Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 511 i GAY TIMES

Pride will once again be a very different experience for most people this year. Some physical events are returning in a big way. Some have postponed for a second year. And others are continuing to build on the success of digital celebrations where they can reach more people within our community. Whichever way we each mark Pride this year, one thing remains the same: our spirit of coming together, being proud of who we are, and uplifting those who need it most. Last year’s Pride marches evoked a sense of the movement returning to its roots. The Black Trans Live Matters protests in New York City, London and other major cities put the focus on marginalised communities, rather than the party atmosphere that has dominated in recent years. Having our…

The mastermind behind Pose discusses the show’s impending conclusion and how he plans to “permeate” Hollywood with more LGBTQ+ stories. “I don’t want Pose to just be a moment. I want Pose to be a movement,” says Steven Canals. We’re speaking with the co-creator and executive producer about the legacy of the breakout LGBTQ+ drama, which has revolutionised inclusivity and diversity on television with the largest transgender cast in history. Since Pose premiered in 2018, the show has received unanimous praise and various accolades including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, which made Billy Porter the first openly gay Black man to be nominated for and win in an Emmy leading category. Although Pose is arguably at its peak in popularity and - with a 100% approval rating on…

With vaccines rolled-out and restrictions lifted in wealthier nations, many of us are looking forward to a more social summer. Pride events are set to take place throughout the US and Western Europe. But as we celebrate, several countries are facing devastating new waves of COVID-19 in which LGBTQ+ people are suffering more than most. If ever there was a time to support our community worldwide - to mark Pride with Purpose - it is now. In June, the UK is set to lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions. And if things go to plan, by the end of July all adults will have been offered their first vaccination. After the year-and-a-half we have had, many of us are in the mood for celebrating. From New York to London, Montreal to…

What does Pride mean to you? In the LGBTQ+ community, the word has taken on the meaning of perseverance, defiance, love and power. But under all the various meanings the root of the word can be boiled down to liberation and acceptance. This multi-dimensional term has been embraced and used by the LGBTQ+ community for over 50 years. In 1970, queer activists Brenda Howard and L.Craig Schoonmaker brought the word to the forefront during the creation of the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade in NYC. Soon after, the implementation of “Pride” has spearheaded our journey and achievements as a community, both socially and legally. But for Black and Brown queer voices, the word stands for much more than sexual identity. Pride also relates to the loving embrace that ethnic minorities…

Honey… Leslie Jordan has conquered it all. Since arriving in Los Angeles in 1982 with just $1400 to try and make it in the entertainment industry, the legendary comedian has made hundreds of appearances across television, film and theatre - “Go to IMDB, I’ve done 386 parts, Mary!” he says - and even won a Primetime Emmy Award for his efforts as “hateful little queen” Beverley Leslie in Will & Grace. To the younger generation, however, Leslie is probably most associated with his various roles on American Horror Story, his new Fox comedy series Call Me Kat or his work on - you know what we’re gonna say now, don’t cha? - Instagram! Since the rise of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Leslie has been inducted into social media’s hall…

“The diversity and inclusivity of [9-1-1: Lone Star] resonates with people because that’s what the world has always looked like,” states a confident Rafael Silva. “We’ve always looked Indigenous, we’ve always looked Muslim, we’ve always looked Black, we’ve always looked trans - we’ve always looked all these things.” The Brazilian-American actor behind Lone Star’s beloved police officer Carlos Reyes is speaking with GAY TIMES over Zoom as he wraps the second season of the breakout procedural drama. Hailing from queer mastermind Ryan Murphy and his frequent collaborators Brad Falchuk and Tim Minnear, Lone Star focuses on the fire, police and ambulance departments of the fictional Station 126, located in Austin, Texas. The 10-episode first season was a colossal hit in the United States, averaging six million viewers per episode. It…

“The amount of time it’s taken me to get into this interview and my phone is still playing up!” It’s 2021, so VINCINT having an absolute nightmare with his Zoom connection is an experience many of us can relate to by now. But hopefully this socially distant ‘new normal’ is something we can wave goodbye to very soon, as a very real optimism that the lifting of lockdown restrictions is upon us. And what better timing for an album packed to the brim with big pop anthems ready to soundtrack the summer? VINCINT’s brilliantly titled debut album, There Will Be Tears, will be released on 11 June and features a raft of LGBTQ+ collaborators on a joyous collection of songs filled with lyrics of love, friendship and solidarity. Since 2018,…

Fiorucci La Pesca Collection from £50, fiorucci.com Right! If you want to live your Lizzie McGuire movie fantasy then you need to get your hands on the gorgeous new summer capsule drop from Fiorucci. Inspired by Italian summers, the La Pesca collection is a scenic fashion road trip that will teleport you to the heart of the land known for gelato, mystic mythology and, well, high fashion. Indulge in the sweet taste of fresh peaches and metaphorically feel the warm sunshine when you adorn your body with these fits. The collection incorporates gelato prints and peach graphics across a range of jersey, pastel silks, slip dresses, relaxed shirts and bold accessories. Very cute. But that’s not all… the collection gets extra fab once the sun sets and the stars come…

Keala Kennelly is a name that’s hard to miss in the surfing community. A driven record-breaker and LGBTQ+ activist, the 42-year-old has long dominated the waves, and shows no signs of slowing down. Growing up in a tight-knit surfing family and as a goddaughter to the legendary pro-surfer Laird Hamilton, the sport was in her blood. Now, off the back of another spectacular victory, the newly crowned Red Bull Magnitude big-wave winner opens up about the highs and lows of surfing, LGBTQ+ visibility in a male-dominated sport, and why wave cruising needs more women. You’re now a record-breaking surfer, but how did you first get into sports? I got into sports at a super young age – and surfing. I was literally a baby in diapers and my parents just…

“As I’ve grown up and learned to embrace who I am, fashion became my way of telling the world that I know who I am and that I love my queerness,” says Mina Gerges, an exciting new talent shaking up the fashion world. The up-and-coming model is a vibrant, energetic and insightful preview of what the future of the fashion industry looks like. At just 26, he is based between New York City and Toronto, and isn’t taking any of the fashion industry’s expectations lying down. His identity, confidence, sense of style and enthusiasm oozes into all that he does. We sat down with the plus size model and body confidence advocate to discuss what challenges he’s faced in the fashion industry, why highlighting LGBTQ+ stories is so important to…

“I am so excited about what Lil Nas X did,” says Adam Lambert down the phone. “I just think it’s high time we had somebody out there being exactly who they are.” The American singer-songwriter is full of passion and praise for pop culture’s latest queer superstar, commending him for forging a successful and fruitful music career as an openly gay man. It’s something Adam knows all too well. When he was catapulted to global fame following his memorable run on American Idol back in 2009, Adam had to navigate being unapologetically queer while cultivating a successful career that wouldn’t offend Middle America. More than 10 years on with millions of records sold, having toured the world, and fresh from launching his own philanthropic initiative to help LGBTQ+ people called the…

Olivia Lux kicked off 2021 with some much-needed pep and positivity as she sashayed into the werkroom for RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13 earlier this year. Over the course of 13 episodes, the loveable entertainer became widely known as the franchise’s “Polite Diva” thanks to her unflinching kindness, as well as a fierce contender for the crown with two back-to-back challenge wins and captivating lip-sync smackdowns - triumphing over seasoned performers such as Rose and Denali. Although she was slaughtering the competition, Olivia became the latest inductee into the Drag Race Hall of Fifth Places (alongside legends such as BenDeLaCreme, Katya and Miz Cracker) after being bested by Kandy Muse in a lip-sync to Cher’s disco anthem Strong Enough. While she didn’t reach a spot in the coveted final four,…

Pride is a hallmark of LGBTQ+ liberation. What began as an act of civil protest and activism has become the founding footsteps of emancipation from a heteronormative society. As we continue to strive for greater freedoms, it would be irreverent to neglect our past histories and hardships. Our aspirational futures have been built on the crux of sacrifice and determination that we, as a younger generation, must acknowledge. New studies indicate more than 30 percent of Gen Z identity as LGBTQ+ which equates to every one in six people in the US. And, now, in a modern world, we sit in the unique position where we can strike up a rally overnight or coordinate a global protest through social media. With greater resources and access to knowledge at our disposal,…

Focused. Considered. Determined. Yet flowing with humility and warm hospitality. These are the words you’d describe Kaushik Velendra, the Indian-born London-based designer who is reinventing everything you know about tailoring and power dressing. He opens his studio, mind and design process to GAY TIMES, letting us into the personal motivations behind his structurally striking creations. It’s clear from becoming the first Indian-born student to graduate from the prestigious MA Fashion program at Central Saint Martin’s in 2019, and being shortlisted for the LVMH Prize in 2020, the world is Velendra’s oyster. The mission statement of the LFW film and collection is to celebrate self-empowerment and to showcase positive effects that fashion can have on one’s self esteem. Why are these important values for yourself and the brand? The brand works…

“I struggle with labels and I would rather be someone who just makes good music,” Hope Tala says over Zoom. London born and bred, Hope is a rising star melding anecdotal storytelling and fearless artistry to give way to an intrepid, thoughtful sound. A melting pot of influences, Hope’s creative avenues are hard to pin down as her style swirls together into a collage of genres. “I see it as a big mishmash of things that I’ve been listening to for a really long time,” she explains. “I always gravitate towards the late 90s, early noughties American R&B music, bossa nova, pop, indie as well. It’s all very true to the different parts of genres I like and blending everything together.” Twenty-three-year-old Hope has long used her eccentric home city as…

I’m a queer British Bangladeshi Muslim. Growing up in East London, living in some of the most diverse spaces in the UK, I’m used to being surrounded by people. Particularly within diaspora groups, community has been key as immigrant groups find their feet in hostile new environments. I was raised in a community where every adult, regardless of blood relation (or lack thereof), was my Auntie or Uncle. Ramadan was a flurry of colourful, heavily spiced community dinner parties; Eid always began with brunch at the home of one of my closest childhood friends; when there was a loss in the family, or the happy news of a birth or marriage, the porch would become a revolving door of family friends laden with syrupy sweets and ice cream boxes brimming…

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is the queer Black author taking the reading world by storm. The young writer has landed a million-dollar book deal in the States for her debut thriller Ace of Spades. Born in London, Àbíké-Íyímídé sought out reading as an escape at a young age. Now, the university student has released one of this year’s most highly anticipated dark queer academia novels which follows gifted musician Devon and popular head girl Chiamaka down a path of mystery, rumours and racism. Arriving in June, we sat down with the breakthrough writer to hear more about how her explosive debut book came together. When did you realise you wanted to become a writer? I’ve always loved storytelling. My mum would read books to me and specifically recite folklore from Nigerian myths…

“Before the pandemic I was very worried and was always looking at the numbers,” admits Anitta. “For me, it was all about the results. I was very pressured about getting bigger and getting more results, more this and more that.” When it comes to big numbers, very few reach the dizzying heights of this Brazilian pop superstar. After coming to prominence in her home country seven years ago, Anitta has become a leading voice in a new generation of Latin music stars enjoying global success. Her music videos have accumulated billions of views, she has sold millions of records, and her perfectly poised Instagram selfies currently pop up on the feeds of more than 53 million followers. Then there’s countless awards, collaborations with Madonna, Cardi B, Maluma and Major Lazer,…

When Dove Cameron confessed her bisexuality on Instagram Live last year, she feared the LGBTQ+ community would reject her. “I was never confused about who I was,” the former Disney star says with unwavering firmness. Video footage of the moment is easily found online, yet, for the singer-songwriter, who has amassed more followers than even Harry Styles (42 million and counting), it flew relatively under the radar. “I felt like I wouldn’t be accepted and I had this strange narrative that people wouldn’t believe me.” Now, over a year since coming out, the 25-year-old is forging her own path away from the household Disney glamour we’ve come to expect. Born Chloe Celeste Hosterman, the actress was raised in Washington before moving to California to pursue acting. It wasn’t long before…