JAMES
LOCK
TOWIEs
newest hunk
loses his
pants inside
EXCLUSIVE
Miss Piggy
on marriage,
money and
making bacon

Final
Tales
Armistead
Maupins
goodbye
to Anna
Madrigal

25 of
rs
yeaonnas
A
Mad
Likeyer
Pra
GAY
MARRIAGE!
Your guide to
getting hitched
GAY
DIVORCE!
When the partys
over...
GAY
SWITCHBOARD
Dan Gillespie
Sells talks charity

30

OF
RS S
YEAYTIME
A
G

THE ORIGINAL GAY MAGAZINE

APRIL 2014 UK 4.30

Happy
Tails
How dogs
turned
one gay
mans life
around

QUESTION TIME
CAMERON,
CLEGG,
MILIBAND,
& FARAGE
ANSWER
TO YOU!

Foxes / PJ Brennan / Christina Perri / Jerry Mitchell / DWV / Michelle Visage

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

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with this ring...

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

Editor DARREN SCOTT

Assistant Editor LEE DALLOWAY
Staff Writer RYAN BUTCHER
Editorial Assistant BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH
Design & Art Direction MARK KING
Style and Grooming LLOYD-SCOTT TYLER
Music BOB HENDERSON
Editor-at-large JOHN MARRS
Columnists PJ BRENNAN, BENJAMIN COHEN, THE
GUYLINER, EDD KIMBER, ALAN ROSENTHAL, PAUL
THORN, MICHELLE VISAGE, MIKEY WALSH
Contributors JOE MCCORMICK, MATT PEAKE, LUKE
SMITH, TIM MITCHELL, MIKE HIRD, MILO WAKELIN,
JUSTIN MYERS, TOM JONES, PERRY JUBY, LEE
BINDING, ROBERT GERSHINSON, MARK SINGLETON,
CHRIS HITCHINGS, FRAZER LOUGH, ZARRION
WALKER, AARON GOLIGHTLY, MAMA MAKEUP
Pug-at-large TOBY
Thanks to SARAH PEACOCK (Big Talent Group),
ANDREI HARMSWORTH (Metro), GEMMA COX
(Disney), BEN HOPKINS (Warner Bros), TESSA
HENDERSON (Transworld), GEORGIE ROBINSON
(Emma Holland PR), JANE CHAMBERLAIN (Cicada
Communications), OLLIE CHARLES (Peccadillo
Pictures), LUKE MORRISON (BSkyB), ANNEKA
WAHLHAUS (Roche Communications), ALANA IRWIN
(Clarion Communications), HARRY SEYMOUR (Marks
and Spencer), MICHELLE SMITH (Lemonaide PR),
ROBYN DAVIS (Palm PR), JOE SATARI (FanClub PR),
DENNIS SCHULZ (Bruno Gmnder), CHARLES DEAN
(Islington Council), CHLOE MELICK (Inside/Out), DAVID
CHARPENTIER and JAKE LEMMENES (Producer
(QWHUWDLQPHQW.(9,1*,%621+LOOV%DORXU.$5$
CARMICHAEL (Choose Chicago), BOBBY BROWN (For
Fucking On Stage)
Production & Distribution Manager
ALEXANDER SMITH
Marketing & Advertising Designer LUKE BENJAMIN
IT & Digital Management FERNANDO SAFONT
Magazine Marketing Executive LLOYD PHILLIPS
Management Accountant ARNAUD SEGUIN
GT Advertising Sales KEITH MCDONNELL
020 7424 7406 keith@gaytimes.co.uk
&ODVVLHG$GYHUWLVLQJ6DOHV ASH ALLIBHAI
020 7424 7451 ash@millivres.co.uk
Escort Advertising Sales RAJ VALENTINO
020 7424 7457 escorts@gaytimes.co.uk
Editorial 020 7424 7400 Fax 020 7424 7401
Sales/Distribution 020 7424 7400 Fax 020 7424 7401
Editorial e-mail edit@gaytimes.co.uk
Advertising e-mail advertising@gaytimes.co.uk
Website gaytimes.co.uk
Postal address GT, Spectrum House, Unit M,
32-34 Gordon House Road, London, NW5 1LP
Newstrade distribution: Conde Nast and National
Magazine Distributors Limited, Unit 3, Tavistock Road,
West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE Tel: 01895 433 600
Newstrade enquiries: karen.donohoe@comag.co.uk
Subscriptions UK 0844 856 0637
Subscriptions e-mail gt@servicehelpline.co.uk
Subscriptions Overseas 01795 414 896

Printed in the UK by: Wyndeham Group

Disclaimer: All copyrights and trademarks are recognised
PUBLISHED BY MILLIVRES PROWLER LTD
Non-executive Chairman CHRIS GRAHAM-BELL
Managing Director SIMON TOPHAM
Media & Marketing Director KIM WATSON
Operations Director ROBERT HANWELL
Financial Director ANTHONY MARTIN

2014 GAY TIMES All rights reserved ISSN: 0950-6101

The mention or appearance or likeness of any person or organisation in articles
or advertising in GAY TIMES is not to be taken as any indication of the sexual,
social or political orientation of such persons or organisations. Oh Bride of the
<HDU7KDWLVVRPHERG\VPRVWLPSRUWDQWGD\2KLW,6ZRUWKLW,W,6ZRUWKLW1R
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.

[44]
[30]

[28]

[32]
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
[contents]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

[82]

[26]
rst

features

06 Fitty at the front

10 *7V(DVWHU-R\
14 0LNH\:DOVK
18 DWV
20 0LFKHOOH9LVDJH
22 'DQ*LOOHVSLH6HOOV
26 6ZHHWLH'DUOLQJ"

44 -DPHV/RFN
56 (TXDO0DUULDJH
62 (TXDO'LYRUFH

news

entertainment

28 3DUW\3ROLWFDO/HDGHUV
34 1HZVGHEDWH
36 7KLQJV*D\TXRWHV
39 Ben Cohen
40 +HURHV7LP6LJVZRUWK
41 Nigel Farage

82 Madonna
88$UPLVWHDG0DXSLQ
94-HUU\0LWFKHOO
100'DUUHQ6WHLQ
103 Geek
104 Tech

[68]

style
68*URRPV*XLGH
74+RPHVW\OH

real life
1075HDGHUVOLYHV
1087KH*X\OLQHU
1113-%UHQQDQ
114 The Dog Walker
120(GG.LPEHU
121$ODQ5RVHQWKDO
122)LWQHVV
125 HIV

travel

Equal rights are something

that have been at the heart
of Gay Times for the 30
years weve been in print.
More, in fact, considering
we actually existed as HIM
magazine for ten years
before that. So its overwhelming to be at the helm
of such a historic title for such a historic change in
equal rights in the UK. And thats equal marriage
(yes, we called it gay marriage on the cover its
a better headline) for everyone. Well, almost
everyone, as we address in this very issue. Yes,
thats the one youre holding in your very hands.
We wouldnt dream of charging you separately
to read about something thats at the heart of
modern day gay life in 2014. And who thought
wed ever get to say that that its legally a part
of gay life in 2014. How far weve come in recent
years has been quite staggering. And youll see it
reflected in the pages of GT, as we will, of course,
be bringing these changes to the heart of the
worlds longest-running gay magazine. And what
better way to start by asking Britains leaders
whats next? Let me tell you, it was easier to get
Miss Piggy to answer questions. A lot of people
might be saying look at whats happening
abroad!, and we do, we have, we will. Always.
Our columnist Ben Cohen addresses that in his
usual eloquent way this month and I happen to
agree with him too. The fight doesnt end because
of an excuse to buy a hat... Speaking of hats, I doff
mine to those of you that have been in touch to
congratulate us on our anniversary and new look,
its genuinely appreciated. Heres to the next 30
years being as groundbreaking for equal rights.
Q Darren Scott @darren_scott

127 Letter from...

128 Chicago
132%RUGHDX[

SUE
T IS LE
X
E
N
SA

ON PRIL
16 A

[22]
JD\WLPHVFRXN

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GT431 APR 2014

Cover image by Joe McCormick
Grooming by Evan Huang

5

[04/14]

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gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net[first]

LEFT TO RIGHT DAVID, MANU, COLTON AND STEPHEN

Cupid, shoot that arrow If theres one thing we love more

than a superhero in his skin-tight lycra, its a superhero out
of his skin-tight lycra. Lets not pretend that Sky 1s Arrow
isnt beloved by many a gay for the shirtless wonderment
of Stephen Amell, Colton Haynes, David Ramsey and Manu
Bennett. And, seemingly, anyone else that appears in it. Weve
not ruled out John Barrowman and Alex Kingston yet. Did we
mention Colton Haynes? Give him a Google. Youre welcome. Q
Arrow is on Sky 1 HD, Thursdays, and on the move with Sky Go

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

7

Christina Perri
396,114,697 viewers cant be wrong...
Your maths will be better than mine, Im
a musician, I dont do math Christina
Perri tells us as we try and do the sums.
With 400 million YouTube views in sight,
weve concluded that the emotional
singer songwriter and US balladeer du
jour must have racked up LIFETIMES
worth of pop video watching.
Woah! Thats so trippy. Id feel really
bad for the person who spent their whole
life watching my videos. Oy oy oy. Ive
never thought about it that way, thats
really crazy. Though Perris whole
career can be marked with figures
and dates. We share an anecdote with
Christina wed heard in the pub the night
before; that it takes five years to become
an overnight success.
I think its really true about the five
year thing, she says, I definitely hit
it overnight in America, I felt like I was
8

Cinderella. At 8pm, June 30th 2010, my

whole life changed. That afternoon I
was waitressing, that evening I quit my
job, I flew to New York City the next day,
I signed a record deal 21 days later.
And the rest is pop history. From the
moment her song Jar of Hearts was used
on So You Think You Can Dance?, all
the hard work and songwriting from the
age of 15 paid off. There came countless
TV appearances, a deal with Atlantic
Records, 70 tattoos, a Christmas album,
four penguin pillows, the Twilight
Soundtrack, and 27 months of nine tours.
And now, finally, album number two.
Its called Head or Heart, and its
nowhere near as bleak as her debut.
Album one was pretty much a breakup
album, she says, pretty much about the
same guy. Album two, Ive captured more
dynamics in my real life. It covers way
more ground than the first one, its a little

less melancholy for sure. But dont worry,

I have the really tragic stuff too. Always.
And if a cheery duet with Ed Sheeran
wasnt enough, there are some bona
fide gay remixes on the way after
divine inspiration struck her during a
SoulCycle work out (basically a spin
class to EDM). Oh, of course she loves
the gays, she grew up in Philadelphia
with two hairdressing parents. I had
male gay best friends from when I was a
tiny girl so I loved the gay community
without even knowing it, my whole life.
I grew up understanding there was no
difference, so thats a nod to my parents
and how I was raised.
It gets better. Sometimes I feel like a
gay man inside for how much I love Cher.
So I just appreciate and love that whole
culture Amen. Q
Head or Heart is out 31 March on Atlantic Records,
christinaperri.com @christinaperri

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WORDS BOB HENDERSON

[first] WorldMags.net

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

Mark Foster

I rely on Wellman tablets every

day, to help maintain the health
and vitality that I need.

6x World Champion

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and former Chairman of Vitabiotics. *UKs No1 mens
supplement brand. **(IRI value data. 52 w/e 2 Nov 13).

WorldMags.net

Prostace

Boost

Drink

GTs Easter Joy

OR we could
just run with the
news that RuPaul
is releasing a
chocolate bar, go
one step further
and make our very
own RuPauls Drag
Race Easter egg!
Why? Why not.
Easters camp too
you know

Pig out
Chocolate, but
DYRXUHGOLNH3HUF\
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LQKXQGUHGVDQG
WKRXVDQGV
Percy Pig Egg, 6, 215g,
marksandspencer.com
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Posh nosh
)DQF\ORRNLQJHJJV
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FRPSOHWH\RONVRUU\
The Dulce De Leche
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)ODYRXUHG&KRFRODWH
Speckled Egg,
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marksandspencer.com
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Pop goes the

weasel (rabbit)

Toy soldiers
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egg, 2.95, 60g,
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and carluccios.com
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3RSFRUQ")RU(DVWHU"
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Popcorn, 2.99, 80g,
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Dress the part!

6RUWRIOLNH0HDQ*LUOV
IRU(DVWHUH[FHSW
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)OXII\(DUVJ
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----------

10

Heavy duty
7KH\UHFDOOHG.LQJRI
(JJVIRUDUHDVRQWKH
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WorldMags.net

,0$*(6583$8/(**%</((%,1',1*

eggstravaganza!

[first] WorldMags.net

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

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sights and sounds

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

WHERE
IS THE LOVE?
New York photographer Braden Summers has
travelled the world taking dreamy illustrations
of what open expressions of love could look
like in a future, more accepting time. His goal
is to showcase images of progress and equality
around the world, and push large corporations
to create more positive images of same-sex
relationships in advertising campaigns. Hes
already raised $23,000 through Kickstarter
and is gaining attention from media outlets
worldwide. Q bradensummers.com/menu/all-love-is-equal/

It was on Suedes Pantomime

Horse when Brett Anderson
asked us had we ever tried
it that way? For an entire
generation who liked things on
the alternative side, Suede were
a rock and roll band fuelled by
sexual adrenaline and nihilist
rebellion. But blurring the lines of
sexuality aside, Suede have also
spent the last 22 years cementing
themselves as one of the best
singles bands Britain has ever
12

produced. And from 14 April,

2,000 lucky fans will get their
hands on one mammoth collection
of each of their 24 singles, dating
from 1992 to 2013. There are
1,000 copies each of both CD
and 7 single box sets, including
classics like androgynous anthem
The Beautiful Ones and the
suburban decadence of Animal
Nitrate. Visit myplaydirect.com/
suede and pre-order to get your
hands on a copy now. Q

GLE
SIN DED
MIN

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net[first]
Want
Wang
The limited edition
$OH[DQGHU:DQJ
GHVLJQHG%HDWVE\
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on the classic
KHDGSKRQHV
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Beats Pill that can
WLQ\RXUKDQGWKH
ultra-lightweight
UrBeats (which
SURPLVHDWDQJOH
free cord) and
a reimagining of
the classic Studios
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one Wang, we
want all of them.
From 119.95,
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----------

SPEED
DATE

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22 March
For one night only
\RXFDQH[SHULHQFH
all the glitz and
glamour of Las
Vegas as Elton
-RKQV7KH0LOOLRQ
Dollar Piano gig airs
in cinemas all over
the UK. Now where
GLGZHSXWRXU
VHTXLQHGSODWIRUP
ERRWV"FLQHPDOLYH
com Q

30 March 6 April
Boy George returns
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HQWLDOVXSHUVWDUKDV
VSDQQHGWKHJHQUHV
and decades, and
LQVXSSRUWRIKLV
new release This Is
:KDW,'RKHNLFNV
off a nationwide
MDXQWLQ(GLQEXUJK
%R\JHRUJHXN
com Q

From 1 April
7KH7URXVHUVQDNH
himself, Justin TimEHUODNHKHDGOLQHV
a 10-date UK tour.
Following a sell-out
DSSHDUDQFHDW
Wireless Festival
last summer, he hits
WKHURDGLQSURPR
WLRQRIODWHVWDOEXP
7KH([SHUL
HQFHMXVWLQWLPEHU
ODNHFRPQ

2 April
7RFHOHEUDWH:LO
OLDP6KDNHVSHDUHV
WKELUWKGD\WKH
*UDVVURRWV6KDNH
VSHDUH&RPSDQ\
ZLOOVWDJHDSURGXF
tion of Othello at the
Leicester Square
7KHDWUHZLWKH[
EastEnder James
$OH[DQGURXDV,DJR
leicestersquaretheatre.com Q

WorldMags.net

From 9 April
Jean Paul Gaultier
is one of the most
iconic names
in fashion and
fragrance, and he
gets his dues in The
Fashion World of
Jean Paul Gaultier,
WKHUVWH[KLELWLRQ
dedicated solely
to the French designer, in London.
EDUELFDQRUJXNQ

13

column

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

So who wants to
get married? I DO!
First off, because Im
a big old sap of a romantic. And
secondly, because Im fucking
lucky enough to be allowed to!
Well after I get divorced anyway.
Thats right, Im a gay divorcee
and its a royal pain in the ass!
It was 2009 when my husband
and I were civil partnered. We
chose to marry at a town hall, which
had just kicked up a massive fuss
in the news because some bigoted
bitch registrar publicly refused to
perform any gay civil partnerships
in her establishment. And get this
her main wedding room was where
Culture Clubs Do You Really Want
To Hurt Me video was shot What a
WASTE of gay history space.
After several days of very long
waits on phone lines, we were
informed that regardless of
the current issue we were only
allowed to marry in a borough we
both lived in, and would have to
move to another part of London if
we wanted to get married at the
time we had wanted. All because of
one bigoted old trout.
Holding out was going to be very
14

tough. Not only did we have family

booked to fly over for that time,
but my husbands work visa
(he was an Aussie) had also ran
out, meaning he was unable to
legally work at all until he got his
citizenship. So I, being a good
husband-to-be, was working
enough hours for both of us at
the local pub, as well as trying to
finish my first book with a hideous
deadline the publishers had given.
Eventually the evil registrar
was replaced. But not before she
swore that same sex marriage was
an abomination and would bring
and end to the civilised world. I
know, right? The SHADE of it all!
Sorry, Ive been watching LOADS
of RuPauls Drag Race, so you
must excuse my new drag words.
Anyway, after some hideous suit
fittings, a party venue that got shut
down and my future mother-in-law
going all Maleficent on our asses,
wishing us nothing but DOOM, we
finally got civil partnered.
And the day turned out wonderful.
We werent allowed to walk down
the isle to Like A Prayer (by law,
any mention of God or Jesus was
not permitted at a gay wedding),

There
are far
too many
whod
sooner
run for
their lives
than truly
risk their
heart for
someone.
Love is
about give
and take.
Many
people
forget that

@thatbloodymikey

[rst]

but at the last minute we replaced

it with Time After Time. All in all,
with so many wonderful friends
and family, it turned out to be a
dream wedding. And I, a usual
rock-faced Romany, cried for
most of the day. Partly through
exhaustion, slightly from disbelief
that Id finally landed a keeper
and, secretly, through relief that
Id never have to date another
dastardly dickhead ever again.
Little did I know
The curse of old mother-in-law
came to pass, and my husband
left me to move back to Australia
within a year. And just as I
actually started to get along with
his mum too! Oh, what a world,
what a world.
One thing I did learn, though,
was that a certificate actually
means sweet FA when it comes to
marriage. An old man once said
to me, If they dont make you
feel dirty, it aint never gonna
work. Id agree to some extent.
But Id also add that laughter is
a must. And the knowledge that
you can ALWAYS rely on and
trust each other.
You wont be ripping each others
clothes off forever, like Carrie
Bradshaw and Big would have you
believe. A relationship expands
and changes as time goes on, and
you become family. And this is the
most incredible part of it.
There are far too many whod
sooner run for their lives than
truly risk their heart for someone.
Love is about give and take. Many
people forget that and take for
granted those who make the effort.
My husband had his reasons to
leave. And, in hindsight, to free
me was the best thing he couldve
done for us. A piece of legal
paper wont keep you in love if
its not right.
Who knows, maybe one day
I will again But better! I may
even go for Liz Taylors
record. Thirty-one
husbands, wasnt it? Q
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
SUBSCRIBE
TO GT TODAY

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[first] WorldMags.net

[04/14]

it
s
a
knockout

Hello, sailor!
Written by
Liam Rudden
and inspired
by the life
and works of
Jean Genet,
Thief is a dark,
explosive
new play, not
for the easily
offended, were
told. Were in! Q

Gays, grab your silk shorts

and robes, because Paris-based
dance company Campagnie Kfig
are hitting the UK with their new
show Boxe Boxe, and it looks like
theyll be packing a punch or two.
With eight exceptional dancers
showcasing martial arts, street and
contemporary-inspired routines,
this show is more than just a little
rough and tumble; highlighting the
duality of boxing as a sport, with its
equal-parts elegance and brutality. With music from the Debussy
String Quarter playing the likes of
Schubert and Philip Glass (thats
classical, for you cultured types),
and, yknow, hot men, Campagnie
Kfig really do create a unique experience for all the senses. In your
corners please. Ding ding. Q

Thief premieres at the Brighton Fringe from

13-18 May, brightonfringe.org, and will also run
at Edinburgh Fringe, playthief.com, @playthief

Boxe Boxe will be playing at the MayRZHU7KHDWUH6RXWKDPSWRQIURP

April. Tickets and more information are
DYDLODEOHDWPD\RZHURUJXN

Box of delights If you like to

ahem receive, youll love these
personalised packs to keep your
beauty (and gayness) preserved.
Just answer a few simple questions
and a gay stylist team will match
you up with stuff thatll be right up
your street, once a month. Goodies
for your hair, skin and even
underwear Qnextgaything.com
16

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

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WorldMags.net

DWV
If you havent experienced
tasty trio Detox iCunt,
Willam Belli and Vicky
Vox, you must have been
hiding under a rock with
glitter in your ears. Better
known as DWV, we caught
up with the gurls on their
recent whirlwind visit to
London, and we havent
stopped giggling since
18

Were in a delightfully cut price

Downton Abbey-esque bed
and breakfast in Londons leafy
Hampstead, waiting for three jetlagged drags to slip into something
less comfortable. Despite a long
flight and a breakneck schedule of
gigs and promotion, DWV are in
frighteningly good spirits.
Naturally, RuPauls Drag Race fans
will recognise former contestants
Willam and Detox. Willam was
famously disqualified from the
shows fourth season for breaking
the rules of the queen quarantine
the contestants live in by inviting
his boyfriend over for conjugal

visits. Soon after, Willam met

fifth season contestant Detox,
drag daughter Vicky and DWV,
a delicious take on 90s RnB girl
groups, was born.
The ladies collectively made a
name for themselves with protest
song Chow Down (at Chick-fil-A), a
loving homage to Wilson Phillips
Hold On, with a bit of TLCs
Waterfalls thrown in courtesy
of Detoxs rap (Im a black girl
at heart, he coos). Its a pop at
bible-thumping US fast food chain
Chick-fil-A, who donated millions
to political organisations that
oppose LGBT rights, and a catchygaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

WORDS
LEE DALLOWAY
PHOTOS
GREG BAILEY
STYLING
LUKE ALEX TAYLOR
HAIR
SHIORI TAKAHASHI
:,//$060$.(83
JOSEPH HARWOOD
:,//$0:($56
FUR COAT BY CHRISTIAN
COWAN-SANLUIS,
'(72;:($56
EARRINGS BY
FINCHITTIDA FINCH,
9,&.<:($56
COAT BY CHRISTIAN
COWAN-SANLUIS
':9:($5
JEWELLERY BY MAWI

as-hell song in its own right. The

follow-up, Boy Is A Bottom a rude
twist on Alicia Keys Girl on Fire
catapulted the girls to international
interweb stardom. As Willam says,
Chick-fil-A is very American, but
bottoms are international!
Willam doesnt hold back when
revealing the inspiration for Boy
Is A Bottom. I pretty much wrote
it after a really bad threeway, he
confesses. My boyfriend and I
were hooking up with a guy, and
the first two times he kept saying
he was versatile and nothing
happened at least with me.
The third time, I left the room to
answer my phone while him and
my boyfriend were fucking. I come
back and theyre still going at it.
Rude! So, I go downstairs and do
the international sign for get the
fuck out, which is vacuuming. By
the time Id done the first floor of
my house, the song was written
in my head. To this day, the guy
doesnt know its about him.
After what was probably the
worlds first love letter to the
sexually passive, more gems
followed, such as the Amanda
Bynes/Robin Thicke spoof Blurred
Bynes. The ladies with a lil extra
continue to watch their fame grow
around the world, but what do
they love about the UK? The boys
here are completely my type,
says Detox. Everyones tall and
gorgeous; twinky, very English with
pale skin. Gingers everywhere!
Foreskin! Were whores Willam
also reveals his delightfully
geeky obsession with the London
Underground, where Vicky fell
into the tourist trap of using the
never-ending spiral staircase
instead of the lifts and escalators.
I just kept going round and
around! she shrieks. Im like, am
I on camera?. The sign said 375
steps! exclaims Willam. I thought
it was a joke! shoots back Vicky
with a laugh.
Theres a clear mutual respect
between the trio and everyone

has a role to play. Willam is the

business brain, Detox is the sass
and Vicky is the heart. Willam
has the most star-studded back
catalogue of work, with parts in
Glee, CSI and a five-episode stint
in Nip/Tuck, where he worked
with TV savant Ryan Murphy. That
was fantastic, I learned a lot. He
also trod the boards in Rock of
Ages, appeared in Rihannas S&M
video and was once in the same
band as American Idols Adam
Lambert. Willam also promises
his fab online series Willams
Beatdown, which stopped due to
funding issues, will return. They
said it cost five grand per episode
to make. A YouTube green screen
show with three people and me
writing the jokes myself! scoffs
Willam. Its back as Billams
Weatdown in March.
Detox has been a fixture of the
queen/cabaret scene since he was
just 16. I was pretty much brought
up by trannies and club kids, its a
huge part of my drag influences.
Those Detox met at this time
became a source of support when
his parents werent so enamoured
by his career choice.
At first my parents were hesitant
about it, but I was emancipated
at 15 and lived with my sister,
who was a huge inspiration. She
taught me to blossom, flourish
and to be an individual, so I really
never cared what my parents
thought. Mum hated it, but now Im
successful and have a career, shes
my biggest fan.
Detox has cemented his fame by
appearing in videos for Rihanna
and Ke$ha, on top of being one
of Drag Races most original and
outspoken characters. Although he
also faced accusations of bullying
another contestant. People
thought I was in a clique, but it
never was, says Detox. I was
friends with Alaska and Roxxxy
for years. We were the smokers. It
was just kind of stupid and silly.
Detox also reiterates that reality

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[rst]

television often doesnt live up

to its name. We were definitely
at the mercy of the editors, but,
whatever, you sign up for that.
In the real world, Detox is fun,
friendly, with a naughty sense
of humour and a real flair for
creativity. Did you see him arrive
at a RuPauls Drag Race reunion
as a walking black and white
photograph? Amazing! Detox
admits, however, hes looking
forward to some down time. Ive
been touring for, like, three years
now, I just wanna take a nap.
Willams like, lets do some more
shit and Im all, why dont we just
sit down for a minute! he laughs.
Meanwhile, Vicky, the only nonDrag Race contestant of the group,
is relatively new to the queen
game, rocking the cock in a frock
shtick for just a couple of years.
I was a performer my whole
life, says the warm and down-toearth Vicky. I had a band, and I
was a session singer while I was in
school. Then came this gig where
the promoter changed, the venue
changed and everything fell to
pieces. They called were like, OK,
if you dont want to lose the money
you have to, one, lose the band
and, two, can you host it in drag?
Id never thought about that before
but I wasnt losing that money, so I
agreed. And then I never stopped
working!
Vickys thankful. Not just for a
supportive family, but also that he
gets to provide entertainment and
encouragement for a large number
of people. Im so lucky, because
when I first started drag my mum
would take me shopping and be
like does Vicky need anything?
he laughs. Although, I hate drag.
say what? No, I hate it. I dont
enjoy wearing heels, I dont enjoy
wearing wigs, I cant stand putting
makeup on. But I have fun. I have
fans that say, you inspired me or
youve saved my life. And, you
know what, if it wasnt for them, I
probably wouldnt still be around.

19

lifes a drag

[first] WorldMags.net
Everyday that makes me go OK,
get it together, get out there. It
boggles my mind but thats why I
keep doing it.
2013 was certainly DWVs year
a divalicious tornado that included
the ladies becoming the face of
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics,
performing at the Vienna Ball in
front of 45,000 people, including
Bill Clinton, an epic turn modelling
for the Marco Marco fashion show
and rounding out the year with an
original festive composition, That
Christmas Song.
Well leave the last words to
Willam on what he thinks makes
DWV successful: We love each
other. I get to travel the world with
my girls, form a little supergroup
and have some fun. It doesnt get
much better than that. Q
9LVLWIDFHERRNFRP':92IFLDO3DJHIRU
PRUHRUIROORZRQ7ZLWWHU#7KH2QO\'HWR[
#ZLOODPEHOOL#7KH9LFN\9R[

Question

How do current gay

rights issues in
Russia compare to
WKLQJV\RXYHVHHQ
in the 80s/90s in
the US? From
@MrBrianLloyd

Answer

e
l
e
h
iM cisage
V

So, here we are

bitches, three weeks
into season six of
RuPauls Drag Race. Didnt I tell
you how amazing this new batch
of queens would be? Talk to me,
who are you falling in love with
and who really grinds your gears?
Am I living up to my reputation as
the bitchiest judge of all? Theres
nothing quite like the sound
of a gaggle of drag queens a
draggle making their way to the
back of the runway. Drag Race
Fun Fact: the elimination days are
usually the longest days to shoot,
lasting up to 12 hours sometimes,
including hair and makeup
dragging time! Now, some of you
may know how it feels to spend an
hour or three out for some drinks
and a pub quiz in a high heel, but
after you get to hours six, seven
and beyond, those heels feel
like nails digging into your feet
and they better not even THINK
of kicking them off! The faces I
pull when they try that are like

20

[04/14]

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daggers into their unsuspecting

drag souls. I can say this though,
those queens are some bad ass
bitches standing in those heels
for as long as they do. Also, if you
think my comments are harsh at
times, you should hear the ones
that are edited out. Someone has
to tell those queens the real T.
Im counting down the days until
I get over to see you in fair old
Blighty. The confirmed dates to
come play with me thus far are:
Glasgow on 17 May, Manchester
on 24 May and London on 29 May.
There are more being planned out
as we speak. So, how do my UK
Glitterazzi feel about cabaret and
comedy? Ive got it for you and Im
going to give it to you hard. As any
self-respecting top should. Do you
have any favourite tunes youd like
to hear me do? If so, let me know
on Twitter, as Im on there waaaay
too often. Its @michellevisage,
and you can also
come and visit me at
michellevisage.com! Q

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
Dare to be Different

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then what the GiFi are you waiting for?

www.mygi.com
WorldMags.net

Disclaimer: the image content used within this advertisement is being used under license for illustrative
purposes only and that any person depicted in our images is a model and not a user of the app.

WorldMags.net

DAN
GILLESPIE SELLS
:25'6/8.(60,7+

He might look like the docile pop prince next

door, but Dan Gillespie Sells is angry. Really
DQJU\$QGKHVUHDG\WRGRVRPHWKLQJDERXWLW
The handsomely boyish frontman of
The Feeling is ready to stand shoulder to
shoulder with the gays of Russia after their
FRPPXQLW\VQHDULQWROHUDEOHDQGVXSSUHVVHG
existence was highlighted by the Sochi Winter
2O\PSLFVLQJLQJDVSRWOLJKWRQWKH(DVWHUQ
(XURSHDQQDWLRQVJURWHVTXHDQGVXSSUHVVLYH
anti-gay laws and rhetoric.
Now, as he supports the 40 year milestone
of the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard
here on our shores and turns his attention to
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it? ,WKLQNLWVVRPHWKLQJZRUWKVWDQGLQJXSIRU
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at school and our language is so fucking
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LQWKH/*%7FRPPXQLW\,IZHORRNDWZKDWV
happening in Russia and other places and you
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the moment.
7KHSXEOLFLW\DURXQGWKH6RFKL2O\PSLFV
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22

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bigots, because they start with someone
like that who they can use as a scapegoat,
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IDFWWKDWPHQZDQWWRORYHPHQRUZRPHQ
ZDQWWRORYHZRPHQRUSHRSOHZKRDUH
transgender want to dress differently. What
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KDYHDQ\JD\IULHQGV\RXQHHGWRNHHSDQ
H\HRQWKLVDVZHOO,WVQRWMXVWDQ/*%7
thing. This is a thing about freedom of
speech. Anyone who has any kind of liberal
WKRXJKWVRUZDQWVWRH[SUHVVWKHPVHOYHV
freely, you need to keep an eye on us
PLQRULWLHVEHFDXVHWKDWVZKHUHWKH\VWDUW
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minorities are easy targets and then they
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struggling to come out? <RXGRQWKDYHWR
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grew up with gay parents and I know it can
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relationship for stability.
:RXOG\RXJHWPDUULHGQRZ\RXFDQWR
do it?7KHIDFWWKDWZHKDYHJD\PDUULDJH
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PDUULHGRUFLYLOSDUWQHUHGRUZKDWHYHULWLV
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kids?,WKLQNDVDJD\PDQLQ/RQGRQ,P
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to work hard and be sure. It has to be planned
DQGLWVQRWVRPHWKLQJWKDWKDSSHQVE\
accident with us. We put a lot of thought into
it. Marriage would be a nice part of that. Q
Dan Gillespie Sells is supporting 40 years of the
London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. To help the
FKDULW\FRQWLQXHWRSURYLGHFDOPZRUGVZKHQFDOOHUV
need them most, go to LLGS.org.uk or follow them
on Twitter, @gayswitchboard

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

gaytimes.co.uk

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[rst]

23

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

New kid on
the block
Sam Smith
is taking the
world and
the charts
by storm.
Here are
our top five
reasons why
the singer
is the one
to watch
in 2014

[01]
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----------

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----------

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----------

[04]
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----------

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----------

Mums the word We all love our mums, right? The

strong, powerful women that raised us, support us
and still lend the odd tenner when were a bit strapped
before payday. Now you can tell your mum exactly why
you love her, and through some wonderfully kitsch 60s
typography. Just come up with 15 phrases about your
Supermum, and online art wizards More Than Words
will do the rest. Perfect for Mothers Day. What do you
mean you dont know when it is? 30 March. Put it in
your diary now! Q $YDLODEOHQRZIRUPRUHWKDQZRUGVXNFRP
24

JD\WLPHVFRXN

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WorldMags.net[first]

bursting with pride

Call us ol softies, but
we love Pride season. The
sense of pageantry and
community OK, and it might
have something to do with
being let off our leash and
wearing something completely
outrageous. A leather
studded mask, though, isnt
just something for cavorting
around the bedroom, if
youre into that kinda thing.
Its symbolic of the many
diverse sub-groups within
our community. And theyve
all been captured perfectly
in photographer Robert
Gershinsons new exhibition
Pride.
Made up of portraits taken
on the morning of last years
London Community Pride,
the exhibition shows the
diversity of the LGBTQI
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

community, and proves that

its only the hats, glitter and
makeup that separate us from
the Eltons and the Gagas.
The leather puppies were
literally queuing up, says
Robert, they loved all the
attention, all bouncy and
barking as they waited.
When I completed this
project, the images were so
strong and the feedback so
great it made sense to turn
the series into my first solo
exhibition.
And thankfully, he did;
beautifully demonstrating that
there are many, many colours
that make up our rainbow.
Check it out. Q
Pride: A Photography Exhibition
runs from 14 April until 30 May at
Reading Room gallery in Soho,
London, readingroom.com,
@RobbyPhotoVideo

25

WorldMags.net
Shes performed
with (and outshone)
more stars than
youd pass on the
Hollywood Walk of
Fame. The leading
lady in Muppets
Most Wanted, shes
not only an actress,
shes also a singer,
a magazine editor, a
designer, and lover
of amphibians well,
one in particular.
Ladies, gentlemen
and flamboyant
gentlemen, we give
you the legendary
Miss Piggy!
WORDS DARREN SCOTT

26

Swe
e
t
Da ie,
rlin

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WorldMags.net

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WorldMags.net
If you could be any human, what
human would you be and why?
When I can be moi, why would I
possibly want to be a mere human? But
Id certainly take a shelf full of Meryl
Streeps Oscars if youre offering.
What song do you like to get
freaky to? Muskrat Love. I have no
idea why, but this one always gets
Kermie and moi out on the dance
floor letting our freak flag fly.
If someone wrote an autobiography
about you, what should the title
be? Call Me Moi!: The Kiss and Kiss
and Kiss and Tell and Kiss Some More
Story of the Worlds Most Powerful
Diva: Volume I
Have you ever stolen anything? Just
mois frogs heart. The rest of the stuff,
I charge.
What would you choose as your last
meal? A never-ending all-you-caneat buffet. Youre not getting rid of me
that easy, buster.
Which celebrities would you most
like to be your parents and why?
Angelina Jolie and Bill Gates. Her, for
the looks, him for everything else.
Isnt interspecies dating wrong
and against Mother Nature? Look,
if Mother Nature doesnt want to date
outside her species, thats fine with me.
But I believe that love between a pig
and frog is beautiful, natural and hot.
Should you really be chasing after
a frog like that, though? At your
age. Mois age? Do you have a death
wish? Im 23-ish, and dont you forget
it. And you should never ever think
that moi has to go chasing after
Kermit. He merely plays hard-to-get;
in truth, were inseparable except
when Im seeing other people.
If you could be a superhero, what
superpower would you have and
why? Im already a diva, with the
power to throw tantrums, hurl insults,
and make outrageous demands.
Additional superpowers would be
redundant, dont vous think?
When you go on holiday, what do
you pack in your case? Case? Surely
you jest! I travel with an entourage,
each of whom is responsible for one
aspect of my essentials wardrobe,

hair, shoes, accessories, makeup, more

shoes, jewellery, more shoes, more
jewellery etcetera. If I cant take it
with me, I dont go.
What do you think of people on
Twitter always asking for people
to bring them bacon? If you keep
asking me inappropriate questions
like this, I will find you and then
youll see what getting freaky is
all about.
If you could go back to any time
period in history, which one would
you visit and why? Id go back to see
Marie Antoinette and find out if the
cake really was that good.
If you could have dinner with
anyone alive or dead, who would
it be and why? Id have dinner with
someone alive. Dinner with someone
dead is dreadfully boring, as Ive
discovered at assorted dull Hollywood
parties. Who? Kermie, of course. And
if hes not available, Ive got George
Clooney, Brad Pitt and Russell Crowe
on speed dial. Why? Sweetie, if you
gotta ask, I cant help you.
Whats your favourite cocktail? Moi
doesnt imbibe but if youre buying,
Ill take a case of Cristal.
Garden gnomes? Tacky or joyous?
It depends on who theyre wearing.
Couture is everything!
If aliens landed and offered you any
position you wanted on their planet,
what position would you want? Id
want to be royalty, of course but only
if I dont have to wear that weird makeup like Queen Amidala.
You worked at Vogue whats your
advice for magazine editors? If you
want to sell magazines, put moi on the
cover. Works everytime.
Madonna, Kylie, RuPaul, Eartha
who did the best version of Santa
Baby? You forgot to mention mois
version of Santa Baby, which was
recently chosen best ever by some
of my closest friends. However, after
that, I have to go with the original, the
lovely Miss Eartha Kitt. Grrr.
It goes without saying, youre a gay
icon. What do you think of your gay
fan base? I am? Thats fabulous! Well,
if Im your icon, then I love you all. You

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[rst]

have fantastique taste! So I say to my

fans: Be yourself. Celebrate life and stay
the way you are. Oh, and, of course, as
I say to all my many fan bases go see
my new movie Muppets Most Wanted.
What do you think about gay
marriage? Im still working on
interspecies marriage right now. One
issue at a time, okay?
Snog, marry, avoid; Gonzo, Fozzie
Bear, Sam the Eagle? To moi, thats
a triple avoid. But Im sure theres
someone out there for all of them.
I just dont want to know about it
when it happens.
What do you think of Lady Gaga? Is
it safe to say shes ripped off your
style a bit over the years? Its true
that Lady Gaga was inspired by moi
and mois style, but then again, who
hasnt been influenced by me? After
all, thats what being an icon is all
about. (I know. I looked it up online.)
When we first met, things were a bit
tense, but once I realised she and
I shared so much in terms of talent
and appeal and that we could swap
wardrobes we quickly became BFF.
Who would you like to see star
as yourself in a movie based on
your life? Asides from yourself,
of course. Either Nicole Kidman,
Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Meryl
Streep or Clint Eastwood. Theres a
little bit of moi in all of them.
How can you tell if youre in love?
When you start dancing all freaky to
Muskrat Love.
Whats the best piece of advice
someone ever gave you? If you dont
carry money, someone else will pay.
So, tell us what is it that makes
Kermit so special? How did you
know he was the one? Kermit is mois
soul mate. He completes moi. He had
me at hi ho. Those skinny arms and
legs, that adorable collar thingy, those
big goggly eyeballs, put them all
together and hes the closest thing to
perfection this side of moi. Q
Muppets Most Wanted is in cinemas 28 March,
@RealMissPiggy, @TheMuppets, @Disney_UK

27

WorldMags.net

Prime Minister David Cameron on the monumental introduction of same-sex marriages

While the fight for equality goes

on, its important to celebrate
when progress has been made.
As we see the first same-sex
marriages we can look back and
marvel at what has changed. Fifty
years ago homosexuality was
a criminal offence, so we have
come a long way quickly.
28

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

Four years ago, David

Cameron became the
British Prime Minister.
A great deal of his
time since has been
spent changing the
law to allow samesex couples to marry,
something he felt
personally committed
to. But his party was
hesitant, and most
Conservative MPs
ended up being against
the change.
FROM THE OUTSET, CAMERON
has put himself forward as a
modernising, moderate choice a
compassionate conservative.
The blue torch-wielding images
of Margaret Thatcher have been
resigned to the past, in appearance
at least. David Cameron is a leader
who wants to be seen as at ease with
modern Britain and that includes
gay and lesbian voters. But he didnt
get into power on his own. It took the
Liberal Democrats traditionally
more supportive of gay rights to
put him there.
But if he is to serve a second term,
this time with just the agenda of Tory
MPs, can he be trusted to keep our
equality as a high priority?
On the historic advent of samesex marriage coming to pass, GT
wanted to reach out to the leaders
of the main political parties, and
task them with answering questions
suggested by you lot.
As always, the best laid plans of
mice and gays often go awry, and
with the breaking international
crisis in Ukraine, the Prime Minister
had to pull out at the 11th hour. We
suppose thats another one we can
blame on Putin.
He did, however, find the time to
write some words for you, the GT
readers, on his own opinions of the
state of LGBT equality in Britain. And
hey, there arent many magazines
gay or straight who get exclusive
access to a serving Prime Minister.

gaytimes.co.uk

This is what he had to say

----------

For me it was summed up by a

mum in my constituency who said
Ive got a straight son and a gay
daughter. Now I know Im going
to be able to go to both of their
weddings, and that makes me really
happy. It isnt every day someone
tells me something like that and it
reinforces that what weve done on
same-sex marriage says something
positive about the country we are,
the respect we have for each other
and the values that are important to
us. Of course there are details still
being worked on such as when
civil partnerships can be converted
into a marriage but its important
that from 29 March the love people
have for each other will not be
divided by law.
The heart of this issue is this:
equality matters. People should
be valued for who they are
and what they contribute. Its a
persons character that matters.
Their sexual orientation should be
neither here nor there. We want
people to achieve their maximum
potential, whether as a worldleading scientist, an entrepreneur
or even Prime Minister, because
it is a persons ability to do the
job that counts. Im proud to be
PM of the country judged to be
the best place to live in Europe if
you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or
trans and the government I lead is
doing everything possible to fight
prejudice where it remains.
In schools, we are doing all we can
to help children and young people
who might be being bullied on
account of their sexuality. Maybe they
are uncertain about their sexuality;
maybe they have come out as gay
and are being treated differently or
appallingly by their peers either
way, were holding schools to account
through Ofsted for how well they
tackle this bullying, including a
schools effectiveness in dealing
with derogatory and discriminatory
language. Were also working closely

WorldMags.net

[news]

with anti-bullying organisations to

make sure this sort of behaviour is
tackled on the ground.
Were working to break down
barriers in sport, too. People
should be able to excel in sport
regardless of their sexuality but
we know how hard its been. Thats
why the government introduced
a charter against homophobia
and transphobia in sport. This
was an important step as it forced
those signing up the sports
governing bodies and clubs to
consider the culture in their sport
and the action that needed to be
taken. And the world of sport is
making slow progress. We have
seen the enormously positive
reaction to people like Thomas
Hitzlsperger and Gareth Thomas
being open about their sexuality,
and hopefully that will encourage
others to be more open too. But we
need more role models, straight
and gay, to encourage the best
behaviour and clubs must tackle
problems on the terraces.
Abroad, were seeing terrible
persecution and discrimination
taking place and, again, we must
speak out. Im determined that the
British government challenges other
countries where outright persecution
of gay people takes place, and in
recent weeks weve done just that
making clear the strength of feeling
in the UK to governments in Russia
and Uganda. Where there is cruelty
and prejudice we should always
make a stand.
We are a country where the
values of marriage commitment,
responsibility, stability are
available to all; a place where
people are able to choose the
person they wish to spend their
life with and have that bond
recognised. Of course, none of us
can be complacent and collectively
we need to work together day-in,
day-out to challenge homophobic
behaviour and attitudes in order to
make the future even better for our
children and grandchildren. Q

29

WorldMags.net

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on whether or not the public would be accepting of a gay person as PM

Yes and why not? Being gay

doesnt affect how you work, how
you interact with people or how
you make decisions. Im confident
that the British people would
judge him or her on their ability
to lead and be a good Prime
Minister and not on who they
choose to share their life with.
30

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

The last time a liberal

party had their own
government in the UK
was May 1915, almost a
century ago. Except for
a brief pact in the late
70s, no liberal politician
has held serious power
since. That was until
Nick Clegg became
Deputy Prime Minister
in 2010. Neither Labour
nor the Tories secured
enough MPs to form
their own government.
ON TO THE SCENE CAME NICK
Clegg, and the highly contentious
business of coalition government.
Nick Clegg has had to compromise
on a host of policies that were in
his partys manifesto while in the
coalition. If Clegg were to play a
role in another government, can we
trust him to keep our rights secure?
TheyWorkForYou.com rates
Nick Cleggs voting record on gay
equality as moderately for. He
voted for same-sex marriage, for
reforming human fertilisation laws
to forgo the need for a father, and he
supported the Equality Act. He has
been absent from some of the votes
on these measures, which would
explain why his ranking isnt higher.
Thats probably what comes with
being Deputy PM, though.
Theres only one way to know
exactly where he stands though,
and thats to ask the man himself. In
a gay press exclusive, Nick Clegg
answers your questions.
----------

The numbers of young gay men

contracting HIV has rocketed in
recent years. What should the
government do to tackle this
problem? Most people with HIV can
expect to live a long and healthy
life if they are diagnosed early. But
whats very worrying is that new HIV
infections continue to increase in gay
men of all ages. The simple message
is to use a condom and get tested
regularly for HIV and other STIs.
gaytimes.co.uk

There needs to be a concerted effort

from everyone to get to grips with
this, particularly local councils, who
now have both the power and budget
to tackle the health problems that
affect their communities in England.
The government continues to fund
the important work the Terrence
Higgins Trust is doing to help tackle
two of the most at-risk groups of HIV;
gay men and African communities.
Do you believe that gender reassignment surgery should be
available on the NHS, equally,
wherever you are in the country?
Yes I do. And since last year
we have been working with the
transgendered community to
produce a single and consistent
policy, which will be finalised by
later this year.
Given the high rates of mental
health problems among LGBT
youth, what more do you think the
government should be doing to
help? This is a very important issue
for me. Research suggests people
who are lesbian, gay and bisexual
have a higher risk of mental health
problems and Im concerned that
some people report that their
experience of services designed to
help them is not always as good as
it should be. Last month I launched
our Mental Health Action Plan,
identifying 25 aspects of mental
health care and support where
government along with help from
health and social care leaders,
academics and representative
organisations expect to see real
changes in the help available for
LBGT youth over the next couple
of years. Help for young people is
a priority area, with schools being
supported to identify those who
need support sooner.
What plans do you have to make
the same-sex marriage bill more
trans friendly, such as making it
easier to transition within existing
marriages? Its hugely unfair that a
married couple, who are committed
to one another and dont want to
separate, have to divorce if one of

WorldMags.net

[news]

them changes their legal gender. If a

couple want to remain married then
they should be allowed to. When the
Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act
comes into force it will put an end to
the era of stolen marriages, allowing
trans people for the first time to
change their legal gender without
having to end their marriage. This
is an important development and
one which will hopefully make the
transition process a little easier.
Which Liberal Democrat MPs
have inspired your belief in gay
rights? When she was in the Home
Office, Lynne Featherstone set
the equal marriage bill on its way
through the Westminster machine. I
was very impressed with the way
she worked tirelessly in the face
of a lot of opposition, both inside
government and out. I was very
proud of Lynne for what she started,
and same-sex couples simply
wouldnt be getting married from 29
March without her efforts. It will mark
a significant day for many, many
couples, but also its a significant day
for Lynne, and I hope people will
raise a glass in her name.
Who was the first gay person you
befriended, and how did they
influence your views? I have
quite a few friends who are gay
but I tend not to think them as gay
or straight even. If Im friends
with someone, it is because I trust
them, I get on well with them and
we share the same interests. Im a
Liberal Democrat. Even if I didnt
have any LGBT friends, that would
not affect how I would want them to
be treated. Everyone deserves to
be treated equally.
How do you think you would react
if one of your children were to
come out? I would have no issues at
all if one of my boys told me that he
liked another boy. Its not a choice,
its who you are and I would love my
boys regardless of their sexuality. I
just hope that someday coming out
to your parents is not going to be
something you dread but something
you will remember fondly. Q

31

WorldMags.net

Labour leader Ed Miliband on how he would feel if one of his children were to come out

I would love them equally as

much. The most important thing
to me is that my kids are happy
and I dont care whether theyre
gay or straight. Thats what
matters to me.
32

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

In 14 months Ed
Miliband could be the
British Prime Minister.
Currently the polls
predict by a small
margin that Labour
will form the next
government. But what
do we really know about
Ed Miliband? And,
more importantly, what
can he do to stand up
for the many gay and
lesbian voters across
our country?
BORN ON CHRISTMAS EVE,1969,
Ed is the son of two left-wing
academics. His father, Ralph
Miliband, fled to Britain on the
last boat to England from Belgium
as a Jewish refugee. Eds mother,
Marion Kozak, was originally one
of Ralphs students after he became
a sociology lecturer at the LSE.
But with a similar background a
Polish-born Holocaust survivor
the pair soon found love. And their
two sons, Ed and David, would
become the most powerful political
fraternity of a generation.
Now hes on the cusp of becoming
one of the most important men in the
world. And if Ed does become PM,
what can we expect for our rights?
Since his election to parliament
in 2005 as MP for Doncaster North,
in Yorkshire, the vote monitoring
website TheyWorkForYou.com
rates his record on gay rights
as being very strongly for. He
voted to change the law on human
fertilisation so that a child could
have same-sex parents, voted in
favour of the Equality Act, and voted
in favour of marriage equality.
Now, in this exclusive interview,
GT put the questions you wanted
answering to the Labour leader to
find out what he can do for us, and
why it is he cares for our rights.
----------

Which Labour MPs have inspired

your belief in gay rights? The
Labour Party is hugely proud of the
gaytimes.co.uk

role our members played in the fight

for equality. Ive been a passionate
advocate for equality and human
rights all of my life. Its one of the
reasons why I am in politics and in
the Labour Party.
As the first openly gay MP and
minister, Chris Smith did a huge
amount for sexual equality. Later
in his career, his decision to make
public the fact that he is HIV-positive
was incredibly brave and has
had a significant impact on public
awareness of HIV.
When I was a student in the 1980s,
I also remember all of those MPs,
mostly Labour, who spoke out against
Section 28 at a time when LGBT rights
were not as widely accepted.
I also hugely respect Angela Eagle
who was the first openly lesbian
MP. I know, from talking to her, the
pressures she faced before coming
out soon after she was elected.
What more can be done to
put pressure on the likes of
Qatar and Russia that anti-gay
discrimination wont be tolerated?
We have made significant progress
on equality in Britain over the last
20 years, but we must not forget
that in many countries across the
world being gay is illegal and
discrimination is not only allowed,
but encouraged by governments.
The Russian and Qatari governments
should be in no doubt that their
rejection of LGBT rights is in
violation of basic human rights. The
response of some African leaders
stirring up hatred and legislating
against LGBT people is equally
horrendous. We live in a global
community and equality should
not stop at the border. Labour has
repeatedly called on the British
government to do more to challenge
these countries on their politics
towards the LGBT community.
Does the derogatory use of words
like gay and other slurs in the
classroom matter? There should
be a zero tolerance approach to
homophobic bullying in all schools.
Schools should be safe

WorldMags.net

[news]

environments, conducive to
learning, enquiry and discovery.
They should be spaces for young
people to develop as individuals.
This is really important. I will
continue to raise awareness on this
issue and hope that together we
can make homophobic bullying a
thing of the past.
I recently visited Blatchington Mill
School in Hove the school has
an excellent record on combating
homophobic bullying and has been
recognised by Stonewall for its work.
Given the high rates of mental
health problems among gay
youth, what more would you
do to help? Mental health is the
biggest unaddressed health
challenge of our age.
As there are higher rates of mental
illness in the LGBT community,
we urgently need to take action to
support gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender people who suffer from
mental health problems.
We know people will use services
which are LGBT-friendly and where
professionals understand their
health needs for example some
trusts have a dedicated LGBT mental
health nurse. We need to look at how
these services can be expanded.
Who was the first gay person you
befriended? The first time I met
openly gay people was at university.
There were lots of arguments going
on at the time about equality issues,
including about Section 28. These
debates certainly opened my eyes
and heavily influenced what I think
about equality issues today.
Can you foresee there being a gay
Prime Minister? Yes. I think the
world has changed a lot. If you think
about the way it has changed in the
last 20 years since I was at college,
weve seen the repeal of Section
28, weve seen civil partnerships,
the lowering of the age of consent,
equal marriage and that has been
driven by change in social attitudes
and that is why I think absolutely
its foreseeable to have a gay Prime
Minister. Q

33

WorldMags.net
[debate]

[news]

DOES MARRIAGE
MATTER?
Its the nal piece
in the jigsaw for
gay equality, but
is marriage all its
cracked up to be? We
asked two couples
contemplating a
walk down the aisle
what marriage
means for them
HITCHED Joseph McCormick

PARTNERED Paul Thorn

Joseph is deputy editor of PinkNews.co.uk, and proposed to his

boyfriend, James, in the Houses of Parliament last year.

3DXOLV*7V+,9FROXPQLVWDQGKDVEHHQLQDFLYLOSDUWQHUVKLS
with his other half, Rob, since 2009.

I got engaged to my fianc James in the State Rooms

of the Houses of Parliament in October 2013 (if you
want to see it, there is a slightly cringe-worthy
video on PinkNews). Now, Im tasked with starting
to write guest lists, find venues and grapple with
the politics of who to invite to the reception. Maybe
we should just sack everything off and elope to
Sweden or Mexico City.
Somewhere along the way, hearing the gears of
equality slowly turning, I began to feel equal to my
straight friends. As of March, I had the freedom to
fight with James over who to invite to a reception, if
we have one, to feel proud at the thought of all of our
friends and family gathered around to congratulate
us, and the freedom to just be equal. We also have
the freedom to not do any of those things.
By the time you read this, we may have gone to
a registry office and married with a few friends
present, or we may have resigned ourselves to a long
engagement and a more lavish affair. Whichever we
chose is not important, but it is the option to do, or not
do, that we want. Its what makes marriage important.
Its possible to argue that there are more pressing
human rights issues for gay people around the
world (bullying in schools, to name one), but what
equal marriage represents is just a small piece in
a larger equality puzzle. Seeing two people of the
same sex get married is invaluably important to any
teenager coming to terms with their sexuality and
possibly feeling alienated.
Gay couples marrying in England and Wales will
hopefully provide a beacon of hope to those in other
parts of the world, particularly that struggling kid, that
maybe one day, equality will be reached. But for now,
things arent necessarily as bad as they may seem.
Same-sex marriage is a step forward which makes
gay people feel able to breathe a little more easily
just because we have the option nobody can argue
with that. Q
34

Rob and I have been in a civil partnership for,

erm it may be three or four years. It feels like it
could be longer! Maybe it is. We dont celebrate
our anniversary. Our relationship started in
2005. It was never a very sexual relationship, but
emotionally it was all there, and still is today. I
trust Rob completely.
It was for this reason that I asked him to become
my civil partner. Our marriage wasnt motivated
so much by romantic reasons, as legal ones.
Being civil partners offers us both the protection
of the law. Should anything ever happen to me
where Im not in a position to make a decision
myself for example, if I were unconscious on life
support I know Rob would make the right decision
about whether to pull the plug or not.
Im also safe in the knowledge that he will inherit
and my family (who I have no contact with) cant
turn up out of the blue and lay a claim to what little
I do have. He will get it all. Being civil partners
offers both of us the protection of the law. Thats
enough for us.
I wouldnt marry Rob in the conventional sense of
the word. He wouldnt marry me. It isnt something
we want to do.
I have come across too many gay men who have
jumped into a civil partnership at the drop of a hat.
Some of them dont seem to understand that its a
legal status, but they sure enough find out when
things go wrong and the solicitors start to take their
cut to undo what has been done.
Marriage for same-sex partners is a good thing, if
thats what you want. But for Rob and I, being civil
partners offer us all of the legal protection we need.
Like many gay men as they inevitably get older,
Rob and I live very independent lives. We have
separate sex and social lives, even different friends
to some degree. Romantic? No. Clinical? Maybe.
Practical? Yes. Q
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

4LIVING.CO.UK
WorldMags.net

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GT READERS GET 12% DISCOUNT OFF EVERYTHING

ONLINE DISCOUNT CODE: GT12 (VALID TIL FRIDAY 25TH OF APRIL)

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words from the wise

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

From Tony Blair

to Jay Z, we
look back at
the 30 greatest
pro-gay quotes
of all time
WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

[01]

You know, I understand

not everybody is for gay
marriage. But if youre not for
gay marriage, dont marry a gay
person. Whoopi Goldberg

[02]

Be who you are and say what

you feel, because those who mind

dont matter and those who matter
dont mind. Dr Seuss

[03]

If anybody can find

someone to love them and to help

them through this difficult thing that
we call life, I support that in any
shape or form. Will Smith

[04]

If Britney Spears can

party it up in Vegas and go get

married on a whim, and annul her
marriage the next day, why cant
a loving same sex couple tie the
knot? Brendon Ayanbadejo

[05]

Theres this illusion

that homosexuals have sex and

heterosexuals fall in love. Thats
completely untrue. Everybody
wants to be loved. Boy George

[06]

Understand that your

morality is not law. Understand that

we are you. Understand that if we
decide to have sex whether safe,
safer, or unsafe, it is our decision
and you have no rights in our
lovemaking. Derek Jarman

[07]

Equality, absolutely, thats

what defines us. Its what makes

us great. If it doesnt sit well with
your religion, let your God sort it
out in the end, but thats us. Were
equal. Brad Pitt

[08]

The only queer people in

the world are those who dont love

30
THINGS

anyone. Rita Mae Brown

[09]
36

I might not be the same,

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[news]
but thats not important/No

issue? Janet Jackson

freedom til were equal, damn

[21]

right I support it. Macklemore

[10]

Just because I like to suck

cock doesnt make me any less

American than Jesse Helms.
Allen Ginsberg

[11]

Portia and I have been

married for four years, and

theyve been the happiest of my
life. I dont think we hurt anyone
elses marriage. I asked all of my
neighbours and they say theyre
fine. Ellen DeGeneres

[12]

When I was in the military

they gave me a medal for killing

two men and a discharge for loving
one. Leonard Matlovich

[13]

Life is only complete when

your loved ones know you. When

they know your true feelings, when

[22] I said: Mom, you know the

forbidden love that Spock has for
Kirk? Well, me too. It was easier
for her to understand that way.
Holly Black
[23]

I do not care whether there

are 50,000, 500,000 or five million;
it matters not a damn. What matters
is that they have full membership
of society. Tony Blair

they know who and how you love.

[23]

Robbie Rogers

rights! Hilary Clinton

[14]

Why is it that, as a culture,

we are more comfortable seeing

two men holding guns than holding
hands? Ernest J Gaines

[15]

When all Americans are

treated as equal, no matter who

they are or whom they love, we are
all more free. Barack Obama

[16]

The important thing is not

the object of love, but the emotion

itself. Gore Vidal

[17]

At least 260 species of

animal have been noted exhibiting

homosexual behaviour but only
one species of animal ever, so
far as we know, has exhibited
homophobic behaviour and thats
the human being. Stephen Fry

[18]

If gay and lesbian people

are given civil rights, soon

everyone will want them.
James Howe

[19]

[25] The denial of gay

marriage sends a prejudice
message. Our youth deserve
a fair and hopeful future with
government that values us
equally. Lady Gaga
I support gay marriage.
I believe they have a right to be
as miserable as the rest of us.
Kinky Friedman

[27] New Rule: Gay marriage

wont lead to dog marriage. It is not
a slippery slope to rampant interspecies coupling. When women
got the right to vote, it didnt lead
to hamsters voting. Bill Maher

[30]

Its two people that are in

love with one another whats the

30

OF
RS S
YEAYTIME
A
G

17 YEARS AGO
Issue 223, 1997
British playwright Mark Ravenhill brings philosophy
kicking and screaming into the 21st century with a bang with
his new play Shopping and Fucking, based loosely on the
writings of Michel Foucault, and revolving around a fictional
San Francisco fetish scene.

[28] What people do in their

own homes is their business and
you can choose to love whoever
you love. Thats their business. Its
no different than discriminating
against blacks. Its discrimination,
plain and simple. Jay Z

Howard Dean

[20]

Our editor writes a touching obituary in the memory

of American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe,
whose work capturing the bondage scene of the 1960s
challenged attitudes that not only women could be used
as sexual objects.

[26]

not have created gay people.

homosexuality is a sin, he would

25 YEARS AGO
Issue 127, 1989

Gay rights are human

[29] If homosexuality is a
disease, lets all call in queer to
work: Hello. Cant work today, still
queer. Robin Tyler

From a religious point

of view, if God had thought

GT VAULT

I cannot keep quiet while

people are being penalised for
something about which they can
do nothing their sexuality. To
discriminate against our sisters and
brothers who are lesbian or gay on
grounds of their sexual orientation
for me is as totally unacceptable
and unjust as apartheid ever was.
Desmond Tutu

If a bullet should enter my

brain, let that bullet destroy every

15 YEARS AGO
Issue 247, 1999
With the original version of the groundbreaking Queer
as Folk coming to an end, and the 13th annual Lesbian
and Gay Film Festival just getting started, we celebrated
everything there was about being gay and on TV or on the
big screen at the time.

closet door. Harvey Milk Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

37

WorldMags.net

Some people need

renovation or retouching, some
are pretty perfect apparently,
some are in need of a polish
and some are just as found.

We believe wonderful and

extraordinary things are much
the same

7173 Lots Road, Chelsea, London SW10 0RN

T: +44 (0)20 7376 6800 E: info@lotsroad.com

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www.lotsroad.com

column

[news]

PUBLISHER [benjamin cohen]

WorldMags.net
OF PINKNEWS

Russia, Russia,
Russia. Youd have
had to have been
on another planet to have missed
the coverage and interest in the
gay media and gay community
about the issue of LGBT rights in
Russia. Although the attention was
intensified due to Russia hosting
the Winter Olympics, theres
been unprecedented interest and
condemnation of this particular
countrys attitude towards equality.
Last year, more than a thousand
people stood outside Downing
Street to protest against the
countrys policies. Around the
world, tens of thousands of people
participated in similar protests,
and many millions more have done
so online. The scale of the protests
far outweigh the number of people
that we were ever able to persuade
to turn out to protest for same-sex
marriage in England and Wales, or
to engage with the equal marriage
cause online.
Perhaps, you could argue that
the situation in Russia is about
more fundamental human rights
violations than the former British
ban on gay couples marrying.

Sure it is, the countrys anti-gay

propaganda laws are severe.
Although, there are similar laws
prohibiting the promotion of
homosexuality to young people that
apply in nine US states. Theres also
the persecution of gay people by
gangs of fascist thugs. But around
the world, there are so many worse
places to be gay than Russia,
where it remains legal, despite the
sentiments of the government.
Its remarkable that protests
outside the Ugandan High
Commission, when the country
attempted to institute the
death penalty for aggravated
homophobia, mustered only a few
dozen participants. I didnt see
hundreds of thousands of people
change their Facebook profile
pictures to photographs about the
situation in Nigeria either, when
it introduced harsh new anti-gay
laws. Ive also not noticed a huge
groundswell of attention over the
fact that our Queen is head of state
for 11 countries where you go to
prison for being gay. Gay people
being regularly executed in Iran
now barely garners a whimper. You
probably get the picture.

Ive not
noticed
huge
attention
over the
fact our
Queen is
head of
state for 11
countries
where
you go to
prison for
being gay

@benjamincohen

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

Russia captivated the public

imagination, thanks in part to the
brilliant highlighting of the issue
by Stephen Fry to his millions of
Twitter followers. People woke
up to a situation that was and is
wrong. In some ways, we feel that
we can relate to the situation in
Russia a little better than we can
in Africa, the Caribbean or the
Middle East. Russia is, after all,
a European nation, a signatory
of the European Convention of
Human Rights and a member of
the Council of Europe. Russia is
industrialised, wealthy (despite its
economic challenges) and with a
hugely powerful military. The gay
people in cities like Moscow and
St Petersburg could very easily be
us, a world away from totalitarian
theocracies like Iran or the still
hugely undeveloped Uganda.
What I hope though is that the
people whove been woken up to
LGBT rights abroad because of this
spotlight on Russia can somehow be
encouraged to care about the issues
globally, understanding that LGBT
people come in all shapes, sizes,
races and backgrounds.
Now that the Olympic flag has
been lowered, why dont we focus
our attention on the Commonwealth
Games, not being held in a foreign
city youve never heard of before,
but in the UK, in Glasgow in July? It
will be a games where the majority
of the countries competing imprison
people for being gay. Yes thats
right, imprisoning gay people like
you or me. And not because of
the whims of some local Russian
politician whose name you probably
cant remember (it wasnt Putins
idea), but instead because of the
British homophobic laws imposed
on many of the competing countries
in the time of the British Empire by
our Parliament. Lets stand together
with one voice and place the same
attention on the Commonwealth
as has already been
placed on Russia, Im
up for it. Are you? Q

39

WorldMags.net

TIM
SIGSWORTH
HEROES

WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

40

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On the 25th
anniversary of the
Albert Kennedy
Trust, GT talks to its
chief executive and
life-long gay rights
campaigner, Tim
Sigsworth

30

OF
RS S
YEAYTIME
GA

IT WAS 30 APRIL, 1989. ALBERT

Kennedy was 16-years-old, being
chased by a group of angry,
homophobic thugs wanting to attack
him. They didnt know he was gay.
Even his mum didnt know. At 16,
he hadnt yet come to discuss his
identity, whatever it was. But alone,
chased by angry thugs, and on
the top of a high-rise car park in
Manchester, he was in complete
terror.
As the group got closer, the
teenage boys fear grew. He
jumped. Albert was dead. Killed
by the thugs that chased him, with
nobody there to help.
I was just appalled at the fact
nobody was protecting us, nobody
gave a damn. In the 1980s, there
was this backdrop of negative press
around LGBT people. The backlash
from HIV and AIDS. The backlash
from Section 28, Tim Sigsworth, the
head of the trust that bares Alberts
name tells GT.
The youth worker who looked
after Albert, Cath Hall, decided
something had to be done. But
back in 1989, public discourse
around homosexuality was veiled
in myths of gay recruitment and
promotion. The fear was so strong
that the Charity Commission
refused to grant any organisations
working with gay youths charitable
status up until the Albert Kennedy
Trust became the first, 25 years ago.
Alberts story inspired Tim
Sigsworth, AKTs chief executive,
to be a gay rights activist. I went
to the youth group when Albert
was there. I knew the people that
Cath had supported through the

trust. I was very wedded to the

charity before I even walked
through the door. From the age of
17 Ive been an LGBT activist and
involved in the campaigns, and its
always meant a lot to me.
It was in the local LGBT youth
group in Manchester where we built
our defence. Where we realised we
had to go on the rallies, and we had
to go out on the marches, and we
had to write articles.
In the 1980s, Manchesters
police force was led by James
Anderton; a notorious, polarising
figure, describing AIDS patients
as swirling around in a human
cesspool of their own making.
We used to have cameras
pointing at all the bars and clubs
so that they could see whos going
in and out, because we were seen
as subversive. They used to raid
Clone Zone in Manchester, because
apparently it was propagating gay
filth. I remember when wed come
out of the clubs in Manchester, and
wed have to run. Thered be gangs
of lads waiting to beat you up.
Tim, like many, faced this
intimidation on a weekly basis. I
remember one night going out in
Manchester. I thought I was really
clever, because I was a sprinter, and
I thought they [the homophobes]
would never get me. Then one of my
friends tripped up. I went back to
help him, and they laid into us both.
It was the most terrifying thing
to be set up on and not know when
someones going to stop. You just go
into panic mode. I remember just
thinking, someone has got to help
us, someone has got to come. And
they didnt. Nobody helped us.
The attack was a turning point
for Tim, who decided if nobody
else would do something then
he would. I remember thinking
Im going to have a terrible life.
Ive got to make myself straight.
Then, suddenly, I made some
close friends, and we were
angry, and we realised we had to
change things.

gaytimes.co.uk

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[news]

Tim went on to work as a social

worker for some years, following
in the steps of AKTs founders.
Eventually he came back to his
roots, and took a job heading up
mental heath services at the Lesbian
and Gay Foundation.
I wanted to set up innovative
projects. We set up a group at a
secure hospital for LGBT patients.
These people were very isolated
they needed the help. We set up
drug and alcohol projects, we set
up mental health services in-house.
I loved that job, because it allowed
me to develop solutions with the
community for their needs.
Tim spent years of his life
setting up these projects to help
vulnerable LGBT people. The
hours were long, and results would
sometimes take years to see, but
Tim didnt care so long as he was
being a part of the community he
loved, and doing his bit to help.
How many people he has helped
is hard to gauge. Tim, in his
characteristic modesty, is reluctant
to put a figure on it. Well its all
subjective isnt it they might not
say I helped!
In actual fact, after three decades
of working with young people and
helping lead two charities, the
number of LGBT people in Britain
he has helped is huge: It must be a
few thousand. Well, OK, Id rather
say how many we as charities have
helped, rather than me alone. Its
more than 50,000. Well, OK, OK, it
must be about 100,000. Actually its
quite a lot, isnt it?
Politicians and prominent figures
will this month celebrate the
introduction of same-sex marriage.
But its because of people like Tim
Sigsworth, who held the placards
on rallies in the 1980s, and today
holds the hands of young people
facing their own challenges, that
these freedoms were ever won. Tim
Sigsworth is an unsung hero, from a
generation of heroes. Q
7RQGRXWPRUHDERXWWKH$OEHUW.HQQHG\
7UXVWYLVLWDNWRUJXN

41

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[nigel farage]
ON UKIP,
EUROPE AND
GAY FLOODS

[rst]

be the staple for any couple

that decides to wed, and that
all matrimony should be bound
independently by law and given
equal weighting and rights. The
religious ceremony and religious
endorsement of a marriage would
be entirely separate.
We have many out and proud
people in the party and a thriving
LGBT group. But we dont believe
in tokenism and pushing forward
certain people to target a media
agenda. We think this is wrong.
That means treating everyone
as equals and not singling out
particular demographics.
----------

Didnt expect to see Nigel Farage

in here, did you? UKIP arent
obvious representatives of the
gay community. They were
the only major party to oppose
same-sex marriage and one of
their local councillors blamed
the recent spate of flooding on,
er, men marrying men.
In spite of this, UKIP still has
its own thriving LGBT group
Out and Proud (as in, out of
the EU, geddit?), and until
2012 they were the only party
to have a trans Member of the
European Parliament. Though
Nikki Sinclaire, the trans MEP,
quit UKIP rather sensationally,
claiming she faced ongoing
threats from fellow members
because of her gender identity.
Like it or not, though, UKIP is
expected to top the polls in this
Mays EU elections. So we went
straight to Nigel Farage, their
firebrand leader, to ask: what
are you going to do for us?
----------

Despite the many myths put out

about UKIP, were not a party of old,
disaffected half-colonels from true
blue Conservative shires. Were
42

also not prejudiced or bigoted.

Trying to find stories to embarrass
UKIP has become a Fleet Street
sport. Thats because UKIP is really
shaking up the political system and
all the other parties are scared.
Lets look at the councillor
in Henley who UKIP recently
expelled after he attributed the
floods to biblical judgment on
gay marriage. Hed only recently
defected to UKIP and weve since
found out that hed been writing to
local newspapers expressing these
views as a Conservative. We acted
swiftly and hes been expelled.
Of course, many LGBT people
may be put off voting for UKIP due
to our opposition to the samesex marriage act. But this was
also grossly misreported. What
UKIP said was very simple. We
were uncomfortable about the
government involving themselves
in religious affairs, be they
Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist,
Hindu, Jewish or otherwise. We
dont believe the state should be
able to legislate religion, which is
strictly in the private and personal
domain. What we proposed was
that civil partnerships should

We have
many out
and proud
people in
the party
and a
thriving
LGBT
group. But
we dont
believe in
tokenism
and
pushing
forward
certain
people
to target
a media
agenda

@Nigel_Farage

One of UKIPs candidates

repeatedly claimed there were
links between gay people and
pedophilia, while another was
adamant physical exercise
would rid gay men of same-sex
lust. So will UKIP pledge to expel
any future homophobes?
----------

It would sound great to say, yes,

we would expel anybody who was
a homophobe, but how would
that be judged, investigated or
enforced? Are there limits to what
is acceptable and unacceptable,
in terms of political correctness?
Who is the ultimate arbiter of
morality or taste?
Even within one section or group
of society there will be very
different notions of what is fine
and what is deemed insulting or
upsetting. We are a political party,
not the thought police, and never
would we wish to become anything
different. Its very dangerous
grounds to start moving into the
territory of telling people how
they should think or act that
is fundamentally fascistic. For
that reason we have a written
constitution like all other political
parties based upon discipline and
good behaviour. Its within those
rules that we must operate. Q
EU elections are on 22 May. In the words of
%XFNV)L]],WVPDNLQ\RXUPLQGXSWLPH

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LONDONS
AWARD
WINNING
GAY VENUES

SOHO

25 FRITH ST. W1V 5LB

LEICESTER SQ
30 LISLE ST. WC2H 7BA

30 LISLE ST. WC2H 7BA

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LOCKED
& LOADED

WORDS RYAN BUTCHER

PHOTOGRAPHS JOE MCCORMICK
GROOMING EVAN HUANG
USING DIOR, KRYOLAN AND BUMBLE AND BUMBLE
UNDERWEAR PROWLER.CO.UK

44

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[cover]

Theres a lot choice when it comes to picking your favourite TOWIE boy...
Joey Essex, Mark Wright and, yes, Dan Osborne. Problem is, weve seen
them all before. Thats why Team GT pulled out all the stops to bring you,
the lucky readers, an exclusive naked shoot with James Lock the shows
hottest acquisition since, well, ever. We also sat down with James to talk
life as a telly star, why he hates other reality shows, oh, and blow jobs from
Bobby Norris. Crikey. Lock yourselves in, its gonna be a hell of a ride.
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[cover]

Its a wet Wednesday afternoon

in north London. People wrapped
up in warm coats with umbrellas
are going about their way to work,
already counting down until 5pm.
But inside the GT studios, weve got
The Only Way Is Essexs hottest new
star James Lock writhing around on
the floor in his pants, with girlfriend
(and fellow TOWIE cast member)
Danielle Armstrong telling him
to pull the poses he does in the
bedroom. Its a tough job, but
someones gotta do it.
Whatever you think of TOWIE,
its evolved into an unstoppable
telly phenomenon, shaping styles,
fashions and even introducing new
words into the Oxford dictionary.
James, 27, first started on the show
last year with real life best friend
Dan Osborne, but its only in the
new series that hes started to
take centre stage and light some
fireworks of his own.
It took me a little while to get
used to the cameras, James tells us,
after we begrudgingly let him put
his clothes back on. Sometimes I
wasnt speaking clearly enough, or
my voice would go because Id got
a little bit drunk, cos I was nervous.
But I feel much more comfortable
this year. Ive come out of my shell a
lot. Id never been on camera before
or been involved with this industry,
so it took some getting used to. Like
this, though [James GT shoot], I
like to take things out of my comfort
zone.
James was working as a sparky
before he was scouted for TOWIE
in an Essex nightclub. Half cut, he
thought the offer was jackanory,
but just a few weeks later he was
being interviewed and screen
tested, and now hes one of the
shows rising new stars, with a
massive following gay and straight
growing by the day. And at 64,
classically handsome good looks
and a body sculpted at the gym, its
clear to see why.
I do like going to the gym, yeah,
James says, when we ask about his
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47

WorldMags.net
impressive physique. Im quite
metrosexual I think that sums
me up perfectly. Id say Im vain,
but I dont think thats a bad thing.
Its good to take pride in your
appearance I dont agree with any
of this growing old naturally stuff.
Dont get me wrong, theres a line
you can cross. But if you take care of
yourself and keep fit, its only going
to benefit you in the long run.
If a man walks in wellgroomed and in a nice suit,
and another man walks in who
doesnt give a shit and is a bit of
a slob, whore you going to pay
attention to?
Well, James has definitely
caught our attention. But as a hot,
young lad on TOWIE, there are
big shoes to fill. Boys like Joey
Essex and Mark Wright have gone
on to be stars outside the show,
weaving themselves into the
fabric of pop culture. It might be
early days, but is James going to
follow in their footsteps?
Well, I dont aspire to be Joey
Essex, James laughs. I think hes
a bit of a plum. But to be honest
I dont like how people assume
that reality TV stars are just fame
hungry. Personally, Im not fame
hungry. Im success hungry.
All reality stars seem to get tarred
with the same brush, but shows like
TOWIE and Made in Chelsea are in
a league of their own. Look at all the
boys whove copied Joeys style, or
the girls with Lucy. People aspire to
be us. But with something like The
Valleys, theyre laughing at them, not
with them. And Geordie Shore is very
seedy. Its just a house full of idiots
being videoed and getting pissed.
The Valleys is an absolute joke.
The thing is, you meet them and
think they wont be as bad in real
life. But Ive met a couple of the
girls, and they really are that bad. I
dont mean this in a snobby way, but
theyre just not the sort of people
you want to associate with. Going
out and having a laugh is one thing,
but its another thing going out and
48

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[cover]

being disrespectful, and disgracing

women. The Valleys is making
Wales look bad, and Geordie Shore
makes everyone up north look like
chavs and theyre not!
You mightve guessed by now, but
James isnt the kind of bloke who
shies away from saying whats on
his mind. And hes got a few choice
words for some of his fellow cast
members, too
I dont mean Dan when I say what
Im about to say, because hes a
brother to me. Theres no rivalry
there. Weve got a lot of similarities,
and I hold my hand up, hes doing
a lot better than me at the minute.
But I dont feel jealous Im happy
for him. Hes in my corner, and
me, him and Elliot [Wright, fellow
TOWIE cast member] are on the
same team. But most of the boys
on the show I wouldnt trust as far
as I could throw them. Everyones
out for themselves, but thats just
society, aint it?
Im really good friends with
[TOWIE veteran] Bobby Norris, too.
I feel really comfortable with gay
men, and between scenes Ill always
be having a laugh with Bobby. We
have a lot of sexual banter and hes
always talking to me about blow
jobs and telling Danielle the best
way to give me one. Hes challenged
her to a blow job competition so
you might see that in a season
coming up! [Laughs] If the ratings
ever start dropping, weve always
got that one to pull out of the bag.
Blow jobs from Bobby Norris leads
us naturally to the question about
James man crush (obviously). As
weve learned in this business,
every straight guys got one. Or in
James case five.
Im going to say two different
people Theyre my boyhood
heroes and I still love them now,
even though Im 27, and thats
Arnold Schwarzenegger and JeanClaude Van Damme. Then theres
another two no, three! More
for their fashion and looks over
anything, but Brad Pitt, Leonardo
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51

WorldMags.net
DiCaprio and David Gandy Gandy
especially, though. I just love how
he dresses. I aspire to be like him.
Hes a very good looking guy.
If I was going to marry any one
of them, though, itd have to be the
boyhood hero Arnie! Hes the worst
actor ever but I can watch him over
and over again. I just love him.
Speaking of marriage, and as
this is our marriage issue, what
advice does James a man whose
relationship with Danielle is
playing out in front of the whole
world have for any couples
planning a trip down the aisle?
Gay or straight, its all about
compromise. The fundamental
foundation of any relationship might
be trust, but even the best couples
have arguments. If you learn to
compromise, you cant lose really. I
think everyone wants to get married
in some way, though. Its a symbol
for how committed you are with a
person. Certain parts I dont agree
with, like having a big 100,000
wedding just to prove you love
someone, or whatever. You can just
go to Vegas or something.
Weve had a lot of stars in front
of our camera lens over the years,
but James isnt only one of the most
earnest, hes also one of the most
comfortable with his body weve
encountered in a long time.
Im not going to lie I love
the buzz, I love doing things
like a shoot for GT, and I feel
comfortable doing it. Id liked
to have been in better shape,
though, Ive been trying to hit
the gym and bulk up to get my
summer body. Im going to be
a lot trimmer after summer
actually, yeah, can you get me in
again? Id definitely be up for that.
Can you get me in for the naked
issue? Put me down for that!
As our new favourite TOWIE star,
were sure we can squeeze you in,
James. From here on out, for us at
least, The Only Way Is James Lock. Q
The Only Way Is Essex is on ITV2, Sunday
and Wednesday at 10pm, @JamesLockie86

52

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[cover]

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55

WorldMags.net

29 March

will go down in UK history books as the day a

fundamental human right became available. It
will be a day for celebration. The day same-sex
marriage is nally written into law. A day weve
been waiting on for years. But for

Paul and Michael

Atwal-Brice,
T

it will be a day tinged with bitter

disappointment. Like tens of thousands of
other people in England and Wales, theyve
been robbed of the right to join the historic
festivities on this fateful day.

WORDS RYAN BUTCHER

56

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When the clock strikes

12 on 28 March, Islington
couple,
Peter and David are set to
become one of Britains
rst gay newlyweds
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partnership (get gay divorced,

basically), which would only be
accepted by a court on the grounds
on unreasonable behaviour, or more
than two years of separation. Not a
solution, then, for a loving couple
like Paul and Michael. And, as such,
the government is yet to tell anyone
how it plans to resolve this.
What marriage means to us
is equality, Paul tells GT. Its
important to us, as its important
to thousands of other couples,
because we believe in equal rights.
But the simple truth is were being
punished for already being in a civil
partnership. If we knew same-sex
marriage was going to come in
March, wed have waited.
When same-sex marriage was
brought into force in New Zealand
last year, almost all of the couples
already in civil partnerships
wanted to convert to a marriage.
The government shouldve known
this was coming.
Whats really upsetting is the fact
that a gay couple could meet now,
and agree to get married after 24
hours of knowing one another, and
theyd still be able to do it before
we can. If we want to get married on
29 March, we have to get divorced.
No loving couple should be asked
to get divorced and we dont have
any grounds to, anyway. If we did,
wed be committing perjury.
It should have been a big day
for us, and for our two sons, but
now its been taken from us.
We want to raise awareness of
this problem not just to other
couples in the same situation, but
to the government as well, for the
mistakes theyve made already in
the same-sex marriage bill.
GT reached out to the Department
for Culture, Media and Sport, the
arm of the government overseeing
the same-sex marriage bill, to
ask when it expects the tens of
thousands of couples in waiting will
finally be able to convert to a samesex marriage.
Were continuing to work hard

The battle for same-sex marriage

has been in no way an easy one.
Somehow, right-wing Christians
managed to draw comparisons
between two men exchanging their
vows with neo-Nazi ideals. Madcap
UKIP councillor David Silvester even
went as far as to blame the legislation
for Britains recent spell of bad
weather; as if a monotheistic deity
had sent a flood to wash away our
sinful equality-driven agenda but
only in the south of the country, mind.
Haters gonna hate. Despite the
countless hurdles thatve been put
before same-sex marriage, each
and every one has been overcome.
The problem is, its still not
completely right.
Back in December 2005, the
government introduced civil
partnerships; an alternative to
same-sex marriage, allowing gay
couples to declare their union in
the eyes of the law. Since then,
more than 60,000 couples have
entered into civil partnerships. But
for most, it was just a placeholder,
until the historic day when same-sex
marriage finally came to pass.
Those thousands of couples
have stood at the front of the
metaphorical queue all this time,
waiting for their chance to marry.
But now, theyre being pushed
unceremoniously to the back.
Paul and Michael are one of those
couples. They entered into a civil
partnership in 2008, in the absence
of marriage as an option at the time,
but planned to become two of the
first to make the conversion on the
fateful date of 29 March.
From Barnsley, both working
as full-time carers for their twin
seven-year-old autistic sons, theyd
been planning their special day
for months picking a venue, a
cake and even which suits they
were going to wear. Only for the
registrar to give them the bad
news. Or, as Paul describes it, a
legal bombshell. The only way
they would be able to get married
would be to dissolve their civil

[marriage]

WORDS=$55,21:$/.(5

57

WorldMags.net
to ensure that couples wanting to
convert their civil partnerships
into marriages are able to do so as
soon as possible, a spokesman
told us. We aim to do this before
the end of 2014.
The conversion process will
ensure that couples in civil
partnerships do not have a break in
their legal relationship, which could
have implications for matters such
as their pension entitlements.
It will take a little longer because
we need to introduce completely
new procedures and processes.
This contrasts with the work to
make new marriages for same sex
couples possible, where we have
been able to build on existing
processes so implementation is
more straightforward.
Saturday 29 March is a momentous
and memorable day, and a huge
step forward for equality and LGBT
rights. But while youre sipping
Bucks Fizz and chowing down on
canaps as same-sex ceremonies
take place across the country,
remember, there are still thousands
like Paul and Michael for which
theres still a long way to go. Q
You can follow the progress of Paul and
Michael in their quest for a same-sex marriage
on Twitter, @atwalbrice

58

Its almost half a century since homosexuality was

legalised. Its been a long road, but while this issue is on
the shelves, the very rst same-sex marriages will take
place in England and Wales. Heres how it happened...
United Kingdom

Rest of the World

1960s

WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

1970s

1967

England and Wales

Homosexual acts legalised

1968

United Kindgom
+RPRVH[XDOLW\GHFODVVLHGDVLOOQHVV

1980

Scotland
Homosexual acts legalised

1982

Northern Ireland
Homosexual acts legalised

2000

United Kindgom
Allowed to serve openly in armed forces

2001

United Kindgom
Age of consent equalised

2002

United Kindgom
Same-sex adoption

2003

United Kindgom
Repeal of Section 28

2004

United Kindgom
Gender Recognition Act

1980s

1990s

2000s

Netherlands
Full gay marriage legalised

Belgium
Full gay marriage legalised

2001

2003

Canada, Spain
Full gay marriage legalised

2005

2005

United Kindgom
Civil Partnerships

South Africa
Full gay marriage legalised

2006

2006

United Kindgom
Equal rights for LGBT immigrants

Norway, Sweden
Full gay marriage legalised

2009

Portugal, Iceland, Argentina

Full gay marriage legalised

2010

2010

United Kindgom
Equality Act

Denmark
Full gay marriage legalised

2012

Brazil, Uruguay, New Zealand, France

Full gay marriage legalised

2013
2014

United Kindgom
Full gay marriage legalised

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

[marriage]

18.5%

of Caribbean
islands have
legalised samesex marriage
Saba, Saint Martin,
Saint-Barthlemy,
Guadeloupe and
Martinique are part
of the Netherlands
and France
respectively, so
abide by their laws.
----------

African
country has
marriage
equality
South Africa.
Almost 4,000
have taken
place since its
legalisation

10% of men in civil partnerships have previously

been divorced (ONS)

----------

22 out of 51 countries in Europe recognise some

type of same-sex union

40

The average age of men in

civil partnerships

11 European countries dene marriage as between

a man and a woman in their constitution

,WVIRUZRPHQ

ISRAEL
RECOGNISES SAME-SEX
MARRIAGE, BUT THEY
CANT TAKE PLACE
WITHIN THE COUNTRY

400 MPs
voted for
same-sex
marriage
175 MPs
voted
against
same-sex
marriage

----------

----------

00

Asian countries have same

sex-marriage

120,000 Britons are in civil

partnerships at the moment

100%

20%

The increase
in civil
partnerships
being
dissolved from
2011 to 2012

of living UK
Prime Ministers
support
marriage
equality.
(We got there in
the end.)
----------

----------

gaytimes.co.uk

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59

WorldMags.net

60

----------

Its going to take more than a few

squat thrusts to work this one off at
the gym; a cake worth a staggering
32.4 million was unveiled last
year at The National Gay Wedding
Show. The extravagant six-tier
dessert is just short of 5ft tall, and
is decorated with more than 2,000
diamonds. Thats 2,046 carats. A
carat cake. Geddit? It was made by
Liverpudlian bespoke jewellers
Russell and Case, in collaboration
with Chesters aptly-named CAKE.
On the other hand, if you dont
have too much of a sweet tooth,
Tesco offer a Finest Red Velvet
cake for a tenner. Throw a couple of
those in your trolly and stack them
on top of one another with some
cocktail sticks and its near enough
the same thing. Or you could
always try your luck in the reduced
aisle the night before. Q

Attire
----------

Youre obviously going to want

to look like a million bucks on your
big day, right? Well, tailor Richard
Jewels from Manchester might be

1
0

----------

So you met your hubby-to-be

across a sweat-soaked dance floor
soundtracked by Chers Believe.
Well, if you want to believe in life
after love at your wedding, and get
the mecha-diva herself to perform
live, its going to set you back a cool
$1.5 million. Thats a smidgen under
1 million, sterling. For those on a
bit of a budget, though, you can bag
yourself Mariah Carey, wholl do a
four-song set for just $1 million an
absolute steal at $250,000 per song,
were sure youll agree.
But maybe youve got your
sights set on the mother load
Beyonc. You see, reports online
have Queen Bs price tag raining
between $500,000 and $2 million,
so theres perhaps some room
for negotiation. Problem is, as
organisers of Maldon Carnival
found out when they tried to book
her for a little charity event last

Cake

T
Music

00
,0
00
,0
1

WORDS RYAN BUTCHER

year, shell only start to consider

your offer after an initial fifty
grand. Not bad work if you can
get it, eh?
A few years back, it was reported
Kerry Katona would show up
at your pub for 50. Thats one
thousandth of what it costs to even
talk to Beyonc. Granted, its 2014
now and the cost of living has gone
up. But if shes still charging the
same rate, we reckon you could get
her in a taxi and singing an Atomic
Kitten medley at your reception for
a whip round and a packet of pork
scratchings. Q

Gay weddings are

going to be coming
thick and fast
over the next few
months; theres no
escape now. Expect
invites in the post
to ceremonies of all
shapes and sizes
from lavish bashes to
quickies in the back
of a working mens
club (so to speak).
If youre planning
on getting hitched
yourself, we here at
GT have done the
hard work and priced
up a few things for
your own big day

gaytimes.co.uk

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able to help you out with that one.

His magnum opus is a hand-stitched
cashmere, wool and silk two-piece
worth an eye-watering 599,000.
Thats just short of $1 million. It
takes 600 man hours to put together
and is embellished with 480
diamonds. You can always top up
the cost, though, with a pair of dress
shoes from the House of Testoni, in
Bologna. Theyre crafted with a soft
goatskin, decorated with a diamond
and gold buckle, and come in at a
pinch at just $30,000.
Or, yknow, you can get a formal
suit from Gorg at Asda (we added
a couple of French accents to make
it sound a bit posher). Just 9 for the
trousers, 20 for the jacket, and a
pair of black slip-on shoes for 16.
Done. Stick em in your trolly. Q

5
99
,0
00

WorldMags.net

[marriage]

HOW MUCH?

0
00
5,
1

gaytimes.co.uk

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Venue
----------

A few years back, Premier Inn

offered a wedding package for
199. Thats right, for less than
the price of a PS4, you could get
the whole shebang buffet for 20
guests, two nights honeymoon
and even a pre-written best mans
speech. For some reason, they
stopped doing that deal. But we
had a look online and you can rent
out one of their function rooms for
25 per person. Theyll even throw
in some sandwiches too. If you ask
really nicely, we reckon they might
let you in. After all, it is meant to be
the biggest day of your life
Although, if you fancy spending
your special day surrounded by a
few old bones (steady now), you can
hire out the National History Museum
for around 15,000. Sure, youre
only allowed in AFTER the museum
has closed, but the architecture!
And imagine chowing down on
canaps underneath the skeleton of a
dinosaur! And THAT staircase. Youd
literally be making history. Right, GT
have got some saving to do Q

61

WorldMags.net
No couple, gay or
straight, goes into
marriage expecting
it to one day fall
apart. But what
happens if it does
all go wrong? GTs
editor-at-large John
Marrs and his exhusband Stuart
Goodman explain
how their three year
civil partnership
ended in divorce
Countless debates, arguments and
newspaper column inches have been
given to civil partnerships and samesex marriage. But what few people
seem to discuss is what happens if
a civil partnership or a same-sex

in the middle. But that was

nave some things cannot be
compromised on, no matter how
hard you try, and the gap between
us widened to such a distance that
we both had to shout to be heard.
I wanted children, Stuart didnt.
He wanted to try living and working
abroad, I didnt. He liked luxury
holidays without worrying about
finances, I didnt like credit card
debt. And on it went. Im not Liz
Jones, so I wont be washing all my
dirty laundry in public, but those
and other sticking points that we
should have addressed thoroughly
before we married were mutually
brushed under the carpet until the
pile of debris grew so tall, it was
impossible to ignore.
The thought of getting married
filled me with excitement and I
couldnt wait to start planning our

before, now started to really bug

me. I found myself withdrawing
into my shell and just ignoring what
I could see was happening.
The one thing Stuart and I
could agree on was that we
needed outside help to see if our
relationship was worth salvaging.
I booked us an appointment at
Relate, the counselling service for
couples of any sexuality, married
or not. Unloading your problems
in front of a total stranger was
much easier than either of us had
anticipated. When youre arguing
at home, you begin to associate
it with a place of negativity and
you dread spending time there.
The neutral environment of Relate
offices meant it was somewhere
to air our grievances and actually
listen to each other.
If a couple or an individual

I DO, NOW I DONT

marriage comes to an end.
More than 120,000 gay people
have entered into civil partnerships
in the UK, and the number rose by
3.6% last year. But gay divorces
also rose by 20%.
My ex-husband Stuart and I never
imagined we would be included in
that 20% when we organised our
civil partnership in 2010. In front of
100 friends and family, we pledged
that wed be together come what
may. Only, what came was the end
of our relationship, three short
years later.
Stuart and I were together for
six and a half years before we
took the civil partnership step.
But once the honeymoon period
passed, it didnt take long for
our relationship to gradually
erode. We had both taken it for
granted that even though we had
different interests and goals,
being married meant we would
automatically meet somewhere
62

big day that was the first failure,

Stuart recalls. The fact there would
be a wedding and we could have all
our friends and family in one place
to witness it seemed to overtake
why we were actually doing it.
We knew we had lots of
things that didnt match in our
relationship, but that didnt seem
to matter in the grand scheme of us
getting married. I wish now we had
taken just a step back and actually
thought it through properly. It
wasnt that I didnt love John, but I
think I was too young for marriage
at the time. But because of the
amount of time wed been together,
it just seemed the next logical step.
Well, that or splitting up. Neither
John nor I liked confrontation, so
we had been pretty happy for six
years. But something changes
when you marry and an almost
impossible weight is added to your
relationship. Little things that John
did that had never annoyed me

is experiencing difficulties we
encourage them to seek some
assistance sooner rather than
later, explains Denise Knowles,
relationship counsellor for Relate.
If you reach a point where you
cant talk to each other or dont
feel listened to, then Relate can
help you look at your relationship,
talk about it and see whether there
are things youre both willing to
do to make it better. Counsellors
are neutral and non-judgmental so
they dont take sides.
If thats not possible, we can
help couples to separate with
greater understanding and
therefore less acrimony and hurt.
We cant take it all away but we
can help couples understand what
brought them to this point, and to
leave the relationship and still be
courteous to one another.
After half a dozen Relate sessions
over the next three months, Stuart
and I realised our relationship was
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

gaytimes.co.uk

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[marriage]

63

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64

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drag on for months and cost you

an arm and leg to escape your
ball and chain.
Its been almost a year since
I officially became a divorced
man. I still feel theres a stigma
attached to being gay and
divorced, but maybe thats more
in my head than other peoples.
Stuart and I still remain
good friends; we are both in
relationships with new people
one year for me with John, and
six months for Stuart with Craig.
Our partners are accepting that
we will always be in each others

document saying theres no reason

why we cant divorce. And finally,
six weeks after the conditional
order came through, I had to apply
for the final order which legally
ended our civil partnership.
Of course, its not all as simple
as that. Theres a lot of legalese to
muddle through, but with only one
error that delayed us by just a few
days, we were dissolved in three
months for the grand sum of 490.
If you can put any feelings of
resentment to one side and act
like adults, this kind of legal DIY
divorce could save you thousands
of pounds. However, if property,
children or bitterness get in the
way, then be prepared for it to

WorldMags.net

In our micro-world, we were poster

boys for happy, successful gay relationships.
So informing everyone wed separated
just 18 months after theyd witnessed the
happiest day of our lives was humiliating.
We felt like failures.

gaytimes.co.uk

hit and miss whether we were filling

the extensive (and often baffling)
forms in correctly. The first stage
was for me to apply to my nearest
court for a dissolution petition,
for permission to end our civil
partnership and show reasons why.
First you must choose which of the
four reasons they offer for ending
a relationship unreasonable
behaviour, desertion, youve lived
apart for more than two years or
more than five years.
With Stuart agreeing to the
petition, I then applied for a
conditional order, which is a

beyond repair. On the anniversary

of our eighth year together as a
couple, we agreed that while we
loved each other, we were no
longer in love. And theres only one
direction to go from there.
Civil partnerships are only a
decade old, thus relatively new
compared to straight marriages.
Ours was the first gay wedding
many of our straight and gay
friends had been to. and we felt
there was a much heavier weight
of expectation placed upon our
shoulders to make it work. In
our micro-world, we were their
poster boys for happy, successful,
gay relationships. So informing
everyone wed separated just 18
months after theyd witnessed
the happiest day of our lives was
humiliating. We felt like failures.
It took time for me to tell my
close friends that we were no
more, and another three months
until I mentioned it at work. The
murky pool of dating had the
added complication of informing
prospective gentleman callers I
was married but separated. Living
with my ex, but sleeping in different
rooms. Still close friends but no
longer together. Even I knew this
was unattractive baggage.
A year after Stuart and I
threw in the towel and the dust
had settled, we were both in
the right mental place to start
looking into divorce. Luckily,
because we were on such good
terms, agreeing to who got what
was painless. Financial and
property terms were agreed
upon; iPads, sound systems, art
work, crockery, furniture and
aftershaves were split amicably.
Our dog, Oscar, would remain
living with me and Stuart could
see him whenever he wanted.
Because our split was so civil,
we decided there was no need
for lawyers so we dissolved our
partnership online, via guidelines
on the website gov.uk. Both of us
lacked legal knowledge, so it was

[marriage]

lives, even if they dont always

understand it. It hasnt put me off
entering another civil partnership
or getting married, but next time,
I wont be brushing any problems
under the carpet.
Since we divorced, John and I
have remained close and Ive met
his new partner and he mine,
adds Stuart. We dont speak or
see each other all the time but
Im glad he has found someone
that can make him happy and Ive
found someone who makes me
happy. Has our experience put me
off of marriage? Absolutely not.
I would do it again but Id ask
different questions of myself next
time around. Q

65

WorldMags.net

Weve married the iconic styling of our 50s and 60s furniture, with our renowned comfort and craftsmanship.
Original inspiration. Timeless quality.
To nd your nearest G Plan Vintage stockist visit gplanvintage.co.uk or call 01225 700880.
Image shows The Fifty Nine in Tonic Charcoal with Flying Saucer Orange scatter cushion.

WorldMags.net

WORDS LLOYD-SCOTT TYLER

tartan army

[04/14]

WorldMags.net
[style]

TIGER OF
SWEDEN
TARTAN
The 18th century tradition of
clans having their own tartan
has been given a modern
and sophisticated update.
Tigers designer, Glasgowborn Ronnie McDonald, has
always wanted to create his
own tartan, and the project
has now come to fruition
with astonishing results. The
pattern, woven on a hand loom
in rich blue and grey hues, is
now officially on the Scottish
Register of Tartans. Q
Tiger of Sweden Tartan is available
in the London Piccadilly and Canary
Wharf stores and Selfridges stores
throughout the UK. Prices are 219 for
the scarf and 999 each for the jacket
and kilts. tigerofsweden.co.uk

gaytimes.co.uk

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67

the big day

GROOMS GUIDE

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

It doesnt get much more personal than a wedding, and everyone has their
own idea on what their big day will be like... and certainly about what theyre
going to wear. Weve pulled together a few things thatll work with any outt,
to help as you plan your own trip down the aisle and beyond
Oh, suits you sir! Johnny Tuxedo
sounds like a government agent,
and thats how their fitted tuxedos
will make you look. Not only does
the brand boast a trendy yet classic
slim-fit tux, but its also unveiled
the super-stylish limited edition
Britannia in romantic midnight
blue. Made from 100% wool and
boasting a Union Jack lining, each
one is individually numbered with an
embroidered signature underneath
the collar. They get a thumbs up from
us; certainly affordable and good for
many occasions. Q

68

The classic
Johnny Tuxedo
suit, shirt and bow
tie retails for just
120 all in with
the limited edition
Britannia at 199.
johnnytuxedo.co.uk

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[style]
WORDS LLOYD-SCOT TYLER

Everyone needs a sock Add a

pop of colour to your outfit with
ITEM m6, a German brand of
intelligent legwear. Their sock
collection scores high on comfort
with its skin-friendly, high
performance fibres to guarantee
a constant, comfortable fit. The
fabric is enriched with silver
ions for an antibacterial effect,
even after 100 washes. This
fancy technology means that
these socks are good for travel,
exercise or just as fashion socks,
increasing circulation and energy
levels. Great for days when
youre on your feet. Such as your
wedding day. Q

Dapper gents Cock & Bull

Menswears range of tweed
waistcoats are made in their
Bethnal Green studio in London, in
the basement below Cock & Bull
& Co the UKs first sustainable
menswear boutique. They
predominately create bespoke
waistcoats which can be ordered
at the studio and, if youre lucky,
occasionally off the peg garments
are made and sold upstairs in the
boutique. These arent just any
tweed waistcoats, though; theyre
hand-woven on the Isle of Lewis
and are beautifully made using
Shetland wool. Every waistcoat is
lined with a divine blend of organic
hemp and silk, and a deep colour
not too dissimilar to a Cabernet
Sauvignon. Something for both
the more traditional guy and the
modern sartorialist. Q
cockandbullmenswear.co.uk

gaytimes.co.uk

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69

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

ING
ETH
M
SO

W
NEU

Neuw is set to hit

the UK this spring;
the origin of the
brand began on
Nieuwlandstraat,
in Brussels. This is
where designer Par
Lundqvist began
to tailor and alter
vintage pieces
from his massive
denim archive.
The brand is now
a collaboration
between Par and
his two Australian
friends; Steve
Little and Richard
Bell. The denim
carries three unique
features; the repair
stitch on the back
right hand pocket,
the ring on the front
belt loop and the
dart in the bottom
KHP,WVJUHDW
denim, durable,
looks fantastic and,
best of all, each pair
is named after a
rock legend Lou,
Iggy and Ray. We
love them and think
you will too. Get
yours in Selfridges
and Harvey Nichols.
neuweurope.com Q

Take Two As with everything

from Acqua di Parma, the
Colonia Essenza range
looks fantastic; bottled and
packaged in a way reminiscent
of a fine tuxedo. The range
now includes an aftershave
balm and a quick-absorbing
gel emulsion, with a soothing
yet refreshing action. Another

70

new addition is the aftershave

lotion, which calms the skin
post-shave and leaves it
soft ideal for both normal
and greasy skins. The new
additions join the existing
fragrance, shampoo, shower
gel and deodorant; all come in
black and feature the elegant
Eau de Cologne. Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[style]
WORDS LLOYD-SCOT TYLER

Thedoes
Kooples
watches

The Kooples, known for

their stunning advertising
campaigns with real couples,
have launched their first collection
of watches. These stylish
timepieces have been developed
to reflect the contemporary and
elegant codes of the brand, and
would sit well on the wrist of any
dapper gent. Each watch contains
The Kooples iconic skull head
logo subtly positioned on the
winder. Its a bit of a luxury, with
prices starting at 230, but worth
splashing out on. Qthekooples.co.uk/watches
gaytimes.co.uk

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71

[04/14]

WorldMags.net
Lacoste L!ve
Artist Series
launches
For SS14, Lacoste
L!ve launch a
collection of
collaboration
t-shirts. Each artist
involved has created
fun and vibrant
prints for the brand,
including So-Me
KHVWKHJX\EHKLQG
French electro label
(G%DQJHUZKRV
also directed music
videos for the likes
of Kanye West,
Justice and MGMT,
GRQW\DNQRZ"
7KHUHVDOVRJUDIWL
artist Honet and
Japanese illustrator
Hisashi Okawa,
among others. The
entire collection
is fun, simple
clothing featuring
retro shapes,
all-over prints and
bright colours.
Unmistakably
Lacoste. lacoste.
com/live Q

Lacoste L!ve Artist Series

Revenge gets even sweeter
Bluebeards Revenge is a
premium range of quality
VKDYLQJDQGPHQVVNLQFDUH
products. Designed with real
men in mind, the products
combat tough stubble and
common shaving problems,
like razor burn and rashes.
Shaving is a chore, and
DFFRUGLQJWR%OXHEHDUGV
recent survey, men spend
72

an average of 45 days of
their lives shaving. Fear
not, though, the brand has
launched a new shaving
solution that contains
Decelerine, which is proven
to slow down growth of hair.
With regular use, you can
save 18 days of shaving time
and get back those tedious
lost minutes.
Also added to the range is

a new moisturiser with key

ingredient jojoba, which is
said to help prevent oily skin
and outbreaks of irritation. It
also contains a cooling agent,
making application a real treat.
Luckily, the brand has gone to
great lengths to ensure that the
product is free of those nasty
parabens, SLS and MIT. Use
VSDULQJO\WKRXJKLWVDJUHDW
product that goes a long way. Q
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[style]
WORDS LLOYD-SCOT TYLER

A STORY
OF T.LIPOP
T.Lipop is where technical
mens tailoring meets a less
is more aesthetic, producing
masculine garments that are
both innovative and subtle. Using
progressive cutting techniques,
luxurious cloth and innovative
technology, T.Lipop brings
minimalism to the forefront. After
launching to acclaim in 2011, the
brand was recently highlighted
as ones to watch during London
Fashion Week. T.Lipop was also
the first to collaborate with high
street stalwart River Island as
part of the first menswear Design
Forum, creating a collection of
16 pieces and a film with director
Aoife McArdle.
The SS14 collection A Story for
Tomorrow is described by the
creative director Tom Lipop as
chilin in the Spanish Riviera
by the pool, sipping on your
margarita and puffing away on a
cigar. Well, quite.
It does, however, offer a distinct
focus on cut, inspired by casual
fitting blazers and the cool
colours of summer. The result is
sophisticated with a nod to the 80s;
modern meets classic tailoring.
Lipop has also introduced the
technology known as Nano
Bloc, a water repellent finish
added to fabrics, which can be
seen throughout the collection
including linen suits, linen shirts
and bamboo jersey t-shirts. This
is summer tailoring at its best and
is suited to one and all, masculine
or feminine, big or small. This is a
brand to invest in.Q tlipop.com

gaytimes.co.uk

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73

interiors

[style]

WorldMags.net

If youre one of the

millions gripped by
Nordic Noir then youre
probably just as thrilled
by the settings. The
Scandinavians may
like their drama dark
and complex, but their
interiors are the polar
opposite. Simple, clean
forms in muted natural
tones set the scene.
Quiet and condent
yet full of Nordic drama

The broom

The light

%DIKDQJLQJ
brooms by
Swedese, 380,
skandium.com
----------

Icefox pendant by
Lightyears,
from 225,
skandium.com
----------

WORDS MARK KING

The servers
Salad servers by
Seth-Andersson,
45, skandium.com
----------

NORDIC LIGHT
The table
70/70 table by
Muuto, 1,175,
nest.co.uk
----------

The pitcher
Teema pitcher
by iittala, 18.50,
skandium.com
----------

The cushion
Puzzle Mix graphic
cushion by Hay,
77, hayshop.dk
----------

74

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
[home]

ING
T
T
CU DGE
E

The bowl
Crushed bowl by
Muuto, from 35,
skandium.com
----------

The sofa
Connect modular
sofa by Muuto, price
varies according
to modules,
nest.co.uk
----------

This stark yet elegant lighting and glassware is by

the brilliantly-named Western Trash in Berlin.
Each one of their products is born out of a
wonderfully simple idea but an idea thats hugely
difficult to put into practice. Every item is created by
slicing through a bottle at a different angle. This is
upcycling at its most technical dont try it at home
kids with used bottles polished, sliced by diamond
saw then ground and sandblasted to finish. It must take
a steady hand, and a lot of nerve, but the results are
both beautiful and ecologically sound. Smashing! Q

The vase
Aalto vase by
Iittala, 74,
madeindesign.co.uk
----------

Above Burgundi and Mosel lights, 239 Euros Below Festi carafe
with four glasses, 85 Euros, shop.westerntrash.com

The chair
Egg lounge
chair by Fritz
Hansen, 4,038,
conranshop.co.uk
----------

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75

WorldMags.net
LONDON
KITCHEN
SHOP

SEE IN-STORE
FOR CURRENT
OFFERS
Arch 70, Albert Embankment,
Vauxhall, London SE1 7TJ
Tel: 020 7793 9091
vauxhall@londonkitchenshop.com
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Tel: 020 8391 3699
surrey@londonkitchenshop.com

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Let me help you create

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hand-made to commission in central London studio
to suit your budget using all precious metals and stones
View designs at www.tawnyphillips.com
or call 020 7401 3737 or 07814 677589 for an informal chat

WorldMags.net

ooooft

[04/14]

WorldMags.net
[reviews]

A THING
OF BEAUTY
Youre wondering where you
recognise him from, arent you?
Dont play coy. Its none other
than tattooed totty Jake Bass, star
of the world-renowned porn site
CockyBoys. Now you can see all
your favourite faces and more
(steady) from CockyBoys in A
Thing of Beauty a 128-page book,
suitable for your coffee table or
your bedside table yknow in
case you fancied a read in bed Q
Available in hardback from prowler.co.uk
and in Prowler stores, 49.99

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77

albums

[reviews]

WorldMags.net
Fake Club Fuckable As sleazy
as their anagramatic album title,
)DNH&OXEDUHDVFX]]\URFNQUROO
band they recently committed their
ZDUHVWRFHOOXORLGDVWKHLQOPEDQG
WKURXJKRXWLQGLHLFN3RZGHU5RRP
LWVRQRXUWRZDWFKOLVW7KH\EDWWHU
old school riffs over a constantly
rattling high-hat, like Operator Please
but with their pop sensibility swapped
IRUDERWWOHRI-DFN'DQLHOV7KHLU
female vocalist sings with the accent
DQGKXVNLQHVVRI$OH[7XUQHUIURP
the Arctic Monkeys, and songs like
Beauty Queen pay homage to more
obvious references like Blondie
QDPHO\5LS+HU7R6KUHGV,WVD
pleasingly anarchic (if not particularly
G\QDPLFFRPELQDWLRQQQQQQ

Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

,WVEHHQPRUHWKDQ\HDUVVLQFH*RRGE\H
<HOORZ%ULFN5RDGUVWPDGH5HJLQDOG'ZLJKWKLV
RZQVHOIPDGHKRXVHKROGQDPH7KLVUHLVVXH
is more than an audio-handwash and spin cycle
UHPDVWHUHG$1'PDVWHUHGIRUL7XQHVZKDWHYHU
WKHGLIIHUHQFHLV:LWKLQWKHYHGLVFER[VHW
WKHUHVD&'RIFRQWHPSRUDU\FRYHUVNLFNLQJRII
with Ed Sheeran miraculously bringing jollity to
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RIDOOWLPH&DQGOH,Q7KH:LQG6RPHRQHUDSV
RQ%HQQLHDQG7KH-HWVEXWJHQHUDOO\WKHWKHPH
is sticking country. John Grant succumbs to the
twang with Sweet Painted Lady his delightful
choice of a song about a prostitute ends up like
7KH'LYLQH&RPHG\(OVHZKHUHWKHSHUIHFW
cover candidates are chosen in Emeli Sand
FKDQQHOOLQJWKRVHPXPP\GRHVQWORYHPHEOXHV
and Fall Out Boy doing a glam rock impression.
2IFRXUVHWKH\UHWKHPHUHSURWpJpV:KDWV
H[KDXVWLYHO\H[SDQGHGDQGUHSDFNHGLV(OWRQV
young voice and offerings, distinctly him but
without the deeper timbre. Very few tracks have
got lost in the onward march of time (though
unsurprisingly, no one tackled Jamaica Jerk-Off
IRUWKHFRYHUVGLVFDVWKHDOEXPFDSWXUHV(OWRQ
at his high-octane, dramatic story-telling, piano
bashing best. QQQ QQ

78

Tim Paris Dancers

When DJ remixer
types get in a string
of featured vocalists,
you fear for the
cookie cutter Guetta
effect. But not so
for Mr Paris, who is
cut from the same
cloth as Soulwax.
Brazenly cherry
picking across
JHQUHKHVIRUPHG
housey rock songs
for a club audience.
QQQQQ
Jesca Hoop
Undress A strippedback reworking of
her album Hunting
0\'UHVV-HVFDV
voice takes centre
stage with its pure,
piercing harmonics.
Playing this album
is a bit like Jesca
pitching up to

your bedroom and

serenading you with
an acoustic guitar
DQGWKHRGGIULHQG
,QWLPDWHDQGRQO\
slightly terrifying.
QQQQQ
Voluntary Butler
Scheme A Million
Ways to Make Gold
7KHWKLUGRIIHULQJ
from this one-man
band is surprisingly
well-rounded,
dreamy indie,
harking back to the
VEXWLQNHHSLQJ
with the current
crop of tweecore
EDQGV7KHO\ULFV
are as swooning
and sentimental as
the gentle plinks,
plonks and hushed
orchestration that
decorate the whole
album. QQQQQ

Foster The People Supermodel

7KH\UHVWLOOJRLQJWREHNQRZQ
as the band who did Pumped Up
Kicks, a song so pervasive and
XELTXLWRXVLWVKDUGWRPDWFK7R
WKHLUFUHGLWWKH\KDYHQWUHDOO\WULHG
%HVW)ULHQGFRPHVFORVHDQGDV
the album unfolds, it becomes more
experimental and interesting. Hints
RI%HFNV7URSLFDOLDVXUIDFHDQG
VRQJVOLNH7KH7UXWKVRXQGOLNH'DYLG
*UD\IURQWLQJ3DVVLRQ3LW7KHDOEXPV
hidden jewel though is A Beginners
*XLGHWR'HVWUR\LQJ7KH0RRQZKLFK
sounds unexpectedly like a Britpop
FRFNWDLOSDUW%OXUV%HHWOHEXPSDUW
shouty early punk Ash, part Mansun
SURJURFNWULS,IRQO\WKH\FRXOG
harness more of these confusing
contradictions. QQQQQ
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

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

,WVTXLWHVPDOO,
UHFHQWO\GLG>DQ
LQWHUYLHZZLWK@
7KH(FKRDQG
WKH\ZHUHOLNH
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*22':KLFKLV
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'DYLGVR,PVXUH
WKH\OOEHDOULJKWIRU
DZKLOH

WHAT
DOES THE
FOX SAY
Youll be hearing a
lot about Grammy
Award-winning
singer Foxes as
she goes full pelt
into promoting
her debut album
Glorious. We
caught her
performance at
Londons G-A-Y last
month and hunted
her down for a
chinwag. Heres a
few of our favourite
things that she
said to us

---------Gay Times!
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ERXJKWLWWKHRWKHU
GD\DQGZHQW
WKURXJKLWZLWK
PH7KHUHVQRW
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PHQWDOEHFDXVHLW
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ZDVOLNHWUXVW
PH/RXLWVQHYHU
QRUPDOO\OLNHWKLV,W
ZDVMXVWDUDQGRP
PRQWK,PQRW
FRPSODLQLQJ

---------Sayings!

Her Mum!

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NLWFKHQ

---------The Fashion!
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SHUVRQWKDW\RX
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QRRQHZDQWV",
ZDQWWKDWQ

---------Disney!
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WREH7KH/LWWOH
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DSDURXQG,ZDVD
ZHLUGNLG

---------Southampton!
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OLNHDOLWWOHWRZQ
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LDPIR[HVFRP

JD\WLPHVFRXN

WorldMags.net

79

profile

[reviews]

WorldMags.net

ulgarian born minimal

rap artist DENA is
not your average
girl rapper. Based
in Berlin (obviously), shes been
quietly carving her own niche,
distinctively dropping broken
English over Balkan beats.
She first caught our eye with
Cash, Diamond Rings, Swimming
Pools; the video of which sees
DENA looking like a Muriel-era
Toni Collette fronting a Shoreditch
rap act. Her trademark slow
moving videos compliment her
minimal rapping style, overloaded
with immigrant irony. The
aforementioned single appears as a
centre piece to her debut album; a
mangled electroclash mantra thats
cut from the same vaguely anticapitalist cloth of Lordes Royals, but
was released well over a year ahead
of that curve. Re-release, stat.

DENA
Theres a 90s side to DENAs
work, namely a classy re-imaging
of Skee-los retro-sexist shorty
anthem, as she croons You wish
I was a little bit smaller, you wish
I wasnt such a baller, on You
Wish. Its the perfect introduction
to her stark compositions, with
no clear reference point to pin
her sounds on. As much as we
describe her as minimal, her
music is deceptively complicated;
busy with blips, stabby chords
and layered vocals. Songs like
Front Row Girl could be a Little
Mix b-side, with some toothy raps
thrown in. Though shes never
going to enamour herself to such
a young crowd of pop fanatics,
shes all set for hipster adoration
at the very least. Q

'(1$VGHEXWDOEXP)ODVKLVRXWQRZRQ.
UHFRUGVGHQDIURPWKHEORFNFRP

80

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
[music]
:25'6%2%+(1'(5621

Mariah Carey Youre

Mine (Eternal):HGOLNH
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FOXEDQWKHPUDOO\WKDWFRPHVWRDJULQG\RUJDVPLF
FOLPD[%DQJLQJDQGULJKWRQQ Villagers Occupy

[tracklist]

Your Mind$QRWKHUSURWHVWVRQJ6RUWRI7KRXJK
IDUPRUHREOLTXHWKDQ$QQLHVVWVLQWKHDLUDQWKHP
WKLVJODPURFNWLQJHGWUDFNZDVZULWWHQIRU\RX
\RXUPRWKHU\RXUIDWKHUDQG\RXUJD\EURWKHUVDQG
VLVWHUVLQ5XVVLDQ Iggy Azaela ft Charli XCX
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WKHLSVLGHWRWKHFOXEQXPEHU$\RDQGFRXOGHDVLO\
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ER\EDQGFKDQQHOLQJ-DPLURTXDLDQG7KH:DQWHG
:KLFKLVPXFKPRUHDSSHDOLQJWKDQLWVRXQGVQ

Trust When we met Robert Alfons to talk about his

debut album a mere two-years-ago, he told us how
much 90s Eurodance was an influence on him
Snap!, Whigfield, that kind of thing. We raised an
eyebrow and forgot about it, as Trust had carved
their niche in the dark arts of electro-goth. But
the time has come for a second album and these
influences have fully blossomed, as the band are
releasing the aptly titled Joyland; an electro-pop
masterpiece conducted in a minor key.
They immediately switch paces with a curve
ball opening track; part William Orbit, part Sigur
Rs nonsense, Slightly Floating eases you into
the new vision far gentler than the two gutsy first
singles. Rescue, Mister has a bassline bounce that
Nicki Minaj could sit on, where as second single
Capitol has a sing-a-long chorus something youd
struggle to wring out of their debut.
The defining experiment of Joyland is the pitched
vocals. You can still hear the dominance of Alfons
deep, gruff voice that keeps the electro goth sound
alive and bought them warehouse party success.
But he also jumps up a register to Smurfy highs
that harken back to the days of Happy Hardcore
cassettes in short, the title track could be a duet
with Grimes. But its just Robert having a fiddle,
presumably. This vocal trickery, combined with
their bolder swipes with those Euro-tastic synths,
make for a landscape that is indeed joyous. Q
-R\ODQGLVRXW$SULORQ$UWV &UDIWVWWUXVWWFRP

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time
after
time

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81

WorldMags.net

25
years of...
WORDS JOHN MARRS IMAGES WARNER RECORDS

This month
celebrates 25 years
since we rst heard
Madonna sing
life is a mystery.
Her Like A Prayer
album became a
turning point that
transformed her from
critic-fodder boy toy
to a respected artist.
GT looks back at
the darkness, the
controversies and the
struggle that made it
her most important
work to date

t could have been

commercial suicide.
Pop albums inspired by
Catholicism, girl power, a
dead parent, AIDS and domestic
violence are few and far between
for a reason. But by infusing those
themes with pop, funk and gospel
influenced melodies, Madonnas
Like A Prayer became a pivotal
moment in modern music.
Before the Prayer era, came the
disco-lite First Album; then the
more-image-than artistry Like A
Virgin before semi-transitional
True Blue. But Like A Prayer
revealed an all-new Madonna we
hadnt been invited to meet before.
A woman who demanded to be
heard, and not just seen.
I didnt try to candy-coat Like A
Prayer or make it more palatable
for mass consumption, Madonna
explained at the time. I wrote what

82

I felt. I definitely have that slick,

glamorous, manufactured side that
I feel very comfortable showing to
the public. But theres the other side
to me, too. What I am is what Ive
digested throughout my life.
In September 1988, she enlisted
the help of previous collaborators
Stephen Bray and Patrick Leonard
to help her co-write and coproduce each of the 11 tracks. The
bulk of Madonna and Patricks
collaborations were completed in
just weeks. Everything is very
quick, Patrick recalled. We
wrote Like A Prayer, Spanish
Eyes, Til Death Do Us Part,
Dear Jessie, Promise To Try and
Cherish in a two week period.
Nothing took more than four
hours, ever. She sits on the couch,
takes a pad out, writes the lyrics,
sings it and were done.
Madonna drew from her

Catholic upbringing for much of

the record, including the stunning
title track. It just came out of my
head, she explained. I wanted
to do something really gospel
oriented and a cappella, with
virtually no instrumentation, just
my voice and an organ. So we
started fooling around with the
song, and wed take away all the
instrumentation so that my voice
was naked. Then we came up with
the bridge together, and we had
the idea to have a choir.
The reality and frailty of family
is another of Like A Prayers
underlying themes. Her declining
relationship with husband Sean
Penn and the well documented
domestic abuse she suffered
inspired Till Death Do Us Part; the
young Madonnas need for attention
amidst eight siblings animated
Keep It Together; the premature
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

loss of her mother motivated the

heartbreaking Promise To Try and
her fractious relationship with God
and her dad Silvio was spelled out
in Oh Father.
Oh Father and Promise To Try
are companion songs, revealed
Madonna. We did Promise To
Try first. Then Pat came to New
York where I was doing the play
Speed the Plow and I was in a very,
very dark state of mind. We got
together in this really dingy, awful
little studio it was grotesquely
dirty and cramped, and thats what
came out of me. But Oh Father is
not just me dealing with my father.
Its me dealing with all authority
figures in my life.
Dear Jessie was inspired by
Patricks daughter while Spanish
Eyes confronted the then-still
taboo subject of AIDS. But the
track that jars many a Like A

Did you know?

---------Randy Jackson of
American Idol fame
plays bass on LAP.
---------/LNH$3UD\HUV
gospel section was
sung by the Andra
Crouch Choir, but
they refused to
appear in the video.
---------The single cover
was drawn by her
brother Christopher,
and contained the
letters MLVC, with
a P falling away.
They represented
0DGRQQDVLQLWLDOV
Madonna Louise
Veronica Ciccone,
ZLWKWKH3HQQ
falling away as
the couple had
separated.
---------The actor in the
video who played
the black saint is
Leon Robinson,
who played Derice
Bannock in Cool
Runnings.

Prayer disciple is Love Song, her

sparse duet with Prince. The two
met regularly to discuss writing
a musical together. But when that
was aborted, Prince put together
a cassette of their sessions to date.
I thought it was just fabulous,
she said. Originally he seemed to
fight the idea of just writing songs
for a record together, because
hes done that with so many
people. Love Song was one of the
songs and I just said, Its such a
great song why not put it on the
record? He agreed and we sent
the tapes back and forth and wed
keep building it. He would write a
sentence and I would add on to it.
That wasnt the end of Princes
contribution though; unaccredited,
he played guitar on the single
mix of Like A Prayer and album
tracks Keep It Together and Act
Of Contrition. The latter a two-

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[music]

minute, backward masking track

closes the record.
It was purely conceived in the
recording studio on a whim, said
Madonna. We turned the tape and
played everything backwards. And
then, of course, the saying of the
prayer, that was totally conceived
in the studio. I just started fooling
around and its totally unedited.
Several tracks failed to make the
final cut. Supernatural, the story
of a love affair with a ghost, was
judged too whimsical and banished
to Cherishs B-side. Possessive Love
was given to Marilyn Martin; Just A
Dream was handed to Madonnas
backing singer Donna De Lory. Love
Attack, Angels With Dirty Faces and
First Is A Kiss have yet to surface.
With Like A Prayer complete, her
then-manager Freddy DeMann
was already heralding the new age
of Madonna. Its the best album

83

WorldMags.net

shes ever done, he enthused.

Its the first time shes really
opened up to the world, taken her
deepest thoughts and translated
them for the world.
Despite possessing the most
famous face in the world, Madonna
chose not to display it on the album
cover. Instead, it was a Herb Ritts
image of her torso that adorned
the sleeve when it was released
on 21 March, 1989. The patchouli
oil scented sleeve notes were
to simulate church incense and
continue the albums religious
imagery theme. And as an early
supporter of AIDS charities, inside
the packaging came an insert card
with safer sex guidelines, and a
warning about the dangers that read
AIDS is no party!
Very few artists are able to
generate even one iconic video
in their career. But Madonna, who
84

had already accomplished it with

Like A Virgin, Open Your Heart and
Papa Dont Preach, managed three
very different videos for three very
different Like A Prayer songs.
Two months before the albums
release, Madonna signed a $5
million deal with Pepsi-Cola for
TV ads and tour sponsorship.
The first two-minute advert
centred around the Like A Prayer
song, debuting to 250 million
viewers world-wide. But one
day later, when the actual video
for the song debuted, its scenes
of stigmata, rape and burning
crucifixes were condemned by
the Vatican as sacrilege and
heresy. Pepsi withdrew the ad
and cancelled her sponsorship.
It was impossible to purchase
such publicity. But remarkably,
Madonnas original video
treatment went even further.

I would play the song over and

over again and I kept imagining a
girl who was madly in love with a
black man, set in the South, with this
forbidden interracial love affair,
recalled Madonna. The guy shes
in love with sings in a choir so she
goes to church all the time. And
then it turned into a bigger story,
which was about racism and bigotry.
Then Mary Lambert got involved
as the director, and she came up
with a story that incorporated
more of the religious symbolism I
originally wrote into the song. The
video still has the sadness, but its
got a hopeful ending. I had these
ideas about me running away with
the black guy and both of us getting
shot in the back by the Ku Klux Klan.
Completely insane. So Mary made it
more palatable.
Both the Like A Prayer single and
album were worldwide commercial
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WorldMags.net

and critical hits, with Rolling Stone

magazine hailing it as close to art
as pop music gets. But once the
video controversy faded, Madonna
released what was, in 1989, the most
expensive video ever made. David
Fincher directed the homoerotic
Express Yourself, which celebrated
the power of the female sex and its
ability to cripple the machine that
dehumanises it. And she did so
in a purpose-built Metropolis set,
surrounded by sweating shirtless
gym bunnies while she lay naked,
wrapped in chains and poured milk
over herself.
This video I had the most amount
of input, said Madonna. I oversaw
everything from the building of
the sets, costumes, to meetings
with make-up and hair and the
cinematographer. Casting, finding
the right cat just every aspect.
Herb Ritts made his directorial

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debut with mermen in the Cherish

video, and academics claim
the finned men are symbols
for the gay community and the
oppressions we face. And while
Europe got Dear Jessie and an
animated video as single number
four, America received another
Fincher video, the Citizen Kane
inspired Oh Father. Keep It
Together became single number
five in the US before the Like A
Prayer era wrapped, boasting 15
million album sales.
Like A Prayer has everything a
gay man desires in his ingnue
drama, a victim, emotion, vivid
stories, the questioning of a deity,
tragedy, survival and tunes to shake
your arse to. Yet it does all this
without being a gay album. In fact
shes made much camper records
such as Im Breathless, Confessions
On A Dance Floor and MDNA. But

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[music]

Like A Prayer is multi-textural and

works because its an album for
everyone, regardless of age or
sexual orientation.
25 years later and it has yet to be
re-mastered or re-issued with bonus
tracks or the plethora of remixes
the singles received at the time.
And while Madonnas former record
label Warners has been criminal
in its failure to acknowledge this
masterpieces anniversary, it may
have worked in Like A Prayers
favour. Because no special edition
means its legacy has remained
untweaked and undiluted.
Madonna opened herself up in a
way she did not repeat for another
nine years until Ray Of Light. And
while she has yet to trawl such
emotional depths again, Like A
Prayer first proved the Queen Of
Pop should, and never would, be
underestimated again. Q

85

WorldMags.net

THE

ULTIMATE

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[print]
and then youre dead! Jim
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The Biography
Justin Lewis Who
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87

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88

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WorldMags.net

[print]

THE TALE END OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN

Armistead Maupin. A name that will cause many a gay eye to go a
little misty. Hes credited with bringing humour and humanity to gay
literature, and chances are youve miraculously either never heard of
him (Google your nearest library IMMEDIATELY you heathen) or that
youve read all eight of his intoxicating Tales of the City novels. And
the eagerest of beavers have probably already polished off the last
instalment, The Days of Anna Madrigal but Armistead implores us
not to spoil it for those of you who havent read it yet, so dont worry
about reading on. If youre dying to know what happens, though, we
can save you some bother read the book. All you need to know is
its an elegant farewell, and some of it takes place at Burning Man. Its
everything weve come to know and love about Maupins work; warm,
pun-ridden, humane and moving. Which is exactly how we find the
real life, living, breathing Maupin (except with less puns).
WORDS BOB HENDERSON

Were sat in the terribly English

confines of his hotel restaurant and
find a miraculously intimate table
in the loud surroundings. There
are two things you notice about
Armisteads in-the-flesh story telling
style; he drops more names than a
bad waitress and has an incredible
memory. The conversation often
steers to the sexual and who
wouldnt with such a charming
white haired daddy bear? and hes
regaling us with his first missed
connection on Hampstead Heath.
I remember walking across the
heath when I was 19, in 1963, and
passing a hot 35-year-old in brown
corduroy trousers who looked like
he was giving me the eye. I was too
stupid or nave or whatever you want
to call it to even realise I was being
made an offer. But I thought about
it and whacked off to him for days,
and he lets out a casual, open laugh.
All these little details, experience
and moments find their way into the
Tales cannon.
I wrote about it in Babycakes,
the English novel where Michael is
reminiscing about his teen years.
Only he did something about it.
He went home with a guy. I have
a lot of things that I write about
that I didnt act on at the time, but I
improved in the writing.

It seems painstakingly obvious to

explain these stories to the many
converts out there, but they charted
the loves and lives of a bunch of
hippish misfits all living in San
Francisco, their lives unfolding
in real time since their first
appearance in a newspaper column
in 1976. He always describes this
time as flying by the seat of his
pants, creating these characters
from his observations, friends and
real life experiences. Hampstead
Heath included.
The first novel was collated from
these newspaper columns in the
living room of Rock Hudson (the
famous actor who is sadly known
to younger generations as being
one of the first celebrities to die of
AIDS). At such a young age, and
indeed throughout his whole career,
it feels as if hes known or met
everyone. But from the off he learnt
how to deal with being starstruck.
If youre in the presence of
someone that floors you, who is
overwhelming to you for whatever
reason, then do your best to hide it.
Thats the way I was around Rock
Hudson all those years ago and I
could become his friend because
I wasnt saying Armistead has
a think. Well, I guess I was at one
point, God I feel like Doris Day or

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something terrible. You probably

dont know who these people are
Excuse us, Mr Maupin. You dont
work at the worlds longest-running
gay magazine without picking up
more than a bit of queer history.
She was this leading lady. And he
said youre not the first guy to say
that, and he does one of his warm
little chuckles.
Anyone who feels objectified
wants to run screaming from you.
And I must say, I met a lot of these
people simply because I was out of
the closet very early and proud of
it. The thing that everyone thought
would be the big disadvantage,
proved to be the advantage.
Its what we like to call playing the
gay card.
The gay card, as it were,
Armistead half concedes, and
people that I really like, David
Hockney, Ian McKellen, were
people who were dealing with their
sexuality in a public way very early
on. And that becomes a club. Its a
much bigger club now.
Were teasing him at this point,
saying its a much less exclusive
club now. Not as fun.
No, I wouldnt say that. Im not
one of those people who would say
oh it was so much lovelier when
we could scrounge around in the

89

WorldMags.net
bushes for dick. No it wasnt! It was
terrifying and oppressive and a
little bit shame making.
Weve gone off topic, as our
conversation often does. You
could sit down and fire names at
Armistead and be entertained for
days. From cruising, we steer back
to the starstruck element.
I met Susan Sarandon at Ians
house the other night, he says offhandedly. The Ian hes referring to
so casually is the aforementioned
McKellen one. That kind of got to
me. She was sitting on the sofa and
there was a spare place so I sat down
and we talked about a gay man that
she once had a lovely, romantic,
sexual affair with. Shes very open,
[an] interesting person. But I wasnt
starstruck in the sense that I was
thrilled to meet Susan Sarandon but
I didnt feel like I was any less than
her, so I was able to talk to her.
Sadly, we arent here to fire names
at him all day. Theres this book,
The Days of Anna Madrigal. That we
keep saying wrong, adding last
into the title. (*klang!* Yeah, my
friend Patrick Gale keeps doing
that). Though were keeping our
promise not to give too much away,
we can talk about Burning Man,
the radical counter-culture festival
held in the desert end of Nevada.
Armistead writes with a cynical
observing eye, which is handy as
we still cant read or write the
name of this festival without hearing
Jeff from American Dad elongate
the final vowel. Armisteads been
twice (with hubby) and although not
planning to throw himself into the
dusty planes this year, is already
recruiting for 2015.
Ian [McKellen] was staying at
Peter Jacksons house, that was big
enough for a whole fraternity of gay
men. So I stayed with him, and while
I was there we talked about Burning
Man. I can see Ian there quite easily
and he was pumping me about it
as he read the novel. So its quite
possible that well take him next
summer.
90

Excuse us, were off to book tickets

and dig out a backpack and water
bottle
Daydream over, we move on to
intergenerational relationships.
Theyve always been a part of
gay culture, as the daddy/son
dynamic has played out from Greek
mentors to the oily fantasies of Tom
of Finland. And theres certainly
a more accepting renaissance
in the publicity of high profile
relationships like Elton John and
David Furnish, or more recently
Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black.
The mere mention of the latter send
Armistead into a fit of laughter.
I love the fact that Lance Black
is supposed to be the older man
he looks like hes 12! Hes 39,
I really had to laugh when that
became a scandal
But thats the point we were
making. Its not really been a
scandal, apart from the obvious
knee-jerk reactions from the
predictable places.
A lot of people have been quite
ugly about it on the gay comment
boards, he says while we nod and
murmur in acknowledgement of
queeny behaviour.
Bitter, secret queens, sitting at
home, hating the fact that those two
are getting together.
To be fair though, if youre going to
be Tom Daleys boyfriend, it doesnt
matter who you are youre going
to get shit for it. In retrospect we
realised the only person Tom Daley
could date and get more shit for it
than his boyfriend would be Justin
Bieber. And thats a parallel universe
were not too keen to inhabit.
Were trying to talk about hot
intergenerational relationships
and Armistead throws us another
amazing story. Packed full of his
completely unconscious, totally
natural name dropping. Its not
so much he waves his gay card
around in your face, as simply
wears it on his sleeve.
I know Lance and like him very
much, Im really happy for him and

for Tom. Plus, he invited me to the

set of Milk when James Franco and
Sean Penn were doing their kiss on
the curb. Lance Black told David
Letterman that realising I was there
made him nervous. I dont know
what he thought I was going to do
run in and say Stop! Youre doing it
wrong! Thats not the way to kiss a
man! It made me twinge a little bit,
but I wasnt critical.
Between Milk and the complete
Tales of The City enterprises (the
hugely popular TV series, and a
musical penned by Jake Shears),
they cant have done much more
for the gay tourist board of San
Francisco.
I wish I had a nickel for every
person whos said I moved to San
Francisco because of you. I know
that with a certainty and it makes
me very happy.
When youre faced with the
friendly, snowy-lipped father
figure of Mr Maupin, its hard not
to start oversharing. We ask for
some relationship advice, or as
he puts it, how to put up with an
old geezer. Its our job not to be
insecure if were lucky enough
to have a younger partner. But I
have those thoughts around Chris,
although its easier now that hes 42
and Im 69. Weve been in it for ten
years so now we have something
of value, with any luck its going to
last. Its easier to get more panicked
as you get older about that. If youre
with someone who loves you, you
can feel it most of the time and you
should relish it. Because its not all
that common. People are paired off,
but love has less to do with it than
other conveniences.
Armistead is so in love with his
boyfriend that he married him.
Twice. Is marriage reassuring, then?
No, because divorce is as
possible as breaking up, he
chuckles. I dont feel like Ive
locked him down if thats what
you mean. And we have an open
relationship, so I think a long term
relationship has a better chance
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

LEFT OLYMPIA DUKAKIS

PLAYING MRS MADRIGAL
IN THE TV ADAPTATION OF
TALES OF THE CITY

[print]

of surviving under those rules,

because nobody feels really
cramped and secrecy, deceit
doesnt creep into the equation.
After giving us some tips on our
own relationship, we cant convince
Armistead to take up a career in
giving advice.
Im still sorting those things out
myself, dont you worry I have to
remind myself at least twice a day
not to fret. Im lucky that Im with
a guy thats very loving and direct
and I never have a moment where
I feel like Im asking far more from
him or him from me. If anything
its he lets out another hearty
laugh, its easier for the old to
let down the young by not being
energetic enough.
We take a moment to absorb that.
If you follow me
Were familiar with euphemisms
about fucking, and keep things on
the advice level. Does Armistead
have a therapist?
No. And then in a heartbeat he
deadpans, Mrs Madrigal.
I did years ago, I had one for
about six months, years ago, and I
went in one day and told him one
extra thing about my partner at
the time and he looked at me and
said hes leaving you. And I said
WHAT? Everything youve told
me for the last six months indicates
that hes leaving you. And he was
right. I didnt have to go back.
Were wrapping things up and
preparing to part ways, almost
ending the conversation on scabies
and crabs (not for advice). Instead
we opt for the observation that
everyone should be more open
about their failings.
I think its what the books have
always been about for me. I try to
record my neuroses as much as
possible and then you find that a
lot of people identify. You feel less
alone and they feel less alone and
they think youre terribly brave for
having mentioned it. Q
The Days of Anna Madrigal is out now,
armisteadmaupin.com, @armisteadmaupin

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91

WorldMags.net

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WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

[reviews]

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[stage]

La Meute Oh yes, we speak

French now. It means The Wolf
Pack but dont worry, its not
a dodgily translated play about
that pub in Emmerdale. La
Meute is a group of scantily clad
men who have mastered the art
of the Russian swing. Six bulky
blokes propelling themselves
through the air like sexy men
monkeys, pushing their bulging
bodies to the very limit. Need
we say more? Q
26 March 6 April, roundhouse.org.uk

Until 22 March
Is it hot men in
not many clothes
you want? We
can do that. Kings
of the Dance
is an acrobatic
extravaganza
performed by
the sort of hunky
types we dream
of. Live at the
London Coliseum,
LWVEHFRPHZRUOG
renowned, so you
SUREDEO\VKRXOGQW
miss it. Eno.org Q

Until 5 April
Adolescence: those
ZHWGUHDPOOHG
testosterone fuelled
QDOGD\VRILQ
nocence. Oh, to be
young again. Chew
LQJ*XPWKDWV
the play brings
all the memories
RRGLQJEDFNIRO
lowing one teen girl
through the trials
of boys, sex and,
well, more boys.
Nationaltheatre.
org.uk Q

Until 5 May
Brotherly love can
be a strong bond.
Even stronger if
WKH\UHWZLQVDQG
you know how we
like twins. In the
Vale of Health tells
the story of two
extraordinary broth
ers whose parents
die unexpectedly,
leaving them with
a life of insepa
rable paranoia.
Hampsteadtheatre.
com Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

26 March 21 June
From Downton
Abbey to Doctor
Who, great British
drama is so quiche
right now. Another
Country is the
quintessential
English tale of
two public school
ER\VZKRQG
themselves in the
midst of a summer
scandal. A scandal
that goes on to
rock Britain.
Atgtickets.com Q

10 April 31 May
Privacy. Many of us
surrender it these
days, between Twit
ter, Facebook and
that orange Argos
catalogue of boys.
7KDWVDOOEHIRUH
the government sift
through it all
for national secu
rity. Privacy tells
the tale of how our
private parts are no
longer private.
Donmarwarehouse.
com Q

93

WorldMags.net
Hes the hottest
producer in town
quite literally
and Jerry Mitchell
assures us that
Dirty Rotten
Scoundrels is just
the beginning
of his West End
domination. Kinky
Boots are heading
this way...
WORDS TOM WICKER IMAGES ROBERT GERSHINSON

Al
l
t
he
worla stdasge
94

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WorldMags.net

t eight-years-old,
Jerry Mitchell decided
he wanted to be a
GDQFHU+HKDVQW
stopped moving since. By 23, he
had six Broadway shows under
his belt; at 26 he was an assistant
choreographer in the West End.
Flash forward three decades to
DQGKHVFKRUHRJUDSKHG
or directed some of the most
successful musicals on either side
of the Atlantic from Hairspray and
Legally Blonde to Kinky Boots.
Now, Michigan-born Jerry, 54, is
back in London directing what he
hopes will be another hit. Based
on the Steve Martin classic and
starring the likes of Robert Lindsay,
Samantha Bond and Rufus Hound,
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a
comic musical about two con men
competing over who can swindle
a young American heiress out of
UVW,WRSHQVDWWKH6DYR\
Theatre in April.
Sam Bond is just blowing me
away, Jerry marvels when we meet
during rehearsals. I knew she could
DFW%XW,GLGQWNQRZVKHFRXOGVLQJ
DQGGDQFHDQGVKHVGRLQJERWK
She studied when she was young.
Freed from the acres of lace and
period dress of Lady Rosamund, her
character in Downton Abbey, she has
DNLOOHUERG\,PHDQMXVWFUD]\6KHV
in amazing shape.
-HUU\VIDFHOLJKWVXSZKHQKH
WDONVDERXWKLVFDVW,YHEHHQLQ
awe of Robert since I saw him in
Me and My Girl in the West End, he
VD\V7RGD\ZDVWKHUVWWLPHZH
had other people in. You could just
VHHWKHVSDUNVVWDUWWR\EHWZHHQ
him and Rufus because there was
laughter in the room.
From Lauren Bacall (she yelled
at me, I yelled right back, we
became fast friends), Tim Curry
and Patti LuPone, who he met
via Hairspray songwriters Marc
Shaiman and Scott Wittman, to the
sensational Sheridan Smith in
Legally Blonde, Jerry has worked
with a dizzying array of talent. Tall,
gaytimes.co.uk

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[stage]

charming and in better shape than

PRVWPHQKDOIKLVDJHKHVFOHDUO\
not overstating when he says my
life is musicals.
:LWKDGDQFHUVDLUDQG
discipline, Jerry has established a
globally successful career. And the
latest chapter in his story is what
has brought him back to London in
2014. While he loves Dirty Rotten
Scoundrels, having choreographed
LWVGHEXW%URDGZD\UXQLWV
actually part of a bigger picture.
+HVMXVWODXQFKHGKLVRZQWKHDWUH
production company here.
Jerry Mitchell Productions will
develop new shows in Ambassador
Theatre Group venues across the
ZRUOG,WVEDVHGLQ/RQGRQEHFDXVH
the cost is much less than New
York, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is
just the opening act.
Pulling together artists I have
JUHDWDGPLUDWLRQIRULVVRPHWKLQJ,P
really looking forward to doing, he
says, clearly relishing his shiny new
SURGXFHUVKDW:K\VKRXOG\RXOLPLW
yourself when musical theatre is a
world entertainment?
,I-HUU\VFDUHHUKDVEHHQGULYHQE\
a desire to continually try new things
from dancing and choreographing to
GLUHFWLQJDQGSURGXFLQJKHVUHDOO\
H[FLWHGDERXWRQHSURMHFWKHVKRSLQJ
to get off the ground: an original
PXVLFDOEDVHGRQ7HUU\5RQDOGV
beautiful coming-of-age novel,
%HFRPLQJ1DQF\2QFHKHQGV
VRPHRQHWRDGDSWLWLWOOEHWKHUVW
WLPH,OOKDYHSURSHOOHGDERRNLQWRD
musical, he enthuses.
Becoming Nancy is about Dulwich
teenager David Starr, who is cast as
Nancy in a school production of Oliver
and falls for the handsome captain of
the football team playing Bill Sykes.
Mitchell picked up the novel while
ZDLWLQJIRUDLJKWDIWHUUHDGLQJD
UHYLHZRILWLQ*7VYHU\RZQSDJHV
$QG,FRXOGQWSXWLWGRZQKHVD\V,
GLGQWQLVKLWRQWKHSODQHEHFDXVH,
GLGQWZDQWLWWRHQG
Why did he love it so much?
%HFDXVHLWVDERXWWKHSDUHQWVDQG
people around the two boys just as

95

WorldMags.net
PXFKDVLWVDERXW'DYLGDQGZKDW
KHVGLVFRYHULQJDERXWKLPVHOI
$QGLWVVHWLQZKHQ,ZDVMXVW
QLVKLQJKLJKVFKRRO(YHU\WKLQJ
about it spoke to Jerry, who is also
JD\,WVP\VWRU\EDVLFDOO\7KHRQO\
GLIIHUHQFHLVWKDWLWV'XOZLFKDQGQRW
Paw Paw.
Paw Paw is the tiny farming town
in south-west Michigan where Jerry
grew up. When I was a kid there
was one stop light, now there are
WKUHHKHMRNHV,WVHDV\WRSLFWXUH
him there as a child, kicking his
heels and dreaming of Broadway.
$QGLIWKHUHVDFRPPRQWKUHDGWR
KLVPXVLFDOVLWVSHRSOHLQVPDOO
communities dreaming big and
challenging the status quo.
Jerry happily acknowledges this.
[Director and choreographer]
-HUU\5REELQVRQFHVDLGWRPH,WV
KHOSIXOLIWKHUHVDIHQFHDURXQGLW
What does that mean? A problem
comes into a small community and
they have to decide how to move
IRUZDUGKHH[SODLQV7KDWVDJUHDW
VWRU\,WVRQHRIWKHJUHDWHVWSORWV
you can have, he enthuses.
$QGLWVPXFKHDVLHUWRWHOOWKDWVWRU\
in, say, Northampton [where Kinky
Boots is set] than it is to try to tell it
with the entire world. The attitudes in
small communities are often alike, and
often the problem is that somebody
has to change their attitude. So, by
offering that on a small scale, you
KRSHLWOOUHJLVWHURQDELJVFDOH
Jerry came out to his parents and
his brothers in his late twenties,
ZKHQWKHHQGRIKLVUVWORQJWHUP
relationship left him so devastated he
FRXOGQWSUHWHQGWREHKDSS\DURXQG
them. Thankfully, it was a nonevent, he says. For my friends and
family it always has been.
Jerry knows how lucky he is.
When it comes to the general
attitudes towards difference, he
is dismayed by the abuse Tom
Daley got when he came out and
points to the backlash that greeted
.LQN\%RRWVDSSHDUDQFHLQ0DF\V
Thanksgiving Day Parade in New
York a few years ago as a sign of
96

how far society still has to go.

You know why that happened?
he asks exasperatedly. Because
Billy Porter [as Lola] looks like a real
ZRPDQDQGWKDWVWKUHDWHQLQJWR
SHRSOH&ORZQGUDJLVQH6HULRXV
GUDJ"7KDWVWKUHDWHQLQJ
-HUU\LVQWRYHUWO\SROLWLFDOEXW,P
YHU\DGDPDQWDERXWZKDWVULJKW,Q
1992, he founded Broadway Bares,
an annual burlesque fundraiser
show for AIDS charity Broadway
Cares. And from the fabulous
cross-dressing Lola to the civil rights
backdrop of Hairspray, his work is
invariably about celebrating social
inclusiveness and individuality in
song and dance.
Musicals are the spoonful of sugar
that helps the medicine go down,
he says, smiling. He points out that
shows like Hairspray and Kinky
Boots are full of joy, but they also
have great, great lessons in them.
His goal is for audiences to go out
KDSS\EXWZLWKWKRXJKW7KDWV
UHDOO\LPSRUWDQW7KDWVWKHNLQGRI
show I always hope to do.
,WVDOVRDIDFWRULQZKR-HUU\
collaborates with, such as well-known
LGBT ally Cyndi Lauper, who wrote
the music and lyrics for Kinky Boots.
He and book-writer Harvey Fierstein
were keen to get her. I thought
VKHGEHDIUHVKYRLFHDQGEHFDXVH
VKHGEHHQDELWRIDQRXWVLGHULQKHU
own life, I thought it would be great
IRU/ROD7KLV-DQXDU\WKHVKRZV
soundtrack won a Grammy.
&XUUHQWO\LI\RXUH%ULWLVKDQG
you want to see the multi-award
ZLQQLQJ.LQN\%RRWV\RXGEHWWHUEH
DEOHWRVWXPSXSIRUDLJKWWR1HZ
<RUN,WVRQO\SOD\LQJ%URDGZD\DW
the moment. Are we likely to see
it hit the West End any time soon?
,WVFRPLQJRYHUKHUH-HUU\VD\V
DGDPDQWO\,GRQWNQRZH[DFWO\
ZKHQDQGZHUHZDLWLQJIRUWKHDWUHV
7KHQKHODXJKV%XW,PQRW
supposed to talk about it anymore. I
got a bit beaten up last time. Q
'LUW\5RWWHQ6FRXQGUHOVLVDW/RQGRQV6DYR\
Theatre from 10 March, scoundrelswestend.
com, @jammyprod.

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WorldMags.net

gaytimes.co.uk

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[stage]

97

cinema/disc

[reviews]

WorldMags.net

Captain America: The Winter

Soldier We had a soft-spot for
the skinny pre-transformation Captain America,
so we hope he makes an appearance in this
sequel, even if its in a ashback. If not, well just
have to settle for Chris Evans exing his guns
for two hours Q Noah Our hipster sources tell
us that beards are ofcially in, and facial hair
doesnt get more epic than when its sprouting
from Russell Crowe. We cant wait to see how
Jennifer Connelly, Logan Lerman and Emma
Watson help him repopulate the human race after
the deluge. Q Divergent In the near future, people
will be segregated based on personality traits,
depending on whether theyre seless, brave,
knowledgeable, honest, or peaceful. Those who
possess none of those qualities will be forced
to write for magazines. Q The Raid 2: Berandal
This sequel promises yet more choreographed
brutality, but if we wanted to see dozens of
furious people ght to the death in an enclosed
space, wed wait for the Harrods sale. Q

[also out]

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FILTH ARE MY POLITICS!

Not one but two
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98

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The Essential Jacques Tati

Collection Disc,IWKHLGHDRID)UHQFK
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gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
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WORDS0,/2:$.(/,1/(('$//2:$<'$9,'&800,16

A Long Way Down Cinema

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99

teen dream

[reviews]

WORDS ALEXANDER SMITH

WorldMags.net

Its been 15 years since Darren Stein wrote and

directed the teen murder-comedy Jawbreaker.
This year he returns with GBF, a lm that
deftly tackles, and dismantles, the fabulous
gay best friend stereotype. Tanner, a comic
book-reading queer, happily sailing under the
radar, gets accidentally outed by his closeted
best friend, Brent. The schools rival queen
bees immediately start a turf war over him. All
knowing that a GBF is the hottest celebrity trend,
and their key to prom queen winning popularity.
Subversive, bitchy and as smart as it is funny,
GBF reinvents the teen movie for a post-Glee
audience. GT talks to Darren Stein about GBF
and about Jawbreaker the lm that dened
teen bitchery on screen for the generation that
fell between Heathers and Mean Girls

GBF
Why has it taken you so long to
direct another film? Its not for lack
of trying! I wrote a movie that Ive
been trying to get made for years.
Ive written scripts and pilots for FOX
and ABC. I produced a feature length
documentary and a horror-comedy
movie called All About Evil. But I just
havent had the stars align for me to
direct another movie, so I felt very
fortunate when the screenplay for
GBF came across my desk.
What attracted you to GBF? It
read like something that I couldve
written. It was the first movie that was
designed to be a big teen comedy
that appealed to everybody, not just
gays, but that happened to feature a
gay protagonist.
Every character has their own
secret their own closet. Exactly,
and thats really whats so subversive
about it the fact that its really not a

100

gay movie.
Where does your love of teen films
come from? I think that might have
to do with my own adolescence,
feeling like it wasnt a satisfying
experience, as far as not being
accepted by my peers, and turning to
cinema as a place to grow up.
How did you get Megan Mullally
(Will & Grace) and Natasha Lyonne
(But Im A Cheerleader, Orange
Is The New Black) involved? Id
worked with Natasha in All About Evil.
Shes a buddy of mine now. Megan
had appeared with Paul Iacono [Brent
in GBF] in the Fame remake. Shes
such a lovely person and she brought
a warmth that you havent seen with
Karen. She was the one actress that
when she turned up I was like Oh
boy! And it was a bit overwhelming,
but she was super-sweet and really
easy to work with.

Darren Stein

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net
[screen]
Did you experience any
hesitancy from any actors due
to its gay content? Well its funny,
but a lot of the young men in town
wouldnt come and audition just
based on the material! If its a
serious movie like Brokeback
Mountain or Dallas Buyers Club
then for some reason its more
important or relevant. The thing
about a movie like GBF is that
its subversive, its comedic, its
light. So its like its not important
somehow, its not worth the risk.
Paul and Michael [J Willett] who
play the gay kids in the film, are
both gay in real life. I never set out
to be, Oh this has to be, they need
to be gay. But I think its really
lovely that it has turned out that
way. Because growing up, Molly
Ringwald was straight, Lindsay
Lohan was straight, Matthew
Broderick was straight, all those
John Hughes characters were. In
this film its nice for the gay kids
to know about Paul and Michael.
They can fantasise about them and
project on to them and it makes
them more real.
How was it reuniting with
Rebecca Gayheart? Oh amazing!
I had to have one of the Jawbreaker
girls in there obviously! I called
her and she just filmed for a day or
two. Shes so funny and such a great
presence on screen.
Were you tempted to cast anyone
else from Jawbreaker? I was. To be
completely honest I did talk to all of
the girls about it! I knew that I was
only going to get one and I had to
cast the net wide.
Jawbreaker is a cult classic.
Its a film that people either
love passionately or dont know
about. How do you feel about
it now? Thank you. It feels a lot
better now that Ive made another
movie! Thankfully Jawbreaker has
had a lot of mileage. The cool thing
about a teen movie is that it gets
passed down from generation to
generation, so I feel every year
people are discovering it. For
gaytimes.co.uk

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example, the band MS MR used a

clip from the film in one of their
their videos [Hurricane]. That was
a big moment to see it included in
that montage of sub-cultural pop
culture from the last two or three
decades. And now its being turned
into a musical. Getting a movie
made into a musical is almost the
ultimate validation.
How did that come about? I got
a call, probably seven or eight
years ago, from a producer, and he
connected me with this composer
and lyricist in New York. They told
me I had to write the book, the
libretto. So we all embarked on this
collaboration and we had a great
reading a few months ago. Musicals
take forever!
Whats coming next? Ive been
hired to write a TV movie for a
network in the States. Its very
exciting. It hasnt been announced
in the press yet, so I cant really talk
about it. Its a gothic family type
thing with a bit of camp to it. Then
I have the musical and then Chlo
Sevigny is attached to my project,
The Female Lead, about a movie
star and her transsexual son. Its a
labour of love movie that Ive been
trying to get made for more than a
decade. Im excited that someone
like Chlo wants to be in it.Q
GBF is in cinemas/on demand 21 March
and on DVD/Blu-ray 7 April from Peccadillo
Pictures

101

DATE

FREE TO JOIN
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LOGIN WITH FACEBOOK

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WORDS TIM MITCHELL

[reviews]

WorldMags.net
[geek]
&DUG:DUVThe
most epic card
game in the Land of
2RRRU\NQRZ
anywhere for that
matter). Now fans
can play the actual
Card Wars game
Finn and Jake do!
Pitch the powerful
Husker Knights,
or intimidating
Legion of Earlings
against the wise
$QFLHQW6FKRODU,WV
PDWKHPDWLFDO,WV
not really). Q

ITS A BIRD.
ITS A PLANE.
NO WAIT, ITS
THE OTHER GUY

simpler time of crime fighting,

----------

pop art colours; the rogues gallery

Bam! Zap! Pow!,

of guest star villains from Cesar

and deleted scenes! Batman is

Romero to Julie Newmar. And a

celebrating his 75th year as a pop

caped crusader youll find ready for

culture icon, so the timing of this

any eventuality shark repellent

news couldnt be better. The entire

from the utility belt anyone? This

series of popular 60sera Batman

cocktail of daft, high camp and

(starring Adam West and Burt Ward)

over-the-top plots contributed

is FINALLY being released as a

heavily to sustaining the popularity

complete box set on Blu-ray and

of the Dynamic Duo at a time when

DVD in 2014. American comedian

comic book sales took a serious

and TV presenter Conan OBrien

bash because Fredric Wertham

tweeted; Very excited

was calling Batman too gay. So,

@wbhomeent is releasing the

why is this awesomeness only

Batman 66 Complete TV Series in

just coming to a home

2014! and we couldnt be more

entertainment marathon near you?

excited because, guys, this is

A spaghetti junction of licensing

borderline superhero panto. Its a

red tape and a decades long legal

huge step removed from the dark

battle between DC Comics and

and stormy knight were used to

20th Century Fox over who owns

seeing on the big screen nowadays

the merchandising rights vetoed

(and his unending parade of boy

any release on DVD, VHS or even

wonders). Were talking about a

Betamax (shut up!) until now! Q

where Batman worked during the

day as a consultant to the police
(like Sherlock). A time before
the batsuit ever had nipples. The
absurd and delightful acid trip

Wiggle your big

toe A decade on
DQGZHVWLOOFDQW
get that bloody
whistling out of our
heads! Celebrate
the absolute last
word in martial arts
revenge movies
with this genius
Minimates boxset
based on the epic
House of Blue
/HDYHVJKWVFHQH
from Kill Bill. Get
your own pocketVL]HGJLUOJKWHUVQ

/HWVJHW
periodical! Get
your head down on
this, son. Go on!
Add some Breaking
Bad swag to your
bedroom and
\RXOOEHJULQQLQJ
like the chemistry
king himself. Full
disclosure: pillow
GRHVQWFRQWDLQ
crystal meth.
Though it IS perfect
for binge-watching
Breaking Bad
UHUXQVRQ1HWL[Q

Lets hear it for the boys (of horror)

A mother-load of classic movie
maniacs (including Michael Myers,
Freddy, Jason, Pinhead, and
Screams Ghostface) are getting
the Kenner-style treatment and
being turned into retro action
gures! This limited range of
murderous psychopaths is a whoswho of horror gods. Okay, so, the
articulation is a bit limited, but they
all come with something extra:
hockey mask, puzzle box, bloody
knife etc. Now, you just need to drop
one into your nieces Barbie Dream
House then wait for the screams to
start. MAXIMUM TRAUMA. Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

103

idle hands

[reviews]

WorldMags.net
[apps]

ES
M
A
G
Titanfall
Game of the Month
$UJXDEO\WKHUVWJDPHWRUHDOO\PDNHWKRVHZKR
opted for a PS4 to quietly regret their decision,
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FRPHVWREHLQJ;ER[2QHVUVWUHDOO\ELJKLWWHU
6XUH8QFKDUWHGZLOOUHGUHVVWKDWEDODQFHDQG
make Microsoft acolytes suck their teeth, but for
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DVLGH7LWDQIDOOLVDWKLUGSHUVRQDFWLRQHUZLWKD
difference the ability to climb inside enormous
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LWVRZQZKHQWKHURERVXLWVFRPHRXWWRSOD\2K
and it looks just stunning, combining practically
SKRWRUHDOLVWLFHQYLURQPHQWVZLWKVXSHUEOLJKWLQJ
and environmental effects. Fears abound that the
JDPHVRQOLQHPLJKWQRWEHXSWRVFUDWFKWLPHZLOO
tell but the solo player game acts as a brilliant
VKRZFDVHIRUWKHZHOO\WKH;ER[2QHLVSDFNLQQ
2XWQRZRQ;ER[2QH

Right Limited
edition Titanfall
Xbox One controller

104

Wuaki.tv Player
2IIHULQJVXEVEDVHG
RUSD\SHUYLHZ
options, Wuaki is the
latest on the content
SURYLGHUIURQWLWV
optimised for iOS7
and features more
WKDQOPVDQG
TV series Q

TVPlayer Another
service recently
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tablets, TVPlayer
offers Android, iOS
and Kindle users
free live streaming of
most popular UK TV
channels (but pay
your license!) Q

Dark Souls 2
Bastard hard might not be the
most technical of appraisals
but the first Dark Souls game
gained acclaim and caused
ulcers in equal measure. Expect
more of the same from Dark
Souls 2, as another quest unfolds
before you featuring a new
array of hideous creatures
happy to rip you to pieces if you
so much as blink. Q
Available on PS3 and Xbox 360

Metal Gear Solid:

Ground Zeroes
Billed as a prologue to a more
complete Metal Gear Solid 5,
Ground Zeroes is a scene-setter
and welcome return from series
godfather Hideo Kojima. Much
has been made about being able
to complete the game in two
hours but Kojima himself has
pointed out that it isnt supposed
to be a linear experience, and the
depth comes in going off-piste. Q
Available on PS4, Xbox One, PS3,
Xbox 360, 20 March

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net[tech]
WORDS MIKE HIRD

01

Wires are just so

pass, dont you
think? While we
might not have got
our heads around
wireless charging of
electronic products
(I mean how?) the
wired speaker is
denitely going the
way of the dodo and
with this selection of
aural beauties (also
suitably easy on the
eye) its not hard to
see why

Blow The
Budget
Simple Audio
Listen6OHHN
VLPSOHSXQ
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LQFUHGLEO\VW\OLVK
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/LVWHQVSHDNHUVDLP
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GHVLJQIRUWKH
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VXFFHHGLQVSDGHV
DQGWKHTXDVL
LQGXVWULDOPRWLILV
RQO\HQKDQFHGE\D
YHU\VQD]]\WRXFK
FRQWUROV\VWHPWKDW
DGGVWRWKHRYHUDOO
LPSUHVVLRQRIVKHHU
TXDOLW\)URP
VLPSOHDXGLRFRPQ
----------

OUT &
LOUD

02
GT Pick

Tivoli Audio Model

Three 7LYROL$XGLR
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WKHLUULYDOVDQG
WKH0RGHO7KUHH
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UDGLRWUDQVFHQGV
LWVIXQFWLRQDQG
WKHDGGHGLQFOXVLRQ
RI%OXHWRRWKRQO\
VHUYHVWRWDNHLWXS
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DOORZLQJPXVLF
WREHVWUHDPHG
DORQJVLGH'$%
UDGLRVWDWLRQV)URP
WLYROLDXGLR
FRXNQ
----------

03
Easier On
The Wallet

i-box Trax With a

QLVKWKDWVFUHDPV
TXDOLW\PRUHWKDQ
DQRGWRH[TXLVLWH
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7UD[SDFNVLQDORW
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SULFHWDJ$QGZLWK
DURXQGKRXUV
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WLPHWRVKRZRII
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----------

JD\WLPHVFRXN

WorldMags.net

105

WorldMags.net

E
TH D
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RE
O OR
PL W
EX AY

WorldMags.net

IMAGE JOE MCCORMICK GROOMING EVAN HUANG USING MAC, SHU UEMERA AND MAKEUP STORE WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

[04/14]

WorldMags.net

[life]

Adam Dacre
London, 28,
porn actor,
escort and
go-go dancer
At one point today I
ZDVNLQGRIXIQJ
myself to make
it slightly bigger
and better on the
camera. And then
I realised, oh, no,
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EHOLNHWKDW,PDQ
exhibitionist. I think
LWVWKH/HRVLGH\RX
know look at me,
admire me. It just
JLYHVDGUHQDOLQH
$QG,OLNHP\SULYDF\
as well. So, when I
step off the stage,
I just like to be on
my own.
,PDELWQHXURWLF
I just like things to
be a certain way.
/LNHWKHZD\WKLQJV
are laid out in the
DW,QHHGWKLQJV
to be perfect and
exact. Sometimes
LWVGLIFXOWWROLYH
with me. I think,
yes, I am a control
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well. I keep seeing
myself still as skinny
DQG,OOZHLJKP\VHOI
HYHU\GD\7KDWVP\
$FKLOOHVKHHO,P
YHU\PXFKLQWRERG\
hair and facial hair,
DQG,GORYHWREHWKDW
myself. My partner is
KDLU\DQG,MXVWORYH
LW,VHHLWDVDYHU\
PDVFXOLQHTXDOLW\
I like to masturbate
in the mirror. Not
just with myself
WKRXJKKDYLQJVH[
with others. I like
intimacy. I like one
RQRQH,PIXOORI
extremes, so either
one, or ten. Q

readers lives

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

107

readers dilemmas

[life]

WorldMags.net

I want to get married and my

boyfriend doesnt. Weve been
together for ve years, living
together for two, and I want
us to show our commitment
to our family and friends
by getting wed in front of
everyone. My boyfriend
has said he doesnt want
a big stupid wedding, and
doesnt agree with marriage.
Hes not interested in civil
partnerships, either. I dont
understand why he doesnt
want to commit. I want to
show everyone that gay men
are just as good as everyone
else, but my boyfriend is
ruining this for me. Will, via email

The Guyliner replies The

introduction of gay marriage in the
UK is fantastic, and we should be
delighted for those couples who
have been waiting to get married.
But just because we can now get
PDUULHGGRHVQWPHDQZHKDYHWR
Marriage is a nice idea for those
who want it, and can be a sign of
commitment in a relationship, but
deciding not to trot down the aisle
GRHVQWPHDQ\RXUHQRWFRPPLWWHG
If anything, less formalised
UHODWLRQVKLSVDUHPRUHGLIFXOWWR
get out of divorce certainly has an
DLURIQDOLW\WKDWWKHDFWRIPHUHO\
VSOLWWLQJXSGRHVQW
You say you want to marry to show
everyone that gay men are just

@theguyliner

need advice?

108

as good as everybody else and

show our commitment to family
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anything about doing this for you
and your partner. You seem to be
more concerned with staging the
event and doing a PR job on your
UHODWLRQVKLSWKDQ\NQRZMXVWJHWWLQJ
on with being in a loving relationship.
0DQ\VKULQNIURPPDUULDJHIRU
SOHQW\RIUHDVRQVLWGRHVQW
PDNHWKHPDFRPPLWPHQWSKREH
He may have been the product
of an unhappy union himself or
wish to preserve some level of
independence and be his own
person, all the while enjoying
being with you. If you do press for
PDUULDJH\RXUHJRLQJWRKDYHWR
SURYHWRKLPWKDWD\RXUHGRLQJ
it for the right reasons in others
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a positive, logical step for you to
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QRWORRNDWRWKHUZD\V\RXFDQ
commit to each other, whether
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or collaborating in some way on
a project, buying a house (if you
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some personal journey together,
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VRPHSHUVRQDOWQHVVJRDOVOLNH
running a marathon.
Getting married may be a way of
VKRZLQJ\RXUFRPPLWPHQWEXWLW
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,WKLQN\RXUVXVSLFLRQVKHVZDLWLQJ
for something better are unfounded,
but if he really is, no day spent in
PDWFKLQJWX[HGRVSLFNLQJFRQIHWWL
RXWRI\RXUKDLULVJRLQJWRPDNH
a blind bit of difference. Eyes still
ZDQGHUZKHWKHUDULQJVRQWKH
QJHURUQRW7KHKHDUWZDQWVZKDW
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you even if it means you have the
big day all by yourselves. Q

Need some good old-fashioned advice on matters of love, life or relationships?

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

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

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

The Graduate Hes

young, rosy-cheeked,
fresh out of university and ever
so keen. Hes got a place on a
graduate scheme in a huge
malevolent global corporation
and its his first foray into the
real world. All that youthful
vigour, that hope, that ambition
its nowhere to be seen. Hes
knackered from all the
photocopying he has to do, not to
mention the flirting in the post
room, and has the sleep cycle of
an adolescent. He has but one
suit, which he never gets
dry-cleaned, leaving a purple
mist behind him pungent enough
to make Pepe Le Pew back away
in horror. His ties he will own
only two will have egg stains
and the suit trousers will be too
short, exposing those sports
socks he wears with what he calls
his smart shoes. He wont earn
very much, but to him having
never had the pleasure of a
paycheck before it will be
riches beyond his wildest
dreams. Unable to cope with his
newfound wealth, he will fritter
all his cash away on being
fabulous with his friends,
spending all weekend
Instagramming porn star
martinis and buying overbranded T-shirts.
Weeknights hell be
socialising with his team to
try to make an impression so he
can get that all-important
promotion of going out for the
lunchtime bagels. Your date
night is Tuesday hell sleep
through it.

WORDS THE GUYLINER IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO

[01]

ALL
THE MEN
YOU
SHOULD
NEVER
DATE

The solution Dating this fresh

new talent already? You may as
well make an investment of your
own: in him. He might be a captain
of industry someday. (Sort the
socks out first).
----------

[02]

The Sulker Imagine

going out for dinner

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

with a brick, or a beanbag. You

try, at regular intervals, to
make conversation with the
beanbag but, because its a huge
swathe of fabric stitched around
a trillion polystyrene balls, it
doesnt say anything. Its just
there, lumpen and miserable,
being no fun whatsoever. Go to
dinner with a sulker and arrive,
say, five minutes late and the
evening will pan out pretty
much the same.
The problem with sulkers is
even they dont know why they
sulk. They just do. Its a way
of life. Whether that glowering
pout got them extra sweeties
from mummy as a child or
theyre simply frightened of
laughter lines, its impossible
to say, but it takes the smallest
of slights to plunge your sulker
boyfriend into endless silence.
Hell usually opt to unleash
his petted lip and go mute
just as you arrive at a social
gathering or special event.
Hell tie you up in knots without
uttering a word, leaving you
to explain away his behaviour
to your incredulous friends
as tiredness or hes having a
hard time. Or, youll jabber
away making pleasantries at
him all by yourself, trying
desperately to talk his mood
away from the precipice.
The solution If your boyfriend
is a sulker, you can either spend
your entire life apologising to
him for well, youve no idea,
but it must be serious because
he hasnt spoken to you for days.
Or, and more appealingly, you
can use these hours free from
his chatter to indulge yourself
doing what you really want to
do. Boogie from room to room
in your headphones, head to the
gym, wink at that hot next door
neighbour. Just whatever you do,
dont ask whats wrong. Because
youre looking right at it. Q

109

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IMAGE LIMEHOUSE PICTURES

column

[life]

WorldMags.net
[pj brennan]
THIS IS A RANSOM NOTE:
LOVE YOURSELF IN UNMARKED
NOTES OR THE KID GETS IT!

Im sat in JFK Airport

in Queens, New York
and Im about to fly
to Los Angeles. This is no different
to a few thousand other people
who are all making their way to
Hollywood to hopefully break
into the American entertainment
industry, so Im not saying Im
special. Lets just get that out of
the way. I am saying that this is a
moment. Im having a moment, so
bear with me.
The desire to be a success is a
vague but incredibly powerful
impetus in this world, isnt it?
Its what sent me back to London
a few weeks ago, incredibly
prematurely. Its what left me
standing in a city I was not
prepared to be revisiting, feeling
completely and utterly lost. In that
week I kept telling myself that
the sinking feeling in my stomach
was something I had to overcome,
that I had to suck it up and get on
with it if I was ever going to make
something of myself. That lasted
maybe four days, and then after
one of many teary phone calls
back home, I decided that I was
trudging into my past too soon

and not trusting my gut. I flew

home, hugged my mom as hard as
I could, and took my dog, Emma,
out for a walk. There was snow in
Brooklyn theres basically been
snow in Brooklyn all winter and I
could breathe again!
After a couple of days, I began
to sort through things. Being
home, while it felt good, was not
the right answer, and I came to a
sort of realisation. My return to
the UK was fuelled by this idea
that the bit of success I had as an
actor happened in England. I was
a niche in the market, as I had
been told time and time again.
My genuine American accent
and dual passports made
me a commodity worth selling
in London. (Ironically, many
people Ive met on the streets
tell me I have a shit American
accent.) So, after six years of
drilling this idea into my own
head, I had effectively created
this layer of insecurity about my
craft: I was not employable but
for the external traits that made
me different. I started to doubt
whether I could act at all. (Please,
hold your opinions until the end!)

Ive
struggled
with loving
myself for
as long
as I can
remember,
but I chose
a career
where
confidence
goes a
long way

@peejaybrennan

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

Now, add the extra layer of

being wait for it, gay! See, the
general understanding within
the industry is that the UK is
more tolerant and accepting of
openly gay people in very public
positions. A tutor mentioned this
truth while I was in drama school
and I took it as gospel. From then
on, I thought, I was lucky to be in
the UK, where I stood a chance to
be a successful actor, who would
maybe play more than just the
gay best friend, or the sassy gay
coworker. America seemed a
place where Id perpetually be the
Stanford to someones Carrie, or
the Jack to their Karen.
In my final few weeks at
Hollyoaks, a cast mate and good
friend got representation in
the States. I went dizzy when
I heard the news. Not out of
jealousy, but because I felt like
a failure. Somehow, his success
meant I had not done something
right myself. I smiled and
congratulated him because it
was what he deserved, with his
affable and generous spirit, but
inside I felt like crying. I realised
my skin was tissue paper, a trait
that will destroy even the most
talented actor if shes not careful.
People keep asking me, What
sort of thing do you want to do
next? Anything else youve been
in? And while I stammer and
search for a reason as to why I
dont have another credit yet, I just
want to say, I want to keep acting.
(And the Beyonc fan in me wants
to add, and be happy la Pretty
Hurts). Im glad I made acting
my profession because when its
good, its great. There were days
where I would be overwhelmed
with how happy I was to be acting
six days a week, and getting paid
for it. But I made that professional
satisfaction mean too much in my
life. I began to forget that I am a
complete vessel, that I am a sum
of parts. I forgot that hugging
my parents was very different to

111

column

WorldMags.net
[pj brennan]
talking to them over the phone.
I forgot that my brothers getting
married and having kids would
make me feel so far away from the
people whom I loved, and more
importantly, who loved me back.
So I am heading to LA. I say its
for pilot season, but its really
to get my heart back to where it
should be. There is a fire burning
in me still, persistently telling
me to keep hustling, but its out of
control; some teenagers left their
spliff to burn out in a forest and
now its consuming everything for
miles. This trip isnt necessarily
about getting a pilot (though that
would be great), but about tearing

were enough as ourselves, right?

But there is a happiness I have not
considered. I think many young
gay people are realising they
are capable of having the sort of
happy lives that our predecessors
could only dream of. Personally,
I feel an immense amount of guilt
when I consider the possibility of
being able to marry the man I love
in front of my family, and maybe
even in the Catholic Church, which
was such a massive part of my
childhood (for good or worse). How
lucky are we?
So whats stopping me? Why have
I been on two (thats right, TWO)
dates in my 28 years on this planet?

We are fragile beings

and most of us are still
just piecing ourselves
back together. It
becomes worrying
when your life seems to
mainly consist of crazy
glue and patience
down all the bits of internal detritus
that Ive used to barricade myself
in, self-doubt my only companion.
I see the expressions on the
faces of my friends and family
when I talk about my future with
them, and they make me want to
weep. I hear their love when they
tell me they believe in me. I try
to imbue this onto myself; I try to
transform this into self-love. Being
gay has made this difficult for a lot
of us, hasnt it? Ive struggled with
loving myself for as long as I can
remember, but I chose a career
where confidence goes a long
way. Of course a lot of actors are
gay! We never quite felt like we
112

Why have I been frenetically

tearing through this world looking
for someone or something to make
me feel valuable? Why does the
present feel so tortuous and the
future feel so terrifyingly unstable?
I dont know, but I am aware that
something needs to change. I must
change myself.
So Ive chosen a new journey
and Im heading west, in true
American fashion. In the end, I will
most likely end up back in London
by the end of the year, but I will
have improved. Not only will the
LA sun make my skin look radiant
(hopefully), Im confident it will
release whatever part of me that is

[life]

holding the rest of me hostage. By

pursuing the thing Ive dreamed
of doing since I can remember,
but on my terms, and without any
specific outcome in mind, I am
setting myself up for a far healthier
and more productive adult life. I
have a clean slate. I am pursuing
the American Dream: no matter
where youve been or what youve
done, America holds the key to a
future you didnt yet know existed.
Im getting schmaltzy, I know, but I
think theres credence to it.
Some people would call this a
quarter life crisis, but I look at
this as a reckoning, and one that
was on its way for quite some
time. Maybe its the final nail
in the coffin of my coming out.
Recently, during a conversation
with my mom, she suggested that
I have a more celebratory event to
mark my coming out as a gay man.
For a moment I was floored by how
full of empathy that statement was,
but I realised she was right. We
are fragile beings and most of us
are still just piecing ourselves
back together. It becomes
worrying, however, when your life
seems to mainly consist of crazy
glue and patience.
RuPauls Drag Race has made
a mantra out of loving yourself,
and while repetition begets kitsch,
I love her for signing off in this
fashion. Ive watched men on that
show who have struggled through
adversity I cannot comprehend
how they come out the other end
with a smile on their face and their
heads held high, exclaiming, I
LOVE MYSELF, HUNTY!
A lot of the contestants from
RuPauls Drag Race live in
LA, so Im heading to West
Hollywood once I land. I think
thats a good place to start; with
people who probably feel just
as lost but determined to find
themselves as I am. And maybe
they have some leads
on some auditions.
Who knows? Q
gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

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WorldMags.net

REAL
LIFE

114

gaytimes.co.uk

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WorldMags.net

[life]

WORDS JOHN MARRS IMAGES ROBERT GERSHINSON

LEADER
OF THE
PACK
Thrown into care homes as a boy after
sexual abuse tore his family apart,
Richie Womersley was bullied and
forced into prostitution aged just ten.
But his horrific childhood gave him the
determination to make a success out of
his life. Now aged 30, his dog walking
business has just won him a major award
BY ANYONES STANDARDS,
Richie Womersleys childhood
was the thing of nightmares. A
paedophile stepfather, a mother who
kept him prisoner, bullied in care
homes for being gay and then forced
into prostitution. Its hard to believe
hes now a successful businessman
whos turned his life around.
Richie, 30, owns and runs The Dog
Walker, a business targeting busy
pet owners and which now has more
than 1,000 dogs on its books. And
its his love of his canine friends that
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

helped transform his life from his

torturous beginnings.
I was four when my dad left
me, my mum, and my brother and
sister, he recalls. I think because
the break-up was so difficult for
her that she resented my brother
and I. She would lock us up in our
bedroom for hours at a time with no
access to water or a toilet. We had
no curtains, light bulbs, carpets or
toys we couldnt open the door or
window or do anything. Meanwhile
my sister was treated like a princess.

115

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116

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WorldMags.net
It was difficult to say the least.
But things took a turn for the
worse when her new boyfriend was
revealed to be a paedophile who
was sexually abusing a member of
Richies family. When he was eight,
all three children were eventually
taken into care.
When I went into care I was
absolutely relieved because I was
out of that bedroom and I was able
to be myself, Richie continues. Id
always known I was gay even then
and I never tried to hide it. But the
other kids would beat me severely
and ridicule me for it.
Eventually, Richie was moved to
a different home, but his problems
spiralled to a new low.
When I was ten, there was a boy
in the home who took advantage
of my situation and used me to
do prostitution for him, Richie
explains. I was forced into doing
things for money with much older
men, way into their 40s and 50s,
which was quite traumatic. I was
always unsettled. I was bullied
by kids in the care home; by kids
outside the home because I was in
care and then sexually abused by
those men who were paying to have
sex with me. So I ran away a lot,
staying in the city centre or sleeping
in cardboard boxes just to get away
from everything.
After four years of prostitution,
Richie plucked up the courage to
talk to someone about his living hell.
Id got to know a member of staff
really well and she ended up being
like a mother to me, he says. I
told her about the prostitution and
eventually the men who abused
me were prosecuted. For the first
time, I felt like Id accomplished
something and that was the end of
the nightmare.
It made me start to believe I could
stand up for myself. It made me
more determined about who I was
and what I was about. At 16 I knew I
didnt want to be one of those young
people who stayed at a halfway
house and got dole money every
gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

[life]

week and who didnt do anything

with their life.
So I moved to another area and
started from scratch. I knew Id
never be able to forget about what
happened, but I didnt want to be
bitter and twisted for the rest if
my life. I thought Get over it and
carry on.
Richie threw himself into a
multitude of jobs including kitchen
pot washing, sweeping floors,
employment agency work and
working at local kennels. But
seeing stressed out pets behind
bars upset him. I had so much love
to give and I never had much of it in
my life, he recalls. I was treated
like an animal by my family and I
saw all these dogs and cats locked
in cages and I felt an affinity with
them. I didnt like it and I knew they
didnt either.
Three years later in 2006,
The Dog Walker was born.
Richie now employs 11 staff, has
expanded across Yorkshire with
six franchisees and has just gone
national. He housesits for dog lovers
away on holiday or takes them to
his own home, where he lives with
partner of six years John, who now
works with Richie in Wetherby. And
he recently won the 2013 Ackrill
Media Group Young Entrepreneur
Of The Year award. Although he is
only recently in touch with one of
his family members an uncle he
couldnt be happier with the way his
life has turned out.
When I look back on how my life
started I really cant believe how far
Ive come, admits Richie. I pinch
myself. Most of the kids I knew from
home are in prison, dead or on
drugs. But I had the determination
and passion to be someone else.
Everybody has the ability to change
their future. I was dealt a bad
hand of cards, but I gave some of
those cards back because I knew I
was going to do something else
something better. Q
the-dogwalker.co.uk, @the_dogwalker

117

WorldMags.net
THE BIGGEST
FERTILITY
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MANCHESTER
IN APRIL
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Media sponsors:

small things

[life]

WorldMags.net[pets]

STEW AND THEO A DOGS LIFE

Looks like his
paws are firmly
under the table,
the breeder said at the end of my
first month with Theo. Hed been
staying with me on a months
home trial. Due to unforeseen
circumstances, a friend who also
had Theos father offered him
to me aged two. His owner was
heartbroken at giving him up, but
knew I had owned Gordon Setters
before and was looking for a new
four-legged friend.
The first month flew by, and his
owner came to see how we had
got on. The two of you look like
youve been together since day
dot, she said. Weve not looked
back since.
Theo is a great testament to the
Gordon Setter. It often seems
a shame they arent a more
popular breed, as their loyalty
and constant energy make them
great companions. I fear these
characteristics would be ruined
were they to get into the hands of
non-experienced breeders, though.
Theo acts daft at times but, like
most dogs, is actually very clever.
In fact the breed is said to have the
IQ of an average six-year-old child.

We go for long walks at

Richmond Park or the beach
where hes at his happiest. Theo
cant wait to swim and its often
a nightmare getting him to stop.
Which is odd, considering I
have to don swimming trunks
and a very firm voice to get him
anywhere near a shower.
Hes also not a fan of miniature
pooches. Theo runs behind me at
the first sign of a toy breed: paws
on my shoulders, staring down at
the frightening miniature dog.
A pretty odd sight.
One thing Theo definitely likes,
though, is women (he has only ever
humped another boy, much to my
amusement/embarrassment).
Hes a complete chick magnet!
I pretend to be upset by this, but
really it just highlights what a
hunky breed Settlers are.
I would ask Theo for some
tips on how to pull while out
and about, but considering he
has a habit of submerging his
whole body in muddy puddles
and exposing his crown jewels
for all to admire, Im not sure
the same rules apply.
Unless youre into
that. Q @stewreedjones

April can mean only one thing

for animal lovers National Pet
Month! It celebrates all things
pet related and emphasises
the importance of proper care
and the special bond between
a pet and its owner. We at GT
believe you should treat your
pet the way you want to be
treated. For starters, make sure
your pet is well trained; nobody
wants their crotch sniffed at
by an untamed beast like its
closing time at G-A-Y. Provide
a nutritious and well balanced
diet, not the leftovers from last
nights microwave meal. Suitable
housing and (Versace) bedding
is a basic requirement. Clean up
after your pet, worm it regularly
and get it neutered if required.
Most importantly though, love and
appreciate your pet. Not just this
month, but all year round. Q

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

119

romantic dinner

[life]

WorldMags.net

Yep thats right, no wedding cake recipe.

Sorry! Now, this doesnt mean Im
miserable. Im as happy as anyone that
marriage is now equal (do send me your
invites). Its just that I really dont like
making wedding cakes. Fair enough, Ive
only made cakes for a few brides. But each
and every time I get annoyingly stressed.
Its the pressure, knowing that this one cake
is for their special day. Its just something
I dont enjoy, at all! However, I can give you
something perfect for a romantic meal. So if
youre planning to pop the question and you
want to cook your boyfriend something to set
the scene, then this dessert is perfect.

D
D
E BER
KIM
W
BOY S
E
H
E
IS T BAK

HO

Chocolate fondant
Makes 6
200g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate (around 70%
cocoa solids)
5 large eggs
125g caster sugar
100g plain flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Pinch flaked sea salt
Grease six dariole moulds (or
ramekins) and coat with a little extra
cocoa powder, tapping out any
excess. Preheat the oven to 190C
(170C fan) and line a baking tray
with parchment paper.
Place the butter and chocolate
into a heatproof bowl and set over
a pan of simmering water, making

120

sure the bowl doesnt touch the

water. Stir occasionally until fully
melted. Remove from the heat and
allow to cool slightly.
Place the eggs and sugar and
using an electric mixer, whisk until
thick and pale, for about five to ten
minutes. While still mixing, pour
in the chocolate blend, mixing
until fully combined. Sieve over
the flour, cocoa powder and salt
and fold together until you have
a smooth batter. Pour into the
prepared moulds and then bake
in the preheated oven for eight
minutes. Remove from the oven
and then immediately invert the
fondant onto a serving plate, serve
with a little cream or ice cream.
The fondants can be prepared a
day ahead and refrigerated until
ready to bake. They can also be
frozen and baked right from the
freezer, just add on five minutes
of baking time. Q
Author of The Boy Who Bakes and Say It
With Cake, @TheBoyWhoBakes

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net[food]

A SIDE
ORDER OF
ALAN
ROSENTHAL
Until yesterday, apart from some

mysteriously disappearing cooking

WRPDNHLWDWKRPH

in at home. However, last night,

the scoundrels only lasting legacy.

Rib of beef for two hungry mouths

The meat get your butcher to cut
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LQWKHIULGJHORRVHO\FRYHUHGLQOP
0DOGRQVHDVDOW
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6XQRZHURLO
[RYHQVDIHFDVWLURQJULGGOHSDQ

locksmith wasnt what I needed; but

3UHKHDW\RXURYHQWR C7DNH

after a lovely dinner, I came home

to discover half a key jammed

inside one of my front door locks.

Thankfully, the mangled key was

The 300 for a 24-hour emergency

it could have been far worse...

The bitter taste left in my mouth

after yesterdays failed break-in

is a far cry from a much sweeter

experience during a recent trip to

Scotland. Retracing my old haunts

as a student at St Andrews a couple

$YDLODEOHIURP6HOIULGJHV+DUYH\1LFKROVDQG
VXSHUPDUNHWVQDWLRQZLGH

PHDWVZHDWVDOLWWOHODWHU+HUHVKRZ

pots, Ive been lucky enough not

to experience any kind of break-

Absolut Originality
Yes, yes, its fine to drink vodka
again. Especially given that
Absolut have always been staunch
supporters of gay rights.
This new limited edition run features
four individually designed bottles,
with a drop of cobalt blue infused
into the glass during production. So
yes, technically, that makes each of
them a one-of-a-kind work of art.
Now all we need is an Interior
Illusions Lounge to drink it in. Q

%RHXIDQGVXFFXPEHGWRLQHYLWDEOH

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KLJKDPH0HDQZKLOHUXE\RXU
PHDWZLWKDOLWWOHVXQRZHURLODQG
VHDVRQLWOLEHUDOO\ZLWK0DOGRQVDOW
DQGEODFNSHSSHU2QFH\RXUJULGGOH

of weekends ago (pre HRH, FYI),

SDQLVYHU\KRWVWDUWLQJWRVPRNH

PHDQWDQREOLJDWRU\WULSWR)LVKHU

FDUHIXOO\SODFHWKHPHDWRQLWHVK

'RQDOGVRQ7KLVVWDOZDUWEDNHU\

VLGHGRZQ.HHSWKHDPHKLJK

ZKLSVXS7+(EHVWIXGJHGRXJKQXW

$IWHUYHPLQXWHVWXUQWKHPHDW

\RXYHHYHUWDVWHGDJROGHQSLOORZ

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SDQGLUHFWO\WRWKHRYHQDQGFRRN

$PD]LQJ0D\EH(GFDQJLYHXVDOO

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a recipe? Please?

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ERDUGIRUYHPLQXWHVDQGWKHQ

WR3DULV,PWKHQHZ-XGLWK

VOLFHDFURVVWKHJUDLQ'HYRXUZLWK

&KDOPHUVDQGDWULSWR3DULVKDVWR

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LQYROYHDVQHDN\VWHDNIULWHV1HYHU
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JD\WLPHVFRXN

WorldMags.net

$ODQ5RVHQWKDOLVWKHDXWKRURI6WHZHG
6WHZVDQG2QH3RW:RQGHUV
DYDLODEOHRQ$PD]RQ#DODQURVHQWKDO



with tom jones

[life]

WorldMags.net

A ROOKIES
GUIDE TO
COMPOUND
AND ISOLATED
EXERCISES

IMAGE JOE MCCORMICK

It can be a
jungle out there
in the gym. And
if you want to
survive, you
need to know
which exercise
is right for you
For a new starter, the gym can be
intimidating, daunting and filled
with wild animals. If youre a bit
of a rookie, theres always going
to be a niggling fear in the back
of your mind that youre using
the equipment the wrong way, or
youre embarrassing yourself in
front of the only hot guy. It leads
us to a very common and popular
question, though. What works best
compound or isolated exercises?
Like any training programme,
you need to have a clear idea
of your goals before you work
122

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
[get fit]
out the best route for achieving
them. Compound movements are
more associated with strength
exercises like deadlifts, bench
presses, barbell rows and squats.
Things that involve more than
one joint movement, basically.
Isolation movements, on the other
hand, only involve the one joint
movement. Things like tricep
kickbacks, dumbbell curls, leg
extensions and leg curls causing
a concentration in an isolated area.
A simple compound workout
is ideal for your first-ever
training programme. It allows
you to strengthen up joints and
ligaments, while training the
stabiliser muscles ready for
when you want to step up. Id only
recommend all-in-one whole
body workouts for extremely busy
people. And even then, compound
movements are the best for that
kind of programme.
Isolation workouts help target
specific areas, like biceps, triceps
and hamstrings. We can even
dictate, through exercise, the part
of the muscle we want to hit inner
or outer quadriceps, for example.
Isolated movements are great
additions to most programmes,
but theyre not advised for those
starting right off the bar. Most new
starters dont have the size they
want, so need to get some mass.
Once youve got the muscles, then
you can isolate and tone them.
A lot of weight-training athletes
will have two phases a bulking
up phase and a cutting phase.
Bulking up means you have to
eat more calories and use some
heavy compound movements
to get some decent size on you,
while cutting is usually where
you strip yourself of carbs and fat
and use a high ration of isolation
exercises to get a leaner look.
After six months or so on
compound workouts, you should
be ready to move on. But be sure
to always work to your maximum
ability. Theres no point finishing

your workout knowing you

couldve gone heavier, or pushed
through the barrier for one more
rep. Working to failure always gets
the best results.
That being said, when it comes
to professional athletes, their
recommended programmes would
use both compound and isolated
exercises in their workout plan.
Something along the lines of three
exercises per body part or four if
youre working on your back.
For example, a typical shoulder
workout would start with barbell
military presses, side-lateral
raises and bent over lateral raises
for the rear delts. That would be
four sets of between eight to ten
reps, depending on your goals.
Including both kinds of exercises
into your workout allows you to hit
each area fully, hitting overall mass
on the selected area to start with,
and then isolating each head of the
muscle group individually to make
sure every fibre has been tackled
from every angle.
But remember, what works for
Mr Olympia might not work for
you. You need to remember that
all of our bodies are completely
different and react differently
to certain movements. You
should notice whether or not
a programme is working after
six weeks or so especially
as your knowledge builds on
how exercises are meant to
feel the deeper you get into
your routine. As you develop
a better understanding of how
your muscles are meant to feel,
youll be able to add and remove
exercises to suit your needs.
And thats when you can start to
add those all-important isolated
movements.
Balance is key to a well-rounded
programme. Youll get the best
results if you work on strength,
isolation and a bit of cardio
vascular to finish. But remember,
as always, eat well, train well, and
youll be looking hot. Q

[ask tom]
Ive just started
a new training
routine, but
how do I
know the
right amount

of weight to
use during my
workout?
The best results
are achieved
when working
to failure. So my
advice would
be to train as
heavy as you
possibly can.
But remember
to always train
safely, without
jeopardising
your technique
and form. Q

Need advice? Ask Tom on Twitter @tomgt1

Ive recently been using Amino

Chewables by Optimum
Nutrition. They deliver an
increase in focus and energy,
an amino blend to aid muscle
repair, plus a potent antioxidant
support system. And at only ten
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at any time to give your training
the edge that it needs.

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123

NDLY

HO TE L O MY K

ONO
SI

SL

TH

E
FRI
R8
T
S

ND

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IMAGE CHRIS GILES PHOTOGRAPHY

column

[life]

WorldMags.net
[paul thorn]

Life isnt completely

random, at least Ive
come to believe that
it isnt. Without direction and a
plan for the future, youre going
to need a big dollop of luck for
everything to fall into place and
work out the way you want. Less
than a couple of decades ago,
it may have seemed a pointless
exercise for someone who is
HIV-positive to plan too far into
the future, because (and was
sadly indeed true for many) there
just didnt seem to be a future
on offer. Today its a completely
different story, and the sensible
people with HIV who are on
treatment are grasping their
future with both hands and
making plans for it.
You may have heard the question
during a job interview: Where
do you want to be in five years?
For a lot of us poz guys the answer
to that question may once simply
have been: Still alive I hope!
Personally, I find deciding where
I want to be five years from now is
a little too far away to even think
about. I like seeing the results of
the effort I put into things pay off

HIV:
RECIPES
FOR LIFE

quickly. Im a quick-fix kinda

guy! I may be a bit vague on the
five years from now question,
but I have a clearer idea of the
near future; today, this week, this
month, the next three months, and
year ahead.
Im a big one for making lists.
In fact I have several notebooks
in my bag right now. Its a source
of mirth for some to see me
pull one out mid-conversation
and start to make a few notes.
The notebooks, and other
scribblings I carry around,
provide a sort of roadmap for the
near and not so distant future.
I have a simple methodology
for assessing where Im at now
and where I want to go that I want
to share with you. I always use
an A5 spiral notebook (I have a
favourite brand), and I buy one
per month. The first few pages
are always the same. What the
overall aims are for the year
ahead (just to remind myself),
any inspirational quotes that
have caught my notice, and
a theme for the month. The
theme focusses on one of the
four areas (described here) that

I find
deciding
where I
want to be
five years
ahead of
now is a
little too
far away
to think
about. I like
seeing the
results of
the effort
I put into
things pay
off quickly

@paul_thorn

gaytimes.co.uk

WorldMags.net

anyone can break down their

life into. I divide an A5 page
into quarters with a pen and
title each one; Home, Self, Work
and Finances. I find that most
aspects of my life all fall loosely
into one of those categories. This
method works whether youre
looking a year, a month or a day
ahead. In the Home section, for
example, Im decorating my flat
at the moment I might write my
next steps. (Be ambitious, but
remember, its also important to
be realistic about what you want
to achieve.) It may also include
anything you need or want to
buy for your home. The Self
column covers a variety of things;
health, relationships, diet and
exercise, clothes you may need
or want to buy, etc. The Work
section prioritises what projects
or tasks need to be completed
next. The Finance section covers
which bills need to be paid
first, debt repayments, savings,
etc. It may seem anal, but Ive
found this method provides me
a framework that keeps me on
track. Most importantly, I get
a better perspective of where
I stand today. As I complete
a task or goal, I cross it off. I
get to see progress and feel
a sense of achievement, of
moving positively forward. To
be a success today, all I need to
do is refine or make just one
thing better. The next month the
process starts all over again.
While I dont believe life is
completely random, and that we
need to take control of it, there
are always going to be those left
field events that thwart even our
best made plans. That doesnt
matter. Its about moving in the
right direction and being able to
adapt to whatever life throws at
us. The other thing to remember,
our plans and choices arent set
in stone. Its always
OK to change your
mind. Q

125

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Youll be
up all night.

KE

LA

RG

As home to an eclectic assortment of restaurants, bars,

bistros and cafes, youre bound to nd something that
stimulates all your senses in Key West.

a-keys.com/gaykeywest 0208 686 2600

ISL

KEY W
EST

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BIG PINE KEY & THE LOWER KEYS

MARA

THO

AM

OR

AD

WORDS MATT PEAKE IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO

[life]

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[rights]

LETTER FROM EQUADOR WE LOOK AT THE LIVES AND

RIGHTS OF GAY MEN FROM AROUND THE GLOBE IN 2014

Efran Soria explains:

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XQSURWHFWHGORQHO\DQGLQVHFXUH,

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

NO
Both joint and step adoption by same-sex couples
Same-sex marriage
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples
MSMs allowed to donate blood

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127

WorldMags.net

CHICAGO
UNITED STATES
WORDS LEE DALLOWAY

128

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[travel]

YC? Youve done it!

LA? Facelifts and
fake smiles. San
Francisco? Thats a
long way to go for an old prison
and earthquakes (jokes we love
SF!) But theres a gem of a holiday
destination nestled in Americas
Midwest that any self-respecting
gayer seriously needs to see...
Until recently, Chicago hasnt
had the glamorous PR afforded
to certain other American
metropolises. A city known
largely to Brits thanks to
supermarket pizza and a load of
bob-haired actresses trotting
around the West End in flapper
beads and fishnets. But the last
few years have seen a huge
upswing in the popularity of The
Windy City and we can see why.
A city that taught us how to sing
(the blues) and how to dance (the
infamous 80s house movement),
there was an inkling of what to
expect from the people of Chicago
before wed even touched down
on US soil. Two fabulous air
stewards, Midwest born and
raised, were soon falling over
themselves to tell us the best gay
bars to see during our stay. These
jovial ladies knew what this group
of homo-leaning Brits abroad
wanted strong drinks and sights
too big to fit into our tiny island.
For us, theres nothing better
that driving into a big city from
the airport and watching the
skyline appear, seeing both
iconic and alien architecture
gradually arriving into view.
Chicago delivers on this big time;
a city that built ever upwards
from the Great Chicago Fire of

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chicago

[04/14]

CHICAGO UNITED STATES

POPULATION 2,714,856
SIZE 234 SQ UARE MILES
TIME ZONE&6787&
GAY LEGAL

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1871 and never looked back. Or

down. An impressive mixture of
classic, heavy US architecture
known as Chicago School (yeah,
they kind of invented it) and ultra
modern, glass sky botherers. To
really learn about the city, the
Architecture River Cruise is highly
recommended. Dont let its slightly
school trip-style name put you off,
it provides a fascinating insight
into a city with a relatively short
but intriguing history. A city that
seemingly learns from its mistakes
and uses it to build a better, more
prosperous place for its citizens.
When youve stayed at (read:
woke up in) a lot of hotels, you

the Magnificent Mile, a section of

Michigan Avenue chock full of midrange to high end stores, a number
of landmarks, restaurants, theatres,
museums, bars and media.
History, communication and the
almighty dollar collide here for an
experience thats genuinely more
sophisticated and visually stunning
than the tourist fodder many cities
serve up. But its an area naturally
for visitors and affluent residents,
not so satisfying if you like your
holiday menu to have a taste of
what lifes really like for your
destinations citizens.
If you want to get under the citys
skin, and increase your chance

If you want to get

under the citys skin,
and increase your
chance of running
into a buff slab of
preppy man candy,
then onward to
Boystown
know what to spot in well-run
accommodation. If youre looking
for a slick, modern hotel which
feels like your own apartment (only
nicer) then the Dana Hotel and Spa
is for you. Warm, contemporary and
gorgeous in both energy and dcor,
with friendly staff you can have a
bit of banter with, rather than the
grinning drones Americas service
industry loves to foist upon tourists.
Its reasonably priced and boasts a
killer rooftop bar, too. Shout out to
the girls from the gorgeous Dana
Spa who massaged out months of
tension from my shoulders and at
least a year off my face!
Dana is just a short walk from
130

of running into a buff slab of

preppy man candy, rather than an
excitable mother/daughter combo
laden with shopping bags and
hair extensions, then onward to
Boystown. Famously the worlds
first gaybourhood, the area has
an extra buzz about it. Anywhere
with an eclectic mix of cultures,
communities and household
incomes commingling together
ideally breeds creativity and a
sense of togetherness. Lakeviews
Boystown wins here with scores
of independent shops, boutiques
and speciality restaurants (in
particular, Yoshis Cafe, a family
run French-Asian fusion, and

Wood, a homo hotspot for food

and cocktails).
Sitting alongside this cultural
melee are the Archdiocesan Gay
and Lesbian Outreach, one of
the few LGBT-specific churches,
rainbow pylons featuring plaques
dedicated to important figures in
queer history and the communitys
crowning achievement, the
Center on Halstead. This is the
largest LGBTQ community centre
in the Midwest with more than
1,000 people walking through its
doors every day. Offering sexual
health services, therapy, training,
events and programs, its truly
inspirational and something the UK
should be taking notes from.
For a similar, diverse vibe,
check out the Swedish-inspired
Andersonville, another centre of
homoxualiciousness (yes, we made
that word up), home to the Gerber/
Hart Library, the largest gay and
lesbian archive in the Midwest
and the gorgeous Hollywood
Beach, ridiculously popular in the
summer.
Art, culture and beauty thrive in
Chicago and are readily available
to the public. Theres a huge
artist community, particularly
around River North, which, after
Manhattan, hosts the largest
number of galleries in the US.
Every form and style imaginable
sit side-by-side in a bustling hive
of coffee shops, eateries and bars;
a perfect way to spend a sunny
Saturday afternoon.
Millennium Park proudly
boasts award-winning
credentials as a centre of leisure,
and you can see why. The park
is exquisite, particularly the
architecturally stunning Jay
Pritzker Pavilion, a sophisticated
outdoor concert venue, and, of
course, Anish Kapoors hugely
popular Cloud Gate sculpture,
more commonly known as The
Bean. Even if youre one of those
miserable buggers that has no
time for what traditionally passes
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[travel]
for art or culture, and sometimes
even were guilty of that, you
just cant ignore jaw-dropping
beauty of The Bean. A smooth,
ultra modern, stainless steel
structure that distorts reality
in its reflective surface and
contrasts beautifully with some
of the more hulking architecture
Chicago serves up.
Chicago is certainly a town that
loves to drink, and does so with an
array of high end bars that allows
you to take in the night skyline
with a cocktail, right through to
friendly dive bars where you
can watch sports, drink cheap
beer or even soak up some jazz.
Chicagos approach to boozing
is refreshingly fun and lighthearted (Check out the awesome
cocktail bar Three Dots and a
Dash) in comparison to Londons
less than charming alcoholism,
where vomiting in the gutter deftly
masks the fact youre a highly
ABOVE SKATING NEAR ANISH
.$322566&/28'*$7(
BELOW7+(2/'&+,&$*2
THEATRE

uninteresting person. Even in

the most lowbrow of boozers and
restaurants, Chicago musters up an
atmospheric, quirky charm.
If you dont just want to get sloshed
and are looking for some good
eats, Chi-town is full-to-bursting
with them! We highly recommend
having a delicious breakfast at
Beatrix, lunch at the well-heeled
Siena Tavern and dinner at the
ultra-funky Graham Elliot Bistro.
These barely even scratch the
surface of all the delicious dining
options on offer around this town,
but we dont have an extra eight
pages to go through them all.
Quite honestly, we didnt want
to leave Chicago. This delicious
melting pot of a city has now
becoming a major player in
international business and tourism
while retaining the feeling of a
warm and welcoming large town.
Chicago were in love! Q
GT stayedDWWKH'DQD+RWHO
GDQDKRWHODQGVSDFRPGT travelled with
8QLWHG$LUOLQHV8QLWHGFRP'LVFRYHUPRUH
DWFKRRVHFKLFDJRFRP

JD\WLPHVFRXN

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131

short break

[04/14]

WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH

WorldMags.net

t was recently reported that

the world is facing a wine
shortage some 300 million
more bottles were consumed
than produced in 2012. And there
are now more than three billion
bottles a year being knocked back
around dinner tables, wine bars and
bike sheds so were in dire need of
some more places to produce it.
Thats where Bordeaux comes in.
Set in the sunny Aquitaine region
of the south of France, its become
famous for its fine wine production,
keeping much of France and the
wine bars of the world in stock. The
citys roaming vineyards and range
of top end restaurants have long
drawn in the French glitterati and
overseas tourists alike.
Whats better is that us Brits are

strongly in Bordeauxs favour. Such

a lot of Europes tourist hot spots
and indeed hot spots further afield
have found themselves in the
self-parody stakes, losing the quirks
and eccentricities that made them
so inviting in the first place.
For those who havent visited the
south of France, you might imagine
the stereotype of Frenchmen taking
long, leisurely lunches, cigarette
in one hand and wine the other as
some sort of bygone clich. But in
Bordeaux its as alive as ever, with
local cafes and restaurants filled with
people taking long lunches. No Tesco
meal deals are getting flogged here.
Le Saint-James itself is located
in the village of Bouliac, with
panoramic views over Bordeauxs
vineyards. The residence boasts
15 bedrooms,
three suites, a
heated outdoor

24 HOURS IN

up to head out and harvest the years

production, hands on. Fortunately
they follow up such a strenuous
exercise with a big lunch.
If youre feeling more generous on
the wine front after some unwinding
in the sun (or if youre an ill-thinking
drunk) then you can bag yourself a
1989 variety costing 15,000 a bottle.
Apparently 89 was a great year, but
then if you can have a bottle of wine
in the house for 25 years without
drinking it, you deserve a pretty hefty
reward. Not that weve ever had a
15,000 bottle of wine; so for what is
essentially fermented grape juice, we
expect its exceptional. Any readers
pitching for the 15k stuff, do educate
us. And maybe bag us a bottle too,
yknow, like friends do?
If its the cooking youre in Bordeaux
for, then the restaurants Michelinstarred chef is able to rustle up some
impressive specialties (and for rather
less than 15,000).
Dining below
huge bay windows
overlooking the
Merlot vines, there
are impressive
offers for all three
meals of the day. Even breakfast is
a multiple course meal here: with
freshly baked breads, smoked fish,
meats, yoghurt pots, sweet pots,
fruit juices, fruit teas and even a full
English option for those who request
it. Its a little posher than what you get
down the Little Chef.
The food doesnt have to be left
in France, either, as chef Benjamin
Bonnay is on hand for cookery
lessons, so you can bring it back to
Blighty. His foody lessons are great
partly because of the top-of-therange facilities and his amenable
teacher manner, but mainly because
hes beautiful. Theres no need for
ketchup with someone as saucy as
Bonnay in the kitchen. Q

BORDEAUX
practically locals, with easyJet
flights to Bordeaux being barely
one hour from London. About the
time it takes to get through a bottle,
appropriately.
The city of Bordeaux packs in a
string of Michelin star restaurants
for its 1.1 million residents. In
between vineries, traditional
French cafes and the shards of
continental sun that splinter its
cobbled streets. Bordeaux is a city
that feels every bit French.
GT headed out to Le Saint-James,
a hotel and cookery school on the
outskirts of Bordeaux. Suffering no
shortage of wine, Le Saint-James
produces its own variety on site
every year. In fact the whole place
is surrounded by vines, so you can
appreciate the grape vines growing
strong and wise, while you sink the
previous years stock.
Its the authenticity that goes so
132

swimming pool, a Michelin star

restaurant and even its own cookery
school. Pretty impressive.
For the wine lovers (and lets be
honest, thats the real motivation
for going to France) Le Saint-James
has some 2,000 bottles stacked
up in its cellar. Which should be
enough to last us a couple of nights.
Or rather, a couple of courses, as
the well-informed staff on hand
are able to pick the best wines to
go with every flavour during the
restaurants many course meals.
The wine grown in Le SaintJames own vineyards is the real
treat. Le Vin du Jardon has been in
production for more than a decade,
but the expert team have only just
become sufficiently satisfied with
their product to sell it, at 50. Youre
likely to want a drink of it, though,
because if youre there on picking
day, hotel staff get the whole place

GT travelled with easyJet from London

Gatwick to BordeauxMrignac Airport,
easyjet.com. GT stayed at Le Saint-James
hotel and restaurant. Rooms start from
165 per night with extra beds available
from 50, saintjames-bouliac.com

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[travel]

ABOVE ACCOMMODATION AT
LE SAINT-JAMES
BELOW VIEWS OVER THE
VINEYARDS

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133

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WorldMags.net HOLIDAYS

HOLIDAYS
To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 E-mail ash@millivres.co.uk
Deadline for next issue 25 March
CLASSIFIED FEATURE

BROADOAKS COUNTRY HOUSE

THE PERFECT VENUE FOR CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS
Your wedding day should be perfect, Broadoaks Country House is the ideal
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and magical to feel, you will never forget this special wedding venue, which has
been named one of the most romantic hotels in the UK by the AA. The secluded
gardens, the magical beck that runs through our grounds and the Lake District
scenery provide the perfect backdrop for romantic photographs.
And guess what? We are gay-owned. So you wont need to worry about anyone
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At Broadoaks one of the most beautiful venues in the Lake District we have
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menu so your friend doesnt feel left out!
Hire our entire hotel and all 16 rooms plus food and drink from only 2,995
If you are already married, or simply fancy a romantic break away then we would
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Please contact Viki or Little Jo on
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or call 01539 445 566 to make an appointment for us to show you around.
Broadoaks Country House
Bridge Lane, Troutbeck, Windermere,
Cumbria LA23 1LA
www.broadoakscountryhouse.co.uk/civil-partnerships/
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SPONSORED FEATURE

CLIFTON PARK HOTEL

THE PERFECT VENUE FOR YOUR CIVIL CEREMONY AND CELEBRATIONS ON THE LANCASHIRE COAST
The Clifton Park Hotel, located in the
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299-301 Clifton Drive South
St Annes-on-Sea
Lancashire FY8 1HN
T: 01253 725 801
E: info@cliftonpark.co.uk
W: www.cliftonpark.co.uk
138

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