Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2024 i Attitude Magazine

Ryan Pfluger PHOTOGRAPHER One of my favourite albums of the year so far has to be Sharon and the Clams’ The Moon is in the Wrong Place. It’s a record that hits all the marks for me. It’s lyrically heartbreaking, and the tracks transition seamlessly from garage and surf rock to devastating, heartbreaking ballads. It makes me want to dance and cry — sometimes all at the same time. Because I hate playing favourites, Dauntless Manifesto by cupcakKe is also on heavy rotation, which is brilliantly filthy and everything I want from a female rapper. Aaron Pandher FASHION ASSISTANT I believe a truly great album transports you to a different world, with each song taking you deeper into the story. Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft hits you tenderly…

CODE RED Virgin Atlantic has been flying passengers to destinations far and wide since 1984, making this year its ruby anniversary. Over 40 years, it has celebrated many industry innovations, including the first-ever seat-back TVs, the invention of a premium economy cabin, and committing to a gender-fluid uniform policy for staff. As part of the celebrations, the airline announced it will return to Canada for the first time in over a decade, with daily London Heathrow to Toronto flights launching on 30 March 2025. Fares start from £490 per person. virginatlantic.com IT’S A CINCH Rufskin is an expert at hardware, and it’s adding a little extra to its swimwear range this season. Several of the brand’s styles, including the Marceau and Sebastien, feature waistbands with loops, so that you can…

Three things we want to see in the MCU The X-Men Ever since Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has lost its mojo. It’s been about quantity over quality, and it shows. When it launched earlier this year X-Men ’97 was a breath of fresh air. Matching a healthy dose of nostalgia for fans of the 90s-era X-Men: The Animated Series with bold storytelling and a brilliant execution, X-Men ’97 is one of the best things Marvel has produced in recent years. Fans have long clamoured for the X-Men to be introduced to the main MCU, it’s time Marvel got on with it! The Fantastic Four Another group fans have been dying to see brought into the MCU is Marvel’s first family. The reveal that Chief Zaddy Pedro Pascal would…

He’s the hero known for roles in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World film franchises. But is Chris Pratt as heroic when it comes to LGBTQ+ allyship? We investigate… ❌ December 2016 Chris Pratt makes a joke criticised as “transphobic” by Teen Vogue while on the press tour for Passengers. The moment comes during a game of putdowns called ‘Playground Insults’ with Jennifer Lawrence on BBC Radio 1. “During our sex scene, I felt your dick rubbing into me,” he tells her. ❌ September 2017 Pratt reportedly attends a church service in LA with Hillsong, a megachurch that teaches that homosexuality is a sin and prevents gay members from holding its leadership roles. Other celebrities reported to have attended Hillsong services include Justin Bieber, Hailey Baldwin, Selena Gomez…

As I step into a bustling Dalston studio on a sunny summer morning, the inconspicuous building off Kingsland High Street belies the creative whirlwind inside, where crew members buzz about with purposeful energy. Today, Will Young is filming the music video for his single, ‘Light It Up’, a track from his new album of the same name, and I’ve been granted a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse to see how the magic happens. I’m taken into Will’s dressing room, where I find him perched in front of a mirror, surrounded by an array of brushes and hair products, while he discusses with his makeup artist the difficulties of sanding paint off walls. “Have you ever renovated a house, Dale?” he asks. Will, it turns out, has recently purchased a fixer-upper in rural…

I grew up by the sea in Dorset. I have such vivid memories of growing up on the beach. I moved back there with my partner a few years ago, and having the opportunity to be around family again and recreate those memories with him has been really special. I sang, danced, and acted almost as soon as I started to walk and talk. My parents sensed I was creative and needed an outlet to express myself. I started dance classes at five years old and never stopped performing. I’ve always been inspired by stories as a way of communicating and understanding the world. From a young age, I had an awareness of the power of art as a catalyst for social change, and growing up I felt inspired by…

‘Step into Barbieland…” says Kim Culmone, as I sit down to interview Mattel’s vice president of Barbie Design in a luxury London hotel the day before the UK General Election in July. I’d pictured a relaxed tête-à-tête over cocktails with the global head of design for Barbie, but our meeting closely precedes publication of Labour’s open letter to Attitude.co.uk readers, (‘Why Keir Starmer’s op-ed for Attitude cannot run without context or correction’), and I am, in a word, distracted. Not that Barbie isn’t political, of course. After all, in 2020 Mattel released a Campaign Team set that included a Black doll as a presidential candidate, thereby course-correcting years of criticism over its stereotypical approach to gender roles. It’s just that I desperately need to switch off from the election. “Here’s…

Queer Edge at No90 Hackney Wick 90, 92, 94 Wallis Rd London E9 5LN A game of pool among off-duty models and celebrities at The Joiners Arms. A couple of pints at The George and Dragon as a mounted, animatronic horse’s head flaps its ears. Breathing in the curious scent of drag queens’ perfume mixed with the smell of damp at The Glory. The story of east London’s edgy, offbeat LGBTQ+ scene over the past 15 years has been one of grit, glamour and glorious eccentricity. Oh, and devastating closures — all of the aforementioned venues are gone. And while it’s not all doom and gloom — the teams behind two former venues have since opened The Queen Adelaide and The Divine nearby — it’s fair to say that the…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH As pop icons go, they don’t come much more legendary than Cher. The singer/actress has arguably had more reinventions than a certain other Queen of Pop, from folk-pop songstress to disco diva to power-ballad rock star. But in 1998, a 52-year-old Cher underwent her most inspired and commercially successful transformation to date. After lacklustre sales of her previous LP, 1995’s It’s a Man’s World, the singer was advised to ditch rock in favour of a trendier dance sound. The result, 1998’s Believe, would be a game-changer for Cher, and indeed pop, forevermore. Initially put off by the idea of recording a dance track, Cher was eventually persuaded otherwise and set to work on what would be her 22nd album in the summer of 1998. The album’s production…

The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul Charles (Out now in paperback) We all love the iconic supermodel of the world, RuPaul, but who is the man behind the drag? Following Guru, the icon dives back in time, recounting his journey from humble beginnings in San Diego to his club kid career in New York to the drag queen supreme of today. Two things are striking about this read. Firstly, the reality of his trajectory that ends in Drag Race highs has also been a litany of challenging lows, highlighting Charles’ steely resilient streak. Secondly, the biting persona that reads the house down boots here reveals a gentler, more sentimental man whose meditations on life will inspire any reader. Cecilia by K-Ming Chang (Out now in paperback) Cecilia, it is…

I’ve been thinking a lot about kindness recently. As a community, we often espouse camaraderie with our queer family, showing support for all the letters that make our rainbow so vivid, be they the L, G, B, T, Q, I, A or beyond. It’s always uplifting to see this amplified on social media, but when we really do show up — in person, physically present and shoulder to shoulder — it feels like nothing in the world can stop us. The power we generate in each other’s presence is electrifying. Two weeks ago, more than 55,000 people attended the London Trans+ Pride march, making it the biggest show of solidarity with trans people in the world ever. That’s a remarkable achievement in the face of a world dominated by a…

Jake DuPree (they/them) Burlesque performer What defines a gay icon is an almost unexplainable sparkle that cannot be taught. They present fearlessness, vulnerability and extreme pride in themselves and their talent, but do not take themselves too seriously. They truly help redefine how people express themselves. They are not afraid to live as loudly as possible and to be vocal in their support of our community. Their style and allure are synonymous with our influence and vice versa. I have two favourite gay icons, one from the past and one from the present. From the past, I have always loved Marilyn Monroe. She is who I try to emulate when I perform. There was a wink to everything she did, and she was in control of how she was perceived.…

As queer people, we’ve endured a lot. Whether it’s watching our millennial queen Katy Perry release a “feminist anthem” with Dr. Luke (!), or the horror of growing up in the 80s and 90s, when meeting a closeted gay man for sex was super dangerous, we’ve lived through trauma, and we know how to survive it. Maybe that’s why straight men struggle with losing a simple football match. If you’ve never had to fight, you’ll never understand the importance of the journey. After England lost the Euros, I saw men screaming abuse at their phones, throwing things and demanding Gareth Southgate’s head (so was I, but in a different way). They excuse this behaviour by saying that footballers are paid so much money they deserve the abuse. No. They are…

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IN THE PAST YEAR alone, Phil Gizzie, 40, the director of a smart-tech clothing brand, has lost four of his close friends to suicide or for drug-related reasons. He refers to himself as ‘a survivor’, having been in multiple situations and circumstances that he says could have prematurely ended his life too. He is not alone in his devastating loss. Choreographer David Allwood, 36, has lost three of his friends in the past year alone — and they were not the first to have died from similar causes. Davide Cini, a digital product manager, 45, has lost two ex-partners to suicide — including Strictly Come Dancing star Robin Windsor in February this year — and too many friends to count whose deaths were drug related. “Robin was loved and adored…

Here’s what the official statutory guidance says in regard to relationships education, relationship and sex education (RSE) and health education: • “All of the compulsory subject content must be age appropriate and developmentally appropriate.”• “All of this content should support the wider work of schools in helping to foster pupil wellbeing and develop resilience and character that we know are fundamental to pupils being happy, successful and productive members of society.” • “Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education* delivered as part of statutory RSE.” [*Sex education is not compulsory at primary school.]• “Schools are free to determine how to deliver the content set out in this guidance, in the context of a broad and balanced curriculum.”• “All schools…

It’s not every day that redundancy leads to a thriving business venture, but for husbands Charlie and Dan Wilson-Vaughan, founders of north London-based EXALT, it kickstarted their journey into the world of nutrition drinks. The pair, who married eight years ago, had always dreamt of starting a business together. Their lightbulb moment came from a shared frustration: the lack of convenient, nutritious options for busy professionals. “You’d always run to Pret and get a sandwich, which is fine, or you’d get a protein shake. But often they were just full of stuff you didn’t want in a sandwich,” former banker Dan explains. EXALT was born from this gap in the market, providing a range of fresh, nutrient-packed smoothies and juices as healthy alternatives to grab-and-go options. But creating a product…

MEG WARD From Glastonbury to Amnesia in Ibiza via Creamfields, Meg Ward’s synth-heavy sounds plus acid and house infused garage sets and own productions are infused with love and celebrated for their energy. Dancing between genres and refusing to be boxed in, she is a true pioneer without even trying to be. What can people expect from a Meg Ward set? Party vibes, fun and chaos. Is there a dance record that changed your life? I would say that dance music in general changed my life, but Infernal’s ‘From Paris to Berlin’ altered my brain chemistry the first moment I heard it and saw that iconic music video. Which track are you loving right now? Catz ’n Dogz & Nala, ‘Me Me Me’. Do you have a secret weapon in…

London is a city with an expansive queer community, offering events for a diverse range of subcultures. It is also vast, and some queer collectives can be harder to find and are only discovered through word of mouth. Those new to London, or without the necessary connections, might struggle to find the queer spaces they are searching for. In response to this, London’s Body Movements festival aims to bring together multiple queer collectives that represent a range of subcultures, from the ballroom community championing queer people of colour to FLINT (female, lesbian, intersex, nonbinary, trans) groups. Set across numerous stages, it unites the community in one space, facilitating access for those who may be struggling to find kindred spirits and spaces that suit them. Someone who knows how important it…

“It took three car crashes to kill Jake,” begins August Thompson’s moving debut coming-of-age novel. During the long summer break in New Hampshire, stoner and loner 15-year-old Theron is adrift from life. Forced to get a job, he then has a beautiful encounter with Jake — a cool, swaggering musician just a year older than him. This changes the course of his destiny, one that the reader knows from the very beginning will end in tragedy with Jake’s death. Charting the course of a doomed friendship, Thompson explores the power of male intimacy and the complexity of sexuality in modern American society, demonstrating how the most chance encounters can change our future entirely and shape our relationship with the world around us — for better or for worse. As asserted…

Issue 57, Kathy Burke “What did I like about Linda?” said Kathy Burke in her 1999 Attitude cover interview of her character in sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme – a hideously, grotesquely funny role and performance that got her nominated for not one but two BAFTAs. “Oh, fuck. Everything. It was a fantastic character. It was brilliant being able to play someone who was that vile, completely unattractive to men, woman and beast. A donkey would turn his nose up at her.” The star, also known for her roles in Harry Enfield and Absolutely Fabulous, said of the aforementioned straight woman-gay man flat-share comedy: “Talking about poppers and ecstasy — they were worried about our drugs references, but in Ab Fab they were always snorting coke! Because our characters are poorer,…

‘You can’t save him, honey.” Cigarette in one hand, martini glass in the other, girlfriends have cried this at me over and over in my adult life. I’m only now starting to understand their frustrations and warnings. For as long as I can remember, I’ve engaged in romantic relationships with people that I’ve on some level tried to ‘save’. And though it’s never worked, it’s a behaviour I’ve repeatedly gone back to. So, what’s behind this compulsion? Romantically, I’ve had my heart pulverised by men who are chronically unhealed. It might be more accurate to say that I allowed my heart to be pulverised by these emotionally dysfunctional men, because in many ways I was choosing to suffer — the red flags were abundant from the start, and I was…

Since bursting onto the music scene in 2010, Christeene has become the benchmark for alternative queer performance, subverting gender, beauty, and political and social constructs through her art. This October, the US drag star will bring her acclaimed The Lion, The Witch and The Cobra show — inspired by Sinead O’Connor — to Dublin’s National Concert Hall for one final performance. Here, Christeene shares what the late Irish singer thought of the show, as well as telling us who would play her in a movie and the driving force behind her persona. Describe Christeene in three words. Feral. Fiery. Stank. You’ve started a cult. What is it about? A non-cancelling community that lives in trees and pushes a very strong queer agenda. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever been given?…

In June, I went to my very first Sitges Pride, accompanied by a lively group of friends. On the sun-kissed coast of Spain, Sitges is renowned for its vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, and Pride week truly brings this charming town to life. As we strolled through the bustling streets adorned with rainbow flags, we found ourselves engaging in discussions about everything from work to relationships to sex. But one topic sparked particular interest and debate: PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). Many of us will already be familiar with PrEP, and my friends were fortunately no exception. Some of them were already using it and spoke about the sense of security it provided, allowing them to enjoy their relationships without the constant worry of HIV. Others were curious but cautious. Questions about side effects,…

OMAR APOLLO SEEMS TIRED. WHEN ATTITUDE JUMPS on a call with the superstar, it’s 8:30am in the UK and 5:30pm in Sydney, where the ‘Glow’ singer is currently on tour. “I just did my first show in Melbourne, and it’s honestly been amazing,” Apollo says of his first tour date for God Said No, the Mexican-American’s second studio album. Videos from the night are flooding social media platforms. “Dream come true,” one fan captioned a video of Apollo singing ‘Done with You’. Other clips show Apollo on full batteries as he sings ‘Against Me’, as well as ‘Tamagotchi’ from the GRAMMY-nominated album Ivory. There’s choreo, attitude and sex appeal in spades. We’re lucky to catch Apollo for a chat just before he starts vocal warmups for his second gig later…

IT’S A FEW MINUTES before 11pm on 21 June 2024, and in a packed dressing room in Lagos, Nigeria, Countess Sasha Seduction is getting her hair and makeup done before hitting the stage in what will be her biggest drag show yet. Joining her for a performance at the city’s annual Pride festival are fellow drag queens Lilith, who is making her debut on stage as a drag artist, and The Legendary Essence. Pride month and the week-long Pride festival in Lagos are vital for the Nigerian LGBTQ+ community. It’s a time to gather and celebrate their uniqueness, and to commemorate queer existence and resistance despite homosexuality being illegal in Nigeria. To ensure the safety of the 100-plus audience members, invitations to tonight’s drag show — billed as ‘A Fiery…

The perception of politicians as sleazy liars, only interested in their own self-worth and what personal gain they can get from the job, is an easy one to understand. Just look at the past few years. Ask people to name a politician matching this description and you’re likely to get a variety of colourful answers. Ask the opposite — name politicians that are good, honest and wanting to help others — and it would sadly be a different story. Adam Price, however, is often praised (or perceived) by many as just such a politician. Born in Ammanford, south Wales, in 1968, Price was a miner’s son. Had he not been, his life might have taken a different direction. The miners’ strikes of the 1980s were the crucible moment that propelled…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH ‘Trophy’ (B-side) If Charli XCX’s favourite single of hers, ‘Vroom Vroom’, captures her ice-cool fascination with all things material, B-side ‘Trophy’ offers an electronic punch in the face that highlights her feisty and competitive nature. “I want to win / I want that trophy” asserts the opening sound bite, before the track reveals itself as a slice of feminist hyperpop calling for girls to take control and create a generation of boss bitches. ‘Move Me’ (album track) This track summons the complexity of love, a synthy, sexy, mid-tempo reflection on falling for someone — at once sensual, vulnerable, afraid, passionate and obsessive. It’s a different pace from much of XCX’s work and a welcome moment of rawness amid the rest of the more polished Crash album. ‘Welcome…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Which writer did you learn most about your racial identity from? Maya Angelou. She offers an African-American female perspective on America, standing up for not just herself, but for the oppressed, with steely determination. Which YA novel impressed you? The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. It’s a stunning verse novel that inspired Only on the Weekends. The directness of the language cuts to the heart of the issues it explores — including a moving secondary storyline about a gay twin — but is also highly emotive. A work that portrayed bodies in a memorable way? Hunger by Roxane Gay, a memoir. She speaks so frankly about body issues: eating, weight, a general lack of self-love, and how she has come to accept herself. We use the body…

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