Innholdsfortegnelse for January/Feburary 2026 i Attitude Magazine

Ashley Davey TRAVEL ACCOUNT MANAGER In 2026, I would love to tick the Caribbean off my travel bucket list, especially as attitudes are starting to change across the Atlantic. The islands look absolutely stunning, but some are discarding their antiquated colonial laws and enacting LGBTQ+ rights faster than others. Saint Lucia officially decriminalised same-sex relationships in July 2025, while a year earlier, Aruba and Curaçao legally recognised same-sex marriage. I personally believe that whenever we see progress, it’s important to visit and support the communities that fought hard to get these rights recognised. And if visiting means getting some sand between my toes and a rum punch in my hand, all the better. Charli Avery MAKEUP ARTIST AND GROOMER I’m actually most excited to go back to Albania. It might…

Few Attitude cover lines have been as explosive and attention-grabbing as “Nadine’s full of s**t”. The year is 2014, the month is December, and Cheryl Cole — or, as she was then known, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini — or as we affectionately refer to her in the interview, Cheryl Tweedy Cole Fernandez Versini, Toon Princess — is hot off her fifth number one ‘I Don’t Care’, following Girls Aloud’s (second) split the year before. “When we interviewed Nadine a couple of months back, she said how she hadn’t wanted to break up the band but everybody else broke it up,” we told The X Factor judge. “She’s full of shit,” replied an outspoken Cheryl, very much in her ‘I don’t care’ era. “She was the one who wanted to make a solo…

The setting is 1983. A year after Britain won the Falklands War, an emboldened Tory government swept to power with the biggest political majority since 1945. With Margaret Thatcher at the helm in the UK and Ronald Reagan as President of the US, the world was in an aggressive lurch to the conservative right. In the West, the free-spirited 60s and the emancipated years of free love in the 70s were very much in the past. A newly awakened era of gay — or LGBTQ+, as we would say today — rights that had risen to prominence a decade earlier had to contend with a world that rewarded capitalism before community. In the shadows, AIDS was looming. At the time, awareness of the disease was low, and its true impact…

From Buckingham Palace to reaching the heights of London’s hospitality scene, Martin Dibben’s career has exuded sparkle. After starting his professional life in the Royal Household, he went on to shape dining alongside industry icons, run his own acclaimed restaurant, and champion nutrition for people living with HIV. Today, as head of champagne and drinks at Searcys, and affectionately known as “Mr Bubbles”, he brings theatrical flair, deep expertise and a passion for storytelling to every glass poured. Here, he reflects on his extraordinary path, his love of fizz and his commitment to creating welcoming, celebratory spaces for all. Your first job after university was very prestigious. Can you tell us how you ended up in the Royal Household? In 1986, the palace decided they were going to get a…

When I left my ex, Elliot, I let him keep Sitges in the carve-up of our illusory queer assets. This was despite me being the person who introduced Elliot to the Spanish beach town, showing him my favourite secluded wine bars, tapas joints and cruising spots. In turn, I stole Sitges from my first boyfriend, Oliver, who drove me there when I was just 20. Gay resorts are passed along generations from daddy to twink, and so it goes on. It’s funny how as individuals we claim an emotional ownership over places. In The Kardashians, Kim and Kourtney have a blazing row over whom Italy “belongs” to, as if it were just another one of their fragrance lines, screaming “Italy is my wedding country!” at each other. But it got…

I’m heading to Mexico to mark Virgin Atlantic’s return to Cancun, as the airline’s direct flights from Heathrow open up the quieter side of the Riviera Maya on Mexico’s northeastern Yucatán Peninsula once again. The flight is an Upper Class treat — not my usual reality — and stepping out of an Uber into the dedicated wing at Terminal 3 takes the sting out of the early start. Check-in and security are over in minutes. Soon, I’m in the Clubhouse with a freshly cooked breakfast and a tequila cocktail in front of me, which I justify as journalistic research, even if it’s barely past sunrise. When the plane doors open in Cancun, the first thing that hits me is the warm, sweet air that envelops my group and me as…

Three generations of beer-swilling men are gathered around a table at San Francisco’s Twin Peaks Tavern gay bar, their heads thrown back as they guffaw. The trio are made up of a pretty, techy-looking twink, a beardy, outdoorsy thirtysomething, and a handsome older gentleman whose smile carries the contentment of someone who has spent decades in a city where he can be himself. It’s a portrait of queer continuity I’m not used to. My mind briefly wanders to predictable places — ‘Perhaps they’re a throuple?’ But the dynamic doesn’t seem sexual; rather, they come across like family members. Their energy matches the ambiance of the rest of the tiny pub on the Saturday night I stop by, with its warm wood panelling and stained-glass lamps emitting an amber glow. The…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Damian Barr has been a darling of the writing scene since launching his Literary Salon in 2008, which revitalised the tradition of live events where readers can interact with authors. Not just a talented broadcaster and journalist — hosting The Big Scottish Book Club and writing for everyone from the Times to the Big Issue — Barr is a much-celebrated novelist. His memoir, Maggie and Me, won multiple awards, including Stonewall’s Writer of the Year, and his debut novel, You Will Be Safe Here, was critically acclaimed. Now, Barr returns with a fictional retelling of the lives of the Two Roberts — two gay artists turned celebrities that time forgot. Starting from their humble beginnings, Barr tells a love story for the ages — from their rise…

FIRE ISLAND If you’re over the winter chill, look ahead to sunnier days with Dsquared2’s Pre-Spring/Summer 2026 collection. Creative duo Dean and Dan Caten have teamed up with acclaimed gay photographer Tom Bianchi on a beach-ready wardrobe splashed with his iconic Polaroids of life on Fire Island. Documenting the scene from 1975 to 1983, the collection pulses with the sun-soaked freedom and unabashed sexuality that defines the island’s vibrant queer community. Whether it’s an afternoon in Cherry Grove or one of the Pines’ legendary parties, graphic T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats and swimwear splashed with Bianchi’s evocative imagery are all you need to tap into the island’s energy. The oversized tote bag with its poolside scene was built for carrying summer essentials from the boardwalk to the beach. It’s a nostalgic…

Kink? We all have one. Or two. Or more. The next era of Attitude has begun… with a little bit of (consensual) slap and tickle (!) as we present Attitude Uncut (you read that right) — our new, digital-first little brother title to the print magazine, available exclusively on the Attitude app and Apple News+. Publishing six issues a year in the months between our print magazine, each edition will be themed, allowing us to take a deep dive into topics and issues that interest or impact gay, bi and queer men’s lives, from mental health to drag culture, and, well… whatever else inspires and excites us. Welcome to the first stage of a new era of Attitude, with more changes coming in 2026. For our first issue, we decided…

Marking over 50 years in showbusiness this year, Dave Lynn is the epitome of classic British drag. After coming up alongside the likes of Lily Savage and Maisie Trollette in the smoke-filled bars of 70s London, he’s seen drag evolve from backroom cabaret to mainstream pop culture. Whether you know him for his cameo in Beautiful Thing or from countless nights commanding the queer stages of London and Brighton, Dave has carried the sequin-covered torch for six decades. Still performing, still adored, and still keeping the young ones on their toes, here he reflects on his drag highs and horrors, the changing queer scene, and the icons who shaped his remarkable journey. What’s your craziest backstage story? When I was just starting at [Camden queer venue] Black Cap, there was…

Talisa Garcia (she/her) Actress I’m always myself – I’ve come too far not to be – but I’ve learned that being queer and travelling comes with its own checklist. Passport – check, tickets – check, appropriate wardrobe choices for this country – check, think before you speak at immigration – check. I’ve been incredibly lucky on my journeys, but I’m conscious that the moment you cross a border, rules can change in ways that affect something as simple as being open about who you are. Travelling as a trans woman means carrying a mix of confidence and awareness. I always travel as myself, but I stay informed. A look at local laws and attitudes has become as essential as checking the weather. It’s not about changing who I am; it’s…

The last time Merlin Holland came to this particular address on Tite Street in London, a previous home of his late grandfather Oscar Wilde, was in 1954, at the age of nine, for the unveiling of a blue plaque. But neither Holland nor his relatives ever set foot inside the front door. It is only now, over 70 years after the blue plaque unveiling, that Holland has finally entered the very room in which Wilde wrote his only novel, the demon twink/twink death bible The Picture of Dorian Gray. The occasion is in large part thanks to the hospitality and planning of the house’s current tenant and Wilde fan Jen Elliott-Bennett. As Holland’s latest book about Wilde, After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal, is published, I am delighted to…

I AM A COMPOSER of choral music and an adult content creator on OnlyFans. I started creating my adult content only one year ago. I’m in my forties now, but when I was in my twenties, thirties, I didn’t feel that hot. I didn’t feel as though I was an attractive person. I was always bigger, always hairier. And now I’m a little older, all of those things are positives rather than the negatives they used to be. I’m big, I’m hairy, and it turns out lots of people love that. I have never felt more hot than I do now. I’ve been self-conscious about my belly forever, but I’ve grown to love it and now fully accept that we may never see my abs — and that’s OK! You’d…

When Philip Vergeylen and Paolo Moschino tell the story of how they met and went on to establish an interior design company, it begins, appropriately, with a lamp. In 1995, Moschino was behind the counter of a Pimlico shop when Vergeylen, a Belgian newly in London, wandered in, fell for a heavy bronze lamp, baulked at the price — twice — and finally surrendered. Moschino offered to deliver it. “I took one look at Paolo and I said, ‘OK, fine.’ And that’s how we got to know each other,” recalls Vergeylen. Moschino arrived in London in the late 80s, first working in fashion before joining an interiors showroom. “When I started there, we only had three fabric designs and one lamp,” he says. In 1995, he bought the business and…

From the moment you arrive, Graz will steal your heart. A mix of imperial charm and contemporary creativity, this is surely Austria’s best-kept secret, a city where Renaissance courtyards sit alongside futuristic buildings, and the young and lively energy of the city embraces you. Graz will instantly make you feel at home. Austria’s second-largest city is truly LGBTQ+-friendly and offers the perfect combination of art, culture and good food. WHAT TO DO At the heart of the capital of the southern province of Styria is the Hauptplatz, the main square of the beautifully preserved medieval Old Town which is lined with elegant buildings and cafés. Lose yourself in the Old Town’s narrow lanes, exploring hidden courtyards lined with pastel buildings that blend Renaissance and baroque styles. Another must is climbing…

“Pride flags hang from every venue, gay couples stroll by hand in hand, and drag queens top up their makeup at the bar. It feels like I’ve landed in a queer utopia” Standing in Taipei’s Café Dalida with an espresso martini in hand, not long after a 13.5-hour flight from London, I’m taken aback by the sheer amount of queerness that surrounds me. Pride flags hang from every venue, gay couples stroll by hand in hand, and drag queens top up their makeup at the bar. It feels like I’ve landed in a queer utopia, but a quick chat with the venue’s owner — the charming Alvin Chang, who instantly becomes a friend — confirms that our online search for “gay bars nearby” has brought us straight to the heart…

The mid-2000s were a pivotal moment in the Queen of Pop’s career. In just seven years, we’d seen Madonna shift from ethereal trip-hop to country-tinged electronica to politically charged pop. After successfully reinventing herself at the end of the previous decade with 1998’s Ray of Light and reestablishing herself as the most important woman in pop, the world was not ready to hear what she had to say for her ninth studio offering. 2003’s American Life faced the political and cultural climate of post-9/11 America head-on. It was a bold statement that challenged war and growing materialism. Reviews were mixed, with Rolling Stone declaring: “Making records, it seems, may not be her strong suit anymore.” With hindsight, the album is an essential Madonna listen and far from the artistic failure…

My Lie Your Lie by Paul Clayton Out now in paperback The revenge tragedy genre goes all the way back to the Middle Ages, and love gone bad has become a mainstay in contemporary thrillers. Enter Paul Clayton with a twist — what if that love gone bad is between two men, Patrick and Barney, and moreover, the gay protagonist is left for a woman, Marcella? In Patrick, Clayton creates one of the most fascinatingly dislikable anti-heroes in recent LGBTQ+ fiction. He puts his own spin on the genre by slowly pulling out to reveal just how deep-set the rot is in this disastrous romantic triangle. Who is the real villain in this web of lies, deception and betrayal? I’m Fine by Richard Hall Out now in hardback This visceral…

INJECTUAL, SHOREDITCH I always thought the Parisians were onto something when it came to ageing gracefully – fine lines and wrinkles are just signs of a life well lived. Or maybe I’d just watched too many episodes of Nip/Tuck in my formative years. Yet, as I turned 30 and began a new job, I couldn’t help but fixate on the exhaustion in my face. That’s when I stumbled on London injectables studio, Injectual. Co-founder Joëlle Rotsaert (pictured, above right) popped up on my Instagram feed in a humorous skit filmed inside their Shoreditch clinic, the brand’s second London location. Joëlle, the marketing mastermind of the sister duo behind Injectual (her sister, Dr Veerle Rotsaert, is the highly decorated plastic surgeon), has a talent for turning what could feel like a…

HIDDEN GEM Comprising 13 townhouses dating back to 1734, Flemings Mayfair opened its doors in 1851 and is one of London’s oldest historic hotels. Favoured by celebrities and VIPs, it remains one of the capital’s few independent and privately owned establishments. Inside, a refined blend of Art Deco design and Georgian elegance sets the tone across 129 rooms and suites, some of which feature beautifully landscaped private terraces. The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Ormer Mayfair, led by executive chef Sofian Msetfi, serves British cuisine, sourcing the finest seasonal ingredients from its two-acre eco-friendly kitchen garden in Essex. Guests can also enjoy expertly crafted cocktails in an intimate, stylish setting at Manetta’s Bar. flemings-mayfair.co.uk HEAVEN-SENT Forgive them, father, for these boys have sinned – and they know exactly what they do! The…

Since his election in May, Pope Leo XIV has come under scrutiny for his approach to LGBTQ+ inclusion. His task is to reconcile a long history of doctrinal conservatism with the more open, pastoral tone set by his predecessor Pope Francis. The question remains… are Leo’s gestures towards inclusion genuine steps forward, or carefully measured moves to preserve unity in a divided church? Here, we break down the evidence and assess each moment for its impact on our community. September 2012 As Prior General of the Augustinians, he publicly condemns what he calls the “homosexual lifestyle” and criticises the “redefinition of marriage”. He groups same-sex families with abortion and laments the media’s “sympathetic portrayal” of same-sex couples and their adopted children. 2014–2020 During his tenure as Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru,…

Every so often, a health “tip” pops up on social media that makes me question whether the internet is secretly trolling us. My latest peeve? The sudden resurgence of something called “cough CPR”. A friend — a very sensible, non-medical one — recently slid into my DMs, asking if it’s true that coughing repeatedly during a heart attack can keep you alive until help arrives. I wish this was just a meme, but people are sharing it earnestly as a “life hack” for heart attacks. And that worries me because it’s not just wrong, it’s dangerous. So, let’s have a look at the facts. What happens during a heart attack A heart attack (the medical term is “myocardial infarction”, if you want to sound fancy at parties) happens when blood…

PLAYSTATION PORTAL This is Sony’s solution for anyone who wants to do some gaming while away from home. It connects to and streams games from your PS5 via Wi-Fi, or you can use a PS Plus Premium membership (£13.49 monthly/£119.99 annually) to play straight from the cloud without even needing to own a console. All it requires is a solid internet connection. Ideal for lazy-day gaming sessions cosied up in bed, or for staying occupied on long winter trips away from home. £199.99 // playstation.com LUMIE VITAMIN L Winter blues are quite literally a thing, and Lumie offers an easy way to keep them at bay. This slim light-therapy panel delivers a bright, even glow that mimics natural daylight, helping you feel more awake during darker mornings and sluggish afternoons.…

IN AN ERA where perceived intimacy is streamable, desire monetised, and bodies endlessly consumable, gay porn remains a potent mirror — and magnifier — of society’s contradictions. But for Black gay men in the porn industry, that mirror often reflects a distorted and deeply racialised image. In traditional porn, studios have banked on race-fuelled fantasy for decades. OnlyFans has merely decentralised the business model, not the bias. In 2024, PornHub, the world’s most popular porn site, issued its annual report of the platform’s most searched porn trends, with Rhyheim Shabazz ranking as the most searched Black performer and in the top five overall. From production-house porn to the creator-led chaos of OnlyFans, Black men are simultaneously exalted and dehumanised. Our bodies, fetishised. Their performances, commodified. Their autonomy? A work in progress.…

‘SIR, –WE ARE HOMOSEXUALS and we are writing because we feel strongly that insufficient is being done to enlighten public opinion on a topic which has for too long been shunned.” So began the historic “coming out” letter which was published in full in the Spectator in June 1960 and was co-signed by three publicly gay men: Raymond Gregson, Robert Moorcroft and Roger Butler. The letter was the idea of Butler, who is the subject of new book The Light of Day. He had joined the Homosexual Law Reform Society and went to its first public meeting in May 1960 at Caxton Hall. Although the society’s straight patrons were arguing for decriminalisation of homosexuality, Butler was angered by their negative narrative about gay men. At the meeting, the editor of…

‘But how did they decide… who fucked who?” a sheepish, flummoxed straight guy once asked me of that first sex scene in Brokeback Mountain, when camping cowboys Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (the late Heath Ledger) go from awkward embrace to aggressive fucking — with spit for lube! — in seconds. No discussion, no negotiation, no douching — just primal, animal urge. That question sums up what I loved about the cultural permission slip that was this triple-Oscar-winning movie and bona fide phenomenon. It sparked mass, unprecedented conversations about queer intimacy, even among straight people, that previously went under the radar or ended in punchlines. I was amazed, for example, when a female friend told me Jack and Ennis were the first pair of guys she’d ever fantasised about. Such…

‘Honeymoon Avenue’ (album track) The first album track from Grande’s first album, ‘Honeymoon Avenue’ shows that she knows how to make an entrance. Opening with a swirl of classical strings that transition into doo-wop a capella harmonies and the songstress’s treacly vocals, this intro establishes Grande’s signature pop-meets-R&B sound with a chorus strong enough to be a lead single, while foreshadowing her experimental approach to genre-defying and sample-forward music. ‘goodnight n go’ (cover) Although covers are common pop fare, ‘goodnight n go’ is not a straightforward retelling or sample, but a reinterpretation that interpolates and jigsaws the best bits of Imogen Heap’s original. Indeed, Heap is such a significant influence on the singer that she co-produced the track, bringing ethereal electropop and futuristic sounds to take the 2000s classic into…

Seven Days in Tokyo by José Daniel Alvior On reading the blurb, Seven Days in Tokyo gives the impression of an international love story. After the perfect one-night stand, Louie decides to leave Manhattan for Tokyo and explore his connection with Landon, who lives on the other side of the world. Will romance transcend distance? However, the novel swiftly becomes more: a reflection on what it means to be in a relationship today, when romantic connections feel more complicated than ever. What at first appears to be a story of boy-meets-boy is quickly made complex: Louie is in an open relationship instigated after infidelity. What does it mean for him and his partner and, equally, for Landon? The surrounding cast of characters only further the entanglement of what it means…

Before LOVERBOY became a global fashion phenomenon breathing new life into London’s punk roots, it was a club night founded in 2014 by Charles Jeffrey when he was a student at Central Saint Martins. Just over a decade later, and Jeffrey is reviving the magic of those early club nights with his band The O.R. (short for The Out and Raging). Joined by musician and co-writer Søren, The O.R. is what happens when fashion meets musical mayhem. Taking cues from Peaches and Suicide (with bigger hair and attitude), the duo is generating tunes they dub “poof punk” that explores the many vignettes of queer identity. “All the musicians I love, their fashion and music is indivisible,” Søren explains. This is an echo of Jeffrey’s own approach as a designer. His…

N°1 DE CHANEL Did you know that Chanel was one of the first luxury brands to introduce makeup for men? Introduced in 2018, the Boy de Chanel line expanded men’s grooming horizons with foundations, lip balm and an eye pencil. But why stop there? Understanding that beauty isn’t gendered is the first step towards unlocking new ways to elevate your grooming routine. That’s where N°1 de Chanel comes in. The range of skincare was crafted to target external stress on our skin. From long work days to sleepless nights, the line-up of serums and moisturisers was crafted to boost skin vitality. The secret is in red camellia extract (reflected in the fiery packaging). Two decades of research at the Chanel Beauty lab found that the flower’s high concentration of protocatechuic…