HEAT IT UP

MEET THE TEAM

ATTITUDE’S OWN BACHELORS OF THE YEAR

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

It’s been a real privilege to put together an issue of Attitude that celebrates bachelors — because it’s great to be reminded that as gay men we too can now get married. But at the same time, defining gay men by their marriage status opens up all kinds of issues that can provoke a variety of reactions.

The word on the st reet

MURRAY TAIT (GROUNDSKEEPER FANNY): A strong Instagram

BIG IN A WIG

THE UK’S MOST IN-DEMAND CARBOHYDRATE IN A WIG, JACQUI POTATO IS A DJ, PERFORMER AND EAST LONDON’S MOST ENVELOPEOPENING ATTENDEE. SHE’S ALSO ONE OF ATTITUDE’S BACHELORS OF THE YEAR

Agenda

THE THINGS WE LOVE THIS MONTH

CLIFF JOANNOU

My not quite Sex & The City life

THE RULES

For a fancy dress party

THE MESSAGE HAS FILTERED THROUGH

YouTube’s Restricted Mode meant thousands of LGBT-related videos disappeared from its platform last month. Introduced to protect against adult content, it also censored anything related to gay life, relationships and love. YouTuber RIYADH KHALAF explains what went wrong

DANNY LEE WYNTER

We all have that one special teacher — I didn’t appreciate mine

ART BEAT

Tate Britain is holding a major exhibition of queer art and we asked gay artist PABLO BRONSTEIN to talk us through it

KATE O’DONNELL

STAR OF BOY MEETS GIRL AND TRANS CAMPAIGNER KATE O’DONNELL TELL US ABOUT THE CONTINUING RELEVANCE OF SHAKESPEAREAN COMEDY, CROSS-DRESSING, GENDER IDENTITY AND PLAYING THE FOOL

LEO IN LA LA LAND

Having given up on true love, LEO RICHARDSON had a chance meeting and suddenly wasn’t a bachelor any more…

PAUL FLYNN

Strange paternal feelings are an age-old problem

COL OF THE WILD

A BLIND DATE MIGHT LEAVE JAMES BARR TOTALLY IN THE DARK BUT HE CAN STILL SHINE A LIGHT ON ALL THE LATEST SINGLE RELEASES

A HOLE IN THE OZON LAYER

A FRENCH MELODRAMA THAT’S A LITTLE ALOOF AND NOT AS FRISKY AS SOME OF THE DIRECTOR’S OTHER WORK BUT IS STILL ELEGANT

ANCIENT TALE IS A MODERN SUCCESS STORY

THIS TALE FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY HAS THE LOT: MURDER, WAR, BETRAYAL AND CHILDREN IN DEADLY PERIL

Culture club

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED shows that all’s fair in love and Waugh

BIG GAY FOLLOWING

{ BIG GAY FOLLOWING }

SPARKLING CARVER

ALONGSIDE BROTHER MAX, CHARLIE CARVER WAS A TROUBLESOME TWIN IN TV SHOWS DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES AND TEEN WOLF. HE’S SINCE GONE ON TO ACHIEVE SOLO SUCCESS, APPEARING WITH ZACHARY QUINTO AND JAMES FRANCO IN I AM MICHAEL, AND PLAYING A ROLE IN THE LGBT+ HISTORY EPIC WHEN WE RISE. NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO ATTITUDE ABOUT HOW LAST YEAR’S HEARTFELT “COMING OUT” LETTER WAS INSPIRED BY EVENTS CLOSE TO HOME…

FROM HELLRAISER TO TRAILBLAZER

TOMMY DORFMAN WAS A TEEN TEARAWAY WHO ENDED UP IN REHAB. BUT HE’S TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND AND NOW HAS A STARRING ROLE IN THE NETFLIX SERIES, 13 REASONS WHY

Sweet Jesus

BRITISH ACTOR TOM PAYNE TELLS US ABOUT MAKING THE MOVE TO LA, TAKING ON ZOMBIES AS THE LATEST GAY CHARACTER IN THE WALKING DEAD, AND HIS LOVE OF DRAG QUEEN BINGO

BLONDIE HAVE MORE FUN

DEBBIE HARRY AND CHRIS STEIN FIRST TOPPED THE UK CHARTS IN 1978 AND, DESPITE SOME SETBACKS, THEIR GROUP BLONDIE HAVE REMAINED RELEVANT FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS. AND NOW THEY ARE BACK WITH A NEW ALBUM

DISUNITED KINGDOM?

THIS YEAR, ENGLAND AND WALES CELEBRATE 50 YEARS SINCE THE PARTIAL DECRIMINALISATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY. HOWEVER, SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND DIDN’T FOLLOW SUIT UNTIL THE EARLY EIGHTIES. MORE THAN THREE DECADES LATER, SCOTLAND IS NOW HERALDED AS A BASTION OF SOCIAL PROGRESS, WHILE NORTHERN IRELAND RETAINS A STIGMA OF INTOLERANCE. BUT DO THOSE REPUTATIONS MATCH THE REALITY?

Heaven scent

OUT BEFORE HE WAS EVEN A TEENAGER, PERFUME GENIUS, REAL NAME MIKE HADREAS, KNOWS ALL ABOUT THE FEARS AND HARSH REALITIES OF GROWING UP GAY. BUT HE’S ALWAYS REFUSED TO STAY SILENT — THAT’S BORNE OUT IN HIS EXPRESSIVE MUSIC, WHICH HE HOPES CAN HELP OTHER QUEER KIDS

STYLE

FASHION & WORDS: JOSEPH KOCHARIAN PHOTOGRAPHY:

TREND ALL SPORTS EVERYTHING

The sportswear trend shows no sign of slowing down this summer. Here are the key looks from some of our favourite brands

THE PERFECT NIGHT IN

Create that spa environment at home with our top picks to keep your body, mind and soul relaxed and calm

CRUSH

Your monthly fashion need-to-know

HOT STUFF

HE’S THE GOOD MORNING BRITAIN WEATHERMAN WHOSE GOOD

ACTIVATE

THE LATEST TECH, GEAR AND INFO YOU NEED TO LEAD A FITTER LIFE

FOCUS

THIS MONTH, MATT LISTER IS MAXIMISING HIS WORKOUT TIME WITH INTERVAL TRAINING. HERE’S WHY YOU SHOULD, TOO…

REAL BODIES

{ OPEN UP ABOUT YOUR BODY }

Tales of the unexpected

ATHENS IS KNOWN FOR BOTH ITS ANCIENT RUINS AND BEING A MODERN CITY. BUT IT ALSO BOASTS A RICH HISTORY OF SAME-SEX LOVE, ACCEPTANCE AND A BIT OF GAY DEBAUCHERY, WRITES JOSEPH KOCHARIAN

Just the t icket

TRAVEL TIPS AND A ROUND-UP OF THE LATEST HOLIDAY NEWS. THIS MONTH, WE PICK SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE PRIDE EVENTS COMING UP AROUND THE WORLD

Church of the poisoned mind

Geoffrey Thompson says it’s time Anglican bishops removed the ban on gay clergy in same-sex marriages

Man of the month

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

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

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Invest in a slice of Greenwich as homes in the main

A problem shared

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

Table for two

Benjy and Tommy dined at M Restaurant Victoria Street, London

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?