Table of contents for June 2016 in Attitude Magazine

I was interested to hear President Obama say, during his recent UK visit, that David Cameron was “ahead of the curve on LGBT issues”. I thought that strange, considering that prior to Cameron’s tenure, Labour had pushed through all the pro-LGBT laws (equal age of consent, the scrapping of Section 28, the reversing of the Armed Forces ban, bringing in adoption, the Equality Act, the Gender Recognition Act), with the majority of Tory MPs opposing each one of those at every opportunity. I presume Obama was referring to Cameron’s support for gay marriage — even then with a slim majority of his Tory MPs (including his equalities minister) voting against it. When Cameron came to power, none of us — not even Stonewall — were asking for marriage. But realising…

“WHEN GAY IS STILL USED AS A PLAYGROUND SLUR AND SHORTHAND FOR ANYTHING SHIT, THERE IS STILL WORK TO BE DONE” Is everybody a bit gay these days? Sacha Baron Cohen seems to think so. He recently claimed to be 23 per cent homo because he once played one in a film. Robbie Williams famously pegged himself at 49 per cent, based on his love of musical theatre, and even Olly Murs reckons he’s 20 per cent (although I fear he may have confused “gay” with “potato”). Kristen Stewart, Miley, Cara… They’ve all rejected labels of straight or gay, instead occupying the grey space in-between. And it’s not just celebrities either. A headline-grabbing study last year found that 49 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds wouldn’t describe themselves…

JAMES DEAN: TOMORROW NEVER COMES DARWIN PORTER AND DANFORTH PRINCE/ BLOOD MOON A salacious, utterly unauthorised biography of the icon of rebellious youth, which contains countless scandalous claims never previously published. From being discovered while working as a parking attendant and hustler on the streets of LA, through to his meteoritic rise to stardom via Hollywood’s casting couch, it might be quicker to list those celebrities with whom this book doesn’t claim the rampantly bisexual Dean slept. Just a few that it does mention are: Marilyn Monroe, Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen, Joan Crawford, Montgomery Clift, Tennessee Williams, Tallulah Bankhead and FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover.…

I hate politics. It bores the shit out of me. Sadly, it’s one of those necessary evils, though. Like exfoliating and moisturising your legs, the process is tedious but the results are important. No one is forcing you to play an active part in politics but if you want to live in a better society, one in which your needs and values are reflected, you may want to at least look at the boring business of how our country is run. Then you can get back to polishing those pins. So, what exactly do trans people need from the government? Well, I’d like a large apartment in Covent Garden, a live-in hairdresser (gay, natch) and that kimono I’ve had my eye on at Agent Provocateur. Seriously though, there are many…

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“IF I go into the men’s room, no one is going to try and stop me,” says Laith Ashley when I ask him about North Carolina’s recent transphobic toilet laws. Why would they? The trailblazing trans model has what’s known as passing privilege so he’s perceived as male despite being born with female genitalia. He also has bags of “beauty privilege”, as you can see for yourself in his gorgeous photo shoot for us. Laith is the first transgender man to grace the cover of Attitude in our 22-year history. He’s breaking boundaries and looking good in the process. But while he went down a storm at New York Fashion Week in February, he still struggles for acceptance, as many of us do. “My father’s side of the family have…

Yellow Fever YELLOW FEVER IS A VIRAL INFECTION TRANSMITTED BY MOSQUITOES. IT’S PRESENT IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES BUT NOT IN THE UK. IT CAN BE A VERY SERIOUS CONDITION RESULTING IN LIVER FAILURE AND EVEN DEATH. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE A FEVER, NAUSEA, VOMITING, MUSCLE PAIN A LOSS OF APPETITE. WHILE THESE SYMPTOMS WILL USUALLY PASS AFTER THREE DAYS, RESULTING IN A FULL RECOVERY, SOME PEOPLE GO ON TO DEVELOP MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THANKFULLY, WE HAVE A VACCINE AND IT IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR ENTRY IN SOME COUNTRIES. THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOU TRAVEL FOR YOUR VACCINATIONS CERTIFICATE TO BE VALID. YOU WILL NEED TO REPEAT THEM EVERY 10 YEARS. IT IS IMPORTANT IF YOU ARE PLANNING A HOLIDAY TO ANYWHERE EXOTIC, TO LOOK AT THE…

1 IF ANY COMPANIES ARE HASSLING YOU, TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY. THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SET UP A REPAYMENT PLAN FOR YOU. 2 DO SOME FINANCIAL PLANNING — TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR INCOME AND OUTGOINGS AND SET YOURSELF A BUDGET. 3 LET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING — THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP. 4 IF THINGS ARE SO OUT OF CONTROL THAT IT’S AFFECTING YOUR HEALTH, SPEAK TO A PROFESSIONAL SUCH AS A COUNSELLOR OR YOUR DOCTOR. 5 SOME PEOPLE EVEN BECOME “ADDICTED” TO BEING IN DEBT. IT MIGHT BE WORTH CHECKING OUT DEBTORS ANONYMOUS.ORG.UK…

SUNSET BEACH ALONG WITH THE WEAKEST LINK, SM:TV Live and ill-advised tea-time Twin Peaks wannabe, Night & Day, few TV experiences say you were a student in the late Nineties more than US soap opera Sunset Beach, which aired on Channel 5. Helping the Spice Girls launch the channel in 1997, Sunset Beach was mogul Aaron Spelling’s — he of Beverly Hills 90210 and Charlie’s Angels fame — attempt to break into the daytime market. Very much in the vein of Dynasty, another of his runaway successes, Sunset Beach chronicled the increasingly batshit lives of the rich and drunk of a coastal Californian town. A certified flop in the US, the soap hovered on the cancellation bubble for its three-year lifespan but quickly achieved cult status in the UK, where…

LEE BAXTER Manchester-based photographer and designer Lee's subject matter can be classified into three areas; people, places and performance. As a participant in the nightclub scene in the 1990s he didn’t want to pass up the chance to shoot the people around him, particularly those on the alternative scenes. His work has appeared in The New York Times and The Guardian FRANCISCO GÓMEZ DE VILLABOA Fashion and art photographer Francisco has spent his life chasing dreams. He has worked in documentary, fashion, media, art and education during his career. He has a love of photography and collaborating with people around the world who are equally passionate about what they do PARIS LEES Attitude’s editor at large Paris Lees is a presenter, writer and one of Britain’s leading equality campaigners. In…

BEVERLEY KNIGHT SOULSVILLE/EAST WEST RECORDS Beverley Knight has been quietly ruling as the queen of UK soul for longer than younger readers will appreciate, perhaps knowing her only from recent roles in theatreland’s West End with The Bodyguard and Memphis. But her early hits, ‘Flavour of the Old School’, ‘Made It Back 99’ and ‘Get Up!’, were the sound of UK R’n’B long before America was ready to appreciate British black urban artists. Ms Knight’s recent musical output has seen her shift gears, recording Music City Soul in Nashville Tennessee, while Soul UK featured classic British soul covers. For Soulsville she jetted off to Memphis to create an album blending new songs with some of the city’s classic hits, inviting Jamie Callum and Jools Holland along for the ride. The…

Moore's Greatest Moments BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE His breakout smash sees Moore take on the National Rifle Association in the wake of the devastating 1999 Columbine school massacre. Looking at the insanity of US gun laws, he questions a bank that gives new customers a free rifle. SICKO Moore turns to the American healthcare system which some would love to have in the UK. The film begins with a man sewing up a large wound in his arm which he cannot afford to have treated in a hospital. Be afraid. FAHRENHEIT 9/11 The film that almost, but not quite, stopped George W Bush from being re-elected, questioned the Iraq War when not many people were doing so. It broke records around the world and now seems less extreme than even its…

“MY MAN CRUSH? JAMES NORTON IS SO SEXY AND, WOW, HE’S A GOOD ACTOR” Tell us a bit about your character in Agatha Raisin… I play Agatha’s sidekick Roy Silver. He’s a vivacious urbanite with a slightly acerbic sense of humour. He’s, for want of a better word, queenier in the books but I’m not sure it’s quite right for the character in the TV show. He has camp elements but his gayness is not of any particular importance to the plot. Did you study any of your gay mates to get the mannerisms down? My best friend is gay so it was sort of about watching him, but there are quite a few I may have used as a source. I’ve met a lot of men like Roy in…

HOLDING THE MAN Seek this film out. For tis the best gay-themed movie since Brokeback Mountain. If you don’t support it, fewer of them will be made in the future.SO GO SEE SHERIDAN SMITH Love ya, girl. We’ve got your back. No matter what. #4life DUSTIN LANCE BLACK Making a mini-series about the early days of the gay rights movement, called When We Rise, with Gus van Sant. They made Milk together, remember? Sounding good WANDA SYKES Love THE OLPYMPICPICPICS It’s all about the Olympics. Running. Jumping. Swimming. And stuff like that HARRY POTTER PLAY We think Dumbledore should now be running a teashop with his husband who is a florist. #ForresttheFlorist TRUMP Joking (so is he) GLOBAL REVOLUTION Oh, go on then. One lump or two. Make mine a…

THIS MONTH: THIS MONTH, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU MADE A COMEDY VIDEO IN WHICH HE DID 10 PRESS UPS AS HE CHALLENGED PRESIDENT OBAMA, PRINCE HARRY AND HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN TO A FEW ROUNDS OF THE INVICTUS GAMES. HE THEN FLEW A HELICOPTER TO A SMALL, REMOTE VILLAGE, HOVERED OVER A HOUSE, CLIMBED DOWN A ROPE AND GAVE A GAY MAN A GOODNIGHT KISS BEFORE SAVING A SWEET LITTLE CAT IN DISTRESS, KNITTING A TEA COSY FOR AN ELDERLY LADY AND TURNING THE TIDES BACK ON THE SEA. OHH INNT HE NICE?…

AGE: 56 OCCUPATION: TRAILBLAZER/DRAGARTISTE/VOLUNTEER/TROUBLESHOOTER FROM: LONDON (BORN WITHIN THE SOUND OF BOW BELLS) HOW DID YOU GET INTO DRAG? By entering a competition for a laugh after camping around at a friend’s birthday party. WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES AND DRAG HEROES? Danny La Rue, Stanley Baxter, Kenneth Williams, Adrella, Regina Fong and Lily Savage. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO PERFORM? La vie en Rose at the Windmill Theatre and Madame Jojo’s. HOW DID YOU GET YOUR NAME? Ebbonknee formerly Ebon-knee née Ebony. The additional B in my name is in memory of Regina Fong. After returning from a sell-out run in a play called The 3rd Sex at the Hong Kong Arts & Fringe Festival, I changed the spelling to Ebon-knee (because numerically it reduces to the…

For cruise-summer ’16, Dan Ward have opted for a retro urban edge for their collection. Scope is key with the brand, and they have plenty of choices for you: flat-fronted shorts, swim shorts, briefs, polos, tees and summer jackets that come in a colour palette that spans both vivid and subtle. Their prints boast the same choice, with a wealth of patterns, such as mini-graphic florals and corals, oversized petals, 3-D photographic prints and plenty of geometry and kaleidoscope-flavoured prints. They’ve also got classic, simple non-pattern options, to keep things chic and clean. “Fit is key” at Dan Ward, focusing just as much on the technical side of things as they have with the aesthetics. Danwardwear.com…

"I identified with Tim’s ‘no filter’. He was truth at all costs, anti-authoritarian and passionate about what he believes in" The vital thing about Holding the Man is that it’s a true story and a real representation of someone’s family and their memory. When you focus on that in performance, your characterisation has to become the priority. I can safely say it’s definitely the highlight so far of anything I’ve been a part of: it’s the film of which I’m most proud. I identified with Tim’s "no filter", and that was something we got not just from the book, which was our bible as we were making the film, but also family and friends. He was truth at all costs, anti-authoritarian and passionate about what he believes in and there…

How did you get into canoeing? It seems a fairly alternative choice of sport. Yeah, it is a bit of a niche sport, but my older sister was doing it and I got really jealous that she was doing something fun. I was getting dragged along anyway and got into it that way. I was five or six, but I was a nightmare; for a good two or three years all I would do was go to the pool sessions, get a boat, paddle out into the middle and just fall in and sink the boat. They used to have floats inside them, so I used to take all the floats out, sink it to the bottom of the pool, get out and watch the lifeguard have to dive in…

WHAT KIND OF MODELLING WORK DO YOU DO? IT VARIES. THE FITNESS STUFF HAS BEEN A FOCUS RECENTLY BUT I STARTED OUT DOING FILM AND LOOKALIKE WORK. IT WAS A LOT OF FUN BUT I MOVED AWAY FROM THAT A FEW YEARS AGO BECAUSE I WANTED TO STOP BEING A PRINCE HARRY LOOKALIKE AND REPRESENT MYSELF. IS YOUR MODELLING WORK PRIMARILY TO DO WITH YOUR BODY? IT HAS BEEN RECENTLY. I DID THE RED HOT CAMPAIGN AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY MORE FOCUSED ON MY HAIR SO IT CAN BE VARIED. BUT WHAT THOMAS KNIGHTS DID FOR THE GINGERS HAS DEFINITELY HELPED ME A LOT IN TERMS OF THE WORK I HAVE DONE SINCE THEN. WHAT’S AN AVERAGE WEEK LIKE IN TERMS OF KEEPING FIT? A NORMAL WEEK FOR ME IS…

“TOP GEAR ASSUMED THAT UNATTRACTIVE MEN ARE LESS UNATTRACTIVE WHEN BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A FANCY MOTOR” IF ALL THE brouhaha around the return of Top Gear had happened 20 years ago, the young me would’ve hated it. I would have dismissed the show as white, heterosexual Western maleness at its worst. The more pragmatic me —having hit middle age — is beginning to feel strangely nostalgic for both it and the men to whom Jeremy Clarkson gave good voice, good gear stick, good Stig. Top Gear is not really about cars. It is about male pride, that flailing strain of mannishness that’s been hit hard by the convoluted machinations of 21st-century life. It's about a maleness that is defined by a set of exterior symbols that once intimated roguish…

There’s a great Oscar Wilde quote which is: “Be yourself because everyone else is already taken.” If you can be yourself, you give yourself the best chance to be the best person. Leadership is about authenticity and values. Authenticity means being who you are I WAS DELIGHTED TO BECOME EXECUTIVE SPONSOR FOR THE LGBTI NETWORK BECAUSE I DO HAVE A PASSION FOR MERITOCRACY. I GREW UP IN A WORLD WHERE NOTHING WAS HANDED TO ME, I HAD TO WORK FOR EVERYTHING. I FEEL PASSIONATELY ABOUT THE THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE TREATED FAIRLY THE NOTION THAT WE COULD EVER CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OR A COMMUNITY WHERE THERE IS NO PREJUDICE IS A PIPE DREAM. WHAT WE’VE GOT TO DO IS CONFRONT IT I STUDIED PURE MATHEMATICS WHICH, IN MANY WAYS,…

Rising star, 24-year-old Michigan-born indie pop artist BØRNS brings his debut album Dopamine to London, playing the main stage at British Summer Time, in Hyde Park in July. What’s the first song you ever bought? I bought a Beatles compilation when I was a kid and listened to it non-stop. Eight Days a Week was my go-to jam. Which song reminds you of falling in love? Bang a Gong (known in the UK as Get It On) by T. Rex. Marc Bolan had a way of writing glam bluesy love songs in a primal and sensual way. Do you have a song that makes you cry? Not any particular song but I occasionally shed a tear for a sweet melancholy melody. What album changed your life? David Bowie's The Rise…

THE BOSS MELISSA MCCARTHY KRISTEN BELL PETER DINKLAGE After being jailed for her dodgy dealings, big boss Michelle Darnell (McCarthy) attempts to turn over a new leaf after her release, though not everyone is willing to forget her past. It’s a fun premise and given that Melissa McCarthy is currently one of Hollywood’s most watchable stars, this should have been, at very least, an easy watch. It’s not. McCarthy, as always, does her charismatic best, but it’s not enough to carry the weight of the clunky and, for the most part, unfunny script. Peter Dinklage as the villain just doesn’t work and much like everything else, misfires. 10 JUNE WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE VANESSA WILLIAMS KATHY BATES HAILEE STEINFELD From the Japanese filmmakers who brought us animated classics such as…

OUR YOUNG MAN EDMUND WHITE/BLOOMSBURY USA To some of his more cultured and ironic friends, Guy is known as “our young man”, a phrase the author Colette used in reference to the dying Proust. Sexy, French, ambivalent and absolutely stunning, Guy is blessed by a type of physical beauty that lays the world at his feet. Under the tutorship of his acerbic agent, Pierre-Georges, he begins modelling, conquering the late-1970s New York fashion world and becoming the darling of Fire Island. As the years pass and the hedonism of the disco era gives way to the devastation of Aids, Guy doesn’t seem to age; a sort of modern-day Dorian Grey. He is still modelling at the age of 35, deceiving the many men who find themselves infatuated with him into…

WE NOTICED HIM IN THOR (WE WISH) BUT HE HADN’T DEVELOPED INTO THE FINE SPECIMEN OF A MAN HORSE THAT HE IS NOW. FOR IT WAS THE NIGHT MANAGER IN A, “OH LOOK, THE DAILY MAIL ARE GETTING EXCITED ABOUT A MAN,” KIND OF WAY AND THEN THAT ARTY FILM WE COULDN’T BE ARSED TO SEE, WHERE HIS TWINKLING BILLIARD-LIKE BUNS BLOCKED OUT THE LIGHT OF THE SUN IN OUR HEARTS. HE MAY BE THE NEXT BOND OR HE MAY NOT, BUT NO MATTER, HE ALREADY HAS THE KEYS TO OUR HEARTS (SHUT UP — ED)…

34% of young lesbian, gay and bisexual people under the age of 26, and 48% of young trans people, have attempted suicide at least once— PACE “THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO COMMIT TO COMPULSORY, INCLUSIVE SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION FOR ALL YOUNG PEOPLE” MENTAL HEALTH Cal Strode, 25, senior media officer, Mental Health Foundation As a community, we have higher rates of anxiety, depression, substance-use disorders and suicidal behaviour than heterosexuals. For example, evidence indicates that gay men are more than twice as likely as heterosexual men to try to kill themselves. Mental health problems experienced by LGBT people have been linked to experiences of discrimination, homophobia and bullying. Internalised homophobia is also likely to play into our increased risk and some would say helps us to understand why we have…

"Here was a gay love story that was elegant and deeply political. It was flipping the bird to the establishment, using love" When I read the brief for Holding The Man, I knew it was something radical and bold, particularly for a socially backwards country such as Australia, with its roots deep in xenophobia and homophobia. It resonated so deeply for me being queer — as queer identity in Australia is seldom explored and rarely publicised. It is still taboo as is evident in our discriminatory lack of recognition of LGBTIQ Australians. Here was a gay love story that was elegant and deeply political. It was flipping the bird to the establishment, using love. I discovered John through our differences. He’s beautiful: calm and self-assured. Never arrogant. Selfless. I learned…

Q&A Our health expert Dr Christian Jessen answers your medical queries Q I’ve always had issues with anxiety, but recently I’ve been going through a particularly acute spell and have even had panic attacks. I think it’s time to get treatment but don’t know where to start. Alan, Falkirk A Anxiety is extremely common and there can be a variety of underlying causes. The best place to start would be your GP. However, it may be useful to do a little reading online because there are some self-help and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) websites which you might find useful. It’s important that your GP rules out any causes, and treatment can include various talk therapies, while there are also medications that can help. The bottom line is that help is…

Gabriel Hawkins-Pottier, 20, London, student Well, my boyfriend was doing it and a slot opened so I thought I might as well, too. I’ve been feeling more confident about the way I look recently so this is kind of a positive way of looking at that. HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6’1 14 STONE DIET I DON’T REALLY FOLLOW A DIET. I COOK FOR MYSELF AS MUCH AS I CAN AND I TRY TO EAT HEALTHILY. I COOK ALL SORTS; A LOT OF VEGETARIAN DISHES AND I’M QUITE GOOD AT CURRY GUILTY PLEASURES OH, A BIG ONE FOR ME IS CUSTARD DOUGHNUTS. I ALWAYS HAVE TO TRY TO AVOID THEM WHEN I’M GROCERY SHOPPING. I LIKE A LOT OF JELLY SWEETS, TOO, SUCH AS ROWNTREE’S RANDOMS. I’M NOT REALLY ONE FOR SUGARY DRINKS BUT…

Your life goals include hitting 10,000 followers and being retweeted by Rihanna You average one retweet per post. (And that's usually the same guy, who retweets everything.) Three retweets is considered a big, fat, resounding success You spend the entire night-bus journey home drunk-typing the most astute, hilarious comment. Your evening is ruined when nobody appreciates it You vent your fury at the latest political scandal. But nobody reacts, which you believe is an even greater scandal Hallelujah! You finally got retweeted 46 times. So you screen grab it and feel compelled to tell everyone on Facebook You lose an entire Saturday afternoon arguing about gay rights with a Republican nutjob from South Dakota. End result: you're still riled-up and they are still a narrow-minded a$&-hole. The only definite outcome…

There are still teachers out there who are reluctant to talk about homosexuality for fear of contravening Section 28 I MUST HAVE been around 12 or 13, I suppose, when I got out of bed and crept into my parents’ bedroom. “Mum, I think I’ve wet the bed,” I whispered. She got out of bed, grabbed some new sheets and ripped the old ones off the bed. She looked at me slightly quizzically and said, “Er, you haven’t wet the bed. Hasn’t your father talked to you about this?” I was totally mystified. She sat me down and explained that I’d just had a wet dream. I was, of course, mortified. My father hadn’t discussed the birds and the bees with me. Even after that experience, I’m pretty sure my…

KHAO RANG For a bird’s-eye view of the city, climb up pretty Khao Rang hill. It’s best to go during the week when the summit is relatively peaceful. PHUKET THAI HUA MUSEUM (28 Krabi Road; admission 200 Thai baht (£3.90); 9am-5pm) This flashy new museum, set in an old Sino-Portuguese home, is filled with photos and exhibits on Phuket’s history. BIG BUDDHA (www.mingmongkolphuket.com 1 Chaofa Road, 6am-7pm) High atop the Nakkerd Hills, northwest of Chalong circle, and visible from half of the island, the 45m-high Big Buddha sits grandly on Phuket’s finest viewpoint. Although it’s a bit touristy, tinkling bells and flapping flags give this space an energetic pulse. Pay your respects at the tented golden shrine, then step up to Big Buddha’s glorious plateau, where you can peer into…