershave Balm
and Aftershave Lotion to the ever-
growing collection. It seems you can’t
keep a good fragrance down. But if that
completes the set – that means we’re
already excited for the next scent...
£45 each, acquadiparma.com

91
0 3 / 17 >>>

92 

NICK
youngquest
We took a trip to Reykjavik with the face – and body – of Paco
Rabanne’s new Invictus Intense fragrance. It turns out that former
rugby star Nick Youngquest is anything but intense, though...
Did you start looking after your skin
from a young age? When I was probably
about 16 or 17. I was always quite lucky, I never
really had bad skin or anything. My mum just
said I should take care of my skin and use some
cleanser! I was like ‘what’s this crap’ at the
start – when you’re young it’s kind of annoying,
I guess. Straight guys, they look at you like
‘what’re you doing?’, but if it’s OK for women,
ZK\LVLWQRW2.IRUXV",WWDNHV¿YHPLQXWHVRXW
of every day. I quite enjoy it actually, to be honest
with you, and I’d like to think that I’ve been able
to keep some nice skin on my face! [Laughs]
How did your rugby teammates respond?
They would think I was totally weird. The funny
thing was, I’d be the one who would walk into
the shower naked with a bunch of guys. I mean,
I don’t get why a bunch of guys wouldn’t be
comfortable with being naked together, but in
UXJE\WHDPVVSHFL¿FDOO\LW¶VNLQGRIZHLUGWKDW
they keep their shorts on! So I’d always be the
one who was naked, and I’d always have on the
cleansing products too, and they would all give
me crap about it.
Rugby, like football, still seems to have a
bit of a stigma for gay players. It’s silly. To
say there’s not more ‘gay sportsmen’ out there is
just ludicrous, right? Absolutely ludicrous. It’s
kind of sad that it’s more than likely that there
are more guys who are out there that don’t feel
like they’re comfortable enough to deal with
that, and it’s probably because of the guys that
have already – some of them haven’t really been
successful. I guess that Michael Sam in the NFL
never ended up playing again, so it’s kind of sad.
I think we’re living in a kind of archaic sort of
time really, where you have to really think about
\RXUVH[XDOLW\ZKLFKGH¿QHV\RXDVDQDWKOHWH±
LW¶VNLQGRIVWUDQJH7KDWLWHYHQGH¿QHV\RXDVD
person is bizarre.
How did your teammates react when you
went on to become a model? Obviously they
gave me crap about it, but, if anyone sends me a
text I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m in Iceland snowmobiling
on a glacier, so how’s your day going?’ [Laughs]
When you were growing up, what
fragrances did you wear? No one
believes me when I say this, it’s so weird I
wore Paco Rabanne XS. I used to steal it
from my dad’s drawer…
Paco Rabanne make very good use of
your body indeed – how do you manage
WRUHWDLQVXFKDJRRG¿JXUH" To be honest
with you, I’ve thought about this myself, because
I have lots of friends all different sizes who try
different diets and different trainings, and I feel
lucky with my genetics. My dad was always very
slim. Not so much now because both of his knees
are bad so he can’t exercise too much, as well as
drinking lots of beer – he is Australian!
He’s earnt the right to drink beer! Yeah!
I just seem to be able to not pay super strict
attention to my diet, but I do train a lot, I do a
ORWRI\RJD±DERXW¿YHWLPHVDZHHN±UXQQLQJD
couple of times a week, I’m doing weights in the
gym, and at the moment because I’m studying at
university – yep, 33-years-old and still studying!
– I have a lot of time to be able to train.
When did you start working towards
becoming an advocate for LGBT+ rights?
,WGH¿QLWHO\VWDUWHGZLWKWKHFDOHQGDU,DOZD\V
thought it was weird because Australian guys
always have to be macho and masculine. You
have people like Mike Pence who thinks he can
electrocute guys and girls to make them straight,
and it’s just bizarre to me that people can think
like that. Once I had a platform to advocate and
help change people’s perception on things, I felt
I was obligated in a way to speak out for what I
believed in.
WORDS darren scott
grooming
<RXU¿UVWPRGHOOLQJMREZDVLQDQDNHG
calendar? I used to support the calendars
back home in Australia, similar to the Dieux
du Stade ones. We did a bunch of calendars
supporting a bunch of different causes, the
¿UVWRQHZDVEUHDVWFDQFHUDQGWKHQRQHRI
them was supporting the LGBT+ community.
7KDWZDVGH¿QLWHO\ZKHUHWKHH[SRVXUHIRUWKH
modelling came off.
You’re not shy then? No! I don’t really care!
[Laughs]. I have no problem in front of the
camera, I’ve taken so many funny pictures
with photographers, pictures that you couldn’t
even print, but they’re fucking hilarious.
Is it liberating to pose nude? Ummmm...
[Pause] I don’t know! It’s liberating for me to
go to the nudist beaches in Spain! [Laughs]
But, being in front of the camera nude, I don’t
really think about it, it’s neither here nor there.
It’s not like, ‘Oh I wanna go and get naked in
front of the camera!’
:KHQZDVWKH¿UVWWLPH\RXQRWLFHGPDOH
attention from these shoots? Were you
expecting it beforehand?'H¿QLWHO\ZDVQ¶W
expecting it beforehand, but it would’ve been
DIWHUWKH¿UVWFDOHQGDU±WKHJX\WKDWVKRWWKH
pictures was logged onto numerous sites and
VWXIIOLNHWKDW,ZDVTXLWHÀDWWHUHGE\LW,WKLQN
it’s great, there’s nothing wrong with having
admiration for someone who’s not the same
sexuality as you, I don’t think that’s bad at all.
Do you get any strange messages from
people online? Not really, I’ve been lucky! I
got a funny one, a guy said to me, ‘You would be
a lovely bottom!’ Obviously, I knew what that
meant, and I just wanted to laugh. I’m sure some
people would try to delete it, but I was like OK...
I don’t know who you are but thank you for the
comment, I’ll take it as a compliment! [Laughs] O
Paco Rabanne Invictus Intense is available
nationwide now, @nickyoungquest
93
 GROOMING
How to…
groom in style
Worried bae might judge the contents of
your bathroom cabinet? Lee Kynaston
shows how to up your game with the most
stylish grooming gear around.
01. The fragrance. One
of the most acclaimed
fragrance launches of the
past few years, Dunhill ICON
(£57 for 50ml EDP from
theperfumeshop.com), has
future classic written all over
it. A traditionally masculine
fragrance based around
sparkling citrus notes, spicy
ones of black pepper and
cardamom, and lingering
base notes of vetiver, oud
wood and oakmoss, it’s a
classy, grown-up and
voljkwo|#ohdwkhu|#dļ#dlu#wkdwġv#
both sexy and sophisticated.
94 
It’s the cylindrical bottle
that’ll win you douze points
in the style stakes though.
Murder weapon heavy
and featuring a machine-
turned case that references
Dunhill’s automotive past,
it’s as beautiful to hold as it
is to behold. Pure class.
02. The manicure kit.
In a world where
details matter, few things
matter more than the state
of a man’s nails. Trust me,
you’ll be judged by them as
much as you will by the
do t i  tyle < < < S T Y L E
music on your phone or what
specialist sites are lurking in
your browser’s history – and
if you don’t keep yours in tip
top condition, prospective
partners will wonder what
condition the bits they can’t
see are in.
Czech & Speake’s
deluxe four-piece, Air-
Safe manicure set (£225
czechandspeakefragrance.
com) is the last word in
stylish grooming tools.
Pricey it might be, but
hyhu|wklqjġv#Whľ#rq#frdwhg#
and will last you a lifetime if
looked after. And the red and
black leather case totally,
you know, ‘nails’ it.
03. The razor. In the
same way that sex is
only really enjoyable if
you’re actually into it, the
daily shave is much less of a
chore if you do it in style.
Bolin Webb’s premium R1 Jet
Razor (£45 from bolinwebb.
com) might seem like an
extravagance – given it’s
considerably more expensive
than the average blade
handle – but the way it feels
in the hand actively
encourages a more
considered shave. Smooth,
sleek and sexy, it’s the racing
car of razors, handles tricky
bends with same kind of
accuracy and as a bonus is
compatible with Gillette’s
Mach 3 blades too.
04. The shaver. You
don’t need me to tell
you that boys love their toys.
But instead of bragging to
your boyfriend about the size
of your TV, model of iPhone
or limited edition power
bottom Fleshjack (stranger
things have happened) why
not big up something from
the bathroom – like the
Braun Series 9 Wet & Dry
Shaver (£329.99 from boots.
com). Tell him it’s the world’s
prvw#hĿ # # flhqw#dqg#
comfortable shaver (it is
apparently); that it features
technology that ‘reads’ and
adapts to your beard 160
times per second (it does)
and that it delivers super-
smooth results (which he is
more than welcome to check
zlwk#klv#Ľ#qjhu#wlsv,1#Vhh#
what I did there?
05. The toothbrush. As
one of the most
expensive grooming tools a
man can buy, electric
toothbrushes are always
what TV shopping channels
like to call ‘a considered
purchase’, but the matte
black Philips Sonicare
DiamondClean (RRP £270
from boots.com) is a no-
brainer and is always
heavily discounted online,
so won’t cost a packet.
Clinically proven to
whiten teeth in one week
and with functions to
massage gums, polish
teeth, a setting for sensitive
types, USB connectivity and
stylish ‘charging glass’, it’s
the most beautiful thing a
man can put in his mouth.
OK, one of them. O
 shopping

model’s own

shirts

grooming

trousers

shoes

EVERYTHING BUT THE FACE

gaytimes.co.uk/shopping
 S T Y L E >>> e tech of tomoow

01

F U T U R E

PERFECT
So far so grim, 2017. Picking
02
up where its predecessor left of
with a constant slew of misery,
you’d be forgiven for thinking
there was nothing to get excited
about. Fortunately, 2017 also
brought the annual Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas,
and we were there to arm
ourselves with advice on what
tech you can look forward to
distracting yourself with...

WORDS mike hird

03

96 
 tech

01
04 SONY 4K ULTRA
SHORT THROW
PROJECTOR
Dubbed a short
throw projector, this
gorgeous piece of kit
can project an image
up to 147” in size
from a distance of
just 7” away, meaning
[QWECPƒPCNN[
TGRNCEG[QWT68YKVJ
a projected image
CPFDWKNF[QWTNKXKPI
URCEGCEEQTFKPIN[
UQP[EQO

02
RAZER PROJECT
ARIANA
A 4K projector that
takes the game
outside of your
monitor, Project
SAMSUNG
#TKCPCCNUQCEVUCU
CTGIWNCTRTQLGEVQT
QLED 4K RANGE
that, thanks to
on-board cameras, True 4K TVs barely feel like they’ve made it
OCMGUCNNQYCPEGU off the starting blocks yet, but that hasn’t
HQTQDUVCENGUUWEJCU
HWTPKVWTG stopped all the big guns in the TV arena
TC\GT\QPGEQP from declaring the next wave of technology.
Granted, at this stage, the differences
03
HOVER CAMERA at the top and even medium end of the
PASSPORT market are increasingly hard to spot to the
)TCPVGFKVNQQMUNKMG
COKPKCVWTGXGTUKQP untrained eye. There’s no doubt, though,
of something Skynet that Samsung’s QLED range caught that
might come up with,
DWVVJG*QXGT%COGTC untrained eye at CES, as these curvaceous
2CUURQTVHQNNQYU[QW beauties pack quite the visual punch.
CTQWPFƒNOKPICUKV
IQGUYKVJPQUOCNN
So-called quantum dot material (no, us
COQWPVQHGNGICPEG neither) allows the TVs to show off a full
/CTXGNNQWUБ range of colour no matter how bright you
IGVJQXGTEQO
choose to have the picture, and the QLED
04 range even supersedes the top level of
SEVENHUGS
SMART REMOTE Samsung’s own luminance in its previous
#VTWN[WPKXGTUCN range of SUHD TVs. They’ve even developed
TGOQVGEQPVTQNVJKU a ‘no gap’ wall hanging, so your expensive
NKVVNGYKFIGVPQVQPN[
FGCNUYKVJ[QWTGPVKTG EHDXW\FDQȴQDOO\KXJWKHZDOODWZKDWHYHU
home cinema set up, angle you choose) and the mounting even
it can be programmed
VQNQQMCHVGTCNNQHVJG automatically levels the TV, so you can
QVJGTUOCTVFGXKEGU VSHQGWKHȴWWLQJFRVWRQVRPHH[WUDEHOOV
05 CP[UGNHTGURGEVKPI
techie now surrounds and whistles.O
JKOUGNHYKVJŤDG
it smart heating, samsung.com
URGCMGTUQTOQTG
TGOQVGUGXGPJWIU
com

05
ANOVA PRECISION
COOKER
For those with the
urge to go a bit
/CUVGT%JGHVJG
#PQXC2TGEKUKQP
%QQMGTGHHGEVKXGN[
turns any pan of
DQKNKPIYCVGTKPVQC
VGEJPKECNN[RTGEKUG
UQWUXKFGEQQMGT
CNNQYKPI[QWVQ
RTGEKUGN[FKEVCVG
YCVGTVGORGTCVWTGŤ
CPFYKVJ$NWGVQQVJ
VQDQQVБ
$QPCRRȌVKVБ
CPQXCEWNKPCT[EQO

97
 S T Y L E >>>

plastic
e in
lif

astic! it’s
fant
For Brazilian-born Rodrigo Alves, image is everything.
After experiencing relentless bullying over his
appearance as a teenager, he went under the knife in
an attempt to turn his life around. Now, more than
50 surgeries later – including face lifts, muscle
implants, and fillers that left him paralysed for a
month – Rodrigo says he’s finally happy with
the way he looks. But that won’t stop him
from having even more work done…

WORDS daniel megarry

98 
REAL LIFE

99
 S T Y L E >>>
Wkh#Ľ#uvw#vxujhu|#L#hyhu#kdg#zdv#wr#uhpryh#p|#
boobs. I had something called gynaecomastia,
which is the enlargement of the male breast
wlvvxh/#dqg#wklv#pdgh#p|#fklogkrrg#yhu|#glĿ # # fxow1
Growing up in Brazil, I was the fat, ugly-shaped
nlg1#L#glgqġw#Ľ#w#lqwr#wkh#Eud}loldq#vwhuhrw|sh#ri#
beauty at all. In Brazil, all the boys love to play
irrwedoo/#exw#L#qhyhu#sod|hg#vsruwv1#L#dp#glļ#huhqw/#
dqg#L#juhz#xs#glļ#huhqwo|#wr#hyhu|rqh#hovh1#L#zdv#
bullied a lot, and the people around me made it
very clear to me that I wasn’t one of them.
The boys I went to school with would push me
down the stairs, hold my head in the toilets and
call me a faggot. I also had a wide, thick nose
which landed me with the nickname ‘potato nose’.
There was nothing I could do about my image as I
was too young for surgery, so I turned to education
and found strength in my books.
100 
Of course, no one ever had to tell me that I’m gay
– I was born this way – but it wasn’t until the age of
18 that I realised that, on top of looking and feeling
glļ#huhqw/#L#zdv#dovr#glļ#huhqw#lq#p|#vh{xdolw|1#P|#
idplo|#zhuhqġw#h{dfwo|#vkrfnhg#zkhq#L#fdph#rxw1#
Neither were my friends. They all knew it even
before myself, to be honest!
“I made
Unfortunately, my relationship with my dad
isn’t very good. He’s never been able to accept that
I’m gay. He also can’t get his head around the fact
myself into the
that I’ve had so much plastic surgery because I’m
unhappy with the way I look. We don’t talk about person I want
to be and
it simply because we don’t talk – full stop. We’re
not enemies, we’re not friends, we just don’t have
anything to say to each other.
Thankfully, my relationship with my mother is
suhww|#jrrg1#P|#dxqwlhv#duh#yhu|#jrrg#wr#ph/#dqg#
my sisters and I have a friendly relationship. They
keeping up
all come to Spain and England to visit me when
they can – they’re a very beautiful bunch of people! with that is a
full time job –
Whenever I’m having surgeries they’re always
worried, so I know that I have the support of my
family and friends, and thats what counts.
At the age of 19, I moved to England to further
my education. Although going to university was
my main reason for coming here, I also wanted to
it’s also very
h{sdqg#p|#krul}rqv/#vhh#pruh#ri#wkh#zruog/#dqg#
improve my English.
Wkh#h{shulhqfh#ri#prylqj#wr#Orqgrq#zdv#
expensive!”
dpd}lqj1#Lwġv#d#wrwdoo|#glļ#huhqw#zruog#khuh/#
surrounded by beautiful people. Although I’d had
my breast removal at the age of 17, I knew it wasn’t
enough to make me happy. So I carried on. I had
a nose job, I had liposuction, then I had my boobs
done again. I had pecs, abs, and back implants put
in to give me muscles – and just a couple of months
ago I had them replaced so my chest looks bigger
dqg#pruh#ghĽ#qhg1
Shrsoh#dvn#ph#krz#L#fdq#dļ#rug#p|#olihvw|oh1#Zhoo/#
my grandparents were very wealthy and they left
me a very big sum of money, which has helped me
become the person I want to be.
Now I’ve had more than 50 surgeries and my
life has changed so much. I consider myself really
kdss|#dqg#yhu|#ixoĽ#oohg1#L#ehfdph#pruh#dffhswhg#e|#
society when I became better looking. Changing my
dsshdudqfh#dovr#pdgh#ph#vr#pxfk#pruh#frqĽ#ghqw/#
which opened up a lot of doors for me. There were
more job opportunities and friends to be made.
Lwġv#doo#derxw#frqĽ#ghqfh1#Lwġv#doo#derxw#krz#|rx#
ihho1#Dqg#rqfh#L#ehjdq#wr#ihho#frqĽ#ghqw#dqg#oryh#
myself, I started to portray that to the rest of the
world. It’s the law of attraction – we get attracted
wr#frqĽ#ghqw#shrsoh/#uhjdugohvv#li#wkh|ġuh#jrrg0
looking. Getting surgery helped me achieve that.
I’m not 100% happy yet because of a situation with
my nose – I caught a bacterial infection which left
ph#zlwk#euhdwklqj#glĿ # # fxowlhv/#dqg#lw#ihhov#olnh#L#
kdyh#d#frqvwdqw#frog1#Exw#wkdwġoo#eh#Ľ#{hg#zlwk#wkh#
ninth nose job I’m having soon.
Now, people stop me in the streets all the time.
Qrw#rqo|#lq#Orqgrq/#exw#hyhu|zkhuh#L#jr#lq#wkh#
world, because I’ve done more than 40 TV shows,
four reality shows, and there’s more coming up.
Shrsoh#vwrs#ph#dqg#dvn#iru#vhoĽ#hv/#ru#wkh|#dvn#
me for my surgeon’s number. If I can help people
 REAL LIFE

through experiences similar to my own and give

them advice then I will.
I get lots of messages from guys all over the
world, most of them are gay, who can relate
to my story. They always ask me: ‘You look so
kdss|#dqg#frqĽ#ghqw/#zkdwġv#|rxu#vhfuhwBġ#L#whoo#
them how I was bullied for my appearance and
iru#ehlqj#glļ#huhqw/#dqg#wkdw#p|#vroxwlrq#zdv#wr#
vwxg|1#L#vwxglhg#vr#kdug#wkdw#L#fdq#qrz#vshdn#Ľ#yh#
odqjxdjhv#dqg#Lġyh#wudyhoohg#wkh#zruog1#Fkdqjlqj#
my appearance came later on.
Of course, I would never tell someone whether
or not to have plastic surgery. If someone feels
olnh#wkdwġv#wkh#rqo|#vroxwlrq#wr#wkhlu#erg|#lpdjh#
lvvxhv/#wkhq#Lġg#vd|#jr#iru#lw#Ğ#exw#pdnh#vxuh#|rx#jhw#
rslqlrqv#iurp#wzr#ru#wkuhh#glļ#huhqw#grfwruv/#dqg#
vshdn#wr#|rxu#oryhg#rqhv#Ľ#uvw1
Qrw#hyhu|rqh#olnhv#wkh#zd|#L#orrn1#Lġyh#uhfhlyhg#d#
lot of hateful comments and insults from people,
although the negativity always comes from social
media or comments on articles from The Sun
dqg#Wkh#Gdlo|#Pdlo/#exw#L#xvxdoo|#grqġw#uhdg#wkhp1#
Wkhvh#duh#shrsoh#zkr#grqġw#kdyh#wkh#edoov#wr#vd|#
things to my face, they hide behind a computer
vfuhhq#Ğ#wkh|#grqġw#ghvhuyh#p|#dwwhqwlrq1
Shrsohġv#rslqlrqv#grqġw#uhdoo|#erwkhu#ph1#Lġp#d#
vwurqj#pdq#dqg#Lġyh#jrw#wklfn#vnlq1#Lġoo#eh#wxuqlqj#
66#wklv#|hdu/#dqg#Lġyh#kdg#vr#pdq|#vxujhulhv#wr#
fruuhfw#plvwdnhv#dqg#Ľ#{#wklqjv#wkdw#zhuh#zurqj#
zlwk#ph1#Qrz#L#ihho#frqĽ#ghqw/#kdss|/#dqg#wkdwġv#doo#
that matters.
Wkhuhġv#rqo|#rqh#vxujhu|#L#uhjuhw1#Durxqg#wkuhh#
|hduv#djr/#L#kdg#Ľ#oohu#lqmhfwhg#lqwr#p|#vkrxoghuv/#
elfhsv#dqg#wulfhsv#Ğ#lwġv#hvvhqwldoo|#zkdw#Nlp#
Ndugdvkldq#kdg#lq#khu#exp#Ğ#exw#xqiruwxqdwho|#L#
had a bad reaction and I was paralysed for nearly
d#prqwk1#Wkh#sureohp#zdv#wkdw#L#glgqġw#gr#hqrxjk#
research, and I found out later that the gel should
qhyhu#kdyh#ehhq#lqmhfwhg#lqwr#d#kxpdq#erg|1
Orwv#ri#shrsoh#fdoo#ph#wkh#Kxpdq#Nhq#Groo#dqg#
wkdw#grhvqġw#erwkhu#ph#dw#doo1#L#qhyhu#vhw#rxw#wr#orrn#
olnh#Nhq/#dqg#L#grqġw#wklqn#L#gr#orrn#olnh#klp/#exw#L#
wdnh#lw#dv#d#frpsolphqw#Ğ#wkh#groo#lv#phdqw#wr#eh#d#
portrayal of the perfect male body.
Wkurxjk#p|#h|hv/#Lġp#shuihfw1#Lġp#qrw#
hyhu|rqhġv#fxs#ri#whd/#exw#wkdwġv#RN#ehfdxvh#L#
grqġw#gr#wklv#wr#sohdvh#rwkhu#shrsoh1#Kdylqj#vdlg#
wkdw/#lwġv#lpsruwdqw#wr#uhphpehu#wkdw#L#zdvqġw#
born this way. I made myself into the person
that I wanted to be, and keeping up with that is a
ixoo#wlph#mre#Ğ#lwġv#dovr#yhu|#h{shqvlyh$O
Follow Rodrigo on Twitter at @rodrigouhnws, and on
Instagram at @rodrigoalvesuk

101
 S T Y L E >>>

You don’t need to wait for the spring 02

sunshine to freshen up your living
space. Start banishing those winter
blues now by introducing a few
accessories in key SS17 trends. Mix
neutral soft shapes with graphic
wirework and brighten with fresh
Greenery, Pantone’s colour of the year. 01

WORDS mark king

spring
FRESH

04 05

08

09 10
102 
 INTERIORS

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Powder-coated steel side-
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Jumbo felt weave basket.
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03
THE TRIPLE-TREND RUG
Pebble shapes, wireframe
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03 04
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Faux pebble candles for
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06
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A friendly greeting that
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08
THE GROUND BEAN seasons is an elegant yet
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One Flower Vase by designer
09 Ilkka Suppanen suggests
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11 One Flower Vase from be&liv, £125, beandliv.com
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Wire magazine rack, £40,
11 notanotherbill.com

103
0 3 / 17 >>>

Sometimes living that #LushLife doesn’t always work out – just ask Marie
Antoinette. The new billionaires sometimes have a low key aesthetic
because old money is so old school. Isn’t that right, Zuckerberg?
Designers are still addicted to the streets, taking inspirations from
the knock offs to skids. Shopping the runway has never looked
so thrifty – but don’t be fooled, it’s not. Nearly every brand has
undergone a high fashion collaboration these days, and it can
take a keen eye to tell the difference in real life. Maybe your
luxury look isn’t covered in gold because less is more. All
trends come and go, so you better sell it while you can.

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PHOTOGRAPHER
morgan ellis williams
STYLING stephen conway
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USING mac AND john frieda
MODEL tarun nijjer AT models 1

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LEFT
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0 3 / 17 >>>

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VEST RUFSKIN
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113
 #GAYW3
jw3.org.uk/GAYW3
JW3London

GAYW3
Celebrating
the best of
LGBTQ culture
27 February -
12 March

Theatre | Music | Cinema | Talks | Special Events

 culture
0 3 / 17 >>>

John Partridge
“I’m grateful to
tell the story of
La Cage at a time
when it’s key we
show what we
fought for and
achieved is not
reversible.”

118

115
 C U LT U R E >>> cinema, disc and treaming

cinema
'DQFHUYou may not know his
name, but you’re already likely
acquainted with Ukranian
ballet prodigy Sergei Polunin,
who rose to global fame in
a moving, stunning, David
LaChapelle-directed music
video for Hozier’s Take Me to
Church. Incredibly, the then
25-year-old intended that
video to be his balletic swan
song, after an incredible rise
to (and then conquering of)
the artistic profession. This
documentary explores the
turbulent, intriguing story
behind his success, and the
quandaries of what he does
next. While the answers
remain as elusive as Polunin
M OV IE
himself, it’s a magnetic watch,
OF THE
regardless. OOOOO
MONTH
3UHYHQJHAlice Lowe has
been a black comedy cult
hero for sometime now, with
hilariously dark, memorable
turns in movies like Sightseers.
Prevenge, which she writes
and directs, as well as stars
in, carries on that tradition,
with a crackers concept (a
heavily pregnant lady is
urged by her unborn foetus to
murder a slew of victims). A
smart metaphor on post and
antenatal depression, it’s more
drama than comedy, with
horrendously gory violence and
gruelling emotional intensity
throughout. While it doesn’t
nail the tonal whiplash, it’s
unashamedly original, and
Lowe displays potential in
abundance. OOOOO

Elle Out 10 March

3DXO9HUKRHYHQ¶VRHXYUHKDVDOUHDG\ZDONHGD¿QHOLQHEHWZHHQµQDIÀ\DPD]LQJ¶

/
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FRPHG\±\HV\RXUHDGWKDWULJKW±WKDWFRXOG¶YHHDVLO\VZXQJHLWKHUDZD\EXW
VWHHUVVDIHO\WRZDUGVWKHLQFUHGLEOHVLGHRIWKHVSHFWUXPWKDQNVWRDVWXQQLQJ
VWRLFDOO\VDVV\WXUQE\WKHDOZD\VEULOOLDQW,VDEHOOH+XSSHUW6KHVWDUVDV0LFKqOH
DYLGHRJDPHH[HFXWLYHZKR¶VUDSHGDWWKHYHU\VWDUWRIWKHPRYLHDQGZKRVSHQGV
WKHUHVWRIWKH¿OPHPEDUNLQJRQDQHOHFWULI\LQJUHYHQJHPLVVLRQLQHQWLUHO\
XQH[SHFWHGDQGVXUSULVLQJZD\V,W¶VDPRYLHIXOORIXQSUHGLFWDELOLW\ERWKLQWRQH
DQGSORWDQGLW¶VGRZQWRWKHGHOLFLRXVSDLULQJRI9HUKRHYHQDQG+XSSHUWWKDWLW
FDQVZLQJVRZLOGO\EHWZHHQPDFDEUHWZLVWHGKRUURUWRÀXII\FRPHG\DQGEH\RQG
ZLWK+XSSHUW¶V0LFKqOHDIDVFLQDWLQJPDJQHWLFZRPDQ±DVXQVHWWOLQJO\LF\DQG
XQQHUYLQJDVWKHWKUHDWVWKDWVZLUODURXQGKHU6H[\SURYRFDWLYHDQGPRUHWKDQ
DOLWWOHEDUP\LW¶V¶V¿UVWERQNHUVEULOOLDQWFLQHPDWLFUROOHUFRDVWHUDQGZH
FRXOGQ¶WEHDQ\PRUHRQERDUGOOOOO
116 
 screen

+ stay in KING COBRA Disc

Produced by and
starring James Franco, this erotic dark
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The Love Witch murder of gay porn producer Bryan Kocis
A gloriously on-
SOD\HGE\&KULVWLDQ6ODWHULVVXLWDEO\ȴOWK\
point homage to
the sumptuously and fun, but doesn’t really ever rise beyond.
shot pulp OMARVEL’S IRON FIST Stream1HWȵL[ȇV
Technicolor
horror fourth super-powered Marvel series is also
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of the 60s, The Danny Rand, a man who’s been stranded in
Love Witch is a
masterclass in a mystical Tibetan city and who’s acquired
style matching WKHSRZHUVRIDPDJLFVXSHUȴVWVQLJJHU
substance, as %HWZHHQ*DPHRI7KURQHVȇȴWW\)LQQ-RQHV
writer/director/
editor Anna in the title role, and the escalating build-
Biller’s tale of a up to The Defenders series (with Jessica
lovelorn witch
Jones, Luke Cage and Daredevil too),
adds enough sly
satire to ensure we’re very much on board. ODOCTOR
it stretches STRANGE Disc Bandicoot Cabbagepatch
beyond parody.
OOOOO
and his magic cloak bring the LSD-tastic
side of the Marvel Universe to the big
It’s Only the screen in a fun, trippy-as-balls fantasy
End of the
World Xavier adventure. Even better, the Blu-ray comes
Dolan’s latest with a second instalment of Team Thor, the
is as polarising supremely silly mockumentary starring
as ever; a
claustrophobic, &KULV+HPVZRUWKDQGKLVKXPDQȵDWPDWH
verbose and Darryl. OARRIVAL Disc The biggest snub
arguably
from this year’s Oscar noms is undoubtedly
waffly drama
about family the glaring lack of Amy Adams, who gives
dysfunction. such an emotionally charged and moving
Relentless,
SHUIRUPDQFHLQWKLVVXSHULRUVFLȴ%LJ

Four most sickening

intense and
confrontational, EHDXWLIXODQGXQGHUVWDWHGLWȇVWKHVFLȴ
it’s not for of the year. OULTIMATE BEASTMASTER

fashion movies
everyone – but
Dolan’s stylised Stream1HWȵL[ȇVQHZȴWVSRJDPLQJVKRZ
direction (basically a Pimp My Ninja Warrior obstacle
and strong FRXUVHVHULHVLVIXOORIȴWWLHVSXVKLQJWKHLU
performances
from Léa This issue’s all about completely insane, stuffed limits and making you feel bad about that
Seydoux, Vincent VHYHQWKVOLFHRIFDNH\RXȇUHVWXɚ QJLQWR
Cassel and style, daaaahling. So full of stick-thin models
your mouth. O
Marion Cotillard there’s no better time to and psychotic breaks.
guarantee a
watchable settle in for a night full of Fashion industry in a
experience fashionable fabulousness nutshell, then.
nonetheless.
OOOOO with this quartet of
stylish cinematic comedy/ Absolutely Fabulous:
Trespass Against
Us Michael thriller/dramas… The Movie As if Patsy
Fassbender and and Edina’s style wasn’t
Brendan Gleeson
get their Oirish
The Devil Wears Prada gag-worthy enough,
on in this crime We’re half tempted to just the movie opens with a
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heist-happy
write MERYL STREEP 30 fashion party set piece
travellers, and times over and leave it at that kinda, sorta kills
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familial bonds
that. Streep’s character Kate Moss. Win.
that bind, as and performance is
Fassbender’s
Chad struggles
iconic, the script’s sassy Coco Before Chanel
to escape from AF, Emily Blunt’s brilliant Audrey Tautou is typically
his father’s
domineering
and is it legal to marry a adorable and beautiful
hold. Engaging fi lm yet? in this biopic about the
but never quite rise of the iconic fashion
fully enjoyable,
it’s a slow burn The Neon Demon designer. Classic fashion,
that ultimately Refn’s 2016 horror is gorgeous visuals and lots
ƒ\\NGUQWV WORDS matt risley
OOOOO phenomenally stylish and of lovely Frenchness. O
117
0 3 / 17 >>>

118 
 THEATRE

BOYS WILL BE

BOYS
...ut ot always!
Life’s anything but a drag when you star in La Cage aux Folles, the Tony
and Olivier award-winning musical that brought queer life to the attention
of theatre-goers for the very first time, way back in 1983. So as the iconic
Cagelles return for their first ever UK tour, we put on a little more mascara
to meet the show’s newest stars John Partridge and Adrian Zmed.

WORDS william connolly IMAGES pamela raith

I never thought I’d actually
be part of the show,” beams
former EastEnders star John
Partridge. He’s currently
undertaking the monumental
role of theatrical drag star Zaza
– or Albin when he’s not in drag
– in La Cage aux Folles.
As we discuss the surprising
UHDOLVDWLRQWKDWWKLVLVWKH¿UVW
ever UK tour of the LGBT+
“Albin is the Hamlet of musical
theatre,” he excitedly giggles.
“For an actor like me, that in
itself is daunting enough and
this material has given me a few
sleepless nights. I will make him,
my Zaza, my own. I’m different
in my way from the Zaza’s you’ve
seen before. I’m really different.”
As the pressure of taking on
D/*%7VWDJH¿JXUHKHDGDQG
“Playing this role has reawakened
a youthfulness in me,” he admits.
“Both looking backwards and also
forwards all at once on my life –
it’s been quite emotional in many
ways.
“It’s a show that people have a lot
of feeling and love for, but also have
a great expectation of. I’ve been in
this industry long enough to know
that you can’t please everybody

ohn show, John keeps little hidden

while revealing his love and
queer icon like Zaza fall onto
his shoulders, John admits the
with what you do and I probably
wont here. BUT, the role of Albin is

partridge admiration for this role. It is,

as he points out repeatedly, the
part of a lifetime.
nerves are there – but from a
personal perspective, as well as
professional.
important to me, and I take playing
him with this debut touring
production VERY, very seriously...”
119
0 3 / 17 >>>
Why La Cage now? I’ve
never really thought about
being a gay man. I’ve lived
openly and without a real
conscious about my sexuality.
I never had a coming out, but
we’re rapidly moving towards
the right with us leaving the
EU and rise of Trump.
Overwhelmingly, for
somebody that’s never felt
the need to acknowledge that
I’m gay other than the fact I
LOVE it, I now have concerns.
Being able to tell this story of
a drag queen, his partner and
son, that son’s in-laws maybe
not being supportive of their
‘lifestyle’... And joined with
self-acceptance on top, I think
has an added resonance that
wasn’t there before.
I do think it’s important to
tell this story now and, yes, I
do think this message is the
same as it was those years
back. But, from 1987 when I
¿UVWVDZWKHVKRZXQWLOQRZ
we’ve bathed in liberalism
and bathed in being able to
make people accept that our
lives as LGBT+ people are just
as important, and our choices
are just as valid.
There’s a real concern that
this wave of liberalism has
caused some of the rises in
the right, and that bothers
me. It frightens me, making
me incredibly anxious. I’m
grateful to tell it now in a
time when it’s key we show
what we have fought for and
achieved is not reversible.
What are your
memories of seeing the
show live? Back in 1987,
and as a young gay actor
embracing my sexuality as
it were, I was learning about
myself and what it meant; it
was powerful for me. It did
seem camp and colourful
but also seemed very real
and resonant.
Because of I Am What
I Am? Actually, not
necessarily because of I Am
What I Am, but songs like A
Little More Mascara. They
became the theme tune to my
young, gay life.
How is it to perform? I
Am What I Am is not just
a gay anthem anymore – it
speaks to anybody that
wants to be anything. It’s
120 
an emotional moment and
evokes something very deep
inside, and the language does
speak to your consciousness.
It will continue to speak to
our community for years to
come. That song is almost 40
years old and that’s the magic
of it. That’s why it works!
Do you think of the
heritage behind the
show and those that’ve
come before you? I don’t
try to think about it, but
knowing this show as well
as I do and having seen so
many people in it, I can’t
really avoid it. I’ve sat in the
audience and been amazed,
laughed, cried, and totally
in awe of these legends that
have taken Zaza on. If you
look at those guys before like
Douglas Hodge, Graham
Norton, John Barrowman
and onward, we’re all so
different and I’m different.
I’m different in my own way
from the Zaza’s you’ve seen
before me...
What makes you
different? Because, well...
Let’s just say that I’m doing
something that hasn’t been
done with him before. If you
don’t want to know, maybe
skip this bit, but I’m going to
be putting some of my own
heritage and culture into
the role. Australia’s star was
Australian, the American
role was both mid-Atlantic
and slightly more southern.
Douglas was south London,
and so I’m putting him don’t think I can see a line shaving or plucking as it’s not
from the north. I’m from between the two. If it bothers my thing. That’s all gone and
Manchester and therefore me politically then it will I’ve had the FULL wax. The
I’m going to make my Albin bother me emotionally on full thing, baby!
from Manchester – with stage. I’m not two people and $QG\RX¶UHÀDQNHGE\D
a twang. I want him to be I can’t switch it off. It’s what WHDPRI¿HUFH&DJHOOHV
vulnerable, and speaking it is, we are what we are and THEY. ARE. FAAABULOUS.
in my own tongue will I am what I am. They’re all They’re all great, and all tall,
hopefully aid that. When I’m parts of me as John – the and all leggy.
at home, with my husband, human being. La Cage shows your
this is how I speak. How are you getting on everyday LGBT+ family
Zaza too? THAT’S WHAT with life as a fabulous facing the troubles
I’M DOING! drag queen? Oh, hunny! many others also
Speaking about the I’ve worn the heels before IDFH7RVHHDVDPH
relevance of the show VRWKDW¶V¿QHEXWWKHUH¶VD sex family on stage
today, does delivering lot of changes to her with however is, sadly, a
WKHFORVLQJ¿ UVWDFW wigs, costumes AND shoes. UDULW\'R\RXWKLQN
number I Am What I It’s physically hard, but the the representation
am resonate closer to drag element is demanding. of LGBT+ family life
you because you’re a The one thing I’m concerned on stage is fair and
gay man, rather than as about is that I’m quite a hairy MXVWL¿HG"There’s none
an actor playing drag guy. I’ve usually got the whole beyond the few obvious
queen Zaza? [Pause] I hairy chest, and I’m not all for exceptions, and that’s

why this show should
be happening. If there’s
representation on stage, it
becomes a niche or is a show
you’d play off-Broadway or
off-West End. In some ways,
there’s a subversiveness to
it or people claim it’s not
commercially viable. That’s
wrong, and the great shame
about La Cage aux Folles
is that it came at the same
time as tombstones and
“don’t die of ignorance”. It
could have broken the taboo
but, because of its timing, it
did fall short.
It’s a great shame there
isn’t more contemporary
writing for LGBT+ people
as there’s a market for it.
Nobody cares anymore and
as such it’s just as viable –
and just as commercial, I
think – as shows about lions,
À\LQJFDUSHWVFDWVWUDLQV
revolutions and whatever
HOVHZH¿QGRQVWDJHWRGD\
WHY NOT?!
La Cage is a story about
two people in love, who
overcome some very
everyday problems. It’s life
DI¿UPLQJWKDW\RXFDQZLWK
love, overcome any obstacle
that gets in your way. It’s not
saying the obstacles aren’t
JRLQJWREHGLI¿FXOWEXW
with humour and dignity,
self-respect and pride in who
YOU are as an individual,
you can be anybody you
want to be. O
adrian
zmed
Can you believe this is the
¿UVWHYHU8.WRXURIWKH
show? I’m still not sure how.
Like, never a tour? How?! I’m
honoured as it’s one of the
greatest shows EVER!
<RX¶YHJRQHIURPVWDUULQJ
LQ*UHDVHDQG7-+RRNHU
WRWKHGUDJDQGQLJKWFOXE
ZRUOGRI/D&DJHDX[
)ROOHV6RZK\WKLVVWRU\"
$QGLVLWHYHQVWLOOYDOLG
WRGD\"Very, very much so!
This show has become an
anthem to everybody. In the
80s, it was one for the gay
community. Now it’s about
prejudice and intolerance of
any kind, no matter what you
GH¿QH\RXUVHOIDV:LWKSHRSOH
being oppressed and not
accepted around the globe, it’s
for people who are different.
It’s as relevant today as it was
back then – but isn’t that sad?
%HFDXVH"La Cage was
written in the late 70s and
it’s here in 2017 meaning
the same. The fact we’re still
deciding about any level of
humanity is wrong, but that’s
also why I love the fact we’re
doing it. We’re putting it out in
places in the UK where most
people probably haven’t seen it
before, and that’s special.
/HW¶VWDONDERXWWKHVWRU\
<RXUFKDUDFWHU*HRUJHV¶
UHODWLRQVKLSZLWKKLVVRQ
LVDNH\IRFXVWe’re a
‘normal’ couple raising a child
and we love him as much
as what people may think a
‘normal’ couple would. Who
was really there for this boy?
His father and his partner.
That element is important
and makes this story work.
It’s not just about La Cage the
club, but a family. It’s a family
– and one that’s coping with
wonderful things.
THEATRE
Do you believe it’s
LPSRUWDQWZHKDYH/*%7
IRFXVHGWKHDWUHWRHQVXUH
ZHVHHUHSUHVHQWDWLRQ
LQWKHDUWV" It’s extremely
important! The more we
do, the more the rest of the
world can become tolerant
and understand. Ignorance
happens because many people
are ignorant to LGBT+ life.
+RZGR\RXPHDQ"When
taking Falsettos out on a
national tour across the US,
I sang love songs to my male
partner. I’d invite people
along and at the beginning of
the show, it made them feel
uncomfortable. By the end of
the night, they said they could
understand how a man can
love another man. It’s about
human beings and I can’t tell
you how many times I heard
this from friends who were
straight. I was proud to be out
there and to hear them saying
what they did afterwards. I
think gay theatre is important.
<RXDOVRJHWWREHSDUW
RIDVWDQGRXWPRPHQW
LQ/D&DJHIt’s one of the
most important moments in
musical theatre. Theatre isn’t
just there to entertain but to
open our minds and touch
our hearts. There’s people
who will come watch and not
know about it, and hopefully
they’ll be touched beyond their
imagination. :KDWPHVVDJH
GR\RXKRSHDXGLHQFHV
WDNHIURPDQLJKWDW/D
&DJHDX[)ROOHV"I’d love
people to be swept away and
entertained – not to think that
there’s anything abnormal.
I want the talent and the
music to shine. THEN I’d
like audiences to realise it
was about a gay couple; after
realising they’re watching a
show about a family having
problems, about the son
marrying someone the parents
didn’t want them to marry, and
a show that always needed to
go on. In a perfect world, that’s
what I want – not to have this
seen as a ‘gay musical’. O
La Cage aux Folles tours the UK
until 26 August, @mustbejp,
@realadrianzmed, @lcaf_uktour
kenwright.com
121
 C U LT U R E >>> albums and ingles

albums
0$5&$/021'+LWV
and Pieces It’s tempting
to compare Marc Almond to
another early 80s icon, Cyndi
Lauper. Their music is pretty
different, but both artists
PDGHDQXQIRUJHWWDEOH¿UVW
impression – Almond with
Soft Cell classics Tainted Love
and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
– then used their oddball
charisma to build enduring
and brilliantly unpredictable
careers. Hits and Pieces is
¿OOHGZLWKFRORXUIXODOWSRS
gems that you’ll wish you
remembered to play more
often. Who else could pull
off something like Stories of
Johnny, a tender song about a
rent boy that Almond sent into ALBUM
the Top 40 in 1985? OOOOO OF THE
MONTH
5,*+76$,')5('
([DFWO\Though Right Said
Fred’s ninth album features
the odd sombre moment like
Raining in England, a ballad
with a hint of Burt Bacharach
to it, the Fairbrass brothers
haven’t lost their sense of
fun. The slinky Sweet Treats
was apparently inspired by
their love of British Airways
desserts, while Only When
We La La Love shimmies
like a lost Geri Halliwell
single. Best of all is We Are
Believers, an anthemic slab
of disco-rock that sounds
like a Latvian Eurovision
VRQJ±RQHWKDWZRXOG¿QLVK
at least 20 places higher than
whatever the UK sent that
year. OOOOO

ANOHNI Paradise
IMAGE MIKE OWEN

When most singers announce a “new” EP featuring tracks left over from their

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122 
 MUSIC

IMAGE DANNY BALDWIN

GOLDFRAPP Anymore
playlist You never know what
you’re going to get with Goldfrapp, but if
you enjoyed the Supernature era – we’re
MAGGIE ROGERS talking Ooh La La and Alison prancing
Now That the
about with a peacock tail on her bum – you’ll
Light is Fading
This 22-year-old probably enjoy this catchy comeback track.
New Yorker is O MAJOR LAZER FEAT PARTYNEXTDOOR,
already being
cursed with NICKI MINAJ Run Up Like Major Lazer’s
descriptors like previous hits Lean On and Cold Water, this
“quirky” and pop-dancehall bop is bound to be massive.
“whimsical”, but
don’t be put off. Wonder if the radio playlist folks notice
Her debut EP Nicki’s line about trying to “blow him like
showcases an harmonicas”, though? O BLONDIE Fun
utterly lovely
voice and Debbie Harry – aka The Coolest Person
Rogers’ flair Who Ever Lived – hits the disco on this
for crafting
slinky teaser for the band’s new album. It
effortlessly
enchanting sounds a bit like Scissors Sisters tbh, but hey,
electro-folk what’s wrong with that? O MUNA Crying
tunes. Enjoy
her now before
on the Bathroom Floor It keeps changing,
she’s all over the but this is currently our fave from the LA
closing credits ladies’ brilliant debut album. Name a more
of your favourite
US TV shows. iconic dark-disco tune about being stuck
OOOOO in a traumatic relationship. We’ll wait. O
KATY PERRY Chained to the Rhythm The
RAG’N’BONE
MAN Human world’s a mess right now and a big, spangly,
You’ll know Rory
Graham’s bluesy
{NEED TO KNOW} gloriously unsubtle Katy Perry single is just
breakthrough
what we need to distract us. Luckily, that’s
single Human,
a tune so huge
Simon Cowell
R AY NOIR exactly what she’s supplied. And the part of
us that’s still living in 2011 wouldn’t mind a
had someone Grace Jones Slave to the Rhythm mash-up,
cover it on 01 Ray’s a singer- people there who were either. O HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR
The X Factor. Controller Herc’s Andy Butler recruits Faris
Sadly, much songwriter who says just like me in a way. I
Badwan from goth-pop band The Horrors for
of his debut he’s “all about the still love East London.”
album fails to this sleek, subversive, S&M-themed house
pack the same industrial and dark side 04 Ray says you’ll tune. We’re calling it a bondagebanger. O
punch. With trite
lyrics and polite
of life”. His new single often spot him in the
All Alone, written “just “dark corners and

IMAGE WILLIAM WORRELL

production Emeli
Sandé would after a break-up with
approve of, a
smoking areas” at
middling toe- someone I really cared East London LGBT+
tapper like Ego
is more typical.
about,” is a pulsing venues like Dalston
OOOOO electro-pop song with Superstore, East Bloc
SYD Fin echoes of Depeche and The Glory. If you’re
On which Mode and Peaches. lucky, you might spot
Sydney “Syd”
Bennett, the 02 Ray was born and him singing along to
singer in hip raised in Norway, but now Madonna and Lady
neo-soul
collective The calls London his home. Gaga, as well as his idol
Internet, goes 03 “When I came out as Marilyn Manson.
solo in style.
This album gay in Norway, I didn’t 05 “My music is here
mixes slinky find my place there as for people who like
R&B melodies
with intriguing I’ve always been drawn industrial mixed with
lyrics from a
woman who’s
to more alternative pop and some dark 80s
been called a things when it comes to vibes,” he says. “Ray
“lesbian icon”.
On standout
music, the way I dress Noir is here for anyone
track Got Her and so on,” he recalls. who feels like they don’t
Own, Syd tries
to impress a girl
“I’d been to London fit in anywhere.” Amen
who, sigh, has a few times and East to that. O
it all anyway.
Intoxicating
London I really loved, Ray Noir’s single All Alone is WORDS nick levine
stuff. OOOOO ‘cause I found gay out now, @thisisraynoir

123
 C U LT U R E >>>

MUNA
eclipse
MUNA’S RECENT SINGLE I KNOW A PLACE IS THE LGBT+ ANTHEM THE WORLD
NEEDS RIGHT NOW. AS THIS INSPIRING QUEER TRIO FROM LOS ANGELES
FOLLOW IT UP WITH THEIR SUPERB DEBUT ALBUM ABOUT U, WE CHAT TO
THE GIRLS ABOUT POP, SAFE SPACES AND THE NEED TO BE OUT AND PROUD.

MUNA have been a band to keep an eye on lq#d#zd|1#Hyhu|#wlph#wkhuhġv#d#elj#frplqj#

for a while, but when they shared their song I
Know a Place in December, the LA trio became
d#edqg#wr#hpeudfh/#Ľ#oo#|rxu#sod|olvwv#zlwk#dqg#
tell all your mates about.
Though it was written for LA Pride in 2015,
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the US constitution, I Know a Place resonates
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confronted by events that show us otherwise.
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when they were studying at the same college
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WORDS nick levine

124 
 125
IMAGE CATIE LAFFOON
MUSIC
MUSIC
thought she was hot. I met Naomi in another
class and thought she was hot. I wanted us
all to be friends because we were all a bunch
of weirdos, so I introduced them to each
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what stuck,” Naomi recalls, “but now we’ve
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stranger, less straightforward music and I
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MUNA’s brilliant debut album, About U, but at
the same time, their songs have an emotional
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Floor to be. “We make bitchin’ emo alternative
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126 
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beginning, we didn’t know we were going to
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be some kid in some town who needs to see it’s
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MUNA have never had one of their gigs
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our wellbeing in mind, ‘You might wanna be
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wanna be a little more vague about the song’s
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aggressions?” Naomi continues. “A lot of it
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move our bodies and hold ourselves and the
things we sing about and the fact we exist.
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<<< C U LT U R E
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audience who need to see what we’re doing.
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lqlwldo#vxssruw#zdv#iurp#|rxqj#shrsoh#lq#wkh#
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Lq#wkh#phdqwlph/#|rx#fdq#iroorz#wkhp#rq#
Wzlwwhu#dqg#Lqvwdjudp/#zkhuh#wkh|#kdyh#
the same handle: @whereismuna. “I love
that we made all our social media handles
Ġzkhuh#lv#PXQDBġ#ehfdxvh#wkdw#pdnhv#|rx#
wklqn#ri#d#sodqhw1#D#ehdxwlixo#vriw#slqn#
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dggv1#ģD#vdih#vsdfh#zlwk#edqjlqġ#dvv#srs#
tunes!” Amen to that. O
MUNA’s debut About U is out now, @whereismuna
IMAGE JACQUELINE DI MILIA
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 C U LT U R E >>> gaming and geeking

gaming
683(5%20%(50$1
R Another Switch launch
title and another blast (sorry)
from the past. Bomberman is
a 30-year-old franchise that
can give Zelda a run for its
money in the longevity stakes,
but whose premise is a little
simpler. Multiple Bombermen
tear around a grid, computer or
opponent-controlled, dropping
explosives with a view to
destroying one another until
the last man is left standing.
It remains to be seen how the
Switch mixes things up, but it’s
a welcome return regardless.
Out 3 March on Switch. O

GAME
OF THE
MONTH

'5($0)$//
&+$37(56 Originally
a Kickstarter-funded PC
adventure released in
titular chapters, this 3D
adventure now arrives
on consoles with beefed
up graphics, art, music
and gameplay. Spanning
a futurescape that hits a
lot of familiar beats, the
game is nevertheless artful
and story-driven enough
to offer something a bit
different and worth your
attention as a result. Out
March 24 on Xbox One, PC
and PS4. O

ESSENTIAL APPS The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Out 3 March, Nintendo Switch and Wii U

/
And so the Nintendo Switch is upon us. After the disaster that was the poor Wii U,
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128 
 PLAY

COMICS

Oh Joy Sex Toy

Vol 3 Reviewing
sex toys by
the medium
of comics, Oh
Joy Sex Toy is
chock-full of sex
worker interviews
and dirty
jokes. Part sex
positive comedy
romp, part sex

Cheekbones
education,
all beautifully
illustrated,
covering issues

for days…
like the art of
boner hiding.

Young Bottoms
in Love
Compiling
a select
sample of the
acclaimed web
comic and
featuring work
from 40-plus
creators, Young
Bottoms in Love
is the excellent
LBGT+ comics
anthology that
your digital
bookshelf has
been screaming
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Super Weird
Heroes A cabinet
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capes. At more
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this, ahem,
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tonnes of never
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super-rare full- the ultimate trophy to your desktop, you’ll need to make room a little mind control? Whether
colour comics.
GUDZLQJURRP:KDWFROOHFWLRQ for Daddy’s Lil Monster on your you love HIM or capital H I M,
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about Rainbow LVFRPSOHWHZLWKRXWDIWORQJ URVWHU3UHWW\TXLUN\KRPLFLGDO KHȇVQRWD3RS9LQ\OȴJXUH
Boy. Weird? Yes. ;HQRPRUSKIRDPVNXOOIURPWKH and now as a Metals 4inch die-cast Put your paws up for a little
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Also yes. classic Alien movie? ȴJXUH:KDWȇVQRWWRORYH" VXJDUVSLFHDQG&KHPLFDO;

129
 Because every ship needs a port.

No place is as open-minded and welcoming as Key West.

So whether you come for the gay tours, live theatre, bars
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weather, Key West has whatever floats your boat.
fla-keys.com/gaykeywest 0208 686 2600

Henry Miller Fine Art Focusing on the male form

SPRING 2017 EXHIBITION

The Coningsby Gallery
27 February to 11 March 2017

30 Tottenham Street
London +44 (0)20 8509 2044
W1T 4RJ +44 (0)7769 700290
 life
0 3 / 17 >>>

fitness and
wellbeing with
CHARLIE
KING

140
IMAGE MATT CROCKETT

131
 L I F E >>> dating i  tyle

{the main}

If you’re looking to up your breakfast game,

here’s the stuff Instagram dreams are made
of – and it couldn’t be simpler to make. A
smoothie bowl is really just an extra thick
smoothie served in – you guessed it – a bowl.
Equal parts pretty and good for you, this
colourful base is the ideal canvas to tailor
the breakfast of your dreams with toppings
of fruits, nuts even edible flowers if you’re
feeling dainty. Style with substance!
GastroGays
Patrick Hanlon and Russell Alford, gastrogays.com, @gastrogays

Smoothie Bowl Add the smoothie ingredients to

Serves 2 a blender or nutrition mixer and {the drink}
pulse until all broken down and
For the smoothie combined. It should be a vivid
2 bananas purple-red and you can slacken When we think of style, we think of timeless. And
150g raspberries with a little orange juice if needs
be, but the thicker the better, really. looking at our drinks cabinet, there’s no more
50g blueberries
1 apple
The combination of different fruits timeless bottle than the exquisite Tanqueray No TEN,
will determine different colours.
Split between two bowls – the channelling inspiration from the Art Deco movement
For the topping wider the better to give you more
A handful of pistachios, surface area.
with a striking geometric design that reflects iconic
roughly chopped Arrange your toppings as you patterns hailing from the roaring 20s. But we all need
1 banana, sliced please – scattered, uniformed, in a
row; be as creative as you like, but a bit of tarting up from time to time, which is why
A handful of pecans,
don’t entirely cover the smoothie. Tanqueray has introduced its Caged Bottle – with
halved lengthways
You want to see that vivid colour
2 tbsp desiccated coconut underneath. Use whatever toppings an elegantly crafted cage designed to be used as an
A handful of dried fruit, you have to hand, always creating
like cranberries contrasts in texture and colour. It’s ornamental home accessory, like a decadent fruit
your edible canvas! O basket. The ideal place to put your limes and lemons
when it comes to that perfect Tanqueray and tonic.
Available from Selfridges, Waitrose and
The Whiskey Exchange, priced £45

132 
 date night

Meltaways

225g unsalted butter

80g icing sugar
Zest of 1 large bergamot
(or 2 lemons/limes)
1 tsp vanilla extract
JSODLQÀRXU
WVSÀDNHGVHDVDOW

Coating
100g icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180ºC

(160ºC fan) and line
two baking trays with
parchment paper. To
make the biscuits, place
the butter, icing sugar,
bergamot zest and vanilla
into a large bowl and beat
together until light and
fuhdp|/#derxw#Ľ#yh#plqxwhv1#
Dgg#wkh#ľ#rxu#dqg#vdow#dqg#
mix together until the
mixture comes together
as a dough. Wrap in cling
Ľ# op#dqg#uhiuljhudwh#xqwlo#
Ľ# up/#derxw#dq#krxu1#Uroo#
the dough into small balls,
about a tablespoon of dough
per biscuit, and place onto
the prepared baking trays
set a couple of centimetres
apart. Bake in the
preheated oven for about
12 minutes or until the
edges are starting to brown.
Uhpryh#dqg#doorz#wr#frro#
eulhľ#|#ehiruh#frdwlqj#
liberally in icing sugar –
this is best done while the
biscuits are still warm as
the sugar sticks more. Once
cooled, these biscuits can
be stored in a container for
up to three days. O

{the dessert}
Can a biscuit be stylish? Chic? Maybe not, but there’s definitely something
sophisticated about these little biscuits. Simple shortbread style cookies
adorned with a liberal dusting of icing sugar, they’re also known as Russian
tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies or simply meltaways. I’ve made them
with bergamot zest – a citrus that’s part grapefruit, lime and lemon. But
if you can’t get hold of bergamot, lime and lemon both make for fabulous
biscuits. Bitter and bright at the same time.
Edd Kimber
Author of The Boy Who Bakes, Say It With Cake and Patisserie Made Simple, @theboywhobakes

133
 COLUMN
So, Trump is president. It happened, everyone
was miserable, including him, and now we have
to put on our big kid pants and get to work.
We – or some of us – basically started
immediately; the very next day Donald Trump
zdv#wkh#Ľuvw#pdq#lq#klvwru|#wr#eh#Ġuhmhfwhg#e|#dq#
entire gender’ , as Saturday Night Live so cleverly
sxw#lw1#L#odxjkhg#zkhq#L#khdug#wkdw#mrnh/#exw#zkhq#
I woke up the next day and began to read the
testaments of those who marched, I learned that
k|shueroh#olnh#wkdw#pljkw#qrw#eh#ehqhĽfldo#wr#
the greater cause.
For a while now, I’ve done my best as a
cisgender white male to seek out as many
perspectives as possible. That’s not to say I ask
those around me to take time out to explain
things to me, because that’s not anyone else’s
uhvsrqvlelolw|1#L#wu|#wr#Ľqg#wkh#pdwhuldo#rq#p|#
own because I feel if I want to be an actual agent
of positive change I have do the work myself.
Here’s what I gathered: many women felt
empowered; many held witty signs and wore
Ġsxvv|#kdwvġ#dv#d#vxeyhuvlyh#dfw#wr#wdnh#edfn#
a word made rotten by Trump. Many took
vhoĽhv1#Dqg#pdq|#ri#wkhvh#zrphq#zhuh#zklwh/#
cisgender, privileged women.
Women of colour, trans women, queer women
and working class women couldn’t help notice
that. For many of these women, the fact that 53%
of white women voted for Trump is a sobering
statistic that can’t be ignored.
I’ve seen white women bristle at the criticisms
being lobbed their way. They feel attacked and
wonder how there can be any such thing as unity
when there appears to be a focus on placing
blame. I understand not wanting to accept blame
or responsibility – it’s a natural reaction – but
putting your thumbs in your ears to drown out
the voices doesn’t quite seem like a solution.
White gay men, including myself, are guilty
of something similar. We love to use Drag Race
lingo without acknowledging where it comes
from: the drag balls in Harlem where primarily
people of colour have competed and performed
for decades. I’m pretty sure most of us know
at least one white gay male who’s uttered the
skudvh/#ĠL#ihho#olnh#Lġp#d#vdvv|#eodfn#zrpdq#rq#
the inside.’ It’s crass and it needs to stop.
134 
<<< L I F E
One reaction piece written by a woman of
colour highlighted the ease with which white
zrphq#zrxog#vfuhdp#ĠIXFN#WUXPS$ġ#lq#wkh#
idfhv#ri#srolfh#rĿfhuv1#E|#frqwudvw/#li#hyhq#vr#
pxfk#dv#rqh#shuvrq#vwhsv#rxw#ri#olqh#dw#d#Eodfn#
Lives Matter protest the entire event is branded a
Ġulrwġ#ru#wkh#sduwlflsdqwv#Ġwkxjvġ1
Wkh#idfw#lv#shrsoh#ri#frorxu#olyh#glļhuhqw#olyhv#
than white people, because we live in a world
that supports a system of white supremacy. I
have never been stopped and frisked by police
rĿfhuv#dw#p|#orfdo#wudlq#vwdwlrq#diwhu#wkrxvdqgv#
ri#mrxuqh|v/#exw#pdq|#qhljkerxuv#kdyh#ehhq#
stopped on a weekly basis.
Dqg#khuhġv#zkhuh#Lġp#sduw#ri#wkh#sureohp/#
and here’s where many white gay men might
understand why I’m writing this piece. I knew
L#zrxogqġw#eh#vwrsshg/#L#mxvw#nqhz#L#zrxogqġw/#
PJ BRENNAN and I didn’t say a word about it and continued on
p|#zd|1#Vr#wkh#Eodfn#Olyhv#Pdwwhu#surwhvw#zdv#d#
Whitewash everything in sight! wake up call for me, personally.
My silence made me a wilful participant in a
system that doles out violence at an incongruous
rate against people of colour.
Dqg#zkloh#Ľjkwlqj#iru#p|#uljkwv#dv#d#jd|#pdq#
might feel like enough, it’s not. There are those
zlwklq#wkh#OJEW.#frppxqlw|#zkr#h{shulhqfh#
other types of violence and oppression. We’re
not truly protecting our rights as a community if
we let these individual members down.
Li#zh#zdqw#wr#Ľjkw#iru#OJEW.#uljkwv/#zh#pxvw#
vxssruw#Eodfn#Olyhv#Pdwwhu/#zh#pxvw#Ľjkw#iru#
the rights of refugees and immigrants, we must
defend a woman’s right to choose, we must open
our eyes to the world around us.
L#vwloo#kdyhqġw#grqh#hqrxjk1#Eduho|#dq|wklqj/#
I’m pretty sure if I’m honest, so please don’t take this is
as preaching, and if it does in fact have a
most of us know sdwurqlvlqj#wrqh#wr#lw#mxvw#nqrz#L#wulhg#p|#ehvw#wr#
dyrlg#wkdw1#Exw#wklv#lv#lpsruwdqw1#
at least one Exclusion never works, we’ve all experienced
it ourselves in our own lives at some point,
white gay male haven’t we? So, white people, instead of
feeling attacked, let’s try to hold ourselves
who’s uttered the dffrxqwdeoh1#Ehfdxvh#li#|rx#uhdoo|#wkrxjkw#
about it for a minute, you’d see what I see: that
phrase, ‘I feel like |rx#gr#ehqhĽw#iurp#d#surirxqgo|#lpshuihfw#
v|vwhp#dqg#wkdw#vkrxogqġw#eh#RN1#O
I’m a sassy black
woman on the
inside.’ It’s crass
and it needs to
stop.
@peejaybrennan
Queer Arts Weekender
%R[2ɤFH_ZZZVDOLVEXU\DUWVFHQWUHFRXN
%HGZLQ6W6DOLVEXU\:LOWVKLUH6387

The Fabulous Ceri Dupree Miss Hope Springs London Gay Men’s Chorus
)ULGD\$SULO 6DWXUGD\$SULO 6DWXUGD\$SULO
SPGRRUVRSHQSP SPGRRUVRSHQSP SPGRRUVRSHQSP
7LFNHWV…_…FRQFHVVLRQV 7LFNHWV…_…FRQFHVVLRQV
The FAAAAAAABULOUS Ceri Internationally acclaimed comedy
Dupree is back on the road with his cabaret chanteuse Miss Hope
one man, 21 woman show. Springs plays the piano and sings
songs from her all original, self-
Presenting a glamorous evening of penned repertoire and tells hysterical
hysterical comedy, amazing vocal stories from her ‘Ritz to the pits’
impersonations and jaw-dropping, showbiz life. Hope is the creation of
eye-popping costumes. award-winning composer lyricist and
Recommended age 16+ entertainer Mr Ty Jeffries.

7LFNHWV…_…FRQFHVVLRQV
The London Gay Men’s Chorus
started life in 1991 when nine friends
sang carols to raise money for the
Terrence Higgins Trust. Fast forward
to today and it’s the largest gay choir
in Europe. The LGMC Ensemble
of around 16 members of the main
Chorus will blow you away with their
vast repertoire.

For a full line-up of events go to www.salisburyartscentre.co.uk

A LI V E NATION & SJ M P RESE NTATION BY ARRANG E M E NT W ITH ITB

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 L I F E >>>
Let’s talk about sex...
Looking to spice up your sex life? In
the words of the late George Michael,
let’s go outside. After all, turning good
sex into sensational fucking is all
about location, location, location...
Josh Sabarra
I’m forever getting letters and
messages from couples who’re
looking to spice up their sex
lives. In response, I’ve reviewed
the latest adult toys, written
about trends in extreme sex,
shed light on interesting
fetishes and role-play activities
and even introduced you
to some porn stars and sex
workers who’ve shared the
tricks of the trade. Sometimes,
though, keeping your romantic
life lively has nothing to do
with the bedroom at all but
rather the other interesting
places you can get it on...
01. Check into the no-tell
hotel. There’s
something hot about hotel sex.
New surroundings, sheets you
don’t have to change and a
variety of furniture options
within a small space – desks,
love seats, couches – make for
an exciting sexual playground.
Book a weekend night at your
local inn, and give it to your
man on every surface. With no
worries about keeping the
linens neat and clean, get down
and dirty with your favourite
guy. The maid can always burn
the bedding when you leave.
02. Do the dirty laundry.
The mixed smell of
fabric softener and detergent
SEX
04. Dress him up in your
love. Not everyone
odqg#Ğ#dqg#sodq#d#Ľ#hu|#hyhqlqj#
among nature’s elements.
loves to shop, but a nice, wet
blowjob in a department store
With a glow lamp, your cosiest
sleeping bag and some lube,
changing room can motivate slide beneath your trapped
just about any man to try on hairy bear and go at it until
some new apparel. Find a local both of you are howling at
retailer that has stalls with the moon.
ľ#rru0wr0fhlolqj#grruv#dqg#
select enough clothing options 06. Get things done at the
to keep you “busy” for a good rĿ # # fh1#If you’re
ten minutes. You and your fortunate enough to have a
sduwqhu#fdq#vxfn#hdfk#rwkhu#rļ## sulydwh/#vhfxuh#rĿ # # fh#dw#|rxu#
with the added excitement of place of business, make it a
unsuspecting shoppers milling more pleasurable space to
about. The salesman may be spend time. During extra
disappointed when you leave evening or weekend hours,
with nothing but smiles on when almost no one is around,
your faces, but the most bring your boyfriend to keep
important thing is that you company. Lock the door,
customers leave happy, right? and fuck him on top of your
desk. Or, have visitor chairs in
05. Pitch a tent in the
wilderness. Regardless
the room? Sit Mr Lucky in one
with his legs spread over the
of whether or not you and your arms, and head south to give
may not be the best partner are the outdoorsy his cock and ass some oral
aphrodisiac, but the heat and types, there’s something rough satisfaction. You’ll always have
vibration of a washing machine and rugged about fucking in a the memory to hold onto,
can be the perfect complement tent. Find a campground that especially when a boring boss
wr#vrph#jrrg#rog0idvklrqhg# rents facilities by the night – or work colleagues take a seat
thrusting. Throw in any clothes unless you’re the rare gay across from you the next day.
that require a hot water rinse, woodsman who can erect a Just smile and let them wonder
and then bend your lover over canvas structure on his own what you’ve been up to. O
the top of the appliance. Push
in and out of him with the
@joshsabarra
vdph#uk|wkp#dv#wkh#vslq0f|foh/#
and your laundry won’t be the
rqo|#ordg#|rxġyh#Ľ#qlvkhg1#
Sitting on top of rattling
household machinery is one of
the oldest sex jokes in the
book, but it didn’t earn its place
there for no reason.
03. Take your man for a
ride. Scorching hot
sex is a great excuse to test the
range of motion of your car’s
passenger seat. Recline it as
far back as possible and let
your lover lie back. Mount
your man while keeping your
back to the windscreen and
ride him harder than the road.
The back seat, which is the
wudglwlrqdo/#jr0wr#vsrw/#fdq#eh#
cramped and uncomfortable.
Take the front row, and get
your grind on – but make sure
you’re parked in a private
garage or have some stellar
window tinting. You don’t
need a “public indecency”
charge on your record.
137

dear os
L I F E >>>
My best female friend
got married to a great
man about a year ago.
Recently, she’s begun to
question his sexuality
because he has asked her
on multiple occasions to
penetrate him anally with
a strap-on dildo. I told
her that I’d be scratching
my head too, but – as a
SODWLQXPFHUWLȴHGJD\
man – I don’t know that
I’m the best person to be
offering counsel to her
heterosexual marriage.
Her husband insists that
he’s straight and simply
enjoys a well-rounded sex
life that includes ass play.
Am I wrong to think that
a man who wants to take
it up the butt can’t be
totally hetero, no matter
how much he protests?
I don’t want to see my
friend hurt down the line,
so I’d like to help her get
to the, um, bottom of
this as soon as possible.
From EH
Yes, you are absolutely
wrong to think that
a man who gets off
on anal stimulation is
automatically gay. Enjoying
a particular sexual activity
does not make one a
homosexual unless he
prefers to engage in it with
a member of the same sex.
Many straight men are
into “pegging”, the name
that has been applied of
late to the practice of a
woman fucking her male
partner with a dildo. The
prostate can be a pleasure
point for men regardless
of their sexualities, and
the stimulation of that
JODQGȂZLWKDȴQJHURU
toy – can provide mind-
blowing orgasms for many
open-minded gents. If your
best gal-pal’s husband has
assured her that his sexual
interest is in women – and
he’s given her no reason
SEX
to think otherwise – she through lingerie. Is this the fabric – and perhaps
should just be thankful some kind of fetish that being able to rip through
that she has landed a guy I’ve never heard of? I am the nylons easily to get to
who’s game for a great all for being adventurous your assets – that starts
time in bed. O in bed, but this is a new WKHEORRGȵRZLQJWRKLV
one for me – and I do not cock. Keep your mind open
As much as I like to avoid like feeling emasculated. and try to let go of the idea
labels, for the purposes From SJB that you’re being put in a
of this communication, “weaker” sexual role; you
I need to identify as a I have absolutely heard PLJKWȴQGWKDWVHHLQJ\RXU
beefy muscle power of this fetish, which has lover so turned on gets you
bottom. I work out for launched an entire genre going as well. O
more than an hour a day, of porn. Production
and I’m told that I have a companies and websites My husband is
sexy – but intimidating – such as Gentlemen’s Closet uncircumcised, and
physique. My boyfriend and Lucas Entertainment I’m snipped. One of his
of three years is a – check out a title called favourite things to do
similarly built top who Panty Hos – have been during foreplay is to put
has always been into my catering for some time the tips of our penises
hyper-masculinity, but, to males who are turned head-to-head and then
last week, he asked me on by other men in cover my penis with his
WRZHDUDSDLURIȴVKQHW stockings. You should foreskin. Admittedly, it
stockings as a way of talk to your boyfriend feels good, and it gets
initiating sex. I’ve never openly regarding what it me hard as a rock. I could
been turned on by cross- LVH[DFWO\DERXWKLVȴVKQHW almost cum from the
dressing, but he said fantasy that gets him sensation. That said, I
that he loves the idea of horned up. My guess is am curious as to whether
seeing all of my bulges that it’s seeing your bits or not there’s anything
in constricting and see- and pieces pulsing through unsafe of about this
activity. Do you know of
other couples who enjoy
similar cock play? From CB
What you’re describing
is a very common sexual
practice called “docking”,
in which an uncut
partner covers, with his
foreskin, the head of his
circumcised lover’s penis.
In order for this to be
at all dangerous, one of
you would need to have
an STI, and the infected
pre-cum or semen would
have to get directly into
the bloodstream of
the uninfected partner
through a cut or abrasion
on the top of his dick.
Basically though, it’s a
relatively low-risk activity
that you should continue
to enjoy – especially if
you’re in a monogamous
relationship. O
Josh Sabarra is the best-
selling author of Porn Again:
A Memoir, available at
Amazon, @joshsabarra
139
 L I F E >>> i tne i  charlie
ing

01. Single arm tricep

extension. This works
best for shaping the arm and
JHWWLQJGHȴQLWLRQLQWKHWULFHS
area. Get ready to feel the burn
DQGJHWSXPSHG<RXFDQVLWIRU
this, but I prefer to stand. Using
one at a time, bring the
dumbbell to your shoulder
then extend over the head.
Rotate the wrist so the palm of
\RXUKDQGLVIDFLQJIRUZDUG
and this will be your start
position. Lower the dumbbell
behind your head as you hold
the upper arm stationary
– inhaling inwards. Return to
01 WKHVWDUWLQJSRVLWLRQE\ȵH[LQJ
\RXUWULFHSVDV\RXEUHDWKHRXW
The upper arm should remain
stationary next to your head at
all times. Alternate arms after
\RXUȴUVWUHSV*RIRU
WKUHHVHWVRQHDFKDUPO

02. 6KRXOGHUȵLHVODWHUDO
raise. The lateral raise is
great to work the front and side
SDUWVRIWKHVKRXOGHUPXVFOH
6WDUWOLJKWȴQG\RXUZHLJKWDQG
stand with a neutral spine and
the dumbbell slightly in front of
you around hip height. Keeping
the torso in a stationary
position, lift to your side with a
slight bend in the elbow and
the hands slightly tilted
forward. Continue to go up
until arms are parallel to the
ȵRRUDQGLQOLQHZLWK\RXU
shoulders. Exhale as you
H[HFXWHDQGSDXVHIRUDVHFRQG
DWWKHWRS/RZHUEDFNVORZO\WR
WKHVWDUW5HSHDWIRUUHSV
with three sets in total. O

03. Triple medicine ball

push-up. Using one
PHGLXPVL]HGEDOODQGWZR
VPDOOHURQHVNJSRVLWLRQ
the balls by imagining you’re
02 GRLQJDQRUPDOSXVKXS*HW
WKHWZRVPDOOHUPHGLFLQHEDOOV
DQGSODFH\RXUKDQGVVHFXUHO\
6TXHH]H\RXUWKLJKVWRJHWKHU
DQGSODFH\RXUIHHWRQWRWKH
medium ball and hold yourself
LQSRVLWLRQ:LWK\RXUFRUH
fully engaged, bend your
elbows, lowering yourself to
WKHȵRRU6ORZO\EULQJ\RXUVHOI
up, exhaling as you move and
remembering to keep the legs
DQGFRUHHQJDJHG7U\IRUȴYH
,WȇVDVXSHUEH[HUFLVHIRUFRUH
VWUHQJWKEDODQFHDQG
stability... plus it’s impressive
WRZDWFKO

140 
 FITNESS

Working with
dumbbells is a
great way to isolate
muscle groups,
build strength, and
gage where your
individual strength
is currently at.
Keep an eye on
your posture, focus
on breathing and
ensure your core is
engaged. Whatever
you’re doing, make
sure you’re working
hard and seeing
that sweat fall!
Charlie King
IMAGES matt crockett
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03

141
 L I F E >>> i tne and el eing

protein with your Prada...

Premium health brand Neat Nutrition have joined luxury e-tailer Net-a-Porter and Mr
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HYHQDGYDQFHGYLWDPLQVDQGPLQHUDOV,I\RXȇUHJRLQJKDUGRQZHLJKWVDWWKHSRRORU
FDXJKWXSLQOLIHDVDEXV\KHDOWKFRQVFLRXVSURIHVVLRQDO1HDW1XWULWLRQFDQJLYH\RX
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HOME OR AWAY Struggling to stick with your new year

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26UCPFCVJNGVGUŤCPFCNNCVVJGVQWEJQHCDWVVQP2KEMVJG
NQECVKQPCPFVJTQWIJ[QWTUOCTVRJQPG#HNGVGYKNNIGV[QW
UYGCVKPI6TCEM[QWTYQTMQWVURTQITGUUCPFTGCEJ[QWT
IQCNUCNNVJTQWIJVJKUWUGTHTKGPFN[CPFGPEQWTCIKPICRR#PF
YJKNG[QWTVKOGKUURGPVGZGTEKUKPIKVGXGPJGNRU[QWVTCEM
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TGCNN[IQVPQGZEWUG
DȵHWHFRP#DȵHWHDSS

142 

o
Facing the fear of Gymidation... Why do we find the gym so
intimidating when we are all there for the same good reasons?
Someone on Twitter last
week mentioned that they
wanted to get bigger purely
so they could enter the free
weights section of the gym
without feeling inadequate.
Wklv#zdvqġw#wkh#Ľ#uvw#wlph#
I’d heard this. Recently the
Mdqxdu|#qhzfrphuv#kdg#Ľ#oohg#
all the gyms with people
looking to cash in their New
Year’s resolutions and I spoke
to a few friends who were
taking the opportunity to turn
over a new leaf. One friend told
me they’d already quit and for
a similar reason to the Twitter
person – they felt like people
were judging them. I found this
really upsetting, but I was more
annoyed with my friend for
quitting. What a silly reason.
But then, doing my best Carrie
Bradshaw, ‘I got to thinking’
wkdw#Lġyh#ghĽ#qlwho|#h{shulhqfhg#
that before in my life.
I started to ‘gym’ when I
was 16 in the comfort of my
bedroom. I bought myself
some dumbbells and then a
bench press to whack in the
garage. I used to work out
in the evenings, waving the
weights around and using
routines I found online. At that
age, with all my mum’s home
cooking, I made big changes
and at 18 I joined a gym. I
remember seeing all these
bigger, well, men in the free
weights section and feeling
erwk#shwulĽ#hg#dqg#lq#dzh#ri#
them. I wanted to be that.
I befriended one of the
PTs at the gym, who I think
vdz#wklv#pl{hg#uhdfwlrq#lq#
my face every time I turned
up to use the machines. He
asked me what my goals were
dqg#L#uhphpehu#frqĽ#ghqwo|#
pointing to a bodybuilder
in the free weights section
and boldly stating ‘that’. He
laughed and said, ‘Well, you’re
going to need to step things up,’
chris ones: average oe
and he increased the weights
on the chest press I was on.
Wkh#qh{w#wlph#L#ylvlwhg#wkh#
gym and headed to do my
usual routine, this PT friend
of mine shook his head. He
told me to change things up
and, in order to shock my
body into the growth I’d need,
to get on board with the free
weights. He helped me devise
a plan and, more importantly,
he told me EVERYONE starts
rļ##vrphzkhuh1##
Now at the age of 30, I’m
not the bodybuilder I wanted
to become but my brief
‘gymidation’ didn’t stop me
from getting into the gym. It
can be daunting, but everyone
is there for the same reason
you are – to better yourself, be
healthy and happy. O
ASK CHRIS
Is there such a thing as
over training? I do cardio in
the morning and weights
LQWKHHYHQLQJȴYHWLPHVD
week and I’m not seeing the
results I want. Am I over
doing it? Andrew, via email
If you’re not seeing the
results you want, after
working out as much as you
do, then yes. You need to
make sure your body has time
to recover. You need to give
your body that chance to rest,
repair and grow!
oomi
The Protein Noodle
I love it when
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and I couldn’t taste
the difference. oomi
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143
 L I F E >>> ife, ove and uy riends

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WORDS william connolly
Myself and my husband
rescued a Chinese crested dog
called Maggie Smith two years
ago. She was a breeding dog
whose two litters all died and
was no longer of any use to
the breeder. We met her at the
local animal sanctuary and just
couldn’t leave her – she was a
nervous, shaking little bundle
who’d lost hair and hadn’t been
cared for properly.
As you can see from
the picture above, she’s
blossomed into a gorgeous
dog. She doesn’t shake now,
her hair is growing back and
she’s doubled in size to the
correct weight. She’s no longer
nervous of us or strangers,
DQGRR]HVFRQ¿GHQFH
Because of her background,
Last year, she won two
competitions in leading dog
magazines, winning lots of
dog food we later donated
to charity. We try and give
as much as we can and hope
other people will look at rescue
FHQWUHV¿UVWZKHQORRNLQJIRUD
pet, rathere than buying from
a breeder.
Depending on the animal, it’s
not always an easy transition,
but the wonderful people who
run these centres will always
make sure you’re given the
information you need before
taking on your own litle one.
For anyone looking for a pet,
please do consider your local
dog home or rescue centre.
Sadly, there’s many dogs like
Maggie in need of a new life,
and you could be the one to
give them such love.
It has shown us, and
hopefully you, that with a bit
of love and care, someone’s life
can be turned around. We’re
proud to have welcomed our
own little Maggie Smith into
our lives – making us into our

green–ingered un! she doesn’t play with toys

– we’ve been told it’s very
own little family. O
instagram.com/bumpkincabble
common with dogs from a
Thinking of opening up your kid’s bedroom to the wonders of nature? Try kawaii- breeding background. She
style Peropon animal planters, which actually water themselves by sipping up H2O does however have bundles of
through their felt tongues in order to grow the seeds on their backs. Each animal character and she makes us
grows something different, with a frog who grows mint and a cat that grows wild laugh out loud every day.
strawberries. Now if only that cat could also get the cream...
She’s our pride and joy and
Available from £10, redcandy.co.uk, @redcandyuk our friends and family adore
her – in fact, they visit to see
KHUPRUHWKDQXV
144 
 MODERN FAMILY

5 tips on the natural

ways to enhance your
sleeping pattern
Ditch the technology.
Remove all electricals
from your bedroom
– no TV, phones or
tablets. The blue light
emitted from these
devices suppresses
a soothing sedative to
the mind.

Aid your relaxation

the production of the
sleep-inducing hormone
melatonin. Never mind
what it does to your
brain in preventing it
from fully switching off!
Watch your diet.
Become a little more
conscious with what
you’re eating as it plays a
huge part on the quality
of your sleep. Cut down
on sugary foods and
don’t drink caffeine in
the evening. Also avoid
heavy meals at least
two hours before you go
to bed.
Prepare for lights out.
Use an hour before you
plan to sleep to relax and
switch off your mind.
Essential oils of lavender,
rose, and cedar wood
Sam e d i ffe r e n c e . . . are a good start. They’re
routine. Try a hot oil
massage whenever
RQUUKDNG6JGDGPGƒV
is equivalent to seven
hours of sleep, so one
massage each week can
help you catch up on
those lost hours.
Consider extras.
Additional aromas
within the bedroom can
help work your body
while you’re asleep.
Try to use regenerating
energies that calm the
nervous system of any
anxiety, diminish effects
of stress, fear and relax
the respiratory system
to induce long, restful
and undisturbed sleep.
Aaaah! O
Monique Hart is the
founder of The Hart
Spa and the Bleeding
Hart Collection,
thehartspa.com,
moniquehart.com,
@thehartspa

Challenging perceptions of non-traditional families, Pablo

Fernández’s new book My Two Dads Are Amazing follows
the story of nine-year-old Ben and – you guessed it – his
two dads. The author created the book while struggling
to find a story to read to his own son that represented
their family. He’s hopeful heterosexual households use the
book to teach their little ones about families different to
their own. And the cherry on the cake – ten per cent of all
proceeds go to LGBT+ adoption charity New Family Social.
pablofcreative.com, @becomingdads

145
 PROPERTY
01. Find your focus. A
feature wall can spruce
up a room almost instantly.
Strip it back to a plain colour or
even go wild with a bright hue.
A painted featured wall sits
well alongside wallpaper and
soft furnishings and can
become the perfect
compliment to any artwork or
mounted television. To
pd{lplvh#wkh#Ľ#qlvkhg#orrn/#
take into consideration strong
lighting to ensure it doesn’t
end in a patch of dull colour.
02. Less is more.
Anything you trip
over or are constantly putting
away probably shouldn’t be
wkhuh#lq#wkh#Ľ#uvw#sodfh1#Jhw#
rid. Emptying space and
146 
creating a wider and open
room can make it seem like
brand new. Do you really
need that magazine holder
that has no magazines in it?
Are you tired of manoeuvring
durxqg#|rxu#odujh#frļ#hh#
table? The new empty space
will provide a blank canvas
for the imagination.
03. Switch rooms around
every few years.
Changing the order of a room
will make it feel fresh and
exciting. Bedrooms are the
hdvlhvw/#dv#lwġv#riwhq#d#qhz#
direction for the bed or
cupboards. If switching the
entire room around is too big of
d#mre/#vlpso|#sodfh#ixuqlvklqjv#
you wouldn’t expect to see in
tips and advice < < < L I F E
that room. A mirror in a
nlwfkhq/#zklfk#wudglwlrqdoo|#
grhvqġw#ehorqj#wkhuh/#doorzv#
the natural colours of the fruit
erzo#dqg#zlqh#erwwohv#wr#uhľ#hfw#
around the room.
04. Strip it back to nature.
Natural materials such
as wood create a timeless feel
to a room and make great
feature pieces. From pallet
benches that create idyllic
breakfast areas to wine racks
that add character to your
kitchen. Another tip would be
to stain the wood. The beauty
of working with natural
materials is that perfection
lvqġw#qhhghg1#Lq#idfw/#wkh#ohvv#
shuihfw/#wkh#ehwwhu1#
05. Up the stairs.
Uhphpehu#wkh#Ľ#uvw#
thing guests will notice as they
arrive in your home is the
stairs. With them being such a
odujh#irfxv/#pdnh#vxuh#wkh|#
uhľ#hfw#krz#|rx#zdqw#|rxu#
home to be. Rip out your old
carpet and replace it with a
carpet runner. There’s various
uxj#uxqqhuv#dydlodeoh/#exw#
ensure you take a look at the
surroundings so the carpet
runner blends in. Adding a
carpet runner that’s slightly
smaller than your staircase
will make it look wider than it
actually is. Sanding down and
painting the wooden staircase
beforehand will add an extra
prghuq#wzlvw/#zkloh#vwloo#
sticking to the traditional
approach. Mix it up!
Little things go a long way 06. Removing paintings
from the walls to the
when it comes to the home... ľ#rru1#Swap nails in the wall
for a leaning piece of art. The
Don’t get caught with idea of changeability is
unnecessary home decor exciting and rotating your
photographs and paintings
expenses. Plan ahead, think around the room will allow you
wisely and make little to change the whole
complexity with such little
changes for maximum impact. hļ#ruw1#Uhphpehu/#wkhuh#lvqġw#d#
Remember, all it takes is a right or wrong place to put art.
Whether you’re after
spark of imagination! v|pphwulf#sohdvxuh/#d#prghuq#
Budget? What budget? Ľ#qlvk#ru#d#krph#jdoohu|/#wkh#
possibilities really are endless.
Also try it with any mirrors you
have at home – often a leaning
mirror has far more of an
WORDS danny wearin lpsdfw#wkdq#d#zhoo#kxqj/#
perfectly positioned mirror. O
WATERFRONT III
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*Approximate travel times for Crossrail taken from Royal Arsenal Woolwich. Source: www.crossrail.co.uk

Proud to be a member of the

Berkeley Group of companies
 L I F E >>>

abi abi game eserve

SOUTH
AFRICA
LONG
HAUL

148 
 TRAVEL

In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion

sleeps tonight. But if you want to get up
close and personal with all creatures great
and small, there’s only one place to go to
do it in first-class luxury...

IMAGES SABI SABI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

WORDS matt risley

149
 L I F E >>> ou  africa

W
khq#lw#frphv#wr#ohiw0Ľ#hog#fhoheulw|#fuxvkhv/#
we’re totally pushing David Attenborough. Get
past his dulcet growly tone and ovary-tingling
genes – Google “young David Attenborough”
and then come back to us – and his love of
animals, wildlife and the world around us is as
lqihfwlrxv#dqg#olih0dĿ # # uplqj#dv#lw#jhwv1
With 2016 going on record as the worst year
to hit the planet since the one when that
comet came out of nowhere and squished all
the dinosaurs, there’s no better time to plan
a 2017 adventure that grounds you back to the
sobering, awe-inspiring things in life.
Safaris are almost always incredible
experiences, but as their popularity and ease
of access has increased over the last decade,
so has the saturation. It’s not uncommon to
khdg#rļ##lq#wkh#pruqlqj#lq#vhdufk#ri#pljudwlqj#
zloghehhvw/#rqo|#wr#Ľ#qg#|rxuvhoi#lq#d#wudĿ # # f#
jam with 72 other jeeps, all crowding around
some poor, unsuspecting fur ball trapped in
khdgoljkwv#ri#erwk#d#olwhudo#dqg#skrqh0ľ#dvk0
paparazzi kind.
Which is why Sabi Sabi Private Game
Reserve, located just outside South Africa’s
Kruger National Park, seemed so appealing.
While the reserve’s been open to the public
iru#68#|hduv/#rļ#huv#irxu#glvwlqfw#orgjhv#wdloruhg#
for an array of travellers – Bush Lodge is the
only one that welcomes kids – and promises
the chance to see the ‘Big Five’ (elephant,
uklqr/#olrq/#ohrsdug#dqg#exļ#dor,/#wklv#lv#dv#idu#
from a generic safari Butlins experience as
you can get.
Framed around a philosophy of ‘yesterday,
today and tomorrow’, each lodge boasts its
own tasteful, individual style that celebrates
the Africa of old and new. We stayed in the Zlwklq#Ľ#yh#plqxwhv#ri#gursslqj#rxu#
frankly stunning Earth Lodge, an eco-friendly bags, we spotted a mother hippo and baby
habitat sculpted into the landscape and near +klsshwwhB,#gulqnlqj#iurp#d#zdwhukroh#d#ihz#
impossible to see from afar. hundred yards away. An hour later, we were
While the chill-out areas are ‘relaxed carrying a drink outside when an actual
ox{xu|ġ#ghĽ#qhg#+mxvw#orrn#dw#wkh#lpdjhv#dqg# elephant strolled into our back garden. She
you can see why National Geographic have slowly plodded her way past the plunge pool,
labelled it one of the most unique lodges in within touching distance, and we then spent a
wkh#zruog,/#dqg#wkh#glqlqj#rswlrqv#duh#zruog0 good 30 minutes watching said elephant walk
class as standard (not only the food, but the up and over our lodge. An elephant literally
eating areas, which include an outdoor boma walked on top of our roof.
for dining under the stars, and a wine cellar After waiting out the elephant home
vwxļ#hg#zlwk#Vrxwk#Diulfdq#ylqwdjhv,/#lwġv#wkh# invasion, a quick chat to the lodge’s guides
13 completely private, luxurious suites built dĿ# # upv#wklv#lv#mxvw#d#w|slfdo#Wxhvgd|#dw#Hduwk#
into the bushland that dazzle because of their Lodge. Other guests have stepped out of the
xqdedvkhg/#edŀ # # lqj#rshqqhvv#wr#wkh#zlogolih# vkrzhu#exww0qdnhg#wr#Ľ#qg#d#ohrsdug#orfnlqj#
around you. eyes with them through the patio doors, while

150 
 TRAVEL

it’s mandatory for every guest to have a ranger

walk them to their lodge after dark because
you never know what’ll be wandering through.
The lack of fences and boundaries on the
reserve ensure animals are free to come and
go as they please.
It’s this harmony with nature that ensures
your jaw is constantly dropped throughout
your stay; a bedazzled feeling you’ll grow more
than accustomed to on the daily game drives.
You’re guaranteed a sunrise and sunset safari
drive every day, with each car limited to just
six people, and a reserve rule that each animal
be subjected to a maximum of two cars at a
time ensuring it’s as private and respectful a
viewing experience as possible.
The trackers and guides work in such Dr
Dolittle-esque harmony it’s easy to suspect the
whole thing’s an elaborate You’ve Been Framed
set-up. Each drive is undoubtedly at the whim
of the wildlife, so nothing’s guaranteed. But
before every drive, we’d tentatively enquire
about seeing a certain type of animal, and
then through a combination of tracking prints,
our guide’s seemingly super-human hearing
abilities and, we’re going to go with ‘actual
zl}dugu|ġ/#zhġg#Ľ#qg#vdlg#dqlpdo#hyhu|#wlph1
Wkh#Ľ#uvw#qljkw#zh#zdwfkhg#d#ohrsdug#gudj#
its impala kill up a tree, and sat enrapt for 45
minutes as it slowly crunched its way through
the remains, only stopping to wag its tail,
stroll up and down the tree branches and
jhqhudoo|#vkrz0rļ##wr#lwv#jdzslqj#furzg1#Wkh#
second morning we found an entire pride of
lions (replete with cubs), wild dogs and rhinos,
while the afternoon drive was spent tracking
an enormous herd of travelling elephants,
avoiding said herd later that evening in the
pitch black, and then tracking a female leopard
wkurxjk#wkh#exvk#e|#ľ#dvkoljkw1
And that’s not even counting the thousands
of zebras, impalas and kudu you see as mere
background scenery along the way.
Most modern safaris nowadays feel a
little too like Jurassic World – the original
‘safari adventure’ dream distorted into an
over-populated, mass-produced lump of
consumerism. But a trip to Sabi Sabi harks back
to Jurassic Park and how safaris should be –
intimate, awe-inspiring and very, very special.

“An elephant literally

Although we should probably clarify for the
record that Sabi Sabi has no record of crazed,
murderous outbreaks – or dinosaurs – to date.
Sabi Sabi is as close to experiencing a BBC

walked on top of our grfxphqwdu|#Ľ#uvw0kdqg#dv#|rx#fdq#jhw#zlwkrxw#

all the life-threatening travails that come with
making one. Book your tickets, strap on your

roof. Just a typical binoculars, and set your faces to stunned. O

GT Travelled to Earth Lodge, Sabi Sabi Game

Reserve, which costs from £950 per person
per night, based on two sharing, inc vehicle

Tuesday at Sabi Sabi.” and walking safaris, all meals and transfers
IURP6DEL6DEL$LUVWULS*7ȵ HZZLWK6RXWK
$IULFDQ$LUZD\VUHWXUQȵLJKWV+HDWKURZWR
-RKDQQHVEXUJIURPeDQG)HGHUDO$LU
UHWXUQȵLJKWV6DEL6DEL$LUVWULSWR-RKDQQHVEXUJ
or Tambo twice daily from £282 one way.
VDELVDELFRPȵ \VDDFRP
fedair.com.

151
 L I F E >>> die oad trip

A driving holiday might

sound like something a pair
of past-it parents would plan,
but there’s really no better
way to see a destination to
its fullest. Hitting the open
road, passing little villages,
breathing in the coastal air and
being absorbed by the rolling
countryside; the UK and Ireland
has many picturesque driving
routes, and Northern Ireland’s
Causeway Coast is one of the
most breathtaking. Two days on
the open road from Derry City
to Belfast brings you along the
County Antrim coast taking in
castles, temples and natural
wonders, not to mention
incredible food and drink.
A recent Capital of Culture in
5346/#zh#ehjlq#e|#ľ#|lqj#lqwr#
Derry, both the second biggest
and the most westerly city
of Northern Ireland. A walk
along the original Derry City
Walls is a must, followed by a
visit to the Guildhall, which
boasts incredible architecture
and houses an interesting
interactive exhibition on the
history of the Ulster Plantation
and Derry’s beginnings.
Heading across the iconic
and unusually-designed Peace
Bridge, dinner awaits at the new
Walled City Brewery, whose
team can proudly proclaim to
literally organising piss-ups
in a brewery. This craft beer
emporium has a talented
kitchen, its delicious menu
propped up by a wide selection
of local brews, unique cocktails
and a globe-trotting gin menu.
Continue afterwards late into
the night with more pints (and
a spot of traditional music)
at popular watering holes
Blackbird or Sandinos. Sitting ABOVE lined walking trail bypassing very shore that’s a backdrop man-made bridge. Soon after,
NORTHERN
just inside the city walls, the IRELAND’S hundreds of sheep, you soon to your meal) paired with local the road takes you to Bushmills
Bishop’s Gate Hotel is an ideal CAUSEWAY COAST reach Mussenden Temple, craft beers. The chowder is town, a stopping point for
spot to rest your head for a vhw#dwrs#d#qruwk0idflqj#folļ## incredible, as is the light-as- two reasons – a visit to the
night. This newly-redeveloped, battered by the crashing waves dlu#edwwhuhg#Ľ#vk#dqg#fklsv1# famous Bushmills Whiskey
plush four-star hotel is pristine, of the roaring Atlantic. This is a Be brave and order a whole Distillery and Northern
perfectly-sized and luxuriously must-stop to catch your breath Ľ#vk#rq#wkh#erqh/#lwġv#h{fhoohqw# Ireland’s natural wonder, the
comfortable. It’s also a purveyor and take in the beauty of the value but, more importantly, Giant’s Causeway. A UNESCO
of an exceptional Ulster Fry – coastline, which only gets more lqfuhgleoh#ľ#dyrxu1#\rx# World Heritage Site, at this
no trip to NI would be worthy dramatic along the drive. couldn’t get a better setting area sits tens of thousands of
without sampling this cooked Perfectly placed a short drive ru#d#pruh#Ľ#wwlqj#oxqfk#vwrs# interlocking basalt columns
breakfast featuring ‘fadge’ , also away is the seaside town of than this beautifully-designed rising majestically from the
known as a potato farl. Portstewart, with one of the seaside shack. choppy ocean, a result of
Departing Derry, we trace the ehvw#vhdirrg#dqg#vkhooĽ#vk# Fifteen minutes later we ancient volcanic activity. The
eastern edge of Lough Foyle restaurants in the country set land at Dunluce Castle, the experience is second-to-none
and arrive at the 18th century right on its strand. Harry’s preserved ruins of a medieval with a big budget visitor centre
Downhill Demense. Navigating Shack cooks the daily catch castle town jutting into the and audio guides weaving
our way through a dropping- (landed each morning on the ocean, now connected only by myth, humour and fact.

152 

Onwards and reaching the
most north-easterly point
of Ireland sits Carrick-a-
Rede, a treacherous-looking
rope bridge connecting the
mainland to a nearby island
is an Instagram-worthy
opportunity en route. Here, you
can continue the scenic coastal
route – hitting the charming
towns of Ballintoy, Ballycastle,
Cushenden, Cushendell and
Glenarm – before turning
at Larne towards Belfast or,
alternatively, veer south after
the Causeway and descend
deep into the heart of Antrim
as you pass through the Game
travel
of Thrones favourite The
Dark Hedges.
Arriving in the cosmopolitan
capital of Belfast, spend a night
or two at the Bullitt Hotel, the
city’s newest bolthole oozing
coolness with two bars, a smart
casual restaurant and a mixture
of designer licks and endearing
local touches. For a pair of
thirsty travellers, drinks await
at Perch, the city’s rooftop
cocktail bar. Continuing into
the night, Belfast’s ‘scene’
centres around Donegall Street
including Maverick, Boombox,
Kremlin and Union Street Bar.
2016 was Discover Northern
Ireland’s Year of Food and
Drink, and you’re spoiled
for fabulous food across the
country, not least in Belfast. A
trip here isn’t complete without
stopping by the foodie haven
of St George’s Market, packed
to the rafters with producers,
street food vendors and local
craftspeople. The St George’s
Bar & Grill, one level up, is as
great a place for breakfast as it
is for a quiet dinner.
The market is also the start
point of Caroline Wilson’s
Belfast Food Tours, an
expertly-guided four-hour
tour of the best eats and
gulqnv#wkh#flw|#kdv#wr#rļ#hu1#
Pit-stops include a champ and
cider session at The Garrick,
fkrfrodwh#wuxŀ # # hv#dw#fkrfrodwlhu#
Co Couture, gin and ginger
serves at The John Hewitt,
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153
0 3/17 >>> DIRECTORY
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 0 3/17 >>>

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156
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157
 0 3 / 17 >>> ggle, golden girls and dustin ance lack
MY
GAY
LIFE Name Austin Chappell Armacost
Age 28 Occupation TV personality, model,
LGBT+ campaigner
:KHQ,¿UVWNQHZ«
IMAGE NICKY JOHNSTON
Around the age of eight
I’d look at men and feel a
“tingling”. I didn’t fully
understand what it was, but
once I Googled naked men
IRUWKH¿UVWWLPHDQG,IHOW
a tightening in my pants,
I knew. I had a few gay
relatives so knew it wouldn’t
be an issue at all.
0\FRPLQJRXWPRPHQW«
I was accidentally outed by
my brother, actually. At 14 I
was struggling with coming
out, dealing with drug and
alcohol issues, and recovering
from a traumatic experience
a few years earlier – so I was
quite a wreck! I was coming
down off of a strong drug and
became very violent towards
my parents. They realised
there was a deeper demon I
was battling than simply just
teen angst. I admitted to my
parents I thought I was gay
and my brother overheard.
According to him, he told his
TOP best friend just for someone
TO WONG FOO to “talk to” about it and how
ABOVE
GOOGLING
to handle it. Apparently my
NAKED MEN brother’s best friend’s little
158 
brother overheard it. He
also happened to be in my
year at school, so a few days
later everybody was asking,
whispering and gossiping. I
decided there was no point to
continue not being my true
self. I knew that I was gay,
knew that nothing was going
to change and decided it was
time to start living openly.
Two weeks after I came out,
11 kids in my school had
come out following me. That’s
when I knew that being a
role model was a powerful
position and I needed to use
it in a positive way.
7KHFDPSHVWWKLQJ,¶YH
HYHUGRQH«Dressed in drag.
It wasn’t Halloween, or fancy
dress, I just felt like putting
women’s clothing on. I enjoyed
it for a week or two but haven’t
done it since. This was 2009.
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How liberating to walk into
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Well, since I had two older
brothers growing up, I nicked
an ID card from my older
brother and started a bit
early. A club in Indianapolis

called Greg’s Place was my
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@austinarmacost
My biggest
crush is…
I have a massive
man crush on
Mark Wahlberg.
He’s just a bad
ass dude, great
actor, attractive,
Boston accent,
loves exercise, has
a burger chain…
I could go ON
and ON and ON.
RIGHT
THE GOLDEN GIRLS
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159
 0 3 / 17 >>>

160 

oyfriend
Name Ricky Age 32
Occupation I work In Food PR and I’m
trying to get into property development.
Boyfriend status: I’m
single. I enjoy the single life
and dating is great, but I
think I’m coming to a point
where I’d now like to start
building something with
someone special.
His relationship history:
I’ve never had a proper
boyfriend. I know this might
seem shocking and scary,
but I haven’t really taken the
time to search for Mr Right.
I’m looking for a guy to be
a boyfriend – without the
drama.
What type of boyfriend
he is: I’d like to think I’m
the nesting kind. I’m a keen
cook and even took part in
MasterChef a couple of years
back. My boyfriend can expect
a lot of romantic meals.
His ideal date: To start with
a drink, go for dinner or maybe
even do something a little
different. I’ve always wanted to
go to a pizza-making class or a
crazy golf place. After dinner,
maybe a walk by the Thames
XQWLOZH¿QGVRPHZKHUHWR
steal a kiss.
What kind of guy he’s
looking for: &RQ¿GHQFHD
sense of humour and someone
who can laugh at himself. I
like a guy with a bit of drive,
something that fuels him
and gets him out of bed in
the morning. A social guy
helps, and maybe somebody
who appreciates my foodie
finally
obsession. Vegans need not
apply – sorry! If we’re talking
about looks, then taller than
me, and broader. I’m 5ft 8, so
6ft is sexy! I tend to go for dark
haired guys, stubble and chest
hair, and maybe somebody
who has a gym membership.
His greatest strength: I
think my ability to articulate
and communicate well. I’m
often told I’m compassionate,
a good listener and often a
voice of reason. I’m humbled
by the compliment.
His biggest turn on:
Aside from a cheeky smile
and dimples, a guy who is
FRPIRUWDEOHDQGFRQ¿GHQW
in himself. I don’t mean
arrogant or even cocky, but
just someone who isn’t overly
nervous about being open
and comfortable in who they
are. The true sign of that is
somebody who can laugh at
themselves and also knows
when to talk with conviction.
His biggest turn off:
&RQ¿GHQFHLVDWWUDFWLYH
arrogance is not. My biggest
turn off is a guy who is showy
or feels like they have to act
like they’re something special.
Also, bad breath and not taking
pride in your appearance.
Tracksuit bottoms are not OK
IRUD¿UVWGDWHO
instagram.com/rickyt85
161
 FINALLY <<< 0 3 / 17

21st century boys:

the late
bloomer
Don’t we all get albums, dressing
better with age? like the Dsquared2
That’s a matter of twins, and circling
opinion, but some passages Tales of
of us certainly the City. And, of
get GAYER. This course, he’ll ditch
Late Bloomer’s the FT for GT.
stopped wasting Sounds a bit much.
his time lurking Oh shut up, it’s
at the back of the adorable. A kid
FORVHWDQGLVȴQDOO\ who never saw
ready to embrace Christmas. Don’t be
everything gay! a hater.
What’s stopped :KHUHZLOO,ȴQG
him? It’s not as him? On the dance
easy to come out as ȵRRUDWJD\SXEV
you’d think. Sure, you’re probably
equality’s heading way too cool for,
in the right direction whooping as Can’t
and LGBT+ people Get You Out of My
are coming out Head starts up for
younger than ever, the 11th time.
but for some it’s still Who are his
not that easy – his friends? Other Late
intolerant family, Bloomers or guys
a narrow-minded who remember how
hometown or exciting being gay
religion might’ve was before we got
held him back. Or jaded and judgey.
maybe he spent Who are his
his formative years enemies?
as an internalised Funsponges who
homophobe! “just happen to be
So he’s out. Now JD\ȋDQGȊZDQWWRȴW
what? To break a in”. Nothing wrong
famine, you need with assimilating,
to eat. And he does, but it must be under
ravenously. your own terms.
Lots of sex? Maybe Will he make a
not even that. good boyfriend?
But he’ll consume +HȇVVWLOOȴQGLQJ
almost every his way, but he
element of gay could be looking
culture you can think for commitment
of, like Dracula with over promiscuity. It
keys to the blood happens. If you can
bank. Watching keep the feed of gay
Beautiful Thing on culture coming, why
repeat, swaying not? Teach him all
to Bette Midler you know. O

WORDS the guyliner IMAGE ian nicholson

162 
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