Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 500 i GAY TIMES

When I acquired the publishing business of GAY TIMES back in March 2017, I immediately knew a lot had to change. For many people, including myself, GAY TIMES evoked fond memories of a time gone by. I can still recall buying my first copy of the magazine, and how liberating that felt. But over the years, the publication had become less relevant and had struggled to evolve. Both the media landscape and the needs of the community had changed, and people quite rightly asked if there was still a place for a publication like GAY TIMES. Well, I am pleased to say, that today GAY TIMES has never been more relevant, and is seeing incredible success on a global scale. We have record numbers of people engaging with our brand…

Aaron Philip doesn’t want to be known as the disabled, black, trans model. She’s a model, period. “Being trans and disabled… I don’t want to claim it because I have to claim it. I claim it because it is me, objectively,” she says. “Why should that make me an entirely different entity of model, when I’m just Aaron Philip?” Earlier this year, the 18-year-old made her runway debut at Willie Norris’ fashion show with the words ‘Queer Capital’ on the back of her wheelchair; since then, she’s landed her own campaign with Sephora and has a genuine fan in - and we’re going to capitalise this - NAOMI CAMPBELL. She’s also become a beacon of light for those in minority communities who want to follow in her footsteps and ‘feel…

“I can definitely say that without Mermaids, I wouldn’t be at the stage I am today,” 18-year-old Ethan says of the the leading UK charity for gender diverse and transgender children and teenagers. “For kids and their families, it can really be an isolating time, so having such a friendly charity can make a real difference.” Like many, Ethan’s journey of self-discovery has been a lengthy one, and hasn’t quite reached its finale. After spending much of his school years between both the boy and girl groups, their then same-sex attraction opened them up to the different identites of the LGBTQ experience. And with that, their first real understanding of who they are – and what label to use. “Being in a same-sex relationship gave me a safe excuse to…

“With our rainbow, no matter who you are, where you come from or what tribe you associate yourself from – you are included, all of you,” says Michael Nanton-Knight, European Director of queer beer and cider, Gayle. The brand, which puts the LGBTQ community at the forefront of its audience, is here to celebrate each and every one of us. But why the LGBTQ community for an alcohol brand? “Authenticity comes from the heart, it comes from the struggles that LGBTQ community have to go through on a daily basis,” Michael adds. “Virginia and I have had to face our own struggles by being queer people so Gayle was always going to be more than just making fabulously tasty beverages or having beautiful branding. It was a message for our…

For 500 issues, Gay Times Magazine has been at the forefront of amplifying the voices and experiences of LGBTQ people in their march towards true equality. In 1984, the GAY TIMES brand first appeared on the cover alongside our parent title HIM. It marked the start of a shift in queer storytelling and reporting, proudly and unapologetically printing the word ‘GAY’ on the masthead every issue. Over hundreds and hundreds of covers, Gay Times Magazine has chronicled the tragic lows and historic highs of the queer experience during the past 35 years. We’ve had queer icons like David Bowie, Elton John, Dusty Springfield and George Michael grace the cover. We’ve paid tribute to the victims of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the late Princess Diana who was a staunch ally of the…

Holland is walking the path less travelled with pride. The South Korean singer, commonly referred to as the ‘first gay K-pop idol’ in the media, made a massive step for queer representation in his home country when he emerged onto the music scene last year as an out and proud artist, putting his sexuality (and his heart) on the line as he sang about discrimination and wanting to escape to a place where he can love freely on debut single Neverland. The music video featured a same-sex kiss, which disappointingly gained it a 19+ rating in South Korea. Despite this, it still managed to rack up over one million views in under 24 hours, and received a mostly positive response from music fans. Since then, he’s dropped his first mini…

“Oh my! I didn’t see you there. I was too busy focused on my brand new pair of boots. Yes bitch, I’ve got new boots,” Rickey Thompson says straight down the camera to his 4.5 million followers. His trademark “ha ha ha” laugh follows, along with: “These boots are from London, darling. These are international boots, baby. You work hard, you buy yourself a new pair of boots, bitch.” Next thing you know he’s doing a backroll on his bed; his nimble body frame achieving it with much more elegance and grace than we ever could achieve. “Oh shit! These boots got me all acrobatic.” It’s this level of extraness packed with charisma, charm and plenty of star power that has given way to Rickey’s stratospheric level of internet fame.…

Blair Imani lives at the intersection of a multitude of identities. She’s black, bisexual and Muslim. She’s a historian, an activist and an author. Her book Modern HERstory, much like her own activism, celebrates women and non-binary champions of progressive social change; she’s been a prominent voice in the Black Lives Matter movement; and regularly uses her online presence to call for change on the social justice issues that matter. But she doesn’t want people to see her as the ‘token representative’ for her respective communities. “I think what happens as people of colour, as oppressed people, when you do something that’s outside of the narrative of what you’re ‘supposed’ to do, all of a sudden you’re a spokesperson for that community, and I think that’s particularly true for Islam,”…

“I am not denying myself anymore,” Cub Sport singer Tim Nelson declares on Unwinding Myself; the opening track of their self-titled third studio album. It was during the band’s second album, Bats, that the Brisbane-based singer-songwriter first started to open up about his sexuality on record. That collection was packed with the self-doubt and self-discovery that accompanies the coming out experience. The band’s third outing, however, is brimming with hope. At its core, the collection is about facing your inner self and ultimately living your truth. “With this album being the first body of work I’ve written entirely on the other side of coming out, it feels like the truest representation of who I am,” Tim tells us on the phone from Australia. “It feels like I’ve peeled back more…

“The intersection of my marginalised identities allow first-hand insight on systematic corruption and the cycles of this and the uniting affinity those share within a community,” Chella Man tells friend, Pose actor and activist, Indya Moore during this interview. Breaking out of the mould, actor and activist Chella Man is a much-needed new voice for the trans experience that’s finding him mixing with the big players, including his historic appearance in DC Universe’s Titans. But perhaps what’s more important, they’re visible and can be seen by others similar to their lived experience – and it’s a responsibility that’s of vital importance to Chella Man. “Through these experiences, I have felt a surge of empathy leading to the determination of establishing new infrastructure for our world to operate on, promoting inclusivity…

What does the future hold? If I do this satanic ritual correctly, a life filled with fame and excess,” says club-kid, singer-songwriter and producer Linux. The star has just released Thanks Satan, the first single from her upcoming sophomore album, which, in her words, is a “legitimate ritual” in which she “surrenders to the devil”. It’s Issue 500, why not? The star has been a staple in the club scene over the past few years with her club anthems (stream Looks featuring Drag Race star Aquaria on Apple Music) and unique aesthetic; she often pays tribute to iconic lewks throughout history or dresses as a bloody tampon (there’s no in between). We spoke with the NYC-based performer and discussed how she became the Satan-worshipping goddess she is today and what…

The Cotswolds. Quintessentially English villages, tucked away atop the rolling hills – that has been one way to imagine the Cotswolds. Honey-dipped history stretches across the hilly areas, promising a rupture from the city in the form of royal estates and storybook architecture. The quiet elegance of the land culminates in rose-scented gardens, hiking trails and an unmatchable social landscape in the 21st century. Bordered by Bath and Oxford, to name a few, venturing into the Cotswolds is akin to time travel, stepping into a realm largely untainted by modernity. That vision is just about to change. Put a modern spin on your Cotswolds fairytale as you disconnect from the world and step beyond the glass walls of The Cider Shed, a light-filled barn destined to become your own holiday…