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MOVIES
RELAX ME”
SAYS COVER BOY
® m a d e t h at w ay
IAN FROST
BY JAMES FRANKLIN
NEXT
BIG
dnamagazine.com.au
THINGS
WHAT WILL BE
HOT IN 2020
LESS MEAT, LESS BOOZE,
MORE SEX!
ALAM
AUST $9.95 NZ $10.75 USA $14.99 CANADA $15.50 UK £5.50
WERNIK
THE NEXT-GEN
SUPERSTAR OF PORN
DR CHRIS
BROWN
YOU WON’T BELIEVE THE
SIZE OF HIS PYTHON!
#240
STRIKE A
NEW MUSIC FROM
POSE FRANK OCEAN
PET SHOP BOYS
JASON RODRIGUEZ
KELE
AT SEYMOUR CENTRE
- TEAMM8 LUXE -
SUMMER 2020
®
m a d e t h at w ay
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES RAE MILLS DNA (ISSN 1443-1122) is published monthly in Australia by DNA Men
Nexus Pty Ltd, PO Box 503, Baulkham Hills NSW 1755 Australia. DNA
Unsolicited editorial or photographic material is welcome but will not be
returned unless appropriate postage is supplied. Submissions of text,
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MCCOOL, BEN SCOTT, MIKE HITCH, PAUL sexual or political orientation. Photographs used to illustrate editorial do For newsagency enquiries: 1300 131 169.
not depict the real lives, behaviour or sexuality of the models. Opinions January 2020
JOSEPH, TIM BENZIE, CONALL FERGUSON, expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers.
ADRIAN C MARTIN, DR JOSEPH BRENNAN.
8 DNA
Hookups =
Visit www.squirt.org
to hook up today
CONTENT
Features Portfolio
26 THE KIND SHAVE 22 A GIRL CALLED GEORGE 70 SANTI
It’s back to the safety razor for a better Sexually fluid singer is a Magic Woman! Adrian C Martin creates a moody,
shave and a happier planet. masculine portrait of Santiago
28 MIDSUMMA LOVE
Albelo with classic black-and-
44 GOING VEGAN Drag queens, Disney kings, dog shows
white photography.
Once derided, a plant-based diet and flying dildos!
is increasing in popularity. 30 OUR STRAIGHT MATE,
46 GOING ALCOHOL FREE DR CHRIS BROWN
We all love a drink. Or do we…? Is your python always that big or are
The current trend is going dry. you just pleased to see us?
10 DNA
#
240
ACTS OF DESIRE,
FEATURING ALAM
WERNIK, STARTS
ON PAGE 66.
DNA 11
FROM
THE EDITOR ANDREW CREAGH
Welcome to the future with our Next Big Thing issue. Now, you might think that sex is sex and there’s not much that can be
“new” in that department. While our sexual desires remain instinctive
(and pretty basic!) the way we consume sex commercially is evolving at a
12 DNA
DNA 13
BURNTTOAST HOT MEN! HOT TOPICS! HOT READERS’ LETTERS!
Ed: Hi Peter, DNA will never stop publishing GAY TEEN FIGHTS BACK AGAINST
the print issue. While many publishers HOMOPHOBIC BULLY
jumped on the digital bandwagon to As reported on the DNA website.
replace their print editions, DNA made the
decision never to replace print when we Gay youth can
launched our Digital and Online versions be an easy
over 15 years ago. There is, of course, a target; if not
strong market for just the Digital Editions, addressed it can
but the print market is equally strong and scar you forever.
growing for DNA. Very glad, and
proud that this
We decided to offer the Digital Editions kid defended
complimentary to Print subscribers from himself. I
PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTIAN SCOTT
day one. That way our Print subscribers applaud him. It makes me think of that Brady
are getting all the benefits of Digital Bunch episode where Cindy was getting
(portability, bonus pages) without having bullied and after speaking with the bully’s
to give up the much-loved Print Edition. We parents, Mike and Carol allowed Peter to
love that you are still enjoying it. fight back against the bully. Fighting isn’t
necessarily the answer but sometimes the
GAY COPS WIN DISCRIMINATION best place for a bully is on the floor with a
CASE AGAINST NSW POLICE bloody nose. – Michael Corradetti
As reported on the DNA website.
MATT LANGMAID ON THE COVER One gets tired of abuse. Violence is never the
An Adonis. Wow. – Richard Fortin Of course, the discrimination happened in answer but I understand it in some cases.
New South Wales. This corruption stems from – Misho Andonov
Okay. This month’s cover model. Fucken the Rum Rebellion and won’t go away. First
HAWT. – Cameron McCool lock-out laws that destroyed any semblance Atta boy… bitch slap that piece of shit to the
of life and culture, then strip searches of ground. – Dean Thomas
Matt has everything I love in a man. The teenagers… arrrrrrgh! Hideous state! Glad I
natural sexiness and obvious warmth of a left! – Ken Dobson Heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
man you’d want to walk up to and say hello, Regardless of sexuality, they are cops… – Marc Anthony Sampson
not someone you’d admire from afar with obviously they have loose morals. – Julzz Grnja
intimidation. – Will Fennell Appalling. – Marc Williams
Surprise me! Welcome to Sydney, where harm
Wowww YES baby YES YES baby. minimisation of drug use is illegal, public strip I don’t normally condone violence but some
– Paolo Navvaro searches are legal, and drug sniffer dogs that people are so thick it’s the only language they
get it wrong most of the time mean you can understand. – Rob Willis
Very hot man, love your smile. I bet you have end up at 8am on a Monday morning standing
the sweetest personality. on a train station platform with your pants This is a failure of the school to bring the bully
– Joshua W Gaudette around your ankles while the cops search to brook. When the legal and recognised
for (and don’t find) drugs on your person. modes of control fail maybe violence is the
Suddenly, I have an urge to squeeze a lemon. Happened to a friend. – DaleW only way. Sad but true. The teacher and the
Dunno’ why. Just do. – Lloyd Scott Thornton school authorities need to be fired.
– Peter Edmund Inojosa
WOW now that’s some sexy summer heat. DOMINIC
Great sexy summer cover. – Alex Angelil CALVANI I don’t condone violence, physical or verbal…
BY JADE but you beautiful Gay Mtha Fkr! Well done
Great cover. Beautiful handsome man, great YOUNG for standing up for yourself and teaching that
smile and scruff. Sexy body. I love his beautiful From the piece of shit a lesson! Noticing how he’s not
DNA website.
hairy chest. A very desirable man. man enough to fight back but quite happy to
See more of
– Michael Frainey mouth off. – Scottie Marks
Dominic in the
extra pages
DOES DIGITAL DNA MEAN THE of the Digital
END OF PRINT DNA? Edition of FOLLOW DNA ON
With DNA’s Print subscribers receiving the this issue. Í Twitter, Ú
Instagram and ÎFacebook.
Digital editions free, does all this mean you
may discontinue the Print edition of DNA in DOWNLOAD THE DNA APP
the foreseeable future? The printed versions To view DNA magazine on digital devices or
of some periodicals have fallen on hard times. your mobile phone, download our free app.
– Peter
14 DNA
DNA 15
MONTH IN
A MINUTE COMPILED BY TORSTEN HØJER
SMOKE THAT A US man wins $127 million in
damages after suing tobacco company Phillip
Morris following the death of his husband from
smoking related illness. The case, brought
by Bryan Rintoul after the death of partner
Edward Caprio, is seen as much as a gay rights
case as a legal action against smoking firms.
ANGEL ELTON
British singer
Robbie Williams
reveals that Elton
RILEY-MCFARLANE PHOTOGRAPHY.
John helped
him sober up by
ROBBIEWILLIAMS.COM
checking him into
a rehab centre.
Williams says he
turned up at John’s
home in England
with red wine
stains on his clothing and was encouraged to
seek help for alcoholism, which he now regards
“It took a long time to get there, but we eventually got to the point as a turning point in his life.
of respecting people and individuals for who they are, making sure
that we have equality across how people want to love each other… TORTURE China
makes the headlines
it is something we need to keep celebrating.” for forcing gay men
– The Honourable Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp, marks two years of marriage equality to undergo so-called
in Australia.
“gay conversion
therapy” at hospitals
HATEFUL BRITS It’s revealed that one in four MOORALS American throughout the country. Human rights activists
ROYMOORE.ORG
British adults would be ashamed of having Republican politician, Judge exposed the torture and harmful practice after
an LGBT+ child. Despite legal rights and Roy Moore publicly calls for the investigating medical centres.
advancing equality, the UK’s attitudes to gay, US to return to a “more moral
bi and trans people – especially if they are their time” when gay people were POPE MEET The Pope meets with anti-gay
own kids – is trailing behind. Charities say the criminalised and had no rights. Moore, who is Muslim leader Ahmed el-Tayeb – who thinks
results of the survey are alarming. facing allegations of misconduct with teenage gay men should be put to death. The meeting
girls, says same-sex marriage should not exist is condemned by activists, who question
CYN WIN Cyndi and sodomy should be made illegal. Pope Francis’s stance on Christian values and
Lauper will be acceptance of all of “God’s creations”.
awarded the United TOURIST DANGER Nigeria is named the
Nations’ inaugural world’s most dangerous country for gay men DEADLY Filipino politician Vicente Sotto
High Note Global to visit. The LGBT+ Danger Index studies gay compares Gay Pride to one of the “seven
Prize for her efforts rights and freedoms. Other countries on the deadly sins”. Sotto says that Pride is the “head
to help prevent and bad list include Barbados, Kenya and Tanzania, of Satan”.
end homelessness where strict rules make it risky for gay men
CYNDILAUPER.COM
among LGBTIQ to travel and be open about who they are. KIM + KANYE Kim Kardashian’s make-up
youth. The award Scandinavian countries and artist Mario Dedivanovic surprises no one by
was created to Canada and Portugal made coming out at the American Influencer Awards
recognise artists the top of the safest list. show. Dedivanovic used his acceptance speech
who use their Australia scored a B+ as the after winning an Artist Achievement Award
music and platform to champion social justice 17th safest destination. to open up about his sexuality. It comes as
issues. Lauper began her charity, True Colors Kardashian’s husband Kanye West continues
United in 2008. JILTED A British gay couple, dubbed the on his bizarre anti-gay journey, cosying up to
country’s “first gay dads” for making history evangelical preachers and even penning a song
HIV HUG SCARE Research finds that by using donor eggs and a surrogate mother to in praise on the notoriously homophobic fast
a quarter of US millennials (23-39-year- have children in 1999, make headlines again food restaurant Chick-fil-A.
olds) would be scared of hugging someone because one partner has left the relationship
living with HIV. The shocking research, to hook up with his daughter’s ex-boyfriend. SALVO BACKTRACK The Salvation Army
by Prevention Access Campaign and US Barrie Drewitt-Barlow recently announced that insists it is no longer anti-gay. The group has
pharmaceutical giant Merck, shows that he would be divorcing his husband Tony after a clear history of homophobia, with one high-
stigma and misinformation is rife in the USA 32 years for a 25-year-old who used to date his ranking Australian Salvo suggesting in 2012
and education is urgently required. daughter. that gay men should be murdered.
16 DNA
DNA 17
HATERS SAY IT, WE SLAY IT!
FIGHT CLUB COMPILED BY TORSTEN HØJER
REVENGE MEATLOAF!
THE HATER
Men who have sex with men
continue to be barred from
donating blood in the UK,
despite calls from activists
to change the policy.
THE REPLY
Activists team up with
medical professionals
to open a blood bank in
London specifically for gay
men in an “act of defiance”,
with rugby player Keegan
TWITTER
Hirst (pictured) bringing
ADOBE STOCK
THE REPLY
On social media, the son publishes his mother’s secret recipe for
meatloaf, which is allegedy a closely guarded family dish, passed
down the generations. He calls it “revenge loaf”. When his post goes
viral, reviews are almost entirely negative about it leaving a bad taste
in the mouth.
THE HATER
US president Donald
Trump deliberately
refers to trans woman
Chelsea Manning
– the American
whistleblower who
leaked classified
military information
– as “a young
SUPPLIED / SALUTE
gentleman” during a
press conference.
THE REPLY
Manning (pictured)
uses Twitter to share THE HATER
her official response, An anti-gay New Zealand shopkeeper tells tourists not to eat at the Saluté
using the two words Tapas Restaurant in Greytown because it is owned by gay men.
of the moment: “OK
boomer”, a term THE REPLY
coined by younger A woman on the receiving end of the shopkeeper’s homophobic
people online as a behaviour eats at Saluté and shares her experience online, stating the
way to dismiss the “food, atmosphere and service were all fantastic”, leading to a flood of
SHUTTERSTOCK
intolerance of older support for the gay owners on social media and promoting it to potential
people. The tweet goes customers around the world. Even The New Zealand Herald makes a
viral, to the irritation visit, publishing a review confirming “the food and service is consistently
of Mr Trump. excellent”.
18 DNA
DNA 19
MUSIC
REVIEWS BY MARC ANDREWS
20 DNA
DNA 21
DNA SAMPLES
22 DNA
GAME. ON.
Available at mannhaus.com.au Instagram @lelo_oficial
DNA 23
BOOK
REVIEWS BY GRAEME AITKEN
HISTORIES
For fans of crime fiction, this book will be
immensely satisfying with its many enigmatic
threads and a complex trio of detectives
chasing down the answers, led by Matthew.
It’s also gratifying to think that this is book
one and that more will follow.
SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE a little highlighter under my eyes, a sweep
By Guy James Whitworth of blush, lashes of lashes and a couple of ‘say QUEER OBJECTS
something’ eyebrows need to be firmly in Edited by Chris Brickell and Judith Collard
place,” he writes. This superb new book comes from two
academics at New Zealand’s University of
Otago but is highly accessible and includes
A colourful panel of contributions from many well-known writers
and thinkers including Neil Bartlett, the
bicycles unexpectedly recently deceased Peter Wells, and Australian
writers such as Robert Aldrich, Dino Hodge,
leads to the author Shirleene Robinson and Graham Willett.
Yorick Smaal contributes a fascinating essay
confiding his sex on the Australian Speedo that includes some
work past… interesting anecdotes and a very alluring
photograph from the Kristin Bjorn porn film
There are portraits of some well-known Manly Beach.
Sydney identities such as photographer Daniel F Brandl-Beck reveals that the first
William Yang and activist Peter de Waal, of homosexual guidebook was published back in
his boyfriend Ryan, various female, trans, and 1920 in Germany. Timothy Roberts examines
gender non-confirming friends, and several the letters of Donald Friend – “a detailed, varied
stunning self-portraits. and profuse resource for queer history”. While
It’s also a delight to see the return of Lukasz Szulc examines the first gay magazine
publisher Cloud Of Magellan Press and what in Poland, Efebos, published in 1987, two years
a triumphant return with this distinctively before the fall of communism.
different and utterly captivating book. This fascinating, handsomely produced
book comes with a wealth of illustrative
THE LONG CALL By Anne Cleeves material – photographs, art works and visual
Cleeves is a memorabilia.
This thoroughly original book is a memoir like well-established
no other. Whitworth is a visual artist who tells British crime
his story through a series of vibrant, colourful writer with two
art works and his intimate reflections and high profile
anecdotes behind them. series (Vera
This loose structure might seem a bit limiting Stanhope and
but Whitworth has a very distinctive and Shetland) that
engaging authorial voice and is also prone to have both been
some very entertaining digressions. A colourful made into TV
panel of 10 bicycle portraits unexpectedly leads series, and 16
to the author confiding his sex work past – as stand-alone
a short-lived rent boy in Earls Court, London, books. She’s now
and then to a more successful career as a phone embarked on a
sex operator. Though he does feel slighted new series, Two
that the escort agency suggested he move into Rivers, with a
phone sex, “a little like being told you have the gay man as lead character.
perfect face for radio” it enabled him to create Our man, Matthew Venn, a detective, is
characters such as Larry, the lusty lollipop man called away from his father’s memorial service
and Jeremy, the strict naval officer. by work. A man has been found stabbed to
This witty self-deprecating tone is one of the death on the beach.
book’s great strengths, though Whitworth also So begins an intriguing murder mystery that
addresses serious matters. In the same chapter soon reveals links to the Woodyard Centre,
as the sex work, he also talks about the death of home to various community services and
his father and the challenges of being an artist classes and which also provides day care for MORE: The Bookshop Darlinghurst specialises
and the risks of being exploited. the intellectually disabled. But when a number in LGBTIQ books. Tel: (02) 9331 1103.
The book opens with a splash as Guy of staff and clients from Woodyard are caught Email: [email protected].
embraces his gender non-conforming identity up in the case, it comes too close for comfort as Web: thebookshop.com.au.
and confesses his love of wearing make-up. Matthew’s husband, Jonathan, is the manager Visit: 207 Oxford Street, Sydney.
“For me to feel confident and complete, then of the centre.
24 DNA
IMAGES FROM GUY JAMES WHITWORTH’S SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE.
DNA 25
GROOMING WITH WILL FENNELL
THE
KIND
SHAVE
ADOBE STOCK
Reducing plastic waste and your
called a safety razor. Over the past 20 years making it easier for the razor to cut the hair
greenhouse footprint could mean we’ve all been bamboozled giddy with hype close to the skin. One thing, though, is keeping
taking a step back in time. above shaver “technology”. But I’m here to tell them clean and dry, preferably in the sun. I
you that safety razors still give a better shave, in dated a guy who used one that was always
I
t’s not easy being green. I think the long run are more economical and, if that damp. Our time together was brief and that was
that’s what Kermit said? I’m not isn’t enough, the blades are fully recyclable, so one of the reasons.
sure; obviously I was more of a Missy using them will help save the polar bears.
Piggy fan. Even if you aren’t concerned about the THE CREAM
Going green in grooming, the best place to environment (sad face emoji) and you’re all So why a cream in a tin and not a can of
start is with the shave and I’m happy to say about you (hair flick emoji), another benefit shaving cream? It’s not so much a green issue
that the Next Big Thing is very much a nod to is that safety razors look gorgeous atop your as aerosol cans are recyclable – but make sure
the past. marble bathroom vanity (eyeroll emoji). it’s completely empty as it can’t be recycled if it
I sing halleluiah for the beard and stubble To get you started you need the following… still has cream in it. The real benefit of creams
generation. It would be very interesting to see that you use with a brush is that they have no
how much less waste we have produced since THE RAZOR alcohol in them, and they soften the hair far
beards became the bomb but, woefully, we still Shaving with a safety razor reduces skin more effectively than canned creams. Making
bin two billion disposable razors a year. Yes, irritation because you only have one blade for an easier shave and happier skin!
two billion and they can’t be recycled. against your skin at any time. Yes, it will
So, if you’re still shaving, even if it’s just your take more time but my advice is to enjoy the
neck, your balls or, god forbid, your back, its experience. Personally, I’m rarely that satisfied MORE:
time go green and buy yourself a safety razor with a quickie anyway. Will Fennell, Grooming Guy
and all the gorgeous creams and brushes that Ô willfennell.com.au
go with it. THE BRUSH Ú leskinbar_bywillfennell
Your granddad probably shaved with what’s A shaving brush lifts the hair from the face
26 DNA
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DNA 27
DNA SAMPLES
SUMMA LOVE
Drag queens, Disney kings, dog
shows and flying dildos. Sounds
it pulling crowds of up to 110,000 at Carnival
Day alone.
migration and diaspora.
A long-time favourite of the festival is the
like Midsumma Festival! Matt Myers One of the major presentations taking place Midsumma and Australia Post Art Award
looks at what’s on offer. this year will be Queer Unsettled, a provocative exhibition at the Arts Centre Melbourne,
program, delving into themes of colonisation. Hamar Hall. This year it features celebrity
As an interpretation piece, it combines live guests Bob Downe, Tom Ballard, Nath Valvo,
M
elbourne’s Midsumma Festival music, moving images and various exhibitions. Dolly Diamond and Drag Race Thailand’s
has been running over 30 years, The Nocturnal x Midsumma: Lunar New Pangina Heals.
and is one of the highlights on Year Disco will feature Drag Race darlings from While four Australian finalists will take the
the Australian LGBTIQ calendar. Thailand in a celebration of the Chinese New stage in the Queer Playwriting Award Showcase
Art exhibitions, showcases, talks, cultural Year at Melbourne Museum After Dark, and at Gasworks Arts Park, the venue itself also
programs and even dog shows make up the Blow is a celebration of Indigenous femmes and presents a diverse and inclusive program of
near month-long event, which encompasses Pacific womxn of colour told through cultural Midsumma visual art, drama, comedy, circus
education, community awareness and tons drag and dance. and performance art. Highlights include Queen
of LGBTIQ pride. The Pride March, which An intriguing event will be Famili, which Bette, which tells the story of Hollywood icon
traditionally concludes the Midsumma unpacks daddy issues through the queer lens Bette Davis, Jinxed, a burlesque vaudevillian
Festival, in St Kilda, celebrates its 25th and Dark Sepia, involving stories created creepshow, and The Big Glittery Sh!tshow. This
anniversary this year. through carving, tattooing and printmaking. comic circus spectacular, hosted by Jack Wilde,
Considering that Midsumma comprises 194 Equally interesting will be The Sky After features Australia’s very first dildo throwing act!
events across 98 venues, it’s no surprise to see Rain, which tells true stories of queer Iranian Also featured will be the play When The Light
28 DNA
Seth Drury’s Unmasking Prince Charming.
Pride Parade.
T-Dance at Carnival.
Leaves. Written by Rory Godbold, it tells Festival venues include Theatre Works,
the story of a dying man who, despite the Chapel Off Chapel, Hare Hole, Arts Centre
support of his partner, sister and nurse, Melbourne, Gasworks Art Park and the Melba
makes a decision to end his life. Spiegeltent.
Carnival Day at the Alexandra Gardens is
the Festival’s signature event with a variety
of stalls, food and entertainment. The main
Joel Creasey takes stage not only features drag shows but also the
iconic Dulcie’s Dog Show, which has featured
on the role of judges from Joan Rivers to the Lord Mayor Of
Melbourne.
Prince George in The day closes with a T Dance presented
by top DJs with super-fun set lists!
the new solo play,
Joel Creasey in
The Boy, George. The Boy, George. MORE: Midsumma Festival runs from Sunday,
19 January to Sunday, 9 February 2020.
Another compelling presentation For more: www.midsumma.org.au
will include Gavin Roach’s Australian
premiere of Frances Poet’s Adam.
It tells the remarkable true story of
a young trans man’s progress and
journey from Egypt to Scotland.
First performed at the Edinburgh
Fringe Festival 2017, it won the
Fringe First award.
A DNA favourite, Steven Fales
returns to Australia with his one
man show, Confessions Of A
Mormon Boy. Dolly Diamond
When The Light Leaves. performs with the Jack Earle Big
Band and Matthew Hadgraft
sings up a party in Elton John
– Your Song, with audience
participation encouraged.
Comedian and now TV host,
Joel Creasey takes on the role of
Prince George Of Wales in the new
solo play The Boy, George, written
by Patrick Livesey. Filled with the
intrigue of one-sided phone calls,
it puts a cynical eye over politics and
royal succession.
Meanwhile, Seth Drury tackles another
kind of royalty, Disney hero obsession in
Unmasking Prince Charming. Dolly Diamond.
DNA 29
OUR STRAIGHT
MATES BY MATTHEW MYERS
From Bondi Vet to The Living
Room, we love Dr Chris Brown
on TV, especially with desperate
celebrities stranded in the jungle!
BIG
too, like the hippo that just walked into a resort,
saw a swimming pool and plonked itself in
the middle! Trying to remove a hippo from a
swimming pool is not easy!
Last time we spoke, you talked about gay
animals, supporting the “made this way”
30 DNA
been examples of swans doing it, too, and lots badly. He was giving a
of others. I had two horses on our farm who I talk at Sydney University
reckon were gay. around the time of the
You must occasionally end up in a gay bar… Tampa crisis and John
when you do, do you get hit on? Howard was going to be
I happened to be in Iceland during their Pride, there, too. There were
which is definitely unique. When you’re out protests at the entrance,
partying with mates, especially overseas, you so they switched his
often end up in a gay bar without realising it. talk to the Veterinary
You look around and the penny drops! But, Science Conference
yeah, they’re always a great time. I’m pretty Centre. I was skipping a
clueless when it comes to being hit on. If it’s lecture, sitting outside in
happening, I’m probably not aware of it. I’ll just the sun, when all these
assume someone is being very friendly, well- federal police cars pulled
mannered and welcoming! up and out gets Nelson
Mandela. I walked over
with two other mates,
and the first one said,
Carson Kressley “Thank you so much for
everything you’ve done
told me he was for the world,” and the
second said, “You’re such
an inspiration.” When it
finding it hard to got to me, I thought all
the good stuff had been
focus because he said so I’d go a bit offbeat
and said, “I know you’re a
DNA 31
STYLE / WITH JOSHUA HEATH
YOU
CAN’T
BEAT A
CLASSIC
Cut, colour and comfort…
Teamm8’s Super Low Brief
comes out on top.
32 DNA
W
hen it comes to underwear, we
all have three wishes: sexy fit,
great feel, and a good bludge.
Teamm8’s Super Low Brief ticks
all the boxes.
The Super Low Brief was only the second brief
released in the Teamm8 collection and it turned
out to be an instant classic.
“It became a best-seller almost immediately,”
says Teamm8 founder and Creative Director,
Michal Nicolas, “and remains today, ten years
later, our best-selling underwear. Only a couple
of adjustments have been made over the years to
make it the perfect cut.”
Part of this brief’s perfect cut is the flattering
way it portrays the bulge.
“We did a lot of work to make sure you get
just the right pouch and fit. You want a pouch
that emphasises but most
importantly is super comfortable
for all-day wear. There is a little
secret in the design that achieves
this but, yes, we’ll keep that
under our belts!”
Why these colours? Is there
a trend away from basic whites
and blacks?
“Black is always a best-seller,”
says Michal, “but, yes, there has
definitely been a move away
from white. We always keep
black as a staple in the Super
Low Collection but we add fresh
new colours every year to the
line. We choose charcoal and
navy for your more subdued
tones and add mint green and
hot pink! We find our guys love it
when we add these pop colours.”
And it’s all about pleasing
the boys!
“It sure is,” agrees Michal.
DNA 33
FEATURE
STRIKE A
POSE
In Pose he plays
Lemar Abundance;
in life he was
a child of the
House Of Ninja.
Jason Anthony
Rodriguez tells
Mike Hitch
about the art of
voguing and the
responsibility
he shares with
Madonna.
W
hen Madonna released and he’s on his way to his first dance class a haven for the outcast queer community
Vogue in 1990, the dance of the day. He says he prides himself on his and particularly for people of colour who
style known as voguing ability to multitask. As the only teacher of New have always felt like ‘something else’,” says
became internationally fa- Wave Vogue in the United States and a master Rodriguez, now 29-years-old “but still looking
mous overnight. To a lesser of all three voguing styles, he’s clearly a man of like 20”.
extent, the New York Ballroom scene, where many talents. “I was born and raised in Washington
voguing originated, was also revealed. Playing Lemar, a young voguer and Ballroom Heights in New York, which is like the mecca
Ballroom culture of the 1980s was populated child of Elektra Abundance (Dominique of Dominicans. As a queer Dominican and a
by the queer and trans people of colour who Jackson) for the past two seasons of Pose has person of colour, I would step out of my house
pioneered the artistic movement, many of only honed his craft further, he says. and people would be judging me, so I was
whom were living with HIV/AIDS. “My favourite experience would be absorbing pretty introverted.”
Three decades later, Ryan Murphy’s critically the skill sets that my other cast members have,” However, once Rodriguez met and began
acclaimed TV series, Pose recreates that world he says. “It’s helped my dancing because it’s studying dance under Benny Ninja, everything
and celebrates the trans, queer and gender helped me tap into a little bit of acting. As changed. “That was when things clicked for
non-conforming Ballroom habitués. dancers we do act, but we don’t have the skill me. I felt like I had an opportunity to learn what
Jason Anthony Rodriguez, better known sets of trained actors, so I get to have more it felt like to be empowered, what it felt like to
from Pose as Lemar Abundance/Wintour, is performance in my dancing. have a presence, to be seen and unbothered by
considered one of the best voguers in the world. “Pose is pretty much my first professional what other people think of you.”
Initially training at the legendary House Of acting job and just being around Angelica Benny Ninja was a self-taught vogue artist
Ninja under Ballroom legend Benny Ninja, he (Candy Ferocity) and Billy Porter and the and father of the House Of Ninja, a crown
has since mastered the art and now teaches it, greatness that they are is incredibly important passed to him by the late Willi Ninja, who
from London to Tokyo to Kentucky. for me,” he says. features in the documentary Paris Is Burning.
Rodriguez is on the phone to DNA as he’s Rodriguez found refuge and solace in “I saw this person [Benny Ninja] who was
hailing a cab. It’s morning in New York City the Ballroom scene at a young age. “It was so fashion-forward, he vogued, he was Puerto
34 DNA
Rican, he had a shaved head and always wore Luis and Jose were among the dancers
sunglasses. He was a master in himself. So I who toured in Madonna’s Blonde Ambition
learned to be the best myself I can be and, after and became famous through the In Bed With
training, I was working on myself, my identity, Madonna documentary. They also performed in
my masculinity and my femininity to complete the Vogue video and at the MTV awards with her.
all the layers that I am today.” “I give her credit. She could’ve done that
Rodriguez attributes Benny Ninja as his with white men, she could’ve done it with
inspiration and the person who introduced him Bollywood, but she chose vogue, and it had a
to the notion of a Ballroom House as being a major impact on our community.”
chosen queer family. Madonna’s close connection to the House
“Now, because of Pose, a lot of people are Of Ninja and Billy Ninja himself have shaped
interested in the Ballroom scene and want to Rodriguez’ opinions. “He helped her to
learn about it. I’m sure that when Madonna vogue, and she gave opportunities back to the
came out with Vogue, people were interested Ballroom individuals who helped her. So, yeah,
in what the dance form was – but Pose has I’ll give her snaps!
educated the world about what Ballroom “I wouldn’t say she appropriated the culture –
culture is about, where it comes from, who the I think it’s more that the culture simplified what
people in it are and what trans women do to the dance form is about.”
exist in this realm. Rodriguez understands that the House Of
“It sheds light on that world and the Ninja legacy is not only carried by him but
subculture while also creating more by Madonna – a responsibility the two now
acceptability for trans women and queer people inadvertently share. Jason Anthony
of colour. It’s great to have more accessibility, “We are definitely carrying his legacy and Rodriguez as
to have more strength, to see themselves on TV that of the people who trained him. Richard Lemar in Pose.
and make more of themselves. To give them the Ninja and Willi Ninja and Javier Ninja – all
message that they’re valuable and they have these people poured their time and energy “The hieroglyphs create lines and boxes with
something to bring to this world.” into me. I carry them in all the movements I the arms, which creates an extension of who
However, while Pose has educated millions, have. All the lines, all the poses – it all comes you are. You walk into a ball and you’re like,
Rodriguez says that the series’ most significant from them, but drawn through my creative ‘I’m here, my arms are up, and I’m about to step
educational impact has been within the queer perspective.” onto the floor’,” he shouts excitedly, snapping
community itself. his fingers.
“It’s impacted cis-gendered gay white men by Rodriguez feels that he is not only passing
correcting their education,” he notes. “When on his knowledge through instruction but
I tell people I vogue, they say, ‘Oh, yeah, that Billy Ninja helped also creating a collective memory through his
Madonna song!’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s a performances on Pose.
reference, but she didn’t create it.’ You go to a Madonna to vogue, “It’s tough. Not many people are trained in
Ball, and it’s people competing for survival, to the style, so I feel like my mission right now is
make money, to redeem themselves, they might and she gave to take on individuals and train them so I can
have an issue with somebody and they’re trying
to clear it on the dance floor,” he says. opportunities back to keep nurturing these seeds that’ll continue to
expand this type of vogue.”
Madonna is still a figure of some contention
within the Ballroom scene, regarded by some as
Ballroom individuals… The survival of voguing and the existence
of Pose is empowering young queer people of
a cultural appropriator.
Rodriguez rejects this view and believes
So, yeah, I’ll give her colour, Rodriguez believes. “I’m trying to be
present for the ones who show up and learn a
Madonna’s “boost” to queer culture has had
ongoing positive effects.
snaps! dance from their culture and their community.
It can help them figure out life and the people
Her Vogue was a whole year behind Malcolm Rodriguez cites a wide range of other they want to be. It’s also important for them to
McLaren’s tribute to the great Ballroom Houses influences, from fashion to architecture to turn on the TV and see someone that represents
on his 1989 album Waltz Darling with its iconic anime. “Anything that’s empowering I try to them; makes them feel like they can seek a gay
single Deep In Vogue featuring Willi Ninja incorporate in my movement. The lines that mother or gay father to give them options that
himself. However, while a modest commercial ballet dancers make with their legs – I try to help them with their identity.”
success, Waltz Darling had nowhere near the make with my arms. That’s the simple basics In the future, Rodriguez wants to lead his
broad cultural impact of Vogue, which became of vogue; creating lines and shapes while current house, The House Of Xtravaganza,
one of Madonna’s biggest hits. Madonna also framing your face. It’s seen in all three styles of as their Father, caring for and educating the
had a greater affinity with the gay community, vogueing,” he says. house “children”.
as it was then, than McLaren did. “Old Wave Vogue is the first style you saw in “I hope to be a father of a house and a father
Rodriguez believes the global success of New York City. Then there’s New Wave Vogue, within my own home someday. I already have
Vogue was instrumental in establishing artistic the style Jose Xtravaganza and Benny Ninja do, ‘children’ right now who I take care of and
careers for Ballroom scene members. which takes Old Wave and adds stretches and that’s great practice for the future,” he says as
“While we had seen it in music videos before, contortionism. Then you have Vogue Femme, he enters his dance studio to warm up for the
this was the first moment it was a hot-shot which you see all over the place; it’s very feminine, beginning of practice.
pop sensation who had this dance form in her dropping into dips and just going crazy. “They give me headaches, they waste my
music videos,” he says. “I mean, seeing Luis and New Wave Vogue is Rodriguez’ preferred money, I have to pick up the phone every time
Jose Xtravaganza touring the world – these are style and can be seen in Paris Is Burning. Along they call, but I love being that person. It’s the
people who were competing out on the streets – with catwalk, it takes inspiration from ancient best money ever spent, the best time ever spent
and now they had a full-on careers!” hieroglyphic shapes. and the best me that I can be at this moment.”
DNA 35
/ FASHION
TO THE
36 DNA
CIRCUS
/ FASHION
DNA 37
/ FASHION
38 DNA
/ FASHION
DNA 39
/ FASHION
40 DNA
/ FASHION
DNA 41
FEATURE
CIRQUE
BEHIND THE SCENES
42 DNA
For this month’s issue, DNA was
invited into the beguiling world
of Cirque Du Soleil for a fashion
shoot…
S
tepping backstage at Cirque’s
current touring show, Kurios –
Cabinet Of Curiosities, is like being
Alice on a visit to Wonderland.
At every turn there are objects of
bizarre beauty, mind-boggling props, and
circus folk casually going about their daily
routines – which are anything but routine
to us.
The Cirque team produced a giant hand on
which our models, Mickey and Matt, could
perch. Costumed characters from the show,
Rima Hadchiti as Mini Lili and Mathieu
Hubener as Mr Microcosmos appeared for
us, bringing a dream-like quality to our shots.
We met Australian Acronet artists Nathan
Dennis and Fletcher Donohue. Aerial
Straps acrobats, Roman and Vitali
Tomanov hovered elegantly above our
boys. Russian Cradle duo, Ekaterina
Evdokimova and Andrei Kalesnikau
made us all laugh.
Apart from capturing the five
stunning shots on the previous pages,
our visit to the Cabinet Of Curiosities
was a truly magical experience.
We hope you get a chance to see
Kurios – Cabinet Of Curiosities as it
tours Australia. It’s a spellbinding
theatre outing not to miss.
PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTIAN SCOTT, CAIN COOPER, ANDREW CREAGH.
DNA 43
GOING
VEGAN
44 DNA
animal-based derivatives, which includes many
soaps, balms and cosmetics. The same goes for
any products developed using animal testing.
So, if you find yourself considering making
the switch and going vegan in 2020, where
should you begin?
V
film examines modern attitudes about the suggests that it’s as effective as whey protein in
eganism, once seen as fringe, has importance of meat in helping us achieve our supporting muscle gain.
well and truly gone mainstream. protein needs, and asks if we can achieve the Even some energy drinks can contain animal
And it’s not just the estimated same or better results with only plant-based products in the form of amino acids. Newer
1.2 million American and 500,000 vegan foods. The subject of much conversation on brands, like Doctor V, are proudly vegan.
Aussies who are feeling the upsides; some social media, chances are that if you haven’t When it comes to skincare and cosmetics,
of entertainment’s biggest names including been urged by your friends to watch it already, you have loads of great brands to choose from.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, you soon will be. BullDog, L’Occitane and Aesop all offer awesome
Ellen DeGeneres and Joaquin Phoenix all laud What about the environmental impact of vegan products to help keep you looking your
the benefits of animal-friendly cuisine. going vegan? Earlier this year, the United best while being kinder to the planet.
The reasons for this growth in popularity Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Even the simplest of changes can help you
are numerous. Many make the switch in order Change released a report that advised a serious make more animal friendly choices: swap out
to combat the effects of intensive farming or effort to cut down on the amount of meat and your regular latte fix for something with a soy or
animal cruelty, others to reduce their carbon dairy products we consume. Such products nut milk, avoid cosmetics that include the likes
footprint and detract from the threat of climate require the clearing of considerable areas of collagen, keratin and lanolin as these are all
change. Some simply seek a healthier lifestyle. of natural land (for example, forests) for derived from animals, or forgo leather and wool
But can a vegan diet really be good for us, or is agriculture, and also produce extremely large when buying clothes.
the hype masking some genuine downsides? amounts of greenhouse gasses. Going vegan, like any other major change,
The key takeaway from the Australian Dietary We have all been experiencing the effects of isn’t always easy. If you have complex
Guidelines is that a vegan diet can have a this change in climate: the worsening drought nutritional needs so it’s important that you
positive impact on health, but that it must be in eastern Australia increasing the intensity check with a medical professional about what’s
“appropriately planned” and must meet all our and devastation of the bushfire season, the now best for you before embarking on the journey.
energy needs through an “appropriate variety annual forest fires in California, the flooding Furthermore, depending on your lifestyle,
of plant foods eaten throughout the day”. It in norther UK, the rising sea levels in Asia, the it might not always be practical (or even
also cautions that those following a vegan diet record high tides that flooded Venice… achievable) to fully make the switch, but with
should choose foods that ensure an adequate But Veganism isn’t just about what you eat. a little bit of research and even a few simple
intake of iron, zinc and calcium. Variety and Many see their commitment extending beyond adjustments to your daily habits, your body,
balance are key and, as the popularity of the realms of the dinner table. Leather, wool your conscience and more importantly, the
veganism grows, so too does the number of and silk are all out, as are products containing planet, might just thank you.
DNA 45
GOING
ALCOHOL
FREE
SHUTTERSTOCK
We all love a drink. Or do we…? The have a noticeable impact on your appearance.
current trend is going dry, writes Conall Notwithstanding what we already know about the high
Ferguson. calorie counts of our favourite tipples, alcohol can very
quickly dehydrate us, which has a huge impact on the
appearance of our skin and eyes.
A
ccording to a recent report by Nielson
The good news is, you should see noticeable changes
[Australia], more and more of us are
very soon after cutting down.
cutting down on our weekly alcohol
Despite regularly emerging reports about the health
consumption with the rise of “mindful
benefits of, say, one glass of wine a day, alcohol is, by
drinking”. In fact, according to non-profit
nature, a carcinogen (a type of chemical linked to
Drinkwise, 20 per cent of us abstained from alcohol of
cancer). In the long term, those who go alcohol free can
any kind in 2017 (an 11 per cent increase compared to
expect to dramatically lower their risk of liver damage,
ten years previous). But what exactly are the benefits of
stroke, heart disease and a multitude of cancers.
going tee-total?
But it’s not just our bodies that stand to benefit from
In the short term, according to UK charity cutting out drink.
DrinkAware, the most immediate difference you The links between alcohol and mental health
should feel will be in your energy levels. Alcohol may issues such as depression and anxiety are well
help you drift off to sleep quicker but it actually reduces documented. While a few glasses can make us feel
the overall quality of your sleep cycle, with drinkers more confident or less inhibited at first, long term use
spending less time in deep restorative phases of sleep, can seriously disrupt the chemical processes of our
and more time in wakeful states such as REM. Cutting brain, disrupting neurotransmitters and lowering
down on your intake will see your sleep cycle return to our mood. Those who go alcohol free can expect to
a more normal pattern, leaving you feeling refreshed feel a positive impact on their overall mental health,
and well rested throughout the remainder of the day. as well as cognitive functions such as memory
Cutting out or quitting booze will also retention.
ADOBE STOCK
46 DNA
While it’s easy to see the advantages of an Lawrence when she found herself increasingly
alcohol-free lifestyle, going completely sober bored after going sober. Untoxicated meets
is no mean feat. Reports have shown that regularly in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
LGBT people in Australia are at higher risk of They describe themselves as “a thriving tribe of
substance abuse and, according to a 2016 study around 3,500 sober curious people, passionate
by the Institute of Health And Welfare, 42 per about having a laugh, meeting new people and
cent of people identifying as homosexual or smashing social norms along the way”.
bisexual reported drinking at levels exceeding What about the negative peer pressure
single occasion risk guidelines, compared with that comes along with cutting back? “It’s
26 per cent of heterosexual people. something you hear over and over again,” says
Add to this the fact that many queer spaces Faye. “‘Don’t be so boring’ or ‘just have one’ or
are aligned with the sale of alcohol, with people being ‘playfully’ threatened with being
local bars and clubs often the go-to choice for disinvited from events.”
those looking to socialise. Avoiding alcohol Faye’s advice? Brush it off and see where
altogether can feel like a daunting task. going sober might lead you: “If you feel like you
However, as more people step away from want to give up – for whatever reason – then
alcohol, new spaces and initiatives begin to give it a go,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be
spring up to help ensure that a life without forever, maybe just try it for a month with a
booze doesn’t mean a life without fun. Take sense of curiosity and see how you feel.”
the social group Untoxicated, created by Faye
42 per cent of
people identifying
as homosexual or
bisexual reported
drinking at levels
exceeding risk
guidelines…
DNA 47
THE
SEX TOY
FUTURE
IS NOW!
48 DNA
DNA’s resident sexpert, Cameron released the Predator Dildo and holy shit that shaped like a full-sized fist. As you fuck the bot-
McCool, reviews the up-and- alien is hung. The toy has an 8-inch insertable tom, they’re getting fisted. And because the toy
is rubbery in texture, the inside of the sheath is
coming toys for big boys… length, and measures 3.3 inches at its widest
simultaneously giving your dick a hand job.
diameter – enough to take your next butt play
session to the moon and back.
E
leanor Roosevelt famously said: URINAL PISS GAGS
“The future belongs to those who Don’t settle for a golden shower when you
believe in the beauty of their could have a golden deluge. OxBalls’ Urinal
dreams.” So, if your dreams include Piss-Gag is a mini urinal that you can strap
finding hot new ways to have better onto your mouth. If you’re into piss play, then
sex, then broaden your bedroom horizons in this is a pretty cool addition to the world of
2020 with these futuristic trends and sex toys. water sports.
CHASTITY LOCKS
In an interview with Out.com, viral chastity
play sensation Caged Cock said, “The arousal
factor for me is losing control and handing it
over to your partner.”
Even though this kink is still gaining
momentum online, according to Out, chastity
Regular remote-controlled dildos have been play is the “centuries-old technique-turned-
around for a while, but until recently the remote kink of orgasm denial”. If you’re new to the
was attached to the dildo by an unsightly cord. concept and want to do some exploring, 665 Finger Fuck
Now, a range of dildos and butt plugs can be Leather’s Lock the Cock Chastity cage is a great Glove by Oxballs.
controlled wirelessly, meaning you or your starter toy. The toy gives the wearer a “true sub
partner can play with the toy via a detached experience for an affordable price” compared
remote or an app on your phone. to other options. The cage is made from JOCK LOCKS
Lelo’s Hugo Prostate Massager comes with a high-quality plastic, and the lock mechanism Why chose between a cock ring or a butt plug
wireless remote and works great for bedroom includes two metal keys fitting a metal when you could have both? Sportfucker’s Jock
play. Trying to keep the sex life alive in a long- insertable lock. Lock is an updated version of traditional ass
distance relationship? Lovense’s Hush Butt Plug locks. Made from silicone, the ball plug goes
and Edge Prostate Massager can be controlled HAND JOB FIST FUCKING into your ass, while the cock ring attaches to
via an app from anywhere in the world. COCKSHEATH your peen. Typically, you’d wear it during sex,
If you love fisting, fucking, hand jobs, and mul- but you can also wear it out and about; the
ALIEN DILDOS AND PLUGS titasking, then, boy, is this sex toy for you! This toy is discreet enough that it shouldn’t show
Did you ever watch Alien vs Predator and think: toy is basically a penis extender that you wear up beneath your clothing. Once it’s in, any
“Damn, I really want to get fucked by The while you’re topping. Only, instead of being movement in your nether regions will transfer
Predator!” Well, now you can. 665 Leather has shaped like a regular penis, the cock sheath is to your ass, and vice versa. Fun times!
DNA 49
SHUTTERSTOCK
NEXT GEN GAMING
Not only are the games more hogging the TV. Using your wireless controller acclaimed Life Is Strange.
sophisticated, the computing and a little Google magic you can start playing The game follows the story of identical twins
power behind them is revolutionary on one screen and quickly switch over to Alyson and Tyler, who share a supernatural
another. Start a game on your laptop, then bond, as they retrace the events that drove them
in itself, writes Conall Ferguson. move it over to the TV to get a better view of apart ten years prior. With all the adventure,
the action, or take the fun with you and play on depth and humanity that we have come to
G
your phone as you commute to work. expect from the French Dontnod Studios, this
As if all that wasn’t enough, the computing game will be unique in that it will be the first to
aming isn’t just big business. It’s the power that allows Google to stream high feature a leading trans character.
biggest. definition games to us in an instant will also When creating the character of Tyler (who
The video games industry generated allow for MMOGs (or, massively multiplayer will be voiced by trans actor August Aiden
approximately $US134.9 billion in 2018. That’s online games) to get truly massive. Black) the team were determined that he would
over three times the estimated value of global The current limits around gaming technology be truly multifaceted and rooted in real-world
box office sales for the same year, which came mean that within online games it’s too much experiences, so they consulted members of the
in at $US41.1 billion. of a strain on the system for every single player LGBTQ+ community as well as US non-profit
Whether on PC, consoles or, increasingly, our to exist and interact on the same level. Instead, GLAAD during the development process.
mobile phones, the world’s appetite for gaming they are split into groups across multiple “We did a lot of research, we reached out
is not letting up. And now, one of tech’s biggest servers in their own separate (but identical) to the community, we wanted to understand
names wants in on the action. versions of the game. their journeys,” says Game Director, Florent
Enter, Google Stadia. However, with the computing power behind Guillaume. “We were very naive at first and
The easiest way to explain Stadia? Think Stadia we may soon start to see games where they enlightened us a lot, they helped us review
Netflix but for gamers. Instead of individually thousands of players can all co-exist on screen the script and the characters and to reach out
purchasing single games, users will pay a simultaneously, playing, racing or battling to people.”
recurring monthly subscription, granting them together – and you thought Fortnite was And it seems their efforts were a success.
access to a myriad of top titles. Similar, you challenging enough already! In the words of Nick Adams, director of
might say, to Sony’s Playstation NOW platform Just as streaming services turned the music Transgender Representation for GLAAD, “Tyler
only in this case, you don’t have to download industry on its head several years ago, Google is a fully realised, endearing character, whose
the games. You steam them instantly. Stadia could very well spark a revolution in the story is not reduced to simplistic trans tropes…
No storage? No problem! way we all access the titles we love. creating a playable lead trans character – and
The true key to Stadia’s power lies in what As for up-coming games, we can’t wait to get taking such care to get it right – raises the bar
comes in the box: a single controller. Gone are our hands on Tell Me Why, the latest offering for future LGBTQ inclusion in gaming.”
the days of bulky consoles or disputes about from the studio that brought us the critically
50 DNA
Tell Me Why [pictured] is the
first game to feature a leading
trans character.
DNA 51
HERE
COM3S
LAVRENCE!
His name isn’t the only queer thing about
Lavrence! (Yes, that’s the correct spelling.)
He’s here, queer and ready to ride the next
great wave of LGBT+ pop stars.
By Marc Andrews.
52 DNA
DNA: You’re a star in the making. A healthy diet of the Spice
Lavrence: Thank you! To me a star is someone Girls. [Laughs.] I used to race
with a singular vision, usually attached to home after school and dress up
some kind of movement – consciously or as either Ginger or Posh and
unconsciously. spend my evenings pretending
Why one name like Cher, Madonna and to be on stage performing.
Rihanna? Hence the lack of shock factor
I love the simplicity of a one-name moniker. It’s when coming out.
a statement without feeling the need to explain You’ve released three singles
itself. Lawrence is my middle name and also my so far – Radio Man, My Space
grandfather’s name. and Shine. How did they come
Why the interesting spelling? about?
My mum calls me by my birth name, but you do I was taking a break from
pronounce the ‘v’ in LAVRENCE. To be honest, making music a few years ago,
Lawrence was already taken – happy it was. dealing with my mental health.
[Laughs.) A friend of mine had released a
How do you identity and which pronouns do song produced by Sydney DJ/
you prefer? Producer Bobby Gray. When
I identify as queer. My pronouns are he/him I heard it, I knew I needed to
and although I identify as male being a man work with him and we did.
means something completely different to me I was also going through a
than what we’re taught. liberation of sorts, feeling
empowered and healthy. That’s
why the music is the way it is.
Your music has a very ’80s DIY
My MySpace account electro-pop sensibility. Is that
a fair assessment?
had a glittery pink Yes, and I love that you picked
up on the DIY aspect.
background and You’ve played numerous gigs
– what have been some of the
‘cOm3 gEt mE bOiiz’ most memorable?
The biggest show I’ve played
in the bio. so far was Heaps Gay’s Pari
Gras (as part of Sydney Mardi
What was your coming out like? Gras) this year. It was an
Oh, my goodness… The first person I came out incredible experience. We put
to was my twin brother. He actually approached together a 20-minute show
me after seeing my MySpace account. I had choreographed from start
a glittery pink background and had written to finish. I love performing
“cOm3 gEt mE bOiiz” in the bio. He asked me in small queer spaces. I love
if I was gay and when I said yes. He just said the intimacy and feeling
he loved me and gave me a hug. I was pretty connected to the community.
unapologetically myself as a child, so when I How naked do you actually get on stage? we’re all so controlled by shame, guilt and
started doing the rounds it wasn’t exactly met I do like to expose my body on stage – I feel fear. I want more people to liberate themselves
with shock. liberated when I perform and the outfits are and I know it’s not easy – especially without
What made you decide you wanted to be a pop reflective of that. certain privileges. I guess mental health is an
diva? Are you romantically attached? issue close to my heart – that, and trying to
I’ll just say that for now that I’m quite satisfied! understand how dogma works.
[Laughs.] What do you like to do when you’re not
You’ve been described as a “queen”. What making music?
does that word mean to you? When I’m not working I like to relax – meditate,
It’s the highest compliment. A queen, to me, spend time in nature and spend time with the
is someone who stands in their power – not people I love. I also frequent queer events and
relying on the validation or opinion of others. spaces. There’s so much amazing talent in the
Growing up as a gay child you’re constantly Sydney queer community.
bombarded with the heterosexual narrative – Your best beachwear choice?
magazines, TV shows, films, songs, books, etc. I’m an ’80s shorty-shorts-at-the-beach kinda
Magazines like DNA are so important in giving guy! [Laughs.]
our community a voice and place where we
can reflect on our own experience. I remember
seeing DNA on the stands growing up and MORE: Lavrence’s music is available on
feeling that little bit safer. Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, iTunes and all
What are the issues closest to your heart? other major platforms. Find him on Facebook,
I’ve always been super concerned with how Instagram and Twitter.
DNA 53
ON STAGE IN 2020 stars Ben Mingay as the green ogre, Lucy Durack
Among the classic revivals, film
as Princess Fiona, Todd McKenney as Lord
adaptations and jukebox musicals,
Farquaad and Marcia Hines as Dragon!
Australia is up for some long- Also opening in January is the eagerly
awaited premieres. awaited musical, Six, which is an uplifting
modern rock take on the six wives of King
Matthew Myers reports. Henry VIII. These Tudor queens have been
a huge success on London’s West End. The
AUSTRALIA production kicks off at the Sydney Opera House
with a cast including Kala Gare (Bright Star)
Shrek. as Anne Boleyn and Loren Hunter (Strictly Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5.
Ballroom) as Jane Seymour.
Another much anticipated musical hitting Pearce (Calamity Jane) and Annie Aitken (Jekyll
our shores is Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5. Opening And Hyde).
April in Sydney, it stars Marina Prior as Violet, Also returning, through Opera Australia, is
Samantha Dodemaide as Judy, Erin Clare as Fiddler On The Roof, which will be uniquely
Doralee and Caroline O’Connor as Roz. performed in Yiddish, with surtitles displayed.
Making a return to Australia is the popular Also coming from Opera Australia is The Secret
There’s no better time to premier a new musical Rolling Thunder Vietnam – Songs That Defined Garden with Antony Warlow.
than amid the glittery celebration of the New A Generation, which will tour nationally. Waitress: The Musical, which has been
Year, and for Australia it starts with Shrek: The Combining songs of the era with powerful delighting audiences on Broadway, will premier
Musical opening in Sydney before a season in imagery, it features the talents of Toby Francis mid-year in Sydney. Based on the 2007 film,
Melbourne and Brisbane. Featuring 19 songs, it (Kinky Boots), Tom Oliver (RENT), Matthew it tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a waitress
54 DNA
trapped in an abusive relationship, whose The Melbourne and Sydney Theatre Other stars featured on Broadway this year
chance at happiness may come from a pie Companies will co-produce the Broadway include Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica
baking contest. success of Fun Home with a cast including Parker in the Neil Simon comedy Plaza Suite,
The year wouldn’t be complete without a Adam Murphy (Aladdin), Lisa McCune (The and Ed Harris as Atticus Finch in To Kill A
production from Disney, and its modern classic King and I) and Ryan Gonzalez (Kiss Of The Mockingbird. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Frozen will debut mid-year in Sydney. Spider Woman). While the MTC will also will star Roseanne’s Laurie Metcalf and Rupert
Current productions will continue to tour the feature the David Williamson classic Emerald Everett as the infamously drunken George and
country include Chicago, Come From Away, City, the STC will see Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids) Martha, with Russell Tovey and Patsy Ferran as
The Book Of Mormon and Billy Elliot, which is and husband Bobby Cannavale (Will And the innocent Nick and Honey.
celebrating its 10th anniversary tour. The ever- Grace) star in A View From The Bridge. Also look out for the musical adaptation of
popular Harry Potter And The Cursed Child Mrs Doubtfire, written by Harvey Fierstein
continues to draw audiences at Melbourne’s ON BROADWAY (Kinky Boots) with Rob McClure (Beetlejuice:
Princess Theatre. The Musical) in the lead role.
The unique Australian musical comedy, Bran Fresh from the West End, The Tina Turner
Nue Dae, a coming-of-age story set in the ’60s, Musical arrives with Adrienne Warren
will star Ernie Dingo, Teresa Moore and Marcus continuing in the lead, and the jukebox
Corowa. Written by Jimmy Chi, this Aboriginal musical Jagged Little Pill, featuring the music of
rock’n’roll’ musical makes a welcome return Alanis Morissette.
after 30 years.
THE WEST END
In London’s West End, Imelda Staunton
takes the lead in Hello Dolly, 55 years after its
The Inheritance. Broadway debut with Carol Channing.
The most famous love story of all time gets a
Move over Hamilton, one of the biggest comedic reworking with And Juliet, a life-after-
productions currently on Broadway is The Romeo story, in which Juliet actually lives. With
Inheritance. Written by Matthew Lopez and set songs from The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears
in New York, the play explores contemporary and The Weeknd, this is an infectious jukebox
gay life, highlighting age, social class and what musical full of pop anthems. Shakespeare
one generation means to the next. As with would approve.
Bat Out Of Hell. the past classic Angels In America, this is a Kevin Elyot’s Coming Clean, the story of a
two-part production. Staring Andrew Burnap, gay couple’s relationship breakdown, will have
For fans of Meatloaf, Bat Out Of Hell: The Dylan Frederick and John Benjamin Hickey, a limited run throughout January. Having
Rock Musical will tour Australia with an The Inheritance has been described by The premiered back in 1982, this production will
international cast, premiering June in Sydney. Telegraph as, “The most important American star Lee Knight (Harry Potter And The Goblet Of
The Darlinghurst Theatre Company will be play of this century,” while Variety called it a Fire) as Tony, and Stanton Plummer-Cambridge
present A Chorus Line, as well as Fluid with “Masterpiece”! (Black Earth Rising) as Greg.
Courtney Act. The Ensemble Theatre will stage The Tony Award-winning Take Me Out
the supernatural thriller The Woman In Black is another gay-themed story, following the
and Kenny, while the Hayes is featuring Bonnie coming-out of a professional baseballer. It stars
And Clyde, The Bridges Of Madison County and Grey’s Anatomy’s Jesse Williams as Darren
The Rise And Disguise Of Elizabeth R. Lemming with Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler
Also worth a look will be the production of Ferguson and Suits star Patrick J Adams also in
Angry Fags at the New Theatre, Newtown; the the cast.
Tarantino-esque story of good gays gone bad Another production of great interest will be
stars Brynn Anthony, Phoebe Fuller and Lachie the new musical Diana, beginning previews in
Pringle. March. The production’s music and lyrics are
by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro with Jeanna de
Waal (Kinky Boots/American Idiot) in the lead as
the people’s princess. Other characters include
Prince Charles, Camilla, James Hewitt and, of
course, the Queen. Should be interesting. Whoopie
Also opening on Broadway will be Flying Over and Jennifer
Sunset, a musical and fictional account of film in Sister Act.
star Cary Grant’s meeting with writers Aldous
Huxley and Clare Boothe Luce (who wrote Believe it or not, Whoopi Goldberg is back
The Women). The play revolves around their in the habit as Deloris/Sister Mary Clarence in
common enjoyment of LSD. Tony Yazbeck from the stage version of Sister Act. The classic film,
Fun Home. Finding Neverland plays Grant. which was transformed to the stage in 2009, has
After the conclusion of Will And Grace, Debra been newly adapted with Jennifer Saunders as
Melbourne’s Malthouse will stage an Messing will star in the new play Birthday Mother Superior. And the critically acclaimed
adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas’ queer classic Candles written by Noah Haidle. The story musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,
Loaded, with Roy Joseph (Five Bedrooms) as Ari, follows the journey of Ernestine, whose life inspired by the TV documentary Jamie: Drag
and Go To Hell featuring Paul Capsis and iOTA, from 17 to that of a centenarian, is told in a Queen At 16, about Jamie Campbell, continues
conjuring songs about angels and demons series of short scenes, each beginning with the in 2020 with a UK tour. Layton Williams takes
while the apocalypse rains down. preparation of her birthday cake. on the role of Jamie.
DNA 55
DOWN
WITH
THE N
AND THE
F WORDS
56 DNA
“Very gay” Brit rapper, Sadeeq
Ali says there’s now a market for
LGBTIQ voices in hip-hop. He
spoke to Marc Andrews.
DNA 57
DNA’s Style guy, Joshua
Heath previews 2020
objects of desire…
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2020
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58 DNA
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DNA 61
LEICA D-LUX CAMERA
The stylish and compact D-Lux
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62 DNA
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DNA 63
SIR’S QUEER MAGIC
You Can Call Me SIR features
dominatrix Cristy Michel on
vocals and Matt Petty on “moody
elements” . Marc Andrews submits.
I methodically
humiliate and torture who leave you feeling obsessed and empty. Fortunately, there is now a new non-binary
In your day job you’re a dominatrix. Tell us vocabulary that allows us to discuss these
men for money. What more about that. issues in a way that is relatable to one another
SIR: I methodically humiliate and torture men despite our genitalia. Unfortunately, years of
more is there to tell? for money. What more is there to tell? [Laughs.]
How do you define yourselves sexually and
brainwashing, religion and the dualistic nature
of the human mind seems to repress a lot of that
– SIR gender-wise?
SIR: Queer and gender fluid.
conversation still.
Has trans visibility, as on shows like Pose,
Your music also sounds quite sexually Matt: Queer and gender fluid. changed things for the better?
charged. Was that the idea? Are the days of being male and female, gay Matt: Absolutely. It’s empowering to feel
Matt: It is sexually charged and also psychically and straight, gone now? comfortable in our own skin, but also a form of
charged. It’s driven by the forces that make us Matt: There are still gender repressive expression so connected to physical being. It’s
tick as individuals and lovers. Our first tune, structures that define our society. More people inspiring to see that freedom. Pose is a great TV
Jackalope, was about our shared feelings toward are starting to realise the damage caused show. It is reckoning. It’s especially powerful
ghosting and those manipulative individuals by sexual repression throughout history. considering how influential queer and trans
64 DNA
SIR ON THE JOYS OF KINK!
“Kink is about communication, about power and passivity, pain
and humiliation. Gay men who are into boy and sir roleplay? I
think it’s totally hot – more of this please. We have a reoccurring
theme of the occult that parallels with our own alternative
lifestyles. It’s queer magic at its darkest!”
people of colour have been on the community itself and the rest of the
world. Billy Porter’s push toward gender-fluid expression in fashion is
amazing.
What are the issues closest to your heart?
SIR: We live in such a fucked-up world right now and being in America
I’m concerned about the unpredictability of our narcissistic, mentally ill
president.
Who are some of your heroes and heroines?
SIR: My friends and chosen family. Anyone who is fearlessly themselves, is
generous, genuinely kind and works hard for what they deserve. The list is
endless, but it’s people of this nature that inspire me to be a better human.
DNA 65
ACTS OF
DESIRE
GAY PORN INTO THE 2020s
66 DNA
Can the traditional porn studios
and the sex tube sites survive
the onslaught of self-produced
adult content of OnlyFans and sex
apps? Are the next-gen porn icons
rewriting the business model on
how to make a buck from a fuck?
Dr Joseph Brennan assesses the
state of play.
T
he scene opens on a nondescript
bedroom. The video is distinctly
amateur due to an under-lit
webcam.
But you like that quality; its more authentic.
No pictures adorn the wall, there are no
personal effects in the room, just a fresh-faced
young man on his bed, taking sex requests in
real-time. He could be anywhere; the other side
of the world or just across town.
There was something about him that made
you click through, to choose him from the
seemingly endless grid-stream of other young
men on beds in nondescript settings, using the
Powerbottom Alam
internet to make some extra money.
Wernik. This next-gen
He is not what everyone would consider
porn superstar is across
attractive – does he remind you of an ex, or that
new and traditional
guy you fantasised about throughout uni but
mediums, and product
never had the courage to approach?
activation with Fleshjack.
Once you’ve clicked through, you read his
profile and browse the menu of sex acts he’s
willing to perform, and their cost. You like what in search of something more. Big Things issue. It has been nine years since
you see, and after “finishing”, tell yourself you A recent peak for the site was in late October/ I last contributed to DNA. Since then I have
will return. And perhaps you actually do, and early November 2019, when internet analytics completed a PhD and had my research into
so begins something that will become special company Alexa ranked it as the 22nd most gay porn published in numerous high-impact,
in your life. You set reminders in your phone visited, globally, compared with Pornhub, peer-reviewed journals – three papers in Porn
and join his fan club to see his private shows. which hovered around 42nd/43rd for the same Studies, two in Journal Of Homosexuality and
Purchasing from his tipping menu gives you period – a glimpse of an end to our obsession two in Psychology And Sexuality (where I serve
a rush each time. “That was just for me,” you with tube sites, perhaps? on the editorial board), to name a select few.
think. And, if you tip enough, he’ll even thank A few years after Chaturbate, OnlyFans Bringing research out of the ivory towers
you, using your screen name, while performing arrived on the scene, throwing down the of academic publishing (and beyond its
the sexual act. In that moment, despite the gauntlet to the professional industry by extortionate pay walls) and into the world
many others also watching, you feel like it is providing a platform where, it claims, where it can have real impact is important;
just you and him. performers are given greater earning control so it is a genuine privilege, at the dawn of a
and the power to create their own content via new decade, to be able to share with DNA
a pay-per-view and subscription model, just readers my thoughts on the rise of Chaturbate
for fans. and OnlyFans.
Wernik’s personalised Steady growth has followed, along with But before we jump in, let me set out my
dildo and Fleshjack spirited uptake of the service by industry and
webcam performers alike, forcing a shake-up
own viewing position. Building a name for
yourself as an authority on gay porn comes
follows a tried-and- of the sector. with an increasing call to comment in the
Alam Wernik is one of the medium’s success media. Journalists often approach me with
tested tradition that stories. Looking barely legal, he has 193,000 scepticism about my interest in the topics I
followers on Twitter and has posted a mind- research (extreme porn among them). One
dates back to Jeff Stryker boggling 419 videos on his OnlyFans page. example is a profile Vice ran on my research
and the 1980s. He now straddles traditional industry gigs
with Falcon and the production of his own
in 2017, in which my profiler eventually
wrote: “In our interview, Brennan could be
It’s an intimacy that the “professional” porn videos on OnlyFans. But can the traditional frustratingly obtuse about his motivations for
industry has never delivered you. porn industry survive this “amateur wave” studying porn, and you get the sense that this
Most of us would recognise this as a into the 2020s? evasiveness comes with being a self-appointed
Chaturbate scenario. The sex cam site has dispassionate observer.”
been on the scene since 2011 and is now a MY APPROACH I confess to approaching interviews with
firm favourite for many of us searching for I was delighted when DNA invited me to trepidation – after all, what journalist is not
masturbatory pleasure – and for some who are contribute a feature on gay porn to the Next looking for a “gotcha” moment from an extreme
DNA 67
media researcher. But what my Vice interviewer failed to With his OnlyFans page,
realise was that my approach to gay porn – even outside of a Cocky Boys exclusive,
my personal viewing – is far from “dispassionate”. But it is and Flashjack (opposite),
underscored by my training as a media scholar. And what any it’s pleasure meets
media scholar worth their salt is wont to do when assigned business for superstar
with looking at the Next Big Thing in gay porn, is to put it in Carter Dane.
context.
It is only when these “new” platforms are positioned in line
with a longer history of representation that we can have any
chance of assessing, in a meaningful way, what is new, and
what is not.
68 DNA
setting of my opening scenario: of privacy and For example, Carter Dane with
protection from risky sexual encounters, for “teledildonics”. This is the Fleshjack toy.
instance. ability to control sex toys
We have a newly matured digital age to thank remotely via the internet.
for this. By tipping a Chaturbate
performer, viewers can
AUDIENCE FREEDOMS activate vibrators or
Now let’s consider audience freedoms of choice. prostate stimulators that are
At first glance these new platforms, Chaturbate connected to the account
especially, offer a plethora of sex and bodies. and see the effects of this on
We are awash with choice, with all tastes the performer in real time.
apparently catered for – the legal ones, at least. This enables the kinds of
In Susanna Paasonen’s words, “online porn immersive porn experiences
has meant unprecedented visibility of sexual that these new platforms
subcultures, diverse sexual preferences, niches, have helped make possible.
and tastes”. But scratch the surface of user- Yet, while perhaps such
generated tube and cam sites and you’ll find intimacies are out of reach
that those who dominate in the popularity for the industry, this does
stakes, and then transition to the industry- not stop the incorporation of
proper, mostly conform to certain porn this theming within films.
archetypes. The MEN site Drill My
Wernik, for example, while having certain Hole released Ass Controller,
refreshing cultural and ethnic elements is, in starring Paul Canon and Kit
body, a typical gay clone (the tall, muscular, Cohen, in 2017. It combines
healthy ideal); and much of his porn narrative teledildonic technology
is around the mixing of cultures, which is with a traditional porn
hardly new, having been a mainstay of studio narrative setup: one man’s
pornography for decades: think of the foreigner- butt plug is being remotely
abroad-alliances of Eastern Europe’s Bel Ami activated by the other during a job interview. Facebook’s “community standards” guidelines
with various American studios. Thanks to theming, and heavy marketing, the and tighten its terms of service to prohibit adult
Observing Wernik in action, both on video remains the site’s most popular today, content, how would this impact performers’
OnlyFans and for Falcon, you’ll notice that with 180,000 views – more than double the next means of spreading the news about their home-
he most often performs in line with another contender. grown products? Services like Chaturbate have
archetype: the powerbottom twink. Youthful, Another tool available to industry is monetary benchmarks in place, below which
smooth, blond and with a bubble butt that can merchandising. Wernik’s release of a performers are not paid.
withstand a pounding. Convention dictates personalised dildo and Fleshjack follows Such a move is not without precedent. The
that these traits are best complemented by a a tried-and-tested tradition of intimacy- latest issue of Porn Studies (in which I have
prototypical top; men who have rougher sex, formation between industry performers an article) includes an obituary to “Tumblr as
are more mature and hirsute, and are especially and fans that dates back to Jeff Stryker and a space for the discussion and exploration of
well-endowed, such as Woody Fox and Max the 1980s. Stryker had his own action figure sexualities” following its “controversial ban on
Konner. (Konner also embodies a Black male (anatomically accurate, of course), and a adult content introduced in late 2018”.
archetype.) personalised dildo that is now considered an At a pinch, what I hope to have shown here is
In fact, there are many similarities between art phallus by some. that while porn futures are uncertain, history
‘new’ platforms and ‘old’ industry. For example, Any celebration of new technology should suggests that both self-pornography and
the (ostensibly) straight male succeeds in both, also be tempered by concern with its trappings. professional, industry porn will find a way to
with OnlyFans favourites such as Ben Dudman Christopher N Kendall and Rus Funk argue that co-exist and service their audiences, at least
and Brock Cooper reflecting the sexual “gay porn uses real people, many vulnerable until 2030.
veneration of straight-associated men within and easily exploited”. And while I am the first Should I be invited back for a 2030 “what’s
our community. to advocate for the positives of porn, there is no new” assessment, my prediction is that gay
Dudman’s “UK Fitness Model” banner on doubt that this is true in some respects. porn will have continued to be a hybrid of
his OnlyFans profile refashions the wink-and- Add to this the viral spread of clips from what gay men have always enjoyed, mixed
nudge physique beefcake magazines of gay amateur sources across tube sites, which can with the advantages of new technologies.
iconography. Also, Paasonen’s comment on never be redacted, together with new legislation These technologies, at their best, promise a
the diversification of online porn can apply to curb revenge porn, and the issues associated fairer distribution of wealth among the men
to the traditional industry as well. We tend to with these amateur platforms become clear. In performing acts of desire and the corporate
remember the big studio names; but thanks fact, as I have explored elsewhere, the future decision makers who have historically hoarded
to the internet, together with cheaper means of amateur is perhaps in the hands of “mobile the profits.
of distribution and flexible revenue streams, pornographers”: men preferring to use apps like
industry has been embracing niche audiences Grindr to profit from their video and sex work,
and tastes outside of the mainstream since the so as to avoid a digital trace. MORE: Dr Joseph Brennan is a media scholar
days of dial-up. specialising in porn and fan studies. His first
PORN FUTURES book, Queerbaiting And Fandom: Teasing Fans
TECHNOLOGY No media is immune to the tides of change, Through Homoerotic Possibilities, was published
The personal interface of Chaturbate especially new media. Some new media, by University of Iowa Press
and OnlyFans offers certain possibilities like Facebook and Instagram are proving in December 2019.
unavailable to industry players, sure. extremely conservative. If Twitter were to follow
DNA 69
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DNA 77
INTERVIEW WITH A PORN STAR BY JAMES FRANKLIN
Versatile and romantic, this
Argentinean “social butterfly” is
still undergoing his metamorphosis,
he tells DNA.
IAN
the locker rooms… But I was pretty average kid.
Kind of skinny, actually.
We don’t like
FROST discrimination…
equal human rights
are crucial… We are
all Earthlings.
You’re well recognised as a porn star now.
Is there anything you miss about your life
before porn?
Missing is not a feeling I relate with, generally.
I enjoy the present constantly and that’s the
best way to avoid missing things. I’m evolving
constantly, and the past is part of it. In other
words, being in porn hasn’t given me anything
to regret. Being in porn hasn’t changed
anything about my life that I now miss. A
few days ago somebody asked me if there’s a
difference between Ian Frost and Ivan Mel,
which is my legal name. And I answered that
I see all this as a metamorphosis. Like from a
worm to a butterfly. From Ivan to Ian.
78 DNA
Where are you now in that
metamorphosis?
I’d say that I’m in a cocoon stage
now. A transition. Nothing to
miss. All to enjoy.
Bareback is now the norm
in the porn industry; do the
studios test for STIs and is that
a concern of yours working
with other performers?
I am always tested by all the
studios I work with. Even if I did
it personally before, they still
send me to a private clinic to
test me again. That makes me
feel safe and comfortable.
Do you think the studios still
doing condom porn are doing
the right thing or, since they
are testing performers, should
they just make bareback
content?
Even though I don’t always use
condoms in my personal life, I
always prefer using condoms
for my movies.
Why?
Because people follow us,
and they copy what we do,
and there are already a lot of
misconceptions about sexual
health since PrEP. PrEP is not
a synonym for “stop using
condoms” as many people
prefer to understand. Not for
me to be prudish or hypocrite –
it’s just to create consciousness
about the other health aspects
of using condoms.
[PrEP protects you from HIV
but not from other STIs when
you have sex without condoms.
– Ed.]
You mentioned that you are
still adventurous and still
going to parties – does that
describe your social life?
Yes, I’m a social butterfly, and
a big one. I’m out a lot, sharing
with friends and getting to
know new people constantly.
If I had to describe my social
life in one word it would be
vacaciones [vacations]! That’ll
probably be in my epitaph.
Nevertheless, I enjoy a lot “me
time”, being by myself, at home
singing, drawing, playing
piano, watching TV.
Does porn give you the
opportunity to travel?
Yes, I travel a lot for work,
and for pleasure as well. Also,
I’m visiting friends in many
different states often. I know
this country [USA] better than
DNA 79
my own, actually, and I have
many adventures to tell. But I
really love New York City, too.
So, returning home is always
nice. I have a great life here.
How do you feel about the
self-promoting fan sites
where porn performers can
create and manage their
own content?
I think that it’s practical,
genuine, real and that it
provides a direct connection
between the actors and the
public.
It’s the new age of porn,
then?
Yes. Although, I don’t have
a fan site yet. I have a lot of
content to share, though. I
should organise it. Definitely.
Coming soon!
What’s your favorite kind
of fan?
The respectful ones.
There are many different
approaches and, at the end
of the day, I don’t really mind
what they want to tell me or
ask me as long as they do it
respectfully.
What do
I do to
decompress?
To be honest,
my life is not
stressful at all.
What common assumptions
do people make about you?
That I’m extremely sexual
and that I only bottom. I’m
more romantic and very
versatile.
The US government is
currently legislating
to restrict the rights of
women and the LGBTIQ
community. How do you feel
about this, and do you use
your profile to support our
community?
Restricting rights in general
is not good. Not only for
women and LGBTIQ people
but all people. As humans,
we shouldn’t have different
rights; that only divides
80 DNA
us even more. We don’t like
discrimination so equal
human rights are crucial. We
are all Earthlings. What I can
say I do to help my community
is naturalising homosexuality.
Not hiding it. It’s normal.
Period. I’m more than willing
to offer my platform to help if
somebody needs it in this or
any other field I agree with.
How is dating life as a
porn performer? Do you
find it makes it easy or
more difficult to make a
compatible connection?
I’d say that whoever dates
a porn star should be
very strong mentally and
emotionally. When it comes to
making that connection, that’s
always a very personal thing.
It can be a very frivolous, very
materialistic world and I think
that if you don’t have a strong
head on your shoulders that
can make it more difficult.
Is there anyone in the
industry, past or present, who
particularly inspires you?
Yes. Many actually. Alam
Wernik and Josh Moore
are the first two who come
to mind. Beautiful people
inside and out. They are
both focused in their lives,
zero drama, and growing
constantly. They are simply
admirable, and I love them.
They are always there when I
need them and make me feel
so privileged.
What do you do to
decompress and relax?
To be honest, my life is not
stressful at all. So… no need
to decompress! I’m constantly
having fun, traveling and
enjoying life. If I feel that
I need a moment to relax,
singing is definitely the
fast answer. Cuddling and
watching a horror movie
always relaxes me most.
Kissing and caressing my guys
are my barbiturates!
Where do you see yourself in
10 years?
Ten years? I barely know
where I’ll be this weekend!
What are your basic stats?
I’m 30 years old, 178cm [5-foot-
10], 72kg [160 pounds] and
seven-and-half inches uncut.
DNA 81
A DICTIONARY GUIDE TO STUFF GAYS LOVE
COMPILED BY PAUL JOSEPH AND TIM BENZIE
DESIGN
On his
deathbed,
Oscar
Wilde
famously
said
(though
possibly
didn’t),
“This
wallpaper (see Paris Is Burning and Pose) showed that or crowd. This was key to self-expression and
and I are drag had radical potential. The confronting communal shared experience, creating a space
fighting a duel drag couture of Leigh Bowery demonstrated where assorted le freaks could come together
to the death. its artistic clout. RuPaul became a drag in hedonistic joy. The influence of Disco was
Either it goes queen supermodel and paid homage to huge – it spawned icons like Donna and Gloria,
or I do.” The NY ball culture in his tiny, little-known TV gave us disco biscuits and mirror balls and
wallpaper competition. Fast-forward 11 high-camp shaped contemporary dance music and DJ
had the last seasons and the show has hit a crossroads: culture. And let’s not forget the actual disco: a
word but, like embraced by over-enthusiastic straight women gay mecca of flashing lights, poppers, pills and
Oscar, we’re everywhere and rejected by trans and non- sweaty thrills.
also obsessed binary artists, drag kings and bioqueens,
with style Alessi citrus juicer, coffee asserting their rightful place in a drag history DIVAS
and design, pot and honey jar. that never shied away from a dazzling reveal. The word originates
from the from the Italian for
movie DISCO “divine” and was
costumes of Edith Head to Alessi kitchenwear Disco arrived at a significant point in gay initially applied to
to the latest smart devices. And think of the gay history: post-Stonewall, mid-sexual liberation, 19th Century opera
legacy in fashion from Gaultier’s pointy bra to pre-AIDS. Evolving from the urban nightlife stars. For us, a diva
Bob Mackie’s full-body Cher fascinator. We’ve scene of the early ’70s, it shifted the focus from is an iconic female
even been identified by our interiors: in Steel dancing in couples to dancing as an individual singer. It’s not just
Magnolias Clairee asserts, “All gay about the
men have track lighting”. Sure, voice, it’s
there was a low point in the 2000s about the
when gay became slang for lame power,
and unfashionable but, since then, the look,
Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk has put us and the Judy Garland in the 1954
back in vogue where we belong. hard-won version of that Barbra
As Oscar said, “In matters of grave success Streisand / Lady Gaga
importance, style, not sincerity, is in spite of movie.
the vital thing.” adversity.
Gays love a strong woman, and even
DRAG more so if she’s belting out a ballad
This may be difficult for baby gays in a gold lamé gown and a huge wig.
to understand but, once upon a If she’s half drunk and fresh from a
time, drag could only be found messy divorce, we’ll be fans for life. Our
in gay bars, not on television. ultimate divas include Judy, Shirley,
Men dressing as women has Miss Ross, Barbra, Cher, Madonna,
been with us…forever! From the Whitney, Mariah – the list is long and
Shakespearean stage to 18th quickly becomes subjective. (“Where’s
Century Molly Houses (male Beyoncé?!” we hear you cry!) These
brothels), to the ’80s New York ladies have the power to move and
ADOBE STOCK
ball scene. This latter subculture terrify us in equal measure. They can
of African-American, Latino hold a stage, work a room and sting us
and transgender communities $500 for a ticket. Brava!
82 DNA
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