ATTITUDE.CO.

UK
JANUARY 2015 4.45

SEX

ATLANTIS JA CK DONNELLY & STEREO KICKS BARCLAY BEALES STRIP TRAVIS MATHEWS I D I N A M E N Z E L

SEX DISASTERS MONOGAMY VS OPEN RELATIONSHIPS CAN PrEP BEAT HIV? MEL B: I WAS INTO GIRLS AT 17

THE UK'S BEST-SELLING &

AWARD-WINNING GAY MAGAZINE

THE

ISSUE

13

9 771353 187038

CHRIS MEARS GETS STEAMY WITH THE STARS OF TEAM GB

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They call us the

City of Angels
But dont let that fool you

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All Pages
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If you like your days cool and your nights hot, theres no better place to visit than
Los Angeles.
Sunny beaches, friendly people, world-class museums, endless shopping, sexy bars
and nightclubs, thrilling theme parks, trend-setting restaurants, bustling ethnic
neighborhoods, wicked comedy clubs, and more.
There is not just one gay neighborhood in this glittering metropolis of 15 million
people. You could explore a different gay enclave every day and night of the week:
Downtown, Silver Lake, Hollywood, Studio City, Venice, and, of course, West Hollywood.

Its all waiting for you.

What are you waiting for?
discoverLosAngeles.com/gayLA

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10:47 AM
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JANUARY 2015 ATTITUDE.CO.UK

68

GETTING COSY WITH

JACK DONNELLY OF
BBC ONES ATLANTIS

EDITORS
LETTER &
INBOX

42

117
ACTIVE

FEATURES

15
EDIT

THE A-LIST
CULTURE CLUB: OUTSIDE
MUSIC & FILM REVIEWS
GRATUITOUS NAKED: BARCLAY BEALES
EASTERN BOYS
JOE STONE IS ON IT
PAUL FLYNN IS OVER IT
PARIS IS BURNING
JUST KEEP SINGING
BGF: IDINA MENZEL

252_EDIT_CONTENTS#.indd 7

SEX, SEX, SEX!

EVERYTHING FROM YOUR DILEMMAS TO
YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING ANECDOTES,
WE GET INSIDE YOUR SEX LIVES
IN HIS ROOM
WRITER AND DIRECTOR TRAVIS MATHEWS
ACCOUNT OF ISOLATION AND MODERN
TECHNOLOGY OVER TIME
LETS GET PREPPED
PATRICK CASH SITS IN ON A RECENT
YOUNG PEOPLES DISCUSSION OF HIV
AND WONDERDRUG PREP IN SOHO
MEL B
THE NEVER KNOWINGLY UNDERSOLD
SPICE GIRL TALKS OPENLY ABOUT
HER SEXUALITY AND A BIG YEAR
NATT WELLER
WE CHAT TO THE BISEXUAL SON OF
ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN ROCK

JAKE LOCKHART
REAL BODIES
DR CHRISTIAN
DAN OSBORNE

91
STYLE

REPLAY HYPERFLEX
STORY: THE BETTER YOU LOOK
MOST STYLISH READER

132
CONTEXT

IAIN DALE
DATING
R U COMING OUT?
LIFE LESSONS
TRAVEL: ZURICH
TRULY MADLY DEEPLY
PROPERTY
HOW GAY? ASHLEY JENSEN

26/11/2014 16:13

Matthew Todd is away

elcome to our 2014 Sex Issue starring the

thoroughly delectable Mr Chris Mears and his
equally beautiful Team GB friends Tom Haffield,
Martin Cremin and Ieuan Lloyd. These boys make Britain
great on the international sporting stage and even better,
spend their entire working lives in tiny speedos, which has
sure as hell has brightened our winter months.
Hopefully youll agree this is one of the most delicious
celebrations of male beauty we have had in our magazine.
Its more homoerotic than Top Gun-meets-300-meets-Rocky.
And thats before we get to the gorgeous Atlantis star Jack
Donnelly or the very handsome eighth of The X Factors Stereo
Kicks Barclay Beales in their pants. And thats how we like
it! Theres more sex in this issue than you can shake a stick at:
Good sex, bad sex, sex with and without boundaries.
Hopefully there is more than just titillation but also food
for thought from director Travis Matthews, to dark new
thriller Eastern Boys and the latest news on the trials of PrEP
in both Britain and France. As weve mentioned before, PrEP
has the capacity to transform the lives of millions of HIV
negative men, but its a complicated situation fraught with
controversy. If we are to make sense of the challenges which
face us as a community, its important that we continue to
have honest conversations about sex. For all people, but
particularly LGBT folk, so much sex still takes place in the
shadows. Shame is a hard thing to live down, and many of
us especially those of us who have grown up in a religious
setting still feel the burn of that judgement.
The logical lesson of that experience, of being judged in such
a mean-spirited way is that we grow beyond that and try
our hardest not to be judgemental of other people. But as we
know, the bullied become bullies and many gay people are
among the most judgemental people out there. The painful
thing is, they are really judging themselves all over again.
Sexual repression can also have other long term impacts
there are some, who stem their continuing pain and shame
with addictive sexual behaviour. And there are others, like

one of the people who writes to Joe Kort this month who
respond by withholding sex from partners. Those people may
end up living out their sexual lives through pornography. Sex
is a-maaazing when it works but the key question is, is the
kind of sex you are having making you happy?
Also this month we delve into the controversial realm of
open relationships. Its hard to get reliable figures about
what percentage of gay couples are monogamous but I
think its safe to assume the figure is a lot lower than that
of those who are labouring under the illusion that they are
monogamous. So what is the answer? To all rush headlong
into open relationships because its not even worth trying
to be faithful? That seems unnecessarily negative. As our
feature this month shows, there are plenty of examples of
successful monogamous and open relationships. The ones
which flounder, open or closed, are the ones where there is
not an honest dialogue between both partners. That applies
to safe sex too. Surveys from the U.S. and Holland in the last
few years have shown that more than half of HIV infections
have come from main sexual partners. This is no time to be
throwing away condoms while blinded by love or lust.
Talking of honesty, this month also features the neverknowingly undersold Spice icon, Mel B. Shes the perfect
accompaniment to our Sex Issue having spoken openly about
her relationships and desires for men and women and her
choice to not be labelled. Sounds fair enough to me. Human
sexuality is a complex and thrilling subject which is unlikely
to be adequately covered in its entirety by the letters L, G, B
and T. Have a great, sexy Christmas and stay safe.

Andrew Fraser
Deputy Editor

the uks best-selling gay magazine

@attitudemag

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CONTRIBUTORS
KEVIN MCDAID
Former Attitude cover star Kevin
McDaid has made a successful move
from Noughties boybander (remember
V?) to celebrity photographer, working
his pop connections and natural
Geordie charm to put the likes of Jessie
J, Cheryl Cole and Cher Lloyd at ease
in front of the camera. For this issue he
shot Stereo Kicks chief hunk Barclay
Beales, thus passing the boyband baton
to the next generation. Aw.

RUSSELL DEAN STONE

RDS is a fresh new voice, with his first
Attitude feature in this months issue,
discussing open relationships and
monogamy. When hes not writing
features hes writing epic synth pop
songs. His cat just disappeared which
is super sad, her name was Lucy Fur
but that got changed to Pussycat she
was black. In fact, Russell only wears
black and still isnt sure if the beard
hes been growing is a good idea or not.

Editor MATTHEW TODD

[email protected]

Deputy Editor ANDREW FRASER

[email protected]

Assistant Editor CHRISTIAN GUILTENANE

Art Director DAVID GRAHAM
Designer LUCY HENDEL

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Editor at Large PARIS LEES

[email protected]

Editorial Assistant & Staff Writer BEN KELLY

Sub Editor AARON TOUMAZOU

[email protected]

[email protected]

Acting Fashion Editor JOSEPH KOCHARIAN

Fashion Assistant NICK BYAM

[email protected]

[email protected]

Acting Web Editor WILL STROUDE

[email protected]

Web Reporters SAM RIGBY & JOSH HAIGH

Books Editor WILL DAVIS
Film Editor MATT MUELLER

[email protected]
[email protected]

Senior Contributing Editors

SIMON EDGE / PAUL FLYNN / SIMON GAGE / JAMIE HAKIM / JOHANN HARI

TRAVIS MATHEWS
Travis is an award-winning
filmmaker whose films focus on gay
men and intimacy. He is best known
for I Want Your Love, and Interior.
Leather Bar, which he created with
James Franco. Promoting the latest
instalment of film series In Their
Room, he enriches this sex issue with
his thoughts on the different sexual
behaviours of gay men in capital
cities around the world.

PHILIP REAY-SMITH / TIM TEEMAN (US EDITOR EAST COAST)

Interns

MATTHEW LANGHORN, JACKSON FORSTER

ELLIOT BERRY, JAMIE SHAW

Commercial Manager
ANDY GODDARD [email protected] 020 7608 6305

Sales Account manager

JAMIE BOYLE [email protected] 020 7608 6351

Events Director ANNE-MARIE BRACKEN

Events Assistant JONATHAN GILLESPIE-SIMS

ATTITUDE MEDIA LTD

ON THE COVER

Managing Director MIKE BUCKLEY

[email protected]

Editorial Director MATTHEW TODD

Chairman JUSTIN SANDERS
Finance Director VINCE NICHOLLS
Web Development ADAM OSBORN

[email protected]

Next issue
available
to download
January 2

Subscriptions Enquiries
[email protected]

01778 392005

In shops
January 7

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Freepost, PE211, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9BR

Attitude Magazine 33

Chris wears swim briefs by HOM at figleaves.com

Martin wears swim briefs by Addicted at Bang+Strike
Tom wears swim briefs by Speedo
Ieuan wears swim briefs by WearMeUnder
Photography: Sven Arnstein
Styling: Joseph Kocharian

Pear Tree Street, London EC1V 3AG [email protected]

Copyright Attitude Media Ltd 2013 all rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be
reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. Unsolicited
contributions must be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope if they are to be returned.
We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs or for material
lost or damaged in the post. Letters submitted to Attitude or its editors are assumed to be
intended for publication in whole or in part. The mention or appearance or likeness of any
person or organisation in articles or advertising in this publication is not to be taken as
any indication of sexual, social or political orientation of such persons or organisations.
Newstrade distribution by Seymour Distribution Limited, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT.
Tel 020 7429 4000. Published by Attitude Media Ltd. Printed by Benham Goodhead Print Limited

252_EDIT_CONTRIBS#.indd 9

26/11/2014 16:15

THE UK'S BEST-SELLING &

AWARD-WINNING GAY MAGAZINE

ATTITUDE.CO.UK
DECEMBER 2014 4.45

The

PISOSUPE
WORLD AIDS DAY SPECIAL
HELP, I HAVE JUST TESTED
POSITIVE WHAT NOW?

CHERYL
NADINE'S
FULL OF S

**

T!

ANNIE LENNOX

X FACTOR'S JAKE
WALTON GETS NAKED

ALAN CUMMING

PERFUME GENIUS

VICTORIA
BECKHAM

ON THE FIGHT
AGAINST HIV
AND AIDS
12

STRIPS OFF!

NICK JONAS
GETS SEXY

251_COVER V2.indd 2

9 771353 187038

OLLY
MURS

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26/11/2014 10:42

C O N TA C T
THE MAG

T I N Y U R L . C O M / FA C E B O O K A T T I T U D E
T W I T T E R . C O M /AT T I T U D E M A G
AT T I T U D E@ AT T I T U D E . C O . U K
3 3 P E A R T R E E S T R E E T, F I N S B U R Y, L O N D O N E C 1 V 3 A G

TheHeatedDebate

A NEW SURVEY HAS REVEALED THAT WHILE A MAJORITY OF

PEOPLE SAY THEY SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS, FAR LESS ACTUALLY
APPROVE OF SEEING MEN KISS IN PUBLIC.

READERS TWEETS
@StapleGayLife
@harryhitchens great article in @AttitudeMag
a-teen this month. Hope it guides a lot of
people well!

@nickjonas
Thanks to @attitudemag for having me
on the cover!

I hate public displays of affection

in general. Gay or Straight!
DEREK, LONDON
A kiss is one thing, making out
and jamming your tongue down
somebodys throat is another, be it
hetero or homo.
RICHARD, FLORIDA

I dont get how a quick kiss or

holding hands in public is seen as
disgusting or disrespectful. Its two
people showing love and affection
for each other, and surely sharing
love is better than displays of
hatred or violence in public?
ADAM, READING
I kind of agree. Not just gay PDAs
though... ANY! Just makes me
uncomfortable when any couple
gets slurpy in front of me. Yuck!
TOM, BRIGHTON
Why dont you just ignore it if you
dont like it? If I had a boyfriend
and we were comfortable we would
kiss and hold hands in public.
Whats happening to this world?
CHRIS, CAMBRIDGE
A quick kiss, little signs of
affection; these things are adorable
no matter what combination.
When what you are doing is
borderline foreplay, then you
should probably save that for the
bar or your house.
JAY, TEXAS
The difference is that even if you
dont like to see anyone kiss in
public, straight people are unlikely
to get abuse at best or risk a beating
at worse. The social integration
of gays into a multicultural and
multifaith country is going to take
much longer than legal rights.
Evolvement will come from the
actions of some brave gay men and
women of whom, sadly I am not one.
PAUL, ROMFORD

@DaleDiddly
Catching up on some essential reading
@AttitudeMag loving the @jwaltonmusic
interview too!

I kiss and cuddle my partner in

public all the time. When I know
homophobes and people who get
offended by ridiculous stuff are
around it just makes me want to
do it more.
SAXON, MANCHESTER

@dazgale
I dont buy @AttitudeMag that often but Nick
Jonas is on the cover of the latest issue so it
would just be plain rude not to get it.

Gosh, what a dilemma! I just saw a

gay couple kiss!
PHILLIP, MELBOURNE
Get the hell over it, no one wants
to see straight people kiss in public
either, but we endure it every day
and still manage to keep our lunch
down!
THOMAS, ARIZONA

@benjamingardner
Thank you @guy_interruptd and
@AttitudeMag for an amazing and
insightful feature on HIV and testing
positive.

@robgillett
Just read the excellent interview with
@CherylOfcial in new issue of
@AttitudeMag. Cheryl: 1 - Cheryls PR: 0

Who asked for their approval?

ED, NEW YORK
I am surprised that almost
everyone is preaching against PDA
as if its some real problem and
theyre affected by it. Its gross,
Its wrong, Its disgusting
Why? Its a public display of
affection. Not a live show for your
benefit or a public execution! Its
affection. By definition the very
marriage ceremony can be viewed
as the ultimate PDA as well.
JIRI, PETERBOROUGH

THE ARCHIVE

AU G U ST 2 0 0 8 - I S S U E 1 6 9

ME AND MR. JONES

In this vintage Sex Issue, we gave you the lush Welsh
hunk Steve Jones, stripped down, and its held a
strong spot in our er, memory ever since. Also in that
issue we had pre-hipster Solange, readers getting
naked (what would a Sex Issue be without...) and
John Barrowman exploring what it means to be gay.
No better man for it.

NOMINATIONS FOR THE BEST CROSS-GENERATIONAL DIVA PAIRING OF THE MONTH

ADELE AND BETTE MIDLER:
Adele took time out from doing nothing to
enjoy fine dining and top laughs with the
Divine Miss M. Wed die to be a fly on the way.
TAYLOR SWIFT AND BARBRA STREISAND:
Babs grammed this photo of her and La Swift
and labelled it Chart toppers #iconic

12

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26/11/2014 14:49

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PHOTOGRAPHY: JOSEPH SINCLAIR

FILM TV
MUSIC
OPINION NEWS
PERFORMANCE
BOOKS BOYS

MEET BARCLAY BEALES, HOTTEST MEMBER OF STEREO KICKS

252_EDIT_OPENER_Barclay#.indd 15

PG. 30>>

26/11/2014 17:01

THE THINGS WE LOVE THIS MONTH

LIST
FASHION

WORDS: BEN KELLY

& JOSEPH KOCHARIAN

FESTIVE FASHION:
WINTER JUMPERS
Kopparberg have cosied up with Londonbased designer knitwear label Leutton Postle
this winter to create The Kopparberg, a
luxurious knitted jumper that brings to life
the warm and festive Spiced Apple cider and
is the perfect piece of clothing to embrace the
colder weather in. Available for 150 from
kopparbergleuttonpostle.bigcartel.com

EVENT

LA SOIREE
If pantos not your thing, why
not try La Soiree? Its a Cirque
du Soleil-type performance show
with men stronger than the paintstripping vodka at G-A-Y, and of
course they are all spectacularly
scantily clad.
Southbank Centre, London,
until 11 January.
TRAVEL

GAY TRAVEL EXPO

Discover the hottest gay destinations for
2015 at the Gay Star Travel Expo, taking
place at Londons Heaven nightclub. The
expo hosts tourist boards and top travel
brands ready to help you plan the best year of
your life in travel. Stick around afterwards
and enjoy a holiday themed club night!
17-18 January. Tickets are free, but book
in advance from eventbrite.co.uk.

16

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EDIT_A LIST
FASHION

BACK TO BASICS
Burton have tapped into their prestigious roots this season, using vintage
references to bring sophisticated modernity to their collection, with
inspiration from their eponymous founder Montague Burton. With a great
selection of both formal and casual wear, inspired by fashions of the 1960s
and the 90s, and there is plenty to keep you warm in the form of parkas,
quilted jackets and double breasted overcoats. Their tailoring is slim fit, sleek
and simple, for the everyday man looking to sharpen up his look.
jacket, 89; trousers, 40; roll neck, 22; monk strap shoes, 55
burton.co.uk/montagueburton

MUSIC

BETTE
MIDLER: ONE
NIGHT ONLY
Miss M will take to our screens
for her very first UK TV special,
performing all the hits, and
being interviewed by the equally
fabulous Joanna Lumley.
ITV, 15 December.

FILM

INTO THE WOODS

After nearly 20 years in the offing, Sondheims magical musical finally makes its
way to the big screen this month, and its been worth the wait. An all star cast of
Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Emily Blunt, and even Tracey Ullman play out the
story of what happened to your favourite fairytale characters after the happy ever
after. WARNING: Everyone will sing.
Released nationally on 9 January.

17

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EDIT_OPINION
COMING OUT TEXT CONVOS
Whether its between a father and a son
or two 13 year old bros, its been a right
old month for it.

GAY BULL RESCUED

A gay bull destined for the
abattoir in Ireland was
rescued by the creator of
The Simpsons: amazing.

HARRY STYLES
Says gender doesnt matter to him when
choosing a parter. #halfwaythere

S CLUB 7 COME BACK

Its all fun and games until Jo is caught
sexting Nigel Farage.

THE COMEBACK COMES BACK

Lisa Kudrows genius comedy is
the best sitcom about a reality
TV show following the
making of a sitcom about the
making of a reality TV show
about the making of a sitcom.

TAYLOR SWIFT
Basically became queen of the world this
month, on tcover of TIME and all sorts.

UP
DOWN
BAND AID 30
So the re-record is a bit shit,
lets be honest, and on top of
it people have just realised
the whole things a bit
patronising and smug.

SLAMMING BAND AID 30

I mean, they are raising money and
awareness, and what have you done for
Ebola lately? Just let it go innit.

SLAMMING IN GENERAL
Yeah, stop doing that.

WE CAN LAND ON A COMET

TRAVELLING 55,000 KM PER HOUR
But phone batteries can still barely
last the day.

QATAR
Theyre going to find creative solutions
for LGBT visitors of the 2022 World
Cup. So generous of you guys!

CLASS WARFARE
In which taking photos of houses in a
smug manner is the greatest crime.

KLASS WARFARE
Who died and made
Myleene leader of the
opposition of the opposition?

Joe
Stone
IS ON IT
twitter @Joe_Stone_

2015 WILL BE A YEAR OF NOT REPEATING THE MISTAKES I MADE IN 2014

Im old enough and bitter enough
to know that New Years resolutions
dont work. 2015 probably wont be
the year that I give up mainlining
family bags of Minstrels in front
of old episodes of Drag Race when
I should be working. Its unlikely
that this will be the year when I
stop pretending Ive bothered to see
the awful films of actors Im sent
to interview, when actually I just
watched the trailer and read the
plot summary on Wikipedia (sorry
guys). If Im honest, I probably wont
desist checking the internet history
of any computer which I am left
alone with for more than 40 seconds.
By managing my expectations of
what I can hope to achieve next
year, I can minimise the degree of
self-loathing usually associated
with any (failed) attempt at selfimprovement. But hey, Im not a total
pessimist. Instead of attempting
any fundamental overhaul of my
character, Ive instead decided to
set myself the smaller target of not
repeating any of the same mistakes
that I made last year. In 2015, I
hereby pledge not to:
Be sick on my boyfriends mum
Ingratiating yourself to your
partners family can be tricky, so
take some advice from someone
who learned the hard way dont
vomit on them. The time I recently
vommed on my boyfriends mum
was as bad, if not worse, than it
sounds on paper. It happened at her
older sons 30th, when she found me
outside with my head in my hands
and took the words Ive had too
much to drink and I really just need a
bit of space and air to mean please
hold me to your breast and try and
engage me in a heart-to-heart until I
violently chunder between your legs.
Needless to say I wont be celebrating

NEEDLESS TO
SAY I WONT
BE CELEBRATING
CHRISTMAS WITH
MY IN-LAWS. AND
IF I DO, I WONT
ACCUSE ANYONE OF
SPIKING MY DRINK

Christmas with my in-laws. And if I

do, I wont accuse anyone of spiking
my drink, just in case the person I
drunkenly accuse turns out to be a
close family friend. Again.
I wont get overexcited during work
drinks and drop trou in G-A-Y
You know when you go for getting-toknow-you drinks with new colleagues
and one things leads to another and
you end up in G-A-Y Late? And the
drinks keep flowing, and the hits keep
coming and suddenly [] Taylor Swift
is ringing in your ears and you realise
that no dance move can adequately
express your love for her, so in the
moment you decide that the only
thing for it is to take your shorts off ?
I promise not to do that once was
more than enough.
Or tell someone about to have a
baby that all human life is futile
Would you ever have kids? asked
my friend Dan, unintentionally
spurring me into a ten minute
monologue about how Id read a piece
claiming that global warming would
see the planet reduced to a pulsing
mass of diseased warlords within
the next 50 years. Whats the point
in having kids if youre only going
to have to watch them die miserable
deaths? I mused. Its selfish really
to reproduce out of sheer narcissism
when the whole of humanity is on
a downward trajectory. Besides,
wouldnt you just adopt? In case
youre wondering, the reason Dan
had asked was because he was about
to tell me that his girlfriend was
pregnant. Hope I didnt kill his buzz.
And I definitely wont tell
embarrassing anecdotes about
myself to fill the silence
This is your lot. Next year Im going
to be a picture of restraint, dignity
and decorum. And if I cant manage
that, Im definitely not going to puke
on anyone. Baby steps.

18

252_EDIT_JOE-UP-DOWN#.indd 18

25/11/2014 18:23

EDIT_gadgets
Fleshlight launchpad

Holding your iPad is so last year. Youve probably

heard of the Fleshlight, but a new accessory from
the company, the Fleshlight Launchpad, is a case
that will allow you to hold your iPad at the same time
as the Fleshlight, bringing a whole new hands-free
experience to the, er, experience.
Fleshlight.com,20

Pulse

The Pulse is made from

flexible silicon and
fits around your penis
offering gentle vibrations
to stimulate you while
wearing. Chargeable via
USB, you can vary the
speeds depending on
what you are after via
the buttons on the side.
Thankfully the device
expands as you do.
hotoctopuss.com, 68.99

Gadgets
Sex Toys

Going it alone never felt so good with

these four hot new self-love gizmos
Words by Stuart Miles, founder of pocket-lint.com

Tenga Black Flip Hole

Tengas most innovative male sex toy,

the case flips open to reveal a number
of different bumps, nodules, nubs and
ridges to offer maximum pleasure.
But if that isnt enough, it comes
with three different lubes (including
menthol). lovehoney.co.uk. 63.99

Rends A10 Ultimate Piston

Vibrating Male Masturbator

Promising to throb, suck and stroke you, this Japanese

monster comes with a remote control, seven intense
vibration modes and even the option to pause midenjoyment if you need to build your stamina. Those
looking to turn up the power can opt to plug it into the
wall so it never runs low on batteries.
lovehoney.co.uk,250

19

252_EDIT_GADGETS#.indd 19

25/11/2014 15:51

EDIT_THE RULES

THE RULES: OF GAY SEX ON SCREEN

Film and TV can be all smoke and mirrors, especially when it comes to gay sex scenes...

NO LUBE
(OR EVEN WARNING)
IS NEEDED: HURRAH!

THE SEX DIDNT

REALLY HAPPEN IF
JAMES FRANCO DIDNT
VIDEO IT.

PRISON TURNS EVERYONE

GAY. EVEN LESBIANS.

ANAL SHAME CAN

BE CURED WITH A
GOOD BUGGERING FROM
RUSSELL TOVEY.

ERR, NOT EVERY GAY

CHARACTER HAS TO
HAVE SEX ON SCREEN.

WEEKEND LONG SEX

SESSIONS MUST BE
BROKEN UP WITH
PHILOSOPHICAL CHAT.

HOT SEX ADDICTS

WILL RECEIVE A GAY
BLOW JOB ONLY WHEN
DESPERATE.

GAY FIRST BASE IS

RIMMING: SORRY, BUT
ITS FACT.

IF YOURE ON SCREEN
WITH BARROWMAN, YOU
WILL HAVE SEX WITH
BARROWMAN.

WORDS: BEN KELLY

DOWNLOAD

THE TABLET EDITION OF

ATTITUDE
ATTITUDE. WITH A MOVING
COVER, EXTRA PHOTO GALLERIES,
INTERACTIVE MUSIC, FILM AND TV
REVIEWS, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE

252_EDIT_THE RULES#.indd 20

26/11/2014 14:50

Paris BURNING
EDIT_OPINION

DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT BEING TRANS NEED A NEW ANGLE

FRANCOFILES
THIS MONTH:
JAMES BECAME ZACHARY QUINTOS
LOVER FOR UPCOMING FILM MICHAEL.
GO JAMES! (AND ZACHARY).

HISTORIC LANDING ON
HUGE BODY OF MASS

History was made this month

as scientists managed a
seemingly impossible feat
theyve been working
towards for decades:
landing a fountain of
champagne on the fast
moving arse of Kim
Kardashian. Reports back
from the large body of mass
have revealed conditions to
be dark and oily, with
experts believing they
are not the first men to
have made impact with
this surface

Did you see that documentary on

the shocking state of transgender
healthcare in the UK last night? No?
Thats because there wasnt one.
There never has been. No one wants
to make it. In fact, there havent been
any transgender documentaries on TV
for a while. The last ones I remember
were a BBC Three one on trans beauty
queen hopeful Jackie Green and
Channel 4s My Transsexual Summer,
which aired in 2011. A lifetime ago!
Maybe broadcasters got bored. Do
you remember the days when gay
people were invited on to talk shows
just to talk about being gay? Me
neither, but look up chat shows from
the 80s and early 90s it really is
something else. Have documentary
makers also realised there are only
so many times you can film a trans
woman putting on lipstick at her
dressing room table while babbling on
about her designer vagina like its the
frigging Higgs boson machine? No
one is more bored of transgender
people prattling on about being
trapped in the wrong body than me.
The conversations moved on.
So when are the powerful
documentaries coming where we
learn about what life is really like
for trans people in 21st century
Britain? Dont hold your breath.
I recently got an email passed
onto me from Sundog Pictures,
and its the same old story: Im
currently working on an idea
alongside Channel 4 following
transgender individuals who have
come to regret their sex changes and
are keen to undergo further treatment
to reverse the change Im looking
for real life cases to include in my
pitch document and was wondering
whether you might be able to
recommend people I could speak to.
Reverse sex change? Could this
be any more tabloid? Dont worry

though, its going to be insightful

and sensitive! Said every television
producer making a film about
transgender people over the past 40
years. Yeah right.
Well, good luck to them. I doubt
theyll find anyone. Genital
reconstruction surgery for trans
people is one of the most successful
procedures carried out on the NHS.
There are strict guidelines on who is
suitable for the surgery, and patients
at gender identity clinics have to
go through years of psychological
assessments with several gender
specialists and you have to jump
through enough hoops just to get to
the bloody gender clinic. Ive yet to
meet a GP who has had the slightest
bit of knowledge about trans people.
The point is: they dont just hand
out fannies on the NHS. Trust me.
If there were huge numbers of
people who regret their transgender
surgeries, wed know about
them. Im not saying they dont
exist. This Morning recently
interviewed 30-year-old
Chelsea Attonley, who is
going back to being Matthew
after finding life as a woman
too tough. Attonley was featured
in pretty much every newspaper in
Britain precisely because cases
like this are so very rare. Most trans
people are very happy with the
outcome of their surgery and indeed
it has been shown to be the effective
treatment for those who seek it.
Ten years ago a law was passed
enabling transgender people to
legally change their gender. It was
a huge victory. You wont have
watched a documentary on that or
the activists like Stephen Whittle and
Christine Burns who spent over a
decade devoted to political lobbying.
I suppose changing the law isnt as
sexy as a reverse sex change.

21

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25/11/2014 15:50

EDIT_OPINION

TOP 5

Gay Sex
Icons

Gay sex has cropped up all over

the place throughout the ages,
in many shapes and er, sizes.
Heres a few people who have
contributed above and beyond
to our collective wank bank.

Paul
Flynn
IS OVER IT
MY FAITH IN WATCHING LIVE MUSIC IS RESTORED, COURTESY OF SLEAFORD MODS

GREEK GODS
Male same-sex
relationships are
littered across Greek
mythology, with
studs like Achilles,
Zeus and Hercules all
engaging in a bit of
howsyerfather.
JOE DALLESANDRO
Andy Warhol took
this gorgeously
chiselled nobody
and made him
into a legend of
gay subculture in
films like Flesh,
Trash and Heat.
TOM OF FINLAND
This Finnish artist
took his homoerotic
festish drawings of
well hung beefcakes
in leather uniforms
and made them a
gay institution in the
second half of the
20th century.
PEDRO ALMODOVAR
Not Pedro himself,
bless, but rather for
the ream of steamy
gay sex scenes hes
delivered, including
Antonia Banderas
getting bummed in
Law of Desire.
FRANCOIS SAGAT
Probably the most
famous face in the
21st century gay porn
world. A fully versatile
performer, you can
realise your desires by
buying an exact dildo
mould of his cock.

I want to tell you about my favourite

night out of 2014. Last year I stopped
pretending and conceded that, unless
theyre Beyonce or youre backstage,
watching anyone play live is my least
favourite way of ingesting music.
Then, wham! A friend invited me to
see Sleaford Mods.
It was at a place on Pentonville Road
Id never been to. An upper room in a
pub with sellotaped flyers over the
stucco details, the sort of place I hadnt
stepped in since I was a teenager and
watching whatever the next
Manchester band was that week. It is
the sort of place I look embarrassed in
because I am embarrassed in it.
I scanned the room and everyone
looked like me: forties, bald,
overweight, wearing Patagonia
anoraks, like a Kylie concert for
straight people. I didnt know whether
this made me feel better or worse. Over
there was the Kim Kardashian and
Kanye West of Guardian readers,
Islingtons first comedy couple Bridget
Christie and Stewart Lee. Over here
was conceptual art for Manic Street
Preachers fans, Jeremy Deller. It
started to look funny. A support act
dressed like Iggy Pop drinking cider in
Bradford slagged off The Fall. That felt
quite special.
We went outside for a cig in the
rain and one half of Sleaford Mods, a
gentle sort called Andrew came over
to say hello to my friend, whod
interviewed them not long since for
another magazine we both work for. I
immediately took to him. The other
one, Jason, who youd nominally call
the singer if his entire performance
was not hot-blooded rants aimed at
perfectly perpendicular targets, joined
us. Andrew mentioned a festival
theyd played to a small crowd and
had attracted a maniacal fan at the
front, a fat lad dancing and mouthing

...POLEMICS
RUSSELL BRAND
CANT ACCESS
BECAUSE HES
INFECTED BY THE
RUSTY NEEDLE
OF FAME

all Jasons complicated, unpleasant

words back at him. Thats all you
need really, isnt it? he said.
The show blew my head off. Sorry,
you can keep your Kate Bush. Direct,
brutal, funny, speedy and tense,
Sleaford Mods make something
brilliantly adjudicated, the polemics
[] Russell Brand cant access because
hes infected by the rusty needle of
fame. They address the state of the
nation without being idiots. Five
minutes after he stepped sweating
from the stage carrying a can of lager I
saw Jason on the stairs and said that
was beautiful, a comment that
seemed to unsettle him in a nice way.
We sat upstairs for a bit. His impulses
were so quick, like rock stars half
his age ought to be. He isnt a rock
star. Hes a hot mess you cant help
looking at, listening to and feeling
for. Andrew said something about
him being the gay one and Jason being
the straight one, a detail Id missed
earlier but that made sense of their
otherness and familiarity. The next
day they were flying to Switzerland
to play. I really love the way the world
turns sometimes. It does reward the
good folk.
Ive thought about that night a lot
since. It wasnt about hanging around
with pop stars because who, honestly,
outside of a tiny loving subset knows
who Sleaford Mods are? It was about
watching special people making
something special. It was about
getting to know and understanding
the world better, because an angry
man spoke up. 2014 was the year I
got bored rigid of that Twitter elite
invocation for everyone to be nicer
to each other. Shit doesnt get sorted
that way. Sleaford Mods are perfect
for now because now is exactly the
right time to get aggro. Hear them at
sleafordmods.com.

22

252_EDIT_PAUL FLYNN#.indd 22

25/11/2014 16:02

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25/11/2014 17:01

EDIT_music reviews

words: Aaron Toumazou & ben kelly

4/5

4/5

4/5
TOVE LO

Charli XCX

VARIOUS ARTISTS

S ucker / A sylum
In 2014 Charli XCX fast went from having
a bit of a moment to finally getting some
much-deserved recognition - catapulted
into the charts from LA to Tokyo when she
provided vocals to the catchiest chorus of
the summer in her collaboration with Iggy
Azalea on Fancy. She went on to chart on
her own with the breakthrough single she
penned for The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack
Boom Clap.
The iconic Clueless inspired music video
for Fancy certainly flagged how Charli meant
to go on. Should she make a thing of writing
for movie soundtracks, Sucker lends itself
perfectly to a rescore of the 90s cult classic.
Shes skipping school in Break the Rules,
crashing parties in Famous, seeing dollar
signs in Gold Coins and unapologetically
casting off a mate in favour of some self
love in Body of Mine, the most explicit track
of Charlis much preferred explicit rethink
of the LP.
Born and raised in Hertfordshire, Charli
addresses how she never thought [shed] be
living in the USA, doing things the American
way in London Queen, and as she gears up to
tour with Katy Perry in February 2015, it feels
like a very modest sentiment considering the
superstardom coming her way. at

A nnie / R oc N ation R ecords

The soundtrack for the third cinematic
adaption of Annie since its original 1982
theatrical film is no Lorde-curated epic, opting
instead for the sheen of a modern, urban edge
care of Sia and producer/songwriter Greg
Kurstin, who were charged with creating new
arrangements for the classic songs.
Along with Sia herself, songs are performed
with Broadway eccentricity by a cast of
Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx and the new Annie,
Quvenzhan Wallis; surely one of the next
generations leading ladies of Hollywood. An
Academy award nominee at just 11-years-old,
Quvenzhans raw vocal resonates most on
Opportunity, while she reaches epic heights on
modern reworks of signature songs like Its a
Hard Knock Life and Tomorrow. Shes bursting
with theatrical enthusiasm in I Think Im Gonna
Like it Here and even adopts an Ellie Gouldingesque husk on Foxx ballad The Citys Yours.
Diazs turn as Miss Hannigan is set to be
camp as Christmas if Little Girls is anything to
go by, while the original classic Youre Never
Fully Dressed Without a Smile is a Sia special, an
offering thats a touch more upbeat than her
own album 1000 Forms of Fear earlier this year.
Revamping an iconic score to the modern age
without straying too far from the original; this
is a sensitive and most enjoyable feat. at

Q ueen of the C louds / I sland

Swedish pop sensation Tove Los debut
is all big hooks and self aware emoting
in three sections, The Sex, The Love and
The Pain, each marked by questionable
spoken words. Starting light (she
channels her inner-Madonna on Like Em
Young), Moments sees Tove assert Im
not the prettiest youve ever seen, but
I have my moments in the same selfdepricating manner as her chart-topping
single Habits. Its safe to say Queen of the
Clouds is one of them moments (and we
think shes super pretty, too). at

5/5
WHITNEY HOUSTON
L ive : H er G reatest P erformances / S ony
Despite being considered the greatest
voice of her generation, Whitneys live
recordings have never before been
released. Now, this compilation of her
greatest performances curated by
Clive Davis is a must have for all music
lovers. I defy the goose bumps not to
bristle as she joyously belts How Will I
Know at the 1987 BRITs, or as she croons
You Give Good Love in her earliest TV
appearance pure perfection. bk

ANATOMY OF A WEDDING PHOTO: SOLANGE

Broke the no smiling
memo/is now dead

All the single ladies

Wasnt even there but

photoshopped for symmetry

Bey doing a Pippa

Hipster angel bride

Just shabby

This pictures Poor Michelle

Hot Mama

Shabby chic

24

252_EDIT_MUSIC REVIEWS#.indd 24

26/11/2014 15:21

Dan-Osborne-FP.indd 25

26/11/2014 13:03

THE FINAL INSTALMENT

OF OUR EXCLUSIVE MONTHLY
FICTIONAL STORY
I realised how much I wanted Will to be
my boyfriend about three seconds after a lad
called Stephen asked me out. It was at this
meet and greet drinks thing for gay students
organised by the welfare people at college.
We all just stood around while they handed
out plastic cups of white wine and leaflets
about rimming. It wasnt really my thing to
be honest, but Id promised Betty Id be her
wingman for the night. Bettys doing my
course I really, really like her. She laughs
all the time, and takes photos of caravans,
women she fancies and spelling mistakes. I
was keeping her company so she could smile
meaningfully across the room at this girl
with a fringe from performing arts. It was
going alright. Then Stephen turned up and
stood in the way.
Hey he said. Im Stephen.
Alright, Betty said. Can I just?
Betty moved Stephen to the left.
Oh. Stephen looked a bit confused.
This is Betty I said. Shes long-distance
flirting with that girl near the fire escape.
Oh shit. Sorry. Hang on.
Stephen angled himself round a bit so

Part 9

Betty could sip her wine, make alluring

glances towards the girl and still be part of
the conversation.
Bloody hell, Stephen. Betty was
impressed. You can stay.
And he did.
We chatted about all sorts: freshers week,
Hull, peanut butter. Stephen was doing
textiles so he had a lot of good stories about
experimental knitting, which I enjoyed a
bit too much. At one point I laughed and
coughed at the same time and started crying
wine. It stung a bit. He was handsome too, if
you like smiley, scruffy lads in nice jumpers,
which I do. I was probably giving out good
signals. Thats probably why he asked me out.
Just for a coffee or something, he said.
Just if you fancy it.
And for about three seconds, I considered
it. Then I mustve frowned.
Ok, Stephen laughed. Thats a no.
He didnt seem fazed or anything, just
carried on chatting. I dont know how he did
it. I briefly wished I was Stephen.
Betty downed her wine.
Jonny, I think you should explain your
pathetic love-life woes to Stephen, she said.
Im going in for the snog with fringe girl.
Wish me luck.
Betty headed towards the fire escape and
Stephen smiled. I think in his head he was

taking me out of the date box and putting me

into the mate box. It didnt take long.
Another minging wine? he said. And
then just: tell me everything.
The thing about me is, Im a massive
lightweight. Wine number two got me
pouring my heart out and by wine number
three Stephen knew quite a lot more than he
needed to know about the past few months.
He didnt seem to mind. He just smiled.
You properly like Will, he said.
I do, I said. I just do.
Well then, he said. Better get him back.
The trouble was, I hadnt heard from
Will since Id turned up soaking wet on his
doorstep in Harrogate. The more I thought
about this, the more it felt like a bit of a
clanger, and I wasnt surprised he hadnt
been in touch. Id given up ringing him
about three missed calls after he stopped
picking up the phone, and that was where
Id left it. At first I thought he just needed
a bit of space but now I figured he didnt
want anything to do with me at all. It was
pretty gutting to be honest. Especially now
cos I knew he was back in town. I bumped
into his housemate Sam by the tins in Lidl.
I managed to play it fairly cool kept things
breezy, picked up some pineapple chunks
and left but it was still quite awkward.
Will turning up at choir again was my last

26

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EDIT_FICTION

hope really. Then that disappeared as well.

What you on about Wales? Biscuits said.
Wales, Neil said. Wales.
Neil had got a new job doing singing
workshops and running a handful of choirs
in the villages around Anglesey. One of his
old mates from uni had sent him the ad from
the local paper, hed applied on a whim and
got it. This would be his last choir practise
he was leaving on Saturday.
Just thought: fresh start, he said. Think
Im ready for a change.
Dev had gone to stay with his sister while
he got some help, sorted his head out a bit,
and Neil had been doing his best to carry on
as normal, but he was a little bit wounded
too. Something to get stuck into, in a new
place, somewhere different was probably
just the thing. Thats what Neil thought
anyway. Biscuits disagreed. He looked like
he was going to say something angry, then
looked like he might cry. He didnt do either.
He just shoved his chair back and left.
I waited for Jizzy J to say something funny.
She didnt. We were all a bit stunned.
In the end I said I might go check hes
alright, grabbed a couple of Tunnocks
Caramels for the journey and left. The door
caught the wind as I closed it and slammed
shut. I hoped it wasnt a sign. Then I felt like
a knob I spend a good quarter of my life
hoping things arent signs. Nothings ever a

sign. I dont know why I do it.

Back at ours, I put the kettle on. Biscuits
took a few deep breaths and got his head
round Neils news. Biscuits had enough
friends round here not to be lonely, he
decided and hed been wanting to visit Wales
since seeing the film Pride seven times over
the summer. The thing to do, he said, was to
give his best mate in the whole wide world a
really good send off.
You know what that means Jonny he was
grinning again by now karry-bloody-oke!
Jizzy J sorted it for Friday night at the pub
and Biscuits got busy rounding up everyone
from choir. Ark and Mandy were in, as long
as Barry Manilow was banned, and Mr
Cartwright said he couldnt wait. Biscuits
got through to Sam eventually who said
hed pass the message on to Ben and Will.
I thought this was shaky at best Sams
quite forgetful but Betty and Stephen said
I should put that to the back of my mind.
Theyd decided this was my last chance to
get Will back, and theyd got a plan.
Some things, you can have a chat about,
she said. And thats fine, if you can manage
it. For some reason, you two cant seem to do
that. Thats okay. You just have to sing. Sing
all the stuff you wish you could say, but cant,
cos youre 19, and a lad, and a bit shit at life.
Thanks, I said. Helpful.
The world is rammed with soppy, vommy,
cringingly earnest love songs designed to
do this exact job. You just need to pick the

THE WORLD IS RAMMED

WITH SOPPY, VOMMY,
CRINGINGLY EARNEST LOVE
SONGS DESIGNED TO DO THIS
EXACT JOB. YOU JUST NEED
TO PICK THE RIGHT ONE
right one.
Stephen nodded in agreement, and clicked
on Spotify.
From a shortlist of three, I went for Dolly
Partons Here You Come Again. Partly cos its
beautiful, partly cos Will once sang it to me
after I got lost on my moped and he saw me
go round a roundabout twice. If he ignored
the bit about lying and I managed not to
make the word come sound dirty, it felt like
itd do the trick. I practised in my room til it
sounded alright and tried not to get nervous.
Friday night came a bit too quickly.
We nearly didnt get there at all. Biscuits got
a bit tearful before we set off. Hed got Neil a

t-shirt that said Hull on it, nothing else,

in a really boring font, and he had to stop
in the middle of wrapping it to have a
good sob. In the end though, we were just
a couple of minutes late. Mr Cartwright
and Jizzy J were halfway through quite
a touching rendition of Somethin Stupid.
I had a look round no sign of Ben and
Sam and Will, not yet. They probably
werent coming I knew that. Still, my
heart sank a bit. Ark and Mandy put on
sunglasses, started marching and did
The Proclaimers 500 Miles it was just
a rough guess how far away Wales was,
they said. They hadnt checked. Neil
and Biscuits went for all-out karaoke
meltdown with My Way followed by Angels
and Jizzy J joined in with a bottle of Cava.
And then, in the middle of all that, Ben
and Sam and Will turned up. Ben and
Sam went straight in with a Cheeky Girls
cover. Will looked horror-struck he
hated karaoke at the best of times, but
touch-my-bum housemates was a new
low. He looked over but I couldnt quite
meet his eye. I ducked outside. I was
fighting the urge to just leg it.
Jizzy J stuck her head round the door.
You alright?
Yeah, I said. Yeah.
Get back in here then, she said.
In a bit.
No she said. Fucking, now.
Normally Im thrilled to hear Dolly
Parton. But I heard the first jangly bars
of Here You Come Again start up and I
felt like the world was ending. It was a
panic like Ive never felt before. I couldnt
do a thing. Jizzy J grabbed me, started
shoving me inside.
No, I said.
Jizzy J ignored me. Before I knew what
was happening, I was through that door,
shaking, wobbling, as close to vomming
as you can get without actual vom. I
wasnt ready. I couldnt do it.
And that is when I spotted Will. Up
on the stage, microphone in hand,
petrified. Doing his best, and singing in
my direction. Definitely. Singing it to me.
And I knew how hard he must be finding
it, but he just ploughed on, kept singing.
He grinned at me, dead embarrassed,
and I grinned back. It felt like the whole
world fell into place a bit. And then, at
the end, we kissed.
So this is it the last page of my diary.
And this is just the beginning. Theres
more twists and turns and fuck ups on
their way, for both of us, I know. But
both of us together. Wish us luck.

27

252_EDIT_TOM WELLS FICTION#.indd 27

26/11/2014 14:41

EDIT_film reviews

reviews: matt mueller

2/5

BIRDMAN
M ichael K eaton , E dward N orton , N aomi W atts
Everyones going gaga for Keatons comeback as
an ageing movie star trying to recapture public
attention by staging a highbrow play. Frankly,
though, hes the least interesting thing in this
surreal black comedy. Its the supporting cast that
makes Birdman soar (plus nifty camerawork that
makes the film appear to unfold in one breathless
take), including Norton as a nightmare A-lister,
Watts, Andrea Riseborough as an insecure
actresses and Emma Stone as Keatons brusque
daughter. They stop this backstage satire from
becoming an over-indulgent wallow.
R eleased on 1 J anuary .

2/5

DUMB AND DUMBER TO

J im C arrey , J eff D aniels , K athleen T urner
Speaking of dumb comedies Twenty years after
Carrey and Daniels first played braincell-deficient
morons Lloyd and Harry comes this too-belated
sequel, which strives to recapture the anarchic
gross-out spirit that made the 1994 original a
minor classic. Carrey and Daniels are certainly
game for further adventures in (a)dolthood and no
depths are left unplumbed in the quest for laughs.
But the best of them are all in the trailer, leaving
the rest of this gagfest looking just plain stupid.
R eleased on 19 D ecember .

3/5
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN
A dam S andler , J ennifer G arner , A nsel E lgort
Chad Kultgens 2011 novel offered a frank,
unjudgmental take on the internets vast
hypersexual landscape. This adaptation by
Jason Reitman (Juno, Up In The Air) is less
frank, drearily cautionary and as incisive as an
afterschool special, exposing a gaggle of suburban
Americans in various stages of sexual distress
and disconnection due to their naughty cyber
habits. The young cast fare better than the old, but
this is destined for an afterlife as a disapproving
schoolmarms favourite.
R eleased on 5 D ecember .

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHINg

4/5

FOXCATCHER

4/5

E ddie R edmayne , F elicity J ones , C harlie C ox

Theres a plainness in the telling of Stephen Hawkings life story, but the fact that it
still packs a weighty and emotive punch is down to its unflinching honesty and two
phenomenal performances: Redmayne as the genius astrophysicist and Jones as his first
wife Jane. Redmaynes ability to chart Hawkings gradual physical disintegration through
motor neurone disease, from merry student gamboling about Cambridge to contorted,
wheelchair-bound shell, is nothing short of a marvel; the actor also expertly conveys
Hawkings boundless curiosity and even an impish sexiness. Jones, too, delivers as the
solicitous but not always willing-to-suffer Jane. This biopic is extracted from her memoirs
so while it ploughs towards the messy end of their marriage, its also more an uplifting
tale about the power of love than an exploration of Hawkings radical ideas about the
universe. Team Cumberbatch seized the early awards-season momentum for his Alan
Turing, but on this evidence were backing Team Redmayne to bag more hardware.
R eleased on 1 J anuary .

C hanning T atum , S teve C arell , M ark R uffalo

You can tell were in awards season
when a new film starring Tatum and
Carell turns out not to be a dumb
comedy but a haunting true-crime
drama about an insecure billionaire
(Carell) and his bizarre patronage
of the US Olympic wrestling team.
Carells prosthetic nose is a sure sign
hes truffle-hogging for Oscar, but hed
deserve it for his creepy blueblood.
Tatum and Ruffalo, as wrestler
brothers who end up in his talons,
are also superb in a precisioncrafted procedural that unfolds with
quiet menace.
R eleased on 9 J anuary .

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PECCADILLO PICTURES

peccapics.com

Queer cinema pioneer, Travis

Mathews (I WANT YOUR LOVE,
INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR with
James Franco) returns with a
collection of erotic portraits of
gay men.
Beautifully shot, deeply intimate
and voyeuristically tantalising
Ira Sachs
DIRECTOR OF KEEP THE LIGHTS ON

Available On DVD

Cinema for insomniacs

Peccadillo pictures FP.indd 29

26/11/2014 13:04

eastern boys

juggling the intensely hot gay potatoes of paternity, prostitution

and possessiveness eastern boys is not for the faint-hearted

or the first few weeks after completing filming on his

ambitious, striking, tense thriller Eastern Boys, the French
film director Robin Campillo found it unnerving each
time he stepped back into his own home. At Eastern Boys
scripting stage, the auteur had imagined the main body of the action
to take place in his apartment. To give the piece a verit mood and to
keep to a tight budget it made sense to shoot there. Its a strange flat,
he says, a high rise in an unfashionable arrondissement in which
Paris looks like an illusion of a city through the windows. You
are in the city but disconnected from it, a perfect visual metaphor
for Eastern Boys astringent subject matter; a film that joins unlikely,
plausible dots between the gay experience and immigration in
modern Europe. It was a little bit strange coming back to my
apartment and getting in bed at night, he says now.
After watching Eastern Boys, a piercing dissection of the sort of gay
relationship you dont often see on screen; one which intelligently,
often scarily hoovers up the hot potato subjects of paternity,
criminality, prostitution, ownership and prescriptive sex roles, its
not difficult to reason why. When I made my first film, he says of
Les Revenants, a spookily episodic return-of-the-living-dead drama
which he rebooted as a TV series and found a critically loved home
for at Channel 4 last year, I had the feeling that directing was about
controlling everything. Because of the subject matter in Eastern Boys,
he needed to lose some of that control. In this film I wanted to be
invaded by reality. He found himself invested with a Hitchcockian
spirit, with particular reference to Vertigo.
Though made at the opposite ends of the country and with
neither of their prior knowledge that they were building
formidable companion pieces to one anothers work, Eastern
Boys feels emotionally at least like a follow-up to last
years noir gay classic, Stranger By The Lake. Both French
films have unpicked gay experiences at tough, unforgiving
angles, stripped away their surface gloss and inserted their
own versions of hard truth into ailing love stories. They are
not comfortable viewing, but they feel like a new vanguard
for gay cinema, as exciting and irresistible in their own way
as the birth of the queer cult of the late 80s and early 90s.
They both, I suppose, address the relationship between
threat and desire.
Both directors, Campillo and Stranger By The Lakes Alain
Guiraudie open their masterworks with cruising moments
at a direct antithesis to the titillating, smoky, leathery
scenarios that straight directors have tended to fall back on
when imagining themselves into the world of anonymous
gay sex; from William Friedkins Cruising (1980) to Steve
McQueens Shame (2011). Campillo and Guiraudie, both gay

themselves, extract the potential for boredom, repetition, desperation

and adroit danger in the act of wordlessly picking up someone
of whom you have no prior knowledge. They are savvy enough
storytellers to leave these situations free from judgement too.
When Campillo says I must say, I dont try when I make this
kind of film to be a provocative guy, Im not trying to shock, you
believe him. Both he and Guiraudie have a deep understanding
of a floating, actualised danger implicit in some strands of gay life
that has been swept somewhat under the carpet in the societal shift
towards conservative family values the gaybies, marriages and
alimony conversation that has traced the new century so far.
Campillo began working on Eastern Boys not long after Les Revenants
hit cinemas in 2004. I was invited to a friend of my boyfriends to
dinner, he explains. He is 52 and has a son who was maybe 30odd. He was Russian. As he said goodbye to his son I assumed he
was his lover. His mistake was quickly corrected. When I say this
story it sounds shocking. But thats why I do films. To understand
how these things happen. So he began writing a script about a gay
relationship that blurred the lines between paternity and sexuality.
It didnt quite work out as he expected. A few years after I started
to write another script, which I worked on for a year and a half. I
didnt want to shoot that either. It was more like Stranger By The Lake,
actually, set in the south. A man cruising finds a former soldier and
is afraid and excited by this guy. I abandoned that script and he
turned into two characters in Eastern Boys, Boss and Marek.

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edit_film
Eastern Boys is the story of Marek (Kirill Emelyonov) and Daniel
(Olivier Rabourdin). It opens in a recognisably unfeeling Gare Du
Nord, with a group of mostly street-cast refugees touting themselves
out with glances and nods at punters, a gay code tutored by the man
nominally understood to be pimping them out, Boss, a terrifying
and real performance from Daniil Vorobyov. Daniel, a middle-aged
man in business attire makes an advance to Marek, a beautiful
teenager cut from similar physical cloth to Girls Adam Driver or a
very young Keanu Reeves, in what may or may not be a nod to Gus
Van Sants filmic poem to rent boys, My Own Private Idaho. When
Daniel invites Marek to his apartment the next day, a succession of
calamitous dramas, in which the older protagonist puts himself in
wilful personal danger over and over, builds to a grim climax where
he must confront the Eastern street gang in the cheap hotel theyre
staying in.
It feels like a very post-gay film. That makes sense, says Campillo.
It almost comes from an old position of gay sexuality, one in which
it is clandestine. The shooting was educational if not exactly
enjoyable for Campillo. I was a bit afraid of what I was doing. It was
difficult when I was shooting the film to know exactly what would be
the result. Here are two characters, having sex, talking little; during
the shooting people were afraid it would be boring. But its not too
cruel. When its tough I feel the humanity of the characters. Theyre
trying to negotiate something together.
There are three key exchanges between Daniel and Marek. The
first is prostitution, he explains. I dont have a moral problem
with it but it is a subject that makes me embarrassed and so I tried
to shoot my embarrassment. This was the first of several crucial
choices made in developing the relationship. You are not used to
feeling embarrassment at sex on film. What results is gloomy
sex. Sex that is hard to take. The second sex scene, he says, is very
annoying sex. Not annoying, but sex without imagination. By the
third scene they know each other so well the embarrassment is quite
funny. I have always wanted to shoot someone who laughs as they
are getting fucked.
This is the complicated physical and emotional terrain Eastern Boys
tears across. The question throughout all this, says Campillo, is
what is a couple? I love the idea that the person you live with is the
biggest stranger in the world to you. Economic matters always make
their way into couples, even if there is not prostitution. There is a
fine line in some relationships between mystery and misery.
Robin Campillo was born in Morocco and grew up in France. He
is 52-years-old and has a multidisciplined CV across screen that
includes writing, directing and editing. He has a Palm Dor for
his last work, The Class, and The Returned or Les Revenants though
greeted with lukewarm critical appraisal as a film has attained a
cult status not far off Twin Peaks for its televisual life and will return
for a second season in 2015. He is an amiable, open interviewee
and throws the odd curveball into conversation, like the fact that
he is not a particularly ardent cinema attendee but a huge fan of
Coronation Street. His favourite character on the Mancunian soap is
Eileen Grimshaw. Todds mother, he clarifies. I love this woman.
Because he has a 13-year relationship of his own, Campillo was
tender and knowledgeable enough to attack to the thornier issue
of male sexuality and how it works out in relationships with the
scalpel-work of a master surgeon. He was more troubled by the
subject of how he would deal with the great European political
grenade of our times: immigration. When you make a film about
unpapered immigrants, he says, it is tempting to make angels out
of them. There is a definite risk in making them threatening. The
character of Marek took the most time to develop and cast. I was

trying to create an immigrant that is very seductive and attractive

but not angelic.
By peeling away the layers of Mareks living conditions in the
abrasive closing cadences of the film, particularly under the sadistic
foster-ship of Boss, he allows himself the opportunity to create a
three dimensional man, one that he doesnt even think of as gay. I
just think he thinks its okay to have fun with [Daniel]. The film is
all about these kind of metamorphoses. I wanted him to be a little
like Peter Pan, someone we always forget is a little bit cruel, never
growing up, being young forever. What he sees in Daniel, he is afraid
to become. It is a startling, transgressive reading of the prostitute/
punter deal, one that takes a further radical tangent when Daniel
agrees to legally adopt Marek as his child, after he tires of him as a
sex habit.
Eastern Boys has played strongly at international film festivals
and, while not exactly to everyones taste, feels like it is part of an
independent film conversation that can widen the boundaries of
how we talk about gay in 2014. Because of Guiraudies film, says
Campillo of Stranger By The Lake, I think people were prepared for
something like this. Like Stranger By The Lake, he says, when we
did this film there was no political schedule. Its just making cinema
about our desires.
This is a thrilling new motorway for gay cinema to slip-road on
to, one that Campillo has found to be invested with some thrilling
and unexpected universality, too. You know a lot of women like
this film? he says. Why does he think that is? Because it is an

in the 70s and 80s it was

all about proving that our love
was the same, or was as valid.
I have a very particular feeling
that is over now
intimate study of maleness. He thinks gay directors are perfectly
poised to explode a ticking clock of male sexuality, about to strike
midnight. You have to not want to be provocative. The paradox is
that people dont know how to play or react in relationships. They
dont know what is exactly their role. In a phase of mutation you
become vulnerable. Daniel doesnt know what to do. I love the fact
the audience is in the same state. What is this world and how did I
create it around myself?
The possibilities for gay cinema here are endless. Now we have
reached a position of equality, says Campillo, its time to think in
a different way. In the 70s and 80s it was all about proving that our
love was the same, or was as valid. I have a very particular feeling
that is over now. It might be time to start talking about what is
different. What is important in choosing this kind of film to make is
that we can make something new now because there is something
new to say.
Robin Campillo feels we are at the start of a very important
dialogue about to blossom, the one tricky subject that underpins
every strand of gayness. You know, he says, I do think now is the
right time to ask the question: What are our desires?
Let the floodgates open.
Eastern Boys is being shown in selected cinemas now.

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Gratuitous
PICTURES

someone
TAKING THEIR
of

CLOTHES O FF

promote
to

S
A
F
E

sex

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EDIT_SAFE SEX

THIS
MONTH

B AR CL A Y
BEALES
THE HOTTEST EIGHTH
OF STEREO KICKS

ith eight strapping boys to

choose from (well seven, if
you discount 14-year-old
Charlie Jones), its hard to
pick who's hottest in The X Factors crazyassed 16-legged pop combo Stereo Kicks.
But one fella's got the edge over the others
in Attitude's eyes, and he's been on our
radar for quite some time. Since last year, in
fact, when he yodelled his way through to
boot camp on the very same show.
Meet Barclay Beales, a drop-dead
gorgeous eighth of Stereo Kicks who in 2013
gave Nicole Scherzinger a frisky turn when
he gave 1D's What Makes You Beautiful a
Swiss makeover. In the flesh, Barclay is tall,
dark and handsome with perfect features.
He looks like the love child of Tom Daley
and Chris Mears (now theres an image) and
hes gruffly cool.
Hes also a cheeky chappy who doesnt
mind losing his clothes. Here, Barclay
opens up about the dirty picture that went
viral, which of his bandmates he reckons
would be best in bed and dares us to believe
that he was a "minger" at school!

WORDS
C H R I S T I A N
G U I L T E N A N E
PHOTOGRAPHY
K E V I N M C D A I D
MAKE UP
L I L A R O S E
LOCATION
P I C C A D I L L Y
I N S T I T U T E

WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT A NAKED

PICTURE OF YOURS THAT WENT VIRAL?
To be honest it was all blown out of
proportion. It wasnt a revenge porn thing
as the papers said. Basically it was a bit of
a laugh. The picture of me was on all fours!
With no pants on. From behind.
YOU'RE LUCKY THE PAPERS DIDN'T PRINT
IT WITH A BIG 'X' ACROSS YOUR BUMHOLE.
At the time it was really funny. Though I
was embarrassed about it when it came out.
AND NOW YOURE STRIPPING OFF FOR
ATTITUDE. COULD BE WORSE!
This is a lot better than that picture!
WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT WE HAVE
PLANNED FOR YOU!
[Laughs] I trust you guys.
YOU'RE A VERY HANDSOME YOUNG MAN:
HOW DO YOU RATE YOURSELF?
Thanks a lot. I have to admit, I wouldnt
rate myself. I like to think I do alright for
myself but arrogance is never a good thing.
THATS GOOD TO HEAR. YOU MUST BE
PRETTY HAPPY WITH YOUR BODY TO BE
STRIPPING OFF FOR US THOUGH.
Actually Im the total opposite. I was

stressing about it all of last night because

I just thought 'I dont look half as good as
some of the other boys from The X Factor
who have been in Attitude recently', like
Jack Walton and Jake Quickenden.
HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE SHOOT.
DID YOU HIT THE GYM?
Nah... I had a McDonalds last night!
WHAT PART OF YOUR BODY DO YOU LIKE
THE MOST?
My face, I think. I look after it more than
anywhere else on my body. The body part I
hate most are my calves.
YOUR CALVES?!
They're really small. They make me look
like I have chicken legs. If I could, Id love
my arms to be bigger, but I'm a slacker. I
used to go to the gym before the show, but
now theres no time. You dont want to go
just the once.
WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE SEXIEST
STEREO KICK?
For me, I think Tom [Mann] is the sexiest!
He has that old-fashioned sexy look. He has
a nice face and has that 'vibe'. The fans tend
to think Reece is the hot one. We have a lot

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Gay Star news FP.indd 34

25/11/2014 17:04

IPAD AND
TABLET VERSIONS
FEATURE
MORE EXCLUSIVE
PHOTOS & VIDEO
CONTENT

of young fans who like him but were getting more and
more mums interested in us now! They love us and they
are wicked! When they ask for a picture they grab my
arse. Thats the nice side of it! [laughs]
IF YOU WERE GAY FOR A DAY WHICH OF THE BOYS
WOULD YOU GO FOR?
Definitely Tom.
WHAT KIND OF BOYFRIEND WOULD HE BE?
I think a kind one. And I think he would actually be a
tender lover... [laughs]
WHICH OF THE STEREO KICKS' BODIES WOULD YOU
LIKE MOST?
Can I say my own?
BUT YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT EARLIER!
Yeah, but I think I like mine more than the others!
[laughs]
WERE YOU A HIT WITH THE LADIES IN SCHOOL?
Not at all! I was so ugly at school. Honestly. I didnt have
any girls after me. I kept myself to myself. My hair was
horrific. It looked like a Beatles member's but double the
size. I had good looking mates who always had girls after
them but I didnt. Then when I left school at 16 I reached
that stage of puberty where I came into myself and then
those girls wanted to talk to me.
SO WHEN YOU BECAME A BEAUTIFUL SWAN DID YOU
GO CRAZY WITH THE GIRLS?
I've never really been the kind of guy to sleep with
everyone. I had a girlfriend for nine months.
HAVE YOU GOT ANY GAY MATES?
I have loads of gay friends and we get on great. Some
have given me a hint that theyd like something more
from me. But I just say that I'm not interested.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUNG GUYS WHO
ARE COMING OUT TO THEIR STRAIGHT MATES? IT CAN
BE PRETTY TOUGH.
Be confident with it. That way no one's going to say
anything about it or treat you any differently. Especially if
youre friends. Nothing should change that relationship.
WHEN IT COMES TO DATING, WOULD YOU SAY YOU'RE A
GOOD BOYFRIEND?
Erm... Well my previous girlfriend told me I wasnt
romantic enough. But I can cook! Apparently Im an
'okay' kisser. I havent had any complaints, although I
have had the odd one when Ive had too much to drink.
ARE YOU A DUMPER OR A DUMPEE?
Im always the one that gets dumped. Its the classic, "its
not working, lets take a break and see what happens" and
then we take a break and nothing happens. Its always a
surprise because they never tell me how I can change, they
just say I dont like you anymore. To be honest, I still dont
know why I got dumped. Its a total mystery to me.

KNOW YOUR STATUS AS LEFT UNTREATED HIV TURNS INTO AIDS.

HIV CAN ENTER YOUR BLOODSTREAM THROUGH BODILY FLUIDS
HIV
SUCH
AS BLOOD, CUM OR ANAL MUCUS. GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN
FACTS
ARE AT HIGHER RISK OF GETTING HIV. MOST GAY AND BISEXUAL
MEN WITH HIV GET IT BY HAVING ANAL SEX WITHOUT A CONDOM.
GET TESTED AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. YOU CANNOT TELL IF SOMEONE IS HIV
NEGATIVE FROM HOW THEY LOOK OR JUST BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY ARE.
1/3 OF GAY MEN WITH HIV DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE IT SO ALWAYS USE A CONDOM!

H E L P L I N E S The Terrence Higgins Trust tht.org.uk THT Direct 0808 802 1221 10am 8pm Monday to Friday GMFA gmfa.org.uk London Lesbian and Gay
Switchboard llgs.org.uk Lesbian and Gay Foundation (Manchester) lgf.org.uk LGBT Scotland lgbt-helpline-scotland.org.uk LGBT Ireland lgbt.ie LGBT Northern
Ireland lgbtni.org Pace Health pacehealth.org.uk If alcohol or drugs are causing you a problem and/or are making it hard to have safe sex: talktofrank.org

35

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BIG GAY
FOLLOWING

WORDS: BEN KELLY

IDINA MENZEL

PERFORMING LET IT GO
AT THE 86TH ANUAL
ACADEMY AWARDS IN
MARCH 2014

KEN MCKAY/REX

ALSO KNOWN AS THE

WICKEDLY TALENTED
ADELE DAZEEM, IDINA
WARMED OUR HEARTS
LAST YEAR VOICING THE
FROZEN ANTHEM LET IT
GO. NOW SHES BACK WITH
A CHRISTMAS ALBUM!
A Broadway star at heart, Idina
Menzel is probably the greatest
crossover success of the 21st
century so far. After making
her name originating the
lead roles in Rent and Wicked,
shes recorded studio albums,
starred in movies like Enchanted
and TV shows like Glee, and
crucially, she voiced the lead
character of Elsa in the Disney
smash Frozen only the highest
grossing animated film of all
time. Idina herself has long
been a gay favourite, packing
the crowd at G-A-Y as recently
as last year; and while many
divas of her ilk can only dream
of having a coming out-style
power ballad immortalised
by the gay community, from
wedding dances to drag queen
remixes, Idina boasts two:
Defying Gravity and Let It Go.
We sat down with a winter
warmer and the lady herself to
talk about her album Christmas
Wishes, for those who like their
carols up the octave...

36

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37

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20th century fox/ everett / rex

idina as shelby
corcoran on glee

How did you go about picking

the songs for Christmas Wishes?
Most of them are songs Ive
always loved, and always
wanted to sing. Theyre just
some of the greatest melodies
of all time, yknow? As a singer
it is fun to take something so
classic and challenge yourself
to keep the integrity of the
song. Also, my partner in

crime (my producer) Walter

Afanasieff, who wrote All I Want
for Christmas Is You with Mariah
Carey its been a total dream
of mine to work with him in
the studio. Never has someone
produced my vocals as well as
he does.
I love how youve included River
by Joni Mitchell, because its
kind of emerging as a bit of an

alternative Christmas classic,

isnt it?
Yeah, thats the part of me that
didnt use to like Christmas,
before I had a son, the part of
me that found the holidays
lonelier and regretful. I felt like
I needed to include that just to
be honest. And its just one of
the greatest songs ever written,
yknow? I just love it.

Youve got Michael Bubl on the

record singing Baby Its Cold
Outside with you, how did that
come about?
He was the perfect person to do
this song, and I know him very
well. Hes just a sweetheart, he
was kind enough to give me his
time and put his stamp on this.
Im really indebted to him.
Youll be the envy of ladies and

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some gents across the world.

I know Im the envy, I know!
Whats Christmas like in the
Menzel house?
I love the holidays. If anything I
love Christmas more now than
I did as a child. The holidays
were always a bit tumultuous
with divorced parents, but I
have a new found love for them.
Ive rediscovered it through my
sons eyes. Everything now is
about my son Walker. Weve
been watching Elf and The
Grinch... lots of those movies. Is
The Nightmare Before Christmas
a Christmas or a Halloween
movie? Anyway, that one!
What music do you like to play?
All different kinds. I love to
listen to some Harry Connick
Jr albums, I think theyre
great. Just old standards, Ella
Fitzgeralds old Christmas
album, things like that.
Do you cook Christmas dinner,
or is that up to someone else?
Oh no Im more of an order-in
Christmas kind of girl! No, no,
either Im hanging out with
people that are great cooks or I
just get Chinese food yknow?
Its a Jewish thing at Christmas
time, because theyre the only
restaurants that are open on
Christmas Day.
What do you like to do in New
York at Christmas time?
God there are so many things.
Id like to go ice skating with
my son, Ive only been a few
times in my life, so Id like to
take him ice skating and into
Central Park. We might go
see the show at Radio City, a
Christmas show. I also love the
windows at Saks Fifth Avenue,
the things that my parents took
me to when I was younger.
Did you used to go carolling?
No, I havent been Christmas
carolling. Im sorry, am I going
to hell for that?
I think a Christmas album kind
of makes up for it. What are you
hoping to get as a gift this year?
Youll probably have fans who
will buy it for you...
Then Ill just come off as
pretentious! Id like a trip to

sail the Greek islands. Anyone

want to offer that? [laughs] You
know, sailing lessons would be
cool, thats on my bucket list, I
always wanted to learn to sail
but Ive just never done it.
I assume youll be playing Santa
for your son whats on his wish
list?
Its all dinosaurs. He is a
five-year-old palaeontologist;
hes just an encyclopaedia
of dinosaurs, and he would
school you in a second, in the
pronunciation of these things
and hes very into Jurassic Park,
so he likes the vintage toys that

he hears that song because

he says Thats my mommy,
my mommy sings that. And
everybody else says So does
my mommy! Hes like I dont
understand what youre talking
about. So, its a complicated
issue for a five-year-old!
And, even for someone like you
who has had a distinguished
career, Disney must make for
an odd phenomenon still, where
your voice is just everywhere. Is
that weird for you?
No, I feel totally lucky and
grateful; I think its a sign of
the times, maybe social media

the credentials

PETER BROOKER/rex

came out with the movie a while

back. Ive had to go on eBay
and find these very expensive
dinosaurs; I just spent $30 on a
tiny dinosaur because its a oneof-a-kind from Jurassic Park III. I
bet some geeky person just has
it in their house.
Obviously since last Christmas,
many homes across the world
have been subjected to the
Frozen DVD on a loop. Is your
house just the same?
No, my son does not want to
hear his mother sing. And its
very confusing for him when

Date of birth:
30th May 1971
Place of birth:
Queens, New York City
worked with:
Kristin Chenoweth, Josh
Groban, Michael Bubl
Best known for:
Rent (1996); Wicked (2003);
Frozen (2013); being
introduced as Adele Dazeem by
John Travolta at the Oscars
Least known for:
Duetting with X Factor
finalist Rhydian
BGF status:
For her natural gravitation
towards gay anthems, and her
work for the LGBT community

and all that stuff. How many

great songs have there been
before in Disney movies? But
we dont have many stand-outs,
that were familiar enough
with to sing it. I dont know if
its just a coincidence of events
or serendipitous or what it is,
but, yknow a five-year-old
kid knows the character, and
is also aware that I sing it. I
think thats mostly because of
social media, I think theres this
wonderful pride that everyone
takes that they can post their
own version of the song, and so

theres a celebration of everyones

arrangement. Thats something
we havent had before.
Do you get to watch many of
those YouTube versions?
Yes, everybody sends them to
me. Theyre great!
Youre currently starring
on new musical If/Then on
Broadway, might you be
bringing that to London?
Oh gosh, I always love to
return to London for any of
my projects. I actually spent
probably the best six months
of my life when I did Wicked
in London. And, its my home
away from home. So thats
never out of the question, but I
dont know. If/Then is very New
York based; I dont know how it
would be received over there.
Are there any other stage roles
on the horizon for you?
There are a couple of things
in development that I cant
really talk about yet. Especially
musicals. They take years
to develop. So yknow, when
theres an embryo of something
you just have to get in there
and see whats going to develop
into something real. Im going to
tour a lot, do a lot of concerts, go
out and sing internationally. Im
very excited about that because
there are some territories which
Ive never been to.
Will you be doing any Christmas
concerts around this album?
Yeah, there are a bunch of
things that Im doing here in
the states, and Im hoping to
come to London and maybe get
on television there.
Youd be great for one of those
old-school specials, where youre
with friends, sat around a piano.
I would love to do a special,
but I dont know if I have it like
that yet. My publicist is saying
you just dont have enough
time. I am doing eight shows a
week right now, but the more
singing I do the stronger I get.
Its kind of like running to me,
building up your endurance, so
that stuff doesnt intimidate me
as much. Its more about sleep
and being healthy.

Idinas album Christmas Wishes is out now

39

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25/11/2014 16:00

With

B
U
L
C
E
R
U
T
CUL

tweets
@MattCainWriter

Matt Cain

@GMlovelie67xxx
Its a fabulous song. He supports his
community very well. He really cares.
An Easier Affair also shows amazing
support for his community!

GEORGE MICHAEL TOOK

OWNERSHIP OF HIS
CRUISING SCANDAL IN A
SONG, AND IT WAS GREAT

@banditbear247
I always loved that he took the
experience and used it so publicly. The
video always made me laugh.

GEORGE MICHAELS

OUTSIDE
Its a brilliantly uplifting
dancefloor banger. But George
Michaels Outside is so much
more than just a pop song.
It captures an important
moment in the life of one of our
most famous gay men and
represents a major step forward
on our collective journey
towards greater visibility and
social acceptance.
In April 1998, George Michael
was arrested by an undercover
policeman for engaging in a

@lobyouknowme
Its a great FU song. What better way
to annoy those that tried to humiliate
him than by releasing something
joyous.

@ukmarkus
I think if you take away everything and
just focus on the song itself, its pretty
underrated.
@dalebassett
Brave, unashamed genius.

lewd act in a public toilet in Los

Angeles and later sentenced to
80 hours community service.
His response was to unleash
the PR blitz that was Outside.
The lyrics of the song celebrate
the delights of going back to
nature for outdoor sex, poke
fun at Georges time servicing
the community and include
the joyous confession that Yes,
Ive been bad! The hilarious
video intercuts images of
couples having sex in public

@debserin
Outside. Unapologetic in a time when
unapologetic really wasnt trendy!
Best song about cruising ever? Can
we say that??
@Eamumc
I like the song. Its classic GM sound,
but I think the video is just tacky.
@Mikehaddon40
Not to be ashamed of your sexuality
is what he stands for and thats still
much needed!
@CMMR123
He stuck it to the police and it
was beautiful. He did it with class...
As always.

with footage of George dressed

as a policeman performing
the song in a public toilet that
turns into a nightclub. Even
the title of his accompanying
greatest hits album, Ladies and
Gentlemen, was a wry nod to the
site of his supposed disgrace.
It all added up to a sensational
and shameless way of claiming
ownership of what had
happened, publicly embracing
his sexuality and hitting back at
those whod attacked him.
Of course, part of me cant
help thinking it would have
been much better if George
had come out earlier in his
career and through his own
choice. This would have made
a major difference to the lives
of gay men like me growing up
in the 1980s. But at the same
time, I understand how difficult
coming out must be for a star; as
well as worrying about the effect

book previews
BODY COUNTS A MEMOIR OF POLITICS,
SEX, AIDS AND SURVIVAL BY SEAN STRUB
Lauded by the likes of
Andrew Holleran and Lily
Tomlin, Sean Strubs memoir
is set to go down as one of
this years must-reads. An
activist for years and the first
openly HIV positive person to
run for U.S. Congress, Strub
provides a fascinating insight
into what it means to lead a
vibrant existence in the face
of a life-threatening illness.

40

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EVERYTHING IS MOVING, EVERYTHING IS JOINED

SELECTED STORIES OF STELLA DUFFY
Out earlier in September,
this collection of short stories
brings together, for the first
time, a selection of Stella
Duffys award-winning
writing, as well as stories
broadcast on radio and from
anthologies over the past 20
years. Everything is Moving,
Everything is Joined is an
unmissable treat, not just for
Duffys fans but for anyone
who loves quality literature.

HIGHLIGHTS OF MY LAST REGRET

BY NORTH MORGAN
From the author of the sharp
outsider fiction Exit through the
Wound comes a new offering
set in L.A., telling the story
of Parke Hudson, an affluent
drifter, with an alcoholic
mother, an estranged father
and a bickering and strained
relationship with his beautiful
girlfriend who wants more
than he seems able to give.
An immensely enjoyable and
observant second novel.
BOOK PREVIEWS BY WILL DAVIS

25/11/2014 15:53

EDIT_culture club

it might have on their career.

Every individual has to consider
how it will impact on their
relationship with their family.
And many of us experience
confusion around our sexuality,
each of us understanding it at a
different stage of our lives.
Its safe to say that by the
time he was cruising for sex in
public toilets, George Michael
understood his sexuality. But I
cant help wondering if in doing
so, on some level he actually
wanted to be outed and was

putting himself in a position

where sooner or later it was
bound to happen.
Eight years later, George was
reportedly caught cruising for
sex again, this time near his
home on Hampstead Heath in
London. He caused controversy
by allegedly telling a journalist
that cruising is part of our
culture as gay men. But many
gay men felt that he wasnt
speaking for them. And,
although cruising is without
doubt part of our queer heritage

Opposite Page: Stills from George

Michaels music video for Outside.
This page: George Michael in 1998

fact file

and for years was the only way

gay men could meet each other,
Im not sure its something we
should celebrate; it doesnt strike
me as a healthy, self-loving way
of expressing our sexuality. At
least it never has been in my
experience.
Unfortunately, much of whats
happened in Georges later life
has led many people to speculate
that hes still working through
certain issues. Hes struggled
with an addiction to cannabis
and has served time in prison
for driving while under the
influence of drugs. But to me,
this vulnerability only makes
me empathise with him more.
Weve all done things were not
proud of and many gay men,
me included, have had to fight
an urge to self-destruct that can
play itself out through addiction.
Ultimately then, George
Michael is just one of us. And as
a gay man, Outside still stands as
his finest achievement.

Released on 19th October 1998

Peak position on UK singles
chart 2
Written and produced by
George Michael
Video directed by Vaughan
Arnell
Marcelo Rodriguez, the police
officer who arrested George,
claimed the video mocked him
and filed a $10 million lawsuit.
It was dismissed.

classic read

Boys & Girls

edited By Paul Burston

Brought together by journalist and author Paul

Burston, founder of Londons premiere LGBT
literary salon Polari, and published in association
with The Albert Kennedy Trust, Boys & Girls is a
fantastic collection of short stories from some of
the best gay authors writing today.
There is the enjoyably madcap and poignant
Dying, and Other Superpowers by Kristian Johns,
about a young man diagnosed with HIV who
discovers he has the power of telekinesis; from
Jay Bernard comes the gutsy poetical storyboard
Paradise, about her first love when she was a
six-year-old; and Karen McLeods tale, The Next
Best Thing, is a brief but exceptionally powerful
glimpse into a teenage girls life, focusing on a trip

to London with her brash, confident friend.

One of the best stories is Burstons own
delectable offering, The Unbearable Bear, a
beautifully observed slice of fiction about a fussy
and difficult gay man, sure to strike a note of
truth with all who read it. The anthology includes
the original story by North Morgan Exit through
the Wound which later evolved into his novel,
focusing on the displacement of a young man
returning to his wealthy family home in Greece
where he is now almost a stranger. Also on offer
are fabulous tales from renowned writers Stella
Duffy and V G. Lee.
This collection is a small gem and deserves to
be treasured.

41

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25/11/2014 15:53

e
v
di
ON
IN

ater
w
e
h
t
o
t
e
k
a
t
e
w
ears
m
is
r
h
c
r
e
iv
d
h
wit
wimming
s
e
m
o
s
d
n
a
h
is
h
and
rtin
a
m
,
d
y
o
l
l
n
a
u
ie
peers
haffield
cremin and tom

Words:
KELLY
N
E
B
aphy:
r
g
o
Phot
stein
n
r
A
Sven
:
Styling
rian
a
h
c
o
K
Joseph

252_FEAT_WATER BOYS#.indd 42

26/11/2014 15:59

water boys_ATTITUDE

Ieuan wears swimwear

by HOM; Martin wears
swimwear by HOM at
figleaves.com; tOM
wears swimwear by
HOM; Chris wears
swimwear by HOM

43

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26/11/2014 12:41

Martin wears swimwear by Addicted

at Bang+Strike; Chris wears
swimwear by HOM at figleaves.com

44

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26/11/2014 12:04

t goes without saying that

water sports probably
arent everyones cup of
tea. But youd be hard
pressed to find an Attitude
reader who hasnt enjoyed
watching the swimming
and diving at some point,
for whatever reason. As
a special treat for our
annual Sex Issue, we are
giving you swimmers
Martin Cremin, Tom
Haffield, Ieuan Lloyd, plus diving
favourite Chris Mears, who
stripped down to their smalls and
got a tad cheeky with Attitude in
this group interview.

water boys_ATTITUDE
Whats been the peak of your careers thus far, in
terms of medal winning, etc?
Ieuan: For me, I was very good at a junior level. I won
the Junior Olympics and I won the European Juniors.
I made the Olympics at 18, and then I found it really
difficult to step up onto the senior stage, going from top
dog, to being a bit lower in the order.
Tom: Ive won British championships as a junior and a
senior, and in 2009 I was World Championship ranked
seventh in the world.
Martin: I was Scottish champion for four years in a
row until this year. I was British Champion the year I
finished.
Chris: Competing at the Commonwealth Games and
winning gold is definitely my highest achievement to date.
Martin, youre retired now?
Martin: Yeah, I retired after the games. Im about to
start a new job.
Tom: Im thinking about what Im doing. At the
moment Im doing some courses in teaching and
coaching swimming so I have options for what I want
to do.
When you swim its such a big part of your life,
whats it like to give that up?
Martin: I think now Im just enjoying it because for
the last year of my training I knew that I was working
towards Glasgow 2014 and I knew that I was going to be
stopping after that, so I just put everything into it. I made
a lot of sacrifices and its really nice just to have a bit more
freedom now, in terms of a social life and stuff like that.
And youre still in the thick of it Ieuan?
Ieuan: Yeah, for me obviously Glasgow didnt go too
great for me. It was a bit of a disappointment to come
seventh in Glasgow, but Ive started the season very
positively, I feel more confident in myself and Ive
started making some new life choices. Ive got a good
relationship with my new coach.
Tom, what makes you decide whether or not to
continue with your career?
Tom: Its come to a big crossroads at the minute. My
coach of 13 years has just retired and Im getting on a bit
now believe it or not, 26 is relatively old in the world of
swimming! And Ive been doing it full time since I was
16, since I was doing my GCSEs, so Im thinking now,
what do I want to do next.
Chris, how do you see your future in this career?
Chris: I am fairly confident that Ill still be on the team
up until Rio 2016 thats basically my next target.
But then, until I actually reach that target and complete
that target, I cant really say whats after that. Ill still
be fairly young, and Im confident Ill have a few years
left in me.
Youve also got a budding career as a DJ though right?
Chris: Yeah. Ive been doing music since I was 16-yearsold. Then after London started getting a little bit more
serious I decided it was something I wanted to consider
in my future and now Im just building up to releasing
a single, which should be out very soon. Its out on
Universal Music in Mexico, and itll be a world-wide

45

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shop now

WWW.PROWLER.CO.UK
SOHO 5-7 Brewer Street, Soho, London, W1F 0RF, 020 7734 4031
BRIGHTON 112-113 St Jamess Street, Brighton, BN2 1TH, 01273 683 680

PROWLER ATTITUDE BCOHEN AD.indd 46

25/11/2014 17:08

water boys_ATTITUDE
sale as well so anyone can buy it.
How have you found it all?
Chris: Its been a lot harder than I thought it
would be. You know, the music industry is a
tough one. And it was hard trying to build my
own sound but Im really happy with my single
that Ive produced and written. I cant wait for
people to hear it.
So whats the training day like for you guys,
when youre in the thick of it?
Tom: I think we swimmers do a lot of longdistance events, so it would be a lot more
than somebody who was a sprinter. I think we
all do a lot.
Martin: Yeah I was in for two-and-a-half
hours in the morning, two-and-a-half hours at
night, but my training partner who does the 50
breaststroke was maybe only in a few times a
week, so it really just depends on what event
you want to do. Theres a lot more land work if
youre a sprinter too.
Chris: I train 28 hours a week. I do 50% gym
work and then the rest is in the pool. I lift
weights three times a week which is tough. I do
a lot of gymnastic work and trampoline-based
work. So obviously its quite taxing on the body.
Weve all read tales of the huge intake of
calories from people like Michael Phelps
what do swimmers eat during training?
Martin: Id say I eat more now probably, than I
was. Because Im trying to bulk up at the gym.
Just for yourself?
Martin: Yeah!
Tom: When I was in full training I was
swimming 80km a week, and thats not even
a full week, thats Monday until Saturday
morning, so its more like five and a half days.
Then you can eat whatever you want, as much
as you want. The problem I had was keeping
weight on to be honest. I was so slim when I was
doing 80km a week, I could just eat whatever.
Are you all a bit like that? Because no one
has a particularly big build.
Ieuan: It varies on the event really.
Martin: Especially my event which is 1500m
which is the biggest one you can do, you dont
find that theres giant guys, in terms of build or
height really its such an aerobic event.
Tom: Me and Ieuan used to go to Yo Sushi in
Cardiff and they have this deal on a Sunday
where you can have as much as you want for a
certain amount of money, and wed go in on a
Sunday and have a competition of who could eat
the most.
Well at least sushi is fairly healthy, its not
burgers or sausages is it?
Tom: Well Ieuans a pie eating champion as well!
Ieuan: For two years in a row I won a pie eating
competition.

chris wears
swimwear by
Aussiebum

47

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 Ive chosen a job

that requires a
very small amount
of clothes and Im
absolutely cool
with it! Chris

Martin wears swimwear by

Addicted at Bang+Strike;
Chris wears swimwear by HOM
at figleaves.com, Tom wears
swimwear by Speedo

48

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water boys_ATTITUDE

Tom and Ieuan both

wear swimwear by
Aussiebum

How many did you have to eat?

Ieuan: It was in ten minutes, and
I had about seven and a half, and
theyre big pies as well.
You werent sick or anything?
Because you hear of these stupid
water drinking contents in
America and stuff, and its like
She won! But she died.
Ieuan: No! I felt a bit ill after though.
How about you Chris, how does
diving differ?
Chris: I think during the winter time,
you need to make sure you have a
small amount of fat reserves; just,
like, to stop yourself from getting ill.
Its just basically managing that in
the right way and making sure that
your bodyweight stays at a consistent
kind of place.
I have a few questions about
etiquette Im hoping you can
answer. How long is it acceptable
to be naked in the changing rooms
should it be done quickly, or can
you walk to the showers naked...

Tom: Theres different etiquette for

public swimmers and professional
swimmers. Professional swimmers
dont get naked.
Martin: We mainly do poolside
changes.
With a towel? Like you do on the
beach if youre not a pervert?
Martin: Yeah.
Then public changing rooms,
whats the difference?
Tom: We have group changes, so we
have big cubicles, so we tend to get
changed as a squad, and sometimes
we get like a member of the public
walk in and take their kit off.
Martin: Air drying for like 15 minutes.
Tom: And were all in the shower with
our trunks on and then somebody
naked walks in the shower, and its
like errr... I think you need to leave.
Martin: And usually theres no safe
place to rest your eyes either.
Well if youre automatically drawn
to it. What about hair dryers,
because some people use those

very inappropriately...
Martin: No, hand driers! Under the
hand dryer!
What, their bits?
Martin: Yeah.
Tom: What! Ive never seen anyone
do that.
Another question why do you
shave your body hair, does it really
do anything?
Ieuan: I dont know if it makes that
much difference, but swimmers,
when they rest down for a
competition, shave all the hair off
their body. Its just less water
resistance. It gives you a little feeling,
you feel a bit smoother going through
the water. But Im not a very hairy
person anyway.
Tom: You feel higher in the water,
youre floating higher, and it reduces
the drag on your body.
Martin: Also its quite a powerful
psychological thing too because
its the final thing you can do in
preparation for your competition.

49

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All wear
swimwear by
Emporio Armani
at Bang+Strike

So it gives you a little bit of a boost. When

you jump in the water, you feel completely
different, the water feels different against
your skin.
Chris: We dont need to do it. I guess
the swimmers need to be streamlined or
whatever, but thats not really so much of
a problem for us. I do have a routine that I
do but...
Just a personal one?
Chris: Yeah, its kind of just personal, its
not a necessity.
Do you ever feel a bit exposed in your

swimming gear?
Chris: Well Ive chosen a job that requires
a very small amount of clothes and Im
absolutely cool with it! Ive done it
since I was seven years old, so its not
anything new to me and Im comfortable
in my own skin.
Ieuan: Well we normally wear two pairs
actually we wear two pairs in training.
Is that why everything looks bigger?
Ieuan: No thats all natural!
Tom: I only wear one. The thing is, weve
been wearing trunks since such a young

age that its normal, and I feel more

comfortable in trunks, because when
youre wearing clothes I feel people judge
you on your clothes and stuff like that
whereas were used to being in our trunks
and being around everybody else in
their trunks.
So would you rather people saw you in
your pants, or in your clothes?
Tom: Depends what time of year it is.
Well Id say this is late autumn.
Tom: Now is fine! I just had a spray tan
done so Im fine.

50

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water boys_ATTITUDE
How often do you get that done?
Tom: Oh, just for today.
Anyone else guilty of that?
Tom: Martins been on the sunbeds!
Martin: Only one or two! Just maintaining
my tan from my holiday.
It seems to me that divers always get a
fair bit more attention. Why should we be
more interested in looking at swimmers
than divers?
Ieuan: We train harder!
Tom: I dont know, I dont want to take
anything away from divers. In Glasgow I
went to watch Tom (Daley) on the last day
of the Commonwealth Games, and I really
enjoyed watching it, I think its a great sport.
Martin: I would say that was one of my
favourite points of the games, because we
were all finished in the first week and we
went to watch the diving.
Whats the difference in your bodies?
Tom: Well they all have massive thighs.
They have a lot of jumping and diving,
where obviously we just have the one dive at
the start.

Chris: I think it depends on what time

of season youre talking about, but I
work hard in the gym, and I think its a
lot different to the swimmers because
they do a lot of long distance swimming
and that requires a different body
shape. Theyre generally taller and a bit
skinnier. Whereas were a little bit more
hench.
Is it more upper body with
swimmers?
Martin: Yeah, divers bodies are more
similar to gymnasts than swimmers.
Tom: I think its easier for swimmers
to keep weight off too, because
obviously we do a lot of cardio work.
We dont have to watch what we eat
as much.
Are you as happy with your bodies
as they are?
Ieuan: Yeah, very happy.
If you werent swimming would
you want to look any different?
Ieuan: No I think Ive got a good
balance.

Tom wears
swimwear by
Aussiebum

Martin wears swimwear

by Addicted at
Bang+Strike; Chris
wears swimwear by HOM
at figleaves.com

51

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Tom wears swimwear

by Speedo; Chris
wears swimwear by
HOM at figleaves.com

52

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water boys_ATTITUDE

Martin wears swimwear

by Aussiebum; Ieuan
and tom both wear
swimwear by Rufskin

Tom: Well no matter how much I try I

just cant get a six pack, so yeah Ive kind
of given up on that now. I think its genes.
Ieuan can just rock up after a break and
hell still have abs, where no matter what I
do, I just cant.
So Martin youre bulking up?
Martin: Yeah, a little bit. Ive always felt
quite skinny, with my event, and Ive
never had an intense gym programme like
some of my colleagues, so yeah just for me
I want to get a little bit bigger.
Are you all on Instagram?
Martin: Yeah.
Tom: Yeah.
Ieuan: No. Well Ive forgotten my
password...
How partial are you to an indulgent
selfie?

Tom: Nah, I think out of about 100

pictures, theres probably three
maximum.
Martin: Theres such pressure to do them,
to keep your followers up. My mate told
me yesterday hes posted a picture of him
and his niece or something and a load of
people unfollowed him.
You set a dangerous precedent. Do you
find that as well?
Martin: Yeah I think some people get
bored of you.
Tom: I dont care, if youre interested in
what Im doing then follow me, if youre
not, then dont. I dont really care. Id
rather have one person follow me who
was actually interested. When youre
swimming, I find I dont actually have
that much to post. The day is so long and

monotonous.
Chris: I just kind of post what Im doing,
and when Im away on a trip, Ill just be in
the pool and Ill be in speedos obviously,
and I guess people like to see that kind
of thing and it gets a lot of attention, so...
yeah, so be it! Got no problems with it!
Chris, you also have the honour of
being the only one of the four to make
the Attitude Hot 100 two years in a
row...
Chris: Yeah and the first year, I was like
70th or 71st or something and I was just
like Oh okay. Yeah cool! I didnt have
like, high expectations for this year,
but I was seventh and I was literally
gobsmacked. And I was honoured, really,
to be regarded that high up in the list!
That made me really happy.

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Martin wears swimwear by

Addicted at Bang+Strike,
Chris wears swimwear by HOM
at figleaves.com, Tom wears
swimwear by Speedo, Ieuan
wears swimwear by WearMeUnder

location: Oakleigh park school of swimming

Grooming by Marcos Gurgel using MAC
Photography assisted by Sally McCormack
and Kitty Wheeler Shaw
Video operator Harvey Puttock
Styling assisted by Nick Byam and
Jackson Forster

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It wouldnt
be the
Sex Issue
without...
A BOX OF SAUCY
QUESTIONS
What do you wear in bed?
Tom: I just wear underwear in bed.
Martin: Me too.
Ieuan: None of us sleep naked.
Tom: I dont like it.
Chris: Im a boxers man. I only wear
boxers. I cant sleep if I have pyjamas on or
anything. Thats just my thing.
What would you win a medal for in the
bedroom?
Tom: Ive got a good answer, can I go first?!
Sleeping!
Martin: I do a really good pillow
arrangement. My bedroom is like Bree Van
de Kamps from Desperate Housewives.
Chris: Ill go for all round performance!
Ieuan: Id win a medal for keeping my
bedroom nice and messy.
Tom: He should get a medal for the bloody
doorbell he has in his bedroom. It connects
to his room and Ive stayed at his house
and when the doorbell goes off it shakes the
whole room.
Have you ever worn your medals in bed?
Ieuan: I take them off as soon as theyre
given to me.
Tom: No I havent, but I know somebody
who has!
Do we know that person?
Tom: I dont know, Ill just leave it at that!
Somebody well known...

water boys_ATTITUDE
What if you pulled and they
wanted you to wear them.
Tom: Oh Id do that for a
joke.
Chris: Definitely not, thats
far too arrogant for me. Not
my style
Martin: Absolutely not!
Whats the naughtiest
thing youve ever done in
the water?
Martin: Skived half the
training sessions.
Thats another shit answer.
Chris: Im a good boy, I
dont do anything naughty!
Tom: Skinny dip! I did a
naked length once in the
pool after training. Thats
about it.
Ieuan: I did something...
Not to myself, to
somebody else. It was in a
Jacuzzi.

Tom: Yeah. I went to her house, a friend of

mine took me.
Was she videoing it?
Tom: Thats mean! [laughs]
Chris: Im a big Mila Kunis fan.
Ieuan: I think from a very young age Ive
always fancied Rachel from Friends.
Whats the naughtiest picture anyones
ever sent you?
Martin: Some of the messages I got on
Facebook after Attitude did a picture special
of me were unthinkable. Not so much
photos, but the words that were used. I
honestly couldnt repeat them!
Chris: Yeah I get some weird comments and
pictures on Twitter too.
Tom: I dont send any. No one wants to see
that...
Youd be surprised.
Ieuan: Does this include videos?
Tom: You cant talk about the one I think
youre going to talk about.

Hands, kind of thing?

Ieuan: Hands, yeah.

Oh I think you have to now.

Ieuan: Just some Snapchat things thats all.

Martin, have you got a better one?

Martin: Skinny dipping, but not on my
own.

What was she doing?

Ieuan: Christ...she had a little...um...
accessory?
Tom: I was sharing a room with him while
it was going on, so I know all about it.

In a group, or with just one person?

Martin: With a close friend.
Wheres the weirdest place youve ever
had sex?
Ieuan: Ive done it in a nightclub.
Dance floor or toilets?
Ieuan: Both!
Martin: I guess mine is Dubai. The most
homophobic nation!
With a local?
Martin: It wasnt actually. Well, an ex pat,
so... Also on the roof of a hotel.
I hope it was a nice one?
Martin: It was in Mexico. More of a roof
terrace actually.
Which celebrity gets you wet?
Martin: I dont know if he gets me wet
but I definitely fancy Dan Osborne!
Tom: People are probably going to judge me
for this, but Im going to say Paris Hilton,
because Ive met her and I thought she was
really nice, and shes not dumb like people
think at all.
Ieuan: Was she hot?

Ieuan were you sending anything back?

Ieuan: No comment!
Tom: I dont really do this. I have had people
send things through but nothing too bad
that I can think of, just underwear things.
I get worse things from my friends than
anyone else!
Would you rather have a bigger brain,
bigger muscles, a bigger bank account or
a bigger dick?
Tom: Oh this ones alright actually. Id go for
a bigger bank account. Then in order? Bigger
brain, bigger dick, bigger muscles.
Ieuan: Id rather have a bigger bank account
as well.
How are you doing with the other three?
Ieuan: Sorted.
Martin: I agree with bigger bank account.
Tom: If youve got a big bank account, that
other stuff doesnt matter does it?
Chris: I think Id rather have a bigger
brain, then I can make the money, and get
a lot of other things. I have no problems
with my dick!

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help!
I dont
want
bum sex
For our Sex Issue Joe Kort explores your deepest, darkest sexual fears
Dear Joe

When I came out six years ago I was so shy and scared of gay sex.
Since then I really feel I have accepted my sexuality and learned to
enjoy sex, but its almost like since I decided to try anal sex, I cant
stop pushing the boundaries. There is pretty much nothing I have not
tried over the last six years. Recently I have been feeling increasingly
depressed. Where do I go next? Someone described me as hyper-sexual
the other day. Is that what I have become?
I dont think the question is where you go next sexually but rather
where you go next relationally. My guess is that you are depressed
because you are only focused on sex and not the relationships
as well. I think it is great that you have accepted your sexual
orientation and also discovered your sexual interests. Just because
someone comes out doesnt mean they become sexually open
and adventurous. I always coach people to expand their sexual
boundaries and try new things, which you have done. However,
engaging in sex acts with other people and being sexually
adventurous is easier than putting your energy into building
a relationship too. Notice I am using the word too. You dont
have to give up your sexual adventures to turn your attention to

relationships as well. How much time are you putting into dating? I
had a client once tell me that having a lot of sexual hookups was fun
but in the end it was like empty calories because it left him feeling
isolated afterwards. What was your former self like? Was your
attention turned toward friends and family? Do you have a regular
guy you turn to for being sexually open? I bet if you decided to focus
on one or two guys with whom you play with on a regular basis you
would feel less depressed and discover who you are since you have
come out. We see ourselves reflected in the relationships we choose
whether they are dating partners, sex partners, family or friends. I
think it is time you start to focus on your relationships.

Dear Joe

I live in a world where we are bombarded with porn and messages of

different types of sexual behaviour. I love watching porn of all kinds
and I have a long-term boyfriend of five years. What nobody knows
is that I have never had anal sex and although I like watching it, I
dont wish to partake in it, either giving or receiving. Increasingly my
boyfriend has made it clear he craves it but I know it is something I
never want to do. Should I leave him? Or let him sleep with other men?

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sex issue_ATTITUDE
The thought of this breaks my heart but surely it is better than him
deserting me or cheating.
The gay culture is obsessed with anal sex and it dominates much
of porn and those who don't like to participate feel shame and a
sense they don't belong. Gay men are constantly referring to and
defining themselves as tops or bottoms. When they consider
dating or simply hooking up, gay men typically ask the other guy
whether he's a top, a bottom or versatile. It's important to find this
out as soon as possible, because if you are planning to date or get
into a relationship, it's vitally important that you and he be sexually
compatible with each other. There are people who dont like anal
sex and dont consider themselves a top or a bottom so I call them
sides. There is so much more to sex than intercourse. Sides prefer to
kiss, hug and engage in oral sex, rimming, mutual masturbation and
rubbing up and down on each other, to name just a few of the sexual
activities they enjoy. That just may be who you are.
I like that you are thinking of various options and not being a
partner who digs his heels in saying, I am
not engaging in that sexual behavior and nor
can you! Before you address the options
though, I would first have a conversation
with him and confess you have never had
anal sex nor do you want to. You might
consider trying to have anal sex because it
excites him and see how that goes. You may
find you like giving and/or receiving more
than you thought you would. Regardless,
have that conversation so that together you
can discuss the options about letting him
sleep with other men or whether or not you
stay together. Dont make that choice alone.

Dear Joe

I am 42 years old, good looking and much sought after. I know this
sounds arrogant but its true. I have no sexual hang-ups whatsoever
but a few friends have questioned recently why I have never had a
relationship since I came out at the age of 18. I have never felt the need
and never felt in love. I guess Im asking, am I some kind of freak?
Is there something wrong with me and should I seek to change? My
sister says she fears for me when I am old and no one sleeps with me
anymore and I cant pretend it hasnt crossed my mind.
First of all you can tell your sister that having a partner and even
kids for that matter doesn't assure anyone of anything in terms
of being alone or having someone to grow old with. People tend to
think that if you are not in a relationship that something is wrong
with you. It is very judgmental and shaming, as if being single
means you are somehow flawed or damaged. It sounds like it is even
making you question yourself. It doesnt make you a freak. That said,
it doesnt hurt to explore whether it is out of choice or default, and
if being single is really what you want. What is
it about relationships that might contribute to
you not wanting one? Many people avoid the
conflict that results in most relationships. If you
didn't see your parents relate to one another in a
healthy basis or have healthy conflict resolution
it can make you grow up and be relationship
avoidant. Or are you enjoying being wanted
and much sought after and dont want to give
up the feeling that gives you? If you feel like
you want to try dating you could see how that
feels and if it is something you want in your life.
You need to be clear in terms of what you want
for yourself, not what others think you should
want. If you choose to stay single, enjoy it!

You might consider

trying anal sex because
it excites him and see
how that goes. You may
find you like giving or
receiving more than you
thought you would

Dear Joe

I really fancy my boyfriend and I think he is genuinely the hottest man

I have ever seen. The sex is, for the most part great apart from the
fact that he has been increasingly showing his S&M side. The other
day he spanked me hard during sex. I didnt know what to say so just
went along with it. But it did nothing for me and just felt like it was a
bit silly (and painful). How do I negotiate this with him?
The truth is that we are all sexually fluid and what turns us on at
age 20 changes and morphs to include new exciting and different
things at 30, 40 and 50and even older. So your boyfriend is
showing signs of enjoying S&M. This demands many conversations
between the two of you so that you can talk about the boundaries,
limits and things you may or may not want to do with him. It may
have felt silly and painful because you have not talked about it. I
recommend to couples that if you are going to introduce something
different sexually in the relationship you should try and talk about
it first. Tell him that you still think he is the hottest guy and that sex
is good and that you are noticing an increase in BDSM play and that
you need to talk about it. Even though you talk it through, you may
still find it silly and painful and have to negotiate what you will and
wont do. You may become aroused because he is aroused. In other
words, while partners may not have the same sexual interests, the
turn on for the partner who is not as into the sex play is watching
how turned on their partner is themselves. I would urge you to
consider this as you engage in BDSM play if you choose. The dark
side to this is that your boyfriend may have enough of a growing
interest that he needs more than you can or want to offer him. This
may lead to an open relationship or one that needs to end. Talking
with him is the best way to negotiate this.

Dear Joe

After a year of quite mundane sex I introduced my boyfriend to the

world of threesomes and our whole sex life exploded. We have never
been turned on by each other as much as we are now. I love watching
him with other men and I know he feels the same. Afterwards the sex
between us is off-the-scale good. The trouble is, last week he asked
if I would like to invite his ex boyfriend to have sex with us. They
were together for two years and they only split up because his ex was
moving abroad. I know it would be horny but I am a bit scared of
how I will react. And does it mean that he still wants him?
Dont do it. I am not against three ways, especially if it is enhancing
your sex life with your boyfriend. However, you said yourself, he
ended the relationship for geographical reasons, not because the
relationship was over. There is always the possibility that whatever
the two of them had at once time can become reignited and you will
be left out in the cold. I don't think it has to mean that your boyfriend
still wants his ex. It might seem hot for him to have his old boyfriend
and current one. But when we have sex we are releasing hormones
that attach us to our sex partners whether we like it or not. Serotonin
is released causing us to feeling those romantic feelings of falling in
love. Oxytocin is released making us feel attached to the person we
are having sex with. And finally, Vasopressin is activated, triggering
the desire for long-term commitment. These chemicals being
released during sex can form bonds and remind
them of their commitment to one another in
a very powerful way that chemicals do for us.
What I hope is holding you back from doing this
is your gut and I say in this instance, trust it!

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readers

sex lives

No attitude sex issue is complete without turning to you, our loyal, rampant readers. we called out to those
of you who own a favourite pair of going out undies and were overwhelmed with responses. Here, seven everyday
guys joined Attitude at Bar Soho to whip off their togs, show us their knickers and tell us about their sex lives

SAM Reynolds

Words Christian Guiltenane / Photography: Lorna Roach / grooming: Marcis gurgel

HaIRDRESSER, 24

I was just
thinking
Christ, its
like being
in a porno,
high five Sam

Nice pants!
I LOVE wearing these pants as they give
me a great bulge and arse! They feel sexy
as fuck as they have the mesh on the sides
and because they are well fitted, you feel like
youre getting a constant grope on your tush.
Are you a confident guy when youre out
chatting up guys?
No! People seem to think that I will be
because I am confident all the time, but put
me in front of a good looking guy and I just
act like a little school boy. I have said to a guy
before Im so sorry but you are way too hot
for me to talk to you!
What role do apps like Grindr play in
your life?
I dont have Grindr or any other dating
*cough* hook-up apps. Im the sort of person
who when on a night out the village
idiot will come up to me swinging a bell
screaming I love you, so I tend to stay away
from anything that can bring them on more.
Do you think these apps make people
more promiscuous?
Yes! Whenever I hear guys say its for
dating or its to make friends, I just think
how desperate are you to make new friends?
Is sex important to you?
Yeah, every relationship needs it. Its that
one personal thing that a couple share with
each other that no one else can or should see.
What turns you on in a guy?
A sense of humour. I know everyone says
that but I mean when a guy can take the piss
out of himself and take the piss out of me
and not be offended.
Does size matter?

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the sex issue_ATTITUDE

Come on, lets face it... Size always matters.
Are you body confident
Id say yes and my friends would probably
say definitely, seeing as they always get sent
naked snapchats. Im trying my hardest at
the gym to get more toned and beefy but
until that point Ill just accept the way I look.
Do you find that gay men are more self
obsessed?
Definitely! Just look at my Instagram and it
says it all. I think its excellent that people
have gone selfie-mad it means men are
happy with the way they look and I think
people should do it more.
Do you like the idea of marriage?
Marriage is such a beautiful thing but I can
easily see how it isnt for some couples. Id
personally love the man of my dreams to
propose in Venice.
How is dating in 2014? Have apps
changed the way people behave?
Whats with guys asking for your Whatsapp,
or Snapchat? What ever happened to whats
your number?
When you go out, is the aim to find sex?
Christ no, my main thing on a night out is to
go and have fun and dance the night away. I
still live at home so bringing a guy home is
never on the cards.
What do you expect from a first date?
Smiles. I dont care where first dates are as
long as we are both smiling and laughing.
Describe your first time.
It was at my first boyfriends house. No
lube, didnt last long and wasnt even drunk
either. All in all, awful.
Are you regularly tested?
I dont get tested often because not to
sound like a prude but I dont have sex
regularly with randoms. But if I do Im
always safe and protected, and if I worry, I
get tested.
How important is safe sex for you?
Safe sex is so important and it makes me
vom inside to think people dont care about
safe sex. Its so easy to prevent all those
shenanigans.
Have you had sex with more than one
person at the same time?
Im not afraid to say yes and that it was
bloody amazing. Me and two other guys.
It was a tad awkward at first but when it
all started to get going and the awkward
underwear removal was over I was just
thinking Christ, its like being in a porno,
high five Sam
Could you go out with a guy if he didnt
do sex?
A relationship wouldnt be a relationship if
there wasnt sex involved. Its pretty key. I
know the relationship wouldnt last long.

no one needs to look far for

a random hook-up and that
just makes it way too easy

James MacDonald-Hall

social media manager, 23

So why are these your going out pants?
I got given them by an ex and to be honest,
they are kinda cheeky!
Are you confident when youre out on
the prowl?
When I first started out I was not that
confident chatting guys up, but after a few
times I really got into the swing of things.
Do you use Grindr?
I do use it on and off but its mainly all
talk. I think it has changed the dating
scene because no one needs to look far for
a random hook-up and that just makes
it way too easy, and distracts guys from
actually looking for a decent relationship.
Is sex an important thing to you?
Yes.
What turns you on in a guy?
Personality, because at the end the day

looks do fade.
Are you body confident?
Yes, I recently went on a health detox and
lost a lot of weight.
Describe your first time?
It was a friend from school and thats all
Im saying.
Are you regularly tested?
Absolutely everyone should.
How important do you rate safe sex?
Ten out of ten; its a necessity unless you
and your partner have been tested.
Have you had sex with more than one
person at the same time?
No comment! My mother might read this!
[laughs]
Do you want to get married one day?
Thats a tough one. Probably not.
Have you had a sex disaster
Ive been walked in on once, by my mother.
Which celebrity would you like to
sleep with?
1000% Aaron Taylor-Johnson!

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I dont drink,
I dont smoke,
I dont take
drugs. So I
guess sex is
my only vice
which is
healthy

JOHN JACK KIRBY

Yoga instructor, 26
Introduce us to your pants.
Well, me and these pants have had some
good times. But really, you do walk a little
taller when youre wear a nice fitting pair of
tighty-whities. Except these are black. Also I
teach yoga, so comfort is important.
Are you confident chatting up guys?
I am in general. Im not shy to make eye
contact with people and say hello. That has
never been a problem for me. However if
I really like a guy and think hes too good
looking for me I tend to go quiet and pretend
Im not interested. I know this is stupid
because I should do the opposite but I think

on some level I am afraid of rejection. I think

everyone is a little bit.
How big a role do apps like Grindr play in
your life?
I have used Grindr in the past, I think its a
great tool for guys to chat, meet and connect.
But for me, I found youd talk, talk, talk for
ages and nothing happens.
Do you think these apps make people
more promiscuous?
I wouldnt say more promiscuous. I think
that promiscuity is and always has been
there, it is just bringing it into the palm of
our hands and closer than ever before.
How important is sex to you?
Very. I dont drink, I dont smoke, I dont take
drugs. So I guess sex is my only vice which
is healthy.

What do you look for in a man?

Sometimes its humour, talent or passion,
and sometimes its physical attraction.
Does size matter?
An old cruise ship line... It aint about the
size of the vessel, its about the motion of the
ocean. Pretty self explanatory that one.
Are you confident with the way you look?
Id have to be to come here and get my
picture taken in my nearly-birthday suit. I
wasnt always, Yoga helped me accept what
Ive got, and working with that rather than
wishing for something different. I would
love to have a crazy ripped body like Tom
Daley, but Im just as happy to look at his
calendar instead.
Do you think young gay people are
getting the right sex education?
We had Sex Ed in secondary school and I
left with lots of knowledge about straight
sex and birth control and nothing about
what I needed to know about gay sex. I had
to discover all I needed to know from the
internet and GUM clinics.
Do you like the idea of marriage?
I think it can be a beautiful thing, but its
not something that has ever appealed to me,
even though equal marriage is now in play.
Is having sex your main aim when youre
out on the town?
When I first hit the scene I wasnt looking
for sex. I was interested in meeting and
seeing all these fab people in new open
places. The sex came later.
Describe your first time?
It was as good as it could have been I guess. I
was in school and it happened after P.E. class.
Are you regularly tested?
Yes, I still regularly get tested. It is so
important for everyone to do their bit and
look after their health. It should be at the
top of everyones list.
Have you ever had sex with more than
one person at the same time?
I have! I was working in Tenerife years ago
and I met this lovely Spanish couple and one
thing led to another and... I really enjoyed
my time in Tenerife.
Could you go out with a guy if he didnt
do sex?
I think sex is a healthy part of life whether
youre straight or gay, and its nothing to be
ashamed of. I also understand that different
people have different sex drives but for me
I dont think I could settle for nothing. My
balls would blow!
Which celebrity would you like to
sleep with?
The one which took me to the best parties,
or maybe the highest bidder. Im joking... I
guess it would have to be Tom Daley!

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the sex issue_ATTITUDE

sex
stories
Lost dildo

Tube crush

Me and this guy

were playing around
with a small dildo.
The thrusts soon
picked up pace and
all of a sudden the
dildo disappeared.
Thinking it had been
sucked up inside
him, I jumped and
screamed and that
made him scream,
He was panicking
telling me we had
to go to A&E, but
as he did I noticed
the dildo under the
sheet! Panic over...
As was the passion!

I clocked a guy in
an empty carriage
looking at me after
a boozy night out.
He started rubbing
his bulge so I did the
same. Eventually
I had my cock out
rubbing it in his
direction. I was
so up for it that I
hadnt realised that
we had stopped
in a platform
and that all the
passengers on the
train on the adjacent
platform could see
everything.

Cum cum! I hooked up

with this gorgeous guy
one night. He was a great
kisser and he gave my arse
a good squeeze, But i was
so horny that i came in a
matter of seconds! to top
it off, The trousers
I was wearing were the
kind that showed up any
kind of spillage, so i
had to hang around with a
nasty cum patch!

Riiiiip!

Id Hooked up with this guy and We

went back to my place where he proceeded
to blow me. All of a sudden he asked if id
cum already. When we turned the lights on
it looked like a slasher film. Hed ripped my
foreskin and fast made his way to the door.

sex isnt so
taboo anymore,
which I suppose
has its good and
bad points

javier santos

Musical Theatre Actor, 25

Are you confident on nights out?
I always thought I was quite confident,
especially back in Spain. But then, when I
came to the UK and people started telling me
I had an accent I became a bit more insecure
when it comes to be the first one to speak.
Which part of your body would you like
to improve?
Well I am happy with my height, but I think
I have chicken legs. Im quite lazy when
it comes to going to the gym, so it hasnt
improved very much.
Do you worry that other men judge you by
the way you look?
Nobody likes to be judged, but to be honest,

Im quite good at ignoring what people say

and just looking at myself and changing
what I dont like, rather than what others
dont like.
Do you think gay men are too self obsessed?
I think nowadays we base beauty on looks,
when at the end of the day its confidence
and personality that really make us
attractive. I cant count how many handsome
guys have been an awful, boring date.
Do you think gay men lack the knowledge
of safe sex that straight people have?
Coming from a small town in Spain you
always think that doesnt happen here or
that wont happen to me, but then I came
to London and I became more aware of STIs
and how to prevent them. I think the UK is
quite good at providing information about it.
Do you want to get married in the future?

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Yes, my parents are happily married and

still together. So I guess I grew up believing
in it and admiring it.
Is the gay world too obsessed with sex?
I think the world in general is a bit obsessed.
We have become so oblivious to it being all
around us because its so overdone from
such a young age. Its not something taboo
anymore, which I suppose has its good and
bad points.
How have you found dating has changed
in 2014?
Its quite scary how many people, including
myself, rely on apps to find dates, sex or
friends. We are all so confident with our
phones, but then we have no confidence at
all when it comes to the date, and talking
and being face-to-face. I think its just a
trend at the moment, so what can you do?

Considering
he knew it was
my first time,
he wasnt
gentle at all
and I ran off
to the toilet
and hid

Fidel Ranson

Hairdresser, 30
Are you on Grindr?
I occasionally use the likes of Grindr, but I
dont let it take over my life. In my opinion
apps have definitely changed the way gay
dating works. Guys used to have to go to
bars, clubs or cruising areas to meet other
gay guys, now they stay at home and bring
the party to themselves!
How important is sex to you?
I couldnt be with someone if the sex
wasnt good!
What turns you on in a man?
I wouldnt say I have a type of guy I go for,
other than masculinity. Thats what really

turns me on.
Does size matter?
There is such a thing as too small and too
big, but Im not a size queen, just as long as
the guy knows how to use it.
Are you body confident?
I am, but Im always wanting to improve my
body in some way! My chest always feels flat
to me and I would like a bigger chest. Do I
worry that other gay men judge me? Yes, of
course, thats what gay men do!
Do you think gay men take too many
selfies?
100 percent! A lot of guys are addicted to
the attention they get in the form of likes.
Im not a massive selfie taker myself.
When you go out is the main aim to
hook up?
No, I go out to be sociable and sex will
sometimes happen as a result of going out,
but its never the reason I go out.
Describe your first time?
I was working in a hair salon when I
came across my first openly gay guy in
my life and he asked if I wanted to go on
a night out with him to the gay village in
Manchester, so I did. I met a guy who was 25
and who was showing me loads of attention,
I told him I was 18. At the end of the night,
he invited me back to his but I told him I
needed to go home. After a lot of convincing
and the offer of a lift home I went back. We
started to get down to it, and he asked if he
could bum me, I told him I hadnt done that
before but after even more convincing, I
agreed. Considering he knew it was my first
time, he wasnt gentle at all and I ran off to
the toilet and hid. When I eventually came
out of the toilet, I made him take me home
and that was that.
Are you regularly tested?
Every three to six months. Safe sex is the
most important part! Everyone has to be
careful. You cant afford to be careless these
days. I have had unprotected sex before, in
the heat of the moment. I regretted it and
wont make that mistake again. (Ed: If you
have a condom accident or unprotected sex your
local casualty department can give you PEP which
can prevent infection if seen within 72 hours.)
When you are with a guy, are you always
monogamous?
Yes, always!
Do you want to be married one day?
I never used to. Growing up I had always
thought I would marry a woman, so when I
realised I was gay I thought marriage wasnt
an option for me. I would love to get married
now that it is an option.

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the sex issue_ATTITUDE

if someone brought
out a dental dam
before rimming me
Id be so offended

Robert Stuart

spa coordinator and

holistic health blogger for
UniquelyOrganic, 25

Why are these your going out pants?

They make me feel confident. The colour
makes me look more tanned and theyre
suggestive but a bit more subtle than a
jockstrap!
Do you have game when youre chatting
up guys in clubs?
I could count on one hand how many guys
Ive successfully approached in a club. On
dating apps Im much more confident but
chatting up in real life is not my fort, I had
very low self-esteem growing ups!
How big a role do dating apps play in
your life?
Well Im not on Grindr now as I have a
wonderful boyfriend but I did meet him on
there. Grindr was a huge part of my life, I
logged in every day for three years!! Its very
addictive. My mood that day would depend
on if Id received messages or not! Im not
completely panning apps but I do think
that they can be a gateway to more risky
sexual behaviours like orgies, chem play and
unprotected sex. But you cant blame the app
for that.
How important is sex for you?
Massively! Its one of the best parts of the
human experience. Sex improves your
self esteem, it makes you look better and
feel better and reduces stress. Its also a
very important measure of relationship

compatibility. A concept I never understand

is no sex before marriage. How do you know
you want to buy the car if you dont take a
test drive?!
Do you think gay men have become too
self obsessed when it comes to selfies etc.?
Its an addiction like any other: Post a selfie,
get loads of likes, feel better (temporarily).
Its a temporary high, like drinking a sugary
drink or sniffing poppers! Im a selfie
bandit, but even I sometimes think that its
embarrassing. Its like youre asking the
world to affirm your attractiveness!
Do you think young gay people are
getting an adequate education about sex?
I would say that most gay men in fact all
youngsters nowadays probably get most
of their sexual education from porn, and
ultimately that will be destructive on our
collective psyches over time, especially with
the propensity of bareback porn saturating
the industry.
How do you feel about marriage?
I want to get married one day. People
argue that gay people shouldnt want to
get married as its a religious, antiquated
ceremony, but I really think that marriage
nowadays is about declaring your union
rather than making a pact with God.
What was your first sexual experience like?
I was 18 and it was at university. Id
drunk so much cider that I had to stop
the act four times to pee and when he
penetrated me the first time it felt like
hed set a firework off up there! He was
very sweet but the act was so painful that

I couldnt face going on more dates with

him. I should apologise to him here really
shouldnt I? I didnt lose my other virginity
until a couple of months after.
Are you regularly tested?
Now Im in a monogamous relationship Im
not, but before that Id try and go every-time
I hooked up with someone new.
How important do you rate safe sex?
Safe sex is so important if youre sleeping
around. Even though advances in HIV
treatment are so great nowadays, theres
still a massive stigma attached. Furthermore
some STIs are becoming resistant to
antibiotics and who knows whats lurking
round the corner. That said, I also think
unprotected sex in a monogamous
relationship is important in terms of
connection, but you have to be certain
you can trust your partner and it is not
something to go into lightly. Also, Ive never
really understood wearing a condom
during oral and if someone brought out a
dental dam before rimming me Id be so
offended, Id probably start laughing.
Are you and your peers well informed on
the dangers of not having safe sex?
I think theres so much more info nowadays
but theres also more bareback porn and
promiscuous sex available either in a visual
form or in person, with certain apps, and I
feel that if youre presented with the choice
of reading a bullet-pointed list or watching a
Bel Ami video, the latter would win.
Would you consider a relationship with
someone who didnt do sex?
Nope. I feel that an intrinsic part of dating is
sex and Id be constantly wondering why he
didnt want to have sex with me!
Could you live without sex?
I suppose so, but my right hand would get
awfully tired.
Whats your biggest sexual fantasy?
My porn knowledge is practically
encyclopedic so I have a myriad of different
fantasies. Id say Im a try-sexual as well
so within some boundaries Id hope to
try a lot of different things. The boundary
is probably urine. One of my fantasies is
imagining Im a porn star and turning up
to set and then having to be intimate with a
complete stranger, its a hot fantasy but does
mean that every once in a while I think that
I should start doing porn and have to tell
myself NO!
Which celebrity would you like to get
down and dirty with?
Well if Dustin Lance Black and Tom Daley
invited me and my boyfriend round this
Christmas Id certainly believe that Santa
Claus was real and had read my list!

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Im well aware of all the sexual

diseases. Sex Clinic on Channel 4
is a very useful tool

sex stories

the sex issue_ATTITUDE

Mums the word

When I was 18 I took
a hot lad back to my
mums while she was
out. We were going at it
like rabbits on all fours
when mum walked in.
She slapped me across
the head and told me off
because my sister was in
the next room.

Chanikul Dechpholkrang

Freelance VFX Artist, 36

Do dating apps play a large role in your life?
Yes! Some would say for better and some for the
worse. Personally Ive found it useful sometimes to
make new friends, especially if youre moving to a
new city or country.
Do you think these apps encourage promiscuity?
Yes I think so, in some ways its too easy to meet
people now. It used to be more romantic before when
people went on dates or to the movies before getting
to second or third base.
Is sex an important thing for you?
Yes and no. It seems to depend on my mood... and
the weather. Hot weather makes me more frisky. But
as I get older sex is less important than having good
friends and a happy social circle.
Describe your first time?
It was like the taste of summer in the dark cold
winter. I was not out back then and the excitement
and the relief was unbelievable!
Are you regularly tested?
Yes, I have always tested regularly, though less so
now that I am in a relationship.
How important do you rate safe sex?
It is the top priority for me if I meet someone new

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and Im having sex with them for the first time.

Would you say you know a lot about the
dangers of safe sex?
Im well aware of all the sexual diseases. Sex Clinic
on Channel 4 is a very useful tool.
Have you had sex with more than one person
at the same time?
I have, yes. I wont go into the number!
Do you believe in marriage?
I believe in love and I know it exists from my
parents. When two people really care about each
other, they always find a way to make it work. No
matter how hard it is.
Could you date someone if he didn't want sex?
Its not always about sex. Sometimes the best
intimacy is where you just lay back, laugh
together at the stupidest things, hold each other,
and enjoy each others company.
Which celebrity do you have the most sexual
fantasies about?
Monday: Ryan Gosling
Tuesday: James Franco
Wednesday: Shia LaBeouf
Thursday: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Friday: Cam Gigandet
Saturday: Dylan O'Brien
Sunday: Theo James.
Oh, and I also fancy Russell Haward!

Greedy boy
I once caught
a guy I was
going down
on checking
grindr at the
same time.
Needless to
say I felt
like a real
princess!
he ended up
staying over
and I woke
up to find
him taking
a picture of
us together,
terrifying.

NIPPLE RING SHOCK

I was hooking up with
a guy i thought looked
like Robbie Williams.
In the taxi to his I was
tweaking his sexy
nipple ring, But when i
got back to his he took
off his clothes and it
turned out the ring was
psoriasis!

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Worried about hair loss?

Clinically proven treatment available online

Health express FP.indd 65

25/11/2014 17:37

For his In Their Room film series,

writer and director Travis
Mathews looks at the intimate
environment of gay mens
bedrooms across the world. To
mark the release of his latest
instalment, he writes exclusively
for Attitude, exploring how the
isolation he experienced as a
gay youth has been wiped away
by the possibilities of modern
technology, and yet the hopes and
desires of the next generation
remain surprisingly similar

Words: travis mathews

cree p er
I N T. D I V E B A R . C O L U M B U S , O H I O . 2 0 0 0 L A T E A F T E R N O O N

Im 24, shitty drunk, and about to do a karaoke version of

Radioheads Creep to a group of indifferent football players.
Its some weird part of the afternoon and were the only
people in this dive bar. I cant remember why Im here, alone,
in the first place, but I feel the ripeness of a scene with a
setup thats almost too perfect to ignore.
In my head, I direct the moment even before stepping
onto the stage. Its the third act of the film, and to everyones
delight, the faggy alt-weirdo from high school finds
redemption as an ironic sweater-wearing 20-something with
a microphone. I cant hurry through the song fast enough, my
friend Linda is gonna laugh her ass off about this one.
The amount of time from when I leave the stage to the time
when I reach Lindas apartment is comically excruciating by
2014 standards, about 30 minutes. I didnt own or believe in
owning a cell phone in 2000. Like most of my friends, I felt
they were just accessories to self-important assholes. Why
would I ever need one?

EXT. L I C KI N G C O U N TY , O H I O . 1 9 9 3 D A Y
Im 18, aimlessly driving backroads in my Caprice Classic
with typical teenage angst. Ohio is shit. These people are shit.
I live in a rural county called Licking for Christs sake. Its
no wonder escape is all I think about.
My girlfriend and I are nearly finished writing a story weve
titled, California Bound, thats exactly as it sounds. Were
hatching a plan to run away after graduation, and if it fails,

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Travis Mathews_ATTITUDE
Ill go it alone. Maybe Ill go to Europe, I think. We listen to indie
music from far-off places, like Manchester and London places where
life just seems cooler, smarter, and more alive. If we belong anywhere,
I bet its at least that far away.
Im singing at the top of my lungs to my favourite new song
anthem really from a band called Radiohead. It blasts from my car
speakers as a declaration of war against everything around me. Im
a creeeeeep, Im a weirdooooo, what the hell am I doing heeeeere? I
dont belong here. I dont belong here... And like so many other likeminded weirdos who felt isolated for any number of reasons, I really
really mean it. In my mind, Im like, no, you dont understand, like I
REALLY dont belong here. It doesnt occur to me until much later
that there are tons of kids around the world feeling just as alienated.
As a semi-closeted gay teen growing up in the rural Midwest,
sans cable, and with only the most rudimentary understanding of
what the Internet is, Im understandably lonely. I have more faith
in Thom Yorkes impassioned delivery of Creep than I do in any
number of adults around me. To my ears, his words amount to a
melancholy promise of some distant place where I might feel at home.
I dont belong here, but I might belong there, in London, maybe San
Francisco? A somewhere else place seemed possible.

IN T./ E XT. L O N D O N. 2012 MO R NI NG

Ive just turned 37. I rest my head against the window of the moving
train and watch London get swallowed up by a now-familiar blanket
of grey. Im nearing the end of a five week trip where Ive screened my
first feature, I Want Your Love, and filmed about a dozen men for the
third instalment of my In Their Room series.
Its raining when the train arrives, nearly two hours later, at a tiny
village on the sea. John (aka Jeanie Dee) who bears more than a
passing resemblance to an aging Iggy Pop greets me at the station
in his motorised wheelchair. A retired truck driver turned occasional
drag queen, John is nearly 80, and recovering from a stroke he had the
previous year. We hug, then I follow him through the rain.
Because place is important to In Their Room, I almost always ask to
see pictures before committing to anyone, but in Johns case I havent
bothered. Im considering this as we arrive outside his building,
which by now, Ive travelled most of the day to reach. Im not sure why
it never occurred to me that he lived in a nursing home, but here it
was. John tells me to go sign in and to wait for him in the front lobby.
Im just sitting there in the lobby, thankful that Id managed to keep
my camera dry and wondering if Im about to break an arcane English
sex law, when John tells me to come back to his room.
Once alone, in his room, I lean down with some questions. You
watched my work, yeah? You read all that stuff I sent you about why
Im doing this, yeah? John nods decisively. I dont want to pander
to you because youre older. I want to ask you the same questions
and film you the same way I would a 25-year-old. Does that make
sense? Youre cool with that? John struggles to speak clearly, but I
understand him perfectly. Its important for me to do this because I
want people to see that you can still be sexy after a stroke, he tells me.
John is quick to share wild sex and drug stories from days past in
London, and its clear to me that he misses the nightlife. But he stays
connected via Facebook, YouTube, email and the like, and he seems to
enjoy something of a wild elder status among the kids. Hes also as
active on sex and dating apps as any of the young guys I recently met
in London, and often successful.
He shares recent stories of guys sneaking into the nursing home to
blow him before emphasising that its companionship that he looks
for most these days. Theres a loneliness in his face, but its not despair.
Despite the inherent isolation of Johns situation, technology has

helped to mitigate his loneliness and to make sex and companionship

possible in this sleepy town perched on the sea.

I N T. S A N F R A N C I S C O . 2 0 1 4 N I G H T
Im 39, sleepy-eyed, in the same bedroom Ive claimed for the past 16
years of living in SF. I moved into this apartment when I was 23, and
while Ive travelled and subleased a lot, Ive never really left the Upper
Haight. This feels like my rent-controlled home.
Every five minutes, I check my iPhone. I check Grindr, I check
Scruff, and occasionally I check Tinder mostly out of some timekilling habit, but I remain open to all sorts of possibilities. Connection
is compulsive in 2014. Its available and seemingly everywhere, and
its no longer the luxury that it was just a few short years ago when I
started this series. You can argue that these are cheap connections or
that hook-up culture has made all of us ADD when it comes to real
contact. I wont argue that its there, but its not everything. Whats
great about GPS driven apps is that almost anyone can find someone,
and usually someone conveniently located, regardless of where you
are. But its up to you to make it a real connection.
When I started the series in 2009, apps and iPhones didnt exist, it
was the moment of flip-phones and Blackberries quaint, by todays
standards. When I shot the London episode, just three years later in
2012, everyone seemed to have multiple Apple products to help them
stay connected. In what feels like real time, technology is redefining
isolation. And its the never-ending advancements in technology that
will keep this series interesting in years to come.

I N T. B O Y H O O D H O M E . O H I O . 2 0 1 2 D A Y
A long time ago, I made a quiet deal with my mom that if I came
home during the summer shed overlook my absence during winter.
I quickly learned to bring work home in order to keep myself sane.
I was planning to edit In Their Room London this August, but when
James Franco appeared out of nowhere, I needed a month to edit our
film. I have exactly this month to edit Interior. Leather Bar. Some folks
like to say that Im a pornographer. Well, dont tell that to my mom,
who is suddenly thrilled about my work. Its kinda cool, kinda weird.
In Their Room was always meant to be something that my 16-yearold self could appreciate, something that would have made him feel
less lonely and isolated, with the suggestion that were all more alike
than we are different. I imagine that most of the men Ive filmed have
similar reasons for their own participation. I just question what kind
of place that 16-year-old would imagine in 2014. Would he even dream
of London or San Francisco, two of the most unaffordable cities in the
world? And with such access to cheap technology, would he even feel
the need to dream that big?
I take a break to check Grindr. Sometimes the nearest country boy
is ten miles away, but today Im in luck. Less than a mile from my
house is a cute 22-year-old who wants to have sex in the woods that
separates his house from mine. Sure, okay. We make a date that gets
thwarted by a heavy thunderstorm, but we continue chatting.
I quickly discover that we went to the same rural high school; that
hes been openly out for years, with little to no pushback; that hes
already been to far off places like Puerto Rico and Berlin; that he
prefers his ass dominated; that hes never heard of Radiohead; and
that technology was just something he grew up with.
He seems so well-rounded and sheltered from the angst I knew
as a teenager, that I cant imagine him being pained about much of
anything. I ask him what he wants to do after college and he hems and
haws, I dont know. I just want to get the fuck out of here.
In Their Room is released on DVD and On-Demand from Peccadillo
Pictures, available from all good retailers.

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As BBC one fantasy

drama Atlantis returns for
a second series, we meet the
hit shows hunky and rapidly
rising star, Jack Donnelly

ts been a whirlwind 18 months for Jack

Donnelly. After graduating from Londons
Central School of Speech and Drama and
going on to appear in the likes of Doctors and
Misfits, the 28-year-old hit the big time last
year, landing the lead role of unlikely hero
Jason in primetime BBC One fantasy series
Atlantis. Co-starring the likes of Sarah Parish
as a power-hungry queen and The Full Montys
Mark Addy as a Hercules whos seen better
days, the show quickly filled the actionadventure void left by the departure of Merlin
and Robin Hood, while a generous quota of
topless sword-fights certainly ticks another
box as far as were concerned. The eldest
of four brothers in a family of entertainers
(his mum even choreographed Bucks Fizzs
winning 1981 Eurovision entry), actings been
in Jacks blood from a young age, and its clear
hes loving every minute of the ride so far.
Laidback, garrulous and as-yet unguarded,
by the end of our chat Attitude definitely has,
to paraphrase one Bridget Jones, a bit of a
crush now actually.

man
Words: Will Stroude
Photography: Joseph Sinclair
grooming: Marcos gurgel
Location: Conrad London st. James

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jack donnelly_ATTITUDE

Briefs by David
Gandy for Autograph

69

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jack donnelly_ATTITUDE

Briefs by David Gandy

for Autograph

I promised
myself to enjoy
it more, because
last year I just
kept thinking
I was going to
be fired!

So how did you find the shoot?

It was a fun experience! I was just hanging out
in my boxers, had a bit of body oil put on me
and frolicked on the bed and in the bath it
was a good day! [laughs] There was a lot
of tensing and breathing in. I didnt really
breathe out for about two hours! I gave it my
best blue steel face. I dont mind being filmed
but having my photo taken I always seize
up, Im hoping that out of all the shots they
took there might be some that are passable!
Atlantis was your first big acting break.
How did it feel to approach it a second
time round for series two?
I was less nervous this year. I spent most
of last year trying to avoid having panic attacks! I promised myself to enjoy it
more and have more of a laugh, because last year I just kept thinking I was
going to be fired! Obviously the first series didnt air until after filming so I
had no idea how to gauge how I was doing. Then I watched it back last year
and was like THATs what I was doing?! [laughs] But also the tone of the
show has changed so much this year. I dont think were a dark TV show
but its certainly matured. The story encompasses a lot more characters
and branches out so you see a lot more of the world at large.
So youre self-conscious when you watch yourself back?
Terribly. I hate it! I hate it to the point that I dont think its very good for
me to watch it. I love watching the show and watching what everyone
else does, but watching myself is horrible. I think Well just dont watch
it then but its like a car crash, I cant seem to turn away! [laughs] So I
try to be as objective as possible, but for the most part it kills me!
You do all of your own stunts too, hows that been going?
Yeah its been physically far more demanding this year, theres been a
lot more action and a lot more fighting. Last year there was one stunt
they didnt let me do: they didnt let me jump off a 40-foot wall.
You must have been gutted about that.
[laughs] I was so up for it until I saw it happen I was like Im good
thanks! But this year I did everything. There was nothing I didnt
do, which Im quite proud of. We were all put through our paces.
There was a period in the middle where we were just swordfighting for three and a half weeks in what is basically a massive
war. I mean, youll see for yourself when the series comes out.
You managed to stab yourself through the elbow with a sword
last year have you avoided any mishaps this time around?
Ive avoided stabbing myself! Ive improved since last year: I had
a sprained ankle which I had to go to A&E for, and then a week
before filming finished I got hit with a sword right above my
eye, which has scarred. My mum hates it but I quite like!
At least it wasnt two centimetres down!
Well thats what everyone said! Ive just got a cool scar now.
Have you always been a fan of fantasy and action shows?
Yeah, I mean Im the oldest of four brothers and this was the
exact genre I was into. We used to live in the New Forest when
I was younger and run around with bows and arrows with
war paint all over our faces. So to get to do all the things that
come with the show, I love it. Its right up my street.
And obviously that means you have to be in incredible
shape, as we saw for ourselves today
[laughs] Well like I said, Im breathing in!
What does your training regime involve?
Well I finished series one and thought Ive got five months
to get in really good shape for series two, Im going to hit
the gym and get a trainer, and then about three weeks

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G Weddings FP.indd 71

26/11/2014 10:46

Cinq&Sept
GAY GUESTHOUSE SOUTH OF FRANCE

Hosts Alex & Greg

Six elegant self-catering suites in a 300 year-old mansion.

25mins from Mediterranean beaches. Enjoy superb restaurants,
wine tasting and garden parties. Relax and make new friends.

cinqetsept.com
Love aint a crime

very elegant and

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A fascinating, stirring
portrait of the early
European gay-rights
movement

Ham & High

Attitude

A Beautiful
Love Story

fascinating
TOTAL FILM

BOYZ

ilm by
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Match + Cinq.indd 72

12 DEC
TH

25/11/2014 17:41

JACK DONNELLY_ATTITUDE
FASHION ASSISTED BY
JACKSON FORSTER
GROOMING BY MARCOS
GURGEL USING BOBBI
BROWN AND AMERICAN CREW

IPAD AND
TABLET VERSIONS
FEATURE
MORE EXCLUSIVE
PHOTOS & VIDEO
CONTENT

before we started I was like Oh I have left this way too late!
What diet do you usually stick to?
I try my best with my diet because that seems to be the best thing; so
lots of vegetables and protein, no carbs and trying not to have sugar,
I keep it that simple. As for training its just high intensity stuff. If
Ive only got half an hour Ill just try and do one exercise straight to
the other. But Im deceptively weak, as my brother pointed out
Thats what brothers are for!
They always do! All my brothers are really strong and theyre in
great shape so its shocking how little I can lift! Its a lost battle.
Are you all competitive?
Not in any serious way. We all support each other and back each
other, but we do like to have a go at each other and compete. One
little brothers a model and the other is in Vegas with Cirque du Soleil
so for a long time they were winning, but now my youngest brothers
just written a musical and theres a chance it could go to the West
End, so now were all losing and my parents love him most because
of it! [laughs] Oh god, thats going to sound so terrible in print.
Thankfully the residents of Atlantis arent renowned for their
heavy clothing. Are you a bit of an exhibitionist in real life?
No! I guess I used to be, but not so much anymore. I did know thered
be some topless stuff. You cant really think about the fact youre
doing it otherwise you become too self-aware.
One particularly notable scene in series one saw you waking up
totally naked in a chicken coop too
Yep, that was actually filmed on my birthday last year. I was turning
28 that day and I had to wake up naked in a chicken coop and run
through the street! Funnily enough the chicken idea only came later.
I was supposed to just be covering myself and I had pants on but
you could see the pants, so the cameraman was like Youre going to

have to cut them, and we kept cutting them and making these pants
smaller and smaller until essentially it was just a piece of material and
some tape! We thought This is no good, this is a family show and you
can see everything! So one of the producers said Why not use the
chicken?! Just dont hassle it too much and it wont peck or scratch!
It seems like an ordeal holding a live pecking animal there.
[laughs] Are you speaking from experience?! No it was terrifying, I
was like If this thing starts to go to town on me! It was the most
horrible feeling. We did about three takes of me running with it and
trying to cover up while keeping the claws away from everything
that counts! I dont know how much I managed to keep hidden!
Are you starting to get a lot of fan attention? Something tells us
your gay fan base might start increasing.
Thats awesome. I mean, I am starting to get recognised, but only
because people come up to me and go Are you Lee Mead?! [laughs]
They always say Are you who I think you are? and I go Maybe,
who do you think I am? and they say Lee Mead! So I am getting
recognised a lot, just not as myself! Its the hair that does it. Someone
the other day told me Id make a killing as a Lee Mead look-a-like, so
thats probably how Ill spend the time between series two and three!
Are you seeing anyone right now?
[laughs] Very much single, very much single.
Oh good the, Attitude readers will be pleased to know. But are
you enjoying becoming a bit of a heart-throb?
Well thats a lovely thing to hear, but my youngest brother is a model
and my other brothers are ripped, so if youre not even a heartthrob
in your own family then you can hardly put it out there Im not
even the hottest one at home! They keep me in check. They level my
ego out massively. But, you know, Ill take what I can get! [laughs]
Atlantis airs on BBC One, Saturday at 8.30pm

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lets get
pr e p e d
N e w t e s t s i n t h e U K a n d F r a n c e a r e s h o w i n g t h a t HI V - p r e v e n t i n g
p i l l P r EP c a n s t o p i nf e c t i o n s , e v e n f o r t h o s e h a v i n g b a r e b a c k
s e x . Bu t P r EP b r o u g h t s o m e h e a t e d d e b a t e a t t h e r e c e n t Y o un g
P e o p l e s D i s c u s s i o n o f HI V e v e n t i n S o h o . P a t r i c k C a s h r e p o r t s
Words: Patrick Cash
photography: miles elliot
The Young Peoples Discussion of HIV was held in front of an audience in Soho as part of the 56 Dean Street Gay Mens Wellbeing Campaign. The panel of
Maximus Crown, Mark-Ashley Dup, Baga Chipz and Kayden Gray was assembled by London gay community magazine QX. An open communication forum for anyone to
come talk about how they perceive issues mentioned in this article runs monthly in Soho, supported by Attitude: facebook.com/LetsTalkAboutGaySexAndDrugs

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asanova was the worlds greatest lover. Great title, but

it came with attendant risks. Syphllis was rampaging
through the wanton boys and buxom wenches of the
18th century. Luckily, some kind soul whispered in
his ear about pigs bladders. He gave it a quick rinse,
slipped it on and got back up the nearest orifice before
you could say intestinal slime.
In the future, people may look back on the condom
as we feel about pigs bladders. They wore what on their penises?
But since the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, the condom has been our
greatest defence against HIV infection.
Until now, perhaps. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), or Truvada,
is the magic blue pill that could prevent HIV. For the PROUD
medical trial in the UK, gay men were recruited online and in sexual
health clinics. They were randomly split into two groups: one group
was given PrEP to take daily, and the other no PrEP. In October of
this year PrEP was declared highly protective, and that the no PrEP
group should immediately be given the drug.
Two weeks later, a French study named IPERGAY announced
similar results. Instead of daily dosing, IPERGAY had been
analysing the effectiveness of PrEP taken in the two-day period
before and after sex. This is news that should be welcomed by the
panel on the Young Peoples Discussion of HIV, held in Soho, who
identified daily adherence as a potentially off-putting element
to welcoming PrEP. Taking a tablet every day isnt easy, said DJ
Maximus Crown. Taking PrEP when you dont have to, youll
eventually fall into the habit of theres really no point.
In America PrEP has been licensed since 2012, though its
availability differs through states and health insurance schemes.
Its arrival has been wreathed in controversy and stigma. Michael
Weinstein lead the fight against HIV/AIDS in the 80s and is now
head of the AIDS Health Foundation (AHF), running Love Condoms
campaigns. Weinstein has called PrEP a party drug for barebacking
and a public health disaster in the making, adamant that daily
adherence wont be achieved. David Duran wrote a controversial
anti-PrEP essay named Truvada Whores?, a title that has since been
reappropriated by PrEP advocates as a hashtag and t-shirt.
One man on the PROUD study, who came wearing his
#TruvadaWhore t-shirt to the Young Peoples Discussion, was
Greg Mitchell. During the PrEP debate, he stated to the panel: Im
somebody who takes care of my health, Im 62 and Im still negative.
When I got the chance to do this, it was an amazing discovery for me.
Because all of a sudden, anxiety is gone. I can have sex without HIV.
The issue of sex with strangers quickly rose its hydra-headed face.
I will say to anybody I talk to on PrEP that I take my pills every
day, said Greg. However you dont know that. I know Im safe. Your
decision is your decision. Club promoter Mark-Ashley Dup was not
convinced. But what if you miss a day or two? I just dont know you.
With my partner, by all means, but with a stranger, use a condom.
DJ Maximus Crown said at the Young Peoples Discussion: Using
a condom is so unnatural. Its made of rubber; rubber is used for
gripping cars to the road. Nobody on the face of this planet can
ever try and deceive me into believing they enjoy using a condom.
However its the most easily accessible [prevention method].
Absolute numbers of new HIV diagnoses have been going up for
several years. If 100 gay men were followed for one year, three new
HIV infections would be expected. Put another way, 3,500 tested
positive last year.
PrEP offers an exciting opportunity to make a major difference to
the epidemic, says Professor Sheena McCormack, a medical expert
behind the PROUD study. We are pretty sure that the majority of

Prep_ATTITUDE
people who are infectious with HIV think of themselves as negative
either because they have not tested at all, or because the last time
they tested HIV negative they had in fact caught HIV just before
the test, or subsequently. PrEP provides an incentive to be tested
regularly and because it is highly protective for the individual, it is
protecting the people they have sex with too!
However, the drugs we are using are the same drugs we use for
treatment. They are expensive and the budget is limited so there
are opportunity costs to consider. Condoms on the other hand, are
relatively cheap for the NHS and reduce the risk of more than just
HIV. Its not just sexual health demands that PrEP might threaten,
its also treatment in other diseases. All this has to be considered.
The cost of PrEP came up in the Young Peoples Discussion. 400
per person per month, thats a lot of money, said Mark-Ashley.
That money should be put into the homeless, not so that you can get
your end away without a condom Id rather use a condom and then
if I dont, Ill get PEP [post-exposure prophylaxsis].
Simon Collins, of treatment activist group i-Base, took the floor to
respond. Youre worth 400 a month, he stated. It costs 1,000
a month to put you on PEP! Anybody who accesses PEP more than
once a year should be offered Truvada and when more data comes
out showing how effective it is we need a groundswell from the gay
community saying that we cannot be denied something that theyve
had access to in America for over two years! 3,500 gay men is
shocking. A good percentage of those will be under 30.
There are additional pros and cons writhing around PrEP. Its
introduction may paradoxically stymie HIV vaccine efforts. Having
something as effective as PrEP makes it harder to do the HIV
vaccine trials plus it sets a high bar for a vaccine says Sheena. Yet
PrEP might be revolutionary in preventing another method of gay
men passing on HIV: injecting drugs. As chemsex trends rise in
the gay male population of London and other urban areas, where
people are slamming mephedrone and crystal meth, HIV is also
liable to be spread by needles. The Bangkok Study (2013) proved the
effectiveness of PrEP against drug-injected HIV.
Sheena McCormack says the recent advancements in the PROUD
study will speed up the availability of PrEP on the NHS, but the
commissioning process itself takes over a year, therefore the earliest
that PrEP could be commissioned would be the 2016/17 financial
year. In the meantime, some gay men are importing it from America.
For gay porn star Kayden Gray the debate boiled down to
communication. When you take a condom you dont need to
communicate anything to anyone, he said. But when youre
on PrEP a discussion opens, where part of your prevention is
communicating with other people and thats what people have a
huge problem with.People dont want to be ashamed, and they dont
want to be rejected in an environment where theyre having fun.
Communication was repeatedly identified as a vital, and lacking,
tool in tackling HIV. Events like these dont happen on the gay
scene, said Maximus. Its too late for me to take PrEP now. I think
part of the problem as well is that people who are diagnosed dont
talk about it And because nobody knows, it just becomes this
hush-hush secret society of people with HIV.
PrEP and condoms are both practical solutions to a problem that
ultimately has psychological origins. HIV is the gay scenes boogie
man, always lurking in the mind but never on the tongue. A silence
which makes HIV positive men not reveal their status, and HIV
negative men misunderstand the unknown positive. Yet ultimately
there is no division; whether negative or positive, we are all human
beings fighting a virus.
We win this battle by talking: about sex, about PrEP, and about HIV.

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Scary, straight talking

and sexually fluid

B-SEXUAL
Words: Aaron Toumazou

we get Mel Bs take on a big year

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mel b_ATTITUDE

tarting out the year causing panic on

the streets of London in a Costa Bingo
advert, 300ft tall and swinging from Tower
Bridge (in six inch stilettos, of course),
it became quickly clear that as far as the
formidability factor is concerned, Mrs
Melanie Brown is only matched by the
iconic monster she was being likened to:
Godzilla. In many ways, that advert flagged
how she meant to go on; her larger than life
personality back in our lives unavoidably
when she packed up her life in Los Angeles
for three months to take a seat on the UKs
X Factor judging panel.
Of course, Saturday night TV has
bountifully displayed the tough front shes
become known for, but on the whole shes
been an overwhelmingly well received
addition to the show much to the shock
of Mel herself. And Id be lying if I said I
hadnt prepared for slightly aggressive,
no-nonsense Mel as we begin to chat. So it
came as quite a shock how, well nice she
is about everyone. Leigh Francis who did
his best to immortalise her in his to-this-day
hilarious Bo Selecta parody is now her good
friend; Victoria, Geri, Emma and Mel C all
seem to be on the Christmas card list and
shes not got a single bad word to say about
Louis Walsh. Literally, not even one.
And this is no PR hush up. Of her peers,
none have continued the Spice Up Your Life
ethos quite so boldly as Scary, recently
speaking to Alan Carr about having been
with women before marrying her husband.
Weve always loved a fierce bitch, but heres
a lady so unnerving she dresses up as herself
on Halloween(!!!) which qualifes a woman of
the year accolade in our book. Here, Mel talks
openly about experimenting with women,
why she feared a negative reception in the UK
and her most memorable moments of 2014.

Did you come in to 2014 knowing it

was going to be a big year for you?
In my brain, every years a big year for
me [laughs]. Because I make the best
and the most out of everything that I do.
I dont necessarily have to work for the
work that I do. I thoroughly love it and I
thoroughly enjoy it and I make the most of
it all, whether it be moving to Sydney for
two years, putting my kids in school there;
whether it be me moving to London for
three months, moving my entire family and
putting my kids in school here... Im just
making the most out of every situation! And
hopefully, you know, I get a nice reception
as I arrive.
For Halloween this year you dressed up
as Scary Spice circa 1997. What would
you say is the main way youve changed
since then?
Well I havent changed. I called up one of
my good friends Julien Macdonald and
I actually did his fashion runway show 15
years ago with Kate Moss and hes, you
know, a hot-to-trot designer. I said Julien,
could you make me a Halloween costume?
This is four days before Halloween. He goes
Okay, so what are we thinking? and I go
Uuuhhhh... can you do me like, a Scary
Spice leopard-print outfit? He goes Youre
joking! I go No! He goes No problem!
24 hours later, costume arrives, my hair guy
that I brought over from L.A. bought me a
20 wig and off I went, dressed as myself!
Which I thought was hilarious! Even Leigh
Francis who is a very good friend of mine
now he was dressed up as Beetlejuice and
he was there at Jonathan Rosss party.
He goes Oh my God, that is SUCH a good
Mel B impression! He came over to me and
we started talking and he went Youve even
got the accent and everything! I said, Leigh
you silly bugger, its me! He goes Fuck off!
Who comes dressed as themselves?! I said
me! That was just me taking the complete
piss out of myself! Which Im always doing.
Before anybody else does it!
What are your musical highlights of
this year?
Well Ive actually been in and out of the
studio myself, but I havent managed to
get that song that I want to get out there
as a good representation for what I want
to be doing. But, I mean, theres been lots
of breakthroughs in music this year...
Beyonce releasing songs and videos that
no one even knew about. How she could
have kept that a secret, I have no idea!
Also Lady Gaga teaming up with the old
geezer, whats his name... Tony Bennett!
I mean, who would have thought of that

collaboration? Theres been a lot of things

that have gone on musically that have been
quite groundbreaking and I just think music
is going to be doing that constantly now.
Theres always going to be that surprise.
And its been such a promising year on The X
Factor. Obviously Ive been bringing my kids
to work cos its a weekend, and my sevenyear-old was writing down on my notepad
in the commercial break: Tell Stereo Kicks
that I want them to win! Id say What about
mummys category? and shed go No, tell
Stereo Kicks I want them to win, and thats
it! Ive had a good time here in London. I
wasnt expecting it... Actually, to be honest;
I dont know what I expected. I havent lived
here for 15 years; Ive been based in L.A.
and for two years of that I was based in
Sydney. Another year of that I was based
in New York doing Broadway. So I havent
really spent that much time here. Obviously
Ive been here, like, every couple of months
for two or three days but I havent spent a
big block of time so I wasnt really prepared
for much. I mean, I was kind of prepared
for the negative rather than the positive,
to be honest.
Why?
Because I dont think Im everybodys cup
of tea. Ill say it how it is, and Ive always
been like that. And Ive been throughout
the years criticised for being too brash, too
harsh, too honest, not tactful. So... I am what
I am.
Well a huge part of your year was The
X Factor
The biggest part of the year, for me, was
packing up my whole entire house and four
kids and getting on a flight and actually
moving here. Sydney was different because
it was two years. Just to pack up and find
schools and, you know, all my kids are
educated on an American curriculum I
had to find schools that had an American
curriculum and make sure my kids were
happy. It was a chore, but worth it, because
my kids are very, very happy, my husbands
happy, Im happy.
And the plan is to return to L.A. after this?
The show finishes on a Sunday, I go back to
L.A. on the Monday.
Well while youre still on the judges table
I have to ask: Snog, marry, kill Simon,
Louis, Cheryl?
[laughs] None of that.
You have to.
I dont.
Well, true
I love Louis Walsh, hes been a good friend
of mine for ten years. Cheryl, we speak to
each other now on a daily basis. I think shes

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mel b_ATTITUDE
gorgeous. Shes adorable: Such a strong,
independent woman who I admire and
respect. Simon, we have a giggle and a bit of
a fight with each other. We love each other.
Sometimes we hate each other, but were
both very smart; were both business people.
I respect him for what hes achieved in his
life too, and hes rightly said to me Youre
a woman that I never thought worked this
hard, and I respect you for that.
Cheryl spoke to us pretty scathingly about
Louis Walsh. Is he hard to work with?
Louis is funny. I love Louis. You know, hes
Irish and hes a bit all over the place and
hes just quirky. The best characters arent
normal, and he isnt normal. What even is
normal? I love a bit of quirkiness.
Back in 2008 in an interview we did with
Girls Aloud, Cheryl said We recognise
what the Spice Girls did, but it really
annoys me when I meet girls and they
say they want to be the next Spice Girls. I
think piss off. Yes, they had world-wide
domination but they fell out, bitched about
each other and went their separate ways.
We never really fell out! I cant imagine
Cheryl saying that, shes a really good
friend of mine now. Myself and the other
girls, weve never fallen out. Weve always
supported each other. As a group, we knew
that we werent going to be together forever.
You know, when I first got a call from Missy
Eliot, and she wanted me to do a song with
her, I was like I have to ask my girls first!
Because Id never done anything else, other
than be with my Spice Girls. And it was a
simple answer of well we all want to do
something on our own at some point, so
go ahead and do it. And I did. And I dont
think its fair to compare people to other
people, but comparisons between us and
Girls Aloud were inevitable I know that.
That is just what happens. Personally, I
think theres room for everybody: Multiple
girl groups, boy groups, solo artists.
Everything and everyone.
Has there been much competition
between you and Cheryl for the limelight?
Have you ever got dressed for a live show,
seen what Cheryls wearing and changed?
No, because me and Cheryl have different
body frames, were different colours, we
have different hair. What she would wear,
I probably wouldnt fit in to. What I wear
would probably frighten her. I think we both
have great taste. Its just different taste.
Would you ever wear one of Victorias
dresses on a live show?
I have done! Not The X Factor, I did The Queen
Latifah Show her talk show right before I
left for the UK. That would have been eight

weeks ago, and I wore one of her dresses.

It was gorgeous; it was beige with a big zip
up the back. I gave her a shout-out and a
big thanks. Victoria makes very flattering
dresses; I think shes done amazing, and her
clothes are beautiful.
She was in town recently, did you meet up?
No, I was working. I work!
When something like Spice Girls
disbands, would you say theres some
unspoken competition to outshine or
one-up the other members?
I dont think so, no, cos were all different.
Thats why it worked in the very beginning,
and that was our message. You can have a
best friend who is a completely different
colour to you, thinks differently to you,
acts differently to you. But have something
in common which is being a female,
supportive friend and a non-judgemental
friend. That has always been our message
and its lived on to this day.
Youve been one of the most vocal girls
about getting back together...
It didnt end! Its still going! I wouldnt even
say it like getting back together, because
weve never not been together because
were still friends. Publicly, whether we do
you know a tour, a charity song, whether
we do an appearance on a show together, we
didnt just end. Im hoping at some point it
will happen again. Its not on the cards right
now but look at the Olympics.
You spoke recently about going through
a stage of experimentation with the same
sex. Would you identify as bisexual?
Well at 17 you want to experiment. I dont
think you should put a name on it. Well
actually, I dont care if people put a name on
it. I didnt. I had fun! I had a great five-year
relationship with a lovely lady who I still
talk to to this day, and thats that. I mean,
if it happened yesterday I would probably
be saying something different. But Ive
been happily married to my husband for
seven years.
You likened yourself to one of those
heterosexual ladies who become a
lesbian on Chatty Man, do you think
thats quite a common thing for women?
You dont hear it so much about gay men.
I mean, I would be the first person to say to
my husband, to this day, Oh my God look
at that woman over there, shes absolutely
stunning! I would be way more likely to
point out a woman than my husband would
be. But thats because I think women are
beautiful. Where that puts me in whatever
category Ive no idea. Do I want to spoon
with a woman, and snuggle? No. I want to
do that with my husband. At 17 I wanted to

spoon and snuggle and do everything with a

woman... But not right now.
So which of the other Spice Girls
would 17-year-old Mel B have spooned
and snuggled with?
Well Ive kissed all the other Spice Girls.
Nothing sexual; I had a tongue fear and I
was like tell me how this feels. Does it feel
weird? Does it feel awful? But that was
nothing sexual at all. They were all like
yuck!
Would you agree that you and Victoria
have had the most success of all the
Spice Girls?
It depends how you rate success. I mean,
Geris got a beautiful daughter, so has Mel C,
so has Emma. Emmas got her radio show.
Mel C is doing really well with all of her
music stuff. Right now Geris in the studio
with Eliot Kennedy, who we wrote Love
Thing with, in Sheffield, so it depends how
you rate success. Everybodys doing exactly
what they want to do and everyones happy.
Do you measure success by happiness?
I just like to feel good. I like to give myself
a challenge. When Im scared about doing
a job, or of a certain situation, it pushes me
to want to do it even more. Even today, you
know, auditioning for Coronation Street and
landing the role. Im in the car learning my
lines and I still question myself. Can I pull it
off! And well soon find out. [later that day Mel
travelled to the Corrie set in Manchester to film,
shell be playing a security guard]
What do you think 2015 holds for you?
I dont know. I dont like to think too far
ahead, because Ive never planned... I mean,
I do have a game plan, but that always
changes. There has to be room for surprise,
because The X Factor cropped up and here
I was, packed up and in the UK. Theres
always room for adventure, and I like that.
Will you return for The X Factor next year?
I dont know. Ive thoroughly enjoyed myself
here. Not so much the weather and the rain,
but my kids like it here. They watch Peppa
Pig and they like putting their wellies on and
splashing around in muddy puddles. Getting
the umbrellas out. Would I return? You know
what, good question. I havent been asked, I
havent even had that thought process. All I
know is that Ive really enjoyed it.
Weve really enjoyed having you.
Which was shocking for me, because I
thought everyone was going to hate me! You
cant dilute me! Thats why I was worried
people were gonna go who is this bitch?!
I am what I am and I say exactly what I
think, and thats that.
tickets for the X Factor live tour, starting
in Belfast on 13 February, are on sale now.

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'Do I want to spoon with

a woman, and snuggle? No.
I want to do that with my husband.
At 17 I wanted to spoon and snuggle and do
everything with a woman... but not right now

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OPEN
SEASON?
ARE GAY MEN REALLY PREDISPOSED TO MONOGAMY?
OR IS THIS A HETERO-NORMATIVE LIE SOLD TO US
BY STRAIGHT WANNABES? OR COULD IT BE THAT
THE SIMPLE WAY IS THE BEST WAY? ARE OPEN
RELATIONSHIPS JUST A FAST-TRACK TO EMOTIONAL
TORTURE AND AN EVENTUAL BITTER, DESTRUCTIVE
BREAK-UP? SO MANY QUESTIONS. RUSSELL DEAN STONE
ATTEMPTS TO WADE THROUGH THE TREACLE OF MODERN
GAY LIFE TO FIND THE ANSWERS...

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I t s 2014

and weve come a long way baby.

Equal sex marriage is a reality in the UK; we can now legally
ball-and-chain ourselves to our partners trapping ourselves in
the prison of committed relationships before the eyes of the law.
Gulp! Now that (in the mainland UK at least) the battle for same
sex unions is won, are we sure weve thought this through? Maybe
weve fought so hard for equality that weve dug ourselves into a
hetero-normative ditch. Do we truly want to be monogamous or
could open relationships be the next evolutionary step for same
sex couples? Its not a matter of exclusivity being better/worse than
non-exclusivity, but its time to open up and consider the idea that
fidelity might not be the holy grail of committed relationships.
Theres been a rise in the visibility of non-monogamy in recent
years, with some people questioning whether monogamy over a
long period of time is even natural. You might be familiar with
acclaimed sex advice columnist Dan Savage, who has said smart
stuff like The mistake straight people made, was imposing the
monogamous expectation on men. Men were never expected to
be monogamous. Savage is not down with promiscuity though,
he coined the term monogamish (relationships that dont quite
conform to the rigid idea of monogamy) and is all about family
values, whilst being a total realist when it comes to fulfilling our
needs sexually so hes a bit of a contradiction.
All in all he makes some good points and even without looking
at statistics (USA Today report that 59% of gay couples in their
last study cheated on their partners down from 89%) Thats an
avalanche of relationships that end because of infidelity. What
happens if we stop calling it cheating and rewrite the relationship
rules to accommodate infidelity. Why let it shut down an otherwise
good relationship? In the future people might be more receptive
to open-relationships, but the stigma isnt really surprising, given
that were taught from a very early age that we should be with one
person, and that cheating is bad.
The best thing to do is start talking to some real life boys about
what kind of relationships theyre having, whats working for
them and more importantly, whats not!
I talk to Darren about the long-term open relationship he
was in. I wanted to find out what made it work for so long
and whether the open doors were the thing that ended it.
Darrens an artist and his ex is a DJ. Hed said to his thenboyfriend that he was cool with him doing whatever he
wanted when he was abroad DJing because he liked to cruise
and it was going to happen. Theyd been together 12 years but
officially in an open relationship for eight of those, though
Darren says I think he was in an open relationship for 12 years. This
is not a great start.
There must have been something about being in an open
relationship that worked if it lasted so long? Id say 99% of
open relationships are a lie, he says. You cant die for someone
and find time to chase someone else. When you stay late at a
party to bone someone do you think your boyfriend is loving
the me time?
Were there regular hook-ups or just one-offs? I did have one
friend that it kind of worked with because we were clear that it
was sex only. Also with gay people Id say saunas or cruising can
work because there is zero emotion there. Those activities can still
involve addictive behaviour though, and bring the risk of STDs
home. The other way it can work which isnt really open, is having
orgies with your partner, advises Darren. Although dont be a total

slut bag and make sure you wake up next to your boyfriend.
Did they set rules? BE FUCKING AVAILABLE FOR SEX. That
is the first rule. If you have enough go for playing away, you better
fucking give out at home, or youre going to fuck your partners self
esteem up; ask yourself can I seriously fuck two or three times a
day every day? Take note -stamina is important!
Emotionally though, things take a toll. Eventually I felt pretty
unattractive because he was looking for sex somewhere else, says
Darren. To be honest if your other half wants an open relationship
it means they dont like you. Theres something theyre not getting
at home. One of my oldest friends tried an open relationship with
his girl. He said they had great jealousy sex for a while but then he
realised he wanted to be single. And it was her idea! Ouch.
Relationships are defined by being one on one. Only one person
can be the most important person in your life by definition. When
youre saying I love you and you dont want to put a ring on it,
thats a lie. Lying is the opposite of love really.
This is the car crash version of open relationships. There surely
had to be a better example than this! I speak to Mark, who I already
knew might not be the best example, but hey, in for a penny in for
a pound. Mark had also just ended an open relationship (seeing
a pattern here). In the interest of full disclosure Mark and his ex
were also escorting at the time and doing some porn work so the
extracurricular infidelities were sometimes professional ones with
personal consequences.
I ask if he thinks that monogamy mightve saved it. Open or
monogamous it wouldnt have made a difference, he says, If my
partner had the same honesty towards me that I gave him then we
probably would have lasted longer. It wasnt the infidelity what
done it, it was the lack of honesty!

We grew up being told that we

have to work hard if we want
something the same applies
to a relationship Joseph

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I ask Mark if he still believes open

relationships can work, he says it
requires a lot of communication and
honesty. There was always some
form of guilt involved, he said.
Understanding that if you want to do
something then you cant judge your
partner for doing the same is big. I
sense that maybe double standards
were at play and that didnt really
happen. We had different styles of
hooking up. His were prearranged, always looking, and I was
more spontaneous. I had little free time so whenever I wanted to
hook up he saw it as me choosing someone else over him so hed
spin off in a rage about it like the time we had a screaming match
in London Fields. Total double standards. Sounds jealous and
destructive to me, I tell him. You have to switch off certain feelings
and not think about your other half. So youre talking about
separating sexual desires from your feelings as a couple? Its a
more practical arrangement, sex is just sex, what you have with a
partner is love. Human sexuality is a wild beast, it seems mad to
expect that one other person could satisfy all your sexual desires
over a long period of time.

sexploits do to keep their

relationships healthy? Its not
just being open around their
sexual behaviours but transparent
across everything, She says.
Its important to know what the
boundaries are, they actually
make things safer. You have
to be able to talk about and set
those boundaries around what
is acceptable to both people and
that is true not only in open
relationships but any relationship.
Its when a boundary gets crossed
or worse, violated, thats when a
relationship finds itself in bother.
So really were just like dogs then; we
want structure in our relationships so
we arent confused and know how to behave. The boys into puppy
play will feel truly vindicated now.

when a boundary gets crossed

or worse violated thats when
a relationship finds itself
in bother. Denise Knowles,
counsellor at Relate

The pattern seems to be that if youve got problems then opening

up to outside influences really isnt much of a solution (well unless
the problem is that you both want to respectably slut around whilst
staying together then its your perfect solution!) Denise Knowles
is a counsellor at Relate. Sometimes people imagine that it might
be a way of resolving problems, she says. If only I could go off
and have sex with someone then everything in our relationship
would be okay. It might be putting a sticky plaster on something
but not resolving any of the fundamental underlying difficulties. If
anything if might create more.
I ask whether she encounters many same sex couples in open
relationships through her work, I dont want to be stereotypical in
this but I think often certainly theres an idea that same sex couples
are freer around their sexual activities than perhaps heterosexual
couples are. But from my own experience working with same sex
couples those have been monogamous more than anything.
What can couples that want to partake in extracurricular

BE FUCKING
AVAILABLE FOR SEX.

That is the first rule. If you have

enough go for playing away, you better
fucking give out at home, or youre gonna
fuck your partners self esteem up

I get the impression that the professionals are saying its rarer
than unicorn shit to find a functioning, successful (I am loathed
to use those words but for want of better ones stick with me) open
relationship. Its at this point in doing my homework that I realise
I may not be 100% unbiased in this debate. Im basically desperate
to present an enviable open relationship. So third time lucky I meet
Patrick for coffee and hope for the best.
Were not open, but open minded he says. We play with others
together and sometimes apart, but were honest with each other.
The main reason that we give freedom is because we both travel,
and have different likes that should be explored. We share pictures
and videos.
For that to work you must have some firm rules that work for you?
We always play safe and a fuck buddy is that never a mate, he says.
We are very private and respectful of each others feelings. Our gay
friends that know love it. Too right. Who wants to be friends with a
bunch of judgementalists! I find that people are still judgmental when
we say that we do not want to get married, have kids etc.
I wonder about the guys that Patrick and Thomas play with
they have feelings too, right? We had a guy a few years ago who fell
in love with us. Thats awkward. I once played with a guy here
whilst Thomas was in New York watching on webcam, the guy got
upset when he heard me say that he was just a shag, but a guy we
play with in NYC loves when we call him the whore!
What do you think your relationship has gotten out of it? The
first six years together, maybe more, we were only us, he says.
But can 100% monogamy ever really work? Im starting to think
it might be a case of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole,
trying to fit into hetero-normative ideals rather than creating new
ones that maybe inspire out-of-the-box thinking. Its been good
for Thomas confidence and it makes me so horny seeing him with
another guy. I do not get jealous! I do get jealous if I feel like he is
hiding something from me or wants to play with another without
me even if I am in town, but, Ive gotten over that! And from
Thomas perspective? He and I just work on every level. At first he
struggled when I was with another, but now seems to love it.
Now Im jealous, it all sounds too good to be true! I want to say case
closed, there you have it, conclusive proof that same sex couples

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have made socially-acceptable slutting work. Truly we can have our

cakes and eat him. But I know thats not fair. I need to make another
call, this time to my friend Joseph to talk about his admittedly
enviable long term monogamous relationship.
Joseph and James have been together five years this December,
theyve been engaged for over a year and theyre getting married
next summer. They explicitly discuss being monogamous. We
have discussed monogamy as a topic of conversation rather
than a possible factor in our relationship, says Joseph. We
are quite traditional in our views and were keen to just be in a
relationship with each other rather than a gay relationship with
some of the clauses that seem to tag onto it. I dont understand
open relationships. I would never judge anyone for being in one.
Relationships are as individual as the people in them and what
works for one couple may not work for another. If I was to be frank
though, I would say its a dumb route to go down. Most people are
on the hunt for the one not the one plus that random guy with the
abs and donkey cock from Grindr. They dont say threes a crowd
for nothing.
Does he think that in five or ten
years, if theyre still together that he
might feel differently about opening
his relationship up? No. We grew up
being told that we have to work hard if
we want something the same applies
to a relationship. It isnt meant to be
easy, it isnt always going to be fun, it
isnt always going to be like it was at the
start it gets repetitive, at times boring
and sometimes you want your partner
to just shut the eff up. That doesnt mean
welcoming another person into your bed is
the solution or the only method of injecting
any spice back into your relationship. If
I ever get fed up or disinterested I think
about what it was that made me go on that
first date with him, why I had to fight the
urge (unsuccessfully) to go back to his on
the first night, what made me love him and
how I couldnt manage without him.
Do they fantasise about other people?
We are both comfortable acknowledging
another persons physical attributes.
If someone is fit, theyre fit and theres
nothing wrong with appreciating that.
Watching porn doesnt count right? I fell
in love with a man that I find physically
attractive and who I have an insane amount of respect and love for. I
dont see being faithful to him as a compromise. I am his boyfriend
and I want to be faithful to him.

MOST PEOPLE ARE ON THE HUNT

FOR THE ONE NOT THE ONE PLUS
THAT RANDOM GUY WITH THE ABS
AND DONKEY COCK FROM GRINDR.
THEY DONT SAY THREES A CROWD FOR NOTHING

opinion on the subject way more than any academic theorist since
not only does she write about sex for a living, but shes been in both
monogamous and open relationships. Its a stereotype that men,
and gay men in particular, are less jealous when it comes to sex and
relationships, and are better at having sex thats strictly physical,
and not complicated by emotions, she says. Of course thats a
generalisation, but we all know stereotypes are rooted in truth, so it
makes sense that gay men might stand
a better chance at making an open
relationship work than other types of
couples. Thats a positive perspective
Id not heard yet. I knew that Karley
would have words of wisdom.
How about your first-hand
experience of open relationships?
I was in an open relationship with
my girlfriend for a year. At the
beginning it was great, I had a loving
partner to make dinner and have
feelings-y sex with, but I was still
allowed the satisfaction of having hot,
spontaneous sex with random dudes I
met on the subway. Did that situation
have an expiry date then? Over time,
as she and I fell deeper in love, we
began feeling more possessive, which
caused arguments and insecurities.
After a year we became monogamous
because we personally felt like sleeping
with other people was disrupting the
emotional narrative of our relationship,
and causing insecurities and arguments
that were jeopardising our partnership.
Of course, Im human and still want to
sleep with other people sometimes, but
ultimately I had to make a choice about what I valued more: sexual
variety or a continued relationship with the person Im in love with.
Its definitely not easy to make an open relationship work, because
theres a lot working against you, namely jealousy, possession, and
a heavy social stigma. But we cant lie to ourselves: monogamous
relationships are also difficult and complicated in their own ways.
Open-relationships can work. There are many couples who are in
happy, long open marriages, but they are not right for everyone.
The truth is everyone should be allowed to do whatever they
want in life as long as it doesnt stop anybody else doing the same.
Open or closed you might one day wake up and find that the type
of relationship you thought was for you, isnt right at all; as John
Waters once said Dont judge, try something new, take a risk.

I HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE ABOUT

WHAT I VALUED MORE: SEXUAL
VARIETY, OR A CONTINUED
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PERSON IM
IN LOVE WITH KARLEY SCIORTINO

Its becoming clear that just like sexuality itself, theres a

relationship spectrum and you need to figure out where your
relationship sits on it, whether your monogamous or monogamish;
open or off the rails. As the saying goes, opinions are like assholes
everyones got one and to be honest we should all stop worrying
about what other people think is okay for our relationships and
focus on figuring out what works for us.
The last person we speak to is New York based sexpert Karley
Sciortino, writer and author of the slutever.com blog. I value her

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the rules
No open relationship can work without ground rules. Heres some to get you started.
It all sounds really complicated... just remember youre supposed to be having fun!
KISS AND NOT TELL

Are you going to be the kind of couple that dontask-dont-tell or are you going to get off on hearing
about each others escapades? Some people are
happy for their other half to go play but dont need
to hear about the ins and outs, others might want to
beat their meat while their other half dishes all the
dirty details, jealously is a mad aphrodisiac.

SAFE AND SOUND

This probably comes under dos and donts but needs some
special attention. Everyones relationship situation and status
is different. If youre playing together without protection and
comfortable with that, are you still going to when youre both
hooking up with other people? Opening your relationship up
to encounters with other boys also opens it to other risks like
STDs and lets face it, no one wants a screaming match at 3am
about who gave who gonorrhoea.

GOOGLE CALENDAR

Depending on how much hooking up youre

planning on doing, to avoid double booking
yourself it might be a good idea to set up
a calendar so you can figure set times and
dates for when its okay to play. Maybe its a
compulsory to disclose dates in advance.

DOs and DONTs

Figure out where youre drawing the line with

which extracurricular activities youre allowed
to do. Maybe kissing is a no-go, maybe you agree
to approve each others booty calls. Writing in a
veto clause if youre not down with who your man
wants to go down on could be an idea. Talk it out,
set agreed boundaries and dont cross them!

ONE NIGHT ONLY

Forming emotional attachments with playmates is

basically the enemy. You could enforce a no second
dates rule. That said, regular friends with benefits
might be preferable if you want to feel safer about who
youre playing with. You might want to set curfews
and/or write in a no sleepovers clause too. Surely
no one wants their other half grabbing brunch the
morning after with some other guy.

NOT APP-LICABLE

Are you happy to both be sat on the sofa in front of

The X Factor whilst on Grindr looking for potential fun
times? Set rules on whether its cool to use Apps and
when you can use them. Alternatively maybe its okay to
hook-up as and when it presents itself. You dont want
to be actively looking for it, especially not when youre
supposed to be hanging tough together as a couple.

TIME OUT

relate.org.uk
slutever.com

Last but by no way least, if either of you are feeling

uncomfortable and want to call it time on spreading
the love around then you should both respect each
others limits open doesnt have to be a permanent
status on your relationship so make sure its cool to
call time out on playing away.

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Lots Road FP.indd 85

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from left: Natt wears jacket by

Diesel, jeans by River Island,
trainers Natts own; briefs by
Emporio Armani at Bang+Strik;
jumper by HUGO, briefs as before

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NATT weller_ATTITUDE

the
changing
man

the easy-on-the-eye offspring of musical legends who

doesnt hang off his parents fame, meet natt weller

Words: Christian Guiltenane / Photography: Joseph Sinclair / grooming: marcos gurgel

s history has often shown,

the lives of rock star kids
are rarely pretty. If theyre
not posing for police mug shots after
being nabbed for some drug-fuelled
misdemeanour, theyre rebelling their
way through life to prove that they can
outshine their more famous parents.
But the young chap who joins Attitude
at our studio in London appears to be
an exception to the rule. Or is he?
Tall, lean and androgynous, this rock
offspring is the definition of charm. He
is softly-spoken, refreshingly polite and
incredibly insightful.
Any clues as to who this fine looking
fellow is?
Look closely at his chiselled, elegant
features and see if you can figure out
the identities of his rock star parents.
No?
Well if we said his name was Weller,
Natt Weller, the game is pretty much
given away. Yes, this model-turnedsinger is son of craggy Modfather
and former lead singer of The Jam and
The Style Council, Paul Weller. And his
mother? Dee C Lee, original writer
and singer of Girls Aloud track See The
Day and early Wham! backing singer
alongside Shirlie Holliman
At 26, Natt is a regular on Londons
party scene, but unlike the likes of some

rockers offspring, he doesnt live off

the name of his famous parents. Natt
is all about living his own life. He has
his own career (hes a big pop star in
Japan), makes his own money and has
a healthy dislike for kids who have a
silver spoon wedged in their gobs. More
excitingly for us as Attitude, Natt has an
eye not just for the ladies, but for the
boys too! Result.
Here, in his first major interview, Natt
reveals how his rock star father came to
terms with his open sexuality and why
he cant abide spoilt rich kids!
Youre the offspring of rock royalty,
but youre the first to say that some
celebrities kids are monstrous.
Some are total dicks. Not all of them,
but some of them are just awful. And
no, I wont give you names. I guess its
to do with what kind of upbringing
theyve had. If Im really honest, celeb
kids arent half as bad the ones who
come from super rich families who
have been born into money. I have seen
a lot of spoilt rich kids who buy cars
and stuff on their parents credit cards.
That ostentatiousness and vulgarity
leaves a really nasty feeling in my
stomach. They live in a bubble where
they think they can throw money at
anything to solve a problem. Rock star

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From left: Natt

wears briefs by
Emporio Armani
at Bang+Strike;
jumper by HUGO,
briefs as before

kids are different, and are usually from families

who were originally working class so they have a
grasp on what real life is like. I just couldnt live
that vacuous life. Theres only so many times you
can go shopping and buy clothes and eat.
You could do it for a week, but the novelty would
wear off.
Does growing up in a rock star world put you
in a bubble far removed from real life?
In the rock world, drugs are present and
prevalent. Its an industry where drugs are kind
of accepted. That said, it was more prevalent
when I started modelling. There were a lot more
drugs in the fashion world, and there are some
people who can use those things recreationally
and then there are some who need help. How do I
feel about drugs now? Of course when I was in my
teens I did my fair share of things, like drugs and
drinking and partying, but never to the point of
rehab. There are sad cases. I cant personally relate
to people like Lindsay Lohan or someone like that.
I think it depends on the person. I never developed
a problem. I think the problem is that kids in the
entertainment industry are often around people
who can get that stuff and turn a blind eye. If
youre making people money then there are people
wholl enable you to get that stuff.
When your dad was massively famous he had
a tough time with alcohol, how did you deal
with the press?
It was intrusive. Growing up in the 90s when dad
was at his peak theyd get shots of him drunk in

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NATT weller_ATTITUDE
the street which wasnt nice, because
people at school would see it and say
stuff to me. It was worse when it was
made up shit or when someone at school
would say something about a story I
hadnt read.
It was pretty hard for a young boy to
deal with.
The press can be tough.
The saddest thing about Britney was
when she was seen crying outside on
the street and the paps just carried on
taking pictures of her and recording her
breakdown. Yes, I know its a business,
but these people have to remember shes
still a human being. And were seeing
it again with the whole Amanda Bynes
situation. Its like watching a countdown
to her meltdown. Its inhumane. I dont
understand the fascination of that.
But then there are some young stars
like your friend Kelly Osbourne, who
seems to deal with life pretty well.
She gets a hard time being the daughter
of Ozzy and Sharon, but she works so
hard. When I go to Los Angeles I always
try to see her but she is constantly
working. Shes a great role model to
women. She makes her own money.
Most celebrity kids do work. whether its
modelling or TV shows or music
So Natt, youre the son of one of the

UKs blokiest rock stars and you like girls

AND boys!
I basically like who I like. But it happened late.
When I was around 17, I was going through
this emo stage and was going out to clubs
and loved the gothic scene. Up to that point
Id only had girlfriends. But it was then that
I started to find boys attractive and thought
oh wow, these guys are prettier than my
girlfriend. God, shes going to kill me for that!
Since then I have had a couple of boyfriends
and a couple of girlfriends.
Having the choice of boys and girls, is it
easier to come out to your family?
Well, it was awkward sneaking people out in
the morning, thats for sure! With my mum,
it was easier for her to deal with because
she had grown up with the likes of George
Michael and Marilyn. I mean she was in
fucking Wham! for Gods sake! So I didnt
really have to come out to mum. I just said
to her that I am dating a boy and she didnt
seem to mind.
And how was your dad? Was it harder?
It was only when I had more of a public
profile, that it got difficult because my dads
schtick is that working class hero thing. The
media see him as this alpha male character,
even though The Style Council was pretty
homoerotic. It was kind of daunting to
broach it with him. But there was nothing to
really worry about because I knew that he is
always pretty accepting of people.
I remember as a kid he would say
People are people no matter what
they are, as long as they arent hurting
anyone. It was the public perception
of him that was more daunting.
So how did you tell him?
When I had boyfriends, I would be
with them all the time, so it became
pretty obvious that these guys were
more than friends. Dad just put two
and two together. We never actually
sat down and said the words. Of
course since then we have spoken
about it and hes got no problems with
it at all. I guess I am lucky as I know
for most people coming out can be a
difficult time, and some parents can
be quite unaccepting.
Having famous parents, were
you always keen to find your own
identity?
Being a rock stars kid was never
something I felt comfortable with.
There are some people that are but I
wasnt one of them. I never wanted to
be known as Paul Wellers son. So the
Manga look I adopted a few years ago
was probably some kind of rebellion

to look different from dad. At the time I didnt

feel like I was being rebellious.
How did that look go down with your
mates at school?
I was into Green Day and was wearing
eyeliner. It got attention and I kind of liked
it. I didnt care about what the other kids
thought but the teachers would make me
wash it off. Its funny how schools stop kids
from developing their own individuality;
that doesnt set you up for real life. My heroes
at the time were Mtley Crue and Marilyn
Manson. Theyre the sort of artists when you
have self-doubt and the kids are saying why
are you fucking wearing make up who help
you feel better about yourself.
Your parents split rather acrimoniously,
didnt they?
I was around six. I remember certain aspects
of that time. It was a pretty low point. Both
my mum and dad were reasonably absent
around that period. Me and my sister Leah
were mostly being left with a live-in nanny
who was pretty abusive and vile towards me.
However my grandparents were amazing we
spent a lot of time with them while this was
all going on. I think those things are hard for
any kid growing up. I suppose for me, certain
details and aspects were brought to my
attention and amplified by the media but my
grandparents were really great at sheltering
us as much a possible from it.
Like your dad, youre carving out a career
as a singer
I guess it was inevitable. I grew up around
music and seeing my dads live shows and
going on tour with him I was sure it would
filter into my psyche. I also like performing. I
like that you can be two people. The real you
and the one whos up there on stage. I was
signed to a label in Japan, recorded an album
and released it in June. I am now working on
the second.
You seem pretty determined to achieve
lots. A big difference to people in the public
eye who are famous for not very much.
Theres nothing wrong with being ambitious
and wanting to achieve stuff. If something
doesnt work, you move on and try something
else. I have had a few different deals and
situations that fell through. Thats always part
of the process. Its about learning to deal with
knocks and rejection. Young people get a bad
rap for being over-zealous or over-ambitious.
Reality stars shouldnt be role models. I hate
the word celebrity. It means nothing. Id like
to try acting, so I might try that in L.A. its a
great place to be. The weather is always good
and its a great place for castings. I dont think
I could live their full time. I like Japan and
London too much.

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Original Bathrooms FP.indd 90

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Attitude.co.uk/Style @Attitudestyle

FLEX IT OUT
Replay is getting physical with their latest Hyperflex collection. With a focus on stretching your limits the brand are looking at getting
you moving in your jeans with 100 percent elasticity no sagging or misshaping after wear (everyones fashion nemesis). With skinny or
slim fit in three different washes, you can jump, tumble and stretch to your hearts content. Replay have even got FC Barcelona footballer
Neymar Jr and fellow teammate and arm-candy to Shakira, Gerard Piqu to jump around in them and show you their mettle. replay.it
PHOTOGRAPHY: SIMON J TAYLOR / FASHION AND WORDS: JOSEPH KOCHARIAN / GROOMING: NIBRAS USING BARE MINERALS AND OJON / MODEL: LUKAS C/O NEVS MODELS / STYLING ASSISTANT: NICK BYAM

252_STYLE_OPENER#.indd 91

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Ryan wears coat, 2290;

arm pieces (worn as
socks); 190, shoes, 440;
all by Lanvin. Location:
Getty Villa, L.A

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The
b e tt e r
you look, the
more you see
When going for bold simple colour,
its the detail that makes your outfit

Photography: Leonardo Corredor

Fashion: Joseph Kocharian

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Silvester wears jacket

by Agns B, 345

Ryan wears cap

by Givenchy by
Riccardo Tisci,
190; jacket
stylists own.

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Silvester wears top

by Topman, 20;
shorts by American
Apparel, 54; socks by
Sockshop, 10; trainers
by Y-3, 275. Location:
Beverley Hills, L.A

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S ilvester wears knitwear

by To p man Design, 85;
b rief s by Han ro, 17.50

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Experiment with one simple bold colour in different textures

Ryan wears knitwear
by Whistles, 2 35

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S ilvester wears petrol

r o ll n eck, 2 2 ; burgundy
tro u sers , 30; black boots,
50 an d teal coat (worn
over sh ou lder), 80 all
by Bu rton . L ocation:
W Holly wo od Hotel, L .A

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Frankie wears jeans by

Citizens of Humanity,
229; white t-shirt (worn
around the neck) by New
Look, 9.99; trainers by
Puma, 60. Chris wears
jeans by Replay, 140.
Satoshi wears jeans by
River Island, 25. Clark
wears jeans by Replay,
140; shoes by United
Nude, 175 and t-shirt
(worn over the shoulder)
by Gap, 8.95
Location: Angel City
Brewery, Downtown L.A.

99

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26/11/2014 12:00

Ryan wears co at by
Reiss , 2 95; trousers by
Marks & Spen cer Best of
B ritish , 9 9. L ocation:
G etty Garden s, L .A

100

252_STYLE_FASHION#.indd 100

26/11/2014 12:00

Rya n we a r s ja cke t
by Hu nt e r Gat h e r,
4 5 0 ; p ol o sh i r t
by S u n sp e l , 8 0 ;
t sh i r t , 2 2 a n d
sh o rt s, 5 4 b ot h by
A me r i c a n Ap p a r e l .
L o c at i on : T h e Page
Mu e s e u m , L . A

101

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26/11/2014 12:00

Rya n we a rs po l o t o p, 45 0 ; f i sh n e t
t o p, 4 500; t rou s e r s , 1 2 0 0 ;
t ra i n e rs , 695; c ap, 190 a l l
by Give n chy by R i c c a r do Ti s c i .
L o c at i o n : T h e Page Mu s e u m , L . A

252_STYLE_FASHION#.indd 102

26/11/2014 12:01

103

252_STYLE_FASHION#.indd 103

26/11/2014 12:01

Ryan wears co at by
L a nv in , 2 2 9 0.
L ocatio n : G etty Villa, L .A

104

252_STYLE_FASHION#.indd 104

26/11/2014 12:01

Leather, shine, neoprene and

treated denim can all make an
outfit. Its a subtle way
to add interest to your look

S ilvester wears trousers by

Dies el Black Gold, 450.
L o cation : B everley Hills, L .A

105

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26/11/2014 12:01

Rya n we a rs t o p by Top m a n ,
2 8; boxe r sh o rt s by Sun sp e l ,
2 8; s o cks by s o cksh op, 8 ;
t ra i n e rs by Ad i d a s by Ri ck
Owe n s , 440.
L o c at i o n : LAC MA, L . A

106

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26/11/2014 12:02

Chris wears shirt,

150 and jeans, 170
by Replay; sleeveless
shirt by La Perla, 425
Location: Angel City
Brewery, Downtown L.A.

Si lve st e r we a r s sh i r t by
Ma rks a n d Sp e n c e r B e st O f
B rit i sh C o l l e c t i on , 99; r ol l
n e ck by M &S Col l e c t i on , 2 5

107

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26/11/2014 12:02

S ilvester wears Jogging

b o ttoms , 550; trainers,
2 6 5 an d cap 50 all by Y-3.
L ocatio n : L ily Pond in
B everley Garde ns Park, L .A

108

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26/11/2014 12:02

Fully matching
from head to toe
is allowed, layer
up similar shades
for full effect.
S ilvester wears shirt by
Topman , 2 0; jogging
b otto ms by American
Apparel, 32 ; L ocation:
W Ho lly woo d Hotel, L .A

109

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26/11/2014 12:02

S ilvester wears polo by

M&S Co llection, 15; vest
by Th e Wh ite Briefs at
Match es f ash io n, 65; shorts
by A merican Apparel, 54;
s ocks by s o ckshop, 8; shoes
by A llS aints , 118. L ocation:
B everley Hills, L .A

fash i o n A ss i sta n t

Nick Byam
M o d e ls

Ryan Bertroche & Silvester

Ruck both at D.T Model
Management
S p e c i al tha n k s

Michael, Kelsey, Andrea

and Jane at LOS ANGELES
TOURISM & CONVENTION
BOARD & Riva PR
discoverlosangeles.com

252_STYLE_FASHION#.indd 110

26/11/2014 12:02

Ryan wears coat by

Reis s , 2 95; t rousers by
Marks & Spencer Best of
B ritish , 9 9. L ocation:
Getty Garden s, L .A

111

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26/11/2014 12:02

Silvester wears petrol roll

neck, 22 and teal coat,
80 both by Burton

Silvester wears Jacket by

Agnes B, 345; burgundy
trousers by Burton, 30

stockists

Addicted at Bang+Strike bangandstrike.com

Adidas adidas.co.uk
Adidas by Rick Owens adidas.co.uk
Agnes B agnesb.com
AllSaints allsaints.com
American Apparel Americanapparel.co.uk
Aussiebum aussiebum.com
Burton burton.co.uk
David Gandy for Autograph marksandspencer.com
Diesel Black Gold dieselblackgold.com
Emporio Armani at Bang+Strike bangandstrike.com
Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci givenchy.com
Hanro hanro.co.uk
HUGO hugoboss.com
HOM at figleaves figleaves.com
HOM hom.com
HunterGather huntergather.com
Lanvin lanvin.com
Lonsdale Lonsdale.com
M&S Collection marksandspencer.com
Marks and Spencer Best Of British marksandspencer.com
Porsche Design Sport adidas.co.uk
Reiss reiss.com
Replay replay.it
Rufskin rufksin.com
Slazenger at Sports Direct sportsdirect.com
Sockshop sockshop.co.uk
Speedo speedo.com
Sunspel sunspel.com
The White Breifs at Matches Fashion matchesfashion.com
Topman Design topman.com
Topman topman.com
WearMeUnder wearmeunder.com
Whistles whistles.com
Y-3 y-3.com
W Hollywood Hotel
whollywoodhotel.com
Visitors can find the chic boutique
W Hollywood Hotel at the intersection
of Hollywood and Vine, under the shadow
of the iconic Hollywood sign and the
Hollywood Walk of Fame located outside the
front door. W Hollywood brings glamour and
excitement back to the neighborhood that
invented celebrity.
Getty Center
getty.edu
The Getty Center is home to the J. Paul Getty
Museum, the Getty Research Institute,
the Getty Conservation Institute, and the
Getty Foundation. Together, these programs
have conducted and funded research,

iPad and
Tablet Versions
feature
more exclusive
photos & Video
content

conservation, and education programs

locally, nationally, and internationally. Since
opening its doors in 1997, the Getty Center
has welcomed over 20 million visitors and
become a cultural destination that has
played a key role in helping Los Angeles
become an important leader in the arts.
Getty Villa
www.getty.edu
The Getty Villa offers an incomparable setting
for the study and enjoyment of the arts and
cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria.
The villa weaves together art, performances,
family activities, lectures, theatre, scholarship,
conservation and other activities to create an
integrated educational and cultural experience
for all ages, serving as a gateway to the classical

past for students, scholars, specialised

professionals, and general audiences.
Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
tarpits.org
Located in the heart of metropolitan
Los Angeles, the Page Museum at the La
Brea Tar Pits represents one of the worlds
most famous fossil localities, and the only
active urban paleontological excavation site
in the United States. This onsite Museum
displays Ice Age fossils, including sabertoothed cats, dire wolves and mammoths,
from 10,000 to 40,000-year-old asphalt
deposits. Visitors can see the processes of
paleontology unfold, from current outdoor
excavations, to scientists and volunteers
preparing fossils in the Fossil Lab.

Los Angeles County Arts Museum

lacma.org
Urban Light Chris Burden
Beverly Hills Conference
& Visitors Bureau
lovebeverlyhills.com
Centrally located in greater Los Angeles,
Beverly Hills is a premier travel destination,
boasting beautiful weather year-round,
acclaimed boutique hotels, sumptuous dining
and incomparable shopping. Synonymous
with Hollywood glamour, Beverly Hills enjoys
an international reputation as the home of
A-list movie stars. The city is not only known
worldwide for its grand mansions, but also for
its multitude of art and architecture, spas and
salons, and exceptional walkability.

112

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26/11/2014 15:01

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25/11/2014 17:01

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25/11/2014 17:09

FEATURE | ATTITUDE

most stylish reader

In September we ran a competition for Attitudes Most
Stylish reader in association with The Idle Man. After
being flooded with entries of well dressed gentlemen,
we whittled it down to 25-year-old Myles Brown from
Derby. He won 500 to spend on The Idle Man website and a
photoshoot in the magazine! So we got to work and raided
the online wardrobe that is theidleman.com, getting a
tad distracted by the on-point christmas gift guides
on the site and got chatting to Myles after his shoot.

So what do you do Myles?

Im a dancer. I do loads of different styles,
commercial mainly, for artists. Ive worked
with Katy Perry, One Direction and most
recently, Robbie Williams
Talk us through the outfit you chose for
our Most Stylish Reader competition?
I got the jacket when I was on the hunt for
a suede jacket, but they didnt have it in my
size, so I went to their sale rack and found
this faux suede one, and it was a lot cheaper
which was great, and then I just paired it
with a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans.
Have you spent your winnings on The
Idle Man website yet?
Yeah I have! My favourite piece that I got it
my lovely new winter coat. Its a threequarter-length trench and its lovely. It

was one of the pieces I wanted when I first

entered the contest, along with a tracksuit I
also managed to get!
How would you describe your style?
Its quite simple. I dont like clashing too
much; I like block colours. I wear a lot of
neutral and a lot of black, but at night time
when Im going out I tend to go a bit more
out there a bit more floral and disco, with
sequins! If im going on a big night out Ill
come up with a big outfit
Whats the most daring thing youve
ever worn?
A womens jacket with a tropical print with
parrots all over it and shoulder pads in it! I
wore it with a white shirt, a gold chain and
some smart trousers.
Look out for Myles full interview online.

Fashion and words; Joseph Kocharian / Photography: Simon J Taylor / Grooming: Sandra Hadi / All clothes from idleman.com
AT T I T U D E | 115

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26/11/2014 14:31

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25/11/2014 17:05

EXERCISE
NUTRITION
SPORTS
ADVICE

JAKE LOCKHART

hoops and dreams

PG.120

OPINION
DATING
REAL LIFE
PROPERTY
RELATIONSHIPS
TRAVEL
GOING OUT

HAND TOWEL BY PORSCHE

DESIGN SPORT; SHORTS
BY ADIDAS

252_ACTIVE_OPENER#.indd 117

26/11/2014 17:18

>>>>>> ATTITUDE / ACTIVE THE CLINIC

THE CLINIC

&
Our health expert
Dr Christian Jessen
answers your
medical queries

with Dr Christian

Got a problem, want answers? Email [email protected]

My boyfriend and I have a

good sex life, but sometimes he
struggles to retain an erection. I thought
only older people had problems like this,
is it my fault?
Greg, Birmingham
All men at some stage in their
lives will have problems either
getting or maintaining an erection.
Erectile dysfunction can be caused by
a number of factors, so pinpointing
the exact cause can be complex to
work out. For many younger men the
reason may well be psychological. In
his desire to try and keep you happy,
you partner could simply be
experiencing performance anxiety,
which then affects his ability to
perform. His mood and state of mind
during sex could be having a huge
effect on him sustaining an erection.
If youve not yet broached the subject
with him I suggest that next time it
happens you talk about the issue. By
being understanding and reassuring
whilst discussing the matter, you may
help to calm his anxiety. You may also
wish to look at other ways of having
sex that may help him relax a little bit
more. If it continues to be a problem,
he can always have a chat with his GP.
Ive recently had several panic
attacks at work. How can I
prevent them from happening?
Grant, Edinburgh
Panic attacks can be a
particularly unpleasant
experience. Those who experience
these often have an uncontrollable
feeling of impending doom, which
can be very nasty indeed. I think you
need to ask yourself whether there is
a definite cause for these happening
or do they just arise out of the blue? If

Didnt
know?
Generalized
Anxiety
Disorder

GAD is more than

just an isolated
feeling of
anxiousness; it
is a long-term
condition that
causes frequent
anxiety about
a wide range of
different matters.
Sufferers often
feel restless
or worried and
may have trouble
concentrating
or sleeping.
Psychological
therapies and
medications are
available if the
problem is severe.

youve been caught in an unpleasant

situation, then having a panic attack
could be understandable. If, however,
they seem to stem from the slightest
of triggers or just simply out of
nowhere, you may be experiencing
generalised anxiety disorder. Book in
an appointment with your GP to
discuss. Treatments are available, and
its probably best that you start
treatment sooner rather than later to
prevent the problem from escalating.
I regularly go to the gym with
a friend, but the other day I
found steroids in his gym bag. Im
worried hes endangering himself by
taking them, is he at risk?
Billy, Hastings
The appeal of steroids to
gym-goers is increased muscle
mass gained from their use compared
to working out naturally. Under
correct medical supervision, steroids
can be effective in creating huge
weight gains. However, the side
effects of steroids can be considerable
and include bad acne, water retention
and liver problems. The main
problem faced with most steroids is
that they are usually bought online
where the quality and quantity of
drug within the product itself are
often unknown. Its also worth
considering the way in which he is
administrating the injections.
Injecting substances into the body
incorrectly can cause severe
problems. I have seen many patients
who have required surgery to fix
terrible abscesses caused by
inaccurate injection.

D r Ch r i s t i an i s o n t w i t te r :

the

probe
NARCOLEPSY
Narcolepsy is a very rare brain
disorder which causes people
to drop off to sleep quite
suddenly, unexpectedly and often
at quite inappropriate times.
Its caused by an underlying
problem with the brains
ability to regulate sleep and
waking patterns normally. The
classic characterisation of
narcolepsy is falling to sleep
very suddenly, but it can also
cause unexpected loss of muscle
control and, frighteningly,
paralysis during regular
sleep. There are no serious
long-term health implications
to narcolepsy, but it can
obviously cause accidents when
it is triggered. It is a very
rare condition, but if you
think you may have it your GP
can refer you to a neurologist
or sleep specialist who can
diagnose it accurately. There
is unfortunately no cure for
narcolepsy, but making changes to
your sleeping habits and taking
certain medications can help you
manage the symptoms better.

@doctorchristian

118

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24/11/2014 13:16

HIV

H IV D I A R I ES

attitude / ACTIVE>>>>>>

Simon Watney,
65, living
with HIV
since 1997

Gay youths lack of knowledge about HIV is

increasingly banishing the epidemic from audibility
The Beatles When Im 64 was released
in 1967 when I was 18, and to this day
Ive never much cared for it. The note of
relentless jollity is all the more tiresome
now that I am myself 65, but back in my
teens I certainly could not get my head
around the idea of ever reaching such an
age. A year later I had a brief but important
fling with a charming American called Nick
who was all of 26 and seemed impossibly
older than me. By contrast I still have a
dearly loved relative of 99 who regards me
as something of a spring chicken. I recount
all this simply to make the point that ones
sense of time changes radically in the
course of a lifetime, and that its completely
unreasonable to expect most people under
40 to realistically imagine what its like to
be over 60, especially in relation to matters
of health. Older people also frequently need
to be helped to understand the experience
and world-view of those half our age and
younger.
Im well aware that other peoples aches
and pains are generally about as fascinating
as their holiday photographs, but in this
context I am mindful of the way in which
like most older people I have gradually got
used to slowly worsening levels of routine
pain and physical discomfort in ways I never
imagined when I was young. There are also
gains and benefits, but thats another story.
When it comes to HIV it is worth noting
that ten percent of newly diagnosed cases
are amongst men over 50, who may be at
risk of infection in ways related to their age.
Frequently, the old are no less emotionally
vulnerable than the young, though for
different reasons. The close association
between masculinity and competitiveness
may have unpredictable consequences as
one ages, making some men more sexually
aggressive and others less so. Many gay
men explore and expand their sexual
repertoire as we age, in a host of different
and previously unimagined ways which
may take us out of the comfort zones in
which we previously felt self-confident.
Moreover there are strong and often deeply

internalised barriers between different

generations, which are complicated by the
shared experience that many gay men have
of bad or seriously inadequate fathering.
Vanity is another issue, as the young
Adonis suddenly finds he needs a hip
replacement or dentures. Of course its
usually awful when a long-term relationship
comes to an end, as they do, but its a
different kind of awfulness when youre
over 50, as opposed to 25. The stigma
surrounding the whole subject of age
has probably never been more acute, and
besides, we have as yet so few positive role
models for the confident, out, sexually
active gay male pensioner. This is further
complicated by the fact that so many of the

Whilst there are now far

more gay men living with
HIV than ever before,
fewer than ever are open
about their HIV status
most confident leaders of the gay movement
who would now be in their 60s or 70s
died decades ago, whilst so many others
succumbed to the destabilising emotional
consequences of cumulative loss, whether
or not they were themselves HIV+. In this
respect I know Im far from unusual in
only now re-emerging after many years of
shell-shocked retreat from public life and
involvement on the gay scene.
We live with a strange paradox, that whilst
there are now far more gay men living with
HIV than ever before, fewer than ever are
open about their HIV status. As a result the
epidemic has as it were vanished from sight
and audibility, almost as if it were taking
place in some parallel universe of denial and
delusion. This was forcibly brought home to
me very recently when I saw an expression
of puzzled incomprehension on the face of
a charming younger gay man to whom Id
mentioned the epidemic. What epidemic?
he politely asked me, clearly having no idea
what I was talking about.

I also well recall fighting my way to the

bar at Wiltons Music Hall last year after a
harrowing performance by Marc Almond
of the song cycle Ten Plagues, which is set
in London at the time of the Plague of
1665, but with much wider resonances.
Behind me in the general scrum were two
well turned out young people, who had
evidently enjoyed the show. It makes
you think, doesnt it, said one cheerily to
the other, about the present day. What
do you mean? asked his friend. Well,
came the reply, bird-flu. You could have
knocked me down with a feather. I repeat
the anecdote only to make the point that
for anyone of my generation it would
be impossible to come away from Ten
Plagues without thinking about AIDS, and
the terrible scale of suffering and loss it
caused. This is not however the experience
of the young, and it seems to me important
for older gay men not to forget this, or to
expect everyone to somehow magically
share or even understand our experience
and associated emotions. On reflection I
feel sure that my fathers generation must
have had similar feelings in later life about
their own war-time experience, of which
they so rarely spoke.
There is every good reason why many
people dont disclose their HIV status
these days, but the ironic consequence
is that this only serves to deepen the
stigma surrounding the whole subject
which the same people are themselves
presumably trying to avoid. Im not saying
that anyone should or should not disclose
their HIV status, but merely observing
how weird it feels for older gay men
like me to inhabit a world in which gay
etiquette seemingly demands that we
all pretend the epidemic never happened.
This is closely connected in turn to the
equally common inability to recognise
that HIV remains far and away the
single most glaringly important social
and political issue facing our particular
community, just as it has been for more
than three long decades.

119

252_ACTIVE_HIV SIMON#.indd 119

24/11/2014 13:17

>>>>>> attitude / ACTIVE Jake Lockhart

SHOOT
FOR THE
STARS

Jake wears t-shirt by

Porsche Deign Sport;
shorts by adidas;
socks by Slazenger
at Sportdirect.com;
trainers by Porsche
Design Sport

Jake L ockhart t alk s

p laying b aske tb all at a
comp etitive le v e l, h is s u bt le
b ut striking s t yle an d
carrying the g ym in h is bag

Words george williams

Photography Simon Taylor
Styling Nick Byam
GROOMING Nibras
120

252_ACTIVE_FEATURE#.indd 120

24/11/2014 13:07

JAKE wears shorts by

Porsche Design Sport;
socks by Slazenger
at Sportdirect.com;
trainers by Porsche
Design Sport

How did you first get into basketball?

It all started for me when I was five
years old and I fell in love with
the sport. It ended up directing me
throughout all of my teenage years up
until my collegiate life. I practised
every single day. I was the kid who
would wake up at five in the morning to
train. This UPS truck would go by the
school so I got an agreement with the
UPS guy to take me from my house when he
would usually drop off stuff. I was very
dedicated to basketball and that kind of
set the tone for my athletic lifestyle
and the way I keep it up today.
Whats your training regime like now?
Is it still as intense as when you
played basketball?
Ive scaled back. I played college
basketball in America and it was very

full on, high intensity training every

day: in the weights room for hours, on
the basketball court for hours, watching
video tapes. It was a fully immersive
experience in athletics. Since I graduated
in May I have scaled back somewhat because
I found that intense working out takes a
toll on your body, even at 22. Constantly
trying to get stronger and improve can
end up doing more damage than good. What
Ive tried to do since graduating where
I no longer require this intense workout
regime in order to perform at a higher,
competitive level is bring it back to
a point where Im still active and still
capable but its not to the degree that
Im straining my tendons and my joints.
What I would suggest to a lot of people
is resting. Work super hard and condense
a lot into your time at the gym, but once

you leave then rest. Ice your knees and

your elbows because these are areas of
your body that will invariably wear out as
you get older.
Do you have a favourite piece of gym
equipment?
Resistance bands provide the exact amount
of intensity that I need. The range of
motion that you can get out of resistance
bands is far superior to what you can get
out of simple weights. Theyre so portable.
I can have a gym with me wherever I go.
At this point in time I dont have a gym
membership and I dont plan on getting one
because all I need is my bodyweight and my
resistance bands.
Do you have certain styles of clothes that
you wear based on your body type?
For me, when it comes to fashion I like
my clothes to be classic and simple. Im

121

252_ACTIVE_FEATURE#.indd 121

26/11/2014 11:14

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25/11/2014 17:12

ATTITUDE / ACTIVE <<<<<<

JAKE WEARS T-SHIRT BY
PORSCHE DESIGN SPORT

not into overly intricate designs.

I feel that your clothes should
amplify who you are but shouldnt
distract from who you are. I like
clothes that blend in with who I am
- subtle but striking.
DO YOU STILL GET TO LET UP EVERY
SO OFTEN AND PARTY?
I didnt even touch alcohol until a
few months ago. I had my first drink
at New Years just to experiment. I
think theres absolutely nothing
wrong with having a drink. If you
like to go out and have a nice time
then enjoy that moment with your
friends, but I think everything in
moderation is the key when it comes
to things like alcohol, which can
have a negative effect on your body
and your mental health. Enjoy life.
Not everyone can be a nun.

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125

252_ACTIVE_FEATURE#.indd 125

26/11/2014 10:12

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29/10/2014
12:35
26/11/2014 10:09

ATTITUDE / ACTIVE <<<<<<

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STYLING ASSISTANT: MARK-ASHLEY DUP / GROOMING: NIBRAS USING MAC AND AVEDA

HOW DID YOU WIND UP WORKING AS A MODEL?

My auntie is a woman named Beth Bolt. She
discovered Naomi Campbell when she was
walking around in her school uniform. She
owned her own agency here in London and
suggested that I got involved when I was
17. I wasnt interested at the time I
was focused on basketball but then as
I got a bit older and started to do other
things aside from basketball. I thought
why not dabble in the fashion world?
Its a funny but interesting world.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO EAT TO KEEP YOURSELF
IN SHAPE?
Mummy food. My mums food is the best
food. She makes an eclectic blend of
food from all over the world but its all
very healthy. I dont eat any fast food.
I try and stay away from stuff thats
really synthetic. I have to eat a lot to
maintain my size.
IN TERMS OF YOUR OWN PHYSICAL FITNESS
WHATS THE BIGGEST REWARD FOR YOU?
The first thing that feels best about it
is knowing that youre physically capable.
I was with a good friend in Geneva and we
saw this mountain and said lets climb
it. We got to the top and it was such an
incredible feeling to overcome something.
Knowing that you can be involved in
anything and arent limited by your
physical status is great. Its also just
nice to wear clothes and have them fit
well and feel confident when you walk out
the door, but primarily, its about just
being a capable being that can do more
than play the X-Box.

127

252_ACTIVE_FEATURE#.indd 127

26/11/2014 12:36

>>>>>>ATTITUDE / ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

REAL BODIES
Ive seen this page when Ive been reading
Attitude before and I think its a great thing,
counter-balancing parts of magazines that
make you question your body-image. I like that
Attitude tries to represent older people too. I did
a play years ago where I was nude and I thought
Ive done it once, I can do it again!

IDEAL
MAN

My husband,
Ian of course,
but if we are talking
celebrity: Rory ONeill
(aka Panti). Hes so
intelligent, funny and
attractive. I have to say,
Dan Gillespie Sells
is probably one of the
most beautiful things
Ive ever seen in my life.
He seems like
a relatively
sorted person
who has got
something to
say about a
few things.

Diet
I think my diet is okay,
I suppose it could be
better. Im vegetarian-ish;
pescetarian, I should say. I
do have a weakness for cakes
and that really ups my carb
intake. My partner is an
incredibly good baker so we do
have an awful lot of cakes and
stuff like that in our lives
for a lot of the time. My son
is really into it as well so
its hard to escape really.

HEIGHT/WEIGHT

65
196cm

14

stone

89kg

G u ilt y Plea s u r e s
My colleague told me I
should confess my teacake
habit. A Victoria sponge or
something like that often
passes my lips once a day.

430cals
VI CT OR IA
SP ON GE

per 100g

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEX GRACE

Andrew Wilcox, 46
Theatre Company Manager

OPEN UP
ABOUT
YOUR
BODY

128

252_ACTIVE_REAL BODIES#.indd 128

24/11/2014 13:05

Manscaping
I dont really manscape. Ive toyed with
it but I cant be bothered to be honest.
Maybe that is slightly to do with being
in a 17-year-relationship. I used to a little
bit, but Im really not into it anymore.

Top Body Product

The thing that is really working for
me at the moment is a simple Nivea
moisturiser and their eye thing is quite
good. I flirt with Clinique occasionally,
when I feel rich at the airport.

BANANA, COFFEE
AND WALNUT BREAD

Clothes
I used to be a lot thinner which wasnt
terribly healthy. At university I was ten
stone so I used to wear baggy clothes
because I was self-conscious about how
thin I was, but not so much now.

Quick questions
Do you do any exercise?
I cycle to work. Its
probably only five miles a
day because I dont live that
far. Im reasonably active in
terms of walking and stuff
like that but I dont go to the
gym. I have an eight-yearold son so Im as energetic
as any parent is with a kid
who is constantly on the go.
I used to go to the gym but
it is quite difficult to find
the time to go nowadays.
I ended up trying to go
early in the morning but
sometimes I just need to
lie-in a bit more, so I found
I wasnt going as much
as I could. I find it more
enjoyable and stimulating to
be active outside; running if
I can or cycling.
Are you body confident?
I am reasonably. I have
grown into it; it sounds like
a clich but I have. I have
come to terms with the
things that were less good.
I remember a time when
I did have a six-pack; that
was a long time ago but Ive

252_ACTIVE_REAL BODIES#.indd 129

never really been interested

in building it up. The thing
I like best about myself is
my legs because I cycle.
So you have been in a
relationship for 17 years,
does that mean you can
stop worrying about what
you look like?
I think you keep it up. We
know each other really well
and what you want for the
other person is to bring
out the best in you. I think
thats what we do with each
other in terms of the way
that we look and actually I
think we have both hit our
stride around about the
same time. With that comes
a wider fulfilment in the
way you look.
Do you like Rory ONeil as
Rory or Panti?
I think I quite like him as
Rory actually, but I like the
idea that he has this other
persona who then speaks
their mind as himself as
well. I dont think there are
that many pictures of him
not as Panti though.

Ingredients
2 medium sized bananas mashed
2/3 scoops of Pure Protein GF-1 (I used 1 scoop vanilla, 1 scoop
cappuccino and 1 scoop banana but you can use just one avour)
170g of brown our
2 tsp baking powder
2 egg whites
10g stevia or sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
150 ml water
1 shot of French vanilla beanies coffee (mixed to a liquid in small
amount of warm water)
A pinch of salt
A handful of chopped walnuts
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 180 and grease a square bread tin.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients our, protein powder, baking
powder, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
3. In a different bowl mix together the wet ingredients egg whites,
coffee, water and mashed banana.
4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well
5. Mix in a handful of chopped walnuts then pour the mixture into
the tin
6. Bake in oven for around 40 minutes (to test its done put a skewer
into the middle and if it comes out clean its done)
Nutritional Value
For two decent sized slices its roughly
Calories 150
Protein 15g
Carbs 20g
Sugars 2g
Fat 8g

24/11/2014 13:05

>>>>>> attitude / ACTIVE dan osborne

BUILD BOULDER
SHOULDERS TO BE
PROUD OF WITH OUR
MONTHLY GUIDE
For beautiful, broad shoulders, steer
clear of novelty machines as the free
weights room of any gym is your best
bet. bulking up your shoulders can prove
difficult to even the most persistent of
gym bunnies, but the right exercises done
well can have your deltoids bursting out
of your t-shirt in no time. Take note of
how our resident fitness guru and freshly
crowned fittest man Dan Osborne does it
with a variety of barbell and dumbbell
exercises that target the shoulders for
optimum results.
Dans shoulders workout was devised by
David Valentine-Jones of Sculpt Health &
Fitness. With thanks to thirtysevendegrees
health and fitness thirtysevendegrees.co.uk

Dan wears vest by Diesel

and shorts by Rufskin both
at bang+strike.com
Trainers by Nike at Schuh

130

252_ACTIVE_DAN FITNESS 3#.indd 130

24/11/2014 13:03

Standing Military Press

Target muscle - Anterior Deltoids
Sets: 4 Reps: 8

1. Position yourself with

feet shoulder-width with the
barbell held at the top of
your chest with your elbows
tucked in.
2. Engage your abs and glutes
and press the bar straight
up until arms are extended
overhead.
3. Lower the barbell back to
the starting position in a
controlled fashion and repeat.

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Target muscle - Lateral Deltoids
Sets: 3 Reps: 15

1. Take dumbbells and hold

at your sides, with elbows
slightly bent.
2. Raise the dumbbells up
to shoulder-height with
elbows slightly higher
than your wrists.
3. Slowly control the
dumbbells back to the
starting position and
repeat.

>Top Trainer Tips:

1. Use specific warm-ups. If youre going to be training chest

and shoulders, 5 minutes on the cross trainer isnt going to
cut it (that should never be your warm up!) instead warm up
with a couple of specific body part sets working at 40% of
your target intensity.
2. You should be aiming to set a personal best during every
session you do. This doesnt just mean trying to beat your one
rep max, look at your workout log and try to improve at least
one thing you did last time.

Upright Barbell Rows

Target muscle - Deltoids
Sets: 4 Reps: 8

1. Position yourself with feet

shoulder-width with the barbell held
with an overhand grip at your waist.
2. Pull the bar upwards towards the
top of your chest keeping your elbows
high, flex your wrists at the top of
the rep.
3. Slowly control the barbell back to
the starting position and repeat.

iPad and
Tablet Versions
feature
more exclusive
photos & Video
content

Reverse Dumbbell Flys

Target muscle - Posterior Deltoids
Sets: 3 Reps: 15

1. Position yourself with feet

shoulder-width and dumbbells held
at your sides.
2. Keeping your back straight
and abs engaged, bend forwards at
the hips and knees with your head
held up and looking forwards.
3. With the dumbbells underneath
your chest, bend your elbows and
raise the dumbbells until your
arms are parallel with the floor.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades
together at the top of the rep,
slowly return to the starting
position and repeat.

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131

252_ACTIVE_DAN FITNESS 3#.indd 131

24/11/2014 13:04

OPINION

Iain Dale

Six years ago my partner and I got

married. Well, thats how we viewed it at
the time. My partner never refers to our
civil partnership, he always talks about
our wedding. So when equal marriage was
introduced we sort of scratched our heads
and wondered what the point of it all was
for us. The whole concept of an upgrade
seemed so cold, full of logic but with no
romance. And in many ways it still does.
John and I have been together for 19 years.
2015 marks our 20th anniversary together.
In some ways were total opposites but we
have a relationship which works for us.
We both have our idiosyncrasies, our little
foibles and our differences, but in all that
time we have never had a major row or
ever (so far as I know) been on the verge of
splitting up. After so long, life without each
other is almost unimaginable.
So if we already consider ourselves
married what on earth is the point of
upgrading? So far as I can see, in
terms of the law, getting properly
married would give each of us
the same rights over each others
pension that a straight couple
would have. And, er, thats about
it. Or is it? Not quite.
Marriages are solemnised by
a prescribed form of words.
Civil partnerships just involve
signing a legal form, with no
words having to be spoken,
although they can be if the two
people wish it. We did.
For some reason marriages
are recorded on paper while
civil partnerships are recorded
electronically. Dont ask me
why that is. It just is.
Dont laugh, but you can annul
a marriage if at the time of the
wedding the other party had a
venereal disease. You cant annul
a civil partnership for the same
reason. Id love to have been a fly
on the wall when civil servants
discussed that one!
If youre in a straight marriage
you can get divorced on grounds of
adultery. Both in a civil partnership or
a gay marriage you cant cite adultery as
a ground for divorce because the poor

DOES MY CIVIL
PARTNERSHIP NEED
AN UPGRADE?

You can annul

a marriage if
at the time of
the wedding
the other party
had a venereal
disease

civil servants couldnt decide on a definition

of adultery in gay circles. Did they need
someone to draw a diagram?
Id love to explain how people who
are married get enhanced pension
arrangements which people who are in CPs
dont get, but frankly pensions both bore
and confuse me. So just trust me on this one.
If youre in a CP and one of you has a rather
stonking pension entitlement, for Gods sake
go for an upgrade or you (or your beloved)
may live to regret it!
And thats, er... it. But of course its more
than about any of the above, its actually
about equality, isnt it? Its about being seen
as equal to our straight counterparts. Except
of course, we are not, and maybe never will
be and this is why.
I dont have any religious convictions,
although I am agnostic rather than an
atheist. But with my rather traditional,
conservative upbringing I respect people
who do hold religious beliefs. As a child
I was confirmed into the Church of
England I was even a camponologist (a
bellringer, for the uninitiated). Well, it
was either that or being a choirboy. The
least said about that the better. I like
going to harvest festivals and to me, a
wedding isnt really a wedding unless
it has been conducted in a church. I
dont like the clinical feel of registry
offices. Theres nothing romantic
about them whatsoever.
But of course, under the Equal
Marriage laws, the likes of us cant
get married in a church, even if the
church or vicar was prepared to
do it. Of course, in our case, where
neither of us are believers, they
would have a very good case for
not marrying us anyway, but
there are plenty of gay Christians
out there who would dearly love
to be able to get married in a
church, and it is my strong hope
that one day they will be able
to do so.
But for us, on an as yet
undecided date in 2015, seven
years after our civil partnership,
were going to get properly hitched.
Well, its one way of avoiding the seven
year itch, isnt it?

132

252_CONTEXT_OPINION IAIN DALE#.indd 132

24/11/2014 13:01

FUE FP.indd 133

25/11/2014 17:03

REAL LIFE

WE LOOK AT HOW YOU TACKLED

THE WHOLE COMING OUT THING
OWAIN, 30, TV PRESENTER
If I had the ability to look into the
future when I was 14 I never thought
Id be in a position where Id be totally
open about my sexuality to my
friends, family and colleagues, or that
Id be getting married to a man. But its
so much of a non-issue for me now I
sometimes find it hard to believe that it
was such a big deal at one point.
People always worry about the worst
case scenario when coming out. I
certainly did: I thought my brother
would disown me. But throughout the
whole ordeal he was one of the most
supportive. Ill never forget the process
which I had to go through in order to
come out, or at least partially come
out. I had worked myself up so much
about it, and eventually my mother sat
me down and asked me what was
wrong. I told her that I thought I was
bisexual. Her initial reaction was relief
as she thought there was something
seriously wrong. But as time went on I
did realise that she struggled with it at
times. I told my brother at the same
time, and his reaction was amazing.
He could see that I was worried about
something, and I really was prepared
for the worst when it came to telling
him that his little brother was gay.
Rhys is a mechanic, and a bit
different to me. Butch, tall and strong;
actually the total opposite of me. He
worked with mens men every day in a
garage, and I hate to generalise, but I
heard the sort of language that was
thrown around there. He hates me
saying it because he finds it hard to
believe, but I thought he would want
nothing to do with me for being gay, so
I was amazed by how unfazed he was
about it. He even took me to gay bars
in Swansea when I didnt have any gay
friends so I could see what it was like.
That I will never forget.
When I was 18 I joined the BBC to
become the presenter of a Welsh
youth news programme called Ffeil.
It was an amazing job. I was one of

MY BROTHER
TOOK ME TO
GAY BARS
IN SWANSEA
WHEN I
DIDNT HAVE
ANY GAY
FRIENDS

the youngest journalists to be

employed by BBC Wales! I felt a lot of
pressure, weirdly, but no matter
where I worked back then I think I
would have been a worried mess
about my sexuality, and couldnt have
told my colleagues I liked boys.
Im from Ammanford, a small ex
mining town in West Wales. Its a
lovely place, but its hardly Canal
Street, and as a result Id not really
been exposed to very many places
were being gay was not an issue. I
was worried that it would affect my
job or that the audience would be
concerned. I think these were my
mothers concerns, and to be fair they
were quite valid at the time. She was
just being a mother and looking out
for me. This was 2002, and I think a
lot has changed since then.
When I came out to my colleagues,

they really didnt care. Most of them

had guessed that I was gay. I was
making it such a big deal and it just
wasnt. Im a real worrier, but to me
coming out has never been as bad as I
imagined. Im very selective with
people now. If they dont like the fact
that Im gay, well I dont really have
much space for them in my life. When
I came out I worried about what
everyone would think, but I suppose
thats gone through the mind of every
gay person at some point. Ive got a
small but amazing group of friends
now. Im 30 and have never been
happier. I work as a weather
presenter for BBC Wales, on Radio
Cymru, on TV here and often cover
for BBC Scotland and some of the
English regions. I get homophobic
tweets sometimes, usually because of
the way I look or my presentation
style. But I also get a lot of nice
feedback, and getting a bit of hate
mail sometimes pushes you to be
better and more determined.
Coming out was certainly tough. I
used to really beat myself up about
being gay. I didnt think I was normal
and I wanted to like girls. But at the
end of the day, we all know that this
isnt a choice. The sooner you get to
terms with that, the easier it gets. I
know that its not always as easy as it
was for me, but I still found it to be a
worrying thing that I knew I had to do.

For more coming out stories visit rucomingout.com

134

252_CONTEXT_R U Coming Out#.indd 134

24/11/2014 13:00

opinion

Table For Two

thomas AND rory GO ON AN ATTITUDE BLIND DATE at two ruba

rory dalziel
30, television

thomas lee,
23 Advertising

Producer

Who i wanted to meet?____

Tomas: I would like someone around
my age, although anyone up to 30.
Attractive and trim; really chatty, big
personalities are my thing.
Rory: I was hoping to meet someone
a bit older than me, preferably with
a job outside of media-Land (and a
beard always helps!)
First Impressions____
Tomas: He had a great smile. Chat
started within seconds so I kind of
knew it was going to be a great date
from then on.
Rory: I thought he was very cute
with gorgeous eyes, but he wasn't
my usual type. He was there when I
arrived and looked very relaxed with
a near-empty glass of wine.
The Chat____
Tomas: We talked about my work in
publishing and his work in TV, and

Executive

just about our lives in general. I love

it when I am genuinely interested
in what another person has to say,
and normally I tend to switch off if I
get bored. This did not happen once!
Good times!
Rory: The chat was great. We covered
jobs, our favourite drinks, Netflix and
flatmates within about ten minutes.
I felt like I was grilling him at the
start with all my questions but he
coped well. We didnt talk about past
relationships at all, apart from when
he told me he is a big fan of Sia and
Celine Dion, as one of my exes was
the same.
Awkward Moments____
Tomas: I am pleased to say there was
not a single one... We actually enjoyed
each others company so much. It was
quite refreshing.
Rory: No awkward moments at all. It
could have been awkward when he
starting chatting to the waitress in
French because I can't speak French,
but I was too impressed to feel any
awkwardness.
The Food____
Tomas: The food was amazing. I
love the selection available and the
presentation was fantastic. It looked
like we had a little too much, but we
somehow managed to make our way
through it in the end.
Rory: The food was excellent, as were
the cocktails and friendly waitresses.
We ordered six dishes, the best one
being the Wings of Fire.

Snog Marry Avoid____

Tomas: I would be an idiot to avoid
this one! I am sure he has husband
material in there somewhere!
Rory: Well, we ticked one of these
boxes last night which was nice. He is
definitely marriage material but Im
not sure if he is for me just yet.
See each other again?____
Tomas: We do have plans for this, so I
do hope so!
Rory: Definitely, were hoping to see
each other again next weekend.
tworuba.com
Date Rating out of Ten____

Tomas: I have
to give him a
ten purely on
the basis of how
much I enjoyed
myself! Top guy,
thanks Attitude!

10/10

Rory: Hes
such a lovely
guy. I think
well definitely
be seeing each
other again
soon.

8/10

Words:

135

252_CONTEXT_TABLE FOR TWO#.indd 135

26/11/2014 11:11

A L W AY S

KU LEICESTER SQ

KU SOHO

KU KLUB

30 Lisle Street
London WC2H 7BA

25 Frith Street
London W1D 5LB

30 Lisle Street
London WC2H 7BA

w w w. ku -b a r. c o m

KU Bar FP.indd 136

I N

F A S H I O N

# C O M E O U TA N D P L AY

25/11/2014 17:04

real life

TrulyMadlyDeeply
martin boyle, 42, managing director at icandy

Weve been together 14 years; we met when my friend

took me to Ibiza to sow my wild oats after just coming out.
I was pretty merry when we first met but he seemed very
genuine and had lovely teeth! I was meant to go home the
day after our first date, but after meeting Graham I decided
to take a chance and stay for the rest of his holidays. We
both have close families that all support us, and its great
we can share that together. We differ as I love gardening,
and growing my own vegetables and flowers, whereas
Grahams more about interiors and going out. Sometimes
I get lucky and he goes out on his own to see his friends
and I can get on with the garden! He would chat to anyone
about anything but it takes me a couple of meetings to
warm up to someone. If I allowed him he would have a
party round ours every weekend. Grahams annoying
habit is that he asks far too many questions, but he has a
very loving personality, and he will do anything for me. I
always wanted my own biological children and thought
that coming out as gay would mean the end of that. In
preparation for our new addition I have already started
buying stuff as coming from iCandy I see lots of great
items. Graham will be a little nervous as he is not so used
to babies but he will 100% be an amazing dad. He will be
the get-up-in-the-middle-of-the- night-dad and look after
them when they are ill.
Graham Boyle, 38, Head buyer at icandy

I met Martin through his friend Grace. She invited me to

their table whilst out in Ibiza and there he was. He was
different to anyone I had ever met before; we got talking
and just clicked. For our first date we arranged to meet
for dinner under a massive tree. Unfortunately I had too
much sun that day and was suffering from mild heat
stroke, so I was a bit grumpy, but after a few drinks my
headache went away and we laughed the rest of the night.
We are complete opposites: Martins very confident, never
seeing danger, whereas I can be nervous about certain
situations. We share a love of family and dogs. We have
three miniature schnauzers, we love to travel, but equally
we love being lazy on the sofa. We work together at iCandy,
which can be tough as you tend to bring work home, which
can cause disagreements. However, our CEOs have given
us unquestionable support with our wish to start our
own surrogate family. Deciding which route to take and
sourcing the best information to make informed decisions
has been a minefield. We have chosen an American agency
that offers the required legal protection, though the cost of
surrogacy is immense. We have met both our surrogate and
egg donor, and are lucky as we just clicked with both. We
both felt the same, these were the women we were meant to
go through this with.
if you want to feature on Truly Madly Deeply email a photo and a few words to [email protected]
Words: aaron toumazou

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REAL LIFE

No one took advantage of me when I was hitchhiking.

If anything I took advantage of them.
FALLING IN LOVE WITH
SOMEONE IS SCARY, AND
ITS ALSO A FULL-TIME
JOB, BUT ITS ONE THAT,
WHEN IT WORKS, IS
DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

I HITCHHIKED WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER

AND I WAS NOT TOLD THAT IT WAS A BAD
THING. EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER
HITCHHIKED HAS HAD PERVERTS PICK
THEM UP. SOMETIMES I SAID YES, IT
DEPENDS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

I will vote for Hillary to be the next President because Bill

would become the First Lady, which would make the
republicans have a nervous breakdown.
Just do it. Dont ask, just do it.
People ask me Can you give me
some advice on how to be a
filmmaker? If you have to ask for
that advice, you will never be
one. People that become things in
the arts dont say, maybe Ill be
this, they just are and they just
figure out how to do it.
The scheduling of my life
is very controlled. Ive
always said that every
control freak is looking for
the one person that they
can control to fall in love
with. And, when they do
find them, double hell!

THIS BUSINESS IS A LIFE OF

REJECTION SO GET OVER
REJECTION, AND JUST KEEP
ASKING WHO YOU WANT. ALL
YOU NEED IS ONE PERSON TO
SAY YES, JUST LIKE
HITCHHIKING, YOU ONLY NEED
ONE RIDE, A THOUSAND CARS
WILL COME BY, YOU ONLY
NEED ONE OF THEM TO STOP.

Ive bought a double grave so my fans can

steal Pasolinis body and bury it next to
me. Just so I could have idols around.

IN AMERICA NO ONE WILL

EAT ANYTHING BUT KALE NOW.
BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER:
KALE! ITS ALRIGHT, BUT WHO
CRAVES IT?

I've had a pretty great life. I'm not some troubled artist who cuts
his ear off and nobody ever understood his work. Are you
kidding? This is far beyond everything I could've ever hoped for.
WO R D S : B E N K E L L Y

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Life
Lessons
JOHN WATERS

JOHN WATERS IS THE ICONIC

DIRECTOR BEHIND
HAIRSPRAY, PINK FLAMINGOS
AND SERIAL MOM, WHO ALSO
BOASTS CAREERS AS A STAND
UP, AN ART CURATOR AND A
WRITER. HIS LATEST BOOK
CARSICK TELLS THE TALE OF
HOW HE HITCHHIKED ALL THE
WAY ACROSS AMERICA
RELYING ON NOTHING BUT THE
KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

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TRAVEL

Words: Joseph Kocharian

swiss bliss

Ti n a T u r n er re nounce d he r U . S. ci t i z e n s h ip t o l iv e t h e r e a n d t h e V o n T r a p p s c l imbed
mountains to get there. zurich: home to Roger Federer, Lindt chocolate and sublime scenery
With a dichotomy of the
old, the new, the urban and
the outdoors, its Zurichs
Old Town that caters to the
fairytale expectations of
the city; with beautifully
quaint buildings, fondue
houses, chocolate shops, and cobbled streets
all with the hourly crescendo of church bells.
There are plenty of independent eateries,
including Zunfthaus Zur Zimmerleuten where
you can sample exotic local delicacies such
as Mountain Hay Soup, and Clouds, a sleek
dining experience sitting pretty at the top of the
Prime Tower.
Lido culture is popular here, owing to
Zurichs location by a gigantic lake, so there
are plenty of places for you to laze, lounge and
splash around. You can stop off at Arboretum
park or one of the male-only lidos, which often
turn into bars at night and are the perfect place
for sunbathing or a picnic. Its the stuff that
F. Scott Fitzgerald novels are made of!
Zurich West is Zurichs answer to Brooklyn
or Hackney, with an abundance of converted
breweries and factories, as well as chic food and
clothing markets hidden away under railway
arches and also galleries and quirky pop-up

amongst you. A flea market runs from May

to October if pristine Louis Vuitton shops
are not your thing, and the Lindt Chocolate
Factory outside of the city hosts a must-see
tour for all visitors.

zurich

Gay Zurich

spaces, so theres plenty of off-the-beaten-track

sites to see. Autumn is a great time to visit for
the various Nights of Museums, where some of
the cultural hubs busiest and most interesting
museums stay open late for tourists. Theres
also a late night market at the IM Viadukt
(think Borough Market-meets-street party)
by the picturesque lake for the nightcrawlers

Zurich is one of those rare places that doesnt

have to overcompensate for being gay
friendly; its got the historical credentials to
back it up. The people of Zurich voted
Corine Mauch as their first female and
openly gay person to be Mayor of the city,
and she also married her partner earlier
this year. They also boast Europes oldest
gay bar, Narfusser now famous for its
cocktails and sushi.
There are plenty of chic, fun bars for all
tastes, such as Petras Tip Top bar, disco bar
Les Garcons and the Cranberry bar, but a
Wednesday night categorically calls for the
Provitreff in Zurich West. There are also
LGBT events aplenty, notably a gay cruise
on Lake Zurich that takes place twice a year,
complete with dinners and DJs.
Zurich hosts a three day Pride festival
every year packed with parties, bars, food
stands, concerts and shows as well as

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travel
conferences of specific themes and a good old
parade (Conchita Wurst performed last year).
For a quieter LGBT activity in the city, head
to the The Gay Library which is open on
Wednesdays and Fridays from 8am to 9.30pm,
stocking 4,000 non-fiction books, novels
photography and comic books on the theme of
male sexuality as well as over 400 DVDs on
lesbian topics.

Where to Stay

heart ethos, theres plenty of personality within

its kooky walls.
If youre planning a busy non-stop city break
for the weekend and want to be in the thick of
it, try the Hotel Townhouse (townhouse.ch/en) Its
a block away from the main train station, with
a welcoming living room for guests with a cosy
atmosphere, stocked full of treats. Rooms are
a mix of bright colours and antique furniture,
and theres a lovely little balcony to sit out in
the sun.

Zurich West offers a range of newer hotels

for those who like their luxury. The Hotel
Sheraton is in the heart of the cool crowd,
smack bang outside a tram stop and near to a
plethora of museums, food markets, concert
halls and night life (but not too near). With
incredibly friendly and professional staff and
supremely comfortable beds in large rooms, its
a great location thats near enough to the Old
Town, and is sparkly, shiny and brand new.
(sheratonzurichhotel.com)
Next door is the boutique 25 Hours Hotel
Zurich West, with fun decor and a young-at-

The best way to see the city is with a Zurich

Card. Thatll let you navigate by tram, bus,
train or boat (the boat trip around Lake Zurich
serves as a lovely scenic few hours of peering
into the affluent inhabitants gardens and
houses.) It also covers free entry to the majority
of Zurichs museums, and has discounts on
guided tours of the city and selected shops. Its
so more than just an oyster card.
One of Zurichs charms is its surrounding
areas. With an uber-effective public transport

Getting Around

system that only the Swiss could achieve,

youre quickly transported to the mountains
and beautiful town of Lucerne, where you
can take a boat tour and cable cars to see the
twinkling lights of the hotel that Audrey
Hepburn was married in, or up the Rigi. Swiss
culture is all about the outdoors, so there are
plenty of walks and excursions just waiting
around the city.
A must do is the Jungrau Top of Europe Tour,
run by H.Meier Tourism Agen (meiertours.
ch). We recommend requesting Kit as your
guide hes sassy and he knows his stuff, and
he ensured that even the shy guys would get
photo opportunities. The tour is a full day,
culminating in a tram ride up to the top of the
mountain. With a brilliant observatory, finish
your day at the Lindt chocolate shop, which has
the most incredible selection of Swiss chocolate
at discount prices. There is also an ice cave, a
zip wire and absolutely breathtaking views.
Everything from the tram to the trip down to
Gridnlewald (Harry Potter klaxon) is idyllic
from start to finish. Zuerich.com

Clockwise: One of many day-to-night lidos; the view

from Linderhof Hill; the Freitag Concept Store in
Zurich West; a fairylit view of Zurich Old Town

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property
The Barts Square
development within
the City of London
is a unique project,
offering urban living
with a village feel.
Unlike other schemes
currently on the
market, Barts Square
seeks to retain and
preserve the best
of what is existing,
while adding to
period architecture
in a sensitive and
innovative way in
keeping with the evergrowing but historic
area. Just moments
from the capitals
financial epicentre,
and with super fast
connections to the
rest of London thanks
to Farringdon East
Crossrail and the
multiple existing tube
stations, Barts Square
offers quality and
tranquillity; vibrancy
and culture; detail
and craft; history
and future.

One of the developments new apartment

buildings built behind an existing red
brick Victorian facade, Abernethy House
capitalises on the inherent character of the
building while still offering the quality of a
new build apartment and is a perfect example
of how buildings of architecural merit

t h e fa c t s
are being retained for a real townscape
The Askew Building, Apartment 1.2
rather than a wholly new and homogeneous
2 bedrooms
collection of new structures. These are dual
aspect residences with a character palette
featuring warm French grey lacquers, a
generously proportioned open plan kitchen,
Barts square sales
living, dining room and two ensuite bedrooms. 0 2 0 7 7 2 6 8 9 9 5

1,675,000

Queen
of
BARTS
A London new build scheme with a difference
The Askew Building is
one of the developments
new sites crafted in the
style of the warehouse
buildings typical to the
area. The facade will be
finished in beautiful white
glazed bricks and green
terracotta tiles, with a
contemporary interior
palette and spectacular
views over the cobbled
Bartholomew Close. It
also offers easy access
to the immediate area
around Barts Square,
packed with world class
restaurants, cosy pubs
and lively bars. For more
information about the
development pay the
marketing suite a visit
at 56 West Smithfield,
London, EC1A 9DS

t h e fa c t s
Abernethy House,
Apartment 2.4
2 bedrooms

1,600,000
ba r t s s q u a r e Sa l e s
020 7726 8995

WORDS : aar o n t o u m a zou

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ATTITUDE
ATTITUDE_ADVERTORIAL

The Queen Mother

WATERFRONT RESIDENTIAL
RETIREMENT VILLAGE
OPENING AUTUMN 2015

Male only Luxury retirement home located on

Liverpools premium dockside All male staff.
Boasting an array of onsite amenities such as state
of the art gym / swimming pool /sauna /
steam room / Jacuzzi /cinema/ cabins

Single 750 PW Double 1250 PW

Executive 1750 PW
Suite 3000 PW with private butler
To obtain details and pre reserve a
room pls email: [email protected]
Investment Opportunity
Shares will be made available at par to interested investors in multiples of 25,000
The company will be self funding with no loan or overdraft facilities although there may be some hire
purchase on plant and equipment. A full prospectus and business plan will be made available. Please
email your interest to [email protected]
*Images are for representation only

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Travel

Grooming

Sexual Health

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HOW GAY ARE YOU?

ASHLEY
JENSEN

HOW GAY IS UGLY BETTYS BESTIE IS A BIT

OF A RHETORICAL QUESTION IN ALL HONESTY,
BUT WE PUT THE FORMER MODE FASHIONISTAS
GAY CREDENTIALS TO THE TEST, AND BOY
DID SHE DELIVER...

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH FOR A HAIRCUT?

Well, what I didnt realise is the price of the
scissors! A hairdressers scissors cost about
900 quid. Maybe the price is in relation
to that? Theyre like these samurai blades.
They keep them in this little velvet purse and
theyre like DONT TOUCH MY SCISSORS!
They do go through your hair like butter
though. I have to admit, occasionally I get the
nail scissors out and hack at my fringe, but
they always know! Theyre always like What
did you do that with?!
5/5 WEVE ALL DONE IT. WEVE ALL
INSTANTLY REGRETTED IT.
WOULD YOU RATHER GO WITHOUT MOISTURISER OR
UNDERWEAR?
It depends what the weathers doing because
if the wind is blowing then no underwear
could be dangerous but I would say I could
go without pants because only you know
really. I wouldnt be able to move my face if I
didnt have moisturiser on.
4/5 SOME WOULD VIEW THAT AS A POSITIVE THING...
WHICH IS THE GAYEST SET YOUVE WORKED ON:
A) Extras B) Ugly Betty C) Embarrassing Bodies
Well, without a doubt its Ugly Betty.
Sometimes we would literally be singing
songs from the musicals on set. One time
wed gone over and me and America Ferrera
were singing At the end of the day youre
another day older! And the crew were like
we cant say anything because its Ugly
Betty actually doing this. It was mostly
Les Mis we were singing, it has to be said.
I do remember also, dancing in the
make-up truck with Salma Hayak and
Becky Newton. Plus we got dressed
by Patricia Field who did Sex and the
City, how camp is that! Plus I got to
work with Mark Indelicato who is
just fabulous. He said hed always
remember me because I taught him
how to open a bottle of wine! Maybe
we should keep that bit out! [Laughs]
Hes an adult now! Have you seen
him!? He looks amazing!
10/5 GAYEST. ANSWER. EVER.
WOULD YOU AGREE THAT YOUR BIGGEST
CHALLENGE AS AN ACTRESS TO DATE WAS
WHEN YOU HAD TO SPURN THE ADVANCES OF
ORLANDO BLOOM IN EXTRAS?
Ive got a better one! My biggest
challange to date was having to
strip off to my underwear in front
of Colin Farrell. BOOOM! Im not
even going to say what that was for.
5/5 *SEARCHES REDTUBE*
SHAG MARRY KILL: RICKY GERVAIS,
STEPHEN MERCHANT, BARRY FROM
EASTENDERS?
Its awkard because I know
Ricky better than the others. I
cant shag him because thatd be

embarrassing. Id have to kill him because

Id have to shag Steve or Barry and I wouldnt
be able to look him in the face. I think I might
have to shag... Steves tall int he? If I marry
him do I still have to shag him? I think I
might marry Barry, because it rhymes, and Ill
shag Steve because it might be quite funny.
4/5 THERE ISNT EVEN A CATEGORY
ON REDTUBE FOR THAT!
HOW MANY OF TAYLOR SWIFTS
EX BOYFRIENDS CAN YOU NAME?
I barely know who Taylor Swift is, to be
honest! I do know its pretty much anyone
shes worked with. Fluffy-haired pop star
boy who was in a band and big muscley
handsome boy that takes his top off a lot? Oh
no, is Taylor Swift one of them we all love? Im
still back in the world of Lulu.
2/5 DARLING SHES A NIGHTMARE DRESSED
LIKE A DAYDREAM.
WHOS YOUR FAVOURITE BECKHAM AND WHY?
Well, Brooklyn Beckham, because he gave me
jelly beans on the set of Ugly Betty. Victoria was
doing an episode and David went to the kids,
This is the lady that plays Christina! I dont
know that they knew what Ugly Betty was, but
they were very cute.
4/5 LIKE TAKING CANDY FROM A BECKHAM.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT GRINDR IS?
I do! And the other one: Twister. I wouldnt
know how to do it, mind. I dont Twitter; I
kind of live under a rock. Not far enough that
I dont know what Grindr is. Your phone
twinkles when you walk past someone you
like? I want a bit of this *twinkle twinkle
twinkle* Here it is! Lets have a date. Sorted!
3/5 NO TWITTER? WHERE DO YOU GO
TO NOT RETWEET RITA ORA?!
WHAT SHOULD MADONNA DO NEXT?
What has she not done? Ermm, she could
take up flower arranging. Or knitting.
Maybe she does knit John Malkovich
does embroidery. WHO KNEW?
5/5 NOT US! *SEWS HARD CANDY ALBUM
COVER ONTO PILLOWCASE*

86%GAY

With namedrops including the entire

Beckham family, Colin Farrell
and America Ferrera, Ashley is
unsurprisingly one of our gayest
interviewees to date. Should she have
recounted a Tay-Tay anecdote wed
have crowned her Queen of the Gays.
Alas, weve a copy of 1989 in the
post for her as you read #gettoknow.
Ashley stars in Agatha Raisin and the
Quiche of Death this Christmas on Sky One.

W O R D S : AARON TOUMAZOU

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Lux
Roll Neck
20

#NIGHTSBEFOREXMAS

T W E N T Y F O U R

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S T Y L E

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renault.co.uk

Meet ZOe,
tHe FReNCH

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*Equivalent to 2p per mile based on (i) overnight electricity costs (British Gas Clear & Simple Economy 7 unit rates for a customer paying by direct debit as at 1 April 2014, assuming 7 hours of charging at the night rate and 1 hour on the day rate), and (ii) a range of
up to 126 miles per full charge (based on 95% efficiency and 17 wheels). 26p per day standing charge applies. Actual consumption and range may vary: Renault ZOE can travel up to 130 miles on a single charge, based on the new European driving Cycle (NEdC).
Renault also publish real life ranges of 63 miles (winter) to 94 miles (temperate conditions), reflecting range variations from driving style, road conditions, heating and other external factors.
**Price shown is manufacturers recommended retail price, and includes delivery to dealer, number plates, 20% VAT, first registration fee and the UK Governments plug-in car grant (PiCG), and is correct at time of going to press. A mandatory monthly battery hire
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