A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Welcome to the latest issue of Attitude. It’s one with an expanded travel section to help get you through the dreary winter — and post-Christmas blues.

The word on the st reet

What is your fantasy holiday destination and who would you take with you?

BIG IN A WIG

CHARLIE PARHAM ISN’T JUST CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF ANTIC FACE THEATRE COMPANY, HE’S ALSO APHRODITE GREEN, AKA THE STRAIGHT ONE IN DRAG TROUPE DENIM

Agenda

THE THINGS WE LOVE THIS MONTH

RAFAEL DE LA FUENTE

If you’ve been tuning into Netflix for new episodes

THE RULES for staycations

IF SANTA DRAINED YOUR SACK DRY THIS CHRISTMAS, then

DANEZ SMITH

THE POET HAS BEEN CELEBRATED FOR HIS DEFT LYRICS, AND HIS NEW COLLECTION EXPLORES RACISM, SEXUALITY, DESIRE AND HIS HIV STATUS

HAPPILY EVERS AFTER

AS DANCING ON ICE RETURNS TO BRITISH SCREENS, EVERYONE’S FAVOURITE PROFESSIONAL SKATER MATT EVERS SHARES HIS COMING OUT STORY WITH ATTITUDE, REVEALING A YOUTH MARRED BY BULLYING, A GAY UNCLE OSTRACISED BY THE FAMILY, AND A LATE REALISATION OF HIS OWN SEXUALITY

LEO IN LA LA LAND

Great new gay films make LEO RICHARDSON realise how much he owes to Queer as Folk

A NEW SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

Writer and journalist HADLEY STEWART details the important role LGBT History Month can play in the education system

DANNY LEE WYNTER

Trips abroad are more a case of travail than travel

PEACH PERFECT

AS THE NEW YEAR GETS UNDER WAY, JAMES BARR HAS THE PICK OF THE MUSICAL HARVEST

POST HASTE

THE DREAM TEAM OF STREEP AND HANKS TAKE ON A CORRUPT PRESIDENT IN A PACEY DRAMA

PAUL FLYNN

The festivities weren’t the same this Br-Xmas

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WINDOW PAIN

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER — WITH A NOD TO HITCHCOCK — WILL HAVE YOU GRIPPED

Culture club

GODS AND MONSTERS is as much a work of fiction as Frankenstein’s creature itself

BGF

HER POWEREFUL VOICE AND SONGS ABOUT JILTED LOVE HAVE MADE THE LONDON-BORN SINGER A MASSIVE STAR AND A FAVOURITE AMONG GAY MEN

WHERE NO GAY MAN HAS GONE BEFORE

UNLIKE SOME HOLLYWOOD STARS WHO HIDE IN THE SHADOWS, WILSON CRUZ AND ANTHONY RAPP ARE TRAILBLAZERS WHO’VE BEEN OUT SINCE THE 1990S. THEY MADE HISTORY AGAIN LAST YEAR WHEN THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STAR TREK UNIVERSE’S FIRST SAME-SEX KISS. ATTITUDE MEETS THEM AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE RETURN OF HIT SHOW STAR TREK: DISCOVERY

A DANGEROUS DIS CONNECT

JOHANN HARI’S CONTROVERSIAL NEW BOOK TAKES A FRESH APPROACH TO THE FIGHT AGAINST DEPRESSION

KISS AND TEL

Tel Aviv boasts that it’s one of the gayest cities in the world, despite being in a region not known for its acceptance of homosexuality. Markus Bidaux explores the city to find out if it really is a gay oasis in the Middle East

CONFESSIONS OF A TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL

A round-up of some of the funniest — and most embarrassing — stories from those working in the travel industry

SUNNY AND SHARE

Corrie’s Antony Cotton and rugby league star Keegan Hirst take in the joys of Florida, the Sunshine state — from relaxing on Miami Beach to jumping on almost every ride at Orlando’s theme parks

JUST THE TICKET

TRAVEL TIPS AND A ROUND-UP OF ALL THE LATEST HOLIDAY NEWS

AMAZING ILLINOIS

With a proud history of queer rights, Chicago — and the rest of Illinois — is a safe, wecloming and entertaining destination for the gay traveller

OLD-SCHOOL THAI

Thailand is famed for its delicious food, unspoilt beaches and the warm welcome it extends to gay tourists. Matt Cain travels to Bangkok, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan to see whether the country lives up to its reputation

GOING, GOING, GON-DOLA

Simon Button visits the Italian resort of Venice, where he discovers great food, wonderful sights and luxurious hotels — and even finds time for a bit of maternal bonding…

LEI ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME

You can buy a garland of flowers, called a lei, throughout the Hawaiian islands, a symbol of the warm welcome you’ll be given. But one visitor who felt nervous was Joseph Kocharian, who has a fear of the water…

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STYLE

Spring has sprung for Primark with their Meadow Lab

POSTCARDS FROM PARADISE

Oliver Cheshire shows off a new range for spring-summer

CRUSH

Your monthly fashion need-to-know

CZECH & SPEAKE

Thirty years old but as sexy and exotic as ever

SPRAY IT

The new year is here and what better time to try out a new scent? Here are a few of our favourites…

Super fresh

Pastels and bright colours for the new season

TROLLEY DASH

Whether it’s for a city break abroad or a UK getaway, we run down our top picks to keep you looking stylish while you’re on the move

SHOOTING STAR

HIS BROMANCE WITH CHRIS HUGHES WAS THE REAL HIGHLIGHT OF LAST YEAR’S LOVE ISLAND. NOW, KEM CETINAY TELLS US WHAT INSPIRED HIM TO KEEP FIT AND HOW AN INJURY CHANGED EVERTHING

ACTIVATE

THE LATEST TECH, GEAR AND NEWS

FOCUS

THIS MONTH, MATT LISTER. HAS SOME TIPS ON KEEPING YOUR ENERGY LEVELS HIGH WITHOUT RESORTING TO CAFFEINATED DRINKS

REAL BODIES

”I like being tall, it does seem to draw attention

All at sea

After being raised in the Presbyterian Church in Northern Ireland, Matthew Hyndman sailed the Indian Ocean as a missionary — but two worlds collided when he accidentally outed himself to his entire family and congregation

Man of the month

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

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

De Montfort Place in Bedford is ideal for buyers looking

JOY RIDE

IN WHICH A MANUFACTURER CREATES AN EXTRAORDINARY ENGINE

A problem shared

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

THE HAPPINESS APPROACH TO FINDING LOVE

A Harvard study has found that the biggest predictor of happiness and fulfilment overall in life is, basically, love. It seems people with better relationships are happier, healthier and can even earn more. And now, Lemarc Thomas is offering a new approach to finding love

Table for two

Adam and Aiden dined at M Victoria Street, London

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

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?

HELLO

This guide brings together travel experts and influencers

WELCOME

Have you ever seen the castle at Caernarfon in Gwynedd?

Cape crusader

WE ALL LOVE WILD NIGHTS OUT BUT SOMETIMES WE JUST CRAVE A QUIET BREAK. IN A SERIES OF SHORT BREAK FEATURES, SALLY SHALAM TRAVELS AROUND THE UK BY CAR, WITH THE HELP OF LEADING CAR HIRE COMPANY HERTZ, TO FIND GREAT SPOTS TO EXPLORE AND RELAX

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 SUMMER SPOTS FOR YOU TO DISCOVER AND UNWIND

Twelve of the most epic detours in Scotland

PLANNING A SCOTTISH ROAD TRIP? FROM IMPRESSIVE AQUARIUMS TO HISTORIC CASTLES, WE’VE DISCOVERED THE BEST REASONS TO TAKE A PIT STOP, JUST OFF THE M8 AND THE M90

Bordering on the divine

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. IF YOU ARE PLANNING A TRIP TO THE FRINGE FESTIVAL, TAKE TIME OUT TO EXPLORE THE SCOTTISH BORDERS WHILE THERE

Twenty of the best coffeedetours

LOVE COFFEE? CAN’T FACE A BAD BREW? THEN FEAR NOT, BARISTA AND COFFEE WRITER CELESTE WONG FINDS THE BEST COFFEE SHOPS AND CAFÉS JUST OFF THE UK’S MAJOR ROADS

The heart of Hampshire

SALLY SHALAM CONTINUES HER TRAVELS AROUND THE UK BY CAR, WITH THE HELP OF LEADING CAR HIRE COMPANY HERTZ. A VISIT TO HAMPSHIRE TO WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF AUTHOR JANE AUSTEN UNCOVERED AN EXQUISITE MUSEUM AND A FORMER MANOR HOUSE BUT SADLY NO SIGN OF MR DARCY. NO MATTER, IT’S STILL ANOTHER IDEAL SUMMER SHORT BREAK

God’s own country

SALLY SHALAM CONTINUES HER TRAVELS AROUND THE UK BY CAR, WITH THE HELP OF LEADING CAR HIRE COMPANY HERTZ. A VISIT TO YORKSHIRE AND CUMBRIA REVEALED CHARMING LOCAL INDEPENDENT RETAILERS, DRAMATIC LANDSCAPES TO EXPLORE AND GLORIOUS OVERNIGHT PITSTOPS – THE PERFECT MIX FOR AN AUTUMNAL SHORT BREAK

A walk on the wild side in Wales

SALLY SHALAM CONTINUES HER TRAVELS AROUND THE UK BY CAR, WITH THE HELP OF LEADING CAR HIRE COMPANY HERTZ. A VISIT TO PEMBROKESHIRE REVEALED STUNNING COASTAL WALKS, CUTE HARBOURS AND VILLAGES, AND AMAZING LOCAL PLACES TO EAT - A GREAT WAY TO BEAT THE WINTER BLUES

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Twenty-one of the most delicious foodie detours

SAY NO TO ROADSIDE SNACKS AND RUSHED VISITS TO A SERVICE STATION. FOOD EDITOR ANGELICA MALIN ROUNDS UP 21 OF THE BEST FOODIE SPOTS A STONE’S THROW AWAY FROM THE UK’S MOST POPULAR MOTORWAYS