OUT AFRICA MAGAZINE Issue53

ALL THE PICTURES FROM CAPE TOWN PRIDE

Check Out CruiseThe Play

GOODBYE TO ICONS

THE EDITOR

Welcome all

I am happy to report that this year’s Cape Town Pride month was the best to date, culminating in the biggest Pride March the city has ever seen and the Festival Mardi Gras where the city’s drag Kings and Queens took to the Pride stage, smashing the world record for the most drag performers on stage at the same time ... a huge feather in Cape Town Pride’s cap ... one wonders how Pride 2024 will top this.

In this issue there are a number of pages dedicated to Cape Town Pride, showing the parade .,and the Festival Mardi Gras - from the performers on the stage as well as the performers off the stage.

Whilst the South African LGBTQ+ community basks in their constitutional rights of equality and no discrimination, we must bear a thought for our brothers and sisters living in Uganda. The Ugandan President signed in to law the antiLGBTQ+ bill which criminalises homosexual behaviour and acts with mostly lengthy jail sentences and in some instances the death penalty can be imposed. It is now a criminal offence to even identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and more. According to BBC World News, leaders across the globe are expressing their concern and objections... but one must ask what are they going to do about it. US President Biden is considering sanctions ... This law which flies in the face of the constitution our lawmakers have sworn to support and uphold has brought the usual weak response from The South African Government. According to EWN “Deputy President Paul Mashatile said government does not agree with Uganda’s anti-gay stance, but it can’t impose its views on other countries.” This is a cop-out, and a hypocritical stand by any ANC member. After-all, the ANC not only called for, but praised countries and governments that isolated Apartheid South Africa on the global stage. As one of the most powerful economies on the continent, South Africa has the ability to influence and challenge other countries whose laws are in direct opposition to what our government purports to stand for. They can impose sanctions, travel and sports bans, and lead the African Union in pressuring Uganda to overturn this draconian breach of human rights. We urge all people making up the LGBTQIA+ community as well as our allies to put pressure on this ANC government to uphold the constitution they stand for and act against the Ugandan regime...

Sadly, we say goodbye to internationally acclaimed LGBT+ icons - Dame Edna and the Queen of Rock, Tina Turner. Both were trailblazers in their own unique ways and their support of our community helped change attitudes, bringing greater tolerance and acceptance of our community everywhere...

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ape Town Pride this year was undoubtedly the best and biggest Pride in the city in the 14 years Pride has been held.

WAS AWESOME C

Cape Town is the only city in the country which holds its Pride month in February, of course this the height of the city’s summer season, when the mother city is teeming with tourists and the locals are basking in the magic of the Western Cape’s long, hot summer.

The Pride calendar this year was filled with over 32 events, from small informative workshops and intimate naked-reading nights to large glamorous events like the Mr & Miss Cape Town Pride Pageant and the Hero Awards which this year was sponsored by Sanlam.

The fact that Cape Town Pride is so important on the South African LGBT+ calendar was seen with the support and presence of the organisers of other major Pride celebrations in the country. Kay Alley was down from Jo’burg Pride and Bruce Walker from Pretoria Pride were both in the city for the Pride Festival day.

The march this year went of better that any year before and was the largest to date ... with a giant float from Schmidhauser Electrical to a fleet of rainbow coloured Jeeps. The dykes on Bikes led the parade as they do every year. In the crowd were drag queens in their finery and their highest heels, roller-bladers, and marchers dressed in their most colourful and in some instances outrageous Pride outfits made the 2023 parade the most colourful.

This year organisers were happy to report that there very few incidents of cell-phone theft as scourge at a past pride event when a team of thieves targeted the event. There were no instances of fighting, violence, homophobia, bi-phobia or transphobia. Right next door to the Pride event was a Stormers/ Bulls rugby match at the main stadium ... and there were concerns by some officials but we can be proud to claim that we’re possibly the most tolerant city in Africa!!!

Plans are already underway for Pride 2024 ... a tentative date has been set and the venue has been provisionally booked so pencil in to your calender the 2nd March for the Pride march and Festival Mardi Gras and start planning to make Pride 2024 the biggest, and the best on this continent and a must attend Pride on the world Pride calender ... To Cape Town Pride 2024!!!

For updates please visit: Website: https://cptpride.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capetownpride

CAPE TOWN’S PRIDE

TOWN’S BIGGEST EVER!!!

PARADE THE

Pictures by Jay at

PARADE THE

Studio Audacity

MARDI THE

Pictures by Jay at

Studio Audacity

PERFORMERS THE

Pictures by Jay at

Brazil

PERFORMERS THE

Studio Audacity

–vibrant, colourful, exciting, beautiful, modern, liberal, but above all...

LGBTI friendly.

CELEBRATING OUR

FABULOUS DIVERSE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY

Pictures by Jay at

CELEBRATING OUR

FABULOUS DIVERSE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY

Studio Audacity

GUY CANDY MEN AT CAPE TOWN PRIDE

Anthony Mackie && Yahya Abdul-Mateen II lock lips in

Building an Inclusive Culture at Amazon

By Matthew-James Hallett

At Amazon we are a company of diverse people who bring varying backgrounds, ideas, and points of view to inventing on behalf of all customers.

At Amazon we are a company of diverse people who bring varying backgrounds, ideas, and points of view to inventing on behalf of all customers.

Our diverse perspectives are enriched by many dimensions, including and not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, culture, language, and education, as well as professional and life experience. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and leveraging our unique perspectives to scale our impact and grow.

Our diverse perspectives are enriched by many dimensions, including and not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, culture, language, and education, as well as professional and life ex perience. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and leveraging our unique perspectives to scale our impact and grow.

Amazon’s ability to innovate on behalf of our global customers and communities is dependent upon the skills, perspectives, and knowledge of people from all backgrounds. We believe that building a welcoming and inclusive culture is essential to people doing their best work. We actively recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds and foster an inclusive workplace. We take steps to ensure employees have a sense of belonging, feel valued, and have the opportunity to succeed and thrive.

Amazon’s ability to innovate on behalf of our global customers and communities is dependent upon the skills, perspectives, and knowledge of people from all backgrounds. We believe that building a welcoming and inclusive culture is essential to peo ple doing their best work. We actively recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds and foster an inclusive workplace. We take steps to ensure employees have a sense of belonging, feel val ued, and have the opportunity to succeed and thrive.

Amazon South Africa (ZAF) has 5 affinity groups, also known as employee resource groups, which bring Amazon employees together across businesses and locations around the world. Over the past year, Glamazon has created partnerships and collaborations with other affinity groups in the business, as well as

Amazon South Africa (ZAF) has 5 affinity groups, also known as employee resource groups, which bring Amazon employees to gether across businesses and locations around the world. Over the past year, Glamazon has created partnerships and collabo rations with other affinity groups in the business, as well as the operational team for site wide engagement campaigns.

the operational team for site wide engagement campaigns.

Glamazon helps Amazon be a great place to work by educating and informing employees about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and/or Queer (LGBTQIA+) community. The group mentors fellow employees (both LGBTQ+ and allies) and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. Amazon is more visible within the LGBTQ+ community-at-large by sponsoring events and PRIDE around the globe. Glamazon supported the creation of a Transgender Toolkit for managers and employees to use when going through a gender transition in the workplace. In 2019, thanks to the efforts of Glamazon working with leaders across the company, we were honored again to receive a 100 score on the HRC Corporate Equality Index, a US benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices pertinent to LGBTQ employees.

Glamazon helps Amazon be a great place to work by educating and informing employees about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and/or Queer (LGBTQIA+) community. The group mentors fellow employees (both LGBTQ+ and allies) and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. Amazon is more visible within the LGBTQ+ community-at-large by sponsoring events and PRIDE around the globe. Glamazon supported the creation of a Transgender Toolkit for managers and employees to use when going through a gender transition in the workplace. In 2019, thanks to the efforts of Glamazon working with leaders across the company, we were honoured again to receive a 100 score on the HRC Corporate Equality Index, a US benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices pertinent to LGBTQ employees.

A partnership that has seen smiles being delivered both to our internal and external customers, Glamazon worked in partnership with Amazon Gives, the companies Corporate Social Investment and Outreach Team. Where the teams worked together on outreach campaigns during youth month. The team purchased and handed over winter accessories, toiletries, educational toys, detergents, frozen foods and nonperishable food items to five Children Homes and Shelters across South Africa

A partnership that has seen smiles being delivered both to our internal and external customers, Glamazon worked in partnership with Amazon Gives, the companies Corporate Social Investment and Outreach Team. Where the teams worked together on outreach campaigns during youth month. The team purchased and handed over winter accessories, toiletries, educational toys, detergents, frozen foods and nonperishable food items to five Children Homes and Shelters across South Africa

In 2022 a collaboration with the ZAF leadership and Peak Committee, Glamazon and Amazon Gives hosted a lunch for 80 residents at the Haven Night shelter in District Six. Together the teams handed over chairs, plates, glasses and non-perishable food items to the shelter as well as hundreds of preloved clothing items were donated. We had Amazonians present at the venue, and they decorated the eating hall with Christmas décor, and enjoyed lunch and engaged with all the residents.

In 2022 a collaboration with the ZAF leadership and Peak Committee, Glamazon and Amazon Gives hosted a lunch for 80 residents at the Haven Night shelter in District Six. Together the teams handed over chairs, plates, glasses and non-perishable food items to the shelter as well as hundreds of preloved clothing items were donated. We had Amazonians present at the venue, and they decorated the eating hall with Christmas décor, and enjoyed lunch and engaged with all the residents.

Glamazon also introduced Self Defense Classes that were held at our Cape Town Offices for at risk Glamazonian’s and Amazonians. The team worked with a professional Stunt Man who is also a 4th Dan in Taekwon-Do, and an Amazonian too! This is an event that has been and will continue to be hosted quarterly for our local

Glamazon also introduced Self Defense Classes that were held at our Cape Town Offices for at risk Glamazonian’s and Amazonians. The team worked with a professional Stunt Man who is also a 4th Dan in Taekwon-Do, and an Amazonian too! This is an event that has been and will continue to be hosted quarterly for our local team.

Glamazon is also focused on educating our community, allies and colleagues, and over the past year has introduced numerous Town Hall Sessions with Senior Leadership both in Cape Town and Johannesburg, focusing on DEI and LGBTQIA+ leadership. In addition to this, Glamazon also hosted a Road Show in 2022 for ZAF Leadership, and facilitated Gender and Pronouns Training to the South African and Philippines Leadership teams. The Glamazon Leadership Team started a project with our local recruiters around inclusive hiring and are excited to continue this in 2023.

Glamazon is also focused on educating our community, allies and colleagues, and over the past year has introduced numerous Town Hall Sessions with Senior Leadership both in Cape Town and Johannesburg, focusing on DEI and LGBTQIA+ leadership. In addition to this, Glamazon also hosted a Road Show in 2022 for ZAF Leadership, and facilitated Gender and Pronouns Training to the South African and Philippines Leadership teams. The Glamazon Leadership Team started a project with our local recruiters around inclusive hiring and are excited to continue this in 2023.

ADIDAS AND UNVEIL COLLECTION FOR PRIDE

The Adidas x RICH MNISI performance apparel and footwear

RICH MNISI

COLLECTION PRIDE 2023

collection is a range of lifestyle and footwear featuring the South African designer’s

signature bold prints

“Let Love Be Your Legacy”

On the 15th May Adidas announced its latest collaboration with South African, queer designer Rich Mnisi with a unique collection and campaign for Pride 2023; Let Love Be Your Legacy. With a shared ambition to encourage ally-ship and freedom of expression without bias, in all spaces of sport and culture, the Adidas x RICH MNISI range of apparel and footwear spans both lifestyle and performance featuring signature silhouettes across Adidas Originals, football, cycling, Sportswear and swim.

The range is inspired by a love letter Mnisi wrote to his younger self, in which he declares Let Love Be Your Legacy - serving as his mission statement, but also a rallying cry for active ally-ship to empower and champion the LGBTQIA+ community. Adidas partners Tom Daley, Jari Jones and Athlete Ally, have written ‘Love Letters’ to the world for the campaign calling for radical selfacceptance and support from the wider communities in culture and sport and appear alongside South African rugby player Lusanda Dumke in the collection.

Channelling the spirit of ally-ship, the collection’s vibrant colour palette is paired with the slogans ‘Love Unites’ and ‘Let Love Be Your Legacy’ printed onto the fabric, emboldening its wearer to lead with love and uphold inclusive values. The apparel and footwear features Mnisi’s retro graphic print, a monochrome circular check design layered with hand drawn flowers, and abstract shapes in bright and punchy colours with the Adidas three-stripe boldly accented in pink and red. The Adidas x RICH MNISI collection includes garments made in part with recycled materials and in collaboration with Better Cotton.

Speaking on the collaboration and collection, Rich Mnisi said “In creating this collection, I had a strong impulse to speak to my inner-child and express to the world how LGBTQIA+ ally-ship can create a legacy of love. Unifying these themes together through my own visual language and Adidas’ iconic performance and lifestyle pieces is a powerful combination – making the collection a symbol for self-acceptance and LGBTQIA+ advocacy. My hope is this range inspires LGBTQIA+ allies to speak up more for the queer people they love and not let them fight for

Supporting active ally-ship at a grassroots level

The Adidas x RICH MNISI collection for Pride 2023 is part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to help make sport equal. With the ambition to drive greater access, equity and safety for sport’s marginalised communities through advocacy and ally-ship, this year Adidas continues its ongoing partnership with non-profit, Athlete Ally, which focuses on ending homophobia and transphobia in sport.

Founder of Athlete Ally, Hudson Taylor, comments “Together with Adidas our goal is to drive inclusivity in sport – supporting student athletes from the LGBTQI+ and their allies to push for fair access and safe participation in sport. Through our partnership, we’ve created more affirming athletic spaces to celebrate the community across sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.”

In 2022, Adidas expanded its partnership with Athlete Ally to facilitate the Title IX Athlete Leadership Summit and workshops at eight Adidas-partnered NCAA college campuses driving education and policy reform to spur equity on campus and in sport.

“We as a brand believe in the power of collaboration to create a more equal world of sport. We will continue to work with partners such as Athlete Ally, listen to our LGBTQIA+ athletes and support our communities to create more possibilities - by creating safe and inclusive spaces to express their authentic selves while playing sport,” says Ashley Czarnowksi, Senior Director of Adidas Global Purpose.

The Adidas x RICH MNISI collection is available at Adidas stores and on adidas.co.za. Join the conversation by following @adidasZA and using hashtag #LetLoveBeYourLegacy on Instagram.

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A DAME ...

PRIDE EVENTS ARE STILL IMPORTANT FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL,

Barry Humphries, best known for His Drag Persona Dame Edna Everage, died at the age of 89, ending an era in drag performance.

In the late 50’s, Australian comedian Barry Humphries (who wasn’t gay, it must be noted) created the character Edna Everage whilst touring with a the Union Reparatory Theatre Company. Edna was created as part of the entertainment for his fellow actors during commutes between country towns, but over time Dame Edna, as she came to be known, would become one of the most famous entertainment personalities worldwide.

In a career that spanned 60 years, “Mrs Norm Everage” evolved from an average Melbourne housewife to the flamboyant Dame Edna that many of us came to love, with his sharp, cutting wit and over-the-top costumes.

Who doesn’t remember the Dame Edna with her outlandish diamanté-ed cats-eye spectacles, lavender-coloured hair, “wisteria” she called it, and her boisterous “hello possums” opening line at every show and hurling gladioli (gladdies) in to the audience at the end.

The character was born Edna May Beazley, but by the 1970’s had grown so huge that Humphries decided she would be a dame. The character evolved from “Housewife and Superstar”, to “Megastar” and finally “Gigastar”, and throughout the 1980s and 1990s, became increasingly well-known internationally with her television and stage appearances. Her character mixed with the rich and famous, claiming to audiences that she was a personal friend of Queen Elizabeth II and advisor to many of the world’s heads of state.

Humphries who claimed he was her “manager”, created an entire persona around the eccentric Dame. She was married, had three children, Bruce, Kenny, and Valmai. Kenny her youngest a fashion designer who designed all her fabulous and not so fabulous gowns, and lived with his “friend” Clifford - she often referred to them as always looking for “Miss right”. Valmai had shoplifting issues and appeared on later shows, clearly a lesbian. Her mother, she claimed was in a “maximum-security twilight home for the permanently bewildered”. With the assistance of her bridesmaid Madge, who never spoke on stage, Dame Edna became a household name all over the world.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on Twitter: “For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone. But the brightest star in that galaxy was always Barry. A great wit, satirist, writer, and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift.”

Local satirist and comedian, Pieter Dirk Uys, best known for his role as Evita Bezuidenhout, told Cape Talk in an interview that

he “was ‘hugely’ inspired by Humphries, his sense of humour and his ability to make fun of people in a loving way, which is very unlike Evita”.

The New York Times referred to Edna after Humphries passing as “A stiletto-heeled, stiletto-tongued persona who might well have been the spawn of a ménage à quatre involving Oscar Wilde, Salvador Dalí, Auntie Mame and Miss Piggy, Dame Edna was not so much a character as a cultural phenomenon, a force of nature trafficking in wicked, sequined commentary on the nature of fame.”

The drag artist had her own mock celebrity broadcast talk show on NBC in the early 1990’s called “Dame Edna’s Hollywood.” Humphries was also a mainstay on actual talk shows as well. Humphries won a special Tony Award for his 199 one-person show “Dame Edna: The Royal Tour.”

Advocate magazine noted in their obituary that “Humphries was also a controversial figure. In 2003 in an advice column for Vanity Fair, he replied to a reader’s question about learning Spanish with, “Who speaks it that you are really desperate to talk to?” Edna added, “The help? Your leaf blower? Study French or German, where there are at least a few books worth reading, or, if you’re American, try English.”

An outraged Selma Hayek led a backlash against the racist comments.

Never one to mince his words, Humphries continued to speak against what he perceived as the problems with “political correctness.” Calling it a “new puritanism” and in an interview with the British Telegraph newspaper in 2016, described trans women as “mutilated men.” And Caitlyn Jenner as a “publicity-seeking ratbag.” He later also described being transgender as a “fashion.”

In an interview with CNN, the comedian said his comments had been taken out of context. He explained, “I don’t know anything about politics. But the far left is so conservative, paradoxically, inflexible, doctrinaire and humourless,” Humphries continued. “You can’t describe the world as it is anymore. You get jumped on. I’m happy to say I do. I give offense therefore I am. Not too much offense, though.” – however, an Australian award named in his honour, was renamed after these transphobic comments.

Love her or hate her, Dame Edna Everage gained both fame and notoriety with her sharp wit, and at time acerbic judgements –she made us laugh with her on stage antics, her shrill, tone-deaf singing and her gasp-out-loud comments. She rose from virtual obscurity as a plain, ordinary Australian housewife to international celebrity, one of the world’s most famous drag performers – Dame Edna, rest in peace, you will not be forgotten.

We are PRIDE Wealth, and we primarily provide Financial Service Solutions to the LGBT and Supporting Community!

Our vision is primarily to facilitate and provide a Financial Services solution for the LGBT and supporting community where their well-being and those of the community are our first objective.

Our Mission is to Equalize & Empower communities by Means of Inclusion that develops Miraculous Contributions on not only lives, but those of our Rainbow Nation.

GILEAD SCIENCES S A PARTNERS WITH THE LGBT+COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF CAPE TOWN PRIDE

Gilead Sciences South Africa was this year’s official sponsor of Cape Town Pride 2023, celebrating diversity, inclusion and broad access to healthcare.

As thousands of people took to the streets of Green Point, Cape Town, during the annual Pride March, Gilead hosted a Pride Activation Stand together with the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation to show support for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Plus (LGBT+) community and raise awareness about LGBT+ issues and equitable access to healthcare.

In a visit to South Africa, Mr. Rashad Burgess, Vice President of Advancing Health and Black Equity at Gilead Sciences Inc., addressed the public at the Official Pride Mardi Gras, stating that it was an honour for Gilead to be a long-standing supporter of Pride. “South Africa has the largest number of HIV infections globally; more than 7.5 million people are living with HIV. However, a lot of work still needs to be done to address HIV and the systemic inequalities driving HIV infection rates,” said Burgess.

“We must continue to advance research and programmes that strive for equitable access to healthcare for all. Our ambition

has led us to reach great accomplishments, but more work is needed. We stand with the community; we want you to live, love and be liberated,” added Burgess.

Pride provides a platform for Cape Town’s LGBT+ community to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues and campaign for the freedoms that will allow them to live their lives on a genuinely equal footing.

Mr. Christopher Whitfield, Gilead Sciences General Manager for Africa, said: “Inclusion is one of Gilead’s core values, and to support Cape Town Pride 2023 is demonstrative of our commitment to living our values every day. We believe that supporting diversity and access to critical lifesaving healthcare better drives innovation, which ultimately helps us better serve patients.”

In Gilead’s pursuit to drive equitable access to healthcare, it has partnered with various local organisations to support access to healthcare.

Gilead has partnered with the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF), a registered non-profit company established in association with the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, an accredited research centre within the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town (UCT). Bridging academic research with community development programmes, the DTHF collaborates with those most at risk to find innovative solutions for preventing and treating HIV and related infections.

Gilead supports MenConnect, a mobile platform developed by Reach Digital Health (previously known as Praekelt.org) in collaboration with the MenStar Coalition to support men through their HIV treatment journey, promoting retention to care and adherence to treatment. MenStar is a unique coalition of partners founded to expand the diagnosis and treatment of HIV infections in men, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The $1.2 billion coalition was launched by Elton John and Prince Harry at the AIDS Conference in Amsterdam in 2018.

Gilead Sciences South Africa supports the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Plus (LGBT+) community by sponsoring Cape Town Pride 2023 and partnering with various local organisations to drive equitable access to healthcare

CRUISE THE PLAY

Daniel Geddes is superb in this iconic role

Some 40 years since AIDS changed our lives, HIV is something we now manage and live with. We have antiretrovirals for HIV treatment and PrEP to prevent transmission for those who are negative. Whilst many positive people still suffer stigma attached to the syndrome, the fear and paranoia that was associated with the “gay plague” as it was known has largely dissipated. But it can be difficult for those not around at the time to understand the horror and terror that lurked beneath the surface. We were young and we wanted to party and have as much sex as possible but there was much trepidation until we understood how HIV was transmitted and what we could do to protect ourselves.

Adding to the Eighties vogue is Cruise, the Olivier Award nominated play by Jack Holden which opened in London’s West End in the thick of the Covid pandemic. The local production of Cruise, which is the first international staging of the play outside of the UK, makes a return to South African stages after successful runs in Johannesburg last year and in Cape Town in April.

Cruise tells the story of a recent past which sees Jack, a young volunteer at LGBTQ+ charity Switchboard, take a call from a charismatic older gay man, Michael. The call recounts the story of Michael’s hedonistic life leading up to, and following, his HIV diagnosis in 1984 – painting a vivid, living and breathing picture of Soho through the 1980s. This one-and-a-half-hour emotional roller-coaster ride has Michael take us to his old haunts that no longer exist, inhabited by a cornucopia of marvellously drawn characters on the scene, from the piss elegant Polari Queen, the prissy twinks, burly bears and everyone in between. Essentially, Michael needs someone to bear witness

to his life. While parts of the story as very sad, it is life affirming with some incredibly joyous moments. The scene where Michael tries ecstasy for the first time comes to mind.

The South African production stars Daniel Geddes in a remarkably energetic performance, directed by Josh Lindberg. He brilliantly holds the attention of the audience while he inhabits the various persona on the sparse set designed by Wilhelm Disbergen and lit by Jane Gosnell. The original music, written by John Patrick Elliot is an integral part of the performance. In all, Cruise, is a life-affirming celebration of a community determined to battle on in the face of adversity and a moving tribute to a generation lost to HIV. It’s a joy to behold.

South African audiences can next see Cruise at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda from the 28th June to the 1st July. The shows are at Glennie Hall at Victoria Girls Primary School, Beaufort Street. Tickets can be booked here:

https://tickets.nationalartsfestival.co.za/performance/2885/ cruise

The production then moves to Johannesburg for a run at The Market Theatre from August 28th to 11th September. Tickets will be available from Webtickets.

For many of us it seems that the Eighties were only yesterday, but that decade is now far enough in the past to be looked upon with nostalgia. The recent television series Pose and It’s a Sin are historical dramas which those who were around at the time can relate to and those who were not can learn from.

REMEMBER CRUISE MAKES US

This wasn’t the case in the 80’s, when people infected with HIV would deteriorate rapidly, with, in some cases, people dying within days. I knew 6 flight attendants who shared a house in Johannesburg ... within six months all of them had passed away. Another friend was diagnosed on a Friday, he passed away the following Friday - a week later! Others would show no symptoms for years and yet carried the virus and not knowing how the virus was passed and safe sex wasn’t thought of, many more were infected.

Cruise is produced by Colin Law (pictured above), who says in the programme leaflet for the show, “I was in my twenties in 1982 and as a gay man, lived the absolute terror of what was described as “the gay cancer”. Cruise awakens my memory of that time.”

And it was terrifying, the illness, initially named GRID (Gay related Immune Deficiency) was a death sentence ... there was no cure, doctors didn’t even know how it was acquired, passed or even that it was a virus in those early days. When in 1981, the New York Times published an article “Rare Cancer Seen in 41 Homosexuals,” the reality of AIDS became known.

The news and the infection was to spread rapidly worldwide. Today, 40 years later over 84.2 million (64.0–113.0 million) people have been infected with the HIV virus and about 40.1 million (33.6–48.6 million) people have died of HIV. There is still no cure but the illness is controlled by drugs and one can live a full life.

In Randy Shilts’ book, “And The Band Played On” one person, an Air Canada flight attendant, Gaetan Dugas, was thought to have infected over 2500 people. Shilts referred to Dugas as “Patient Zero” (incorrectly - in a study he was known as “patient-0” and vilified him by portraying him as having almost sociopathic behaviour - allegedly intentionally infecting, or at least recklessly endangering, others with the virus. Dugas is described as being a charming, handsome sexual athlete who, according to his own estimation, averaged hundreds of sex partners per year. He claimed to have had over 2,500 sexual partners across North America since becoming sexually active in 1972.

The book was an international bestseller, and made into a critically acclaimed movie, Shilts’ exposé revealed why AIDS was allowed to spread unchecked during the early 80’s while the most trusted institutions ignored or denied the threat. It is one of the few true modern classics, changing and framing how AIDS was discussed in the following years. “And the Band Played On” remains one of the essential books of our time.

In the early days of the pandemic so little was known of the disease that it spread unchecked. Governments, especially the Reagan administration in the United States turned a blind eye to the AIDS despite action groups constantly campaigning and demanding government intervention - there was the belief that this was extreme homophobia, had the disease been killing straight people the response (as with Covid-19) would’ve been swift.

Cruise takes us back to that scary time, a time that must not be forgotten nor brushed aside. The HIV pandemic has taken the lives of thousands of truly talented, gifted individuals, of sons and daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, lovers, wives and husbands - today it affects us all but we must never forget the struggles and torments of those who died and those who lived through the early days.

LEAVES US ANOTHER GAY ICON

Long before it was popular to support the LGBTI+ community there was one person who stood firmly with us - the icon - Tina Turner. So it is with profound sadness that we say goodbye, rest in peace to an ally.

Tina passed away after suffering for some years from cancer. She was 83.

The singer whose unique voice, boundless energy, with fabulous wigs and legs to die was without doubt the Queen of Rock.

Tina’s wigs were an extension of her stage persona and she often styled them herself. Her look bacame iconic and over the years hundreds of drag performers have strutted across our stages belting out lip-synced Tina Turner tunes but its always been the hair, and the shimmering mini tassel-dresses that they’ve taken great pains to emulate. I’ve even seen Thai drag queens doing the Tina Turner thing...

Tina, who was abandoned by her mother at and early age and then lived for years in an abusive relationship, finally leaving husband Ike, had to rebuild her career from scratch. And she did - with the release of the album Private Dancer in 1991 Tina skyrocketed with 7 charting songs from that one album.

The super star visited South Africa a couple of times and is rumoured to have had her wigs made here at one stage ... perhaps just a rumour ... what isn’t a rumour is the Queen of Rock performed at the opening ceremony of the first ever Gay Games in San Francisco in 1982. This was at a time when the AIDS pandemic was affecting almost exclusively gay men, and a time ,when other artists would not be seen supporting LGBT+ issues.

Almost 20 years later, in 2000, she pledged her support once again, voicing her thoughts on the “wonderful thing” that was same-sex marriage in an interview with the gay magazine, The Advocate.

Royal Vauxhall Tavern, in London, one of the world’s most famous drag venues tweeted that “Many a drag artist has rocked out to Proud Mary on our stage, with the song being a drag favourite. Thank you Tina!

It’s unsurprising to see drag performers in their hundreds sharing tributes on how Tina Turner changed their drag careers and their lives. RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13 queen Tina Burner posted a heartfelt message on their Instagram about how Turner taught them “never to give up on what you love”.

Even the Queen of drag herself, Rue Paul has lyp-synched Tina’s iconic Proud Mary on the Netflix show, AJ and the Queen, in a fringed yellow bodysuit. That’s some recognition of her importance as a drag icon...

With solo hits including “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “The Best”, Tina secured 12 Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, seven Billboard Awards and a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As well as being inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame twice.

Her life story of overcoming adversity is in itself a source of inspiration for the gay community, Tina, who was born Annie Mae Bullock, with be sadly missed ... but always remembered ... and I dare say that for years to come she will continue be reborn on drag stages everywhere.

TRANSGENDER BACK TO BASICS

Trans identities are diverse and identify in lots of different ways, that is why it is an umbrella term. However, there is confusion about gender identities, here River Solace at www.lgbthero.org.uk gets to grips with the issue ...

Sex vs Gender

In order to understand what transgender really means, it is necessary to know the difference between sex and gender. Sex is a combination of our bodily features, such as chromosomes; hormone production; fat distribution; genitals; hair growth and more. When a person is born they are usually assigned male or female based on these characteristics. When someone falls outside of this sex binary of male and female, they are referred to as intersex.

Gender is often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, gender is largely culturally determined and is assumed from the sex assigned at birth. The gender binary has been socially constructed based on the sex binary i.e. man and woman. Anyone who identifies outside of this binary is referred to as non-binary.

Gender Identity vs Gender Expression

Gender identity is an individuals’ internal, innate sense of their gender, essentially how someone feels inside.

Gender expression is more external, it is usually shown through style, appearance or behaviour. Gender expression does not have to align with gender identity and it can change.

Important things to remember:

• Trans men do not owe anyone masculinity.

• Trans women do not owe anyone femininity.

• Non-Binary people do not owe anyone androgyny.

What does Transgender mean?

It is an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth. From the Latin word “trans” meaning “across”, it literally means “across gender”.

The term cisgender comes from the Latin word “cis” meaning “the same side”, meaning someone whose gender is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth.

Photo by Dean Shim

Important things to remember:

• Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, non-binary, or genderqueer.

• Not everyone will identify as a man or woman. Being trans does not mean you are the ‘opposite’ gender

• Some trans people identify outside of the gender binary i.e. non-binary

• Trans identities are diverse and identify in lots of different ways, that is why it is an umbrella term

• Language is important - respect the terms with which someone chooses to identify

• Not every trans person will want to transition

• Being trans is not new or a trend, trans people have always been around and there are countless examples of trans people throughout history.

What does it mean to transition?

Transition is a term that is used to describe the process a person goes through when changing their gender. It important to note that this does not always mean medical interventions, it can mean social changes such as changes in name, appearance and expression.

Surgery: Gender-affirming surgery can literally be a lifesaver! And for some trans people, it is essential to their health and wellbeing.

binary people identify as trans. The word non-binary describes a wide array of different identities which fall outside of the gender binary, and can be related to, or completely separate from male and female gender identities.

What is the gender binary?

The gender binary is the assumption that all people are one of two genders, female or male, or woman or man. People who identity as a man or a woman identify as a binary gender, since they identify with a gender within the system of the gender binary. A non-binary person simply identifies with a gender that is not male or female.

What kinds of non-binary genders exist?

There are many different genders which exist outside of the gender binary. Some non-binary genders and terms include but are not limited to:

• Agender – having no gender or being genderless

• Androgyne – identifying somewhere in between man and woman

• Bigender – having two gender identities, either at the same time or interchangeably

• Demiboy – partially, but not completely, identifying as a man, boy, or masculine person

• Demigender – having partial connection with one gender (male, female, or other)

• Demigirl – partially, but not completely, identifying as a

Many trans people experience something called gender dysphoria. Not to be confused with body dysmorphia, a mental health condition where people perceive flaws in their appearance, gender dysphoria is the medical term used when someone is experiencing distress or discomfort in their body. This is due to having a gender identity that does not align with their sex assigned at birth and it often has a significant impact on a person’s self-worth and can lead to mental health issues.

Not all trans people have surgery. This is because…

• There is a significant lack of healthcare services and long waiting lists

• Navigating current healthcare services is very complicated and can be overwhelming

• It is really expensive (many trans people raise funds through GoFundMe)

• They simply don’t want to have surgery

• Remember: A trans person’s anatomy is absolutely none of your business!!!

Key takeaways:

• Transgender is an umbrella term for many identities

• Being trans is not new or a trend

• Gender-affirming surgery can be life-saving, but not every trans person wants surgery

• Gender dysphoria can lead to poor mental health

• Gender Expression ≠ Gender Identity

Being non-binary

Non-binary is an umbrella term to describe people who identify with a gender outside of the gender binary, and can be categorized under the trans umbrella term, although not all non-

woman, girl, or feminine person

• Enby – a slang term to refer to a non-binary person, not all non-binary people identify with this term

• Genderfluid – moving between two or more gender identities at different times, in different circumstances, etc.

• Genderqueer – a non-normative or queer gender, having no exclusive connection to any gender

• Multigender – having more than one gender

• Neutrois – neutral or null gender, similar to agender

• Non-binary – an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is neither man or woman; can also be used as an individual gender identity for someone who is neither a woman nor a man, but does not identify further

• Pangender- having many or all genders within one’s culture

• Transfeminine or Transfem – a person assigned male at birth (AMAB) who identifies with a feminine gender, but does not necessarily identify as a woman

• Transmasculine or Transmasc – a person assigned female at birth (AFAB) who identifies with a masculine gender, but does not necessarily identify as a man

Pronouns

Pronouns, in relation to gender identity, are nouns that refer to another individual in place of their name in the third-person.

Traditionally, a woman would be referred to as she or her and a man would be referred to with he and him. For instance, when introducing herself, a woman might say “I use she/her pronouns.” Some, but not all, non-binary people may choose to continue using the pronouns associated with their assigned gender at birth. Other non-binary people, commonly, use they/ them as their pronoun.

I think I’m non-binary, do I have to use they/them pronouns?

No, you can use any pronoun or combination of pronouns you’d like. In addition to she/her, he/him, and they/them pronouns, there are other pronouns which include but are not limited to: Ze/hir Xe/xem Hy/hym

Co/cos

Non-binary people can choose to use one set of pronouns, but can also choose to use a two or more sets of pronouns, or even all pronouns. There is no one way to be non-binary. Can non-binary people transition?

Yes! Just like any other trans person, non-binary people can transition as well.

What does transitioning look like for non-binary people?

Just like trans men and women, there is no requirement for how a non-binary person transitions. Non-binary people may opt to have surgeries to affirm their gender, such as breast removal or reduction, breast implantation, or genital reconstruction. Non-binary people may also choose to transition with hormones, like testosterone or oestrogen.

Some non-binary people may select only one method of medical transitions, while others select multiple, or even none at all. Some non-medical transition options for trans and non-binary peo-

ple include selecting different pronouns, choosing a new name, or changing their outward presentation (hair style, clothing, makeup, etc.).

There are no rules for how a non-binary person transitions, they might even choose to make little or no changes at all. Regardless of a person’s choice to transition, it does not make them any less non-binary.

So who can be non-binary? Anyone who does not identify as a man or a woman!

MANSCAPED ... OR AUX NATURALE

DITCHING GROOMING TO GO NATURAL?

by Andrew Christian - Article by Maya Vukovska

Everyone wants to look good - no matter if they are supermodels or your 85-year-old aunt who still won’t leave home without lipstick and her hair done. And for some gay men, personal grooming is not just a part of the daily body maintenance routine, it’s a religion.

The COVID-19 pandemic not only turned our lives upside down but also drastically changed our grooming habits. The pandemic uprooted our ways of being in this world and altered our perspective on the importance of looks, and the perception of beauty in general. At some point, it became not only pointless to dye your grey roots or remove your body and facial hair, but also empowering in some way. It wasn’t about the money - people just stopped giving a flying fuck about whether they’d be seen in their PJs on the street or without perfect make-up during a Zoom corporate meeting. The more the hair grew out, the more they got used to it, and the more they felt like ‘Finally, it’s me, it’s who I am - no pretenses, no false eyelashes, no nothing!’

With the pandemic being mostly over, most of us have quickly returned to our old selves and the lifestyle we were used to before the shit hit the fan. Others, however, embraced the new trend of being “all-natural”, and have stuck to it ever since. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being au naturel, but what is concerning though is that many gay men, being part of the societal caste famous for their exquisite taste for fashion and style, are now ditching even the basic hygienic habits in order to promote self-love and individuality.

Recently, I came upon a reader’s letter published in a popular gay-orientated online magazine. A man was complaining about his boyfriend who had recently decided to embrace his “natural” side: he stopped wearing deodorant, only shampooed his hair once a month, and sent the trimmer into indefinite exile. According to the anonymous “plaintiff”, the boyfriend uses only natural soap which smells even worse than his armpits and brushes his teeth only when he feels like it. With all factors combined, Mr. Anonymous doesn’t find him attractive anymore, so now, he is facing a dilemma: Should he break up with “the smelly cat” or try to adjust to his new lifestyle?

I very much doubt that this private case will have a happy ending because first of all, I can’t imagine how you make out with someone with B.O. And second of all, studies have confirmed

that hygiene is an issue that either makes or breaks a relationship or a dating connection if not executed properly.

Here are some of the issues that are considered deal-breakers when it comes to hygiene habits and dating.

ORAL CARE

Bad breath is not an immediate turn-off only when you are having a conversation with someone online! If bad breath could be smelled through the computer screen, the reaction would be “John has left the conversation”.

NAIL CARE

Back in the day, the supervisors would check the kids’ hands and nails at the school entrance to make sure they were clean and tidy. Dirt, food, and other debris under nails should be considered a crime against humanity. In the study conducted by The International Journal of Impotence Research, a large number of gay men responded to dirty nails as a huge turn-off.

WASHING THE BITS

Some of the people who’ve gone “all-natural” swear that the less they bathe, the healthier their skin feels. It is a fact that if you shower too often, especially using harsh soaps and scrubs, you can strip away the upper skin layer that helps protect the skin from germs and dryness. But to shower only on public holidays and your birthday is a barbaric act of self-neglect.

TO TRIM OR NOT TO TRIM

Facial and body hair is becoming increasingly popular within the gay community. But if you are not taking care of your “hedge”, it’ll grow wild like the Amazon rainforest. And, honestly, nobody really wants to date someone who looks like Tarzan (well, actually some of you probably do). A potential lover may put up with all the fur covering the face and body, but choking on unclean pubic hair during intercourse will make him instantly delete your phone number.

The moral of the story is: Hygiene is important - we don’t live in the 17th century anymore when people didn’t have bathrooms in their homes. You may think that this journey with being “natural” is doing you good, but I guarantee that most of the guys you want to sleep with won’t be OK with your soap-free regime. Be yourself and be free from the artifice, sure, But also, you gotta smell nice, hair gotta be done, and nails, too! If you want to get laid, I mean.

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MUSIC MOVES

The brilliant production, screened live on Youtube on Saturday 13 May was, as always, brimming with its over-the-top camp, an incredible light show, as well as some fabulous music and of course the usual landmines. What more could you ask for? And yes the soundtrack is out!!! As host Alesha Dixon announced its available on Spotify, on DVD, on CD and Vinyl!!

Loreen won for Sweden with the song Tattoo, which caused a moments discomfort as the crowd clearly wanted Finland’s Cha, Cha, Cha by Käärijä, to take the crown … and talking of royalty … the opening number, a rendition by Kalush Orchestra’s Stefania, Ukraine’s winning song last year, had a brief appearance by Kate, Princess of Wales, playing the piano … now who would’ve guessed that Eurovision could’ve pulled that off and kept it under wraps???

Hosted by the United Kingdom, last year’s runner up the Grand Finale in the city of Liverpool was, as Mashable.com’s, Chance Townsend commented: “With its fusion of pop spectacle, diverse cultural elements, and some very high camp, the Eurovision Song Contest never fails to disappoint.”

This year’s was the 67th edition of the international song competition and as usual The Grand Final, was nothing short of spectacular. “The world’s biggest, wackiest, most wonderful musical competition was a riotous extravaganza”.

As the show progressed and each country’s entrant gave the performance of their life. Austria kicked things off with a lovely catchy-camp number an Edgar Allan Poe tribute – Who the hell is Edgar? by Teya and Selena.

Italy’s Marco Mengoni proudly walked on carrying the LGBT+ flag and secured 4th place … with his hi-pitched campy songf called Due Vite. Described by one critic as “Everything from the second chorus onwards is a musical orgasm. The way he builds anticipation for the big note is a masterclass.”

Of course, there is no end to eye candy and my money in this regard went to Australian singer Andrew Lambrou, who represented Cypress … cute, sexy ... mmm & Marco is hot...

The campest performer it must be said was Belgium’s Gustaph with his trademark Pharrell Williams-esque hat and pink & white ensemble – his song Because of You with its voguing backing dancers and some Donna Summer–inspired backing vocals, definitely deserved a better ranking in the final tally but alas it wasn’t to be…

Sweden’s Loreen was the winner Käärijä, a Finnish rapper was the runner up

Italy’s Marco Mengoni carried the Rainbow flag

JUST HOW CAMP WAS EUROVISION 2023

Then there were the usual landmines, and these include those off-the-wall numbers where the performers, for whatever reason need to dress & look like demons, I guess its that Game of Thrones kind of vibe that is trending these days, or the heavy metal numbers, which, whilst possibly perfect in their genre do not necessarily have a broad appeal, especially for the camp audiences, wildly waving their rainbow flags, that Eurovision attracts.

The winner, and an early favourite for the title was Sweden’s Loreen with her performance of Tatoo. Having won the Eurovision Song Contest before, in 2012 with the song Euphoria, she is the second performer and the first female artist to achieve this accolade. The electro-power pop ballad , which opened with reminiscences of Aviici and then ABBA, those mega Swedish performers, was a triumph and it wouldn’t be Eurovision if she wasn’t one of us … In early 2017, Loreen came out as bisexual.

The runner-up and controversially the people’s vote choice was the charismatic, Käärijä, a Finnish rapper best known for his song “Cha Cha Cha.” His OTT energetic performance with the “Incredible-Hulk” green shoulder pads was without doubt the public choice … The song will become an anthem in gay clubs this summer and Käärijä will cement himself in the LGBT music scene …

So just how gay was this year’s Eurovision.

Serbia’s Luke Black (Luka Ivanović) is one of the contest’s openly gay performers…

Norway’s Alessandra Mele reported in a Eurovision interview that she is bisexual, with her song “Queen of Kings” representing her experiences as a bisexual woman.

Then there’s Let 3, Croatia’s, entry – a rock group who are clearly off the charts as far as their costumes go … they apparently originally wanted to perform naked!!! But were not allowed, so opted for drag with military accessories … not sure about them …

As already mentioned, possibly the gayest song was performed by Belgium’s Gustavo who was a former member of iconic queer electronic collective Hercules and Love Affair.

Käärijä, if he doesn’t burst out of the closet deserves an honourary spot under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. With his driving techno beat and his nipple-exposing, fluorescent green puffysleeved outfit, one critic said his number “Cha Cha Cha” “had the ambiance of a queer, all-gender orgy.”

Then there were Teya and Salena from Austria who put on their bookish yet dollish demeanour with exquisite poise, inhabiting a bizarre role as dowdy-glam poetry-loving office workers with more than a whiff of lesbianism about them, and a hint of a drag king performance. Who the Hell Is Edgar? … the song was camp, and they were camp …

Danish singer Reiley, who didn’t make it to the final, seems to occupy that grey area between twink and lesbian … cute...

All in all, there was no shortage of LGBT’s and with Graham Norton hosting the grand final … say no more!

Austria’s Teya & Selena were like camp drag kings

Australian Cypriot Andrew Lambrou is hot!

The campest song & act was Belgium’s Gustaph

AND BI PHO BIA

17 MAY

IDAHOBIT Day 2023:

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia?

The theme for this year’s IDAHOBIT is

always: united in diversity’

IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, is an annual special occasion that raises awareness.

It commemorates the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder.

It was established in 2004 to fight discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people, and people with other diverse gender identities. Today, it is celebrated in more than 130 countries.

The day was initially called International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), but biphobia, interphobia, and transphobia were later added to form IDAHOBIT.

When is IDAHOBIT?

IDAHOBIT takes place on May 17 each year.

Bringing attention to the importance of solidarity, allyship, and community across identities, borders, and movements.

‘Together

WE NEED YOUR HELP

NKOLI HOUSE*

CAPE TOWN PRIDE COMMUNITY CARE CENTRE

ABOUT US

Cape Town Pride in conjunction with OUTREACH AFRICA is a registered NPO (157-896 NPO) serving the needs of the LGBTI+ community in Cape Town, South Africa

VISION

#youmatter

The Nkoli House* Project, so named in honour of the late Simon Nkoli, a gay activist and anti-apartheid campaigner, who fought tirelessly for freedom, equality and social justice.

We have identified the need for a community centre aimed at providing a home and safe space for our diverse LGBTI+ community to gather, meet and mix with like-minded people – with special emphasis on the often-over-looked needs of the silver seniors in the community.

Your gift is tax deductible!!

AIM

We are currently in negotiations with the City of Cape Town, to secure the premises which have been ear-marked and exist. However, the premises are in dire need of renovation in order for it to be fit for purpose.

To achieve this goal in getting the Nkoli House Project up and running we NEED to raise funds...

To this end we appeal to both local & the international LGBTI+ funders for their help.

It does not matter how small your donation is – every amount matters.

We hare hoping to have this funding in place by 31 December 2023

TO MAKE YOUR DONATION ...

Please pay using your credit or debit card to our paypal account at: paypalpayments@capetownpride.org

or pay on line by EFT to:

First National Bank (FNB) South Africa

Branch Code: 201809, Account Number: 63012725165

Account Name: Outreach Africa, Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ

Our Ref: Nkoli House Fund (+ your Name)

Cape Town Pride & OUTREACH AFRICA, P O Box 397, Sea Point, South Africa 8060. 86 Pienaar Road, Milnerton, Cape Town, South Africa 7441

Photo by Kampus Production from Pexels

OUT ON FILM

There seems to be no end to the list of straight actors desperate to play gay roles, including passionate kissing, explicit sex scenes, going as far as blow-jobs, anal sex and rimming. It seems that Broke Back Mountain did break the mould when it was released in 2005, and since then we have had the fortune of seeing mainstream actors clamouring to be in mainstream films playing gay, trans, lesbian and bi-sexual characters to perfection – I think it’s great! After all, as Daniel Craig described his role in Netflix’s Glass Onion playing the detective character Benoit Blanc as “obviously gay” … “It’s all good. The less of a song and dance we make about that, the better, really, for me, because it just made sense.” Adding, “And also, who wouldn’t want to live with the human being that he happens to live with? It’s nice, it’s fun,” Craig added. “And why shouldn’t it be? I don’t want people to get politically hung up on anything.”

More importantly, it’s called acting - for those readers who only want to see queer actors in queer roles!

So, it is unsurprising that Daniel Craig, the 007 action hero is set to play another gay character in Queer, the latest offering from director Luca Guadagnino, who directed the critically acclaimed Call Me By Your Name, which won numerous awards and earned a best picture Academy Awards nomination.

Queer, written by William S. Burroughs is recognised as a modern literary classic, and is Burroughs second novel after the celebrated Junkie. Originally written in 1952 but not published till 1985, (because of its the heavy homosexual content – unacceptable at the time), Queer is described as an enigma - both an unflinching autobiographical self-portrait and a coruscating political novel, it is Burroughs’ only realist love story and a montage of comic-grotesque fantasies that paved the way for his masterpiece, Naked Lunch.

Although set in Mexico City, Queer will be filmed in its entirety at Cinecittà Studios in Italy.

Set in the late 1940’s, it follows the story of Lee, who after fleeing from a drug bust in New Orleans ends up in Mexico City, a

corrupt, seedy den, with its low-down, drug filled clubs, frequented by American expatriate college students, discharged soldiers, and other characters on the edge of society.

Whilst cruising the city’s seedier side, Lee meets and becomes infatuated with an ex-American Navy serviceman named Allerton, a drug user, who, although initially indifferent to his advances, eventually relents — but only just enough to make Lee’s sexual yearnings become even more of an obsession…

Allerton is played by Drew Starkey (who is known globally for his role on Netflix’s Outer Banks as Rafe Cameron, the handsome often violent teen with a killer streak, a cocaine addiction, and an identity crisis.)

But above all, Queer is a love-story, full of self-deprecating black humour, which under the brilliant penmanship of American playwright Justin Kuritzkes, who has adapted the Burroughs novel for the big screen, pretty-much guarantees another triumph in gay cinema. No release date has been given but hopefully will be available towards the end of the year ... something to look forward to!

Daniel Craig Director Luca Guadagnino Drew Starkey

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