Dandy Magazine Issue One by dandythemag dandythemag

Issue 1

DANDY : a collection of talents, thoughts, ideas, inspirations, aspirations, desires, hopes, trends and traditions based on the gay lesbian bisexual transsexual intersex queer community of Sydney. DANDY : a magazine designed to showcase the initiative and talent of our community. It fills an inexcusable gap in the media. DANDY : It's not an oiled, buff, beefcake magazine. It isn't thinlyveiled porn. We are curious, interested, pleasing to the eye.

CON T R O DANDY N0 1 The Guy Sebastian Andreassen

The Lady Cyna Strachan

Talker Jack Freestone

Picture Lady Lucy Tann

Thanks To: Susan Brooks Christopher Browne Warren Clarke Yin Chuah Krissy Crawford Damien Dunstan Samuel Hodge Kidney John Rob Jones Phoenix Keating Monique Shafter Katherine Sherie Mike Smith Nelson De Sousa Kyran Wheatley

O L R OOM Designers Erica Deluchi Nisa East Lachlan Guthrie Ellen Porteus

Writers Pat Bateman Andrew Chung Sean Corcoran Josh Forward Andrew Geeves Chris Leben Boo Patrick Michelle Retford Richard Sawyer Cate Summers

ote

S&C Hello and welcome to dandy, sugars. Whilst sitting here and attempting to write something intelligent for this note, ok cupid is currently much more preoccupying so read Tom Tilley’s intro instead, It’s better. But just a quick note, we hope you enjoy the labour of a few months worth of hard work. It's only the very beginning so please join us over the next few months as we begin to shape and create dandy into something delicious, tasty and worthy. xoxo gossip girl.

Tom TilLey

Your average happy-go-lucky hetero doesn’t face quite the same psychological exercise routine as their gay friends. Being subtly (or not so subtly) told throughout your teenage years that your sexuality is less than ideal gives one plenty of practice at leaping bullshit barriers. The products of this…you're about to meet some of them. Sydney has a new generation of these routinely sharpened minds and DANDY is banding them together for your intellectual pleasure. It wasn’t long ago gay people were fighting for the right to exist. A generation or two later and we’re talking cultural leadership. With the flick of a few pages you’re about to travel from Tony Abbott’s dinner table, to Sydney’s sweatiest dancefloors, to the minds of some of Sydney’s most thoughtful up-and-coming creatives and thinkers. In the final days of this first edition coming together, thousands of people have marched in support of gay marriage around Australia. With the amendments hitting parliament, this year Australia will have the gay marriage conversation in full. It’s a moment when all the barriers should be challenged and DANDY will play a role in driving that challenge. Of course DANDY will be exploring other important questions. Like… why Konga will never slide down the sleazy slope of Zumba? Whether ‘homothug‘ will be the look for winter 2012? And the question everyone’s asking: will the magazine ever break its no soft porn rule by featuring Chris Leben in a nude sealed section? Come for the ride with DANDY, I hope it inspires many a brain boner.

REGULARS Chris Leban talks gay Pride and politics Reviews Star Signs Next Issue

STYLE Phoenix Keating Battling for the other side Uncommon Ground Phoeniix Alphabet Soup

CON

TENTS

FEATURES E-Bay The Daily Grind Konga Sparks Nights Out

PROFILES Pinnacle Foundation Monique Shafter Cake Wines Samuel Hodge Shades

WRITTEN BY PAT BATEMAN

PRIDE AND POLITICS

BARACK OBAMA IS A COMMUNIST. He’s a Muslim extremist. He was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. Oh, and he’s a freedom-hating, terrorist-loving atheist working with the Jews to destroy America. Did I mention he was a Muslim? Before I have more Secret Service agents on me than a Colombian prostitute, allow me to explain: these were just some of the pearls of wisdom shared with me by the good people of Florida while I was working for a U.S. Senator earlier this year. Of course, I was expecting such spectacular fatuousness – I’d seen Jersey Shore. What I didn’t expect were the neverending and frankly creepy efforts of angry constituents to pry from me the exact whereabouts of my Senator. These weren’t threats per se, but they were invasive and alarming. I began to understand why America’s elected leaders can barely take a leak without a security sweep beforehand. I was glad to return home for many reasons. Not least of these was that it was relief to be back in a country where voters and politicians of all stripes can debate their ideas with civility, humility and a healthy dose of calm-thef**k-down. The idea of people trying to harass politicians in their private lives was, I thought, unthinkable. So imagine my shock when I read that marriage equality advocates had heckled Opposition Leader Tony Abbott as he dined privately in a Lygon Street restaurant in Melbourne. Apparently, the protest was organised at short notice by the Equal Love group, after a fellow-diner alerted them to Mr Abbott’s presence. Bringing the restaurant

PROTESTORS STOOD OVER MR ABBOTT, YELLING ABUSE AT HIM, UNTIL THEY WERE REMOVED BY RESTAURANT STAFF - AT WHICH POINT THEY BEGAN BANGING ON THE WINDOWS OUTSIDE to a grinding halt, the protestors stood over Mr Abbott, yelling abuse at him, until they were removed by restaurant staff - at which point they began banging on the windows outside. Let’s be clear: Tony Abbott is wrong to oppose marriage equality (and so, for that matter, is Julia Gillard) and we should admire the Equal Love group for its tireless efforts to-date in fighting marriage discrimination. But however just the cause, this protest was a mistake. For one thing, it was tactically bone-headed. Tony Abbott is not about to change his views just to make sure he can eat his next plate of gnocchi uninterrupted. This only made the marriage equality campaign look angry, unreasonable and partisan, and that’s a sure-fire way to alienate the very people we need to convince. The more important point though is this: our elected leaders are people too, every bit as entitled to private lives as we are. Our community should understand that better than most. After all, it wasn’t all that long ago that gays and lesbians could be jailed in this country for entirely private sexual activity. While we are all keen to turn back the tide of discrimination, we risk losing the very best of our democracy when we start taking our arguments to the figurative bedrooms (and literal restaurants) of our politicians. We risk becoming a country where abuse, not arguments carry the day, and where our leaders must seal themselves off from us with so much security they can never again be truly “of the people”. We risk becoming America.

n e b e L s i r Ch y a g s k l Ta

All right, let’s start this thing off with an introduction. Hi, I’m Chris Leben; I’m a 23-yearold writer, actor and comedian. In my spare time I play with Lego, drink apple juice and hate North Sydney. Oh, I’m also a straight. Yep, I’m one of those breeder people like your parents. So what am I doing here? For what possible reason would I be writing for a gay magazine, you may ask? Well it’s simple. I’m what we in the industry – the industry being straight guys with a large amount of gay friends – call a fag stag. Each issue I’ll be writing from the point of a straight guy who spends a large portion of his life in the gay world, kind of like Jane Goodall when she chilled with those Chimpanzees. (Not that I think of homosexuals as monkeys.) Jesus, you guys are going to hate me.

ANYWAY, LET’S GET STARTED WITH A HOW-TO GUIDE FOR STRAIGHTS TO BE FRIENDS WITH GAYS, IN A HANDY DANDY COLLECTION OF DOT POINTS. PLEASE PASS THIS ONTO ANY STRAIGHT GUYS YOU’VE GOT IN MIND AS A PROSPECTIVE FRIEND. When approached by a gay man, assume it’s for friendship. Yes, he probably wants to sleep with you – let’s face it, you’re an attractive guy. If you were gay you’d sleep with a guy like you. But just to be on the safe side, assume he’s looking for friendship and offer it to him willingly. If he’s looking for a little more, say that you’re flattered and proceed to make out for a full half hour. That was a joke. You only need to make out for 5 minutes. When your new gay friend comments on how attractive another man is don’t say, “I wouldn’t know.” That’s bullshit! You do know. We all think Brad Pitt is attractive, we all aspire to look like Jon Hamm, and we all want to go down on Harrison Ford . (Maybe that’s just me.) Regardless, say what you actually think. Say you think he’s sexy/ hot-to-trot and quit hiding behind macho bullshit. DO NOT MAKE OUT WITH YOUR GAY FRIENDS! It is shit for both of you. Just ask professional homosexuals Tom Ballard and Rhys Nicholson. I have made out with both these gentlemen and we all regret it immensely. Me because of the beard rash, Tom and Rhys because they have standards … and now herpes. Just because someone is gay doesn’t mean they are a good person. The gay community is full of dicks. HAHA! See what I did there? Comedy gold. Anyway if someone is a fuckwit, being gay doesn’t redeem him at all. He’s still a fuckwit and you should probably spread rumours that he’s got an innie penis. Drugs. The gays have the best AND worst drugs. All the party drugs, MDMA, coke, and pills are the shit when obtained through gay connections. You’ll be awake for 3 days straight and every second will feel like your cumming rainbows and little baby Jesus statues. Amyl, on the other hand, is crap. Do not take the Amyl. All you’ll get are nauseating head spins and your anus will loosen up. If you’ve eaten at all in the last 24 hours you are going to shit yourself. When spending the night out at a gay bar, dance. I don’t care if you don’t dance normally, at gay bars you do. It’s incredibly fun and also a way to distract you from the godawful music. Why do gay bars play the worst music? Is it to make up for having the best taste in everything else? Don’t say Faggot. It’s not your word. The gays own it. One day you may be inducted as an Honorary Homosexual like myself. Then you can say Faggot – but only 3 times every year and always with a licensed Homosexual in attendance. When the time comes, fight/vote for marriage equality. If you don’t, you’re a dick and don’t deserve gay friends. I hope a squid rapes you. Finally, just remember your gay friends aren’t your “gay” friends. They’re just your friends. You aren’t their straight friend; you’re just their friend that happens to be straight. You should treat them the same way. And that’s it. I hope this helps you train your potential new straight buddies into being the best Fag Stag they can be.

REVIEWS

ON PARADE

ONE NOT TO MISS

BOO PATRICK

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI

Jamie Williams’ photographic series, On Parade, is currently showing at Global Gallery, as part of the HeadOn portrait festival. Taken over several years, the series profiles a variety of Mardi Gras parade attendees, who embody the diverse genders, sexualities and identities so vital to this event, but that are commonly overlooked or repressed in mainstream media. Though each photograph was taken around the frenetic parade marshalling area, this context has been erased, and the figures appear suspended before blank backgrounds. This elimination enhances the sterile ‘white cube’ setting of the gallery, and reveals the selective nature of photography – that while capable of replicating visual reality, it is unable to communicate the noise, energy, or refuse of an event. Mardi Gras is stripped of its spectacle, and viewers are forced to engage with its denizens as individual people, rather than as the caricatures, stereotypes or ‘freaks’ of a subculture; through this reframing, the works function as portraits.

CYNA STRACHAN

On Parade is being shown alongside four other series of portraits, creating distinct ambient zones within the gallery. Beyond Williams’ room is Adrian Cook’s Sydney Writers’ Festival series, whose contemplative portraits, set against sombre backgrounds, act as an introspective foil to the festive extroversion expressed in On Parade. Continuing the theme of social value is Jacqueline Felstead’s Retreat series, which expresses the voiceless existence of the socially marginalised. Further on, Connie Petrillo’s digitally manipulated images of children – Cabinets of Curiosity – play with photography’s tendency to, like memory, glorify specific moments and images, stuck in time. John Slaytor’s Lost In Transit works, shot at high speed through the windows of trains, though anonymous, appear as intimate, painterly portraits, questioning the camera’s potential to express individual truth. Viewed in tandem, these series raise questions concerning not only the validity of photography as a medium, but also how we, as people, respond to difference.

At of the heart of the film is tradition, family and Jiro’s incredible determination and passion for his craft of making sushi. Jiro’s level of devotion to what he does is almost religious. Whilst Jiro begins as a intimidating figure, he softens becoming more likable and warm as the film progresses. Through the course of the film the audience gain an insight into his past and watch Jiro slowly allow Yoshikazu and the apprentices more responsibility in the restaurant.

Global Gallery’s HeadOn portrait exhibition will be ending on 13th May.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is director David Gelb’s portrait of Jiro Ono, the most famous sushi chef in Tokyo. At the age of eighty-five, Jiro still works from sunrise to sunset, creating impeccable sushi at his restaurant “Sukiybashi Jiro”. Jiro is the oldest Michelin Star Chef, with his tiny ten seat restaurant, the only of it’s kind to be awarded the prestigious 3 star Michelin review. This documentary shows the tough and serious Jiro in his element making sushi. His eldest son, Yoshikazu is the heir to the restaurant and although aged fifty is still preparing to take over, honored to keep learning from his father and follow the Japanese tradition of the eldest son taking over.

“Jiro Dreams of Sushi” is delicious and enjoyable, taking the audience on a tasty journey of the preparation and creation of sushi, including the art of sourcing the seafood, particularly the staple fish, tuna. Jiro Dreams of Sushi turns food preparation into a thing of beauty, the images of that incredibly thinly sliced tuna will make your mouth water and you will leave dreaming of a visit to Sukiybashi Jiro. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is being screened at The Chauvel Cinema, Paddington (Sydney). From 10th May.

WHY WE MISS

REBECCA

DAWSON’S CREEK

JOSH FORWARD

Whist Rebecca is infamously the only Alfred Hitchcock film to win Best Picture at the Oscars; it’s suspiciously been left out of the usual list of Hitchcock favourites these days. But Rebecca is Hitchcock at his best. Based on the classic novel by Daphne DuMaurier, Rebecca is a love story cross twisted thriller, following Joan Fontaine as the nameless second Mrs. Dewinter. The first Mrs Dewinter? The titular Rebecca who died long before the films beginning.

It’s been nearly fifteen years since we first watched Joey Potter sneak into Dawson Leery’s room to coyly banter back and forth about how the times they are a-changing. And so they are, with the shows stars still having blooming careers, with Michelle Williams’ two Oscar nominations, Joshua Jackson starring in more hit TV series, Katie Holmes mothering the fiercest toddler out and James Van Der Beek being murdered in a Ke$ha video clip. But Dawson’s Creek still reigns nostalgically supreme over the '90s teenage soaps. 90210 may have had Shannen Doherty bitch slapping Tori Spelling, Seventh Heaven may have had “firstperiod” parties, and Party of Five may have had the monopoly on unrelenting angst, but Dawson’s Creek had mastered an unbeatable paradox: wholesome smut.

Hitchcock’s genius is making the character Rebecca one of the most sinister villains ever without ever making an appearance, not even in a flashback. Equally as menacing is the steely Mrs Danvers, the house maid, who taunts the second Mrs DeWinter for failing to live up to Rebecca. Danvers totally had a big lesbian crush on Rebecca. This “trio” of women are one of the reasons Hitchcock still reigns, making strong female characters whilst housewives were still re-applying their lipstick before their husbands got home. Even if Hitchcock was known for drooling into his pot belly with every close-up of these Hollywood honeys, at least they had depth too. It’s Hitchcock, so no surprises it’s got more tension than the line outside an apple store. No one opens a door like Hitchcock because as the giant shadows of a backlit door sweep across the room, the door opens to every possibility: ambush, murder, discovery, lesbians, mystery… If you’ve missed this film amongst the Hitchcock canon, make sure you watch it.

REVIEWS

WHY WE MAY HAVE MISSED

Now that Chuck Bass is regularly having three ways on prime time television, it’s hard to imagine the nostalgically wholesome Dawson’s Creek gang had parents shrieking “button up that denim jacket!”. But Dawson’s Creek is racier than you remember, and I’m not just talking about bad-girl Jen’s low cut, floral printed, shapeless ankle length dresses. In the very first scene Joey, doe-eyed Katie Holmes, interrogates poor ginormous-foreheaded Dawson about his “walking the dog” habits, and his tongue tied answer proves they can’t be as platonic friends as they once were! Oh no! Luckily before she leaves he yells from the window “In the mornings with Katie Couric!”. Awww. So yes, weird, awkward and confronting then, and weird, awkward, and gross now, but still strangely addictive.

IT ALL BEGINS WITH AN INQUISITIVE URGE. RISING FROM THE PIT OF MY GUT AND STRAIGHT TO MY CHEST AS I ANXIOUSLY WATCH THE COMPUTER SCREEN LIGHT UP. MY HEARTBEAT GRADUALLY QUICKENS AS FAVOURITE KEYWORDS ARE TYPED. MY MIND BEGINS TO RACE AS IT RUNS THROUGH A CATALOGUE OF TRENDS, RUNWAY LOOKS AND ITEMS THAT I LONG FOR. AND THEN I HIT THE SEARCH KEY. WRITTEN BY ANDREW CHUNG ILLUSTRATIONS BY ELLEN PORTEUS

Listing items in chronological order, I scour hungrily. Spending any amount of time from half an hour or up to three hours per session, items that catch my attention are duly bookmarked. I go through this cycle at least once a day or sometimes even twice. I am an online shopaholic. My passion for style, clothing, accessories and outfits is deep, constant and permanent. Crammed spaces with wire hangers, group fitting rooms and pushy crowds never did appeal to me at sample sales but the URL of a coveted item can send tingles down my spine. Mannequins do not speak to me or try to entice me from shop windows. Instead, I actively seek for treasured items, from past or present, on a daily basis. At the end of each session, the bookmarked items are then evaluated. An internal monologue then begins whether the said item is classified as a need or a want. My spending budget is also weighted in and the wear ability of the item. This monologue has been known to make questionable judgments I must admit. Plunge front, lace up back, sequin and lace

Emilio Pucci jumpsuit, I am looking at you. What keeps me coming back is the wanting, the needing and the longing. Obsessed with the idea of the perfect wardrobe, I am on the constant hunt for that perfect trench coat or the perfectly proportioned pair of biker boots. It is the thrill of the chase is what makes online shopping, especially eBay, so incredibly addictive. This idea of perfection, in this case my wardrobe, is often what many try to achieve in numerous aspects of their lives. There is nothing more perfect than what we have in this moment. If we spend our lives chasing one item after the other, we lose sight of the beauty of the process. Instead of continuing to spiral out of control, I decided to examine my motives for shopping and my thought process behind such desperation. I realized that this crazed addictive behaviour stems from my lack of self belief and worth. I used designer labels to justify and validate my sense of self. I might not be able to find the love of my life but the perfect leather jacket is just a click and two thousand dollars away. Having the mentality that my life would be so much richer if I just had that jacket or that pair of

shoes opened up my Pandora’s Box of compulsive online shopping. I eagerly awaited for my next item to be scratched off my list of wants. I believed that only then could my idealized ‘perfect life’ begin. There was no item satisfying enough to ever fill that void. Just like in life, when I fall in love with a garment, I fall real hard and fast. However, more often than not, it is the idea of it that makes me fall hook, line and sinker. A woven Celine blanket cape had me the instant I saw it on the runway but in reality, it was heavy, troublesome and a hindrance to my active daily tasks. If there is anything this relationship with online shopping has taught me is patience, coincidence and timing. To find that one item, within your budget and in your size is just like the nature of life. In its myriad of unexpected tendencies, the miracle of timing and place still play a determinant and deciding role. Like with any addiction, relinquishing control is the toughest part. It is too easy to get caught up in the final minutes of a bidding auction just for the sake of winning an item. However, I repeat the mantra of what is meant to be mine, will be, all in due time. By letting go, I allow for other blessings

I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THE LOVE OF MY LIFE BUT THE PERFECT LEATHER JACKET IS JUST A CLICK AND TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS AWAY. to flow into my life instead of being hung up on the ‘shoulda woulda couldas’. But above all, I now know for sure that I am more than the clothes I wear or the labels that it is attached to. I may always dream in clothes, style and tasteful choices. It is the fuel for my creative process and what excites and stimulates me physically and cognitively. I can choose the manner I spend my money and raise my consciousness towards my shopping habits. Online shopping is just another outlet in this global marketplace of commerce, which can assist me but should never overtake or cage my life. Allowing myself to dream as wild and free but to always remember to anchor myself in my reality, my situation, my Now. As for my right Now, I write this in my beaded Pucci jumpsuit with my Celine blanket poncho, but hey, whatever works!

THE DAILY

IND

TWO SYDNEY BOYS KICK STARTED 2012 WITH A MISSION TO MAKE A DOCUMENTARY. ROB JONES OF ROBMUCH FAME HAS TEAMED UP WITH DAMIEN DUNSTAN, A RECENT GRADUATE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN FILM AND TELEVISION SCHOOL. TOGETHER THE BOYS ARE TURNING AN INTROSPECTIVE EYE ON GRINDR AND THE PEOPLE WHO USE IT. WRITTEN BY JACK FREESTONE

I HAD MADE NEW FRIENDS, BEEN ON A FEW DATES, BEEN STOOD UP, BEEN REJECTED, HAD A FLING AND EVEN BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP.

Since its rise to prominence in 2010, Grindr has been the talk of the town. The application is for men only and it allows exchanges that are immediate and often sexual. For this reason it has been touted as a convenient sex fix for horny gay men. Yet when speaking with Damien and Rob about their desire to direct the documentary that will be titled, ‘The Daily Grind’, they made it clear that Grindr has the potential to facilitate a wealth of different experiences. Damien stated "I had used the application for about six months and I realised that in that time I had made new friends, been on a few dates, been stood up, been rejected, had a fling and even been in a relationship." Like many users, Damien feels that the application is about more than just sex, "it’s about networking in the truest sense of the word". The doco will explore difference. The guys are following the lives of seven men who use Grindr for multiple purposes. Rob reflects "when we were selecting guys for the doco, we wanted to get people who represented different parts of the gay community, guys of different ages and different races." Many criticise the application for allowing users to publicly post racist statements such as ‘No Asians!’ On Grindr the line between physical preference and blatant racism is a blurry one. Damien suggested that the application

"is a new frontier, and for this reason Grindr lacks a fixed sense of etiquette. I suppose this enables behaviour that departs from politically correct behaviour." The guys are intrigued by the fact that Grindr allows users to remain relatively anonymous while interacting with a format that prefaces appearance over personality. Rob suggests that "the format of Grindr can be quite hurtful and quite harsh but the application can also facilitate interactions that are wonderful and fulfilling." Damien and Rob finished filming their seven men at the end of the 2012 Mardi Gras season. Over the winter, the boys will dip their toes into the sea of commentary that surrounds the app. Calling on the opinions of social media experts, lecturers in sociology and gender studies as well as prominent public figures, they hope to gain some comprehensive insights into the Grindr phenomenon. The guys have aspirations to eventually expose Sydney’s ‘Daily Grind’ to a global community but keep an eye out for this topical doco on Australian networks first. When asked to summarise the doco in a few words Rob smiled and said, ‘the doco is an examination and an inquiry into Grindr but it’s also a celebration of the unique life experiences that Grindr can deliver. We have captured some stories which are in essence Gen Y and I am pretty excited about it!’

KONGA “WHO RUNS THE WORLD? GIRLS!” BOOMS FORTH THE PROCLAMATION FROM THE BEWEAVED, BOADICEAN ORACLE OF ALL THINGS BOOTYLICIOUS. WRITTEN BY ANDREW GEEVES IMAGE BY NISA EAST

It is a mantra with which I am not about to take issue given that I am alone – save for one other pork-sword island – in a sea of women looking so crazy right now in jungle prints and actualising their inner-Amazon by sweatily thrashing, stomping, popping, shimmying, boxing and turning it the fuck out to the beats of Queen B’s recent grrrrl anthem. Welcome to Konga, the new-kid-on-the-block exercise class that is seriously enjoyable. No really. And this coming from someone whose ideal yoga class involves only Savasana (a.k.a. corpse pose in which the supine practitioner aims to refrain from even the slightest movement) and who feels largely inconvenienced by the prospect of sweat and/or muscular exertion. So what is this Konga and why might it be a worthwhile experience for other evolutionary miscreants who would prefer to be mauled by a sabre-toothed tiger if it saved having to activate any major muscle groups? First, some background. Konga is one of the four fitness classes that comprise The Jungle Body, an aptly-named workout programme that originated in Perth over two years ago. The dance-based Konga sits alongside the boxing-centric Vypa, pilates-like Jagua and hip-hop-inspired Tyga in The Jungle Body’s family of hour-long fitness sessions cunningly designed to distract from the inevitable pain of increasing fitness levels by turning the fun factor up to eleven.

Sure, The Jungle Body’s division of classes into areas of fitness speciality has a slight Les Mills ring to it and yes, Konga does rhyme with Zumba. But here the similarities end between extant fitness classes and Konga. Relaxed and professional, the effulgent, multitalented Yin – a macramé-weaving jeweller doubling as Sydney’s first Konga instructor – enthusiastically introduces a different Konga routine for every song. Each routine involves a combination of only four movements – count it; one, two, three, four. While there is nothing like the learning of complex combinations of new movements to swiftly transform a group exercise class from sweet dream to beautiful nightmare, Konga’s moves being super easy to pick up and super easy to execute ensures that even the most lubberly movers and shakers can handle it alongside the most agile of honeys making money (speaking of which, Konga classes cost only $10!). Indeed, it would be difficult for anyone to find Konga inaccessible. Classes are run for both children and adults and, in contradistinction to that which may be assumed given the ovarian over representation in the session I attended, none of the Konga movements would prove offensive to even the most red-blooded of males who take to the nearest boxing ring at the faintest whisper of prissiness. Konga’s vibe of all-encompassing welcome is enhanced further by fellow classmates who are young,

hip and friendly, an urban warehouse location and a sound track of tunes to which one actually wants to move (think M.I.A, Salt-n-Pepa and, of course, Beyoncé). All of these factors contribute to Konga being a remarkably easy way in which to burn 700 calories whilst improving coordination and toning muscle. So what are you waiting for? Throw your hands up at me, put a ring on it, ensure it’s not the best thing you never had . . . appropriate whatever lyrical sentiments you goddamn can and get your patootie to the next Konga class already.

Find ing a Konga Class is as easy as 1.2.3: Monday 6:30pm-7:30pm Tropical Soul Dance Studio level 1/45 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst Wednesday 7:30pm-8:30pm Dance Studio 101 342 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills Thursday 6:45pm-7:45pm Redfern Townhall 73 Pitt Street, Redfern Saturday 9am-10:00am 2 Can Dance Academy 16-22 Cooper Street, Surry Hills

k r a p S

SPARKS WI ‘ L I T T L E -W COULD’ IS WHO CAN’T

THERE’S NOT A HELL OF A LOT OF YOUTUBE CONTENT I WATCH THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE BABY ANIMALS, NATALIE TRAN, OR SURVIVOR RECAPS (YES, IT’S STILL A SHOW); SO WHEN I FOUND MYSELF SITTING DOWN TO WATCH SPARKS, THE LATEST CREATION FROM WRITER/PRODUCER TEAM WARREN CLARKE & KYRAN WHEATLEY (KWC FILMS), I WONDERED WHY THIS BLOODY LITTLE GEM HAD LESS THAN 1,000 VIEWS. WRITTEN BY SEAN CORCORAN

s k

ILL FLY! HOW THE W E B - S E R I E S -T H ATALL ABOUT THOSE Sadly, it’s probably because the K in KWC films stand for Kardashian, the W doesn’t stand T… doesn’t for What’s-his-name, and the C doesn’t stand for Captain America shirtless. While these things are of course all very well and good, there are some things in this country that still very much aren’t. Marriage equality is one of them.

This is where Sparks comes in. It’s a funny little web-series that you could call one small step for KWC Films and one giant leap for common sense. It follows a very dapper Gerald Sparks (Brendan Maclean) and his unorthodox wedding planning business – a venture arguably more of a train wreck than the last scene of Speed. Nevertheless you can’t fault Gerald’s enthusiasm for trying to help those that are lovers and those just are just plain preggers plan their perfect day. Whilst ‘Sparks’ Wedding Services’ may be Gerald’s bread and butter, his heart and soul is his straight-laced but lovely partner Dave (Anthony Gooley). Together, they’re a bit of an odd couple, but when compared to the pieces of work Gerald brings through his business’ doors you start to wonder if the criteria for marriage should be a bit more about love, and not just about what bits you have downstairs. Kyran Wheatley agrees. In fact, he’s the one who planted the seed in my head with Sparks. “If people met a couple, and fell in

love with this couple, juxtaposed against horrendous couples who should not be getting married; but for whom it is perfectly legal to - then by the end of the series, they might ask something like… Why the fuck can’t Gerald and Dave get married, when they’re clearly the only couple that should be allowed to?” It’s pretty sneaky stuff. Naughty even. But maybe it’s just what this country needs to bring about marriage equality, or rather, as Kyran states, “end marriage discrimination.” “While important, marriage marches have begun to speak to the converted. If you re-direct the effort into making content, then you could speak to a whole new audience.” The problem is, this new audience is one tough cookie. So tough they make Anzac biscuits look like they’re for sale at Subway. They are, the apathetic. They’re the type of guys that have so much nonchalance that they don’t even have a word for shrugging anymore because they’ve gotten so used to doing it. They’re the ones who think an RSVP is just a really common typo. They are our next target. Sparks is Kyran Wheatley’s first move. If we can mobilise the apathetic – get them to speak up… Then the voice will be deafening Watchsparks.com.au

NIGHTS

SOMETIMES WHEN I VENTU CHECKLIST. THE NIGHT BEGIN MAYBE A FEW SHOTS OF V DESTINATION IS DECIDED. FRIE FALL OVER AND THEN LEAVE. DEMANDED

EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NI DRINK, A DANCE AND A LITTLE D IT’S NICE TO MIX UP A LITTLE. TH SOMETHING NEW ON OFFER. MA AND IN 2012 THERE ARE A HAND MIND. WITH THE HELP OF A CE SELECTED THE CREAM OF NI

URE OUT TO OXFORD ST I FEEL LIKE I AM TICKING OFF A NS WITH PRE-DRINKS, CHEAP BUBBLES, MIXED GOON AND VODKA. WHEN SUFFICIENTLY LUBRICATED A CLUBBING ENDS PILE INTO A CAB. IN THE CLUB WE DANCE, FLIRT, KISS, . GREASE O’CLOCK HAS NOW ARRIVED AND FAST FOOD IS D. CABS AGAIN. HOME. BED. HANGOVER.

IGHT OXFORD ST ATTRACTS A CROWD OF TEN THOUSAND. A DANCE FLOOR ROMANCE IS A HEAP OF FUN. YET SOMETIMES HE SCENE IS SO DIVERSE HERE IN SYDNEY; THERE IS ALWAYS ALE OR FEMALE, GAY OR STRAIGHT THE STRIP OFFERS A LOT DFUL OF CLUB NIGHTS THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY BLOW YOUR ERTIFIED SCENE QUEEN, DANDY MAGAZINE HAS CAREFULLY IGHTS TO ATTEND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

OUT

SWAGGER

GO. GO. GO. GO. GO SHORTY, ITS YA BIRTHDAY. We gonna party like its ya birthday! Even if it’s not your birthday there’s no reason why you can’t pop it and lock it out on Oxford St a la Fifty Cent. Big gay party planners, In The Dark, have thrown together an RnB and hip hop inspired dance floor and called their club night Swagger. After running for nearly nine months the numbers that Swagger attracted forced the night to relocate. When speaking to Swagger’s host, Nelson De Sousa about the move from The Underground at the Oxford Hotel to Nevermind, Nelson said, "the Oxford Underground provided us with an opportunity to find an audience and refine what the night was, but we always knew that at some point it would be important to move." De Sousa maintains that the move to Nevermind has been a positive one, stating that "there is always a danger when you move a night, but our move to Nevermind has proven to be a good decision. It has given us the opportunity to open Swagger up to a wider audience and our first night saw us have the largest audience we have ever had. I love hosting Swagger in a venue, that on the night, is solely dedicated to Swagger: everyone who comes is there because they love the music and want to hear it out in a club environment where they can show off their best moves." Nevermind, with its plentiful dancing podiums, gives partiers ample opportunities to crump it, up on stage! At Swagger, when the DJ drops a gem from Beyonce it’s not unusual to see two guys with all the moves battling it out on stage. Each one giving it all they have got to show the audience who really runs the world (girls). Swagger is so hot because it is dedicated to exploring the best of a specific genre of music. As Nelson has noted, "the gay and lesbian scene in Sydney can be quite homogeneous, but there is an audience for other styles of music such as RnB and hip hop." Prior to Swagger there was not a gay night in Sydney that exclusively played RnB and hip hop music, In The Dark boldly decided to venture into new territory and the people have responded positively. Since its launch in Sydney, Swagger has travelled to both Melbourne and Brisbane. Across three cities people have fallen in love with the night.

GIRLTHING

If RnB is not your bag then GIRLTHING at Q bar might be your option. GIRLTHING happens on the third Saturday of every month and it has been the port of call for hard-core electro indie loving lesbians since the night evolved from Snatch and Grab in 2008. Snatch and Grab started on a Thursday night at Phoenix- downstairs at The Exchange Hotel. GIRLTHING’s host DJ Cunningpants remembers "getting heaps of complaints from people who wanted to come to Snatch and Grab but couldn’t make it because it wasn’t on a weekend. When there was an availability at Q bar on a Saturday night they offered it to us because we had so many people coming on a Thursday." The popularity of Snatch and Grab and now GIRLTHING is undeniable. When talking to girls out on the scene it seems that every lesbian and their dog attends the party religiously. Like Swagger the night is dedicated to delivering the best of a genre. GIRLTHING DJs mix indie and electro tunes like pros, the mixing ability of DJs along with their masterful track selection provides a dance floor experience that is second to none on Sydney’s club scene. Back in 2008 Cunningpants orchestrated the first ladies indie night and has seen the night grow into a phenomenon. GIRLTHING has played host to Vandalism, Lady Hawke and even PINK! From month to month the good people at GIRLTHING change it up with themes and novelty attractions. Ball pits, jelly wrestling, foam pits, boat cruises and live art works. With hoards of girls thriving about a big sweaty and exciting club its fair to say that nothing is unexpected at GIRLTHING. Like Swagger, GIRLTHING is also soon to relocate. Cunningpants informed us at Dandy magazine that the night would soon call Oxford Arts home.

Out on the scene it sometimes feels like handbag house music, is the flavour of the month…every month. Kylie, Britney, Madonna and Gaga are great but if you want to try something new there are always exciting alternatives. If you want all the messy fun of a night out on Oxford St mixed with music and a crowd that is a little different, then Swagger and GIRLTHING are worth a definitely worth a look at.

THE PINN ACLE FOUNDATION WITH PATRONS INCLUDING THE HON MICHAEL KIRBY AC CMG AND PROF KERRYN PHELPS AM, THE PINNACLE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS AND MENTORSHIPS TO LGBTIQ YOUTH WHO ARE MARGINALISED OR DISADVANTAGED. IT WAS SET UP BY A GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO SAW A BIG NEED IN THE LGBTIQ COMMUNITY THAT WAS NOT BEING MET. WRITTEN BY CATE SUMMERS

A LOT OF THEM TALK ABOUT BEING THROWN OUT OF HOME, HAVING TO FIND THEIR OWN LIVING ARRANGEMENTS, HAVING NO FRIENDS

On the website for the Pinnacle Foundation there is a saddening account by a 21-year-old about her parents’ choice to withdraw all financial and emotional support to her after finding out she had a female partner. There is another similar account by a 23-year-old gay male who was diagnosed with depression after leaving home due to differences in opinion of his sexuality with his father. These stories, along with many more, are applications to the Pinnacle Foundation for financial funding and emotional support by lesbian, gay, transsexual, queer, intersex and bisexual youths who are not able to achieve their educational or career goals on their own. The foundation, which was established in 2009, funds scholarships annually for LGBTIQ youths who have lost the financial and emotional support of their families and friends over their sexual orientation.

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Applicants who are awarded a scholarship through Pinnacle are matched up with a mentor of the same sexual orientation, living in the same location and with a similar alignment between the academic area being pursued by the scholar and the profession that the mentor is currently or has been involved in.

“When you start interviewing the applicants you find out most of them have been chucked out of home because of their sexuality and so they need that mentor or psychological support that they would have had, had they been at home,” explained Susan Brooks, part of the Management Committee at the Pinnacle Foundation, and Chair of the Selection Committee. “A lot of them talk about being thrown out of home, having to find their own living arrangements, having no friends or fewer friends than they had before. Having to start again basically without that parental support that is not just financial but also emotional.”

The Pinnacle Foundation awarded 14 scholarships for 2012 to a range of applicants, pursuing a variety of different careers including education, medicine, law and radiography, and were all coupled with mentors from those professional fields.

“I think what is continuing to happen is on the mentoring side we see a lot of the mentors providing entrees for their scholars after they have finished their academic studies into a discipline or an area of interest for them,” said Brooks. “For example there is Ashleigh Scriven, who is doing radiography up at Newcastle University in Sydney. She is doing work experience with her mentor who is a radiologist. So the links between helping you through your academic studies will build into stronger links relating to helping those people through into their professional life. So

THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE BELONG TO, WE FUND OURSELVES,

30 it’s about opening doors into their career paths really.” As a not-for-profit organisation with no funding from the government, run by volunteers and funded by donors, Pinnacle is a great model of one generation of the LGBTIQ community helping another. From the donors, to the Pinnacle committee, to the mentors, all associated with the foundation are volunteers hoping to assist younger LGBTIQ students who have been marginalised or disadvantaged.

“The community in which we belong to, we fund ourselves,” said Brooks. “So it’s through the generosity of and from people who have been successful or even people leaving their estates to us, that will mean over the

years we will get stronger and stronger and be able to help many, many more gay and lesbians because we want to strengthen our national perspective.” Since 2009, when Pinnacle issued the first two scholarships, the foundation has grown substantially. Having awarded fourteen scholarships for 2012, and establishing a list of over 140 mentors willing to help the organisation, the Pinnacle Foundation is developing into one of the key LGBTIQ youth organisations in Australia. When asked about why so many people want to volunteer and donate to Pinnacle, Susan Brooks gave her own reason for her involvement;

“It is an infinitely sensible concept really,” “How can we effectively give back to the community which we have been so lucky to be successful in and that is by us, as gay and lesbians, being mentors for the next generation. So that notion of how can we help it’s not just financial, it’s how we can apply the experience of life and professional activities to the advantage of the next generation.” For more information or to donate to pinnacle, head to www.thepinnaclefoundation.org

CAKE WINES, ESTABLISHED IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR BY BUSINESS PARTNERS GLEN CASSIDY AND MIKE SMITH, IS A NEW WINE COMPANY THAT AIMS TO STRENGTHEN SYDNEY’S CREATIVE HUB BY ACTIVELY SUPPORTING IT THROUGH ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR BUSINESS. WRITTEN BY CATE SUMMERS

"It is just stuff that we are passionate about. We’re into music, we’re into art, we’re into design, we’re into wine and culture. It made logical sense to put those two together,” says Mike Smith. On the music front, Cake Wines are donating 25c from every bottle sold to Sydney radio station FBi. They are also supporting the visual arts by using their wine labels as blank canvases for Sydney based artists. Their two current wines, a 2009 Cabernet Merlot and a 2011 Sauvignon Blanc have been decorated by local artists Beci Orpin and Kill Pixie, and with more varieties (and artists) to come. "We have also launched a pinot noir and a pinot grigio,” said Smith. “The two new artists Kevin Tran and Hollie Martin have done the artwork for those pinot’s and we did a launch down at China Heights gallery featuring all four artists including Kevin, Holly, and Becky who did the first two."

For such a fledging company, the lads at Cake Wines haven’t slowed down in their attempts to help out Sydney’s creative life, with around seventy retailers snapping up their wines, including the Norfolk Hotel in Redfern and the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi, their prospects are looking brighter every day. “We’re going to be doing a whole bunch of stuff with the Sydney Film Festival this year, which will be really cool,” said Smith regarding the company’s next move. “And a lot of other stuff too. We're doing a mix tape series so every time you buy a bottle of wine you get a download mix tape, a whole bunch of stuff.” Next time you’re at a pub or bottle-o in Sydney, have a look for the best-looking label on the shelf. You’ll be doing yourself and Sydney a big favour.

WALKLEY WINNER, MONIQUE SCHAFTER IS PART OF A NEW WAVE OF JOURNALISTS CHANGING BROADCASTING IN AUSTRALIA. NOT ONE TO SHY AWAY FROM THE STIGMATISM ATTACHED TO UNCONVENTIONAL, LATERAL ISSUES, MONIQUE SCHAFTER IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF THE KEY FIGURES OF A NEW WAVE OF JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA PERSONALITIES THAT AIM TO CHANGE MEDIA AND BROADCASTING IN AUSTRALIA. WRITTEN BY CATE SUMMERS

37The 31-year-old, Melbourne-born media graduate is best known for her work on the ABC current affairs program Hungry Beast, the brainchild of Andrew Denton. “When I heard that Denton was looking to put together a team of younger people who thought, you know, he wanted to hear crazy ideas and he wanted to experiment with new stuff...I was like shit that sounds awesome! So I applied for that and got the gig and moved to Sydney.” As an out lesbian who has ‘always kind of been out ever since I knew I was gay,’ Schafter was able to use her position at Hungry Beast to highlight some of the issues faced by the queer community in Australia, and debunk some of the stereotypes reflected in the mainstream media. “I guess on Hungry Beast I picked up a lot of queer story ideas but I tried not to just pitch them because then you’d be like, you’d be boring,” laughed Schafter. “It would be like here is gay Monique’s gay story, but on the same token I had a platform where I could bring some of those issues to a broad, mainstream audience and was kind of privileged to be able to do that.”

As a reporter on all three seasons of Hungry Beast, Schafter explored a variety of issues that wouldn’t have necessarily been deemed newsworthy on other stations, including stories on mental disorders, bullying, gender and sexuality. Her piece "Trapped in Your Own Body", a story on Maree Bourke-Calliss who suffers from ‘locked-in syndrome’ was so well received that it won Schafter a Walkley Award in 2011. For the piece Schafter had to find a way to effectively communicate with Maree Bourke-Calliss, who wasn’t able to move or speak, and who relied on blinking as her sole form of communication. "It was about finding a way for her to be able to tell her own story and to tell us what it is like to be trapped in your own body, which is basically the condition that she is living with,” explained Schafter. "We sent her a bunch of interview questions a week in advance and it took her a week to blink out her answers because that’s how she communicates and her husband transcribes.”

IT WAS ABOUT FINDING A WAY FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO TELL HER OWN STORY AND TELL US WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE TRAPPED IN YOUR OWN BODY

Schafter has also been producing her own stories in her spare time, including a documentary with Hungry Beast co-star Ally Russell called Trans Boys, which premiered at the 2012 Sydney Mardi Gras. "Initially we wanted to do like a reality series on the trans community, the f-to-m community in Sydney. A bit like The Real L Word but on trans guys, so we had grand visions of doing something like that but we didn’t get funding so we had to kind of break it down,” explained Schafter. Profiling three female-to-male trans guys in Sydney, Schafter focused on different aspects of their transition, and analysed the issues of family, physical transformation and sexual transformation through the film. "One journey is about one’s sexual preference kind of transforming. So when he started taking T, he lived his whole life as this butch dyke and then realized he was trans, and so transitioned into a dude, but then started getting attracted to men, so it was kind of about his whole sexual identity changing as well, so going from a dyke to a gay man.”

Schafter and Russell also looked at the subject of the trans community during their time on Hungry Beast, where they again interviewed three female-to-male trans guys (one of whom also appeared in Trans Boys) on their thoughts on disclosure and secrecy when it came to their sexuality.

“We basically noticed in our own community an increase in visibility of trans guys, so not necessarily in the media but amongst our own friends. So we were seeing this happen around us and weren’t seeing that being reflected on TV." With Hungry Beast sadly cancelled last November after three successful seasons, Schafter is now working on ABC’s prime time current affairs show, the 7:30 Report. However, if you want to keep up to date with all of Schafter’s projects, including Trans Boys, her twitter address is below. @MoniqueSchafter

AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHER WHO DIVIDES HIS TIME BETWEEN SYDNEY AND BERLIN. COMING OFF HIS EXHIBITION AT THE ALASKA PROJECTS SPACE IN KINGS CROSS IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, HIS WORK CURRENTLY FEATURES IN THE STUDIO TOO GOOD/PENFOLDS WINES COLLABORATIVE PROJECT THE BLOCKS AT WALSH BAY. HIS WORK HAS ALSO APPEARED IN PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING BUTT AND RUSSH MAGAZINES. WRITTEN BY ANDREW GEEVES

41Thanks for taking the time to chat with Dandy today. What have we caught you in the middle of doing? I just got back from a pretty delicious lunch at Billy Kwong [in Surry Hills]. Now I’m lying on my bed. I have to clean my apartment after the weekend’s shenanigans. Outline a typical week in the life of Sam Hodge. I work a lot doing whatever I can to make some coin . . . it’s a mixture of shooting, working, meetings, posting things, printing images, coffee, watching copious amounts of TV shows online and drinking large amounts beer. How would you describe your work to someone who hadn’t encountered it before? I really don’t know. ‘A bit of this, a bit of that’ maybe? Why were you initially drawn to photography as a medium in which to work? I first moved to Sydney when I was 17. I wanted to be a filmmaker but every time I worked on a film set I didn’t like it because most of the people were douche bags. Then I stumbled across the fashion magazine DUTCH that was started by Matthias Vriens-McGrath in Paris in the ‘90s. It contained epic experimental photo shoots, beautiful stories and great writing. They were brave in what they were doing and I saw this as a way for me to be in total control of what I wanted to do. So I started

shooting with a ‘60s camera my friend’s Dad gave me that, incidentally, I still use today. I was this brave 20-year-old sending his photos out to people and magazines. No one in Australia ever responded but the photo editor for DUTCH did. He guided me via the internet in regards to who I should speak to and what images did and didn’t work. I then spent about eight years shooting and not showing anyone except the guys at BUTT magazine who occasionally took my work. Indeed, you racked up at least one million queer points by having your work featured in both BUTT magazine and calendar. Fill us in on your experience of working for such an iconic publication. Was it the utopic saturation in pink homoerotica that we’re all envisioning? All that and more! The people at BUTT are just the greatest thing ever. They are a real inspiration because they did what they wanted to do and didn’t listen to anyone. They work so hard to make it the best it can be. Their success is well deserved. It still makes me laugh to see Dior and Marc Jacobs advertise in BUTT because it is a publication that just goes against every corporate business model of magazine making. That aside, BUTT are really hard core about the quality of the content they use and won’t give a second thought in telling you it won’t fit. I really respect that. I just love them and I feel it’s a real privilege that they have my back. Let’s just say they are the best because otherwise I will go on and on!

THE SYDNEY ART WORLD IS WAY BITCHIER ABOUT IT THAN THE FASHION WORLD BUT I DON’T CARE. I GOTTA EAT.

What is the favourite project you have worked on to date? It’s weird to try and divide my work into projects because it all blurs into one. But, that being said, I did really enjoy doing the BUTT calendar and the recent work I carried out with Penfolds and Studio Toogood. I met a lot of really nice people and loved the end result. The recent fashion stuff I’ve been doing is surprisingly fun too. I thought I would hate it but it’s great. Speaking of which, you have enjoyed recent commercial success by scoring gigs with mags such as Russh. How do you find your creative processes affected by working in the commercial sphere? At first I really avoided that kind of work because I was afraid it would affect the way I work or that I would be forced to do something I didn’t want to do and turn into a douche. Ultimately, however, I’ve been able to do what I want so there has ended up being no real difference between my commercial or personal work. It’s all my work. I love shooting for fashion. It’s SO SO much fun. I also like being given projects. The Sydney art world is way bitchier about it than the fashion world but I don’t care. I gotta eat. I grew up poor and let me tell you, it ain’t fun!

You divide your time between Sydney and Berlin. What do you find repulsive and attractive about both cities?

I think Sydney’s distance from the rest of the world is repulsive but I also love that. The present day Sydney gay scene is pretty repulsive . . . like an episode from Queer as Folk . . . but, actually, even Queer as Folk is more exciting than what Sydney has ended up with. I do actually love it here though. I go to the beach and go fishing. Sydney is changing for the better. There is a good feeling at the moment that I can’t quite describe. I love Europe. Berlin is a great base and I have a tonne of friends there but it’s not great in terms of being productive. You spend your time drinking and I tend to end up in hospital after a while. What have you planned for the rest of your year slash lifetime? I will travel back to Europe at some point for several months. I’m also collaborating on a project with the fashion label Romance Was Born which I’m terribly excited about. That’s just until the end of the year. I generally have no idea what I’m doing past next week. We shall see . . . On a (very) final note, how would you like to be remembered? I’ve been a bit existential recently so, for me, it really doesn’t matter in the end – dead is dead!

SHAD

DES ARMED WITH THE ATTITUDE THAT ‘LIFE IS COMPLICATED… PARTIES DON’T HAVE TO BE’ SYDNEY UNIVERSITY GROUP SHADES IS CHANGING THE UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE FOR MANY GLBTIQ AND GLBTIQ-FRIENDLY STUDENTS WRITTEN BY CATE SUMMERS

Established in 2009 by David Mann and Richard Sawyer, SHADES was formed as an answer to the lack of creative and social events for GLBTIQ students at the University of Sydney.

Past speaker nights have featured ABC presenter Monique Schafter, trans-activist Aram Hosie and former High Court Justice Michael Kirby.

Alongside five other students, Mann and Sawyer approached the University of Sydney Union with the idea of creating a GLBTIQ social group that would hold events throughout the semester. Their first event in March 2010 at the Tonic Lounge in King’s Cross was a sell-out.

Unlike many student GLBTIQ groups, Shades is not an overtly political society, choosing to focus instead on social events for the GLBTIQ community. Lane Sainty believes that the group is successfully bridging the gap between GLBTIQ students and straight students at the University of Sydney through the parties and events they host.

“Prior to the inception of Shades, there were a limited number of options for GLBTIQ students at the University of Sydney,” said Lane Sainty, the current Shades publicity officer.

“We are undoubtedly active in providing a support network for GLBTIQ students and strengthening ties between these students and straight people at the University of Sydney,” explained Sainty.

“Shades undoubtedly filled a void on campus by providing a space where people can come to relax, meet new friends and enjoy themselves.”

“However, we seek to achieve these outcomes through the events we hold, rather than overt political action such as protesting in the street. For example, a Speaker Night featuring successful people from the GLBTIQ community is a hugely effective way of showing young GLBTIQ people that they too can achieve great things.”

By nature a social society, the key events on the Shades calendar are the three themed parties held per semester at venues around Sydney. Shades also run speaker nights, where members of the GLBTIQ community are asked to speak to the students.

WE ARE UNDOUBTEDLY ACTIVE IN PROVIDING A SUPPORT NETWORK FOR GLBTIQ STUDENTS AND STRENGTHENING TIES BETWEEN THESE STUDENTS AND STRAIGHT PEOPLE

Since it’s conception, Shades has seen a steady increase in popularity, with 120 paid members for 2012 and many more non-paying members attending their events, including GLBTIQ students from other universities. “Our Facebook group has approximately 850 members and our parties have grown from attracting 90 or so people to close to 300,” said Sainty. "At our most recent events, there were also students from UNSW, UTS, Macquarie, UWS and more. Although this spread throughout other universities has mostly been limited to Sydney thus far, we also have been in contact with universities further afield who are eager to get their GLBTIQ students involved in Shades. We have even heard that a group of students from ANU in Canberra might be coming to our next party!” Current Shades President Katherine Sherrie strongly believes that Shades "can only get bigger and better" as more students become aware of the society.

“What started as a small society created by a group of friends has evolved into one of the University of Sydney’s biggest student groups, and provides hundreds of GLBTIQ and GLBTIQ-friendly students the opportunity to have fun and be inspired at more than seven events a semester,” said Sherrie. “In the future, I would love to see Shades continue to champion diversity, and welcome even more women, people from different cultural backgrounds as well as sex and gender-diverse people to our events.” If you’re interested in getting to know the Shades community a little bit better, there are a few ways to get in touch with them. Their Facebook group ‘Sydney University Shades’ is a good way to stay in the loop, as is following them on Twitter (@sushades) or go to their website http:// www.shades.org.au.

PHOENIX KEATING STYLIST

DESIGNER

ARTIST

SYDNEY STYLIST PHOENIX KEATING CREATES PIECES THAT STRADDLE DARK INTRIGUE AND UNUSUAL BEAUTY, A COMPLEX ENOUGH COMBINATION TO CATCH THE EYE OF GAGA DURING HER 2011 AUSTRALIAN TOUR. WE SPOKE TO PHOENIX ABOUT THE PRESSURES OF EARLY SUCCESS AND YOUTH, THE ORIGINS OF HIS PASSION AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE NEXT. WRITTEN BY MICHELLE RETFORD

When did you first realise your passion for design? I realised my passion for design at about the age of 14. I made a dress for a project at school, and fell completely in love with seeing my ideas living and walking around... the whole process really spoke to me. What was it like to have you clothes worn by such an Icon like gaga? It was a huge compliment. I was extremely flattered by that fact she likes my work. It was a really beautiful moment seeing my designs on her. Is being a young, gay, successful designer in the fashion industry difficult? Being gay is kinda like a prerequisite for being in the fashion industry haha.. So no, it hasn’t… [and] I wouldn’t consider myself a success by any means. It’s a constant struggle being my age trying to do the things I do in an industry like this. You get a lot of people who look down at you because of

some kind of preconceived notion that you aren’t talented or skilled enough. It can get very hard.

What can we expect from you in the future and future collections? Well my next collection, called ‘DE-SEX”, is showing in April and is the de-sexualisation of fetish. Taking something overtly sexual or vulgar and making it wearable and accessible to a wider demographic. Images from DE-SEX runway show

PHOENIX

KEATING

BATTING FOR THE OTHER S SIDE DESPITE A FEW NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS THE GENERAL RULE IN FASHION TODAY IS THAT, WHILE MEN OFTEN DESIGN FOR WOMEN, FEMALE DESIGNERS RARELY DESIGN FOR MEN. IN THE UPPER ECHELONS OF LARGE, GLOBAL FASHION BRANDS, THIS GOES WELL BEYOND THE NUMERICAL ADVANTAGE THAT MALE FASHION DESIGNERS COULD BE SAID TO ENJOY OVER THEIR FEMALE COUNTERPARTS; PROPORTIONALLY, FAR MORE MEN DESIGN FOR WOMEN THAN VICE VERSA. WRITTEN BY RICHARD SAWYER LAYOUT DESIGN LACHLAN GUTHRIE

THIS THUG WE ARE INTERESTED IN, WE WANTED TO BE TONGUE IN CHEEK ABOUT IT AND CREATE A KIND OF “HOMO THUG.”

Is the designing eye gendered? If so, how does a woman’s imagining of menswear differ from a man’s? I spoke with Kate Reynolds from Melbourne based menswear label Pageant to discuss the role of gender in her and design partner Kate Cumming’s design process.

A discussion of the interplay of gender and design was especially relevant to Reynolds’ and Cumming’s work. Pageant’s designs are clean and athletic. Sportswear fabrications and design elements give their clothes a strong sense of physicality and stereotypical masculinity. Their latest collection for A/W12, entitled ‘Wet Dream,’ for example, was inspired by Navy SEAL uniforms. Sweat suits and workout gear is recontextualised into uniforms for an urban army of youth, menacingly rendered in wetlook black, navy and ice grey. Those tropes of thuggish dress are all present: the press-stud track pants; sweatshirts in concrete grey; neon windbreakers; and puffer, in vests, jackets, shorts and scarves – quilted to mimic camouflage print.

I started our conversation by asking if Reynolds considered Pageant’s designs to be masculine: One of the main inspirations for the A/W collection was the idea of a male thug; we wanted to take that idea of masculinity and stretch it to its extreme. We like to examine and play with how men want to portray themselves. So, we are inspired by stereotypical masculinity, like alpha males, jocks, you know, and we are interested in how they act and how their clothes define them. Yet, at the same time a lot of the men who wear our clothes are not necessarily traditionally masculine and the way they wear our clothes is often quite camp. This thug we are interested in, we wanted to be tongue in cheek about it and create a kind of “homo thug.” Do you think there is such a thing as a uniquely ‘female eye’ or a female ‘point of view’? Yeah, I think there is. I mean, Amanda and I can’t wear the pieces; they don’t fit us correctly. We could only ever wear them as women wearing men’s clothes. That changes the way you look at the design process and makes it more of an objective exercise. I think also we might add something as women who are trained in both womens and menswear, we are able to take our aesthetic farther. We aren’t stuck in the same colour palette, for example; or we might feel more free to use elements and fabrications not typically associated with menswear. Maybe other menswear designers feel more limited. We certainly don’t limit ourselves on the basis of gender or think, ‘No, we can’t use that.’ Everything we do is natural; we are who we are and we can’t make ourselves more sale friendly. Given that you have training and experience designing for both men and women, what was the decision process like in choosing to make menswear? Amanda and I studied together and, actually, we both majored in womenswear. When we were playing around with the idea of starting a label I think we wanted to do something that was a bit more outside of ourselves. A lot of our friends are womenswear designers. And I think most female designers, when they design clothes, they really

design for themselves. We weren’t interested in that. We wanted it to be more objective and more about a design exercise. Plus, somehow we both have such different aesthetics with womenswear that we couldn’t see how it would have worked designing together for women. With menswear we were better able to meet in the middle. How do you think designing for women differs from designing for men? Do men have a different relationship to the clothes they buy than women? I think men are inclined to spend a lot of money once or twice a year. They will constantly wear a few things; they’ll love them and wear them over and over until they’re worn out. That really works for us because we don’t like the idea of fast fashion at all. In the womenswear market you can get away with a lot more; things are more fast-paced and flakey. The fit doesn’t have to be amazing, for example, because women will put themselves through a lot of pain to wear something fashionable. Men, as consumers, are more unforgiving. If it doesn’t fit properly, they won’t buy it. Therefore, for us, fit and quality of fabric is so important.

On your website it says that Pageant “celebrates the everyday man”. Could you tell me a bit about the Pageant everyday man? The Pageant man is confident within himself, has a lot of inner strength and wants to celebrate who he is through his clothing. He would want to wear Pageant because our clothes are different. I love the idea of a man who wears our clothes because he wants to feel good about himself; maybe he is going on a date; but he would wear Pageant because he just wants to feel like the shit. So, do you design with the men in your life in mind? We are inspired by the men that surround us; our brothers, dads, boyfriends and friends. We talk a lot to the men in our lives and listen to their feedback, you know, ‘would you wear this?’ But we also always have a ‘man for the season’, an image of a man, the muse, who inspires us. It is usually one of the models that we use. We create elaborate mood boards for each collection. Like for A/W we started with these images of homemade submarines; and we built from there the ideas of military uniforms, sea foam and, its urban equivalent, shaving foam. All these ideas work their way into the collection.

Pageant is available exclusively from FAT (see http://fat4.com/). For more information on Pageant, see www.wearepageant.com Images: Designer duo: Kate Reynolds and Amanda Cumming “Wet Dream” A/W 2012 Press Kit

UNCOMMON

GROUND STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS MAY SEEM LIKE AN UNACHIEVABLE PIPE DREAM, BUT WITH HER ONLINE SHOE STORE CATERING TO LARGER SIZES, YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR KRISSY CRAWFORD HAS PROVEN THAT IT’S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE. WRITTEN BY MICHELLE RETFORD

I’M WELL AWARE THAT A SHOE SHOP FOR GIRLS WITH BIG FEET IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE HUMOROUS BUT IT’S BEEN INCREDIBLY SURPRISING HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPLIED

Having been excluded from shoes from around the age of 15 due to her size 11 feet, it was when a shoe designer friend decided to go up to a size 11 in her next range that Krissy realised that it’s not that shoe companies can’t make larger shoes, it’s that they won’t take the risk. After a lot of research, quitting her full-time job and taking a leap of faith, Krissy founded online shoe store Uncommon Ground.

straight away that their friend/cousin/housemate/work colleague has been complaining about this exact problem. And I know how happy the girls with those larger sizes are about it!” And the positive results aren’t only based in business. “One of the things that I’ve walked away with is a renewed sense of human generosity. I am consistently amazed by the wonderful people that have helped me through the process, for no other reason than that they want to help someone succeed.”

While sourcing the larger-sized shoes is difficult, Krissy has worked hard to make the right connections and find hot, larger shoes. “There was a hell of a lot of phone calls and emails trying to find brands that actually made fashionable women’s larger size shoes that weren't your typical nanna shoe,” Krissy admits. “And in all honesty it was a struggle, and still is, but I'm lucky enough to have Provensen going up to a women's size 13 exclusively for Uncommon Ground this winter and another Sydney brand called Dot & Pete who also goes up to large sizes which I'm also looking forward to working with.”

Business and financial support for this kind of small startup venture is growing also. The online medium means that a lot of typical overheads associated with a store are avoided. While the original funding came from “personal savings and begging, borrowing and stealing from family and friends”, Uncommon Ground was recently approved for micro enterprise loan, specifically designed to assist small start-ups. Krissy also acknowledges the help of the free service Business Enterprise Centre, where you meet with an advisor about business plans, start-up issues and trouble shooting.

Having found a definite gap in a big market, Uncommon Ground has been incredibly well received. “I’m well aware that a shoe shop for girls with big feet is actually a little humorous but it’s been incredibly surprising how many people have replied

For inspiration, Krissy advises that “the more you get out into the world of entrepreneurs, even if you’re only thinking of starting a business, the more successful you’re likely to be. It’s wonderful what inspiration from other people can help you become.”

m m co

g n o

n u ro

o c d.

u a m.

PH IT ALL BEGINS WITH AN INQUISITIVE MIND, A FEARLESS DESIRE FOR THE NEW AND CONFIDENCE IN YOUR OWN SKIN.

HOENIIX

IT IS MY BELIEF THAT GREAT STYLE IS LIKE INHALING A WHIFF OF FINE PERFUME ON ANOTHER. INTENSELY PERSONAL, ENTICING, YET FLEETING AND MEMORABLE. WRITTEN BY ANDREW CHUNG ILLUSTRATIONS BY ELLEN PORTEUS Your individual scent, like the clothes you wear, gives you an identity to the world. It tells a story without you having to say a single word. Just like how certain fits and styles might suit one and not others, certain ingredients in perfume can also have a specific reaction to its wearer. The beauty of the nature of fashion today is in its accessibility and variety. Riccardo Tisci, designer at Givenchy, has shown over the knee boots, pleated tennis skirts and pink lace shirts for men. “When you are confident of your sexuality, as a man, you can wear whatever you want,” he says. Good style is irrelevant to budget, age, weight, race or monetary status. The most stylish people I know and admire are the ones who know who they are and adhere to that regardless of what they might be wearing. As Coco Chanel famously said, "elegance is refusal".

Above all, what we wear (and how we smell) is like an envelope. A beautiful presentation that heightens the appeal but is never more significant than the letter within. This knowing sense of self is different for everyone but an appreciation for its layers, body and textures can be learnt. This is my aim for my column, to muse on certain trends, nudge you into fresh territories, re-define your palate and with luck, enable you to hone in on what your individual sense of style might be. It all begins with an inquisitive mind, a fearless desire for the new and confidence in your own skin. That’s the thing about great style, if you seek it and follow what excites you, it will come. So what can you smell today?

A L P H A B E T S O U P Styling: Erica Deluchi Photography: Lucy Tann Illustration: Erica Deluchi Assistant Brain: Christina Deluchi

Clockwise: Rotten Luck Key Chains. DL & Co Etched Lantern. Urban Outfitters Bedarande Red Wine Glass. Ikea Wake Up Cushion. Freedom Furniture Traveller Pocket Watch. Wenger Stockholm Cushion. Ikea Call Waiting Cushion. Freedom Furniture Gold Gnome Stool. Kartell Cannabis Candle. Malin + Goetz Black Gnome Stool. Kartell

Clockwise: Brachiosaurus. Schleich Schleich Behovd Vacuum Flask. Ikea Plywood Elephant Seat. Eames Wooden Alphabet Stamp Set, Kikki K Barometer. Antique White Sentance Maker Clock. Alessi Neoprene Ipad Case, Universal Putting on the Ritz C&S Set. Maxwell and Williams Melodic Tea Strainer. Alessi

HOMOSCOPE WRITTEN BY JACK FREESTONE

e c i p S c i d Zo

Sporty Spice March-13th - June 1st

As we approach the cool season be sure to pull out a sports bar with plenty of padding. Stipples were suggestive in the nineties now they are a serious no no. Throughout May, the moon of Ginger looms on your horizon and yet again you suppress your inner lesbian, you have always had a guilty soft spot for a tinge of the ginge. Frustrations produce some characteristically aggressive behaviour at work and on the pitch. Did someone say foot foul? Oops, guilty! Yeah thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right, you go girl because this winter itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about gritted teeth, beefy grunts and living life on the edge. Hold on Sporty, hold on, the moon of Baby sits just around the corner and it looks like she might just deliver that fruity eclipse that we have all been waiting for. Oops, guilty!

75 Posh Spice June 2nd-August 18th

Baby Spice August 19th- 0ctober 5th

As you ponder the rise of popular pop star Vitamin C, A hormonal overdrive will see Baby Spices enter the issue of your health weighs heavily on your mind. a period of growth and maturity. In the coming Replenish your nutrients every hour and do your best weeks you will try out new hair styles after inevitably to avoid irrational and regular gland inspections. You realizing that nothing says daddy issues quite like a may be aware of subtle aches in the armpit region pair of pigtails. As you enter the house of Scary, take alas be sure to diagnose yourself with hypochondria some time to consider your womanhood and how before anything more drastic. As we journey towards best to claim your independence. Get your pout on the centre of the calendar year a close proximity and, suck that token lollipop in the most suggestive August 19th- 0ctober 5th to Sporty will see you spice up your life with a little way possible (this will maximize flavor). At the bit of exercise. Wake to a mirror every morning A hormonal overdrive momentwill yousee areBaby all about maximal Spices enter flavors. Palpable and chant your mantra- "there is no excuse for a a period of growth undercurrents of malicious sour begin taint your and maturity. In the coming Christmas spread in June. I must look like an insect of hair initialstyles sweet. In May weeks you willexplosion try out new after in- 2012 you are 51% by July." In this time of heightened physical awareness angel 49% bitch, with one hand on your hip and evitably realizing thatand nothing says daddy issues be sure to protect the life source that is your lower in our faceenter you scream, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t push it! quite like a pairthe of other pigtails. As you the back. Gravity remains the eternal enemy of thosehouse who of Scary, take some time to consider your are heavy chested. womanhood and how best to claim your inde-

Baby Spice

pendence. Get your pout on and, suck that token lollipop in the most suggestive way possible (this will maximize flavor). At the moment you are all about maximal flavors. Palpable undercurrents of malicious sour begin taint your explosion of initial sweet. In May 2012 you are 51% angel and 49% bitch, with one hand on your hip and the other in our face you scream, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t push it!

Ginger Spice

Scary Spice

October 6th- December 20th

December 21st-March 12th

After last months eclipse with Posh, things are looking gentle for Gingers. You are known for your fiery personality but your stubborn inclinations have soothed in the wake of Posh’s influence. Domestic structure and ordered logic will assume centrality and your friends will begin to jokingly label you “practical spice.” What a hoot. A newfound sense of control will make you more considerate of others. When serving cups of black tea to friends you will include either an ice cube or a drop of cold water to ensure that the recipient does not burn his or her tongue. Hints of care and concern for others will accentuate your more desirable features and it will truly start to rain men. Like the boy who once cried wolf you were the girl who once cried cock, this moon has since passed.

Well someone is in definite need of an eclipse aren’t they? No not an eclipse as in the moon an eclipse as in the mint. Just because you are a Scary Spice doesn’t mean you have to have death breath too. Sort ya shit out.

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