Table of contents for September 2017 in Attitude Magazine

MIKE BUCKLEY, HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS Here I am at the 2016 Attitude Awards with our most Stylish Man, maths teacher and model Pietro Boselli. He looks great, but I think I’m rocking my Moss Bros dinner jacket and black tie, too (on the left, if you couldn’t tell). Getting suited and booted for our events is always a pleasure and being able to meet the likes of Pietro makes it even better LUCY TAYLOR, DESIGNER Here’s me at my most stylish, in my wedding dress in July. After four years together, Jay popped the question and 12 months of intense planning later, the big day arrived. The “aisle” was actuaIly a gravel path and all I could think about was trying not to fall flat on my face in high…

Born in Germany, but now living in LA, multi-talented musician Noah McBeth (aka NoMBe) is gearing up to release his debut album They Might’ve Even Loved Me. From piano player to producer, singer to songwriter, NoMBe certainly knows how to string a tune together and he makes music about relatable, everyday struggles — especially the ups and downs of love and desire. His unique blend of EDM, indie and soul has already won him plenty of acclaim. But given that Noah is the godson of Chaka Khan, is it any wonder he’s got talent?…

UP GREY TRACKIE BOTTOMS Especially when worn by lads in loose-fitting boxers! [Bounce, bounce, bounce]. Finally the rest of the world has noticed what we’ve known all along. MEN IN MAKE-UP We all like to feel pretty, right? P!NK A gay’s greatest ally P!NK has finally made a comeback with another pop-punk-rock smash, What About Us. Get it, girl UMBRELLAS Thank you for being there in our unexpected times of need. Damn summer and its false promises DOWN CLUTCHING PEARLS EMOJI Why is there no "clutching pearls" emoji? The biggest case of queer erasure PEOPLE WHO’VE STARTED CHRISTMAS SHOPPING What’s that about? It’s not even 22 December yet. What are you doing? ANGRY QUEENS The kind that live for venting their frustration and anger on social media. #unfriend ANTI-GAY NIGERIA…

TRUDEAUFILES The G20 summit had us swooning as Justin Trudeau and French president Emmanuel Macron reunited to discuss trade and climate change. After calling for world leaders to attend Pride events (not you, Creepo-in-Chief!), Justin went on to grace the cover of Rolling Stone, which asked Why Can’t He Be Our President? Funnily enough, we were thinking the same thing... OWAIN WYN EVANS “It won’t be raining Katyas and dogs tomorrow,” said BBC weather presenter Owain Wyn Evans in a special drag-inspired forecast uploaded to Twitter in celebration of International Drag Day. During the short bulletin, which has been retweeted more than 3,000 times, the dapper Welshman squeezed in dozens of drag references and even caught the attention of Mama Ru herself. He wouldn’t have to drag us down the…

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Netflix, 25 September Star Trek returns to TV for the first time since Enterprise ended in 2005. The crew of the Discovery includes first openly gay Trek character Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). He’s an astromycologist — don’t worry about what that means, just be grateful he’s hot — whose relationship with Dr Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) will be fully explored (although maybe not as fully as we’d like). Michelle Yeoh, above, stars as Captain Georgiou. THE TICK Amazon Prime Video, 25 August British comedian Peter Serafinowicz stars as the titular Tick in Amazon’s new Marvel/DC spoof. In a world saturated with superheroes, unassuming accountant Arthur starts to believe in a sinister conspiracy. No one believes him, except The Tick, a mysterious blue superhero who may or may…

UNA Ben Mendelsohn, Rooney Mara, Riz Ahmed, Tara Fitzgerald • Even if you’ve seen Blackbird, the two-hander play that scorched London’s West End in 2005, you might not be entirely prepared for this stark film version. As a young woman and a middle-aged factory drone revisiting a paedophilic sexual relationship, Mara and Mendelsohn go straight for the gut — to stunning and disquieting effect. 1 September 4/5 THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson • Now that Deadpool has kicked his stop-start leading-man career into top gear, Ryan Reynolds will probably want to sweep this D-grade time-waster under the carpet. Undecided over whether to be a gruesome buddy romp or a glib terrorist thriller, it settles for a racist mash-up of both. At least no amount of…

CHRISTODORA Tim Murphy/Picador An expansive multi-generational tale of Aids, activism, addiction and art in New York from the 1970s to the near future. 24 August ANGEL OF HISTORY Rabih Alameddine/Corsair This brilliant, political novel follows Yemeni-born poet Jacob as he revisits the events of his life over the course of night in the waiting room of a clinic. 31 August HIDE Matthew Griffin/Bloomsbury An award-winning novel about two men who meet and fall in love after the Second World War but are forced to keep their relationship under wraps in their southern US town. Out now All LGBT+ titles available from Gay’s the Word bookshop, 66 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AB. gaystheword.co.uk…

FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, Stockard Channing’s characterisation of Grease’s Rizzo has delighted viewers and definined the career of the now-veteran actress. To many, Olivia Newton-John’s sickly sweet Sandy wasn’t someone they could relate to, but Rizzo, with her bad-arse attitude and the bravado hiding her flaws, was someone who seemed much more grounded in reality. It’s a role that Stockard, now 73 (she was in her thirties when she played the high-school girl), hasn’t been able to escape since although she’s followed it up with award-winning performances on stage and screen. Her turn as Ouisa Kittredge in John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation on Broadway and in the West End garnered her Tony and Olivier Award nominations, while the film version secured Oscar and Golden Globe recognition. Stockard’s latest gig…

GLAD ALL OVER The founder of Gladstone, John O’Sullivan (who has a pedigree when it comes to luxury bags, having worked for Chanel and MCM), continues to expand his bag-and-accessory brand creatively. He’s put embroidery and graffiti on his bags, as well as collaborating with The Glimmer Twins and Sonia Hensler. Now, he’s taken inspiration from Taos, in New Mexico. As with all John’s designs, you can opt for a full-on flourish, or a simple little touch of detail on your travel accessories. gladstonelondon.com BAY WATCH Topman have tapped singer-songwriter James Bay for their latest collaboration. The two-time Brit-Award-winner has worked on a 13-piece capsule collection, lifting ideas from his own sketchbooks. “I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from performing live and the way I dress on tour,” said James.…

You’ve got your tent, wellies and shortest shorts all packed but is your face ready for all that singing, dancing and — hopefully — snogging? Don't worry, the experts from Lab Series are on hand with the perfect products to look after your skin and help you stand out in the field this festival season Whether it’s blazing sunshine or a washout, a wild weekend outside in the British summer can wick the moisture right out of your skin. Keep your face hydrated and looking fresh with this easy-to-use moisturiser. LS PRO LS ALL-IN-ONE FACE HYDRATING GEL, 75ML, £24RRP This gel is a quick-absorbing and lightweight moisturiser that instantly draws in and retains moisture, to help rehydrate dry complexions. It also calms and soothes the look of the skin with…

The highly anticipated Independent Leaders fall 17 collection has arrived exclusively online. The Brazilian visionaries, inspired by Ipanema beach sunsets, cocktails and dancing into sunrise has become the latest religion portrayed through a colourful, vibrant and carefully crafted set of garments. This season transcends from a fresh summer pallet with a hint of eccentric florals into the deeper Favela and Jungle vibe. The design is highly inspired by the Amazon tranquillity, Rubber trees, Giant water Lilies topped off with some crafted Winter Caipirinha’s with Acai Liqueur Exclusively for this season Independent Leaders have created the solution to those cooler after surf evenings with an eclectic range of Jersey Bomber Jackets and Sweats, all with huge personality incorporated in the design. Secondly famous to the Independent Leaders Party lifestyle is the…

“GET AHEAD OF THE GAME AND YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO STICK IT OUT” IN WITH OLD, OUT WITH THE NEW Well, summer has (almost) been and gone, and I for one am still carrying around a few gallons of Aperol. But why wait for the first of January to start those new year resolutions? That’s a time of year when you are least likely to be inspired or motivated to stick to them. Instead, give yourself a few months head start on everybody else and begin now. There are so many benefits to putting in the graft earlier on. If you start a little early, think how easy it is going to be to ensure you are in the best possible shape of your life come January. Say you are…

“THE CONDOM THING IS NOT UNUSUAL. SOME PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN AROUSAL WHEN USING THEM — THEY AREN’T THE SEXIEST OF THINGS” I’ve been with my boyfriend for 18 months, having met him at university. We’ve now graduated and have both found jobs in London. As neither of us are from London originally, he’s suggesting we move in together to save money on rent. I’ve never lived with a partner before and am scared I’ll miss having my own space. I’m also worried about taking such a big step and regretting it later, but I don’t want him to feel as if I’m having doubts about the relationship. Help! NEIL, TAUNTON • WAYNE: It’s an undeniable fact that the cost of rent in London is ridiculous. I share…

“JUST ’COS I’M ARAB DOESN’T MEAN I SHOUT ‘ALLAHU AKHBAR’ WHEN I CUM” Describe your look in five words Regal. Undignified. Inspirational. Aspirational. Desperational. What’s the worst thing you can do as a drag queen? Let a penis tucked with duct tape stop you from having sex that night. What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Check to see if any of the 50 Grindr guys I messaged the night before have replied. When they usually haven’t, I ponder the transience of human existence while crying into a coffee. What’s the last thing you do before going to sleep? Spoon my imaginary boyfriend while pretending my pillow is his warm chest. When was the last time you woke up next to a stranger? In the Berghain darkroom, in…

Regular readers of the magazine will have noticed that our two most recent cover stars, Daniel Newman and Gavan Hennigan, both shared stories that involved drug or alcohol dependency. And the same is true of our latest cover star, Steve Grand, who tells us about his history of alcoholism. It’s also true of former soldier James Wharton, who’s interviewed in this issue about his chemsex addiction. And in our A-List section, musician Andy Butler tells us that he too has battled an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and drugs. The trend I’m pointing out here is nothing new; various studies over the past 10 years have proven that gay men suffer disproportionately from addiction, and Attitude’s former editor Matthew Todd has written about this in his book Straight Jacket, which explores…

“My friends love that I was ranked higher than Duncan James in Attitude’s Top 100 Bachelors” Your new show is about how we package ourselves for consumption. Do you think this is something gay men are particularly aware of? Being raised in a heterosexual patriarchal society means that we gay men are inherently aware of how we are perceived and how to fit in, either to avoid homophobia as a child, or, in contrast, to seem desirable when an adult. Gay men are bombarded with imagery and advertising that encourages us to shape ourselves into a specific category such as bears, cubs, otters, twinks or jocks. It’s as if we shop for men, especially on dating apps where there’s just a little square window for you to sell your goods.…

“There’s a lot of guilt and shame so I took it as an opportunity to raise my hand and admit how much of a fool I am” “YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE FAITH, FAITH, FAITH.” George Michael might have been singing about getting rid of a lover rather than religious devotion, but faith is something that has always been a contentious issue for queer people. When Andy Butler was 15 he realised that faith could be challenged after watching Sinéad O’Connor rip up a picture of the Pope on TV. “I was looking at — in my mind — this lesbian woman, with a very radical look, tearing up the symbol of a patriarchal oppression in the name of God,” Andy says. “I realised I could resist. I could exist in opposition.…

“MY GUILT FLARED AT THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I COULDN’T REPAY THE DONOR WHO SAVED MY GRANDDAD’S LIFE” JUST SIX YEARS AGO, gay men faced a lifetime ban from donating blood. The reasons for this are well known; the Aids epidemic in the Eighties resulted in a wave of retaliatory policies that entrenched the view of gay sex as risky, even dangerous. Medicine and our community has thankfully moved on; we now live in the reality where HIV is not a death sentence, and ever-increasing knowledge on transmission and treatment means those with the virus can lead a full and near-normal life. HIV is now considered a manageable condition, like diabetes. However, some of the attitudes that have accompanied the struggles of the LGBT+ community over the past few decades have…

“LACHAPELLE’S VIDEO FOR MAKE MEWAS DEEMED TOO RACY. IT FEATURES MALE POLE DANCERS AND LEOPARDS. CHECK OUT CLIPS ON YOUTUBE” EVEN IF YOU DON’T KNOW HIS NAME, you absolutely know the work of photographer David LaChapelle. Britney Spears in a bra, hugging Tinky Winky? LaChapelle. Christina Aguilera’s Dirrty vide?. LaChapelle. The cover of Mariah Carey’s Rainbow? You guessed it, also LaChapelle. He even photographed Elton John for the cover of Attitude in 2001. No one has captured the artifice of celebrity as brilliantly as LaChapelle. There are few a-listers he hasn’t convinced to get naked in the name of art: Eminem, Naomi and Lil’ Kim have all done it. Madonna favoured him during her Ray of Light era and he’s a long-time collaborator of Gwen Stefani and Marilyn Manson while…

“I HAD MY TWO LITTLE DOGS, TWO LITTLE CARS AND HAD TWO LITTLE HOLIDAYS A YEAR. MY LIFE WAS PERFECT” The first time I met James Wharton was at the Attitude Awards in 2012. He was fresh-faced, excitable and fun — and he had a fascinating life story to tell. Brought up in a working-class family in Wrexham, North Wales, he joined the British Army at the age of 16, fought in the Iraq War and became the poster boy for the newly gay-friendly armed forces. He appeared on the cover of Attitude with his civil partner Thom McCaffrey to campaign for equal marriage and in 2013 published his autobiography, Out in the Army. But when he left the military that same year, his relationship began to deteriorate. The following…

The key to wearing tweed is to modernise your look, which is something Primark have knocked out of the park with their Harris Tweed collection. Rather than go for the traditional full suit (which can sometimes look stuffy), they’ve updated the tweed look with some great outwear (including bomber jackets and blazers). Harris tweed is handwoven at the Harris Tweed Mills in the outer Hebrides. It’s hand-dyed, spun and woven by the islanders in their homes and mills, just as it has been for hundreds of years, making it the perfect blend of tradition and modernising — which is just what we want from our tweed wardrobe. The collection will be in stores by October 2017. primark.co.uk…

What started your interest in health and fitness? I’ve been quite sporty since I was a kid. When I was young, and until I was about five, I was a bit of a porker — I was a fat baby, like rolls on the knees! But when I started going to primary school I got into sport. I got a scholarship to go to a secondary school that was big on sport and I used to play a lot of football and rugby. I used to box and I swam nationally. It’s always been more of a lifestyle as opposed to a hobby. I think it’s good for your body but it’s good for your mind as well — healthy body, healthy mind; I believe in that. What fires you…

#1 DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS START with a flat bench, a wide solid footing and a dumbbell in each hand. Arms straight out in front of you with your palms facing one another. LOWER both dumbbells to around 90º or further, while rotating your palms inwards to face your knees. PRESS the dumbbells back out to the start position and repeat. #2 TRX FLY PRESS UP START on your knees, with a 50º bend in the elbow, shoulders in line with hands and a good grip on the TRX handles. OPEN your arms out to the sides, keeping the slight bend in the elbow, as far as you can control, then squeeze your pecs and return to the start position. IF you find these too easy, try from a full plank…

“WHAT LONDON GAYMERS HAS TAUGHT ME IS THAT PERHAPS WE NEED TO STOP EXPECTING OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO FIT INTO CERTAIN MOULDS AND, INSTEAD, SHOULD WORK TOWARDS LETTING LGBT+ PEOPLE BE THEMSELVES” I was born in 1987 in Mexico to working-class parents. Neither of them finished primary school, which was fairly usual for the type of town they were from. We moved to Houston, Texas, when I was about three years old, with my twin, my two older brothers and an adopted younger brother. I learnt Spanish and English at school, and grew up in a neighbourhood where 95 per cent of people were from ethnic minority backgrounds. My parents did typical Hispanic immigrant manual labour: building work, gardening, cleaning hotel rooms. They instilled in me and my siblings the…

1 // Scottee lays his soul bare in Bravado, a warts-and-all account of his experience of working-class masculinity in the 1990s. With graphic accounts of violence, abuse and sex, it’s not for the faint-hearted but is an important exploration of maleness. 2 // Keep an eye out for How To Win Against History, the five-star smash hit about a 19th-century aristocratic transvestite that was one of the highlights of last year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 3 // In How to Save the World Without Really Trying, cabaret queens Bourgeois & Maurice present their latest full-length show in which they dish the dirt on our post-modern, post-gender and post-Brexit world — in inimitable fashion. homemcr.org/orbit-2017…

“WALKING HOME LATE AT NIGHT, I HAVE BUTCHED MYSELF UP TO AVOID EXPOSING MY GAYNESS" AN AVERAGE DAY in the office of a gay magazine brings all sorts of merriment. There’s the banter about pop diva comebacks: Miley's Malibu was a slow burner but we now love it, Katy Perry's was a bit "meh," Lana is divinity incarnate, while Shania got a standing ovation. Conversations can get serious, like when RuPaul’s Drag Race is discussed. And there are frequent heated debates, from the worthiness of Kesha’s new single to whether Jennifer Lopez should be taken seriously as an artist. (LOLS to that last one). Or whether the world really needs a Christmas album from Sia. (C’mon ladies, Mariah owns the festive season. Stop trying to sublet a room in her…

COCO CHANEL SAID, “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” But she also said: “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future,” so let’s just ignore the hard-nosed bitch BUT THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID for at least aiming for classy and fabulous. Just don’t try too hard or you’ll end up looking like Ivana Trump IF YOU WANT TO REALLY MAKE A STATEMENT, a sharp suit is the only way to go. So off to Savile Row with you — just don’t forget the sugar daddy IN THE EIGHTIES, suits — along with shoulder pads, silk shirts and sweaters tied around necks — were de rigeur. If your look didn’t scream investment banker with a cocaine problem, did you even exist ? PUT YOUR SUIT TO…

“THE BOOK IS A LOVE LETTER TO AN OLD NEW YORK, DECIMATED, AND A CRITIQUE OF A NEW NEW YORK, SANITISED” I AM SITTING on a Central line Tube train, on a half-an-hour journey from east to west London when I find myself blubbing uncontrollably in the carriage. I’m Northern. We’re not much for big shows of public emotion unless pissed, at a close family funeral, or both. But there was something about this particular chapter of Tom Eubanks’ Ghosts of St Vincent’s that caught me offside. I couldn’t control myself. The floodgates opened. I’d first become aware of Tom’s book via a cursory search through social media. The name St Vincent’s has always carried a particular poignancy for me. The first time I ever went to New York —…

“A BLACK MAN BOUNDS OVER. I NOTICE HIS BEAUTY; UNBUTTONED SHIRT, SKIN THE SAME AS MINE, BODY TAUGHT, FACE LIKE BAMBI. BUT IN HIS EYES SITS HATE” A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, in this column, I mused on recent experiences of homophobia I’d encountered which highlighted how far we still have to go in our fight for equality. Since then, a further incident has led me to reconsider the mindset of the perpetrators of homophobia. Early this year a friend invited me to see Frank Ocean at Lovebox. Four months later we’re standing in a field waiting for Frank to arrive. A black man bounds over. As he does, I notice his beauty. Shirt unbuttoned, skin the same as mine — only younger — body taught, face like Bambi. But…

KESHA Rainbows • When Kesha released Praying in July — her first new song in four years — it marked a fresh start for the American singer-songwriter. She’d spent years fighting her producer Dr Luke in court as #FreeKesha was transformed into a rallying cry on social media. But Kesha’s true rallying cry is this stunning album. Her voice, stripped of the digital manipulation, is stronger than ever. Her songwriting has never been better and this is as much a thank you for the support of her fans as it is a personal collection of pop hits. Out now 4/5 HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR Omnion • On fourth album Omnion, Andy Butler’s rotating music collective have taken their unique queer-trash-disco sound and created a zeitgeisty collection of tracks about faith and…

BOOK OF THE MONTH SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND James Wharton/Biteback An unflinching and vital new contribution to the on-going discussion about gay men, addictive behaviour, mental health and self-care, from James Wharton, an openly gay former soldier and author of Out in the Army. Following the breakdown of his marriage, James moved to London and became immersed in the chemsex scene. In this clear, considered and non-judgmental book, he tells of his experiences, and interviews everyone from drug dealers to sexual-health professionals about a growing gay subculture that those on the outside sensationalise and those involved in are often afraid to analyse. He goes into detail about the drugs and explores the triggers underlying use and relapse. He also looks at sexual consent, often a blurry issue for men who…

Death by Hamburger is a favourite. I like that you can find humour in his work. @magic_ treehouse Hotel LaChapelle was my Nineties’ fashion bible. @elernor_wood I love his work. They had a print of Rebirth of Venus at the V&A. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. @alice The photo of Courtney Love and Amando Lepore, Madonna in the giant hand, all his David Beckham pics... @sillyolddaniel Such a classic: the Teletubbie. @JackO_May GET INVOLVED Next month: Open the door to Giovanni’s Room , the classic queer novel by James Baldwin. Tweet your thoughts @Junodawson…

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PRZEMEK NOWAK, 37, NURSE “I try not to be naked, even in front of my husband, and I wear a vest even when having sex” { HEIGHT } 5 FT 5 IN // 168 CM { WEIGHT } 11 ST // 70 KG HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR BODY? I’m not very comfortable with my body, maybe because I had a “gym body” two years ago but lost it due to my heart condition and the medication I take. I try not to be naked, even in front of my husband, and I wear a vest even when having sex. I used to love posting topless pictures and I felt good about myself, but then I abused my body by using drugs. My arms were covered in needle marks…

“I LIKE TO THINK MY STYLE IS CATHOLIC BOY GOING TO CHURCH— WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF PLAID” MATT BROWN, 22, CARDIOTHORACIC INTENSIVE CARE NURSE, MANCHESTER What’s a day like at work? I get up around 5.15am to get to work at 6.30am, change into my scrubs and wait for my allocation of patients and handover for the day. I make a checklist of all the things I need to complete but it will change throughout the day. In intensive care, you never know what will happen from one minute to the next. You’ve always got to be vigilant and if an emergency buzzer goes, you run. What made you want to get into your profession? I always wanted to work in health care and knew my future career had…

“FROM DRAGGED-UP BAR STAFF TO TWINK-FILLED DANCEFLOORS, THE GEORGE HAD EVERYTHING AND MORE — INCLUDING A VERY NICE IRISH BOY...” JACK HALL, 18, STUDENT, PORTRUSH, CO. ANTRIM, NORTHERN IRELAND  the date was 27 June 2015. I had just finished my GCSEs and, as a special way of celebrating, my dad promised to take me to Dublin for the weekend to celebrate my first-ever Pride. Before you ask, yes my dad is probably one of the most supportive and open-minded fathers out there, and I have him to thank for helping me find my feet on the gay scene and ensuring I had one of the best nights of my life. Having travelled from my home in Portrush, Northern Ireland, we arrived in Dublin city centre around midday, grabbed lunch in…