Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2015 i GAY TIMES

Yes. Thank goodness for yes. Such a small word, causing so many big emotions on Saturday 23 May when people in the Republic of Ireland voted in favour of same-sex marriage. I admit I was more than a little bit scared of the outcome. I almost couldn’t believe it when initial reports suggested the results would be positive, but didn’t dare get too excited in case it might ‘jinx’ things somehow. Personally, I don’t believe an issue of equal rights should have been handed over to a referendum. I was terrified it could set an awful precedent – and it may still do so in countries where gay people have such a long way to go on the road to equality that every human being deserves. This is a victory,…

On his winning song Heroes... The performance is actually about me when I was a kid. I had some issues getting friends when I was about 11 or 12. There was a bully in our class and he bullied me and turned my old friends against me. There was this other guy that came in and he saw me, recognised something in me and made me stronger. So I played him [in the performance] and the small stick figure projected behind me was me when I was that age. When he called homosexuality ‘abnormal’ on a Swedish TV show... It was partly out of context and partly because I made some really stupid remarks. I used some stupid words. I was going for a word like ‘not as common’, but…

Dear Michelle What do you believe is the biggest issue for the gay community at this point in time? From @jonwells123 That’s a great question Jon – and one that I’m passionate about. To me, the biggest issue within the community is the lack of support for one another. I see more and more gays doing the opposite of support. It’s so important to get back to the days of recommending gay-owned companies, promoting each other, etc. The more shade that we throw at one another, the harder it is to survive. SNAP SHOT!…

Kylie, Madonna or Gaga? Natasha: Kylie! I saw her Showgirl tour a few years ago and I cried, it was beautiful. Like, she’s just the epitome of a showgirl and she has this amazing figure. She’s getting on, but she still looks amazing. Liz: Madonna. She’s an 80s icon and she keeps reinventing herself, she’s powerful. Kerry: I’m going to be controversial here and say that I don’t like Madonna... L and N: WHAT!? K: I loved her when I was younger, but now I’m like, “Put it away, I don’t wanna see your tits!” What’s your favourite song to sing in the shower? K: Whole Again! [Laughs] N: I like to sing Deniece Williams. [Sings] But I want to be freeeeeeeeeee... K, L and N: [All singing together] Free-eee-eeeeee.…

THE LANDSCAPE THAT shadowed The Leather Boys was an austere and frequently brutal period. Dominated by a cabal of reactionary politicians, corrupt police and aged judiciary, gay rights was a reality that appeared light-years away. Predictably, British visual media made pitiful attempts to reflect gay lifestyles beyond hysterical stereotypes. While Dirk Bogarde’s Victim detailed the seamier side of sexuality blackmail in 1961, few dared to explore wider realm Ironically, it would be 29-yearold director, Canadian Sidney J Furie, who’d explore the lifestyle with a greater clarity. Relocating to London as British movie-making was undergoing something of a renaissance, Furie had directed Cliff Richard’s musical, The Young Ones, but it was his 1961 movie The Boys that revealed his instinctive understanding of youth culture. In 1962, Furie had been handed a…

David Gandy pairs up with M&S, again, and this time he’s releasing his own swimwear collection for Autograph. And if the campaign shots are anything to go by, he might well be after Daniel Craig’s day job, too. Shot at the Bond writer Ian Fleming’s Goldeneye estate in Jamaica, it means we’re now envious of both David’s body AND travel destinations. Inspired by the timelessness of 60s Hollywood and his love of tailoring, David wanted a range of swimwear that was detailed yet attainable at £25. Eight colours range from navy and cobalt to orange and red, with a short leg, low rise and slim fit. The shorts will be available in sizes ranging from 28” to 40” and have side adjusters for days when we might need a little…

Being a voyeur at a François Sagat shoot is funny. In his previous incarnation as a porn star, no one would bat an eyelid, but in the studio everyone makes a conscious effort to look like they’re not peeking when François casually takes his pants off in the corner and slips into a yellow jock. He’s quiet, professional and relaxed throughout the day and once the shoot is wrapped up, we sit down with our umpteenth cup of coffee. Refraining from lighting up a cigarette, we casually ask – how was that for you? “I’m used to it so it was fine. I’ve done a lot of photo shoots before.” We know. This Is Hardcore by Pulp starts playing in our head. “It’s great, it’s very colourful, I love colourful…

Take Me to Church. It’s a song that became a viral hit when it was released in September 2013, racking up thousands upon thousands of views on YouTube in mere days, making its writer Hozier a household name in the process. And it’s one that’s been taken to heart by us gays, too, thanks to an arty, black and white video depicting the impact of bigoted, small town beliefs on a loving gay couple, and its empowering lyrics shaming the hypocrisy of the Catholic church – and the role religion plays in general when it comes to denying the most basic of human rights. While not specifically written with the LGBT community in mind, we adopted it as an anthem, finding an affinity between the lyrics and the plague of…

Fresh off the back of her sixth studio album, we meet Ciara to talk Missy Elliot, channelling her inner-ratchet and being a bad motherfucker. Yasss, slay, etc Welcome to Ciara, the matriarchal edition. A self-proclaimed bad motherfucker. Or rather – a bad ass mother, full stop. Her latest sixth album and first since giving birth to her baby boy is called Jackie, named after her own mother. In the opening track, she sets the tone with the repeated chorus of “I’m a bad motherfucker” – just one of many banging tracks this feisty new incarnation is pushing. It is, as we point out to her, an incredible lyric. “Absolutely,” she says for the first of many times during our chat. “Let me tell you, after I had my son I…

Mo’Nique and husband Sidney Hicks have their own production company, Hicks Media Productions, and the tale of a devout Christian teenager struggling with his sexual identity moved them so much they signed on as executive producers. “When we got that script and read the first page we said ‘Sign us up’ because it’s a story that’s so brave, so honest and so raw,” she tells us. “We knew we had to be a part of it.” In the film, Randy, played by the brilliant Julian Walker, has a full plate – going to school, singing in the church choir and caring for his troubled mum, played by Mo’Nique herself. All while coming to terms with being gay and black and falling in love. Penned by novelist Larry Duplechan in 1986…

“And then, that message you gave up on waiting for long ago finds its way through all kinds of impossibility and turns up right on your phone screen… ‘I miss you.’ Suddenly memories of him and his addictive ways start to bash you around the head – the way you felt for the bastard, the way he made you feel loved, happy, funny, beautiful and like you were the only person in his entire world… The way he blew your heart to bits… Or was it the other way around? After so long trying to rub him out of your thoughts and without him there to remind you how it really was, it’s hard to tell, isn’t it? All you know is that without him, you’ve felt nothing but the…

1 The Compliment Trap Most of us like to look nice, and we’re usually satisfied with feeling good when we look in the mirror, or snaring a few likes on Instagram for the odd selfie. The Compliment Trap, however, needs to HEAR it. He won’t be content just to know he looks nice; you’ve got to tell him. Over and over. And over. And over. It’ll start innocently enough. “Does this top look OK?” he will trill, as he stands before you, looking down at the floor, shoulders hunched, and feet pointing in together like one of those dreadful fashion bloggers. You will, of course, say yes, because everybody says yes when asked “Do I look OK?” You think your work is done and that your night out can now…

need advice? Whether you’re wanting to look good on the beach, shed a few pounds or just live a healthier lifestyle, email me on fitness@gaytimes.co.uk or tweet me at @chrisjonesgeek. I can’t respond to everyone and your emails or tweets may be edited for use in the magazine. We won’t publish any contact details. I know, Mr Fantastic would’ve been a better picture choice. But I only have a Spider-Man costume… I wanted to talk about stretching and how often people don’t stretch before a work out. I get asked by a shockingly high amount of people whether ‘one should stretch before or after a work out?’ The answer is of course yes – and do both please! The more blunt answer is also, do you want to avoid an…

[01] Start with the right information It’s crucial for intended parents to tackle the legal issues from the outset to protect their much-wanted family, as the law is always evolving. There’s also no international harmonisation of surrogacy law and this can leave intended parents and surrogate born children with a lack of legal status and protection in the UK and abroad. [02] Legal status for a surrogate born child English law treats the surrogate mother and her spouse – if married – as a surrogate born child’s legal parents at birth, no matter where in the world conception takes place. This means that intended parents must obtain a parental order – the legal solution for surrogacy in the UK – to secure full legal parental status for their child after…

“I’ve been hanging out in the pool at the Chateau Marmont hotel in LA with Florence Welch from Florence + The Machine,” begins Rufus Wainwright, casually, as if it’s something we’ve all done at some time or another, “and we’ve been singing mermaid songs as I’m usually with my daughter. I’d love to work with Florence and we have a couple of ideas that may mature.” Being a doting dad to Viva, now four, is a perfect example of how Rufus’ life has done a complete 360 over the last decade. The promiscuity and crystal meth are things of the past and now it’s all about fatherhood – he co-parents Viva with her mother, Lorca Cohen, daughter of legendary crooner Leonard – and being a husband to artistic director Jörn…

‘Gay Cake’ Rainbow Layers 325g plain flour 25g cornflour 4 1/2 tsp baking powder 225g unsalted butter, room temperature 400g caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 5 medium egg whites, lightly beaten 300ml whole milk Gel Food Colours (red, yellow, blue, purple, green) Vanilla Buttercream 160g egg whites (5-6 medium egg whites) 320g caster sugar 480g unsalted butter, room temperature To make the cake layers, preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan) and lightly grease three, eight-inch round cake pans, lining the bases with parchment paper. Mix the flour, cornflour and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside. Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy – about ten minutes. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Add the…

[01] Hippie standard turned normcore staple, the German classic will outlast us all. Great with shorts, great with casual trousers, but stay clear of anything hemp or too many linens. And definitely avoid the old German tourist look by wearing these with socks. Always stick with the classic two straps, and best bet is usually on black. You also can’t beat the comfort of the Birkenstock – beats a Croc any day. Birkenstock Arizona sandals, £50, schuh.co.uk [02] This might be your tuxedo sandal, if you will. Just don’t EVER wear sandals with tuxedos – unless it’s a beach wedding, in which case you’re probably in flip flops anyway. Too many straps and a leather sandal can be a little too close to gladiator territory, while too little and we’re…

Brush strokes You’ve heard the term ‘must-have’ before, but this time we mean it. The best-selling brush for women is now finally available for us guys – yes, with a new brush specifically designed for tougher skin. It’s a skin care regime that takes mere seconds, but you’ll instantly feel the difference. You’ll be hooked... Clinique for Men Sonic System Deep Cleansing Brush, £79, used with Clinique for Men Charcoal Face Wash, £18, clinique.co.uk Golden touch Atelier des Ors release not one, not two, but FIVE new eau de parfums – each with their trademark gold flakes and sea horse motif. If we had to pick just one, we’d go for Cuir Sacré, with strong, leathery wood notes. From £225, exclusively at Harrods and atelierdesors.com Musky marine Acqua di Parma’s…

Think of who the stars were when we first came on the scene: Sylvester, The Village People, Donna Summer, Cher. It was the most liberated period in the history of music,” says the Chic frontman, who burst onto that same scene with Everybody Dance and Le Freak. “We come from a period when the club scene was the most inclusive scene in the world. The world was cool, people were cool… The great thing about the disco movement is that it allowed anybody and everybody to join. If your record was cool, then you were cool.” Nile says “cool” a lot, but he’s earned the right. Other musician-writer-producers can only glance at his CV and gasp in envy. Other performers can only watch him on stage, working his way through…

Midnighter He can win a fight 50 ways before it begins, but we bet he still starts all his Grindr messages with “hey”. From the pages of Stormwatch, The Authority and Grayson, GT sat down with writer Steve Orlando to quiz him on the upcoming Midnighter series, and how he sees the skull cracking supersoldier’s first foray into internet dating How do you see Midnighter? And how does he see himself? The Midnighter to me, he’s all about confidence, I’ve said a couple of times before, he was originally based on The Shadow. People always say, ‘Oh, he’s gay Batman,’ but really he was based on The Shadow, which Batman was also based on. That plays a large part in how I see him, as opposed to Batman. The Shadow…

Absolut Pride ‘Tis the season... And no Pride event would be complete without a rainbow flag and copious amounts of vodka. Now, thanks to this Absolut exclusive, you can have both in one handy package, as Gilbert Baker’s iconic flag adorns the Absolut Colours limited edition. Absolut Colours, £23, Harvey Nichols and 31dover.com A Peachy Picnic Serves two 1 block of halloumi, cut into ½ inch slices 3-4 ripe peaches, de-stoned and sliced thickly Salad leaves (raddicchio, endive or a strong lettuce like cos) Honey (with a little extra virgin olive oil) 1 red chilli, de-seeded and chopped fifinely A bunch of fresh mint, leaves kept whole Half a red onion, sliced very thinly Pomegranate seeds (optional) Packing up a picnic shouldn’t be time consuming – the whole idea behind…

YAAAS! Turn to page 58 for our exclusive interview with Jurassic World actor – and gay man – BD Wong... BRIEFS Jump through hoops with seven-piece Australian and New York boylesque cabaret group Briefs. Host Shivannah leads you through an evening of drag, dancing, trapeze, hula hooping and even a touch of sequins and feathers, too. The boys will be bringing their show to Pride in Trafalgar Square this year, along with an appearance at Glastonbury on 27 June. They’ll also be appearing at London’s Wonderground throughout August and September, too, meanings there’s multiple chances to see these skimpy boys pack a treat for yourself. All those dangerous circus tricks. Now, that takes... Well, balls. SPEED DATE Until 27 Sept Leader of all things alternative, London Wonderground returns to the…

Hardly an ally Jeremy Williams-Chalmers Jeremy is a journalist and photographer from Newcastle. He tweets at @jeremydwilliams. Katie Hopkins. A celebrity who’s made her name from ridiculous statements has spent her time post-Big Brother attempting to redefine herself as something of a LGBT icon and ally. I’d be curious to discover the woman behind the opinions. But until a time when that happens, I’m unable to remove her malicious public persona from the equation. And I most certainly don’t view her as LGBT friendly. Although attention seeking, fame hungry Katie may have made some rather high profile LGBT-orientated appearances – who can forget when she ‘gatecrashed’ the LGBT awards? – it’s clear from her past form that she’s simply putting herself in the best position to ensure career longevity. While…

There are very few actors who can claim to be part of such a cinematic dynasty as the Jurassic Park franchise. And there are even fewer gay actors who can stake that same claim. Yet Bradley Darryl Wong – or BD, to his friends – is a man who’s been woven into the fabric of the silver screen. And a gay man, at that. Twenty-two years since he first appeared on our screens in Jurassic Park as Henry Wu, BD is back in Jurassic World, resuming his role as the thoughtless scientist who mixed fossilised mosquitoes and frog DNA to make a deadly dino-cocktail. But his return to the film – the only member of the original cast who’s made it into the reboot, that we know of – came…

Swedish brand WeSC celebrated its 15th year this season with an anniversary collection that honours the brand’s history and heritage by paying tribute to its hometown, Stockholm. The Sarek Hawaii print puts a spin on the classic Hawaiian, focusing on Swedish flora and fauna from the Sarek National Park, located in Swedish Lapland, home of WeSC. They say that crystal is the gift for 15 years, but unless you’re David Bowie in Labyrinth, it’s hard to pull off crystals.…

CruZing From bear to otter in one easy sweep – the Braun cruZer6 Body 2-in-1 Groomer has got you covered. Or not, as it switches from trimmer to shaver at the touch of a button. And yes, it’s suitable for ALL body areas... The range also includes Precision, Face, Beard and Head. From £49.99, braun.com/uk Pride and Gruhme The sophisticated choice, Gruhme (pronounced ‘groom’) is the latest addition to the British men’s fragrance scene. The complex scent is fresh and uplifting, but understated and gentlemanly, rather than lingering and overpowering. Top notes of lemon and bergamot are closely married to a base of patchouli, cedar and petitgrain. Gift sets with British-made Bolin Webb R1 razors will follow. From £35, gruhme.co.uk…

“FOR MOST KIDS, THE FIRST thing you’d do if you were being bullied would be to run to your parents. I’d be constantly teased as soon as people sensed that I was gay – whether at school or at camp. I’ve always lived thinking that I wasn’t good enough, so I’d do anything to keep my family from knowing what was happening, in case they felt the same way as the bullies and stopped loving me. Looking back with an adult brain – and after spending 31 years in the closet – I know that wouldn’t have happened. It’s very easy to say that now, and I may have come out at 12 if I’d known my parents would be as accepting as they are. But after being talked about…

01 The trigonometry puzzle How many triangles does it take to make a fruit bowl? Answers on a postcard, please. Triangle Bowl by House Doctor, £43, atnumber67.co.uk 02 The new retro Geometric dresser that could be from the 50s OR the 80s, which means it’s bang on trend right now. Aldo dressing table, £279, made.com 03 The pixel pillow Monochrome pixelated cushion. Hold it over yourself in a photograph to self-censor. Luna Cushion, £66, skandium.com 04 The cushion clash Go for 80s Memphis Group (Google it) overload and crowd these cushions together. Casa De Studio cushions, £20 each, made.com 05 The typographic timepiece Graphic design as a clock/calendar. Wait up until midnight to watch the flaps rotate. Habitat Flap White Clock, £60, habitat.co.uk 06 The target shelf Highlight your prized…

Fun, colourful AND educational videos that explore LGBT issues for kids? That’ll be YouTube channel Pop’n’Olly, then. Created by Olly Pike, it’s a free resource aimed at kids between four and seven-years-old, teaching about diversity, equality and respect. The channel’s latest video, Prince Henry, depicts a loving romance between a young prince and his servant Thomas, focusing on the idea of class being a discriminating factor rather than sexuality. Prince Henry’s tale of love is about to be made into a book, too, perfect for bedtime reading for you and your little ones. Check out popnolly.com for more.…