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UNDERWEAR FASHION FEATURE Page 40.
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CONTENT
#
264 Regulars
32
35
55
12
FROM THE EDITOR
14
BURNTTOAST: What readers say.
LYLE ANTHONY
He’s a talented musician, strikingly hot, and here to make history.
16
THE MONTH IN A MINUTE
18
FIGHT CLUB
2022 AT A GLANCE
20
MUSIC: Years & Years, Jonsi, more.
Get out your red pen and diary, here’s what’s coming our way…
26
STREAMING:
Mayor Pete, Tick, Tick…Boom.
BIG BOYS’ TOYS
Things that go buzz in the night… and other cool pleasure-y gizmos!
BIG in Underwear 36
GOSTOSO
42
PUMP
44
THE PACK
46
SKULL AND BONES
48
CODE 22
50
RUFSKIN
52
COCKSOX
28
THEATRE: Touching The Void.
30
THEATRE: Moulin Rouge.
82
THE LAST WORD: Katie Underwood.
Portfolio 68
A POETICS OF THE INEFFABLE
By Walter Jenkel.
Extra Digital Pages 84
SKYY
by Benjamin Veronis 54
TANI USA 90
EJ
by Jeremy Marc Anthony
Features 74
WOODY FOX
Adult film actor, acrobat, teacher, and a man who’s been on a long journey to self-discovery. 58
MARVIN CORTEZ
The America’s Next Top Model star talks body image, bisexuality, and making hot man-on-man action for his Fans page. 66
COURTNEY ACT
Australia’s favourite showgirl swings by for a chat about her autobiography. 56
HOT SUMMER READS
Wondering what to read over the break? Here’s our summer picks, and our Best Of ’21. 23
AGNES CARLSSON
The Swedish pop star is back with her new album, Magic Stills Exists.
10 DNA
100
JACKSON
by Jade Young 106
MICHELE
by Roberto Chiovitt 116
JAKE
by Paul Jamnicky 124
ABDALLA
by Dan Nguyen
ON THE COVER: Mai Levi wears Gostoso, by Ran Yehezkel. ON THIS PAGE: Rufskin, see page 50.
CODE 22
FROM THE EDITOR
ANDREW CREAGH
FIGHT CLUB
NEXT BIG THINGS! Can we predict the future? No, but we can have fabulous underwear! oes it seem a little foolish predicting The Next Big Things for 2022 after the last two years? With first COVID-19 and then Delta disrupting every aspect of our lives, and now Omicron lurking in the shadows, maybe it’s safer to just say, “Happy New Year and, er, let’s see what happens!” But I prefer to be optimistic. Remember when we made plans to catch planes that took us to destinations in foreign countries? And we were allowed back home! With over 90 percent of Australians fully vaccinated, we’re heading towards business as usual. What I can predict with some confidence is that you and I and all the men we know will probably buy new underwear this year. But where to start? There are so many brands to choose from. Of course, I always start by checking out DNA advertisers, and I’m not being parochial here; the brands who advertise with us all have excellent product lines. What’s more, we usually get to photograph them, so I see the garments, get a sense of their quality, the fabric, the construction. Then we put them on models and that’s the real test. Personally, I prefer a classic brief, not a trunk, and definitely not a boxer. I also love a G-string and a thong… but not on me! I leave that to go-go boys, strippers and those super-bodyconfident people at the sexy end of the beach. At the moment, I’m choosing black and dark blue over white, and I like a nice trim or a stripe
D
12 DNA
of colour or piping. Fabric is really important. Too much elastin and it can get a bit tight. Looser is better, and fun fabrics with punch holes and textures are good. I’m also now a medium. After many, many years as a proud small, I’ve gone up a size. I’m sure it’s because I’ve been working out and nothing to do with extra covid kilos! I hope you find our Next Big Things In Underwear feature helpful and enjoy the browsing. There’s something about putting on a brand new pair of underpants, that look and feel great, that makes me very happy!
There’s something about putting on a brand new pair of underpants, that look and feel great, that makes me very happy! Perhaps the one constant in our lives over the last two years has been our devotion to streaming services, and 2022 promises to deliver some great television, which we preview on page 35. I’m looking forward to Billy Eichner’s gay rom-com, Bros. This US comedian is not to everyone’s taste, which I understand if you’ve only seen him in Billy On The Street or Difficult People, but a good gay rom-com is just what we need! I’m also very interested
in the second season of Young Royals. How far will they take the relationship between the gay prince of Sweden and his high school boyfriend? Compelling viewing ahead. I joked the other day that the only story from gay culture Ryan Murphy wouldn’t exploit would be Jeffrey Dahmer – but I was wrong! He’s gone and made a 10-part Netflix series on the serial killer! He better not have set it to music, that’s all I can say! Troye Sivan will be back with a new album this year, a new movie (about an HIV-positive teen) and a TV drama, Idol also starring The Weeknd. After a quiet year, it’ll be good to have Troye back in our lives. This month we also welcome back Woody Fox. He’s done a beautiful shoot for DNA with Riley-McFarlane Photography and he spoke with Mark McFarlane in a wonderful interview that delves deep into his childhood and the many challenges that have led him to this place in his life. He may have retired from porn, but he still likes to get his gear off for the right camera. I hope you enjoy the story and the exclusive images. We also meet Marvin Cortes of America’s Next Top Model fame. He talks to Matthew Phillp about his bisexuality, body image, business and making hot man-on-man action for his Fans page, and there are gorgeous photographs by Tyler Chick. And Courtney Act has a biography out, so we had to have a chat about that, too! There’s tons more in this issue to discover. Enjoy your underwear shopping and, as always, stay safe, be kind, and love yourself. Andrew Creagh Founding Editor
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BURNTTOAST
DNA READERS HAVE THEIR SAY... DNA POLL: SHOULD TONY ARMSTRONG HAVE SHAVED OFF HIS MO AND CUT HIS CURLS?
We’ve always loved the ABC TV sports presenter, especially that time he said Australia’s cricket captain, Tim Paine had a bulging dick (instead of a bulging disc). But he shocked us recently with his new look – his trademark mo and curls all gone! What did DNA readers think? Well, 50.8% said he looked better before, while 49.2% said they preferred the new look. So, it was close, and there was heated debate… He should not have done that. – Mark Berridge ’70s porn star look! – Creig Sterne
ADRIAN C MARTN
His mo and curls really suited him. – Marc Lyle Hughes He is a very handsome man either way. Not many can pull off the shaggy hair and mo but he does with style. – Ian Foxton It’s kind of like when Judge Judy changed hers. – Matt Pfeffer
ALVARO MARTIN ON THE COVER OF #263
A muscular, handsome, alpha male with a tremendous package! – Francesco Sodano
The clean look is not bad at all. Otherwise, the long hair is nice, too. Just get rid of the mo. – Scott Mitchell
That’s HUGE! – Tobias Barnaby Angus What a beauty. – Tildon Creech
JACKSON SKATE BY JADE YOUNG
Why do we have to objectify men in such a way. Can’t we just talk about his talent at being a very good broadcaster? (You do realise I’m being facetious, don’t you?) – Drew Lambert
Damn, he is fine. – Robert Miller CONCERNS AS LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS WORSEN ACROSS EASTERN EUROPE
As reported on the DNA website. The legislation that’s being passed is shocking. What bothers me is the lack of any punishment from the EU Muppets. It does go to show how powerless they actually are. Europe is supposed to be a forward-thinking liberal place to be, and be safe for everyone. It’s simply not going to be the case, and as a gay tourist, it’s worrying. – Peter Anderson-Holmes EDDIE REDMAYNE REGRETS PLAYING A TRANS WOMAN IN THE DANISH GIRL
As reported on the DNA website. FFS, they’re actors, it’s called acting. Are we going to find a serial killer to play a serial killer on the next slasher flick? Please! – Mark Bunce I only want aliens playing aliens from now on. – Craig Riley So, no gays or trans are allowed to play straight roles? – Mikey Hong Don’t see the problem. I thought he was great in the role. – Dean Thomas 14 DNA
FFS he looks great either way – but you know he is not on TV for his looks. Let’s stop objectifying people of any gender. – N Hetherington I liked the ’70s mo look but he plays around with that facial hair so often that it’s part of the fun. He’ll go blond next. Came for the mo, stayed for the banter! – Mark Dickson Hmmmm… If only he was gay! – Christian Thomas
Tony before.
Jade’s images of hung and hunky Jackson lit up the Likes on DNA’s website and socials last month. See more of Jackson in the Extra Digital Pages of this issue.
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Tony after.
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MONTH IN A MINUTE
COMPILED BY TORSTEN HØJER
NEO-NAZIS ATTACK GAY BAR Shocking video footage of a brutal attack on a gay bar in the eastern European country of Ukraine by neo-Nazis emerges online. The CCTV images show masked men violently breaking windows, throwing furniture and a petrol bomb, while using pepper spray against security staff. It’s reported that the far-right thugs yelled “death to faggots” and “white power” during the attack on the HvLv bar in Kyiv. “It’s not the only attack on bars in recent years,” says Olena Shevchenko, gay rights activist. “They call it ‘safari’ or ‘raids on perverts’ mostly LGBTQIA+ people and those who look LGBTQIA+.” Police detain 12 men in relation to the violence. It highlights the plight of gay men in the region, who regularly fear attack with little protection from the state.
HUSBAND DONATES KIDNEY American Rafael Diaz donates a kidney to save the life of his husband Reid Alexander. “To know that someone is doing this incredible thing for you, and it’s someone you love, is really an amazing feeling,” says Reid.
LGBTQIA+ YOUTH HOMELESSNESS American youth workers warn that homelessness among LGBTQIA+ young people is at worryingly high levels, and that they are 120 times more likely than straight youth to be find themselves on the streets due to families chucking them out. Activists say more education is needed to prevent homelessness, and more money is needed to help. PORN PIONEER MOURNED The porn world mourns the death of pioneering director Wakefield Poole, who transformed the gay porn genre with his landmark 1971 movie, Boys In The Sand. Celebrities and “serious” film publications gave it credibility and praise. Set on New York’s Fire Island, the film explored sexual liberation and, crucially, presented gay sex as pleasure without guilt.
ADOBESTOCK
UK MILITARY REVERSES HIV BAN The UK says it will no longer bar people living with HIV from serving in the military. The Ministry Of Defence says it will now regard members of the armed forces who take HIV medication and PrEP as fully fit for operations. Activists call it a “momentous day” and a sign of how far medical science – and attitudes – have come. RUSSIA TARGETS NETFLIX Russian censors launch an investigation into streaming giant Netflix for violating its controversial “gay propaganda” law by making positive gay stories available. Government officials are reportedly angry that young Russians can access shows that depict LGBTQIA+ people as happy, normal people. It’s unclear whether they are aiming to fine Netflix or ban it carrying gay content. It comes as Russia considers reclassifying all films containing gay love as hardcore porn.
HIV RATES VERY LOW IN OZ HIV infection rates in Australia dropped sharply in 2020, according to a new report by the University Of New South Wales. There were just 633 new HIV diagnoses during the 12 month period, the lowest yearly rate since 1984. It’s thought to be the result of education, better protection from HIV medication (which, if working correctly, means people living with HIV cannot pass it on) and PrEP, and less sex during the pandemic.
16 DNA
Musical theatre composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim dies, prompting an outpouring of love from some of the world’s biggest stars. Sondheim, who was 91, reimagined the musicals genre, creating hits including Into The Woods, Saturday In The Park With George and Sweeney Todd. Celebrities including Hugh Jackman, Barbra Streisand and Patti LuPone take to social media to write tributes, and the lights of Broadway and London’s West End dimmed in his honour. Sondheim is survived by his husband, Jeffrey Scott Romley.
QATAR SAYS GAYS ‘WELCOME’ Qatar insists gay men will be welcome when it hosts the World Cup in 2022, despite having a worrying record of abuse against LGBTQIA+ people. It comes as the country desperately tries to improve its image on the world stage in the lead up to the events next year.
WIKIMEDIA
VIDEO SCREEN SHOT
MUSIC LEGEND SONDHEIM DIES
DNA 17
FIGHT CLUB
FIGHT CLUB
HOMOPHOBES GET SLAYED! / COMPILED BY TORSTEN HØJER
SPORTS STARS SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS WITH RAINBOW GEAR ports people from the worlds of football, rugby, horse riding and more are coming out in support of LGBTQIA+ rights, as part of a campaign launched by the Stonewall organisation. Homophobia has long been rife in male-dominated sport, with stories of anti-gay chants on the terraces to insults hurled at players. But sport is fighting back. The annual Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign encourages well-known players, teams and crew to wear the Pride flag when they play. It’s attracting headlines not only in the UK, but around the world, and sending a strong message to countries where gay sex is illegal or gay people are targeted, that tolerance is key to fair play.
SHUTTERSTOCK
ADOBE STOCK
Matt Parcell of Hull KR in action with rainbow laces in his boots.
ALAMY
S
ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU ENCOURAGES CHRISTIANS TO SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS
Sometimes, the only way to reach anti-gay religious people with a message of gay acceptance is via a respected religious figurehead. And that’s just what prominent South African Archbishop, Desmond Tutu is doing, fighting back against homophobia in the Church head-on. Tutu, who is a respected human rights campaigner, recently said that he opposes anti-gay sentiment, laws and attacks with the same passion that he opposed the racist apartheid policy in his country. Tutu has a powerful voice in Africa, and around the world, meaning his support for LGBTQIA+ rights will be heard loud and clear. 18 DNA
BOTSWANA UPHOLDS GAY SEX RIGHTS AFTER PRO-GAY CAMPAIGN
Gay men in the African country of Botswana have been able to enjoy sex without fear of prosecution for two years, since the country decriminalised it in 2019. However, in November 2021, a campaign by anti-gay activists came to a head. They reached Botswana’s High Court in the hope of overturning the 2019 law and making gay sex illegal again. Thankfully, LGBTQIA+ activists are emboldened in Botswana and they launched a counter campaign to ensure their rights were upheld. The High Court, hearing evidence from both sides, ruled that the law can remain, and that gay men can continue having sex without being arrested.
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DNA 19
MUSIC
REVIEWS BY MARC ANDREWS
YEARS & YEARS – NIGHT CALL
There’s a lot riding on the third album from Years & Years, now reduced to just Olly Alexander. Their 2015 debut, Communion, was an immaculate confection with hits King and Desire announcing a big new pop act. Sadly, 2018’s follow-up Palo Santo, was a not-so-hot mess and the then-trio parted ways, leaving Olly to create a third album on his own. You may have already heard Star Struck, which is a decent enough pop bop, but the good news is that this is a return to the superlative form of their debut. The title track sounds like an instant hit, Sweet Talker (“you’re the man of my dreams”) is the big gay pop hit we’ve been hoping for, while bittersweet See You Again gives Troye Sivan a run for his money. If you’re after Y&Ys’ recent Kylie collabs they’ll both on the deluxe edition.
This is a return to the superlative form of their debut… DONATACHI – DONATCHI.COM
ANTHONY HUGHES – DON’T TRY
Non-binary Sydney producer Donatachi is one of the leading lights of “hyperpop” and on their new seven-track EP, cutely titled Donatchi.com, they certainly deliver on all that hype(r). Leading off with Cry, best described as Tones And I stuck in a bubblegum-flavoured techno time machine, this is perfect for your next high impact cardio workout, long distance road trip, or next kitchen disco between Netflix binges. The EP’s first single, Pisces Rising, featuring Chymes, has a more languid paced pop bop that sounds like the coolest beach tune you’ll hear all Southern Hemisphere summer. “I’ve put more of myself into this than anything I’ve ever done before,” they declared to DNA.
This 29-year-old gay singer/ songwriter from London is looking to make a splash in 2022. After featuring on CYRS’s track Zone he independently released My Thing and Out The Other Side, both of which garnered acclaim and attention, even in the middle of a pandemic. Now, with Don’t Try, Ant is ready to break out big with the meaty, beaty tale of starcrossed lovers in collaboration with producer Fhalla. That he also has one of the sexiest voices you’re likely to hear in LGBTQIA+ pop is a bonus. Check out the video for Don’t Try, too, in which he truly smoulders for the camera. Just try and take your eyes off him!
SHELDON RILEY – AGAIN
JONSI – OBSIDIAN
If you prefer your pop music with a dark, almost sinister edge, then 22-year-old Sheldon Riley might be the artist you need in your life. Again – which travels somewhere between Sia and FKA Twigs – is a confessional about self-sabotage and personal torment, but with Sheldon’s powerhouse voice it becomes dramatic, affecting and instantly memorable. “I’m an artist who writes music about resolving pain, finding strength and confessing heartache,” Sheldon tells DNA. “I wrote this song at a time where everything was going so great. I was working on myself, putting hurt behind me and found myself on a supported path where, for the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of control.”
Jónsi’s last album, Shiver, was only released last year, so he’s certainly been putting his lockdown time to good use up in Iceland. Obsidian comes almost exactly a year later and already previewed by the genre-defying Salt Licorice featuring Robyn. Its haunting follow-up single, with the gloriously damp title of Mold, comes complete with one of the most beautiful and esoteric gay videos we’ve ever seen. Because Jónsi is not your everyday Scandi pop star, he’s also created a whole visual Obsidian album (all very cinematic, windswept and eery) which you can watch for free and at your leisure on YouTube. FYI: obsidian is a type of glasslike volcanic rock as seen on the album’s cover. Now you know!
20 DNA
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AGNES CARLSSON The Swedish pop star is back with her new album, Magic Stills Exists, spearheading a “spiritual disco” movement. Interview by Marc Andrews. DNA: We hear you’re in a bit of a mess, but an exciting one! Agnes Carlsson: Yes, I’m building a house! Because making a new record is not enough? Exactly. The process is pretty similar in a weird way. We love your new album Magic Still Exists – it’s that sweet spot between Donna Summer and Daft Punk! Thank you so much. It means a lot to hear that. I’m happy how everything has come together. Things I’d written years ago and things I was thinking about then are on the album. That’s very satisfying.
We love your new album – it’s that sweet spot between Donna Summer and Daft Punk! There’s also some important messages and interludes included. Some of the songs have a lot going on and a lot of energy, so it was important to slow it down and get in all the spiritual thoughts. It was important to have those on the album. The album has been described as “spiritual disco”. Are you happy about that? [Laughs] Actually, I am! I love spiritual disco – it sounds amazing. What were you doing away for so long – your last big hit was Release Me in 2009? I took a break when I was 26 because I started 22 DNA
out when I was 16. I was exhausted and didn’t know what I wanted to do or be. The time off was about doing other things – travelling, not writing music under pressure, and I also did singing bowls. Erm… do you mean gong meditation? Yes. The first time I experienced it was in Mexico and, at first, I didn’t hear the sound I just felt the vibrations and was like, “What is this?” I went back to Sweden and did a course and it gave me so much. You have a whole new career ahead of you as a spiritual disco gong master! [Laughs] We’ll see! You’ve also created a very striking visual look for your record. I love to be creative with my looks. If you check my Instagram a part of me is in drag and I love to experiment, as I do with the music. I had the vision of the silhouette in my head and wanted it to be very sharp. If you look at the picture once you remember it. I wanted it to feel like it’s a new era and wanted everything to feel fresh. We can’t wait to see drag queens performing as you to the new songs? There are many pictures of people making their own amazing wigs – better than the original picture of me! [Laughs] Are you aware you have a gay cult following? During Release Me I did a lot of gay clubs and festivals and it was such a big moment for me because there is so much love in that community. Everyone goes through different struggles in life and this album, for me, is about trying to understand myself and those struggles and a lot of people in the gay community connect with that. Any “spiritual disco” messages for the readers of DNA? It’s important to stay inspired and stay creative. If you don’t know where you’re going, try to get inspired by different things. I didn’t think gong meditation was going to be a big thing… but it was!
MORE: Magic Still Exists is released through Universal Music. For more, find Agnes on Facebook, Instagram (Agnesofficial)
AGNES ON AVICCI “My husband Vincent co-wrote his single Tough Love. After he died, his parents wanted me and Vincent to sing it and release it. We’d never thought it, but when they asked us it felt like a beautiful thing to do.”
Retro Gree c e m eet s moder n s imp l i c i t y .
USE CODE DNA15 FOR 15% OFF AND FREE SHIPPING.
www.e-modusvivendi.com DNA 23
18 February 6 March 2022 Our time e. is her to shine ’t want You won s ardi Gra M s is m o t in 2022! Festival
parade Sydney Cricket Ground 5 March
party Hordern Pavilion, Max Watt’s, Watson’s and The Entertainment Quarter 5 March
Tickets ON SALE now mardigras.org.au
kaftana pool party
paradiso pool party
ivy Pool and Changeroom 23 February
ivy Pool and Changeroom 28 February
sissy ball
laneway
Sydney Town Hall 26 February
The Beresford and Hill Street 6 March
Full program at mardigras.org.au
STREAMING
REVIEWS BY IAN HORNER Ben Platt as Evan Hansen.
You cease being a writer who waits tables and become a waiter with a hobby.
TICK, TICK… BOOM! (Netflix)
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ndrew Garfield, a great LGBTQIA+ ally, is brilliant as the young playwright, Jonathan Larson, waiting tables in New York City while trying everything in the book to get his first musical produced. It’s 1990 and HIV/AIDS is advancing stealthily across the city and the President denies it even exists. The world’s about to end for young Larson, he fears, because he’s just turned 30: “You reach a certain age where you cease being a writer who waits tables and become a waiter with a hobby.” That sort of writing ultimately led him to change theatre history by writing the musical Rent. Tragically, this burgeoning talent was cut down way too soon. Larson died at 35 of a heart condition just before Rent opened on Broadway and subsequently ran for 12 years. This story of his first musical is simply stunning. It’s energetic, introspective, ebullient and exhausting, but so worth it. The number Come To Your Senses is just awesome. For the duration of the film, Garfield sucks you into his vortex, 26 DNA
Andrew Garfield as Jonathan Larson.
defying you not to barrack for Larson, who’s fighting his own demons, nonbelieving producers, and the clock. So far, he’s spent eight years writing a show that’s never gonna happen and he’s already over the hill. Sondheim, he points out, was 27 when he had his first show on Broadway. The lines keep coming: “Having a workshop showcase for my musical is like having a colonoscopy in Times Square.” All the while he’s facing career doom, his world is being ravaged by AIDS: “Half my friends are dying; the other half are afraid of it.” But it’s not bleak. Somehow this talented young man’s amazing spirit cuts through the blackness around him. Irony, for him, was more a way of life than just a theatrical convention. Why should we try to be our best when we can just get by? It’s beautifully directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose sense of rhythm (in text, editing, blocking, camerawork and score) has never shone better. And that’s saying something. Great support cast, too, like Judith Light as his agent and Pose’s MJ Rodriguez. The real Larson appears during the end credits. (PG-13, 115 mins)
Garfield and Bernadette Peters as Sunday Legend.
Robin De Jesus as Michael, MJ Rodriguez as Carolyn and Ben Levi Ross as Freddy.
MAYOR PETE
(Prime Video) High hopes were pinned on Pete Buttigieg’s run for the White House against Donald Trump in 2020. Even higher hopes are pinned on him announcing he’ll run again. This doco gives excellent background and insight into the gay man who would be king of the free world, and reveals at least something of what makes him tick. Every presidential race begins with a cluttered field of candidates, all convinced they’ll be anointed. It’s hard to stand out. But Buttigieg had the dubious advantage of an unpronounceable name, and filmmaker Jesse Moss kicks off this doco with a collection of high-profile attempts, ending with Trump’s hilarious, “It’s Boot… Edge… Edge,” said with the conviction of a man covering ignorance with bluster. For the record, it’s “Butter-jidge”. There are other ways to stand out. The candidate himself admits: “This is the only chance you’ll ever get to vote for a MalteseAmerican left-handed Episcopalian gay warveteran mayor to be President.” Hopefully, it won’t be the only chance. We get face-to-face interviews with Buttigieg himself, and several key people in his corner, like comms director Lis Smith: “Pete’s the absolute opposite of Trump and that’s what people want. He’s not going out there as a circus act. The challenge, of course, is how you master the game without it changing you.” And that’s it in a nutshell. At the end of the day, he’s a politician. How long will he be able to hold onto his humanity and vision drive Clive Owen as Billand Clinton. without it being diluted?
Being the first openly gay presidential candidate is just awesome, but he clearly knows it’s not enough: “I don’t believe it makes me any better or worse at my job. Anyone who’s had experience as an ‘other’ can draw on that to make sure they tackle other examples of exclusion.” Which is the perfect political answer. His delivery style is the antithesis of Trump’s. He’s quietly spoken, well-reasoned, and carefully modulated. But, as Smith admits, that can be colourless and boring: “He’s coming across like the fuckin’ Tin Man up there.” You can often get a clearer picture of a person by looking at their reflection in their spouse. There are long interviews with Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten (pronounced with a hard T), not offering anything surprising but nonetheless reassuring: “When you run for president you invite people to tear you apart.”
Pete’s the absolute opposite of Trump… He’s not going out there as a circus act. At heart, it’s being gay that sets him apart like nothing else. It’s also where he’s most passionate and most convincing: “When I was young I would’ve done anything to not be gay; I would’ve taken a pill, or cut it out with a knife.” In a quite moment, his husband chastens him: “Would you really have ended your life? Sorta sounded like it. You gotta be clear.” Later, from Pete: “Being on the road with Chasten really helps me; even if we only have quality time together at the beginning and the end of each day.” And it’s those moments between two men in love with each other that bring home a real hope for something different in the future. (R in the US for language, 96 mins)
CAM BOY, SERIES 1
(Prime Video, OUTtv in US/Canada, Froot in UK/Ireland) A Broadway chorus boy, forced out of work by covid, has to find inventive ways to make ends meet during the pandemic and discovers, finally, that online sex work can be quite lucrative. Ep 1 opens with our boy (Callum Dunphy) facing quarantine and in urgent need of $1,500 for the rent while he’s in Nova Scotia. His mate suggests a way to make a minimum of $2 to $3,000 a month – with the promise of up to $6,000 a month. “Get comfortable going nude before you have to,” is the first advice to help him prepare. “Remember, people want to interact with you, not watch you. And wax off your body hair.” It’s a bit daunting at first, and he struggles to put himself out there, but a good mate is happy to teach him how to drop his daks in front of a laptop screen and just do whatever comes naturally. And his clients are only too eager to pay him to come naturally. The only flaw in the plan could be the approval of his boyfriend, or lack thereof, who’s trapped in New York. There’s lots of full-frontal nudity, as is only appropriate, and it doesn’t hurt that Dunphy is gorgeous. It’s a Canadian production, written and directed by Thom Fitzgerald who recently made Stage Mother with Jacki Weaver and Cloudburst with Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker (who gets a cameo in Cam Boy). Now, anyone bored in quarantine looking to make some money? (6 episodes x 20 mins each, explicit male frontal and rear nudity) DNA 27
THEATRE
WITH MATTHEW MYERS
THE DEEP FREEZE A terrifying true story comes to the stage to reveal hidden truths about the human condition.
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ne of the most acclaimed docudramas of all time is 2003’s Touching The Void. This truthis-stranger-than-fiction story resonates with people because it details survival against the odds. It’s the story of mountaineers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates who, after successfully climbing Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, suffered a near-fatal experience on their descent. Simpson wrote a book about the experience in 1988, which became a successful production and earned a British Academy Film Award. It has been adapted to the stage by playwright David Greig, renowned for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company. As Australian theatres reopen, the Melbourne Theatre Company is the first outside of the UK to present this unique play, directed by Petra Kalive (The Lifespan Of A Fact). In the roles of Simpson and Yates are Joe Klocek (The Dry) and Karl Richmond (The Lifespan Of A Fact) respectively, while Lucy Durack (Wicked!) plays Simpson’s sister Sarah, looking for answers about her missing brother.
It’s daunting to play a real-life person, but it’s more about embodying the mental and physical challenges. “When I found out MTC was bringing Touching The Void to the stage and I was being considered for the role of Joe Simpson, I was over the moon,” says Klocek. “I’d read the book in 2014 and was immediately drawn to the story. I couldn’t believe it was true, as it seemed like such an impossible tale of survival. Joe’s obviously more than a make-believe character and he must have one of the strongest minds known to man. The traumas he faced and overcame on the mountain are at times just unfathomable. I read and reread the play and it was a blessing to have so much online content about mountain 28 DNA
climbing and on Joe himself. It’s often daunting to play a real-life person, but it’s more about embodying the mental and physical challenges that he faces, rather than finding a way to imitate the real person.” Without giving too much away, the story involves a tragic turn of events in which Yates has to cut a rope, sending Simpson plummeting into a deep crevasse. Assuming he was dead, Yates continued his descent. “It’s also a story of mateship and love,” says Klocek. “It’s about the challenges of making decisions where you put yourself first in order to survive. The story will make you question your values and what you would do in the face of danger. You don’t have to climb mountains to relate.” For Richmond, taking on the role of fellow climber Simon Yates involved reading up on the German philosopher Heidegger and his concept of Dasein, which involves existential philosophy. The actor recently hiked the Grampians using a compass, which his best friend engraved with the word Dasien. “I’ve also been using my skateboard a lot,” says Richmond. “It requires focussing on the moment before attempting a trick and the mental effort required to push through multiple mental barriers. I’m petrified of bringing the idea of the show to the audience and I want
them to be immersed. “Emulating a cold and frightening mountain on stage in the middle of a Melbourne summer isn’t the easiest,” says Richmond, “but fortunately we’ve got the brilliant design of Andrew Bailey, Kat Chan and our director Petra Kalive making it much simpler than it should be.” Touching The Void has already earned praise on London’s West End, earning fivestar reviews. Its symbolism and drama are just as emotionally effective as any crashing chandelier or flying carpet. “I’m excited to bring such a physical story to the stage and one that has both spectacle and heart,” says Klocek. “It’s a story about hope, friendship and overcoming dark days. Mind over matter is also a big theme and something the world relates to now more than ever. The pandemic has been a mountain itself and challenged us both mentally and physically. Touching The Void is a story of hope and survival, mirroring the world we live in right now.”
MORE: Touching The Void runs Jan 17–Feb 19 at Melbourne Southbank Theatre. For more: www.mtc.com.au
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARLOS CAMPOS
THEATRE
WITH MATTHEW MYERS
BOHEMIAN MASHUP With its glamour, spectacle and great cast, Moulin Rouge! The Musical transcends the limitations of its jukebox format.
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ustralian theatres have been dark a long time. Moulin Rouge! The Musical, with its lavish staging, brilliant lighting design, glamorous costumes and the show’s grand gesture to art, joy, love, life and romance seems like the perfect antidote. Internationally, Moulin Rouge was interrupted by covid, but it ran long enough on Broadway to earn 14 Tony Award nominations, going on to win a triumphant ten. It has now returned to Broadway, opened on London’s West End, and in Melbourne at the historic Regent Theatre. Based on Baz Luhrmann’s successful 2001 film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is recreated on stage with direction from Alex Timbers, choreography by Sonya Tayeh and costumes designed by Catherine Zuber. As with the movie, the story is set in the seedy Montmartre district of Paris during the Belle Epoque of the late 19th Century when art, music, literature and theatre flourished. 30 DNA
Christian, a young composer from America, stumbles across the Moulin Rouge nightclub and falls for Satine, the star of the show. But, of course, in Luhrmann productions and musical theatre alike, true love does not run smoothly, and Satine finds herself indebted to The Duke, who holds the Moulin Rouge’s financial future in his hands. Melodrama ensues and, well, you probably know how things play out already.
The mashup seems like a Las Vegas presentation of Stars On 45 but the lyrics of the songs provide a coherent narrative. In the lead as Christian, Des Flanagan brings a starry-eyed innocence and magical vocals. With co-star Alinta Chidzey as Satine, the two create a harmony in both voice and spirit. The couple shine in the performance of Elton’s John’s Your Song, which takes pride of place. Similarly, Simon Burke, now something of a national treasure, is brilliant as Moulin Rouge empresario, Harold Zidler and, in his stand-out
moment, swings from Sia’s Chandelier! Other notable performances include Tim Omaji as Toulouse-Lautrec and Ryan Gonzalez as Santiago, Christian’s free-spirited, bohemian buddies. But it’s the music that ultimately bonds the show. As with the film, the score cleverly weaves together 70 songs from across several decades. At times, this mashup seem like a Las Vegas presentation of Stars On 45 but, nevertheless, the lyrics of the songs are well chosen and provide a coherent narrative. Some pop classics seem awkwardly inserted into the soundtrack, perhaps just to keep audiences’ toes a-tapping? But Labelle’s Lady Marmalade makes the perfect opening and closing number. Production-wise there are homages to classical theatre, presumably intended, and nods to other musicals including Rent, Wicked!, Phantom and Jesus Christ Superstar. Moulin Rouge! The Musical has evolved a great deal from its cinematic origins, but it will be interesting to see if it stands the test of time, with some theatre lovers feeling the jukebox musical has reached its limits. We’ll probably see it reappear in ten, 20, or perhaps even 50 years from now, and most likely with the addition of songs yet to be written.
MORE: Go to moulinrougemusical.com
MICHELLE GRACE HUNDER
Tim Omaji, Alinta Chidzey, Des Flanagan , Simon Burke, Ryan Gonzalez and Andy Cook.
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LYLE ANTHONY Did someone turn the heat all the way up to sizzling? Lyle Anthony is a talented musician, strikingly hot, gloriously half-naked in his videos, and here to make history. He won South Africa’s Popstars and now, with The Love Project EP, he’s all fired up to be 2022’s breakout international gay pop star! Story by Marc Andrews. DNA: Your track Love Wins is such a great song and message. What’s the story? Lyle Anthony: Love Wins was birthed at the onset of covid when I saw the need for a fun-loving, happy song that allowed people to sing, smile and dance again. With the political climate at the time, and the LGBTQIA+ community being further marginalized in many ways, it was my love song to my community and the world. The video, directed by Assaad Yacoub, is one of the sexiest we’ve seen in ages! It celebrates self-love, my life, inclusion and diversity, which I always want to represent. So many people have been inspired by the video and love what it represents. Who’s the shirtless and pants-less hottie you get to wake up with? Matt Palmer, my co-star, is one of my closest friends in Los Angeles. There’s lots of flesh on display in the video. You aren’t shy. [Laughs] I’ve worked hard for my body and love being naked, so it’s just me having fun with it. We’re young only once and while we have it, flaunt it. How do you look after those fab abs? I honestly don’t work out my abs that much, it’s just genetics. I wanna take the gym a bit more seriously though. I enjoy doing a full body workout most days. The stepper is my bestie in the gym – it maintains the derrière [laughs]. You won the TV talent show Popstars in South Africa in 2010. How do you view that now? The best part was I realised I’m good enough for the industry and it was also when I started figuring myself out and learnt to love myself for who I was. The part I didn’t enjoy as much was that I couldn’t be who I really was to appease my cute, adoring fans. Not so much anymore – I am gay and so proud! >> 32 DNA
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>> You weren’t out on the show as a gay contestant? No, I wasn’t, and I truly wish I’d had the courage back then. I wasn’t living my truth and it showed. I wish I had been, but my journey is meant to be exactly as it has played out and I am enjoying the fact I’m still able to influence young gay men’s lives – the DMs and inboxes – I see them and love you all. What was the response in South Africa to you winning back then? I quickly became a household name and had many younger fans, which I loved. Being that it was a reality show people believed they had a right to me personally because I was on their TV screens weekly, so that became a bit scary, especially one specific show when the bus we were traveling in was surrounded by fans.
I love that the LGBTQIA+ community has so much representation and so many amazing artists have stepped up unashamedly. We are about to take the world by storm – they ain’t even ready! Have there been many out LGBTQIA+ pop stars in South Africa before? No, there haven’t been many, and I’m glad to be part of a generation that drew strength from being exactly who they are. I’m glad I’m able to be an example to many South African gay men and the community at large. South Africa still has big problems with HIV/ AIDS. Yes, and HIV/AIDS will always be a subject close to my heart as it exists within our community and has taken so many amazing people. Thankfully, with research, we are seeing some amazing breakthroughs. What other causes are you involved with or keen to work on? I’m passionate about our LGBTQIA+ community and being an advocate for those who still feel they don’t have a voice. I’m super passionate about empowering the youth whether gay, bi, straight, trans, non-binary. 34 DNA
Like Whitney said, the children are our future, and we’ve got to invest in a more healed, more evolved few generations to come. 2022 is a great time to be an out gay pop star. Your thoughts? I love that for first time in history the LGBTQIA+ community has so much representation and so many amazing artists have stepped up unashamedly. We are about to take the world by storm – they ain’t even ready! Who were your favourite pop stars when you were growing up? Craig David, Whitney Houston, Prince, and I’m also very much an old soul, so all the golden oldies from Luther Vandross to Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Elton John. We’d like to call you the South African George Michael! [Laughs] George Michael is truly iconic, so I’ll take it. I’d like to be an icon one day, not only in our community but worldwide. You’re now based in LA after moving from South Africa. Why the move? After winning Popstars, signing with EMI, and performing and traveling around the world doing shows, I fell in love with LA and wanted to move here. I was granted an O1B visa by the US government, an extraordinary artist visa, which allowed me to live out my dream and here I am in The City Of Angels and loving life. How did lockdown affect you? Lockdown put a lot into perspective for me and made me push a little harder. My friend Todrick [Hall] messaged me one day reminding me how talented I am and that I needed to be in the studio. That really catapulted me into finishing off the project and pushing to make this a dream since I travelled to another continent to make it a reality. What’s your 2022 going to be like? 2022 is already looking huge. I’ve been booked for a few Pride events and performances. I Deserve [from The Love Project EP] is such a powerful song and so many are being touched by it. I would love for my reach to grow far greater in 2022. For right now, I’m just staying available, ready and wanting to expand beyond my wildest imagination in 2022. What’s your message to the world and the readers of DNA? To the amazing readers of DNA I say love yourself more than anything. If 2020 taught me anything it’s that the hardest thing we’ll ever have to do is become one with ourselves, believe in ourselves beyond measure and that will extend to those around you. Please don’t give up on yourself, on your dreams, or on love. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be the best version of you so keep shining. •
MORE: Find Lyle on Instagram @ lyleanthonyofficial, Twitter @lyleanthony_usa and on his website lyleanthony.com. His music is available on all digital platforms.
LYLE ON… LA Guys: “A lot of the men here are beautiful but still figuring themselves out. It’s a real challenge for me not having someone who isn’t evolved in their beliefs, grounded in their beauty, and who genuinely loves themselves greatly. I find now, more than ever, the gay men of LA are on a path of healing, self-discovery and love, which is super attractive.” Hobbies: “Other than music I enjoy the gym, playing chess, a good night out, good food and planning for the future.” His Best Feature: “My best feature is my love for myself, which shines through and extends to the people around me. I love seeing people happy and smiling.” The Sexiest Thing About Him: “The sexiest thing about me would be up to the reader (laughs)! People find so many different things sexy, but I’d like to say my personality… and my booty!” Something That Might Surprise People About Him: “When some people meet me for the first time they think my accent is fake! Some are also shocked at me being a good, kind person who loves to motivate everyone around me. I love being kind to people regardless of who they are. It makes the world go round. I lost my brother to a horrible murder in February 2021, and to anyone who has lost someone so dearly and close, please know that you are loved and that healing is a personal journey. I wish only healthy and positive healing for you.” His Future Plans: “I’d love to get into acting or model for a massive brand. The possibilities are endless and I’m excited to see what’s in store for me.”
2022 AT A GLANCE Get out your red pen and diary, here’s what’s coming our way… Compiled by Marc Andrews.
Brockhampton.
At the Grammy Awards on January 31, watch out for Lil Nas X – he’s up for Record and Album Of The Year. ABBA’s London concerts featuring the fab-four as digital ABBA-tars kick off in May. Tainted Love was a massive hit for Brit electro-duo Soft Cell way back in 1981, but look out for their new album Happiness Not Included this February. Will Young releases a greatest hits package in May and heads off on tour in October and November. Dua Lipa’s Service95 project launches early in the year. Bloc Party, with gay lead singer Kele up front, release their first new album in six years, Alpha Games in April. Expect a new album from gay-ish boy group Brockhampton in the first half of the year. Rihanna’s first album in six years and Troye Sivan’s third album are both due for release sometime in 2022. Madonna celebrates 40 years since her first record in 1982 and 30 years since she brought gay porn into the mainstream with her Sex photography book in 1992. The book, Kylie: Song By Song is due in April, celebrating Kylie’s 35 years in music.
Boy George’s Fantabulosa with Courtney Act, Mo’Ju and Odette plays Sydney and Melbourne in March. The Summer Camp Festival headlined by Years & Years & Years’ Olly Alexander. Years with The Veronicas, Cub Sport, Ladyhawke, Jawbreakers and Big Freedia plays Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth throughout February and March. At the movies expect Legally Blonde 3 in May. Thor: Love And Thunder starring Chris Hemsworth, Luke Hemsworth and Chris Pratt in July, the much-anticipated Hocus Pocus 2 in October, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November. 2022 will see Troye Sivan back on the big screen in Three Months, playing an HIV+ teen. Billy Porter, Chris Evans and Taron Egerton provide the voices for The Little Shop Of Horrors animated movie.
Chris Hemsworth as Thor.
On TV, the Netflix series, Young Royals, about a gay Swedish king-to-be is back for season 2, Billy Eichner’s gay romcom, Bros is due in August, and I Wanna Dance With Somebody, a Whitney Houston biopic is expected in December. Will it include her “complicated” relationship with assistant Robyn Crawford? Ryan Murphy continues mining the gay world for content with Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story a 10-part Netflix series on the gay serial killer. Neil Patrick Harris is to star in the gay sitcom Uncoupled, while an animated series, The Proud Family: Louder And Prouder with the voice of Billy Porter arrives in February. And for even more Troye Sivan, TV drama The Idol, also featuring The Weeknd, is due in 2022.
Young Royals. Head to theatres to catch the life of Michael Jackson in MJ The Musical, opening on Broadway in February. Also on Broadway, Take Me Out, a play about a gay baseball player starring Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Williams, and a Funny Girl revival starring Beanie Feldstein in April. Taron Egerton and Jonathan Bailey will star as a gay couple in Cock on London’s West End in March. P&O’s first ever Pride Cruise leaves Sydney for a four-day voyage on November 4.
The drag juggernaut continues with Drag Race Down Under series 2 already cast and in production. Drag Con returns to in LA in May, and WERQ The World, thought to include Asia O’Hara, Kameron Michaels, Plastique Tiara and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo will reboot the world tour that was put on hold during 2021. Queen Of The Universe and The Boulet Brothers Dragula are set for return seasons.
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Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet with Dragula contestants.
GOSTOSO The Whole Package
Photography CARLOS ALBERTO COSTA “I know there are many underwear brands, so why start another one? Well, I truly believe my vision for Gostoso underwear can spice-up and excite the market!” says Gil Evan, owner, designer and CEO of the new brand. But Gil is also the man behind a much more familiar brand, CA-RIO-CA swimwear. So, why not launch an underwear range through the existing company? “I fell in love with the name Gostoso and everyone who understood its meaning agreed it’s a great name for underwear!” What does it mean? “Gostoso is a Portuguese word indicating something has good taste, something tasty, usually food,” explains Gil. “Although, it is informally used to refer to someone who is physically attractive, desired, hot.” The launch range offers three cuts: jockstrap, brief and boxer brief and all offer comfort, fit and performance in one. The fabrics are soft and easy on the skin, adjusting to the curves of the body and allowing the skin to breathe. They’ve also gone for a classic brief look – a sober black-and-white palette – but juxtaposed with a racy high-cut leg and generous pouch to make sure the boys up the front not only feel comfortable but look good. This gives the range a sensible versatility. “We believe beauty is in us all,” says Gil. “Our goal is to help our customers best represent themselves by offering the best products we can, the whole package. You don’t have to compromise comfort for looks. You can still be comfortable and look hot in Gostoso.” We agree.
Ô CARIOCAWEAR.COM/COLLECTIONS/ GOSTOSO
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Gostoso is a Portuguese word indicating something tasty… or someone physically attractive. DNA 37
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Gostoso have chosen a classic black-and-white palette juxtaposed with a racy high-cut leg and generous pouch.
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PUMP! Retro Sexy Pump’s latest collection, Sportsboy, brings a decidedly retro flavour to their athletic underwear style. These campaign images were shot in Medellin, Colombia, at the Atanasio Giradot Sports Complex with American models Jovan Clark, Brandon Bailey and Kyle Goffney and Italian model Sergio Perdomo. The range features four cuts: two briefs, a boxer and a jockstrap. The pieces were tested for speed, range of movement and stretch by a selection of Colombian gymnasts, including Olympians. After 11 years in the men’s underwear marketplace, Pump! continues to deliver style and comfort and an ever-evolving range.
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THEPACK Fantasy Feels “Fun, comfort and sex!” That’s what ThePack co-founder, Thijs Van Herten said when DNA asked him what made his 2022 range stand out. We approve! “Everyone is thirsty for uncomplicated fun and optimism, so we’ll bring in dynamic, bright, fun prints that’ll make you smile every time you slide into them,” he says. “For comfort, we’ll be extending our microfiber, modal and viscose collection in new silhouettes and classic colours for the ultimate, silky-smooth experience whether you’re active or in workcation mode. “We’re also launching premium hand-made leather gear, body chains and gender nonconforming lace garments so you can feel your fantasy.”
People love selfexpression. This inspires us to go further and be even more unapologetic in our approach. ThePack have been pushing boundaries since they launched a couple of years ago, and it’s been a strategy that’s worked for them. “Next to some of our popular harnesses, which we had to create a waitlist for at one point, our current best-seller is the Gari Brief. It’s a free-balling experience, eye-catching, comfortable and supported by its moisture wicking and high stretch fabric,” says Thijs. “When we launched, we didn’t restrict ourselves to fashion cycles, and that has allowed us to be even more inspired and work independently. “We always thought that commercial styles would sell the best – that’s what they taught us in fashion and marketing school – however, we’re becoming more aware that people just love self-expression. Our more complex and intricate harnesses, as well as some of our unique pieces, have been flying off the shelves faster than we dared dream. This is great as it strengthens our vision and inspires us to go further and to be more creative and unapologetic in our approach.”
Ô THEPACKUNDERWEAR.COM 44 DNA
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SKULL AND BONES Feel-good fashion “Our 2022 range, launching in [the northern hemisphere] Spring, will feature basic colours, and a few pops as well, all in sexy silhouettes that contour the body nicely,” says Robert Matysiewski, President and co-owner of Skull And Bones. “Our prints for Spring will be a fresh take on Vintage Pride, and will launch in April. More bright florals, stripes and tie-dyes are coming soon. We’ll also be offering size 3XL as we’ve received a lot of requests for larger sizes.” Skull And Bones are certainly tapping into the Zeitgeist of 2022 with bright, optimistic colours, plus the growing popularity of the thong, which many brands are reporting. “We’ve seen a strong sales boost in thongs recently. Guys are feeling more comfortable with their bodies and showing them off. We’ve started to add them into the majority of our prints,” says Robert. Part of Skull And Bones success has been listening to their customers. “We launched around our logo and started with selling only basics. We found that the market was saturated with basics and not many players were doing fashion with quality. So we added a print to the collection, which became our best seller. Then we started to build our collections around prints only and then reverted back to adding basics in slowly.” Robert says the aim of Skull And Bones is to help men feel comfortable while being fashionable at the same time. “We strive to provide our customer with the best experience possible. We find the softest and most comfortable fabrics first, then through our sampling process and fittings, we make sure that we get the perfect proportions between the two.”
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CODE 22 Spice up your life
Photography JOAN CRISOL “Our mesh camo collection is one of the hottest items we have right now!” says Michel Messarra, Code 22’s Product Manager. “The base fabric has a super soft hand feel and the punch holes add a little spice to your life.” The stand-out quality of Code 22’s 2022 range is fabric quality. Super soft sports mesh or the modal/cotton/elastane for a very natural feel, together with a structured elastic waistband, equals must-have underwear. “Our fit is unique and it’s something we really give emphasis to when developing a new range,” adds Michel, who says that “free thinking” at the conceptulisation stage inspires the brand and allows them to keep evolving. “The most important part of getting the perfect style/comfort balance right is using the correct fabrics, trims and adapting your patterns to this. The pouch needs to support yet not flatten your curve. “We consider Code 22 to be an ‘open’ brand, meaning, we don’t like labels and we want people to wear our brand because they like it and it makes them feel special.”
Ô CODE22.ES
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RUFSKIN The “Gaylifornia” culture
Photography HUBERT POUCHES Over the last 20 years, Rufskin have created underwear in every cut and style. At the same time, they have defined their own aesthetic. A Rufskin piece is always distinctive. “We’ve never done branding with big lettering across our customer’s butts,” says Hubert Pouches, the label’s designer and photographer. “The customer should shine, not the brand. So our branding is minimal with molded and engraved rivets and woven labels. Less is more.” That said, the butt is not ignored! “Butt cleavage is, of course, one of our main statements,” he adds. Striking the right balance between style and comfort is a matter of pairing the right fabric with the right construction. “It’s about cut and fit,” says Hubert. “The Rufskin garment is both sexy and functional but with a twist.” The label’s most popular ranges include the Classic Euro-cut, the Pose Pikini, the patented double-strapped Calkini, and a dazzling variety of jockstraps including the new hybrid jock/thong. “Our thongs have become a major success, but I have to be honest and admit that a few years back, when one very good customer reached out to us and asked why Rufskin wasn’t doing more thongs, I was reluctant. I am a jockstrap kind of guy! But live and learn, I guess. Today, the thongs are a huge part of our underwear and swim sales. “We’re fortunate that our customers are very faithful and aware of each new launch. We may have some ‘surprise’ best-sellers but we pretty much have a true understanding of what the clients are attracted to.” The current underwear ranges emphasise comfort and an array of new materials with a softer colour palette. Hubert draws inspiration from all around him and their base in San Diego. “Nature, wellness, green energy, cannabis, you name it we are all in. And, of course, open mindedness and civil rights are very important to us since they seem to be in jeopardy lately. California or “Gaylifornia” is a huge part of the gay culture here in the States. “We basically just follow our instincts and our inspirations can come from anywhere and anything.”
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Butt cleavage is one of our main statements.
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COCKSOX Support And Style “There are three pouch designs in the Cocksox range,” explains Hannah Kanawaty, Sales Director. “The Original Pouch gives an enhancing lift, the Contour Pouch holds you closer to the body, while the Snug Pouch gives the same benefits as the Original but with a slightly less noticeably enhancing lift. “Unlike other pouch underwear on the market, it is the design and cut of a Cocksox pouch that gives the great support. No rings, no slings, no separate compartments,” she says. 52 DNA
Cocksox always select premium fabrics. The core range of products are made from a Supplex/Lycra blend, an activewear fabric. “It wicks moisture and holds shape amazingly well over time,” says Hannah. “We also produce collections in Modal, which is lighter and softer to the touch, but still supportive where it matters. For our sexier collections we use beautiful mesh and sheer fabrics for a seductive tease!” Comfort is key to Cocksox. “We make no sacrifices. A lot of development work has gone into our pouch designs. Back in 2006, neither sexy nor supportive pouch underwear for men were common in the market, and we felt that men deserved more! As one of the first brands to embrace this direction, we were sometimes viewed as a novelty. But once people tried a pair, they realised that it was a high-quality product that delivered comfort and support in a
way they had not experienced before. “Our most popular style is the CX76N Sports Brief. This design has our Contour Pouch, so it’s great for workouts and everyday wear. After that it’s the CX01 Brief and CX05 Thong. The CX01 is actually the very first Cocksox design from our launch in 2006, still going strong!” Cocksox is a constantly evolving range as well, with new ideas on the horizon in 2022. “The hottest thing is actually something cool,” says Hannah, “mesh! Our last mesh range flew off the shelves so we’ve got an update coming in January. There’s a sexy side to mesh but guys who wear them are also enjoying the refreshing cooling effect from this fabric. This range will drop in perfect time for the peak of the Aussie summer… and Valentines Day just around the corner too!”
Ô COCKSOX.COM
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TANI USA Luxury and comfort Tani USA started as an online retailer of high-quality luxury undergarments in 2015, setting new standards for comfort and durability using quality fabrics. “2022 is going to be an exciting year for us,” says Adam Dinkes, company President. “We’re launching our first jockstrap. Made from our patented Micro Modal Air fabric and soft-stretch waistband. Guaranteed to be the most comfortable jockstrap ever made,” he says. Tani’s design emphasis is on making underwear more comfortable and supportive, and this requires innovation and quality. “We use patented fabrics that are the best available and all our fabrics are designed for very sensitive skin,” says Adam. Other Tani innovations include a soft-stretch waistband guaranteed not to squeeze, chafe or dig into the waist. “There are no hidden pouches, panels or gimmicks. Our design is streamlined and classic with a nod to modernity. We want the first thing you put on in the morning to be comfortable, uncomplicated and complementary. When you wear Tani, we can comfortably promise you will always look as good as you feel. Our best-seller is the SilkCut Classic Boxer Brief – soft and silky, these are the most comfortable boxer briefs you will ever find.” Tani has also made a commitment to sustainability. “We believe in responsible consumption and aim to produce with minimal impact on the environment. All our products are sustainably sourced and biodegradable, including the product, packaging, and shipping envelopes. We require fabric mills to adhere to high environmental standards that include recycling and green manufacturing.”
Ô TANIUSA.COM
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BIG BOYS’ TOYS Buckle up! There’s a fun new sex brand on the scene and being LGBTQIA+ inclusive makes them even hotter. aunched in February 2021, cult Aussie sex brand Normal aims to make sexual wellness stress-, stigma- and regret-free for everyone. From their nightstand-friendly premium toys, to creating the inclusive video sex education we missed in school and donating a portion of every sale to LGBTQIA+ youth outreach Minus18, they’re the full package! Normal toys are designed to be shown off, not hidden away. Though, if you do feel shy, every toy comes with a complimentary collection bag. From their cock ring, named Flynn, to wholebody pleasure with toys like bullet vibe Frankie, wand vibe Charlie and palm vibe Billie, they’ve got every inch of you and your partner covered. And to keep everything normal, their sex essentials range includes silky-soft lubricants and cleaning sprays. Normal’s dedicated product testers have been hard at work (and we do mean hard) for the last year developing their new anal and penis pleasure ranges. Launching early 2022, they’ll be shaking up the look and feel of some of the queer community’s favourite toys. Bringing together beautiful, modern design, pleasure tips, and their industry leading 100 Night Stand return policy (because life is too short for sex toy regrets), Normal is here to make your whole collection as smokin’ as you are. Normal’s recent Big Australian Sex Survey took a deep dive into the nation’s thoughts on and understanding of sex, sexuality and pleasure. The research identified major gaps in the current sex education curriculum
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Charlie the wand vibe.
impacting people of all ages, gender and sexuality, but especially the LGBTQIA+ community. We’re still treating the LGBTQIA+ community as though they don’t have the same right to health and wellbeing as other Australians, with less than one in 10 recent graduates receiving any information about safe LGBTQIA+ sex. Normal believes in plugging the gap, making accessible, engaging and inclusive sex education available for everyone. With sex coach Georgia Grace, they’ve created a 15 episode video masterclass called The Modern Guide To Sex, which is now being used in over 30 countries around the world. It’s been designed to showcase what modern sex education should look like: engaging,
Flynn the cock ring.
sex-positive, evidence-based and practical. Covering everything from sexual confidence, mental health and pleasure anatomy to the specifics of great anal and oral sex, it’s truly a must-watch. As homework goes, it’s pretty fun. Normal also creates empowering educational content through its digital sex education library Normal Journal, Instagram, TikTok and its new podcast breaking down sex in pop culture, ReScript.
MORE: Head to itsnormal.com and sign up for their newsletter to get all the updates plus exclusive launch deals.
Frankie the bullet vibe. DNA 55
BOOKS
REVIEWS BY GRAEME AITKEN AND HENDRI YULIUS WIJAYA
HOT SUMMER READS Wondering what to read over the break? Here’s our summer picks, and the boys’ Best Of ’21 for your consideration. BATH HAUS
By PJ Vernon (Doubleday) With his long-term boyfriend is out of town, Oliver visits a sauna for some anonymous sex. Instead of sex, the handsome stranger he goes into a private room with almost strangles him. He escapes by gouging his attacker’s cheek with his locker key. With his neck marked by violent bruises, Oliver finds himself caught in a web of lies as he tries to hide his infidelity from his partner. Meanwhile, his attacker has tracked Oliver’s partner down and is intent on terrorising him… This first-rate thriller is the perfect summer page-turner with almost every chapter delivering a new twist. – Graeme
Tender and compassionate, Saenz also pushes racial issues to the fore, making this resonate with contemporary times. – Hendri AFTERPARTIES: STORIES
By Anthony Veasna So (Grove Press) The tragic backstory to this captivating collection is that the author didn’t live to see it published. Anthony Veasna So died in December 2020 at the age of just 28. It’s rare to see fiction from a gay Cambodian-American writer and once upon a time this would have been dismissed as too niche, especially a book of short stories as opposed to a novel. So it’s gratifying that more diverse voices are being published and, what’s more, proving very successful.
PANDEMONIUM
By Andrew Mcmillan (Jonathan Cape) Award-winning poet Andrew Macmillan traverses pain, suffering, trauma and depression. Raw yet tender, his new poems move from the sex and physicality that he explores in the previous collections, to living minds and hearts to figure out what redemption might mean for us. – Hendri
ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DIVE INTO THE WATERS OF THE WORLD
By Benjamin Alire Saenz (Simon & Schuster) In this sequel to the popular young adult novel, Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe, Dante and Ari are growing up gay during the devastating AIDS era in the 1980s. With support from their parents and friends, they declare their relationship and together face the world that cruelly challenges their existence. 56 DNA
Set in Central Valley, California, the stories illuminate the lives of immigrants and their children, shadowed by the country they have abandoned. Fans of Bryan Washington’s highly acclaimed collection Lot will find many similarities here. – Graeme 100 BOYFRIENDS
By Brontez Purnell (MCD x FSG Originals) Witty, foulmouthed and feral, 100 Boyfriends chronicles fragments of sexual encounters between the narrator and other men. From lunch breaks, offices and online dating platforms to bars, Purnell reveals the dysfunctional sides of gay life while exploring the many possibilities we can carve out and make from our own flaws. – Hendri
THE BEST OF 2021 Selected by Graeme and Hendri
1. Baggage: Tales From A Fully Packed Life by Alan Cumming Cumming is acclaimed as a versatile performer: theatre, film, television, cabaret. He is also a gifted writer. He strikes a thoroughly engaging and intimate tone. He’s witty, entertaining, insightful, unafraid to own up to his old faults and failings, and the celebrity gossip he dishes up is absolutely first rate! There are many anecdotes about famous people such as Gore Vidal, Faye Dunaway, Liza Minnelli and director Bryan Singer, and often they are not particularly flattering or filtered. When it comes to describing his ex-partners and relationships he’s more coy, usually not revealing their names. The narrative is episodic and jumps around somewhat, but this is not distracting. What shines through is that this is a celebrity memoir which is authentic: Cumming wrote it himself as evidenced by the fact that he was four years late delivering the manuscript to his publisher. 2. Love In The Big City by Sang Young Park The English debut of this South Korean writer chronicles the coming-of-age of a gay man, Young, told through his relationship with Jaehee (his female best friend), his mother dying with cancer, and his boyfriend, Gyu-Ho. After jumping from one man to another man on Tinder and dealing with his mother’s illness, Young falls in love with GyuHo, who is struggling to make a living in the city. Young and Gyu-Ho share their life together and carve out their own space in the world until one day Gyu-Ho must leave. With tender memories of Gyu-Ho, Young pours recollections of Gyu-Ho into his writing.
3. Alec by William di Canzio An extremely wellexecuted sequel to EM Forster’s groundbreaking novel Maurice, but from the point of view of Alec Scudder, the gamekeeper servant. What an inspired idea and what an enormous pleasure it is to revisit these characters! 4. The Right To Sex by Amia Srinivasan In the era of #MeToo, this Oxford University scholar’s dazzling debut brings to the fore the difficult yet necessary conversations around consent, power relations, and sexual desires, pushing us to rethink our contemporary understanding of empowerment and liberation. 5. Home Stretch by Graham Norton This is TV personality Norton’s third novel but his first to place a gay man at the centre. The book’s great strengths are its pageturning plot, the strong characterisation, and the dead-on portrait of a small Irish village. 6. Matrix by Lauren Groff This instant New York Times best-seller takes us on the journey of 17-yearold Marie de France to an impoverished abbey in England. Together with the other sisters, Marie explores and invents what the future can mean for women in the 12th Century. 7. The Echo Chamber by John Boyne We could all do with a laugh after covid and here the humour is dialled up to absurd-but-entertaining new heights. Boyne’s target is social media and woke culture.
8. Let The Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 19871993 by Sarah Schulman This is a comprehensive history of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT-UP) in New York, told through activists’ stories and experiences. Rather than exploring the history chronologically, Schulman focuses on the highs and lows of ACT-UP activism, and the activists’ political and personal decisions in an ever-evolving situation. 9. Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden This heartwarming young adult novel from an Australian writer portrays an interracial relationship between a White man and an Asian man, and a father’s evolving acceptance of his gay son. 10. Snow by John Banville “The body is in the library.” The setting is Wexford, Ireland, 1957, and the stage is set for a classic whodunnit at the manor house of the aristocratic Osborne family. The local priest has not only been murdered but also castrated!
MORE: The Bookshop Darlinghurst specialises in LGBTQIA+ books. Tel: (02) 9331 1103. Email: info@thebookshop.com.au. Web: thebookshop.com.au. Visit: 207 Oxford Street, Sydney.
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EROTICA / ROMANCE In August 2021, America’s Next Top Model alumni Marvin Cortes came out as bisexual. A Twitter video explained that he’s been in love with both men and women and couldn’t be happier living his authentic, openly bisexual life. He talks to Matthew Phillp about body image, the business of modelling, and making hot man-on-man action for his Fans page.
Photography TYLER CHICK
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FEATURE DNA: How are things with your family since you came out? Marvin Cortes: It’s still touch and go with my dad. I didn’t tell my family what I was going to do because I knew that they’d tell me not to. And that’s exactly what happened. I posted that coming out video and my dad immediately walked out of the apartment. He does that, he just walks away. It probably took, like, two months of him not really talking to me. I said to my brothers, “It’d be nice if you just say, ‘Hey Pop, what do you think about Marvin? Is he going to come to Christmas?’” We still haven’t talked about it because that’s how we are, but he told my brothers that he loves me regardless. The thing is, I don’t fit their idea of what it means to be gay. They don’t care that I’m bisexual, only the gay part. Are your brothers supportive? Oh, yeah. They don’t have any judgements. Do you think bisexuality is accepted in the broader LGBTQIA+ community? I feel as if bisexuality isn’t seen as a real thing. I guess because you can kind of go back and forth on the spectrum so easily. Gay men can’t really relate so they don’t think it’s real. I’ve found they tend to assume you’re just going through a phase and you’ll eventually come out as gay. Some bi men say that they accentuate their gayness when around gay friends. Do you find yourself doing that? Not really. I come across as a straight guy who likes guys and I tend to be more attracted to classic, standard masculinity. I don’t shift how I behave. Bisexuality refers to being attracted to a binary idea of gender, while the word pansexual acknowledges that there is a gender spectrum. Do you identify with pansexuality in that regard? I haven’t had any romantic or sexual experiences with trans and or nonbinary people, but I would never rule it out. For me it’s about a vibe. I think it’s super important to be open to people. Do you have bisexual friends? I don’t and I would love to meet some. I’m struggling with that right now because it feels so rare to meet someone who can relate to my experience. The kinds of bi people I meet are, like, a straight guy who has a girlfriend and I’ll be able to tell there’s a vibe with him but we just won’t address it at all. So, it’s been difficult to find a community of bisexual people? It’s been tricky. I have friends who don’t see me as being gay but then, on the gay side, I have my community of gay friends. The two groups don’t mix. Most of the guys I meet are strictly gay. I’d love to meet bisexual guys and girls, especially girls, because that’s what I was always afraid of if I came out – that girls would ignore me because they’d assume I was just gay. I’ve found the gay community to be really welcoming in some ways and really mean in 60 DNA
others, and not just about bisexuality. Ageism is a huge problem in my opinion. I have a lot of older friends and I’m proud of them because many of them do important work thats benefit the community. I’ve hung out with them on Fire Island and younger gay guys will walk up to me and say, “Why are you hanging out with these old people?” Right in front of them! They’ll invite me back to their houses and say, “Don’t bring your older friends.” It’s so blatant and rude. It’s just shocking to me that people from a community that understands discrimination can do things like that. To what extent were you already out when you posted that coming out video? When I got off America’s Next Top Model in 2014, I wanted to see if I was into guys. We had four months until it was going to air. I figured once the show aired, I wouldn’t be able to hookup with guys as anonymously because nine times out of 10, a gay guy is going to know the show and might want to out me, which was my greatest fear and it’s what happened a couple of times in New York. I had a few guys try to out me because they wanted to hook-up but I didn’t like them back. So, I was out but not in a full-on public way.
I’d love to date, but it would be rude of me to have an OnlyFans and also a romantic partner. Are you dating anyone right now? I’m not, but I have dated a few amazing guys and amazing girls. Honestly, I would love to date, but I feel like it would be kind of rude of me to have an OnlyFans and also a romantic partner. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of people who would be into you having an OnlyFans and would be really proud of you. You think so? I was seeing a guy briefly and when I told him I was going to start an OnlyFans he was like, “What’s wrong? Are you that tight on money?” Then I showed him how much I was making per month as a model and he was like, “Oh!” Because that’s the thing: no one’s making money with modelling gigs. With OnlyFans, I don’t have to raise money through investors anymore. I can just do it all myself. How do you deal with body image pressures in fashion, in Los Angeles, and from being on social media? The pressure from social media inspires me, I think. When I’m in the gym, I constantly compare myself to well-known influencers like Jordan Torres, who is always at the gym. I feel
like if I don’t go to the gym then I’ve kind of slept through the day. Do you feel in control of the influence those pressures have on you, though? A lot of people are damaged by those standards and develop eating disorders and body dysmorphia. I’ve always been comfortable with my size. If I get above a certain weight I start to check myself. I don’t check my statistics – I go off how I look in the mirror. There are so many different types of body types that fit a brand now anyway. How do you feel body standards and pressures have changed since being on America’s Next Top Model and since you’ve been working as a model? For the last seven years we’ve all been told we had to have abs, we had to lift more and, suddenly, it’s so different. I remember seeing a lot of twinkie guys in my agency who would go to castings and get really discouraged and quit because everyone looked so ripped and masculine. But if they were going to castings now, they would be the ones booking campaigns. For example, I think someone like Corey Wade, who came in third place, is perfect for the current climate. Everything is all about being authentic and being yourself and bringing certain issues to a head. He’s always been a big advocate for the LGBT community. It wasn’t so much like that when my cycle came out. He was under pressure to look like a straight man all the time. That wouldn’t fly now. So, where do you fit in all that? You’re not big and ripped but you’re not super slim and androgynous. My goal is to be muscular and toned and defined but to keep my slimmer frame. A lot of what I’m doing now is focused less on modelling and more on helping younger models and influencers establish themselves. Thanks to OnlyFans, I don’t have to model as much and I make way more money. You said in an interview that while auditioning for the show you heard people telling the producers that they wanted to change the world and that you thought it was unrealistic to think you could change the world as a model. I wondered if you still agree with that. I guess it’s not fair to say a model can’t change the world. I just figured the prize was only $US 100,000 and people were talking about how they wanted to give it all away to help a poor country… and I don’t think doing that would be as impactful as other things. When I was on Top Model, at 20 years old, my [social media] engagement at the time was huge. I could have launched a product and become a billionaire, but I didn’t understand how to monetize with products. I don’t even think I knew what the word monetize meant. So, now, I’m showing younger people with a solid following how they can use it to build a sustainable income. It’s something I wish I’d had. >>
The gay community can be mean… Ageism is a huge problem in my opinion.
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FEATURE
I’m into older, built guys so the guy would be Chris Pratt…
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… and the girl would be Naomi Campbell. Also older and so beautiful.
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FEATURE >> Okay, so let’s get serious: if you could hook-up with any two people at the same time or separately, who would you choose? I’m into older, built guys so I know for sure that the guy would be Chris Pratt. Even with all his conservative Christian bullshit? This isn’t real, so I can separate the person from their beliefs. The girl would be Naomi Campbell. She’s also older and she’s just so beautiful. What TV is giving you life right now? I’m watching the new Curb Your Enthusiasm, which I love. And, of course, I’m watching Succession. I also love Flipped Out with Jeff Lewis. What about music? I love Aiyana-Lee, which is convenient because I’m in the music video for her song Rich Kids. I’m also listening to Timecop 1983 and The Midnight; I saw them in live in Brooklyn. I’m really into ’80s retro stuff. Who are you following that you love right now? @worlds_strongest_gay. He’s this masculine powerlifter with a husband who did Joe Rogan’s podcast. I was living for him every time he said, “My husband and I.” It was just so thrilling to hear. He’s so big and masculine. He’s what I guess my parents think is a real man. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself about going on America’s Next Top Model? I would definitely tell myself to focus more on the competition and not be so emotional. You’re going to have to live with that for the rest of your life. I was a little bit embarrassed because up until that point no one had really seen me cry. I think the crying was a lot, but it made you kind of lovable. You think so? Yes. You were an overwhelmed kid, but you had a sense of yourself and a moral centre. How do you approach modelling now as opposed to when you started? In the beginning, I didn’t know how to pose. People had said I was attractive but I didn’t know how to communicate that in photos. I think that’s the case for a lot of people starting out. I don’t stress out about that anymore. Now I focus on the creative and the goal versus what I look like because I know my body and how it looks on camera. Speaking of, I’ve always been a huge fan of DNA. I’ve been into the guys in the magazine since I was like 20.
I’ve always been a huge fan of DNA… Twenty-year-old me would be living if he could see me now! And now you’re one of them. I cannot believe it. Twenty-year-old me would be living if he could see me now. •
MORE: Marvin came second on the 20th cycle of America’s Next Top Model in 2013. He made series history as the first male contestant to place as the runner-up and has published a book, Don’t Waste Your Looks On Likes. Follow Marvin on Twitter @MarvinCortes1 and find him on OnlyFans.
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DNA: You’ve shied away from nothing in this book. Any worries about your parents’ reactions, for example? Shane Jenek: They both said, “Gosh, we didn’t know a lot of this stuff. I wish you could’ve told us.” But that was the problem: I didn’t know either. I didn’t have the language to explain confusion about gender and sexuality. The book reads as you finding out who you are and reshaping your voice. Looking back, I can completely see how the idea of gender and sexuality had been fluid in my life and in the world around me, but I never had the tools or the language to understand it, which is where the shame comes from. In Grade 4, my confrontation with an alpha male schoolteacher was the first sign that I was different to what I was supposed to be. I didn’t fit the ideal. Understanding that gender is fluid came from my friendship with Chaz Bono, who explained that it was okay for boys to be feminine and girls to be masculine. That was in 2015. I feel bad it took someone to say it out loud to me because it was so apparent, so obvious. It was probably the most liberating moment for me, feeling at peace with who I am. Gay, straight, bi, trans men, CIS men – some of those categories are more prone to interrogating their masculinity than others, but there’s this rigid box of what a man is supposed to be that limits so many people. There’s no finite “this is a man”, “this is a woman”. How successful do you think gay men are, generally, at working that out? Some more than others. Toxic masculinity and heteronormativity are the waters we all swim in. It’s the world we grew up in. Lots of gay men struggle with the intersection of their gender and their sexuality. The older I get, the more I realise I am all of those high-school labels and words and accusations. I have epitomised and embodied and outdone it all! If those kids in high school could see me now as a drag queen doing what I do, I’m much more to their disgust than they ever could have imagined [laughs]! I’ve let go of all that shame but, for a lot 66 DNA
A lot of gay men still have a deep shame about their identity… It’s important for our healing that we unpack that shame.
JOSEPH SINCLAIR
Courtney Act is a beautiful woman, except she isn’t, and that’s the key to the cherished stereotypes that her alter ego, Shane Jenek, has set about smashing, albeit graciously! With an autobiography, Caught In The Act, out now, Shane spoke to Ian Horner.
Showgirl, Courtney.
WORD UP! of gay men, there’s still a real struggle with masculine and feminine ideals, even down to bottom shaming. Little Nas X, in one music video, depicts himself as a bottom in a shower scene and that’s a wonderful ownership of his sexuality as a gay man. But it’s not how you’d normally picture the protagonist of their own story. There are all those phobias that gay, bi and queer men struggle with still. Sometimes gay men think they understand it all because they’ve overcome one hurdle. But we often don’t see a lot of allyship for the intersections of queer identities, whether
that’s gay men of colour, sexual racism, even misogyny in the gay male community. Brené Brown [US professor and author] says empathy cannot exist where shame does. A lot of gay men still have a deep level of shame about their identity, so there’s a lack of empathy for other experiences. It’s important for our healing that gay men unpack that shame and understand it, that it’s not theirs, it was given to them. What do you want Courtney to do next? I love being on stage, performing, entertaining. Wrapped up in that is making people think differently about things they believe to be true
Author, Shane Jenek.
MAGNUS HASTINGS
of the story. They did it with hard cuts, sound effects, cuts to reactions. But that’s reality TV, it’s all like that. How much is RuPaul personally responsible for that manipulation? It’s his name on it. He either understands it and is gaslighting everyone, or he doesn’t understand the process of his own show. But I watch the show from where I am now and I’m thankful for it. Ru’s a pioneer and he created a space that I was allowed to be part of. I understand his cultural impact and I hold that in high esteem. And I’m glad he’s including trans men and trans women now. The LGBTQIA+ world has fought for every ounce of acceptance. Have we reached a point where we can tone down the fight and step up the grace, without weakening our position? We’re not a monolith. Different people have different ways of moving the game pieces and all play a part in queer identity. From my experience, I have more influence by engaging more, especially with the centre-right. I won’t bother with those with extreme religious views, but I will engage with the uninformed – those who don’t have the information. I don’t have a chip on my shoulder about my identity. I don’t need validation or approval. I understand they don’t understand. I must show my humanity. At the end of the day, all we’re talking about is loving another human. Straight white men are probably the people most at risk from gender stereotyping. The “boys don’t cry” role model is damaging so many, literally driving so many to destruction. We must allow everyone the space to be authentic. The man who is farthest from my identity probably has the most to gain from my story.
that maybe aren’t, that however people feel, dress, act or love, as long as it’s with respect and consent, is absolutely the most important thing. Living up to someone else’s ideals is always going to bring you up short. Writing this book is a huge part of that. We’re doing a second season of One Plus One [on ABC TV] and I’m getting to play a leading lady in a Noël Coward play with the Sydney Theatre Company at the Sydney Opera House. That’s another wonderful and unexpected turn. Again, subverting that idea of gender, because the role in Blithe Spirit isn’t a gender-bending role. You’ve met some amazing people and we all take away something from experiences like that. What’s your abiding memory of Gaga? She’s the real deal. When I watch her in concert or consume her pop culture I remember in the beginning of the Gaga era, feeling excited and inspired by her, but having met her and having spent time with her several times, it always leaves me feeling hopeful in humanity, that a pop star like Gaga is authentic. People might roll their eyes at stuff she does, but she’s just
being unequivocally herself. What went so wrong during Drag Race? The filming was a wonderful experience. I had a great connection with Bianca Del Rio and the cast, but when I watched back the edited version it was different. It didn’t align with my experience of shooting it. I could see why fans misunderstood what was going on. You don’t have to get entertainment through conflict but that’s the way they cut it. They manipulated the questions to Joslyn Fox and I and cut our responses together to create a different narrative. At that point, it was the biggest piece of my story, and it was easy to feel consumed by it. But, with time and distance, I managed to double down on defining my own character. You know, if I’m not that, then what am I? Mathu Andersen did Ru’s hair and makeup on the show for ages. He observed that Courtney came across as “frozen Barbie fish sticks” – cold, dismissive and over-confident. Look, there are elements of that in my personality, sure, but ten percent of my character became 80 percent
MORE: Caught In The Act (Pantera Press), by Shane Jenek, is out now. Courtney will co-host the Elevate Sydney Festival, Cahill Expressway, January 1-6, with Todd McKenney, Leo Sayer, Marcia Hines and Tim Minchin. w: elevatesydney.com Courtney appears with Boy George in Fantabulosa, playing Sydney and Melbourne in March. w: premier.ticketek. com.au Courtney stars as Elvira in The Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Blithe Spirit at Sydney Opera House from March to May. w: sydneytheatre.com.au
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Flor d’ametller.
A POETICS OF THE INEFFABLE Photography WALTER JENKEL
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n this exquisite series, Jenkel expresses his “commitment to the environment and his unconditional love for animals”. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, now based in Barcelona, the photographer says part of the reason for the series is to draw attention to
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some the species, native, invasive and domestic that inhabit the Iberian Peninsula. Notably, the images are titled after the animals depicted rather than the human models. Jenkel began his professional photography career shooting backstage at European fashion weeks, and creating publicity images for international recording artist. In 2008 he turned his lens to more artistic and intimate endeavours with the series The Praise Of
Laziness, a vision of adolescence. With A Poetics Of The Ineffable, Jenkel articulates the invisible threads that bind humanity to the rest of the natural world which we, so often, are oblivious to.
MORE: Follow Walter on Instagram @walter_jenkel
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Atlas moth.
African house snake.
Long-tailed finch.
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Silver white-faced whistling duck.
Spiny softshell turtle.
Nacanina.
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Iberian wolf.
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Hispanic common raven.
Scaled quail.
Yellow-legged gull.
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Common chaffinch.
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FEATURE
We didn’t think anything of it until one day someone said, ‘You guys are fags…
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Woody Fox is famous for his work in the adult film industry, but he’s also an acrobat, a teacher, and a man who’s been on a long journey of self-discovery.
Feature MARK MCFARLANE Photography
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hose following Woody Fox’s very active social media posts know him as a gregarious, thoughtful and genuine person who is passionate about community, friendship, acrobatics and challenging the heteronormative rules of society. But the Woody Fox we know today has been shaped by pivotal, formative events of his life so far. Now 32, young Woody grew up on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. “I knew at a really young age that I was gay,” he recalls. “I was probably 10 or 11. I came out when I was in Grade 7; I was 13 in my first year of high school.” But that’s not where his story starts. “On my first day of school, I stood up and told my class that I wanted to be a farmer and everyone laughed at me. Then this boy, who had just walked into the room, walked right up next to me and turned to the class and said, ‘Well my name’s Tim and I want to be a chicken farmer.’ Then everyone laughed at him, too. We sat down next to each other and Tim held my hand and said, ‘We’re going to be best friends.’ We spent every day together. We even slept in the same bed when we had sleepovers. We didn’t think anything of it until one day someone said, ‘You guys are fags.’” That was the first time Woody had heard the word, so had no idea what it meant. When he found out, he instantly thought, “Oh, yeah, I am, definitely.” Woody struggled at school on several levels. “I wasn’t masculine at all. I was very flamboyant and a weedy little twink of a gay, yet I was a physical kid. Unfortunately, I was petrified to try any sports because that was where the guys who were bullying and bashing me were.” Even at this age, Woody couldn’t fathom the idea of this being an issue or why he had to be labelled. “This is me, just like this is the colour of my skin or the colour of my hair,” he thought. He tried to commit to the academic side of school but, he says, “I wasn’t very smart at all. Even my family expected that I was not going to be anything but a nice guy who would probably just pick up a regular minimum wage job befitting a high school drop-out.” So, with very few expectations, that’s what
he tried to do. After finishing Grade 8, Woody began working in a pet store. Fortunately, a friend convinced him to go back to school and, while he ended up changing high schools several times because of bullying, he persevered. “Then, finally, in Grade 11, I got into a performing arts school and all of a sudden being gay was something that was great,” he says. While the performing arts school lifted him up as he discovered a love of acting, he still found learning the craft challenging. “I finished school still not knowing who I was going to be or what I was going to do,” he says. Like so many young gays who are bullied at school and have no real support, he felt lost and alone. In Sydney, Woody found Twenty10, a housing, training and employment assistance organisation for LGBTQIA+ youth. He found a community and he also discovered drag queens. After hearing Maxi Shield speaking about ACON (the AIDS Council Of NSW), Woody joined an ACON group called Schools Out. “That helped me make friends and through it I met other drag queens. I was always hanging out with different queens while they were shopping for jewellery. Because I was too young to go to the clubs, I would hang out with them while they were doing their makeup.” And so a connection that lasts to this day was formed. Eventually, Woody became a facilitator of one of the youth programs at ACON called Fun And Esteem. “I’d run these workshops for young gays who were coming out and I’d teach them about the community and that was my main gig for a while.” On the surface, it appeared that Woody had settled into a better life since leaving school, but this was not necessarily the case. The world was calling and a curious Woody left Australia to travel and work in North America, but he still hadn’t found his true vocation and the scars from those school years had not healed. On returning to Australia, Woody reveals he contemplated the worst: “There was a moment, when I was around 22, where I was at the edge, thinking there’s no point to life, I don’t understand why I’m here. I would walk up to North Bondi Golf Course and stand on the edge of the cliff with a big bottle of wine, like every second night, just thinking, let’s get really, really drunk until I get the confidence to jump.” Woody feels very strongly that one of the main reasons he found himself on this dark path was the lack of early education about gay issues in our school system. “Religion, the hetero-normative construct, toxic masculinity, they’re all in there,” he says. “There are limited programs to address LGBTQIA+ issues in schools… take trans kids, for example. During their high-school life they’re told, ‘Oh you’re such a girl,’ yet when they transition it’s, ‘Yeah, but you’re really a man.’ So it’s like, what do you want? Do you want to call me a girl because I’m not man enough? Or do you want to call me a man
because I’m not girl enough? “And don’t even get me started on the fight for marriage equality and the religious influence on that debate!” So how did Woody step back from the edge? “I was at the precipice, and when I confided to my best friend at the time, he said, ‘How about, instead, you just say, ‘Fuck everyone and do what you want?’ And you know, I said why not? “From then on, when opportunities started arising to try new things, I just started saying, ‘Yes, I’m going to break the so-called rules, I’m going to do what I want, I’m going to try this and try that’… luckily it wasn’t drugs,” he says with a laugh. As a result, Woody discovered two things about himself: he loved circus or, more precisely, acrobatics, which he found he had a natural aptitude for. He also found that he was something of an exhibitionist and enjoyed getting his clothes off in front of a camera. The later revelation occurred after a chance meeting at a party with renowned photographer Paul Freemen, who photographed and published nudes of him. Deciding that circus performing felt like his true vocation, he returned to America, hoping to learn all he could about the art and craft of circus. But circus school was expensive. Here, his newfound exhibitionism became a moneymaking asset. It turned out that taking your clothes off in front of the camera can be a good paying job if it’s managed well. An adult entertainment studio saw some of Woody’s photographs and approached him about working in the industry. After initially rejecting their offers, he soon realised that here was a way to pay for acrobatics training and have a bit of fun – so began the life of Woody Fox, porn star. While in the UK filming for one of the studios, Woody started classes with an acrobatic rope artist. His skills developed quickly until one day his teacher told him there was no point in him taking any more classes as he’d outgrown them. Woody proposed that, if his skills were that good, they could work together on creating a duet performance piece. The act evolved so well that they entered the biggest circus competition in the UK, Circus Maximus and made it through to the finals. “During our final performance, we were halfway through our act and the music stopped – a technical hitch,” says Woody. “So there we were suspended in mid-air and my partner looked up at me and said, ‘Keep going.’ It was completely silent. The audience could hear the creak of the ropes, the sounds of our hands and bodies connecting, our every breath. It became so real, so intense, so intimate. We won the competition and continued to perform as duet partners for over a year. “The act depicted an unrequited gay love story. The love story ended up becoming reality as my teacher, my aerial partner, had fallen in love with me and, while I cared for him >> DNA 75
FEATURE >> deeply, I wasn’t in love with him. We stopped performing together and went our separate ways, but we’re still friends and talk when we can. Happily, he is now married to a man, so he has found what he was searching for. But our performance, that was a turning point for me. It was the moment when I realised this is exactly what I want to do, what I want to be and how I want to tell stories.” Work as a circus aerialist began to increase to the point where, in 2014, Woody publicly announced his retirement from the adult entertainment industry. He’d had enough of the online haters and that some studios did not treat their talent well. He moved to Canada and began teaching at a circus school. Up to this time, Woody had used his birth name for everything, except porn, but that was about to be used against him. “While at the school, this guy came up and asked ‘So, when are we going to have sex?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, we’re not having sex. We’re going to work together in this circus school professionally and be friends.’ He became quite obsessed and said, ‘You have to have sex with me.’ And when I told him it wasn’t going to happen he said, ‘Well, I know about Woody Fox.’ And I was like, ‘Fuck! This is it!” He was fired from the circus school after the guy outed him to management. Worse still, says Woody, the guy would turn up at castings and tell the casting directors that he was a porn star. “I wasn’t getting any call backs. It wasn’t until an acrobatic coach at Cirque du Soleil, who was on one of the selection panels, came up to me and said, ‘Hey, we know you’re a porn star.’ My heart dropped and I thought, I’m never going to get into any circus shows. Instead, he said, ‘You need to own this Woody Fox thing, otherwise for your whole life people are going to use it to sabotage you.’ So I took his advice and ever since then I have only be known as Woody Fox.” More circus work began arriving but, after being outed, he still needed to supplement his income so he made a comeback as an exclusive model for Falcon Studios and retired a second time in 2018 with nine industry award nominations. At about the same time, he returned to Australia and became a lot more active on social media. “I’ve moved on and created this big platform from something that is scandalous and fun, but I want to go further. I want to start doing a lot more community outreach, I want to uplift people that don’t have a platform in our community, be it trans people or just anyone in our community, to be able to provide positive recognition and a voice for them. “Then, outside of social media, I really want to start a ‘family’. Not dad, dad and kids; I want to start a tribe of people who will lift each other up and support each other. I think that’s important and it’s something we don’t see enough of. We’re fed this one narrative, from outside our community, that we just have to love a certain way. We don’t actually turn to ourselves and say, ‘Hey, what do I want?’ “Instinctively, I want to meet many people. I want to be around many people. Why can’t we start creating our own family units, a bit like the television series Pose?” Woody is also ready to perform more. “I’ve been working on creating some new pieces. I want to tell my story through these performances. I realise that gay-themed performances may not be as popular in the mainstream, but that’s what I want to do.” Also, while overseas, Woody met someone – Justin. They met the old-fashioned way, via Grindr. In the beginning it was just hooking up, says Woody. In fact, they hooked-up six times and barely exchanged a word. However, once they started chatting, that was it. “We became the best of friends,” says Woody. His work as both a circus artist and Falcon Studios exclusive had him travelling a lot, and Justin became that one constant. While others faded in and out of his life, Justin arranged ways to meet up in different towns and cities, coinciding with Woody’s schedule. “Whenever we did it was as if nothing had ever changed, we’d still be best friends. Then it got to a point where whenever I’d leave him, we would be crying, and it wasn’t just like a little bit sad, we’d be devastated to leave each other. We’d be thinking about each other all 76 DNA
How about you just say, ‘Fuck everyone and do what you want?’ Why not?
the time and I was asking myself what is this, we’re just best friends? “Then we started exploring what it meant, and we realised we were in love. We wanted the same things – a house together, a life together and a family together, but just not in the exact heteronormative form that we’d been taught. Then, about four years ago, we had the realisation that, you know what?, we want to be in each other’s lives forever! Like this is the person that I love! “One night we were walking home from circus school and talking about the possibility of spending the rest of our lives together and even marrying, when this ring fell from an apartment block and dropped right in front of us. It was such a weird yet obvious moment. Justin bent down to pick it up and said, ‘Hey, maybe this is a sign.’ Then he said, ‘Would you marry me?’ and I was, like, my life flashed before me and I thought this is exactly who I want to be with forever, so I said yes.” Even as he was saying yes, though, Woody was struggling against the conditioning of his formative years. That this couldn’t be love, he thought, he’ll never actually get married and eventually this too will fade. But it didn’t. Instead, Woody says, “it just kept getting stronger and even as I travelled for work or back to Australia, my love for him just kept growing. Now it’s got to a point, all these years later, that we’re finally doing it. Finally tying the knot.” For the last two years, Woody’s been back in Australia, working on his circus training and posting his hopes, aspirations and daily musings on social media. When international borders out of Australia finally reopened, he was on a flight back to Canada and in October, Woody and Justin were married. So what are Woody’s life lessons? That you can follow your dreams. You don’t have to accept the labels others put on you. That life can be peppered with challenges and even dark moments but you can survive them. And that you can even find that happy ending. •
If this story has raised issues for you contact… W: Lifeline.org.au T: 13 11 14 for 24/7 crisis support. W: Beyondblue.org.au T: 1300 22 4636 W: qlife.org.au T: 1800 184 527 Search “Queer and LGBTQI+ community support services in Australia” at www.ABC. net.au USA Telehealth lgbtqtherapyspace.com
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The audience could hear the creak of the ropes, our bodies connecting, our breath. It became so real, so intense and so intimate.
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You need to own this Woody Fox thing, otherwise people are going to use it to sabotage you.
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KATIE UNDERWOOD Originally with girl group Bardot, Katie busted out of lockdown with Belinda Chapple as a duo, Ka’Bel and the disco-tinged Broken Hearted.
Interview by MARC ANDREWS DNA: You’ve been in lockdown but making disco music in your kitchen! Katie Underwood: We’re doing it as much to save ourselves as anyone else. It’s been my only refuge throughout this whole time. 2020 was Bardot’s 20-year anniversary. Is that where the idea for Ka’Bel came from? Absolutely. Tiffani [Wood] was very keen as well for a while, but had to gracefully bow out. Belinda and I were both consistently saying yes throughout the process. You juggle motherhood and music, are there more tracks from Ka’Bel coming? We initially explored the options of a few, but this one was the one that stood out. We don’t have anything else at the ready and I probably shouldn’t say that, but why lie? There’s also a connection with your Disco Montego hits! Absolutely. It was certainly a no-brainer in regard to doing this, but Belinda was also known as the disco queen in Bardot. She also looks a lot better in hotpants than me right now, so she can do that! There’s been a reckoning in the Australian music industry about the way young female artists were treated in the past. Did that affect Bardot? The benefit we had, 20 years ago, was we were a tribe of five powerful women. In an industry that it male-dominated and there are lots of drugs and alcohol involved, people make poor choices on both sides of the gender divide. You still have a sizeable gay following since the Bardot days. One of the things I loved about my time in Bardot is that the other girls were, what I considered, traditionally beautiful and fashionable. I struggled with that and aligned more with the tomboy and being androgynous. That part of my nature struck a chord with the gay community, boys and girls. I’m openly bisexual, or pan-sexual, so it’s not so much the gay community is following me as they’re my community. Do you feel an affinity to any LGBTQIA+ artists at the moment? I saw that Lil Nas X video recently in the jail with all the pink jumpsuits. I fucking love that! I know it’s hard for men in the hip-hop/R&B scene to come out as gay and for him to do it in such a blatant gangsta style is so brilliant. Frank Ocean came out but he was quite-quiet about it. This paves the way for all other LGBTQIA+ artists coming after that. Did Bardot’s record company ever tell you to be quiet about your bisexuality? I didn’t go public with my bisexuality until after I left the band because I wasn’t ready to go there. Sexuality is private and it’s up to each individual if they want to share that or not. Who were your own pop idols growing up? My first vinyl was Wham! and then George Michael and Annie Lennox. I felt something stirring when I saw her, much like when I used to meet young Bardot fans, who I would call “baby gays”. I would be able to tell if they were gay before they even knew. 82 DNA
Anyone you want to work with now? PNAU! What’s your message to the readers of DNA? Thank you for the love. We’ve had such a wonderful response. It also affirms it’s never too late to do something you love.
I saw that Lil Nas X video in the jail with the pink jumpsuits. I fucking love that! MORE: Broken Hearted is released through Xelon. For more find Ka’Bel on Instagram.
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S K Y Y PHOTOGRAPHY BENJAMIN VERONIS BENVERONIS PALMSPRINGSMEN.COM
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EJ PHOTOGRAPHY JEREMY MARC ANTHONY Î JEREMY MARC ANTHONY JEREMYMARCANTHONY
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LOCATIONS HOTEL 55, ROME HOTELFIFTYFIVE
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