Innholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2025 i Attitude Magazine

JAMES HODGE WRITER As Janelle Monae once said, “Creating art is resistance.” Culture has the ability to create change. And now, it feels like queer art is at its most influential. I have enjoyed seeing the rise of Chappell Roan, who continues to change the face of pop as she dominates the charts with her heavy drag aesthetic. Human Animal, the debut novel of non binary writer Seth Insua, is a stunning read that will contribute thoughtfully to discussions about how to bridge the generational divide regarding gender differences. The Queer Comedy Club has had a meteoric rise — from its beginnings in a downstairs basement to opening massive new venture Betty & Joan’s. Finally, London’s queer comics have their own stage on which to have a laugh. GARY GRIMES…

PUT A RING ON IT Mark up those calendars because the BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival returns from 19 to 30 March 2025. And this year, the festival will open with the remake of successful 1993 dramedy The Wedding Banquet, about a gay man who enters a marriage of convenience to keep his parents happy. The new film, which is directed by Andrew Ahn, features a star-studded cast including Wicked’s Bowen Yang and Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone. Ahn is best known for previously directing the hit queer romcom Fire Island, in which Yang also co-starred. “Andrew Ahn is a filmmaker we’ve long admired and we’re delighted to welcome him to London to open our 2025 festival with this joyous and heartfelt ode to love and…

As co-founder of electric car manufacturer Tesla, Inc., entrepreneur Elon Musk was once emblematic of one of the most progressive, left-leaning ideals there is: green energy. (In a sense, he still is.) But since his takeover of X, formerly Twitter, the world’s richest man has swung to the right, spearheading a new era of excruciatingly disrespectful public debate. Now, he’s serving the Donald Trump US administration as co-lead of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — an unelected position, and the most garish demonstration in history of how wealth influences politics. So, what can queer citizens expect from this unelected quasi leader of the free world? His X account, home to most of his LGBTQ+-related public statements to date, offers a pretty depressing insight. ✅June 2018 To mark Pride month,…

I went to a friend’s brunch recently, and as usual the conversation, laughter and, of course, alcohol were flowing. Gatherings like this don’t just help reaffirm my relationship with the community, but they bring me immense joy. It’s true: gays have so much more fun! But it’s the aftermath that has become increasingly problematic for me. Long gone are my twenties when I didn’t get hangovers. Now that I’m in my forties, not only do I feel as rough as a badger’s backside after indulging too much, but my anxiety goes through the roof. This is such a common experience that it even has its own name: hangxiety. My last bout was so severe that it made me question whether it was time to cut back drastically or give up…

When Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed started writing his memoir Le Coran et La Chair (The Koran and the Flesh), he initially only had one reader in mind: himself. “I still remember the first time I took a piece of paper and started writing my thoughts down,” he recalls. “I was at work. I took a break, and I started writing. It was at first a few words, which became a few pages, and then chapters of what became my book. It was not planned to be a book; I just needed to express my thoughts, to get it out and put it somewhere.” The book delves into Zahed’s upbringing as part of an Algerian immigrant family in France, and his journey to reconcile Islam and homosexuality, coupled with his work as an…

‘There are so many who have been instrumental in every step of my journey — it would be impossible to name them all…” says Nava Mau during a catch-up with Attitude over Zoom from Mexico City, where she was born 32 years ago. She lands on one specific, deeply heartwarming example from her childhood in San Antonio, Texas. “Ms Adler, my elementary school teacher, [would] let me stay in her classroom after school because my mom couldn’t afford after-school care,” Mau remembers. “It’s people like that, every step of the way, who have allowed me to get this far.” Ms Adler’s no doubt beaming with pride right now. In an era of overnight successes 10 years in the making, it did feel like Mau came out of nowhere in 2024…

STEPHEN BROWN Commercial specialist, US Commercial Service at US Embassy, London With extensive international experience in sales, marketing, PR, distribution and business management, Brown plays a pivotal role in connecting US companies with UK businesses. As commercial specialist at the US Embassy in London, Brown helps US companies establish export links with UK firms, leveraging his deep knowledge of the aviation, transportation and tourism sectors. He covers five key industry portfolios: travel and tourism, financial services (including fintech), education and training, professional services, and food and drink. BRUNA GIL Head of partnerships EMEA, LinkedIn Gil leads the growth of social media giant LinkedIn’s marketing partner channels in the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region. With extensive experience in tech and advertising, she is dedicated to fostering innovation, revenue…

Bleak, unthinkably vast, yet undeniably beautiful, Mongolia’s Gobi Desert is the kind of place that forces you to confront the fact that you are, potentially, totally insignificant. It is a fact that is both unnerving and oddly comforting. The Gobi Desert holds a rare kind of wonder: it acts as a reflection. It compels you to look back at yourself and question your role on this incredible planet, to consider what it is to be human, and how we are — or are not — upholding and adding value to something incredibly remarkable. It was here, during the spring field season of 2024, in one of Earth’s harshest environments, that our team studied a famously camouflaged and impossibly elusive predator: the snow leopard. The rugged mountains and endless steppe landscapes…

CHRISTIAN COOPER Science and comics writer Christian Cooper won an Emmy Award for his TV series Extraordinary Birder, and wrote the bestselling memoir Better Living Through Birding, spreading “the gospel of birding” after a racial incident in NYC’s Central Park. An advocate for equality for queer people, justice for Black people, and birds for all people, he serves on the board of NYC Bird Alliance and is an occasional co-host of news programme Gay USA. A former Marvel Comics editor and writer, Cooper wrote the Black Lives Matter graphic short story “It’s a Bird” for DC Comics, and battles for synergy at the intersections of storytelling, progressivism and environmentalism. NOVA DANDO Global creative director, TikTok Nova Dando is a London-based award-winning creative director and filmmaker. Working across a campaign from…

On 21 June 2024, Friedel Dausab, a gay rights activist from Tsumeb, Namibia, scored a big victory when the country’s High Court overturned colonial-era laws that penalised ‘sodomy’ and ‘unnatural sexual offences’. Dausab had gone to the High Court to fight for the laws to be declared unconstitutional, saying that they discriminated against gay men in Namibia. Ruling in Dausab’s favour, the Namibian High Court stated that criminalisation of same-sex relations between consenting men “is outweighed by the harmful and prejudicial impact it has on gay men and that its retention in our law is thus not reasonably justifiable in a democratic society”. In finding the laws — whose origins date back nearly 500 years to England’s 1533 Buggery Act — unconstitutional, the court said, “The finding of unconstitutionality leads…

TOM DALEY Diver A former professional diver renowned for his significant contributions to the sport, he made his Olympic debut at 14 during the 2008 Beijing Games, becoming one of Team GB’s youngest Olympians. Over his career, Daley earned five Olympic medals, including gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He went out with a bang at the Paris 2024 Games, winning silver and bronze medals before announcing his retirement. Beyond his athletic achievements, Daley is a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, using his platform to promote inclusivity in sports. ANNA DEIGNAN Director of fans and development, Premier League Deignan has worked at the Premier League for four years, where she now plays a crucial role in fostering inclusivity in football and bringing greater diversity into the football workforce. She has…

‘One of the privileges of being in this kind of role is that it has a potential for impact on the next young woman who’s trying to figure out whether she wants to be a sociologist or a financier, who thinks that there’s no way she can ever work in the City because she’s gay.” These words, spoken with calm conviction, encapsulate the essence of Dame Julia Hoggett — a woman who has consistently defied expectations. Seated in her office with the historic Coat of Arms of the London Stock Exchange behind her, she is a study in purposeful presence. Her extraordinary journey begins with an equally extraordinary lineage. “I have to say I was incredibly lucky,” Hoggett reflects, her voice carrying both humility and pride. As the only child…

LOST AND FOUND Bluetooth tracker Tile is now available in two new models, helping reunite you with lost — or stolen — possessions. With a range of 350 feet and up to three years of battery life, the Tile Mate and Slim designs connect to an app to map the lost item’s location and contain speakers to play in case it is nearby. A QR code on the back means you can be easily contacted if someone finds your Tile with your belongings. The Mate and Slim also offer an anti-theft feature, as well as an SOS alert that can instruct your Life360 app to notify loved ones if you are in danger. Another plus is that you can use your Tile to find your phone (whether iOS or Android)…

When the city’s vibrant nights give way to calmer hours, Tokyo’s quieter side invites exploration. Kodo Nishimura, a Buddhist monk and makeup artist, captures this essence through his life and work. Raised in a Jodo-shu temple, Kodo has become a respected figure for his advocacy in LGBTQ+ spaces and insights on identity, shared in his book This Monk Wears Heels. In this section, Kodo-san shares his most cherished spots in Tokyo, offering a guide to the serene temples and cultural spaces that showcase the city’s profound depth and tranquillity. FUKAGAWA FUDO-DO TEMPLE Nestled in Tokyo’s Monzen-Nakacho, this is a sanctuary where I come to witness its fire ceremonies — powerful displays of flames and drumming held multiple times a day. The monks will purify certain items over the dying flames…

The Irish brogue is one of the most frequently butchered accents in film history. Even Jamie Dornan defied expectations with a shockingly caricature country Irish twang in Irish Mountain Thyme — despite actually being Irish. It’s why I feel compelled to compliment Scotsman James McArdle on his extremely convincing Irish accent in his role as lead character Edward in the upcoming film Four Mothers, co-written by brothers Colin and Darren Thornton, from Ireland’s County Louth. “That’s good,” McArdle replies when I mention how undetectable his real accent was in the film. “Andrew Scott was sort of my stealth accent coach, along with Colin and Darren. It was a triumvirate,” he tells me. Colin adds with a laugh, “When I first heard James’s accent, I was like, ‘You just sound exactly…

Human, Animal by Seth Insua (Out in paperback on 20 February) Insua’s lyrical and poignant debut novel is about the tensions that emerge between generations of a family living on a dairy farm: George, the curmudgeonly father who struggles to keep his business afloat, and Tom, his rebellious teenage vegan son who harbours a secret about his gender identity. Through this stunningly told tale, Insua reminds us that beneath our painted faces and constructed façades, we are all just bones and flesh and beating hearts. Human, Animal is about remembering that our shared humanity has the potential to reunite us under one sun in this complex, ever-changing, yet beautiful world. No & Other Love Stories by Kirsty Logan (Out now in hardback) If your loved one has a taste for…

In every pop diva’s career comes an album that changes everything thereafter. For Madonna, it was Ray of Light; Cher, Believe. At the turn of the millennium, Kylie Ann Minogue was at her own crossroads. After ditching the brand of bubblegum pop that had made her a star in the 1980s, Minogue radically reinvented herself for the 90s and began to explore a more alternative sound. It was a bold but brave move. The press dubbed it her ‘indie’ phase, but it would fail to eclipse the success of her earlier hits with super-producers Stock Aitken Waterman (‘I Should Be So Lucky’, ‘Better the Devil You Know’). Following the lukewarm success of 1997’s Impossible Princess, the singer took a hiatus. She had a choice: reinvent once again or leave the…

It’s hard to believe that Sidney Lumet’s groundbreaking New York crime drama is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It may be an eye-opening 1970s time capsule in one respect, but it still sweats through the screen with humid urgency. Al Pacino is magnetic as Sonny Wortzik, an amateur crook in over his head as he attempts a bank robbery to pay for his transgender partner’s confirmation surgery. This was perhaps the first Hollywood production to feature an openly queer male protagonist. With its defiant, anti-establishment stance, it was well ahead of its time in its nuanced, humane portrayal of flawed LGBTQ+ characters.…

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It didn’t take long for Elon Musk to begin pulling X apart after he bought the popular social media channel, then named Twitter, in 2022. By the end of this year, analysts at Emarketer expect X to have lost 7 million monthly active users in the US alone. Advertisers also left in droves, with ad revenue falling by 46.4 per cent between 2022 and 2023 — down from $4.5 billion to $2.2 billion year-on-year. A company that was once valued at $5.7 billion before Musk’s takeover in 2022 is now worth 673 million. No doubt Musk plans to use his leverage within the White House to woo brands back. It makes Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to drag Meta — the owner of Facebook, Instagram and Threads — into Musk’s angry back…

Neel Zaver (he/him) Biologist and climate podcaster, Our Altered World Having built my business around science communication and consultancy over the past 10 years, social media has always been a cornerstone of my work. It’s been a way to connect not only with a wider audience for whom I hoped to make science more accessible, but also with multiple clients who allowed me to expand the impact of this work. But social media and how we use it has rapidly changed, and I find myself pulling away from it. My initial branch-out into the digital space was always led by passion, but I found myself putting out content as an expectation as it was directly tied to my business. Pressure was mounting, not only because of competition for attention, but…

Olly Alexander arrives outside the former Jack Straw’s Castle pub in Hampstead on a Lime bike. “I can’t believe you saw me riding one,” he says, embarrassed to be spotted whooshing around London on one of the luminous green electric bicycles for hire. It’s a bright but freezing January afternoon, and Alexander is wearing a thick black coat, a scarf and a woollen hat. He suggested our meeting place: he likes the Hill Garden and Pergola in the north-east section of Hampstead Heath. “I also read At Your Own Risk by Derek Jarman,” he says after depositing the bike. “He talks about doing the trip from Jack Straw into the Heath. Even in the last years of his life, he would still come here. He would do his little trips…

Early on in gloriously gay character study Sebastian, a slim, hairless twentysomething named Max (who is, for want of a more modern term, a twink) vigorously fucks an older, larger, hairier man (because the perfect word exists, a bear). Later, the budding sex worker, played with wild abandon by 25-year-old Italian-Scottish actor Ruaridh Mollica, charms a genteel client played by Jonathan Hyde. The 76-year-old acting veteran is as grandly handsome as he was in the 90s (you may recognise him from blockbusters such as Titanic and Jumanji), but his coarse, slackened skin nevertheless stands in stark contrast to Mollica’s luminous complexion as they kiss. Watching these scenes, a distinct thought crossed my mind: ‘I’ve never seen this before. Not even in porn.’ Is culture — even gay culture, even porn…

AMROU AL-KADHI Drag artist, writer and director British-Iraqi drag superstar and Attitude columnist Al-Kadhi has been charting their steady rise as filmmaker in these hallowed pages for a number of years now. Last year, they wrote, directed and released their debut feature, the critically acclaimed romance Layla, about a British-Palestinian drag queen living in London. Starring Bilal Hasna, it premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, and Attitude named it one of our top films of the year. Al-Kadhi is also a stage veteran, whose show Glamrou: Drag Mother recently played at Soho Theatre. JADE ANOUKA Actor Anouka is known first and foremost for her illustrious stage career: at Shakespeare’s Globe, for example, she’s played Ophelia in Hamlet, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet;…

DR SUNDEEP SINGH BOPARAI Operations manager, Northwell Health, New York Boparai is a proud queer American Sikh model and activist who holds a doctorate in healthcare administration and public policy. He works as the healthcare administrator for Northwell Health, where he oversees the LGBTQ+ Transgender Program. As well as medical care, the centre assists with food and housing insecurity for patients in unsafe situations. Boparai’s work was recognised with a win at online publication Health’s inaugural 2025 Advocacy Awards. Speaking to Health after the win, Boparai said, “I want to make sure that our community thrives for the folks here now and the folks coming.” JEROME FOSTER II Environmental justice activist and entrepreneur In 2021, Foster II made history as the youngest person to advise the US government when appointed…

Even through my earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones, I can still hear the screaming. This isn’t your usual ‘confused baby on an aeroplane whose ears just popped on a flight for the first time’ screaming — that I can sympathise with, as an autistic ADHDer with sensory sensitivities of my own. No, this is the din made by a hen party of a dozen straight women in their twenties drinking overpriced airport mimosas as they wait for their flight, each “woo!” growing in volume and pitch with every sparkling sip. This is on top of the usual airport terminal noise, from overhead announcements to people playing videos on their phones or making phone calls on speakerphone — or whatever other auditory onslaught they obtusely determine to be appropriate behaviour in a…

JOSH BABARINDE OBE Liberal Democrat MP Babarinde displayed a drive for social justice when, in 2015, he founded Cracked It, a social enterprise that trains young ex-offenders in smartphone repair. In 2019, it was named Social Enterprise of the Year by both the Centre for Social Justice and the Evening Standard. Babarinde was later appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to criminal justice, social enterprise and the economy at the age of just 27. Since 2024, Babarinde, now 31, has served as Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Eastbourne. CHAR BAILEY LGBTQ+ advocate Bailey is a passionate speaker and neurodiversity champion. As director of people and culture at Birmingham Pride, she fosters inclusion and celebrates diversity. She also volunteers as education and wellbeing officer…

GK Barry greets me on Zoom wrapped in a fluffy, oversized hoodie, her adorable toy poodle Noodle perched contentedly on her lap — a cosy scene that captures the down-to-earth charm that’s taken her from TikTok storyteller to multimedia star. When I introduce my two chihuahuas who just happen to be with me in the Attitude studio, her face lights up: “Oh my God — I am obsessed with these dogs!” Once the canine introductions are done, we both laugh, remembering there’s an interview to conduct. “My childhood was really good,” she shares about her younger self. Referring to herself as “technically an only child”, due to much older siblings who’d moved out of home, the rising star reflects on her early years candidly. “School was a little bit rough,…

MOTIE BRING CEO, PPRO Bring is an accomplished executive in the fintech industry, currently serving as the CEO of leading global digital payments infrastructure provider PPRO. Beyond his professional success, Bring is a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion within the fintech industry. As a publicly gay CEO, he has championed the importance of representation and equal opportunities, pushing for greater visibility and support for the LGBTQ+ community in business. Bring has also held senior positions at companies such as Worldpay and Nuvei prior to his role at PPRO. REBECCA CHALKLEY KC Barrister Chalkley is a highly regarded barrister with a practice spanning commercial and financial crime, regulatory matters and global investigations. Specialising in fraud, business crime and insolvency, she provides counsel to high-net-worth individuals, corporates and regulatory bodies. Known…

False Idols at DRUMSHEDS 6 Glover Dr, London N18 3HF Check out drumsheadslondon.com for news of the next False Idols event Row upon row of overhead LED text scrollers scatter propulsive visual energy across a dance floor at False Idols, the queer clubbing haven whose blowout last autumn at Tottenham’s 15,000-capacity superclub DRUMSHEDS was a masterclass in atmosphere. The warehouse that once served as IKEA’s flagship store now resembles a fabulously dark and dingy spaceship straight out of the Alien franchise. Messages like “Raise your hand if you’re looking for a third” are repeated over and over, and you watch, hypnotised, waiting to see if and when they’ll say something else. The effect is one of forward motion, of never-ending movement, that’s conducive to the ultimate goal on a night…

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer As a horror fan, novels rarely scare me. I’ve been too seasoned by King, Koontz and co to truly get the heebie-jeebies. But thanks to Audible, I have finally discovered a new writer who kept me enthralled until late into the night: Marcus Kliewer. Good horror is referential, and Kliewer’s debut, We Used to Live Here, knows its intertextual touchpoints: Danielewski’s cult classic House of Leaves; Aronofosky’s cinematic shocker Mother!; the atmosphere of David Lynch. But with a queer twist, the world Kliewer creates gives the genre new depths. Charlie and Eve, a lesbian couple, are settling into a new life renovating their property. But when the previous inhabitants turn up asking to explore their old family house, the horror begins as…

BASHKKA BASHKKA is the Turkish word for ‘different’ and highlights this Munich-born DJ’s oneof-a-kind presence on the decks. She is celebrated for a daring style while pushing boundaries in electronic music. From residencies at HAMAM Nights, Club RAUM, and Blitz Club in Munich, to a regular face in Berghain’s Panorama Bar, her debut EP Maktub claimed a number one spot in 2023, making her a music master who defines her own sound What can people expect from a Bashkka set? I’m not the best at describing my sets, but my aim is simple: to make you forget about the ‘who’ and focus on the ‘why’. Minds drifting, souls and lips meeting, bodies moving and prancing. Name a track you are loving right now. Terry Lee Brown Junior’s ‘Straylight’. It blows…

STRAWBERRY ROMANCE As the season changes, it’s the perfect time to switch up your scent. Exclusive to Selfridges, Fragaria from Creed is a fun and flirtatious fragrance that’s sure to captivate your senses with its vibrant strawberry heart. Inspired by sun-soaked strawberry fields, it opens with an energising burst of bergamot, balanced by a touch of pink pepper for a playful edge. As the citrus fades, the succulent strawberry takes centre stage, adding sweetness and a sense of carefree romance. The fragrance finishes with a grounding note of cedarwood, ensuring the scent lingers on the skin. Housed in an eye-catching bold pink bottle, this light-hearted perfume is designed to uplift, delivering an instant burst of joy, whether you’re treating yourself or someone special. selfridges.com…

November 2012, issue 224, Attitude Awards Our very first Attitude Awards issue featured a suite of covers that included Sir Ian McKellen, Peter Tatchell and the late George Michael. We were certainly on the money giving the Film Award to director Andrew Haigh, a rising talent who had just released Weekend, the first of an uninterrupted run of critically acclaimed movies. “Weekend will probably always be the most personal thing I do, and I don’t necessarily want to make personal films forever,” he told us at the time. “So, if it does endure, you can’t ask for more than that.” Endure it has — and after analysing a heterosexual marriage in 2015’s 45 Years, Haigh once again returned to personal territory, and to great effect, with 2024’s All of Us…

From avant-garde drag superstar to beauty industry disruptor, Kim Chi has turned creative vision into business success. Since appearing on series eight of RuPaul’s Drag Race, she’s established herself as a pioneering entrepreneur. Her cosmetics enterprise, KimChi Chic Beauty, aims to make professional-grade makeup accessible to all, while a new partnership with lifestyle brand Sundae School is bringing Korean flavours to the US’s edibles market. Drawing inspiration from sources as varied as haute couture and anime, the Korean-American beauty continues to merge different cultural influences in her work. Here, she discusses her expanding business ventures, reveals who she thinks would make a good RuPaul replacement, and shares her vision of a drag-themed Squid Game. Three things you would take to a deserted island? Canned chicken, for protein. Instant noodles, for…

At 24, I used to think I knew everything. In fact, it’s probably when I was most assertive in my opinions and how I presented myself. I was uncompromisingly queer, almost comically against ‘straight white men’, and certain of my belief systems, my identity, the kind of people I wanted in my life and the art I needed to make. Now, at 34, I truly feel like I don’t know shit. In fact, I’ve never felt more certain that I’m really not sure of anything. When I meet 24-year-olds now, especially those with a defined sense of their politics and opinions, I can’t help but think that this is an illusion — reinforced by the internet — that is sure to crack and become complicated when life inevitably happens. There…

I was born and raised in Salvador, Brazil. From a very young age, I knew I was different. I grew up in a loving home, with a disco-obsessed father, a hard-working mother and a younger sister. Dad was in the military, so there was a lot of discipline — especially with me being the big brother. I was a very feminine boy, and I used to hang out a lot more with girls than with boys. I was obsessed with The Little Mermaid, an anime series called Rayearth, and then the Spice Girls. All of this shaped the flamboyant, (vocally) high-pitched boy into the flamboyant, high-pitched man I am today, personally and professionally. I don’t recall bullying growing up, but I do clearly remember the social pressure to behave a…

‘I’m fulfilling a gay stereotype here,” Roja Dove says with characteristic wit, having just shared the story of how his love for perfume began with a kiss from his mother as she was leaving for a night out. That moment would spark his lifelong passion for fragrance: as she leant down to kiss him goodnight, the scent of her face powder mingling with her perfume, she stood backlit by the hall light in a gold lamé dress and diamond necklace. “When you’re a small boy, you see that in books — that’s a fairy or an angel. My everyday mum had been metamorphosed into this magical thing.” It was his first lesson in how a fragrance could transform a moment into a memory. Born Roger John Dove in 1956, he…

ALEX CONSANI Model Consani is a trailblazing transgender model who has made remarkable strides in the fashion industry. In December 2024, Consani made history as the first transgender individual to be awarded Model of the Year at the prestigious Fashion Awards in London. As a transgender woman, Consani has become an inspiring figure, challenging beauty standards and promoting LGBTQ+ rights with her unique presence. Her collaborations with top brands like Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga and Jean Paul Gaultier solidify her as a leading force in fashion and beyond. ADAM JOHNSON Ceramicist Johnson made an impact as a finalist on the 2021 Channel 4 series of The Great Pottery Throw Down, and has continued to make his mark on the world in clay form. His wedding was organised by Tom Allen on…

KRISTOFER BARBER Director of global communications, Booking.com Since 2014, Barber has climbed the ladder within the Amsterdam headquarters of Booking.com. As a technology enthusiast with a passion for more sustainable and inclusive travel, he’s played a strategic role in the development and evolution of the company’s Travel Proud programme, which offers free inclusive hospitality training for accommodations to help them gain a better understanding of the specific challenges faced by LGBTQ+ travellers. He’s also the driving force behind the company’s ongoing research with LGBTQ+ travellers. RYAN BOS Executive director, Capital Pride Alliance Bos has served as the executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance (CPA) in Washington DC since the autumn of 2011. Capital Pride has since become a major destination Pride celebration, attracting visitors from all over the world…

Although Thomas Hitzlsperger was not the first footballer to come out as gay to the public, his decision to do so in 2014, mere months into retirement after playing for Aston Villa, West Ham and Everton, as well as the national German team, was a memorable occasion. He was, at that time, the highest profile ex-player to publicly come out. And this year he is being honoured for being an LGBTQ+ trailblazer in the sports category at the Attitude 101 Awards. While discussing the topic of trailblazing with Hitzlsperger, he is careful to give credit to his predecessors. “There were so many before me, and they paved the way and made my life so much easier,” he says, speaking to me over Zoom from his Soho office. He goes on…

X GONZÁLEZ Gun control advocate A survivor of the 2018 Parkland shooting, González has become a leading voice in the fight for gun control in the US. Co-founding the advocacy group Never Again MSD, González gained national attention with their passionate “We call B.S.” speech and later played a pivotal role in organising the March for Our Lives movement. Identifying as non-binary, they have also been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, using their platform to support queer youth and challenge harmful policies, as well as fighting for protection of the environment. JOE HAYES Pride Beats Prejudice founder; Clifford Chance future trainee A future trainee at global law firm Clifford Chance, Hayes is also the founder of Pride Beats Prejudice, a legal clinic dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ individuals facing discrimination…

A SIMPLE GESTURE can speak volumes. At Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), Pride Progress lanyards are helping create positive change for LGBTQ+ patients and staff. Through joint funding from the Attitude Magazine Foundation and the Paul Cottingham Trust, the LPT purchased 1,000 lanyards in response to staff requests for this visible symbol of support. “The lanyards help us to be visible campaigners for the LGBTQ+ community” The lanyards have proved invaluable on the wards, where they spark meaningful discussions between patients and staff, as well as among colleagues. “These symbols surpass mere representation — they actively encourage open conversations, allowing people to discuss topics they might otherwise feel hesitant or uncomfortable sharing,” LPT’s deputy head of pharmacy Andrew Moonesinghe tells Attitude. “This sense of openness fosters trust, breaking down barriers.”…

Tokyo’s nightlife is unparalleled, blending this ancient city’s rich cultural roots with a futuristic energy that stretches way into the early hours. As night falls, Tokyo shifts into a realm of sophistication: from elegant bars and laid-back lounges to chic rooftop retreats and neon-lit nightclubs that feel plucked from a video game. For LGBTQ+ travellers, the Ni-chome neighbourhood boasts the world’s densest concentration of LGBTQ+ bars. This guide is your ticket to discovering the best of Tokyo’s nightlife, in a city where every night is a story waiting to be shared. ◀ SHIBUYA SKY Perched 229 metres above Tokyo, THE ROOF SHIBUYA SKY is Shibuya’s highest rooftop bar, offering a breathtaking 360-degree view of the cityscape, featuring landmarks like Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, and, on clear days, Mount Fuji. THE…

‘Have I brought the kids over with me? No! Do you think I’m crazy?! And deal with their jet lag?!” TV producer and presenter and father-of-two Andy Cohen is flying solo when Attitude catches up with him ahead of last year’s Hayu FanFest in London. Billed as “the best of reality and unscripted TV all gathering in one place”, the event united stars from Below Deck, Southern Charm, the Real Housewives franchise and more. So, if his life were a reality show, I ask Cohen, what would this week’s storyline be? He doesn’t disappoint: “Andy loose in London! What will happen? Will he fall in love?!” Face to face with Cohen, a master interviewer, I can’t help but take this opportunity to ask: what’s his go-to question when he gets…

Holly Stars is a multi-talented queen who you may know from numerous avenues: the Instagram sensation behind the Posh Sue monologues; a Soho Theatre comedy regular; or the writer of West End smash hits, Death Drop, and its sequel, Death Drop 2. Now, she has written her debut novel, Murder in the Dressing Room, offering perhaps the campest premise in history: a drag mother murdered with a box of poisoned chocolates. But whodunnit? A Moneypenny impersonator? Comedy drag kings? A backflipping stunt queen? Here, Holly tells Attitude about her storytelling history, her favourite books and her dream casting for a movie adaptation… We also share our picks of the best recent reads, as well as our current favourite audiobook available on Audible. Congratulations on the novel. Have you always been…

‘To Be Forgiven’ (album track) ‘To Be Forgiven’ offers some of Michael’s most reflective and pensive writing. A song about regret and wishing for a simpler life, it showcases the singer’s range, which shines amid a backdrop of acoustic guitar and fascinating vocal arrangements that offer layer after layer of his velvety tones. “Save me”, he pleads, and it is hard not to be drawn into the track and drown in it like a still pool on a summer’s day in the repeated ripples of “I’m going down”. ‘Star People’ (MTV Unplugged) ‘Star People’ is without doubt one of Michael’s sassiest songs; it’s full of spunk and attitude. His EMA performance of it is especially memorable, with the singer arriving on stage in a glitter-coated car and performing down a…