The cabaret sensation leading a new wave of performers

Variety is an integral part of cabaret; without a rich and diverse mix of acts and styles a scene will become hackneyed. Thankfully, our scene – across the UK – is alight with engrossing performance and art right now. One of the performers who is part of this exciting wave is Romeo De La Cruz, who has been performing primarily as a drag, boylesque and dance artist for the last six years. This week, Jason Reid gets to know more about Romeo… 

Who is Romeo De La Cruz?

Romeo De La Cruz is a trans, non-binary, energetic, enigmatic humxn whose scintillating performances mash-up their craft of dance, drag and boylesque to produce the twisted concoction of their majestic fetish. A softie by nature but hardened by society. If you’re lucky you might just experience the comedic side of De La Cruz

Describe your performance style in three words. 

Extempore, majestic and  personal. 

What’s your aesthetic? 

My aesthetic is developed around my personal insecurities as an introverted drag performer; Romeo is a danceaholic who finds their voice through movement – incorporating sexual fetishism, comedy and political statements inspired by their offstage life.

Three artists who inspire you? 

Jada Love paved the way for me in the burlesque world, and whilst we were dating I was somehow incorporated into her act and she never left my side – literally, because I married her. Performing with her helped me MASSIVELY in becoming the true me. Lolo Brow and Lilly SnatchDragon were the first womxn drag queens I saw perform and shared a stage with – they have a presence, humbleness and genuine soul that hasn’t changed. These two beings taught me without knowing. 

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a drag king in 2019? 

My biggest challenge is myself: stepping out my box to attempt opportunities I’ve always been hesitate to do – anxiety can do many things to a human. 

What are you listening to? 

The Color Show Playlist (YouTube). 

Fave new performers right now?

Silver, Clay Taurus, Trindad & TooGayThough and Carrot. You need to see these performers in action!

What makes you happy? 

My family, friends and their food. I may not eat a lot but I always take home extras. Music, poetry and dance also has an impact on my happiness, positivity and focused energy.

One piece of advice for new kings?  

You are your only competition; compete with no one but YOURSELF as your art is your ownership. 

The world would be a better place without? 

All the ‘phobias & ‘isms. Like biphobia, homophobia, femmephobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ageism, colourism, genderism, racism, sexism and more. I know we’re all made of skin, blood, muscles and bones but we can be too focused on the outside, people need to look a little deeper. 

If you could only read one book, watch one movie and listen to one album for the rest of your days; what would you choose? 

Book – The Black Dancing Body: A Geography from Coon to Cool by Brenda Dixon Gottschild. 

Movie – The Color Purple. 

Album – The Divine Feminine by Mac Miller. 

What haven’t you done yet that you’d really like to do? 

Perform aboard and have my own merchandise. One day… I hope. Can’t say when but I’m putting it out there in the universe. 

What do you like to see when you go to a cabaret show as a punter? 

Diverse cultures; variety of talent/arts; venues and events that don’t tolerate ‘phobias/‘isms; gender neutral toilets; all different bodies and abilities represented.

Tell us something about yourself that not many people know. 

I’m a medical marijuana supporter. This came after years of research and seeing the benefits – physically and mentally – through close ones. I can’t ignore the visible evidence worldwide that shows more positive effects than negative for human life. 

Romeo De La Cruz will be performing at The Apothecary Cabaret, The Albany, 240 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5QU on Friday 15 March. 

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Here’s what the Eagle have got planned for the rest of the month

Yes, you heard us! No, it’s not another Posh-less leg of the Spice Girls reunion tour we’re announcing. Over at the Eagle, they’re serving up all of your favourites, where you can get two drinks for the price of one! 2-4-1 drinks will be pouring out from behind the bar throughout the week between 9pm and 11pm, and yes, even on weekends! Get twice as sloshed for the same price.

This will be a feature at all of their upcoming events, of which there are MANY. They keep themselves busy over at the Eagle, with a fresh mix of disco, R&B or those house classics busting out of their speakers ever weekend. Here’s what you have to look forward to this week:

Athena – The March Party

16th of March

Whenever we hear Athena we think euphoria. When you have a double vodka in hand and your fave ‘80s disco bop is on, it really is damn euphoric. Taking over the decks are Paul Joseph and Gareth Hackney who live and breathe throwback, fist-pumping hits. Everything from Abba to Salt-N-Pepa, Whitney to Kylie.

9pm – 4am. Free before 10pm with OutSavvy ticket, £6 OTD.

Horse Meat Disco – Jim & Luke

17th of March

A London living, breathing legend. Horse Meat Disco has a stellar reputation that it somehow always lives up to. They have carved out Sunday nights in their image, whipping their fiery manes to the beats of the freshest disco funk mixes. This week it’s in the hands of HMD staples Jim Stanton and Luke Howard, so slip into your tightest jeans and roll up those sleeves. It’s time to get grooving.

8pm – 3am. £6 before 10pm, £8 after.

Soul On Saturday – 1st of Birthday Party

23rd of March

So when you’re near me, darling can’t you hear me. Soul on Saturday! Celebrating a whole year on the scene, they’re cranking up the volume to eleven. Let Roy Inc. take over your Saturday night, and gorge yourself on this feast of Soul music. Riding into those DJ decks on a white swan is Terry T-Rex, with Jeanie Crystal riding closely behind in a cloud of eco-friendly glitter.

9pm – 4am. Free entry until 10 pm, £6 after.

Eagle London, 349 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall SE11 5QY. Keep with up with them on Facebook (Eagle London), Twitter (@EagleLondon) and online at www.EagleLondon.com.

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★★★ by Ifan Llewelyn

Turn left out of Angel station and you’ll find yourself at the red-lacquered doors of the unassuming Red Lion Pub. Nestled inside behind a red velvet curtain and up a few stairs is the intimate performance space of the Red Lion Theatre, where the inviting performance space beckons you to shuffle into repurposed church benches for a night of raw theatre. The sudden dimming of the lights brought Circa into action as our cast of characters set the stage for Tom Ratcliffe’s whistle-stop bildungsroman of a gay man’s life.

Following The Man, our central character, we see him in three distinct stages of his life, maturing from student (Thomas Flynn), to young professional (Daniel Abelson) to older age (Anthony Gabriel). There is little to be made distinctive about our central character apart from his sexuality, which translates a message of a universal queer experience. The featured life experiences are familiar, from hapless run-ins in a rural town, an escape to study in the city, to the breaking down of relationships and lost loves. The three generations bring a new slant on the gay male experience, though an ill-fated engagement to a woman (Jenna Fincken) is an interesting plot point to throw into the mix. Our protagonist is consistently striving towards the married with kids model in a gay landscape of anonymous hookups and open relationships. There is a tension between the idea of a ‘normal’ life and that of a gay sex-positive progressive life, which is a little uneasy, with Ratcliffe’s writing airing a latent disgruntlement with the gay scene.

The malleable staging has the show effectively manipulating the space to create bedrooms to nightclubs, with sensitive uses of prop providing just enough context to set the scene. Squeezing thirty years into a hundred minutes is ambitious, to say the least, but the performance space is well utilised, with an effective portrayal of time progression. The lack of continuity between the generations of the central character portrayal proved rather strange, however, with very little affectation being carried through. They featured more like generations of Doctor Who. While not being consistent and accents coming and going, they were undeniably entertaining in their interpretation of the character. Thomas Flynn’s performance the youngest iteration of the man is the most successful, with his fragility and enthusiasm glowing through to create a beguiling performance. His turn as the northern crossdressing rent boy whom the older man seeks the services of is also spectacular; both rib-tickling and heart-warming. Praise is also due to Fincken brief performance as The Man’s girlfriend, being completely at ease in front of an audience.

Despite its rough edges, Circa is an evening of theatre that is effective in capturing the concerns of a gay man living in the twenty-first century, laying down the path through which one becomes older. It also poses questions of what’s in store for our sexual culture as we become increasingly digitised in our sexual habits. Flynn’s performance alone is reason enough to book your tickets, walk through those red-lacquered doors and shuffle into a repurposed church bench.

Circa is at The Old Red Lion Theatre until 30th March. www.oldredliontheatre.com

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POW! It’s P.A.U. at Daddy issues! Haven’t heard of her? She’s a Swedish singing sensation and she’s doing a special appearance at Daddy Issues tomorrow night.

We asked her what to expect below!

Hey PAU! Describe yourself in one gorgeous sentence.

Hi, I’m P A U – and I’m free ’til you catch me. 

Swedish pop music is GREAT. Why do you think that is?

Oh my – I do think it’s because we live in the dark almost all year around and have a hard time communicating so we write music and we are not so complicated so it ends up in the amazing genre pop music.  But what do I know, I’m just man-guessing. hehe. 

Are you excited for Eurovision?

Haha, always! Who can wait to see all the bad and tasteless styling?! It’s a big thing in Sweden and we believe every year we’re gonna win. LOL. 

Who is the greatest living performer?

Oh, my. I have to say Sade. That woman has grace and just a natural flow of musicality. But this always change for me, very depending on what mode I’m in when it comes to my own life. I’m in transition right now o I have to mention that I LOVE Rihanna as well, she’s an alien. GORGEOUS. 

Can you remember the greatest moment of your life?

So far it has to be when I started to make music again as P A U. and when I wrote my first honest break up song. My tears where running through my heart and out in my eyes and got translated into words by my month. It was so powerful.

What’s your hangover food of choice?

Shit, now I feel like you’re gonna think I’m lying or hate me..but I love eating a crunchy sallad with Halloumi.. I don’t like pizza, I’m a weird one.. I know.. 

Who’d be your ideal romantic partner?

Shit, I have no idea. Right now I’m just keeping a list of what I don’t want. Way easier to know. There i have experience, you know. 

And finally…what have you got planned for Saturday night?!

It’s so amazing to collaborate with Daddy Issues. It’s a dream come true and we have everything you need to have a magical night. To greet you and make you feel at home we have our lovely hosts Traylor Trash & Paul Godfrey. I’m performing Liquor Talk (of course), and some new material live with the electronic Swedish duo YXA. Borja Pena, Rut Meyersson and Marcus Enochson (who used to share booth and get ass pinched by the legend Frankie Knuckles) is keeping the club vibes HOT down stairs. Our other performances will blow you away as well, Daddyissues presents to you Blooms Taxonomy and Caramelle. And up stairs Tamer Wilde and Dom Top is keeping the floor busy and gorgeous as always! This team will bring fire from 22-03. 

Listen to Liquor Talk here.
Hit attending to Daddy Issues here.

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The radio star talks tunes and tantrums

Hey Adam! Tell us a bit about yourself.  

I’m a DJ, producer and radio presenter from London. I played my first gig on the scene about eight years ago at little old Circa Bar in Soho… and have somehow managed to keep it together since then! I’ve spent the last few years remixing artists like Robbie Williams, Paloma Faith, Years & Years and others and travelling the world DJing.

What’s your radio show all about?   

TURNED:ON is all about brand new dance music. I guess it’s a place where people can be introduced to new sounds and artists, and skip all the classic/older music that a lot of radio seems to put out. I was always that kid who grabbed the aux lead at a party and tried to play new music off my iPod to people (they would often just look at me with a blank expression as I flipped Madonna off and put some kind of Drum & Bass on), so I kind of just do the same thing now – it’s just that party is a radio show around the world, and I get less blank expressions (I think). I’m really proud that TURNED:ON is about to celebrate its 250th show – nearly five whole years of sourcing music, mixing, producing and presenting it every single week without ever missing one!

People are loving radio and podcasts and stuff at the moment – why do you think that is?   

There are many places in 2019 where an algorithm can tell you what music you should like or should listen to based on your listening history on an app. But the one thing you can’t get with an algorithm is company, companionship and interaction with a presenter. The majority of radio is listened to by people on their own – in their car, at the gym, at home, on their way to work, at their desk at work – and I think people enjoy feeling like they aren’t on their own and that they are going through the ‘experience’ with someone else. With TURNED:ON that ‘experience’ is discovering new music together. I think we live in an increasingly isolated world with social media and the internet whilst perhaps not actively realising it – so to have interaction with another human, even if it’s just their voice, is kind of refreshing.

Do you think there are enough LGBT voices in music and radio?   

In terms of radio, I think the fact that one of the biggest radio stations in the world, BBC Radio 1, has two openly gay presenters in their daytime schedule speaks volumes as to how far radio has come. With the explosion of digital and internet radio, there are also now many LGBTQ+ dedicated stations around the world focusing on issues and topics relative to the community – which is amazing. Music wise, I’d love to see more LGBTQ+ artists away from the mainstream – in Grime or Hip Hop for instance or even the smaller corners of dance music, which can all be very straight/male dominated.

Finally…where can we listen to you?

TURNED:ON is syndicated as a radio show on 20+ stations around the world between Thursday and Sunday every week – so quite a few places! The main broadcaster in the UK is Gaydio, every Saturday night from 10pm-11pm. It’s also available to download every week from Sunday morning as a podcast – just search for TURNED:ON in the iTunes podcasts sections, or on Podomatic.com. 

For more info on Adam, head to adamturnermusic.co.uk

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If you weren’t an avid film-goer back in the early ’80s, then you might have missed this gem of a flick. It was one of Christopher Walken’s first major films and just the second major role for Steve Martin. Making just $9.2 million at the box office (from a $22 million budget, ouch) it was a huge flop with audiences. People just didn’t want to go see it. Little did they know they were missing out one of the most beautiful, poetic and yes, CAMP, thing that has ever been put to film. 

Based on a grizzly, miserable BBC television drama form 1978, it tells the story of a Chicago sheet-music salesman (a young, hunky Steve Martin) as he falls in love with a schoolteacher-turned-prostitute (Broadway legend Bernadette Peters) during the great depression, with his work and his marriage falling to crap around him. A film about the Great Depression, a failed marriage and the murder and rape of a blind girl doesn’t sound like your typical go-to for a camp musical, but that’s the point. Inbetween some of the bleakest and most desperate moments in American history, they burst into lavish show tunes bringing forward the true contradiction of the age of style and starvation. 

Here are why we think you should be getting into this film in a major way:

Bernadette Peters in a room of mini pianists.

Oh grow up, we said PIANIST. One of the first scenes has a dowdy Bernadette Peters teaching a class about Rapunzel… for some reason when she suddenly bursts into a white glittering spectacular about why Love Is Good For Anything That Ails You. This musical number serves up some of the movie’s most striking visuals, with adorable school kids at tiny pianos all in white dresses and tuxes. It’s an adorable show tune that brings added significance to when this schoolteacher is ultimately forced to sell her love. Poignant! 

A tap dance striptease from Christopher Walken.

Did you know that he’s an amazing singer and tap-dancer!? It feels like he’s been 50 years old for the past 40 years somehow, so seeing him frantically tap his shoes like Bojangles. In the scene, he’s a pimp trying to seduce Peters to his sensual world, taking his clothes off as he dances around a downtown bar. We know we’re not supposed to find him hot here but we can’t help it. The man has moves, and a massive tattoo on his chest which makes him feel dangerous. This musical number will completely change how you see Christopher Walken forever. Any film of his you watch after this, you won’t be able to not see him tapping his toes in a tight white vest and massive boxers. 

Talk about artistic references.

We’ve already gone on about the visuals, but they truly are stunning. Jam-packed full of high and low brow nods to artistic and cultural moments from the early half of the 20th century, this movie is like an energetic sprint around an art gallery. This picture-perfect recreation of Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks is one that really takes your breath away because it’s so spot on. 

Steve Martin was actually a piece.

It’s terrible reductive to reduce a talented performer to the way he looks, but hey. Madonna can sip her tea all she wants. We’ve gotten so used to seeing Steve as a dad type with silver hair and a cheesy smile that it’s easy to forget that he was a hot young thing once. Here he’s at the peak of his hot-young-thing-ness, being both handsome and a little dorky which just melts our hearts. When he breaks into his numbers you can see he’s enjoying it, and really camping it up which has us creaming our knickers. If someone could invent a time-machine/fleshlight contraption we’d really appreciate it. 

Lipsyncing for their lives.

In all honesty, it’s not great. It seems strange to have Broadway performers involved and have them lipsyncing but it somehow works. But these are fantasy sequences they fall into when opening their chops to belt, so it adds to that effect. Big burly men become adorable harmonising trios, and bop to the music. Watching a musical can be frustrating if you’re a fan because you know you could never spontaneously burst into songs in real life, but lipsyncing you can do whenever and wherever. Watch this film enough times and you can lipsync along with them. 

Featuring slept-on gay icon Jessica Harper.

WHY aren’t all us queers raving about Jessica Harber?! Lady Gaga tweets out a hashtag and we can’t get enough, but we don’t have time to send out love tweets about Mz Harper? SHAME on us. She starred in the Rocky Horror Picture Show sequel, for Cher’s sake. She starred in witchy dance academy horror film Suspiria, for Kylie’s sake.  She’s rather well behaved and sweet in Pennies from Heaven, but don’t let that fool you. She’s almost exclusively done horror movie musicals and we can respect that. We’re starting a petition for her to gain Goldie Hawn status, are you with us?

Why The First Wives Club is a camp masterpiece

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Discerning scene musings from the princess of East London!

It might seem we’re just going around in circles but actually, even when you think things are stagnating, a spark of something wonderful lights up our worlds! That’s winter for you. But now we’re heading towards spring – look at me being ruled by nature’s changing seasons lol! How pagan!

Having a lol at the Karaoke Hole. Yes dears, let’s all pile in on Thursday 21^st, with me and Just May hosting and awarding you! From 9pm ‘til 3am. Then Whatever The F@ck You Like Karaoke is on Friday 22nd March at the Karaoke Hole with Kevin Le Grand. Let’s just move in! 9pm-3am.

Regular Friday night at the Eagle in Vauxhall…Bender on Friday the 22nd March is fast gaining a reputation! Guest DJs and major hosts!!! Then Soul on Saturday (SOS) at the Eagle on Saturday 23rd celebrates its 1st birthday party from 9pm till 4am. DJs Jeanie Crystal and Terry T-Rex pump up the jam with Roy Inc showering you with love.

Back east, The Glory presents TROUBLE with Annie Pics and Bourgeoisie! I’m joining them this week for a DJ session too, from 10pm till 2am Friday 22nd March. Expect shows and mayhem upstairs and down!

On Friday 22nd March, take a trip down the memory lane of Popstarz The Good Old Days at The Scala in Kings Cross. Celebrate an amazing 20 years of clubland history. Free to get in before 11pm, it starts at 10pm goes on till 4am. 3 rooms – indie, pop and r’n’b with an array of DJ’s including Laurence Del Rey, Holestar and Lady Lloyd.   

Meanwhile, treat yourself to some MEAT at Dalston Superstore with DJs…well me Princess Julia and Jeffrey Hinton upstairs and in the basement Tasty Tim and Jonjo Jury, Tafkanik and Fannar plus MEAT boys everywhere. It’s on Saturday 23rd March, 9pm ‘til 3am!

Mega rave KAOS who present DJs Pandora’s Jukebox and Hoarder at Electrowerkz up in Islington. Yes I am here to bring you news on the gay alternative London scene and it doesn’t get much more alternative than Kaos. Starts 11:30pm goes on till 7am on Saturday 23rd.

I’m back with my Sunday salon Princess Julia Loves on the 24th March with my special guest Soroya Marchelle. From 7pm-11pm at The Glory every Sunday!

And stay up at The Glory for the final heat of GOLD RUSH (Season 2) hosted by Taylor Trash on Monday 25th March! Take your seats at 8pm and join in deciding who the stars of Gold Rush are!

Oh and btw these pub quizzes are all the rage! Obviously I host Carry On Quizzing every Tuesday at the Retro Bar. But really ruling quiz queen surely must be Mr Teds who has added to his roster Mr Teds Presents Les Quizerables at the Ace Hotel’s lobby taking place every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, so the next one is on Wednesday 27th march at 7pm till 9:30pm.

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EartH Kitchen is the holy grail of gastronomy. A healthy, environmentally conscious restaurant in a converted arts space in Dalston that’s actually…unpretentious?!

On paper it’s up there with Gwyneth Paltrow and ethically-sourced kale, but in reality, it’s a chill, louche oasis of calm in East London’s increasingly dreary desert of ironic bowling alleys and “exclusive” neon-lit cocktail bars.

It’s just off the high street, through a blink-and-you-miss-it doorway, and up a stairwell that’s more reminiscent of a multi storey car park than an urban eatery. Inside, ambient music thrums as diners eat amongst stripped back, Scandinavian decor. 

The menu is intriguing – it melds conscious, home grown organic sensibilities with cool and indulgent London chic. Jerk Ox Heart; Wild garlic soup; Roast pigeon; Crispy polenta.

We plumped for a duck special, plus the polenta with roast carrots, fennel and radicchio. The duck was unforgettable; crispy, melt-in-the-mouth, gorgeous. The polenta, a potentially dull dish, was zhuzhed up with plenty of spice and inventive flavour.

A side of garlic bread was done in a fun fresh way too – simply a small loaf of rye bread, sliced, with liberal amounts of butter and whole cloves of garlic chucked on it.

It’s the work of head chef Chris Gillard, who’s known for using seasonal, natural ingredients in a passionate and inventive way. 

As well as the food, the drink was sparklingly, effortlessly good – a tongue-tinglingly fresh Picpoul, followed by two suitably earthy espresso martinis. 

So next time you’re struggling down Kingsland Road listening to Dido, with a head full of stress and a shopping bag full of pretension, EartH Kitchen may be just the ticket. Unwind, untangle, and uneartH.

For more info, head to earth-kitchen.co.uk 

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★★★★by Ifan Llewelyn

It’s been over thirty years since Romance/Romance first hit the off-off-Broadway stage of the Actor’s Outlet Theatre, and though not quite staking a place in the American musical theatre canon, it saw great critical success after transferring to Broadway, garnering five Tony nominations. Now playing at Above the Stag, an audience sat with bated breath to see how they would succeed in queering the show, turning the central romances into gay relationships. Romance Romance is a fanciful, harmless romp that entertains without asking any big questions.

The first act, ‘The Little Comedy’, sees two well-off gentlemen at the turn of the century in Vienna who have become weary with their wealth, decide to don a disguise and slum it for a while and grab themselves a commoner to get involved with. Their two paths inevitably cross and hilarity ensues as the two try and keep up their penurious personas. As Valentin, the wildly extravagant young man of means, Jordan Lee Davies was magnetic with every shrill of his voice evoking the purest sense of camp. He made the most of every word in his libretto, flaunting his wears as a true balladeer. Wealthy playboy Alfred (Blair Robertson) took little courting before the two engage in their romance (romance), and made a noble attempt at embodying the role’s, well,  nobility. Their relationship feels familiar, which is unexpected for a queer couple from a century, having a Bosie and Wilde air to them, enjoying the lavishness of their affluence.

Gay relationship fitting into norms set up by straight relationships is a problem faced often by us homosexuals, with the “which one of you is the woman?” question still strangely being around. In changing this straight couple gay, unfortunately, there was no question around who the woman was. The use of masks to represent their disguises was also a little on the nose, but it did bring forward that turn-of-the-century feel that was perfectly presented in the Klimt inspired set design.

The second act, ‘Summer Share’, jolts the show to modern day, in a summer house share (obviously) with two friends and their husband escaping the city for the weekend. An evening tinged in moonlight has friends Jeremy (Ryan Anderson) and Sam (Alex Lodge) questioning if they feel something more than just friendship. This felt far more natural as a gay relationship, with platonic relationships between gay men being as we all know a strange one to navigate.  As second acts usually go, things become far more contemplative and less upbeat, marked distinctly by an ambiguous conclusion. The tightly choreographed lighting choices were sleeker in this second act, being effectively utilised to bring dimension to the beach-side cramped living room.

If you’re looking for a thought-provoking evening of cutting edge theatre then this certainly isn’t the show for you, but if it’s a jolly night of show tunes and slapstick then this production is right up your alley. In a troubled world that’s seemingly falling to crap all around us, the theatre is the perfect place to escape, and Romance Romance offers up a world to escape to that’s inoffensive and merry.

Romance Romance is running at the Above the Stag Theatre, 2 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall SE1 7TP until the 6th of April. Tickets are available at AboveTheStag.com.

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The cabaret star talks life, love and more!

Iechyd da! As if by sheer coincidence, hours before Wales’ triumphant Six Nations win (that’s Rugby btw – we like that one *eyes emoji) last weekend; proud paddy Jason Reid caught up with the seven foot Welsh warbler and Tom Jones stan Wilma Ballsdrop for a natter… 

Hey Wilma! How the devil are you? 

I’m very well darling; I’m currently back in Wales for a brief stay, watching the rugby and eating Welsh cakes in my kimono and turban. 

For those who’ve never had the pleasure of meeting you; tell us who are you, what you do and where you come from? As Cilla used to say… 

Well I was found in a cardboard box on Chippy Lane in Cardiff in 196… I mean, 1988. DNA tests proved that I’m the love child of Harry Secombe and Ruth Madoc, and I was conceived backstage during a variety show at Pwllheli Butlins. As a result I have Welsh showbiz inside me (and I don’t mean that time I was fingered by Tom Jones). You can find me lurking around cabaret venues, where I sing and tell shit jokes. In my career I have been a hand model for Atrixo, the face of B&Q, and I was in Bananarama for six minutes in 1988. 

Is there a Mr Ballsdrop?

Urgh, men. The problem is that God gave them a brain and a penis, but only enough blood to run one at a time. My late husband died in ‘mysterious circumstances’ on a skiing holiday. Some say the avalanche was started by someone singing, but I have an alibi as I was actually at Stringfellows at the time with OJ Simpson and Gerry McCann. The husband once said to me, “Sex is so much better on holiday”. Well that wasn’t a nice postcard to receive, I can tell you. 

Any romance in your life now?

Let’s just say I have a stockpile of Duracell double As. 

What do you look for in a suitor? 

A pulse is always good start.

Who’s your celebrity crush?

Most of my fantasies centre around the Ryans (Gosling and Reynolds). At the same time. But not since the restraining order, obviously.

You’re a very tall lady, aren’t you? Is that an advantage or disadvantage in life? 

Now it is true that in my heels and when I zhoosh my hair I hit seven foot tall. Most Welsh people are short, squat things (it’s easier when you’re down the mines you see), so when I visit my mother in Cardiff I spend my time bent double at the waist because the doors and ceilings are all munchkin-sized. Dating can be interesting; particularly with short men – though I find they’re always so grateful. One said recently, “Your hair smells nice”, and I said, “Thanks; that’ll be the Femfresh”. 

What does an average day in the life of a Welsh diva consist of? 

Well everything I know I learned from our Dame Shirl: start the day off with ten gin and tonics for breakfast, then pop out for some light shoplifting (you’d be surprised what you can get in the gusset of tights from Lidls). Under Welsh law we have to sing at least once a day, so I usually belt out the national anthem (Delilah by Tom Jones) until the neighbours start banging on the ceiling. My evenings are spent having drinking competitions with the girls; usually Charlotte Church and ‘The Caths’ – Zeta and Jenkins. The nights usually end with me getting fingered while eating a kebab in some dank alleyway.

Where can the adoring fans see you in the near future?

Well, darling, like the clap, I seem to be everywhere at the moment: my monthly appearance at the Admiral Duncan is on 6th April. Also my new monthly Ballsdropping Bingo in aid of Pride in London begins on 25th April at the Two Brewers, and May sees me at Swansea Pride, Dragovision at the RVT, and Love Me Tinder: a Cabaret with actresses Gemma Oaten and Samantha Renke. I need a lie down just thinking about it! 

Wilma Ballsdrop will be performing at The Old Ship, 17 Barnes Street, Limehouse, London E14 7NW on Saturday 23rd March. 

The post Getting to Know Wilma Ballsdrop appeared first on QX Magazine.

It’s back in town and it’s bigger than ever!

Time to erect that Big Top, the Sex Circus is back in town. Let the clowning around begin. Ever ask a clown about his shoe size? You can be SURE he’s packing. Taking over the bricked arches of Fire, this night of debauched clubbing madness brings the best in house and techno all to one place, with some of the best performers out there taking to the stage to get the crowd riled up. Do you ever wonder what it’s like to attend a porn star’s wet dream? Well, Sex Circus is as close as you can get.

Each time this event rolls into town it draws a crowd unlike any you see at your average horny night out. This major event brings in talent from all over, eager to get their rocks off in a busy room of like-minded guys. If you’re not usually one for sex parties, then this is one you should be making an exception for, with all the naughty goings-on you’ve only ever dared think about. If you’re an old hand at naughty nights out, then this one’s worth it just for the fresh crowd it draws in. Come along and dip your toes into this pulsating world of man meat and muscle.

In the main room DJs Peter Donaghey, Lee Harris and Neil Singleton will be keeping things pumping with their distinctive brand of tech house, which is sure to get your going. They know what gets your heart racing and your member throbbing for some grinding action. You don’t know Sex music until you’ve heard these guys take to the decks. They really take it to the next level.

Taking to the stage for those XXX live shows are an international cast of sex superstar you’re sure to recognise from your favourite flicks. But we have to say, they’re far more thrilling in the flesh. On the roster is buzz cut bad boy Damien Crosse, bearded pretty-boy Gabriel Phoenix, tatted and pierced Alexis Clark, bald beefcake Max Duran and hairy hungry bottom Paco, with more to be confirmed.

Just because they’re putting on the show doesn’t mean they should have all the fun. The Hoist London will be hosting The Hoist Playroom where Tony Bruno will be blasting out bangers all night. Then at the Jock Longe, DJ Sam Londt is taking over, so there are plenty of places to explore, and some dark corners to reach around.

Sex Circus is at Fire, South Lambeth Road, SW8 1RT. 10pm – 6am, on Saturday 30th of March. Get your hands on £12.50 tickets at OrangeNation.co.uk

The post QX PREVIEW: Sex Circus appeared first on QX Magazine.

In news that will have Andrea Leadsom quaking in her little bigoted boots, A STELLAR LINEUP of fabulous alternative people will be descending on Central London tomorrow for a special “DJs For A People’s Vote” event as part of the scheduled People’s Vote March.

As well as world famous spin doctors Fatboy Slim, Erol Alkan and Neneh Cherry, there’ll be everyone’s fave drag dance collective Sink The Pink, iconic disco debaucherers Horse Meat Disco, batty bass babe Hannah Holland, and loads more familiar names from the queer dance scene and beyond.

The estimate for attendance is anyone’s guess – but with around 200 coaches coming into London, and the “Revoke Article 50” Petition now at over two million signatures, one thing is certain; IT’S GONNA BE A BIG ‘UN!

We’re lucky and privileged to live in a county where we have a right to protest, so take advantage of it. Make a sign with a cool pun, stuff a backpack full of refreshments, and be part of history.

See you at Park Lane at midday!

The post Fatboy Slim, Erol Alkan, Neneh Cherry, Sink The Pink and more to DJ tomorrow’s People’s Vote March appeared first on QX Magazine.

At school, there was always that one girl who was practically perfect in every way. She had all the boys after her but was too much of a goody-two-shoes to do anything with it.

In her position, we’d have spent most of our teenage years very very… sticky. But she was way too busy with her studies, getting straight A’s and hanging out with her perfect family.

This is the role that pixie-nosed, glitter-eyed Nicole Kidman plays in pop culture. For DECADES she’s been the pretty girl on campus, having almost never slipped up or embarrassed herself in public. She clapped weird at the Oscars one year and because it was the first thing she did that wasn’t absolutely perfect people LOST THEIR MINDS. 

Though having never directly pandered to us gays, she’s dug her Aussie claws into our hearts and is not letting go. She IS gay culture. She’s that girl who you’re friends with but who wouldn’t be caught dead in a gay club, only frequenting wine bars and vegan organic cafés.

Alas, we always turn up when she invites us over for her feminist book club, or be her plus one at the launch of a lifestyle concept brand at Annabel’s. She’s tackled many an iconic role in her 35+ years in the industry, but only a few rise to the top of the gay heap. Here are our top 10:

Bewitched 2005

If you didn’t spend the best part of 2005 trying to wiggle your nose like Kidman could, then please snap your gay card in two and use it to gather a fat line of your inadequacy to snort up. Despite the film trying to set up Will Ferrell as a Hollywood heartthrob (we ain’t buying it), this movie delivers big gay energy – from floral bucket hats to Shirley McClaine waving billowing wizard sleeves. Toeing the line between melodramatic and kitzch, as the witch who nabs a role as a witch on a TV show, Kidman give us major envy as the woman who has everything at the snap of her fingers and a wiggle of her earlobe. 

Moulin Rouge! (duh) 2001

For a show with next to no gay characters, this is one big gay orgy of a film. As smouldering temptress Satine, a red-haired Kidman steals the show despite not being able to sing a note. Coughing up blood has never been so damn sexy. Synched within an inch of her life into a corset, she goes from slapstick campery to gritty inner turmoil in the space of five minutes on screen. Oh, and if you and a friend haven’t lipsynced to ‘Elephant Love Medley’ and DEMANDED to sing the Nicole part then are you even a real human person? Nicole Kidman as a showgirl singing a Madonna/Marilyn mash-up, we mean come ON. A cinematic moment way gayer than any sandy handjob from Moonlight. 

The Others 2001

A movie that gave an entire generation of us nightmares. Fancy English lady in a desolate country house with her two children who are allergic to sunlight, and strange groundkeepers who keep them on their toes. We love now unhinged she plays this role. Should we be worried that seeing her holding a shotgun got us more than a little aroused? We’d give anything to be Kidman in vintage clothing walking around an expansive country manor in the dark holding a gas lamp. We don’t even care if we (SPOILER) had to have been dead the whole time to do it. 

Grace of Monaco 2014

Who could Hollywood pick to play a beautiful actress turned actual princess? Of course it was going to be the beautiful actress who really is the princess of Hollywood (with Meryl being the queen, obvs). Gorgeous gowns, lavish event and so much damn JEWELLERY made this movie a treat for the eyes. Though not quite snatching awards the way it was intended to, it’s still a damn enjoyable Sunday afternoon watch. Reading into this flick, there was a major Harvey Weinstein debacle surrounding if the film was to be distributed in the US, with director Oliver Dahan accusing him of blackmail. At least Dahan can now watch the Director’s Cut version of the film in peace…

The Killing of A Sacred Deer 2017

Just before Yorgos Lanthimos became the name on everyone’s lips with The Favourite, this film got people talking in artsy film circles. Following the story of a cardiac surgeon who befriends a teenage boy to connect to his past, things get freaky once his family start to become mysteriously ill after meeting the boy. Nicole plays his doting wife, who really turns out to be quite kick-ass. This is deffo one of her more artsy turns but isn’t as painful as having to sit through Dogville (if you know, you know). We love to think of Yorgos going straight from working with Kidman to working with Olivia Colman. We can image Nicole spending on-set downtime doing some ballet bar work, and Olivia spending her downtime munching on a cottage cheese sandwich. 

The Paper Boy 2012

Just the look of her in this film fills our hearts with gay joy. She’s as southern as a bucket of fried chicken in this film, with the worst tan that has ever been on a cinema screen. Seeing her dance with a Zac Efron in his undies made this film well worth it, and that scene when he straddles her..? LORD JESUS. Now that we KNOW we’re allowed to be aroused at that. We spent a lot of this film with a pillow on our lap.

Destroyer 2018

You know what we are…? Everyone made that joke after seeing the billboards all over the Underground. This film got lost in the Kidman hype around Big Little Lies and wasn’t given the attention it deserves. We have NEVER seen Kidman look like this before, as a normal human woman and not a celestial being, and we love it. She’s the fast shooting haggard cop living life on the edge, and her acting talent really shines through. She’s the only big name in this production, so we can just imagine all her fellow actors shitting a brick every time they’d be in a scene with her. 

The Hours 2002

Virginia Woolf. WHO cast her in this? Truly insane. Though her nose-prosthetic almost steals the show, her portrayal as one of the biggest names in literary history was a strange one, where she made some odd choices. But she wasn’t playing your generic Virginia, she played Kidman’s Virginia. The real Woolf wouldn’t be caught dead screaming at her husband on a train platform, but we feel like that’s something Kidman spends her weekends doing so let her live. 

The Stepford Wives 2004

This film was universally panned by critics. The novel was a feminist masterpiece that really contextualised feminist arguments in a way that translated how horrific the societal expectations on women were in the 1970s. This film adaptation was a glamorous camp romp. Oh well, it still made for great viewing, with all the plastic-perfect allure of a life in a Stepford neighbourhood. With Bette Midler and Glenn Close on the cast, this film overfloweth with gay. PLUS it features a gay suburban couple who are just like everyone else, and though not saying much about the standing of women in society, it really questioned homonormative standards placed upon gay couples (is that a reach? Perhaps). 

Practical Magic 1998

She just LOVES playing witches. As Sandra Bullock’s sister, both of them trying to tackle the family curse were the men they fall in love with are destined to suffer a tragic death. CAMP! After the tragic death of their parents, they’re raised by their cooky aunts, one of which is a very turnt Stockard Channing, who get themselves in all sorts of mischief. Possessions and body-swapping a-plenty, this film is up there with The Craft in queer magic levels. There’s an iconic scene where they all get drunk and start insulting each other, and apparently they all actually got sloshed on some bad Tequila Kidman brought to set. Yas. Queen. 

The Beguiled 2017

A typically audacious feature from Sophia Coppola, The Beguiled has Nicole Kidman in colonial dress (she loves colonial dress) sighing her way around an isolated mansion in Civil War era America. She barely has time to louchely work a water pump before a MOUTHWATERINGLY sexy Colin Farrell turns up as a mysterious wounded soldier. Her, Elle Fanning and Kirsten Dunst (or as she’s known in gay media circles, Kunst), compete for his affection. It all gets deliciously dark and camp – at one point {SPOILERS} she actually feeds Colin poisoned stew with the words “Bon Appetit”. CAMP! 

The post Eleven Nicole Kidman films that are gay nourishment appeared first on QX Magazine.

Ady Suleiman at Electric Brixton, 21st of March review.

★★★★ by Ifan Llewelyn

Elbowing our way through the crowd of girls in short bleached bobs tied up in scrunchies, wearing the latest in reclaimed vintage fashion, it became apparently clear that Suleiman had gained quite the following in the post-teen gig-going crowd. An objectively ‘with it’ gang of young people is enough to get our ears perked up and ready for the next best thing. Ady Suleiman truly serves up something fresh, giving a hopeful glimpse into where music’s going.

Nottingham-born Ady takes to the stage with a comfort rarely seen in an up-and-coming artist, but he’s been on people’s radar for a few years now so he’s no stranger to a large crowd. Since walking away from a major contract with Simon Cowell’s label Syco back in 2016, he’s backed the best in the industry, from Chance the Rapper to Laura Mvula. He’s seemingly found the kind of music he wants to put out there, with each song meticulously crafted to toe the line between being familiar and saying something that hasn’t been said a thousand times before. His voice is distinct in its light raspiness, with an inherent vulnerability to its texture with a sense that it could break at any moment. But a distinctive voice is nothing if it doesn’t give voice to something important, and Ady sets upon putting it to good use in an exploration of the issues plaguing today’s youth, from disjunctional relationships to mental health. 

The sound brings together the squawking trumpet with mellow keys drawing from upbeat funk, to an R&B sense of apathy. That’s not to say that these tunes don’t have you tapping your foot, with latest hit ‘Strange Roses’ having you listlessly swaying along to his heartache. The world he paints is of an ex-council block on a lazy summer afternoon spent with that person you’ve been on a few dates with, sunlight beaming in through net curtains. His frankness of delivery has a strange Kate Nash quality to it where lyricism is replaced with an everyday kind of poetry. It brought us back to thinking of that late-naughties commercial acoustic feel that was popularised by the likes of Palo Nutini or Cornnie Bailey Rae.

With summer tantalisingly near, Ady is sure to be one heavily featuring in our playlists for early evenings on the Heath, usually requested on a friend’s phone to show off that we’re in the know about emerging talent. Though under this easy-listening veneer, the sting of young love is one that lingers in his music. Ady Suleiman is an honest voice that makes heartbreak go down like a smooth cup of roasted arabica.  

Ady Suleiman just released his new single ‘Best Friend’ today, check it out HERE. Ady’s mixtape ‘Thoughts & Moments Vol. 1’ is out April 5th. 

The post Ady Suleiman – ‘making heartbreak go down like a smooth cup of roasted arabica’ appeared first on QX Magazine.

We check out the hip-thrusting, bubble-guzzling boylesque sensation. 

What could be gayer than brunch? Bottomless brunch with a cast of near-naked men dancing of course! Over at FEST Camden, they’re offering everything your hangover could need, from hair of the dog in the form of an hour of free-flowing prosecco, and some man action if you didn’t manage to get lucky on Saturday night. It’s strange how an event with this many gay men can be labelled as bottomless… 

Welcoming you into the venue is a bubbly reception in Camden Market’s world-famous stables, where you can kick back on a vintage couch and socialise while knocking back a few flutes. With the sun shining in through the skylights, a sunny Sunday really doesn’t go to waste. For the first hour, you arrive at FEST, cute bar boys attentively make sure you’re well-lubricated, ready for an afternoon of prosecco-fuelled revelry. When the hour is up, you’re then invited to the neon-lit dining area for the brunch bit. To soak up the sparkle you’ve just knocked back they offer up some of their delicious bagels, with your choice of three. After making your way through these buns, you’re eager to get a face full of another type of bun altogether.

The evening is in the hands of drag delinquent Miss Moppe, who has seemingly just rolled right out of bed to introduce a cast of chiselled men. Though not having the slightest clue which dancing act she’s introducing, she still made for good fun, constantly exclaiming “I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this!”, leaving us to think “Neither can we.” 

Then comes the moment we’ve all been waiting for – when big hunks of man beef take to the stage to thrust and wiggle for our amusement. From singers to acrobats, these guys are damn talented and bloody GAWJUS.

In fact, it’s really not fair – after you’ve stuffed your face full of carbohydrates their bodies make you not want to touch a piece of bread again. This raunchy revue will have you strategically piling your scarf onto your lap, with each thrusting performer bringing all your wet dreams to life.

Among our favourites has to be Throberto, the throbbing matador who really takes boylesque to another level. If you’re ever appointed Fag of Honour at your friend’s wedding, this is the ONLY place you should be holding the hen do. An afternoon of abs, acrobatics and overwhelming carnal desires, this is really something every London gay man should be checking out. 

Brunch with the Boys takes place fortnightly on Sundays at FEST Camden, Stables Market, Camden Town NW1 8AH. Tickets start at £24.99 and are available at festcamden.com.

The post Brunch with the Boys – The UK’s first ever bottomless all-male burlesque brunch appeared first on QX Magazine.

… but without any of the songs from the movie.

Just when you thought that the West End couldn’t get any gayer. According to Entertainment Tonight, a production of Beaches the Musical is due to make its way to London this year. The musical has been making waves over in the breeding grounds for American theatre – Virginia’s Signature Theatre and Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre. Now it’s heading over to the UK to work out the show’s kinks.

Unfortunately, the show will have little to do with the Bette Midler cult film which has had audiences in bits since 1988 and is instead based on the book which inspired the film. The novel’s author Iris Rainer Dart told ET that they’re “just listening, refining, redoing and seeing which songs work and which ones don’t.”

Since the show has little to do with the film, it won’t be featuring any of the beloved songs featured in the film, from ‘The Glory of Love’ to ‘I’ve Still Got My Health’, and will only feature a small part of ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ as a nod to the film adaptation. The show will instead feature original songs by Iris Rainer Dart and newcomer David Austin. The plot will still follow a friendship between friends over 30 years who stumble in and out of each other’s lives. 

The show is said to be aiming for a Broadway transfer, provided the London run is successful. If it were to make its way to Broadway, it’d be the third late ’80s/early ’90s film to hit the global theatrical capital, after Groundhog Day in 2017 (which garnered seven Tony nominations) and Pretty Woman: The Musical which opened last year. Cyndi Lauper is also rumoured to be working on a musical adaptation of Working Girl, based on the 1988 movie. 

READ MORE:

Bette Midler talking about doing crack is such a mood.

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Text by Dylan B Jones

Photos by Matt Spike

Makeup by Chris McLeod

Styled by Bang London

Dani St James! What a babe! Is she a model? Is she an “it” girl? Is she a businesswoman? She’s all of the above!

She arrived in London from Wales with a dollar and a dream. Well actually, more like a Greggs and a can of M&S gin and tonic.

As we all know though, living in London is tough. In a struggle that will be all too familiar to many trans people today, Dani quickly became the focus of an unprecedented amount of attention, both in day-to-day interactions, and in the mainstream press.

Dozens of photoshoots, several hundred men *cough* and 20,000 Instagram followers later, she’s learned some valuable lessons and come out the other side a confident, savvy and eminently likeable young woman. 

We chatted to her about run-ins with the media, working a new high powered office job, and THAT First Dates appearance.

Tell me about your experiences with the mainstream press.

I was relatively early on in my transition. I’d had no surgeries, hormones hadn’t really taken effect yet…I was just young and naïve. And they started taking an interest in me. I got so caught up in it that I said yes to everything. There would be photographers in my home, or taking pictures of me in Holland Park. I didn’t realise those images would be visible for the rest of my life. I was doing beauty pageants at the time, and that’s what they picked up on. They spun it that I was “under the radar” – pretending to be something I wasn’t. They wanted to manipulate the facts, and the way they did that was by putting stories out with headlines like “Glam Dan was a man”. My heart breaks for 20-year-old me. I was just like “whatever, that’s fine.” It wasn’t fine, but I was so caught up in the idea of being in the media and being seen. It never led to anything good. All it led to was me exposing myself to countless people. That whole time period is not something that I look back on fondly. I was manipulated because of my youth and my naivety. And it was so blatant. Now they have to be cleverer in the way they trick people.

Why do you think they still do it?

The way I look at it is this. When Queer As Folk came on television, it exposed gayness to the masses. People realized “hang on – gay people are actually everywhere. They’re teaching our kids, they’re curing our illnesses, they’re selling us bread in fucking Tesco.” We’re now in the trans equivalent of that time period. As much as I hate to say it, I think people like Caitlyn Jenner were a massive catalyst to opening up the conversation. That “Oh my god, they’re actually everywhere” moment. When people say to me “you’re the first trans person I’ve ever met” I say “no, I’m the first openly trans person you’ve ever met.” We are like Russian sleeper cells. We’re fucking everywhere.

Caitlyn Jenner was undeniably a moment. That fucking cover.

I was actually contacted after that cover came out, by a mainstream publication. They wanted to recreate that shoot. I don’t even know what the spin on that was, but they wanted me to wear that corset and have that backdrop and that pose. It was bizarre. That was when I began to say no to things. The power that came with that ability was amazing. We’re at a point where more people need to say no to this media sensationalism. It’s detrimental. There’s nothing progressive in that mindset. Why do I need to replicate another trans woman’s photoshoot in order for you to see me? Fucking shove me in a gorge gown and chuck me on the back of a greased up boy. I’m down!

Does the mainstream press still contact you a lot?

More so since I did First Dates.

I looked at the comments on that clip prepared for the worst, but most of them were actually sweet!

It was lovely in that respect. All of a sudden, people were like “oh wait, they’re just actually a bit normal.” I think what the producers did that was really intelligent, was show a vulnerability. I wasn’t portrayed as a sex-crazed lunatic that’ll steal your husband and break your windows and kill your cat.

Even though you are.

I am, I have and I will [laughs] but seriously, it showed a vulnerability in trans people. Like “hiya! I’ve got a job, and a life, and a bit of a drinking habit.” Relatability.

Danni is looking for Mr Right, but will 6ft 8in Aiden tick all the right boxes?#FirstDates pic.twitter.com/MlThEsT1BK

— Channel 4 (@Channel4) November 21, 2018

I hear you’ve just started an office job in the city! What’s the sitch there? Are you “out”?

I did six levels of interviews for the job. During that, I locked down all my social media, and reached out to everywhere that had done stories about me, asking them to take them down. I went through the whole process thinking “ok, no-one knows.” I did my first week, and there was no mention of it. I set up a new Instagram – pictures of me in Canada drinking cocktails with my friends, when really I’m an actual pig. Then I went to some work drinks in my first week. I was sat with a colleague – I wasn’t drunk, but I was, shall we say, verbally lubricated. I said “I’m gonna ask you a question – how many people in this room know I’m trans?” She looked at her glass and smiled, and said “how many people do you think saw First Dates?”

So all your efforts were in vain!

Yes! The thing is, I’d been so scared by my own transness, and the visibility of that in a corporate environment, that I’d almost tried to fool myself into thinking I was a different person. Two other girls I work with came to our table and I went “OI! You didn’t tell me you knew I was trans!” and they were like “well, you didn’t tell us, so we didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Aw!

So sweet. I left the bar shortly after, and I got a text from one of them. She said “no-one cares about this other than you. We all adore you, and we’re so happy you’re here. None of this matters. We’re just happy to know you.” I sat in my apartment and cried. Both for the kindness I’d been shown, and the realization that I’d been so scared. It was the first time in ten years that I was scared if someone knew I was trans.

And now? Are there any residual fears?

My general consensus is that if somebody notices that I’m trans, they’re noticing part of me that I’m inherently proud of. I was ashamed of myself when I sat in my apartment that night. I was ashamed that I’d been ashamed of myself. Because I’m actually so proud of it. I preach pride to every trans person I know. We’re living in a time where we’re starting to be visible and free. So if you feel like you can, fucking put it out there!

Dani’s episode of First Dates is available on 4OD. Follow her on Instagram at @danistjames

READ MORE: 

Travis Alabanza – The performance artist turning expectations of trans performers upside down

The post QX Meets…Dani St James appeared first on QX Magazine.

A beautiful, simple project from Australian photographer Soraya Zaman, American Boys has been making waves on art circuits both here and across the pond.

Zaman’s images tenderly capture America’s trans-masculine community, documenting people from all walks of life. Thoughtful, empowering and sexy, the images represent a wave of encouraging change across the land, in the face of less progressive popular opinion.

Take a look below!

American Boys is out on April 2^nd, published by Daylight Books, available on Amazon.

You can follow Soraya Zaman on Instagram @sorayatzaman

The post This photo project provides a stunning window into trans-masculine America appeared first on QX Magazine.

Clonezone’s Topher Taylor talks inclusivity

When people typically think of Clonezone, they think of the stereotypical images that are provided to us by the underwear brands we stock. The bronzed, rippled, muscular models with packed pouches and flawless skin – a mix of model agencies and careful retouching plays into an illusion which often alienates many people that are looking at our products. I get it. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve sat in our boardroom and asked the brands to use a different variety of models. Trust me, if it were up to me, we wouldn’t use these images as much as we do but the truth is, we don’t really have the time and resources to photograph every range that hits our warehouse. I wish we could but we are a small team and professional quality shoots are time consuming. It’s definitely something we have our sights set on, however. Watch this space.

This is also why I LOVE it when our customers send us selfies, representing different tribes, body types, skin colours, genders, and abilities. Our social media is often covered in these images. I often beg for them – as I know how important it is. As a young, sexually-confused boy, I was insecure about my body as I came from the emo scene where being skinny was everything. I was slim but with a big bum and big thighs. I couldn’t find anyone else who ‘looked like me’ – especially advertising clothes. Wearing skinny jeans was a mortifying experience next to people that seemed to be half my size.  I hope that the efforts we make to encourage people to pose for us, lets customers and followers know how our gear will look on them. You really don’t need a gym fit body to pull of fetish wear, you don’t need a flat stomach to rock a crop top, and you don’t need to be male to wear clothes from Clonezone.

One step we’ve taken as a brand, is to expand our own brand ‘Fetish Gear’s sizing up to XXL, fitting up to a 40-inch waistline. Since our new buyer took over, we take brands up to XL as standard and we include XS where available – especially with the American brands which have a tendency to come up larger than our European and Asian manufactured gear.

With the introduction of brands such as Project Claude, Ruben Galarreta, alongside new arrivals from STUD and Barcode Berlin – we are seeing a wave of different types of people showing off in gear from our shops. And I love it. I’m always encouraging people to send in selfies, and I hope that anyone reading this will do, too. Please don’t be shy as your pictures might just encourage someone else to do the same. I actually have some projects coming up in 2019 where I’ll be making an active effort to promote the different types of bodies that wear our clothes. If you want to be involved or have suggestions, get into contact.

You can contact me at topher@clonezone.co.uk or tweet us @ClonezoneUK

The post Clonezone is the queer sex shop for everyone appeared first on QX Magazine.

With the Brexit madness, it’s easy to forget there are other issues at hand. While our politicians shout “order!” at each other in Westminster’s marbled halls, real people are still experiencing real struggles every day.

If someone doesn’t identify with the “male” and “female” tags chosen by society, ticking one of those tags on a form must be hard. It’s a little thing, but the little things matter – they chip away at you.

Non-binary model and writer Jamie Windust has started a petition urging the government to consider introducing a non-binary option on legal forms and documents. 

You can sign it here.

The post Petition for “non-binary” option on legal documentation hits 10k signatures appeared first on QX Magazine.