WHO ARE YOUR LGBTQ+ TRAILBLAZERS?

JAMES HODGE WRITER As Janelle Monae once said,

Dear Attitude readers,

behalf of Bentley Motors and our BeProud colleague

DRAMATIC LICENCE

Not only was she Emmy-nominated for her role in Baby Reindeer , but actress and BAFTA Breakthrough honouree Nava Mau can write and direct too. Her story starts here…

FILM, TV & MUSIC

AMROU AL-KADHI Drag artist, writer and director

SCENT OF SUCCESS

One of the world’s greatest perfumers, Roja Dove has created some of the finest fragrances, including bespoke creations for royalty, and is now training the next generation to follow in his olfactory footsteps

BUSINESS

STEPHEN BROWN Commercial specialist, US Commercial Service

ONE GIANT LEAP FORWARD

The Royal Ballet Principal Joseph Sissens is shaking up the traditional world of classic dance with shows like Legacy , which spotlighted talented people of colour both on and offstage

FASHION, ART & DESIGN

ALEX CONSANI Model ALEX CONSANI: GETTY/

CHASING THE GOBI GHOST

Biologist Dan O’Neill became the first publicly LGBTQ+ television presenter to host a wildlife series with his 2023 series Giants . Here, he describes the adrenaline rush of tracking snow leopards through the Gobi Desert for his latest series

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATHEMATICS

DR SUNDEEP SINGH BOPARAI Operations manager, Northwell

THE ENEMY WITHIN

ABC war correspondent James Longman , who documents “the extraordinary relationships human beings have with each other” shares his own mental health struggles

MEDIA & BROADCAST

CHRISTIAN COOPER Science and comics writer Christian

HAVE AUTISM, WILL TRAVEL

For travel writer Alicia Valenski —who has autism and ADHD —the hurdles she faces when venturing abroad involve more than delayed flights and missing luggage. But while it can certainly be challenging, the rewards for neurodivergent and queer travellers are plentiful

TRAVEL

KRISTOFER BARBER Director of global communications, Booking.com

PATH AHEAD

Namibian LGBTQ+ activist Friedel Dausab scored a major win by getting Namibia’s colonial-era laws impacting gay men overturned last year. But, as he says here, there’s still much work to be done

THIRD SECTOR & COMMUNITY

JOSH BABARINDE OBE Liberal Democrat MP

THE PACE

Currently, there are only five publicly gay professional footballers in the world. Thomas Hitzlsperger , the former Everton midfielder who came out after he retired, discusses what’s stopping more players from coming out

SPORT

TOM DALEY Diver A former professional

POSITIVE INFLUENCE

From starting out on TikTok, GK Barry now hosts her own podcast, took part in last year’s I’m ACelebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and is a regular on Loose Women . Her down-to-earth take on her sexuality has struck a chord with many in the LGBTQ+ community. This is only the beginning for this media star…

THE FUTURE

X GONZÁLEZ Gun control advocate A

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

As CEO of London Stock Exchange, Dame Julia Hoggett is the epitome of LGBTQ+ representation in a sector known for its conservative attitudes. Alongside her high-powered job, she has prioritised making City careers more accessible for all

FINANCIAL & LEGAL

MOTIE BRING CEO, PPRO Bring is

Kodo Nishimura’s Tokyo: Harmony amid the hustle

W hen the city’s vibrant nights give way

COUNTESS LUANN

She’s the smoky-voiced Real Housewives of New York diva with a wardrobe full of Jovani and a catalogue of tunes about gems, jets and silhouettes. But now, Countess Luann faces the ultimate challenge, as her fabulousity is scrutinised in the Attitude hot seat.

Stand firm, for our rights are under threat

I t didn’t take long for Elon Musk

PUT A RING ON IT

LUKA CYPRIAN BLEECKER STREET Mark up those calendars

FREAK UNIQUE

© PETER ASHWORTH Club kids, fashionistas and queer

AS YOU LAKE IT

RAPHAËL NEAL BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! The Magazine is

LEAVE RIGHT NOW

TOBY MITCHELL In a UK first, Manchester Airport’s

ULTRA SMART

Samsung is going all in on AI with

FACE TIME

©JEAN BAPTISTE MONDINO Step back in time at

Social media

Four voices reflect on their changing relationship with the medium

SHOW. ME. THE. RECEIPTS.

ELON MUSK

“I knew I was different before I even understood what it meant”

RAINBOW WORLD

On the art of finding meaning

AMROU AL-KADHI

Let’s rethink drink

DOCTOR’S ORDERS

Allyship begins with unlearning

JAMES BARR

Bentley Continental GTC Speed

The fourth-generation Continental GTC Speed is Bentley’s most powerful series production convertible ever, with 771bhp from a searing plug-in hybrid V8. If you can, you must…

TALKING MY LANGUAGE

Olly Alexander, a 101 Attitude Film, TV and Music trailblazer, takes us on a stroll through Hampstead Heath to discuss Polari , his new album named after the secret gay slang, why gay sex should be celebrated, and that Eurovision controversy

DANCING THROUGH LIFE

Brazilian dancer and model Miguel De Sousa , 36, discusses how he got started in dance, appearing in Emilia Pérez , and how his craft has impacted his relationship with his body

Faith in the FUTURE

On the English-language publication of his memoir, publicly gay Muslim Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed , who founded Europe’s first queer-friendly mosque in Paris, discusses his long journey towards reconciling Islam and homosexuality

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX

As both sex worker and aspiring author, the always-horny Max in arresting indie movie Sebastian hustles in more ways than one. Here, the equally sex-positive actor who plays him, Ruaridh Mollica, talks getting up close and personal with 76-year-old Titanic star Jonathan Hyde, and how Sebastian inspired him to come out (“I didn’t want to keep it hidden anymore”)

Wear with Pride

Rainbow lanyards —funded by the Attitude Magazine Foundation and the Paul Cottingham Trust —are making a real difference to openness and inclusion between staff and patients at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust

TRAVEL

THE WORLD IN FOCUS

Just the TICKET

LOST AND FOUND Bluetooth tracker Tile is now

Making memories

The loss of a beloved friend, wife and mother prompted two gay uncles to organise the lads’ trip of a lifetime for a not-so-famous five. In Florida they found respite, repair and a galaxy far, far away

24 hours in Tokyo

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TOKYO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

HOT HOTEL

Long Beach MAURITIUS LIFE’S A BEACH: The

THE REAL DEAL

Andy Cohen , American TV host and producer of the addictive Housewives franchise, dishes on dating, getting older, and his favourite magazine…

BOOKS

ASK THE AUTHOR

B SIDES

It’s more than 40 years since George Michael’s first hit with Wham! To mark this moment, we explore his discography to find the hidden gems you might not have heard...

JUKEBOX

Joseph Ryan-Hicks delves into some future nostalgia with Madame Padam aka Kylie Minogue’s glorious 2000 comeback album, Light Years

BEATS & PIECES

BASHKKA BASHKKA is the Turkish word for

FILM

The Summer with Carmen BEACH BOYS: Nikitas

QUEER CLASSIC

Dog Day Afternoon Al Pacino, John Cazale

MOTHER AND SON

With their film Four Mothers screening at the BFI: Flare London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, Irish brothers Colin and Darren Thornton discuss what inspired them to write and direct the movie, while its star, Scotsman James McArdle talks mastering his Irish accent as the film’s complicated gay protagonist Edward, who is a full-time carer for his mum

DANCE THE DAY AWAY

We head to False Idols at north London’s DRUMSHEDS for a heady 10-hour celebration of techno and performances from pop royalty

RECOMMENDED...

Human , Animal by Seth Insua

AUDIO BOOK PICK

We Used to Live Here by Marcus

STYLE

“NOTHING SUITS ME LIKE A SUIT”

CRUSH

WELCOME RETURN LOUIS VUITTON PHOTO BY INÈ Z &

Ready to rewear

Reinvent your wardrobe staples by playing with layers, deconstruction and shape…

BEAUTY

STRAWBERRY ROMANCE As the season changes, it’s

THE GAINSBOROUGH BATH SPA

The hot-blooded palms of a celestial being glide

BEAUTY BAR

Undress him with your eyes