Table of contents for September/October 2022 in Attitude Magazine (2024)

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Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022WHAT WAS YOUR MOST UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER?Jack AlexanderPHOTOGRAPHERThe most unforgettable summer for me thus far has to be 2018. It was the first year that I ever went to LA to shoot, and I ended up spending a number of the summer months there. I remember feeling really far away from home, and yet completely in my element. It felt like a significant milestone in my career and I was really grateful that a job I’m so passionate about could take me so far away from home (shout out to sunny Blackpool!). I love travelling so it’s a summer that’s yet to be topped!Alastair JamesATTITUDE ONLINE WRITERWhen I think of unforgettable summers, I always think of my solo trip around Italy in 2015. As well as introducing me to the joys of travelling alone, it came…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022attitude LOVESSMELLS LIKE PRIDEPride season may be over, but you can celebrate being LGBTQ+ all year round with artist Ian Giles’s limited-edition Smells Like Gay Pride scented candle. Costing £25, it was inspired by conversations with members of the Gay Liberation Front who took part in the very first Pride march 50 years ago. Complete with a label featuring a photograph of campaigners at the base of Nelson’s Column on 1 July 1972, the candle playfully evokes the atmosphere of that day, with fragrance notes including tobacco, weed, patchouli and exhaust fumes.Available at Tenderbooks in London; iangiles.co.ukBOTTOM LINEBen Sherman know how to remix a classic. Their latest underwear line features the same triedand-trusted cuts — after all, once you find your favourite fit, you want to keep a firm grip on…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022RAINBOW WORLD“I’m the world’s only out LGBTQ Qatari”I knew I was different at 11 but was raised Muslim in very rural Qatar — a village of 5,000 with no internet access and absolutely no LGBTQ visibility. I couldn’t even imagine dating or having sex. I heard awful stories about persecution when you even try to do that: undercover cops setting up hookups to arrest people, for example. When I was very young, I remember people being publicly lashed.My life changed when I was selected to attend a high school for gifted students. I learned to speak English and got into an American medical school. I came to the main campus in the US periodically and learned a lot about myself.Back in Qatar, I’d sometimes meet people you kind of knew were LGBTQ, but you just couldn’t talk…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022attitudeOne year, six issues £36PRINTDon’t miss an issue of the brilliant, new look Attitude magazine. Our exclusive print subscription offer sees our luxe format mailed directly to your door six times a year and saves you almost 15% on the published cover price.One year, six issues £24.99DIGITALHave Attitude at your fingertips 24/7, wherever you go, when you subscribe to our digital edition, in slick mobile-friendly format or configured to best suit your tablet, laptop or PC. Don’t miss anything!ATTITUDE.IMBMSUBSCRIPTIONS.COM*SUBSCRIBE ONLINE, OR BY CALLING 01293 312244 MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9AM-5PM. ENQUIRIES TO ATTITUDE@SUBSCRIPTIONHELPLINE.CO.UK*INDIVIDUAL PRINT ISSUE PUBLISHED PRICE £6.95, PRINT SUBSCRIPTION £36 ANNUALLY (OR £18 HALF-YEARLY) SAVES ALMOST 15% ON PUBLISHED PRICE, DIGITAL £24.99 ANNUALLY SAVES MORE THAN 40% ON PUBLISHED PRICE.…1 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022CONFESSION OF A POP IDOL“COULD I WEAR THIS TO MY WEDDING? IT’S VERY POWER LESBIAN. ‘I DO!’”At her Attitude magazine photoshoot in London, Hayley Kiyoko is rocking a corseted ivory ensemble by Balmain that’s part-blushing bride, part-Game of Thrones body armour, part-world-conquering cricketer. ‘Powerful’ doesn’t cut it. She looks suitably celestial for a woman known for preternaturally perfect pop songs like ‘What I Need’ and ‘I Wish’, who’s been nicknamed ‘Lesbian Jesus’ by fans who routinely propose marriage and orchestrate makeshift ceremonies.“If they’re legal, I’m married to, like, 18 people!” she laughs.We return to the subject of weddings when I tell the star about a ceremony I attended the weekend before, and the invasive, mocking questions about my sex life I fielded from a straight man. Kiyoko, who is half-Japanese, says she’s been the…10 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Kodo’s callingLike millions of others, my first exposure to the Japanese monk Kodo Nishimura was on an episode of Netflix’s Queer Eye: We’re in Japan, in which he appeared in a segment with Karamo Brown to give that episode’s hero some guidance. The short clip of the 33-year-old wearing his formal monk robes in a park while discussing racism on gay dating apps propelled Nishimura to fame, especially after people learned that the softly spoken monk was also a high-heel-wearing makeup artist.When I meet Nishimura, he looks like a fashionista with a black beret atop his shaved head and dressed in a flowing outfit which he proudly points out includes one of his father’s old monk’s robes tied around his waist. We are in Pantechnicon, a six-floor, Grade-II listed building in…8 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022No one-trick ponyI’ve never won an award before… I’m so happy!” beams Kiddy Smile, who makes our hearts melt when told he’s this year’s recipient of a Attitude Pride Icon Award. A talented, outspoken, Black, queer pioneer and unapologetic advocate for visibility and equality, he’s paved the way for other artists that have followed.Born to immigrant parents on a working-class estate in Paris, Kiddy’s formative years coincided with a time when rights and equalities were more fragile and less widespread than they are today. Opportunities were even fewer. “It was very hard for me growing up to understand that you could transform your passion into a career,” Kiddy explains. “I grew up in the projects and there were not a lot of options. You could either sell drugs or be a soccer…5 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Taking the initiative against hateWith his brave, unique fashion style and razor-sharp entertainment skills, Riccardo Simonetti is a TV host, bestselling author, award-winner, brand ambassador and cover model in his native Germany — and he’s only 29. Not only is he a dazzling media personality, named one of the most influential people under 30 by Forbes, but he also heads up his own charitable organisation with a mission to educate and inform people in the fight against hom*ophobia.As a diversity ambassador with more tulle, sequins and glitter in his closet than Carrie Bradshaw, Simonetti takes every opportunity to talk publicly about finding one’s identity, coming out and the marginalisation of social groups. Whether via The Riccardo Simonetti Initiative, or his work for different charity projects such as UNICEF or Youth Against Aids, whenever he’s…5 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Riding out the storm“I was 10 when I first started“ cycling,” remembers 21-year-old Emily Bridges, from Wales.“This feeling of freedom — I hadn’t felt it before. I still feel amazing when I’m out riding. It’s like meditation for me.” It was around half her lifetime ago, too, that Emily began “exploring my gender, and that I might be different from other people”. Little did the then tweenager know that, within a decade, she’d be one of the most exciting faces in cycling — and also one of the most bullied trans women in the country.Revealing her advanced maturity and determination, Emily made British Cycling’s senior academy in 2019, while still in her teens. (She came out publicly as trans in 2020.) “I’ve got multiple national medals in track cycling,” she tells Attitude, without…5 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Change for the betterIf 2021’s stinging Netflix documentary Hating Peter Tatchell (coproduced by Elton John and David Furnish) taught us anything, it’s that veteran human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell is one of a kind. To put it bluntly, few public figures, if any, can match his passion, tenacity and commitment, or, indeed, his gall. When interrupting the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Easter sermon in Canterbury Cathedral in 1998, and attempting citizen’s arrests of the late hom*ophobe Robert Mugabe, then Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, he was assisted by his OutRage! colleagues. But it was Tatchell’s face that was beamed around the world and became forever synonymous with such acts of defiance. As a consequence, there have been multiple attempts on his life.When I first interviewed him about the Peter Tatchell Foundation (PTF) shortly after its…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Hidden treasures on land and seaWe have the Acropolis, one of Athens’ many storied relics, in our sights as we sit down for dinner, but this article is not about retelling tales of Greek antiquity, regardless of how salaciously gay that history is. (And in 2022, who would have thought that a trailer for the MCU’s Thor: Love and Thunder would see the Greek god Zeus blow off all of Chris Hemsworth’s clothes?)Instead of exploring the past, we plan to uncover some of the modern hidden gems of the Greek capital before venturing by sea to the Cycladean island of Sifnos.My boyfriend Leigh and I turn our eyes from the Parthenon back down to our empty plates because the dishes at Stoa Fix, where we are eating, are known for being just as visually impressive…11 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022HOT HOTELIt’s been long overdue, but stepping off the plane I finally feel that rush of holiday heat welcoming me to Miami with open arms — although I am ill-prepared in my wool jacket and jeans. Naively, I hadn’t expected high temperatures in spring, but this is the first of many surprises Miami has to offer me; the second being Moxy Miami South Beach. Just a stone’s throw away from Ocean Drive, this hotel is a stylish and youthful celebration of the cosmopolitan culture Miami is so famed for. As I walk into the lobby, I’m greeted by geometric floors, glass walls and patterned ceilings — styles that are synonymous with the Art Deco and multicultural influences of the city.This design ethos is carried through to each of its 202 rooms,…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022DOCTOR’S ORDERSBrain fog with long Covid? Me, tooEvery winter, I experience a slump in both my physical and mental wellbeing. It’s not full-blown Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I feel cognitively sluggish and lacking in motivation. The same happened at the start of this year, only this time it was much worse. Concentrating was a struggle and even short periods of work exhausted me. I became easily overwhelmed and developed a constant anxiety I could not control. I also struggled to remember names in social situations and would randomly lose my train of thought. It felt like I was going mad.Initially, I put it down to stress, but after various conversations with colleagues and my doctor, I realised that I had brain fog as a result of long Covid — I had…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022BARE-FACED CHEEKPolyglamorousMonthly, 11pm-4am Chalk, 13 Pool Valley, Brighton BN1 1NJ“Have you seen the state of her body? (Mad) If I beat it I ain’t wearing a johnny…”“Wrong crowd!”The former is a rap by the Eminem-lite ArrDee on Russ Millions and Tion Wayne’s straight lad anthem ‘Body (Remix)’; the latter a gender-queer dresser’s screamed response when the rap makes an inexplicable cameo in an otherwise flawless selection of edgy pop, dance and RnB at Polyglamorous, a joyously inclusive, utterly riotous, monthly club night in Brighton.One other quick sour note before we get to effusive praise: when going through security at glossy, new-ish venue Chalk, we are less than impressed to have our ID scanned and stored. (When asked how long it will be held for, one door staff member replies: “I don’t…4 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022THEATREMY FAIR LADYRadical reinventions of classic musicals are all the rage these days, sometimes to great effect, other times to the detriment of the original. Thank goodness, then, for Bartlett Sher’s revival of My Fair Lady, which —a couple of clever tweaks aside — is a traditional retelling that serves up good old-fashioned musical theatre splendour on a huge canvas.First staged at Lincoln Center in New York in 2018 with Six Feet Under’s Lauren Ambrose surprisingly good as co*ckney flower girl turned fit-for-society lady Eliza Doolittle, the production now stars Amara Okereke (Les Miserables, Spring Awakening) in her first lead role. It’s a star-making turn. Her comic timing is peerless, her yearning poignant, and when she sings ‘Wouldn’t it Be Loverly’ or ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ she lights…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022BEAUTYLOVE YOUR FACENew on the self-care scene is a beauty device that has been hyped by many on social media. The TheraFace PRO is full of benefits: it works to reduce tension, relax facial muscles and can even help in reducing migraines, headaches and jaw pain. Relaxation is at the forefront for this new beauty regime, and it takes its cue from Therabody’s previous best-selling device, the Theragun. As well as instant relaxation, the TheraFace offers microcurrent therapy which firms and tightens the skin, improving muscle tone and contour in the face and neck. Other modes include light therapy with LED red and blue light settings which focus on reducing wrinkles and acne.therabody.comREVIEWBILLI CURRIEJust a stone’s throw from London’s Baker Street station is Billi Currie, the contemporary salon named after…6 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Celebrating LGBTQ+ trailblazers with our annual Pride AwardsIt’s been three years since we last gathered in a physical space to salute some of the many outstanding LGBTQ+ everyday heroes with the Attitude Pride Awards, this year — and for the first time — held in association with our friends at Magnum.It’s certainly not news to say that the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the need to recognise and uplift the everyday heroes in communities up and down the nation, from the NHS to care home workers, who made us realise that we don’t need to look to Marvel for inspirational superheroes. For too long, some of these people had perhaps not been as widely appreciated and celebrated as they deserved.This is the sweet spot that the Pride Awards has lived in since Attitude launched it in 2016. And it’s…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022SHOW. ME. THE RECEIPTS.⨯ 2002 The then-Federal Deputy for the Christian Democratic Party (he served in the position from 1991-2018) paradoxically tells Folha de São Paulo newspaper: “I won’t fight against it nor discriminate, but if I see two men kissing each other on the street, I’ll beat them up.”⨯ 2019 On his first day in office, Bolsonaro signs an executive order removing the concerns of LGBTQ+s from consideration by the new human rights ministry.⨯ 2020 The proud vaccine sceptic reportedly taunts members of his staff for wearing masks to protect against Covid-19, calling them “fairies”. More than 670,000 Brazilians have died of coronavirus to date.⨯ 2010 Continuing his penchant for eye-wateringly hom*ophobic public statements, Bolsonaro says in an interview on Participação Popular, TV Câmara: “I would be incapable of loving a hom*osexual…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022TEA TIMETrixie MattelDo you get tired of being called Tracy Martel?I don’t get tired of that. My fans have a familiarity with me that’s a little jarring. They’ll come up and be like, “Hi, you fat, bald f****t.” I’m like, “Hello, girl I don’t know.”What do people say most often when they meet you?They’re just excited. Everybody’s so nice. I look like, you know… I don’t know what I look like, but I don’t look good. They see a paperwhite person with a bald head walk by. They think I’m Moby.What would a film of your life be called and who would it star?I really don’t know. Who’s that guy? Oh God, I don’t know anybody’s names. Who would play me, though? Somebody really ugly.You’ve started a cult. What’s it about?We watch…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022CARSAlfa Romeo TonaleThere was a time when you knew from the get-go what a brand stood for, whether it was luxury goods, fizzy drinks, high fashion or even cars. But between what strategists call ‘vertical integration’ and marketeers call ‘collaboration’, it’s no stretch today to find a Dior Vespa, Coca-Cola on a £300 designer shirt, Versace jockstraps (amen) and — case in point — one of the most famous Italian sports car insignia on a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).None of that, if it’s done well, is a bad thing. I like the idea of a designer scooter for whizzing from the St Tropez harbourside restaurant to the yacht moored nearby. co*ke is an iconic soft drink logo, what’s not to like about posh backless pants and, if Mums and Dads can justify…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE“I’m in the phone booth, it’s the one across the hall! If you don’t answer, I’ll just ring it off the wall!” Debbie Harry’s deliciously pissed-off vocal on Blondie’s 1978 top-five UK hit ‘Hanging on the Telephone’ replays in my mind as I dial the New York number provided for me at our scheduled interview time and discover that the line is engaged. (So too their 1980 number one, ‘Call Me’.)Not that I’m angry — just nervous. After years of Zoom chats, I’d forgotten how stressful and impersonal phone calls can be. Am I being stood up? If I get through, will we click? What if she hangs up on me? When a symbol of cool like this decides you’re lame, there’s no getting over it…Then, on my third attempt,…9 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Dear Attitude readers,We’re delighted to partner Attitude in bringing you the Attitude Pride Awards 2022. Being the headline sponsor for this year’s awards is made even more special as we can finally celebrate the most amazing everyday LGBTQ+ heroes in person.In a year that has brought yet more challenges and hardship for the LGBTQ+ community globally, never has it been more important to honour the passionate and inspiring people who go out of their way to make an extraordinary difference by battling to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community is seen and that their rights are both fought for and protected.At Magnum, we believe a day without pleasure is a day lost, and that everyone should be able to pursue what brings them joy. That’s why, as a brand, we are working towards…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022The power of loveMy first introduction to David Stuart came through a mutual friend, Meredith O’Shaughnessy. It was the early 00s and Meredith and I ended up back at David’s flat in Covent Garden after a night out. I couldn’t tell you where we had been, other than it had no doubt been a wild one. “His flat was the centre of the universe,” Meredith says of a hedonistic period firmly in the past. “We thought we were eternal.”In a previous life, prior to getting sober and becoming one of the world’s most prominent champions highlighting addiction within the queer community, David ran an agency for sex workers before becoming ‘the most glamorous dealer in London’. But the seductive shimmer would soon fade to grey. “As the years progressed, the scene changed and…6 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Flying the flagBlack Pride Netherlands grew out of protest and partying, Naomie Pieter, one of its founders, tells me as we chat on the phone early one weekday morning. Pieter is on the way to another interview promoting the event, and had a late interview the night before.The first Black Pride Netherlands took place in 2020, but Pieter had been involved in activism for years before that. “I’m Black and queer. I exist, we exist,” she says, before adding, “I don’t know if you’re the kind of person I need to say this to.”In 2018, they co-founded a group called Black Queer and Trans Resistance, in response to a local Black queer man being beaten up. The collective began to organise anti-violence marches and demonstrations, but Pieter found herself asking: ‘What comes…5 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Against all oddsTerrence “Terry” Higgins died on 4 July 1982. He was one of the first people in the UK to die from an Aids-related illness. But his death ignited the flame that became the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), which has spearheaded advances in the care and treatment of people living with HIV. Those last three words being the most important — people with HIV can live as long as someone who doesn’t have it, thanks to work of the Trust (and others). In an acknowledgement of this, its founders, Dr Rupert Whitaker (pictured opposite) and Martyn Butler, were recently awarded an OBE each for their services to charity and public health.Naturally, the Trust’s story begins with the man in whose memory it was founded. Butler, 68, met Higgins, a fellow Welshman,…5 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Craig HassallThe magic of the performing arts, whether it be theatre, music, ballet, or opera, is that they can convey us to a far-away world full of wonder. For Craig Hassall, chasing that passion has brought him from Sydney, Australia, to the UK, where he’s now the ultimate man behind the curtain at the Royal Albert Hall. Here, he talks to Attitude about where his love of the theatre began, whether he thinks the arts are open to everyone and his plans to modernise the Royal Albert Hall.Where did your passion for the arts come from?I’m from a farming background, but I had an amazing scholarship to a wonderful school in Sydney. But the arts weren’t on the curriculum; it was very sporty. I had two really enthusiastic teachers; one taught…7 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Just the TICKETTIME TRAVELFor those who like to be transported by words, Queer Beyond London is a fascinating look back at what life was like outside the capital for the LGBTQ+ community from the 60s to the 00s. Expert LGBTQ+ historians Matt Cook and Alison Oram focus on the compelling queer stories of four cities, putting the spotlight on Brighton, Leeds, Manchester and Plymouth. You won’t find any recommendations for bars or restaurants, but this book will enrich your next trip to any of these cities and make you appreciate the experiences, both difficult and joyful, of those who paved the way for the rest of us.manchesteruniversitypress.co.ukSTEPPING THROUGH THE SEASONSCreated by chef Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire combines the flair of a French country home with the pure opulence…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022ISLAND ESCAPEThe only way to reach the idyllic Greek island of Symi in the Dodecanese is by sea, and as the ferry rounds the cliffs, you get your first glimpse of the port across the deep, sapphire waters. Rows of traditional stone mansions painted in indigo, ochre, terracotta, pink and lemon are stacked one on top of the other, climbing the side of the mountain and separated from the sea by a line of sleek yachts and traditional fishing boats. It’s almost too perfect to be real, but picturesque scenes are around every corner on this gorgeous island.Unlike Rhodes, its larger, livelier neighbour, Symi is small and quietly sophisticated. Yialos, the lower part of Symi town, has a cosmopolitan feel with pretty boutiques, cafes, tavernas and bars. To appreciate Symi from…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022HEALTH NEWSBBQ know-howWhile the sun continues to shine, many of us will fire up our barbecues for some alfresco entertaining. Have fun, but don’t forget to follow some simple rules — aka the four C’s of food hygiene:Cleaning Keep food preparation areas clean and hygienic;Cooling Store food you plan to barbecue in the refrigerator at the correct temperature;Cross-contamination Remember to keep raw and cooked foods separate and to wash your hands in between handling them, so that you don’t transfer any nasties. Also, don’t wash your chicken before cooking as this increases the risk of spreading nasty germs around. There’s also no need — cooking it will kill off any bugs!Cooking Make sure meat is cooked all the way through.Don’t forget the SPFAs well as ageing your skin, increased exposure to…1 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022JUKEBOX“Relax, don’t do it/When you want to sock it to it…”Chances are you’ve heard at least one of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s three number one singles — ‘Relax’, ‘Two Tribes’ and ‘The Power of Love’. The latter tied the group with fellow Liverpudlians Gerry and the Pacemakers as the second act in UK chart history to reach the top spot with their first three singles. They were later dethroned by the Spice Girls.The album that followed, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, also hit number one in late 1984. The ambitious debut dealt with love, sex and war and is by no means a breezy listen; 16 songs in length, it drew criticism upon release for its lack of original material — Bruce Springsteen and The Temptations were among the artists covered.…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Laughs, thrills and blood spills as teen party turns meanBodies Bodies BodiesAmandla Stenberg, Pete Davidson, Maria Bakalova“A Gen-Z Agatha Christie whodunnit” is a pitch that will either intrigue or make you want to head for the door. If you’re in the former camp, Dutch director Halina Reijn’s lascivious, neon-hued romp will deliver all the winking, tricked-out, TikTok-era fun you’re hoping for. If you’re in the latter tribe, don’t leave just yet: there’s a sharper, snarlier strain of satire here than you might be expecting.A gaggle of mostly wealthy, queer, hyperonline twenty-somethings are holed up in a vast McMansion during an epic overnight storm that shuts down the electricity and plays havoc with everyone’s nerves. Then the film ramps up the tension as one member of the party is found dead, followed by another. But the real fun is in…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Words of wisdom for trans peopleNone of the Above: Reflections on Life Beyond the BinaryTravis Alabanza/Canongate BooksThe mainstream media is riddled with anti-trans fearmongering. The messaging ranges from accusations of a direct, sinister threat to children and the integrity of society generally, to the eye-rolling dismissal of pronoun choice as an act of woke self-indulgence. Whatever the narrative may be, it directly impacts upon the mental and emotional health of our communities and their actual physical safety in the street. So how can trans and non-binary people respond to this wave of enmity? They can speak their truth on their own terms. They can query and challenge the narrative around gender, trans and non-binary identity. In this incredibly intelligent, revealing and nuanced memoir, Travis Alabanza interrogates seven phrases people have directed at them about their…3 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022FROM THE ARCHIVE“I’ve been able to use being gay as a gimmick,” Rupert Everett told Attitude in 1999, as the then 39-year-old’s career peaked off the back of 1997’s My Best Friend’s Wedding. (The fabulous disaster that was costarring with Madonna in 2000’s The Next Best Thing was just around the corner, of course.) “Luckily, I’ve also overcome the challenge of playing straight roles,” added a chipper Rupe; his luck soon ran out, however, with the star later opining that coming out harmed his career. “There’s only a certain amount of mileage you can make, as a young pretender, as a leading man, as a hom*osexual,” he told The Daily Telegraph in 2014. No matter: in 2018, he self-actualised a Rupe-aissance by writing, directing and starring in Oscar Wilde biopic The Happy…1 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022JAMES BARRI usually say no to journalists looking for someone to debate trans rights, pronouns or gender-neutral penguins. You can’t win a debate with an illogical person and there’s no point feeding the monster. But my mental health’s a bit sh*t, so I thought, ‘f*ck it’ and in a moment of red-flag fa*ggotry, rescheduled my Monday evening therapy session and agreed to appear on Piers Morgan Uncensored in a debate about pronoun badges.I won’t get into the topic here; it’s obvious that using pronouns and making people feel accepted literally saves lives. I told Piers that, I also told him I was bored, and that “three cis-lads” discussing people who aren’t in the room is completely absurd.Ultimately, I think I won, but since the programme I’ve had emails from people identifying…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022FOURSIGHTThe big revealNic Crosara (they/them) journalistI vividly remember being on a crowded but quiet bus late at night with my (very drunk) friend. I’d already been out to the people in my life for a year, but as she started commenting on my transness at the top of her voice, the only thing louder on the bus was my fear. My eyes darted around as I tried to gauge the reactions of those around us: would any of these strangers attack me before — or after — we got off?My friend didn’t do this with malice in her heart. Her white, cishet privilege — and intoxication — meant the thought that she could be putting me in danger didn’t even cross her mind. A lot of these types of scenarios stem from…4 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022RETURN TO SECTION 28IS LGBTQ-INCLUSIVE EDUCATION UNDER THREAT?“Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught they have an inalienable right to be gay… all of these children are being cheated out of a sound start in life. Yes, cheated!” So said then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at the 1987 Conservative Party Conference, before shepherding in Section 28 laws banning the “promotion of hom*osexuality” and “acceptability of hom*osexuality as a pretended family relationship” by local authorities, asphyxiating talk of LGBTQ+ issues in schools for 15 years. The legislation inspired the formation of UK LGBT equality charity Stonewall by such luminaries as Sir Ian McKellen, Michael Cashman and Lisa Power.Thatcher’s remarks stand in contrast to those of my humanities teacher, a Miss Honey from Matilda-esque vision of niceness, who I came out to…20 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Kissing for freedomFor today’s gay community, Pride is an annual fixture, a reminder of how previous generations battled for our rights and how we must not only continue to defend them today but also fight for inequality around the globe. Its roots were planted in the UK 50 years ago on 1 July 1972, when the world’s first gay rights march to use the name ‘Pride’ took place in London. It was organised by the Gay Liberation Front (GLF).A UK off shoot of the first GLF that was formed in America, this small group was founded in London in 1970. At that time, despite the partial decriminalisation of hom*osexuality in the UK in 1967, two males kissing in public still risked arrest. Although the GLF was determined to challenge such hom*ophobia head-on,…6 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022A place to call home“Last year, 80 per cent of the members of our Men’s Support Group were granted asylum and are now able to rebuild their lives here in the UK!” enthuses Leila Zadeh (pictured opposite), executive director of Rainbow Migration, an organisation which helps LGBTQs navigate this country’s infamously punishing asylum and immigration system. She adds: “That’s a huge achievement given the challenges and personal struggles they face.”Zadeh and her team have helped thousands of refugees over the years. Their services include free and confidential advice on asylum claims, plus connecting people with lawyers, charities and housing providers — and the benefits they’re entitled to.“We also meet with Parliamentarians or civil servants to improve policies and the way they work with LGBTQs seeking asylum,” explains Zadeh. Recent achievements include getting the government…4 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022A helping hand“It was late 2016, over the“ Christmas period when I was diagnosed,” remembers Stewart O’Callaghan, founder and director of cancer support and advocacy charity Live Through This (LTT), of when they were told they have chronic myeloid leukaemia. “I was living in Germany at the time. I was a tattoo artist. It was a very different life.”O’Callaghan was just 29 at the time. “I have an incurable type of cancer; quite a rare cancer to get this young,” they explain of the disease, which is more common in adults aged 60-65. O’Callaghan came back to England for treatment, “naively hoping that I would get the support I was looking for”. They didn’t immediately find it.“Queer culture is my culture — I wanted to be able to be a queer person…5 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Elle of a girl“I first saw the casting call for Elle“ on Instagram,” says Yasmin Finney of the brilliantly Gen Z story of how she joined the hit TV show of 2022, Heartstopper. “It was an international search; the first time I’d seen a trans open casting call — especially for a POC person. I was like: ‘Wow, I need to go for this.’ I did, and it’s been an amazing roller coaster…”Social media played a key role in 18-year-old Yasmin’s rise pre-Heartstopper, too: she’d already amassed a sizeable TikTok following as a schoolgirl, going on to study performing arts at Manchester College. “I’ve always been camp, flamboyant,” she says. “I’ve always had this energy that’s made for the stage.”Growing up in Manchester wasn’t always easy, however. “I would get bullied because I…5 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022Pride in the WorkplaceEverybody’s welcomeFirms are now starting to recognise the importance of creating an inclusive workplace. Every employer needs to make proactive efforts to welcome and support all members of their team — including those from the LGBTQ+ community — on an equal footing. A positive environment results in a workforce that is happier and more motivated, which can only benefit the business.Protected by lawThe Equality Act 2010 protects someone from discrimination and victimisation because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation. It states that employees should not be treated less favourably, harassed, or victimised because they are/or are perceived to be LGBTQ+. Although the law exists to address discrimination, prevention is of course preferable and to make moves towards this, businesses need to establish a supportive culture for all their staff…2 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022ENTENTE CORDIALEIt was Robert Louis Stevenson — the Scottish novelist and travel writer best known for Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde — who famously said “I travel not to arrive, but for travel’s sake,” and it’s about an hour into the billiard table-smooth French autoroute from Calais that the penny (or euro cent) drops. For though I’ve had the most absorbing day in an English vineyard, and am en route to its French equivalent, it’s the bit in the middle I’m enjoying at least as much.I’m driving a (very) French car, DS Automobiles’ new DS 4, which has been built to encapsulate the design aesthetic of a Parisian fashion brand. From my leather-trimmed, air-conditioned perch I can see fields of bright yellow sunflowers punctuated…13 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022THE LIFE OF PABLOA sculpted physique, a handsome face and delightfully charming, Pablo Hernandez is the complete package. Not only that, but he turned up to his Attitude shoot with cakes for the whole office. Consider us won over.A model and OnlyFans creator, Hernandez’s work has been described as “effortless” — as you’re about to see for yourselves. However, and perhaps surprisingly, it’s not a line of work he’d recommend to anyone. Here, he talks about accidentally getting into modelling, why he started an OnlyFans account and how he looks after his mental and physical health.What got you into modelling in the first place?It was sheer chance. After I was on a TV show called Tabatha’s Salon Takeover (I was a business owner at 21), people thought I was an actor or model.…9 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022CALLING THE TUNEI moved to London about eight years ago to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter, which is still in motion. I’ve worked mainly in queer hospitality jobs. I never expected a music career to happen overnight, especially considering I started transitioning not long after I moved here and that took over.Everything I write about in my songs is based on what I’ve lived through. I have a lot of unreleased music (which isn’t just about penis), about growing up, my identity and comforting my inner child. It’s just a lot more difficult to publish that kind of material.I was surprised that I found it difficult to compose while recovering from my SRS (sex reassignment surgery) in May. I had literally just got everything that I had ever wanted and then…7 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022B SIDESB-side: ‘Say the Word (I’ll Be There)’A meeting point between her lovably tacky 80s oeuvre and the more sophisticated output that followed, here, Kylie’s swooning, va-va voom vocals glide like syrup over rudimentary keyboard and percussion that’s dangerously close to the EastEnders theme tune. So 90s, it hurts.B-side: ‘Paper Dolls’If Smooth Radio ever want to refresh the same seven songs they’re forever repeating, this acoustic guitar-led ‘Indie Kylie’ echo is the epitome of easy listening.Album track: ‘Your Disco Needs You’The power top of disco anthems, Kylie’s campest moment was never a UK single, preceding as it did the achingly cool Fever era by a mere eight months. Come for the operatic bombast, stay for the joyously bizarre lyrics about Scrabble.Rozalla cover: ‘Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)’Her coquettish ‘Santa Baby’ reigns…1 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022QUEER CLASSICOrlandoTilda Swinton, Quentin Crisp, Jimmy SomervilleBritish cinema was perhaps never more flagrantly queer than Sally Potter’s delicious adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s novel about a passionate poet who lives through four centuries of British history, changing gender along the way. From Tilda Swinton’s limber, brazenly non-binary turn in the lead to Quentin Crisp’s imperious drag as Elizabeth I, it’s a film with gleeful disregard for the boundaries of identity, sexuality and historical storytelling. Way ahead of its time in 1993, it’s the kind of transgender story we could use more of in 2022.…1 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022QUEER CLASSICThe Front RunnerPatricia Nell Warren/Wildcat Press. First published 1974With 10 million copies sold across multiple languages, The Front Runner is one of the most popular and commercially successful gay classics of all time. First published in 1974, the setting of this simmering gay love story is the competitive world of long-distance running. It’s 1975 and Harlan Brown is a tough, somewhat tortured ex-Marine college track coach on the cusp of turning 40. Now teaching at a low-ranking liberal New York college, Harlan is trying his best to put the past behind him after being falsely accused of inappropriate behaviour. Back doing what he loves best, teaching track, Harlan is happy enough, but lonely. Cue Billy Sive, a brilliant 22-year-old runner. He and his two running mates have just been thrown…1 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022CRUSHPack it up, pack it inDsquared2 have always loved getting rough and ready in the great outdoors, so their collaboration with Italian bag brand Invicta is a natural fit. Focused on the accessories specialists’ classic designs, the range’s new styles include the Jolly and the Monviso (pictured). Not only does it look good with its combined logo and bold splashes of colour, but it’s practical, too. Whether you’re heading off on a hike or a long-haul flight, there are plenty of pockets for your essentials, padded shoulder straps add comfort, and a coulisse closure with technical tubular cord keeps everything secure. Rounding out the striking collection are baseball caps and gaiters designed with the vibrant elements that are central to the Canadian label. We’re ready for the climb, as one…1 min

Attitude Magazine|September/October 2022BLUSH Make it pinkSTOCKISTSA Alexander McQueen alexandermcqueen.comArakhne arakhne.co.ukB Balmain balmain.comBed Head at Feelunique feelunique.comBeyond Retro beyondretro.comBleach London bleachlondon.comC Carlota Barrera carlotabarrera.comChristian Louboutin christianlouboutin.comD Dsquared2 dsquared2.comH Hatton Labs hattonlabs.comJ Juana Martín juanamartin.esK K18 k18hair.co.ukKurt Geiger kurtgeiger.comL Lanvin lanvin.comL’Oréal Men Expert at LookFantastic lookfantastic.comM Mia Coco Chambers@miacocochambersMoschino moschino.comOuidad at LookFantastic lookfantastic.comP Patrick McDowell patrickmcdowell.co.ukPomellato pomellato.comPrada prada.comR Rufskin rufskin.comS SACHAJUAN at Browns brownsfashion.comT Tasaki tasaki.co.ukTherabody therabody.comV Valentino valentino.comVitaly vitalydesign.com…1 min

Table of contents for September/October 2022 in Attitude Magazine (2024)

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