A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

It’s been wonderful to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the start of decriminalisation in England and Wales, and to dedicate the previous issue of Attitude to it. But I want to open this month’s magazine with a note of caution — because our battle is still far from won.

The word on the street

AS TOLD TO: GUILLOTINA MUNTER PHOTOGRAPHY: ERICA VON

A list

FILM // TV // MUSIC // OPINION // NEWS // PERFORMANCE

Agenda

THE THINGS WE LOVE THIS MONTH

THE RULES for visiting the USA

BE AWARE THAT IN AMERICA, EVERYTHING’S BIG. And that

MODEL BEHAVIOUR

CAUSTIC COMIC JOE SUTHERLAND IS MAKING HIS EDINBURGH FESTIVAL DEBUT WITH A SHOW THAT’S ABOUT THE “HOLY TRINITY OF COMEDY”: CONFIDENCE, THE SPICE GIRLS AND HOMOPHOBIA

CLIFF JOANNOU

13 reasons why you need more straight friends in your life

Sasha – Ying To Victory

FOR A WHILE, VALENTINA SEEMED DESTINED TO WIN SEASON NINE OF RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE. THEN CAME HER INFAMOUS LIP SYNC, AND 30 -YEAR-OLD NEW YORKER SASHA VELOUR SNATCHED THE CROWN

LEO IN LA LA LAND

Leo Richardson once tried on a blue dress as child but only now has he discovered the true joy of drag

THE TWILIGHT ZONE

Australian actor ADAM GARCIA teases Attitude about his role in the late Kevin Elyot’s swansong, in which he might just be adding to his list of gay characters — and nude scenes

DANNY LEE WYNTER

I turned into my dad — in the worst way possible

PAUL FLYNN

Don’t worry if you can’t live the vida loca

RICH GAYS VS POOR GAYS

Playwright LEON FLEMING looks at an often-ignored social divide within in the LGBT+ community

BACK TO TAKE PRIDE OF PLACE

JAMES BARR HAS FOUND THE QUEER ANTHEM OF THE YEAR, IF ONLY HE CAN TEAR HIMSELF AWAY FROM THE TELLY

ALBUM REVIEWS

Don’t try to define him by his sexuality, and don’t

THAT’S THE SPIRIT

A HAUNTING TALE IS GIVEN AN EXTRA TW IST

ON THE FRONT LINE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE

A NEW HISTORY CHRONICLING THE TOUGH TIMES FACED BY EARLIER GENERATIONS IS A MUST-READ FOR GAY MEN TODAY

Culture club

It’s time to get together again with ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

BGF

IF YOU’RE W ONDERING whether Davina McCall’s on-screen

FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER

ADVENTURER AND EXTREME ATHLETE GAVAN HENNIGAN IS AT EASE W ITH HIMSELF. BUT THAT W ASN’T ALW AYS THE CASE AS CRIPPLINGLY LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND A STRUGGLE TO ACCEPT BOTH HIS SEXUALITY AND HIS SEXUAL PREFERENCE LED HIM DOW N A PATH OF ALMOST FATAL SELF-DESTRUCTION

Trial and terror

AS WE CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE OF THE BBC’S GAY BRITANNIA SERIES, WE CHAT TO AGAINST THE LAW STAR DANIEL MAYS ABOUT HIS ROLE AS PETER WILDEBLOOD, AN IMPORTANT FIGURE IN THE FIGHT FOR LGBT+ EQUALITY

TOM CRUISY

TOUKO LAAKSONEN, BETTER KNOW N TO THE W ORLD AS TOM OF FINLAND, IS THE SUBJECT OF AN EMOTIONAL NEW FILM

BRINGTON PRIDE Summer of love

BRIGHTON PRIDE’S SUMMER OF LOVE IS A W EEKEND-LONG CELEBRATION IN THE NAME OF LOVE AND EQUALITY — AND W ILL MARK THE 50 TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PARTIAL DECRIMINALISATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN ENGLAND AND W ALES

Attitude PRIDE AWARDS 2017

CELEBRATING 10 EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE WHO EMBODY THE

Welcom e to the Attitude Pride Awards, in association with Sky

Welcom e to the Attitude Pride Awards, in association

The courage of his conviction

Fifty years after the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, a former ser viceman — once jailed for being gay — accepts an award on behalf of all those who suffered when their sexuality was against the law

Taking on the Home Office

After fleeing horrific abuse in Nigeria and seeking sanctuary in Britain, one asylum seeker hit the headlines when she was accused of lying about being a lesbian and had her application rejected. Now she is a vocal critic of the system and helps other queer applicants

Defiant in the face of death

Since being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, one queer journalist has used his platform as a writer to share his journey with readers and to campaign against inequalities in the health-care system

Great Scot

Despite suffering setback after setback on her journey to become the person she was meant to be, one trans woman hasn’t lost her zest for life or her desire to help others

Pride and prejudices

In between interviewing the likes of Madonna and Prince William, the award-winning former editor of Attitude found time to write a play and a vitally important book on growing up gay and mental health

The fight of her life

As a black lesbian, one former civil servant has battled against discrimination since she was a child. Now she uses her voice to speak up for LGBT+ people from ethnic minorities and as director of UK Black Pride

Living on in our memories

Sometimes the greatest form of activism is simply to be true to yourself. Few people embody that idea better than one of the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Manchester

Closing the transgender gap

When their daughter suffered abuse at work after coming out as trans, one couple decided it was time to fight for the legal and medical rights of all trans people

A new understanding

To many conservative Sikh Punjabis, homosexuality is a taboo subject; ignored and misunderstood. But after years of depression and struggling with his true self, one man decided to change all that

Clause and effect

Clause 28 was such a divisive piece of legislation that a group of lesbians protested against it by abseiling into the House of Lords as it was being debated. Then, the night before it became law, four others invaded a live BBC TV news broadcast

Attitude PRIDE AWARDS 2017

The Attitude Pride Awards 2017, in association with

YOU LEAD, WE’LL FOLLOW

Break away from the crowd and take your own path with new Rio-inspired men’s clothing brand, Independent Leaders

STYLE

PHOTOGRAPHY: BARTEK SZMIGULSKI WORDS AND FASHION: JOSEPH

CRUSH

Your monthly fashion need-to-know

PUT YOUR SHIRT ON IT

The white shirt is a staple every man needs in his

BEAUTY AND THE BEACH

Sun and sand require specialist skin care, and the Lab Series range has your back (and front and legs…)

CHAINS OF COMMAND

Necklaces, chains, and chokers; super simple or oversized, plain or with charms — these are the accessories in vogue right now

QUAY TO THE KINGDOM

Premium outlet shopping centre Gunwharf Quays is the perfect place to visit for a war drobe and lifestyle upgrade this summer

HEAVENS, GATES

HE SHOT TO FAME ON POP IDOL AND HAS SINCE CARVED OUT A CAREER ON STAGE — AND AN IMPRESSIVE PHYSIQUE. GARETH GATES TELLS US ABOUT STAMMERING, COCONUT TEA AND HIS LOVE OF DRAG

ACTIVATE

THE LATEST TECH, GEAR AND INFO

FOCUS

THIS MONTH, MATT LISTER REDISCOVERS THE POWER OF EXERCISE IN OVERCOMING DEPRESSION AND BOOSTING BRAIN AS WELL AS BRAWN

REAL BODIES

“I was teased for being overweight until I was 21.

The cat that ate the canaries

CHARLIE CONDOU AND CAMERON LAUX TRY A DIFFERENT SORT OF CLUBBING, W ITH A SPORTING HOLIDAY ON LANZAROTE THAT LEAVES THEM FEELING HAPPY, FULFILLED, REJUVENATED — AND A LITTLE SMUG

DANCING ON AIR

The party season continues in vibrant, freedom-loving Zurich with the biggest dance celebration in the world

The Downs will lift you up

PLANNING ON PARTYING AT BRIGHTON PRIDE? TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECHARGE AFTERWARDS AND EXPLORE THE SURROUNDING SUSSEX COUNTRYSIDE. SALLY SHALAM CONTINUES HER TRAVELS AROUND THE UK BY CAR, WITH THE HELP OF LEADING CAR HIRE COMPANY HERTZ, TO FIND GREAT SPOTS FOR YOU TO DISCOVER AND RELAX

Just the ticket

TRAVEL TIPS AND A ROUND-UP OF THE LATEST HOLIDAY NEW S. THIS MONTH, W E REVIEW A SPA HOTEL AND A COUNTRYSIDE RETREAT, AND TRY TO HOOK YOU UP W ITH SOME HOT ITALIANS…

Together for ever

From decriminalisation and the Aids crisis to civil partnerships and equal marriage, Percy Steven, 78, and Roger Lockyer, 89, have seen it all — as a couple

Man of the month

Eeac month we profile one of you guys, our readers, to find out what you get up to in your life

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Harrow Council’s regeneration programme is bringing

JOY RIDE

It took Audi 15 years to become something more than

Buddy brilliant

In a celebration of queer friendship, we ask best mates some telling questions and find out just how well they really know each other

Table for two

David and Declan dined at M Restaurant Victoria Street, London

A problem a problem shared

Got a problem? DR RANJ SINGH and WAYNE DHESI are here to offer their advice…

Stepping out

We all remember that exciting, nerve-racking night when we made our debut on the scene. So what was it like for you, the first time you walked through the door of a gay venue?

BIG IN A WIG

A SEMI-FINALIST ON AUSTRALIAN IDOL AND A QUEEN W HO SPARKLED DURING SEASON SIX OF RuPAUL’S DRAG RACE, COURTNEY ACT IS BACK IN THE UK W ITH A SOLO SHOW AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE