Out magazine issue 33 by Keith Coventry

AFRICA

MAGAZ I N E Issue 33, SUMMER 2017

GAY’S THE WORD

LOST GAY SOUTH AFRICA

MCQP TICKET GIVE AWAY!!!

MARLON DROP DEAD GORGEOUS MAN’S MAN

WILDLY TALENTED, FUNNY & ENERGETIC...

JADE ESTEBAN FREE ESTRADA

INSIDE THIS ISSUE FEATURES

1 EDITORS COMMENT: 3 TRAVEL: The No: 1 Safari in the World 6 THE PRIDE SHELTER: Chairman’s Report 8 LOST GAY SOUTH AFRICA: Herb Klein takes a look at our past 10 ICON: Marlon Brando - The Ultimate Man’s Man 13 WIN: FREE TICKETS TO MCQP 18 INTERVIEW: Que Sera Sera: Also available in Jade 26 MISS BOOTBLACK 2017 27 GAY & LESBIAN NETWORK KZN gets donation 28 LIBERTY BANKS: Gender DynamiX 30 GAY’S THE WORD 32 HEALTH: #Fitspo 34 LIVING WITH YOUR DIAGNOSIS: Johann Snyders shares his experience 36 MEN’S HEALTH ISSUES: PROSTATE CANCER: A look at the most common cancer affecting men

FASHION

14 - 17 Latest trends on the catwalk

SCENE OUT

22, 23, 24 Who’s been spotted out and about on the party scene... MISS GAY WESTERN CAPE / BEARS AT HEARTACHE / HALLOWEEN AT CREW / BABYLON CT OPENS / PTA PRIDE / JOBURG PRIDE

REVIEWS 38 OUT ON FILM: With Daniel Dercksen 39 OUT ON DVD: With Daniel Dercksen 40 ON STAGE: With Daniel Dercksen

39 Mag 1

FROM THE EDITOR

he summer is finally here and the party season is about to start. And what better way to kick things off than the biggest and best party in the country MCQP - this year’s party theme is - Dungeons & Dragons - and its happening at the 300-year old Cape Town Castle , which really sets the scene .. Of course being summer and holiday season I take it that your honed and toned body will be seen exposed at all the most popular beaches and resorts around the country, but for those who are more in to strutting their stuff in high fashion - check out what’s trending on the catwalk on the fashion pages... If a more sedate, once in a life-time holiday experience is more your scene, then read up on the No:1 Safari in the World which takes in all those amazing places we’ve all heard and dreamed of - Kilimanjaro, Gorongoza, and the Serengeti where Out of Africa comes to life, in the travel feature on page 3. Our cover features the amazingly talented Jade Esteban Estrada who was recently in Cape Town performing his one man show. Hailing from the USA, Jade performed ICONS: The Lesbian & Gay History of the World Vol. 1. You can get to know Jade on pages 18 & 19. Our second feature looks at Herb Klein’s latest book, which takes a brief look at gay life in the apartheid era and illustrates how, despite the Government’s uncompromising attitude towards gays, life, for some, was a blast. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a happy Christmas, happy holidays and a happy new year!!! To all our advertisers, thank you for your support. Here’s to 2018!!! Till then have fun and be safe whilst you doing it! Tommy Patterson - Editor

Cover Credit Jade Esteban Estrada photographed by Brent Kosadnar MANAGING EDITOR: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358 ISSN 2304-859X Published by: Patterson Publications P.O. Box 397, Sea Point 8060 Tel/Fax: 021 555 1279 E-mail: outmagafrica@telkomsa.net outlet@telkomsa.net Advertising Sales: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358

Contributors: Daniel Dercksen Liberty Banks Johann Snyders Additional Photography: SDR Photography Leonardo Solomon Errol Stroebel Brent Kosnadar Printed by ABC Press, Cape Town

Copyright: All articles, stories, interviews and other materials in OUT Africa Magazine are the copyright of the publication or are reproduced with permission from other copyright owners. All rights are reserved. No materials may be copied, modified, published or otherwise distributed without the prior written permission of OUT Africa Magazine. The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by those providing comments in this publication are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of OUT Africa Magazine or any employee thereof. OUT Africa Magazine and Patterson Publications cc., will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in any information contained in the publication.

Mag 2

TRAVEL

THE NO1 SAFARI IN THE WORLD

Of course safaris, game parks and game viewing are nothing new to South Africans and in fact we have some of the world’s most luxurious, upmarket and well-known parks, but there is something about names like Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, the great migration, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Maasai and that stirs the soul ... for a truely unforgettable African Safari and a must do on anyone’s bucket list, the No: 1 Safari in the world is tailor-made for you. A typical itinerary for the No:1 Safari in the World would read as follows:

Day 2: The first real day of this amazing trip will be River Trees Lodge / Tarangire / Maweninga Camp

Day 1: Kilimanjaro Airport / River Trees

After breakfast you will make your way by road, to Tarangire National Park where you’ll enjoy a full day game drive in with a picnic lunch.

You will be met at Kilimanjaro airport upon arrival, after which you’ll travel to Arusha Rivertrees Lodge to rest up after the flight and get in the mood for the spectacular 10-day holiday that lies before you. You will have dinner and overnight at the four star lodge.

This 2 600 sqm park is the home to some rare species such as the Gerenuk, small Kudu, and Oryx… Late Summer & Autumn is a great time to game drive in this park - you’ll see the big cats, elephant (thousands can even be seen in one day!), giraffe, Buffalo etc. You’ll dine and overnight at Maweninga Camp which sits atop a great granite massif, in the north-west of Tarangire National Park. Day 3: Will see you travelling from Maweninga to Manyara National Park and finishing at Bashay Rift Lodge which perches on edge of the rift valley with wonderful views of the valley below.

The Bashay Rift Lodge on the edge of the Rift Valley

Mag 3

There’s a full day game drive with picnic lunch beneath the Acacia trees in Manyara National Park and although it is the smallest of all north Tanzanian National Parks, it offers a great variety of animals including in a wonderful setting surrounded by the Rift Valley and the Manyara Lake with its thousands of birds. Bashay Rift Lodge is located in the heart of coffee plantations where you’ll have dinner and stay overnight. The lodge offers breathtaking 360° views over the Ngorongoro walls on one end and the Rift Valley on the other. Day 4: Eyasi Lake In the early morning, you will drive towards the shores of Lake Eyasi to meet the Hadzabe tribe where you will learn their ancestral way of life and spend some time hunting and walking with them, accompanied by a local guide.

THE GREAT MIGRATION Each year, this unique animal spectacle of more than 2 million wildebeest, 600 000 zebras & 400 000 gazelles follow a long trail in search of green grass. In the early months of the year, they all settle in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Serengeti Southern Plains where the short & green grass is available. These 3 species live together peacefully and also have each their own particular senses to keep them away from their predators. For the big cats (mainly cheetah & lion), it’s a time to partake in a huge feast !!.. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is different to a National Park in that humans are allowed to live there and Maasai villages can be found dotted this area. Other interests to be seen are the Olduvai site and its museum, the Shifting Sands, Olduvai & Olkarien gorges, Nassera Rock and once again you’ll have dinner and overnight at Olduvai Camp

The magnificent Ngorongoro Crater Day 5: We travel to the famous Ngorongoro Crater and on to Olduvai camp After breakfast you’ll leave the Bashay Rift Lodge and enjoy a full day game driving in the Ngorongoro Crater - where you’ll be treated to a picnic lunch in the crater. The crater is a unique place in the world, 20 km wide and home to hundreds of different species all protected by a natural 600m wall. All the big African mammals can be found in the crater: the big cats, elephant, hippo and last but not least, rhino. In the afternoon you’ll drive to Olduvai Camp, where upon arrival you will be met by Maasai warriors and taken by foot to a nearby Kopje to admire the sun setting over the southern Serengeti plains. This is most definitely a great moment not to be missed! Olduvai camp is the longest established and best known of our camps. Originally set up in 1990, it has been located in a spectacular site at Kiloki Hill, not far from Olduvai Gorge. Over the years, the Camp has undergone many changes and improvements offering that unique and authentic “Out of Africa” bush style, while retaining an undisputed standard of comfort and welcoming atmosphere. Day 6: Today you’ll visit Ngorongoro Conservation Area You’ll spend the entire day game driving in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Ndutu plains. Mag 4

Day 7: The Serengeti National Park You’ll spend the entire day game driving in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area plains, the Ndutu woodlands and the Serengeti southern plains, where your driver will have collected the latest migration reports and movements of the animals. You’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in the heart of the migration…in the afternoon you’ll reach central Serengeti and check-in at Ronjo Camp where you’ll overnight. Ronjo Camp is a permanent camp in the heart of Serengeti National Park and comprises large, comfortable tents with beds & bed linen, in true safari atmosphere, with ensuite showers and toilets in each tent It’s a great atmosphere in the evening around the fire camp, the bar and mess tent with its petrol-lamp lighting. Day 8: Serengeti National Park Today you’ll explore the Central Serengeti and spend time along the rivers where wildlife is always abundant. The Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the most famous in the world, covering over 14 000 sq. km and offering amongst many other things the biggest concentration of big cats in the world and host to millions of wildebeest, zebra etc.. There are many different landscapes in the Serengeti: Savannah with the big plains to the south, the hills & woods to the west, the kopje area to the east, and bush land to the north - an ever changing and varied landscape.

To request an Itinerary & price please Email: allanmriddell@hotmail.com Tel: +66 61 676 4114

Again you’ll have dinner and overnight at Ronjo Camp Day 9: Serengeti National Park and Grumeti game Controlled Area In the early morning you’ll enjoy your final game drive in central Serengeti and head towards the Grumeti Game Controlled Area where you’ll check-in at Grumeti Hills Lodge for lunch. The rest of the day will be at leisure for you to enjoy the lodge’s superb facilities. Your driver will also be available in the afternoon for a game drive near the camp. Bordering Serengeti National Park, in the heart of the Grumeti Game Reserve, Grumeti Hills Lodge offers outstanding safari accommodation with 16 spacious en suite tents - all facing the great plains. For those of you who are adventurous, a walking safari or night game drive are also available

Day 10: Grumeti Private Area / Serengeti NP / Grumeti Hills A walking safari. You will leave the lodge early morning on foot with a local guide and an armed ranger. This will be the opportunity to find out more about the Grumeti Game Controlled Area as well as observing nature and wildlife from a different angle. On your return about an hour and half later you’ll enjoy a delicious bush breakfast served by the Grumeti River. Quite spectacular … Day 11: Grumeti Hills / Arusha / Kilimanjaro Airport After a hearty breakfast you will have a quick transfer to Ikoma Airstrip where you will board a regular scheduled flight service to Arusha. The flight over the Serengeti Plains, the Ngorongoro and the Craters, and the legendary African Rift Valley is superb and unforgettable…you’ll watch the majesty of Africa unfold below. On arrival in Arusha you’ll transfer to Shanga restaurant for lunch and then on to Kilimanjaro Airport for your return flight back home. The end of a spectacular holiday in the heart of Africa where you’ll have enjoyed one of the most unique Out Of Africa, once in a lifetime experiences, the memories of which will stay with you forever. For more information about this and other tours in the heart of Africa contact: allanmriddell@hotmail.com and start planning your trip of a lifetime.

Olduvai Tented Safari Camp Mag 5

THE PRIDE SHELTER

t the last AGM, in my report – I mentioned that 2014/15 was our annus horribilis from a financial perspective – with last year being slightly better – I can report that this fiscal 2016/2017 – has proved to be better than last too. Donations are hard to get, funding grants are tougher still and we hope this year, we can achieve a better success rate at getting Grants and funding.

Nonetheless, we ended the fiscal with Income of R443,241 against the previous year’s R244,083 – up 81% - however included in that amount was a drawing from the JA Kerrich Trust of R150,000 – which at the end of this fiscal stands at R258,950. A breakdown of that income is:

2016/17

Chairman’s Report

R150,000 draw from the Trust, we had a surplus of R120,791 – but had 2 purchases of a Capex nature being 1) a speed queen washing machine R12,000 and 2) a Bakkie – both of which the funds had been donated to buy – which are included in the donations income. During the fiscal, Kim’s time ended here – if you recall – we were sponsored for her salary by the Fuch Foundation – and we again – need to find volunteers who can work specifically in the fundraising/grant-getting space.

We also have some audit/regulatory challenges in getting our PBO number – and Andrew is working tirelessly with our Auditor to get the required documentation that will allow us to issue the necessary section 18 (a) tax exemption donations receipts. 2015/16

Donations

205,512.89

Bank interest EARNED

5,132.69

Kerrich trust Fundraisers

Market/Sales

Resident Rental

150,000.00

7,287.00

43,041.30

443,241.88

32,268.00

Donations were high this fiscal with R184,000 coming from 10 donors – they are: • • • • • • • • • •

IDS Computers - Steward Beckett & Anton Kotze, Piet Pietersen,

The Investec Community Fund,

Tommy Patterson, Matthew Van As, & Keith Coventry from Outreach Africa Cape Town Pride, Michel Ipsen,

Dr. Riaan Els from The Fuchs Foundation, Pieter Basson,

Helga Basson (Pieter’s Mom)

Tobin Shackleford & Richard Gush from De Waterkant Cottages, The Glen Boutique Hotel

We do however need to spend more efforts and more time of grants and funders – as this area is vital to our ongoing existence. Our expenses increased 21% on the previous fiscal – across the board in fact. Our continued Sponsorship by Kwik Spar in Tableview has saved thousands of rand and we are lucky to have it. In all, including the Mag 6

184.3%

1,000.00

413.3%

150,000.00

7,500.00

72,298.29

R R

13,285.00

244,083.29

0.0%

-2.8%

142.9% 81.6%

Guy Hamilton joined us as a volunteer during this year in review, and I’ll explain Guy’s current role today in a moment, but as a volunteer Guy , overseen by Dr. Gordon Isaacs looked to increase the amount of mental care that was afforded to the residents. In all 22 group counselling sessions and 86 individual counselling session were held by the team – and it has spurred a new approach that the Shelter has taken – to which I shall explain in a moment. On top of that the Shelter was the venue to 52 weekly sessions of the AA Cocktails – The pink AA group in Cape Town who meet here every Wednesday – and we are glad to have them and promote their services to all of greater Cape Town.

From a resident point of view – we accepted 94 persons in need of our services this fiscal, 79 from SA, 2 each from Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Angola, Malawi, the DRC and 1 person each from Burundi, Zambia and Serbia. Of the 94 residents, 39 were Caucasian (41%) and 55 were people of colour (59%). This year’s intake was also made up of folk who identifies as follows: 64 gay males, 5 straight males, 8 lesbian female, 12 bisexual and 5 transgendered persons. Similarly, 28% were people younger than 29, 57% middle aged (30-49) and 13% over 50 years old. In terms of the personal development program we eluded to last time, since the end of this fiscal, we have happily taken on Guy Hamilton as a staff member – as Community Mental Health Coordinator and his work and input has been fantastic for us. Guy will share his plan going forward in a moment. We have also had some changes to the Board with Fehraad, Gordon and Andrew Howard leaving for various reasons, and we thank them all for their time and service as volunteers. Ndumi Funda’s term as a Board member has also come to an end, and we thank her as well. We would like to welcome Sharon McKenzie to

the Board as a new member and the Board has agreed that In terms of Board member numbers, we placed a call for new volunteers are in the process of looking at other new additional members and are in

discussion with 4 candidates currently. We are pleased to welcome, along with Sharon;- Marley Fuaard, Victor Chikalogwe and Carly Bongers to the Board

THE PRIDE SHELTER TRUST THANKS ALL THIS YEAR’S CASH DONORS ...

IDS Computers - Steward Beckett & Anton Kotze, Piet Pietersen, The Investec Community Fund, Tommy Patterson, Matthew Van As & Keith Coventry from Outreach Africa/Cape Town Pride, Michel Ipsen, Dr. Riaan Els from The Fuchs Foundation, Helga & Pieter Basson, De Waterkant Cottages - Tobin Shackleford & Richard Gush, The Glen Boutique Hotel, Given Gain, Coenie Kukkuk Attorneys, W Simes, PutterGill Donation, Patrick de Bree, Steve and Johan Watson, CCID, Carols by Candlelight, David Dennis Pape, Ivan Mybergh from De Grendal, J Skors, Mariana Freyer, N Krull, AA cocktails. Folks who gave during our fundraising at Pride March, the kind folks who bought items at our 2 Market Sales and those residents , the ones with jobs who were able to pay the daily stipend. Thank you Thank you also to those good folk that gave us items in kind, goods and other physical donations: Thank you too: Stefan the franchisee of the TableView Kwikspar, Devin Jones, Wes Enos, Robesh Sukrajh, Evidecia Africa Films, Gert De Klerk, Francois Riley, Yvette Wyngaard, David Spence, Beulah Durrheim, Terry Dissel- Valentine, The Central Methodist Church, Freddie Wetzel, Markus Fourie, Tony De Klerk, Bradley Rink, Chris Manoweg, Jano Fourie, Piet Klaassee, Sally Johnson, Nicole, Daniel Malan, Manual & Martin, Harold Moss, Brian, Zayne Iman, Evan, Brian Berrill, Cyril Panot, Luiz Delayja, Jody van Niekerk, Patrick, Sam van Embden, Robel & Friends, Mark & Robert, Sean & Shane, Craig Mathieson, Rudolph Liebenberg, Gerald Wiener, Riaan Kritzinger, Tony Vomberg, Brian Corrigan, Eli,Petro van Dyk, Anel Van Urk, Nolan Krull, Angela Deuchar, Steve & Dave, Harold Moss, Alix Hodge, Roy Mckenzie , Greame Hendricks, Riesdah Gabier, Michelle Ferguson, James Cape Town Backpackers, Liesl Gouws, Chris & Maurice, Adam De Beer, David Dennis Pape, Nick van der Nest , Paul Kotze –Supreme Sharks, Rudolph Jordaan, Candi Leader, Dennis Davids, Dominique Wessels, Tom Bennet, Perez Julyan and Alex Venter Auditors. Thanks also to our volunteers who assisted us in our market days and other volunteers. Thanks to Guy Hamilton and Staff Derick de Kock and Matron Jann Richter, to the Board for all your work – Thank you

SUPPORT THE PRIDE SHELTER TRUST YOU CAN HELP US CONTINUE PROVIDING THIS VALUABLE SERVICE BY MAKING A DONATION OR SIGNING A SMALL MONTHLY DEBIT ORDER. DOWN LOAD THE FORMS AT: www.pridesheltertrust.co.za OR MAKE AN EFT PAYMENT TO: Pride Shelter Trust Company Standard Bank - Thibault Square Branch - Cheque acc. No: 072808055 Ref: Donation / Your Name

LOST GAY SOUTH AFRICA

Mag 8

A new book, documenting some of the places, people and events that shaped gay life in South Africa from the 1960”s to the 1990’s, has recently been published and is available online – and what a fascinating trip down memory-lane it is.

n LOST GAY SOUTH AFRICA, photographer Herb Klein has compiled a mesmerising collection of photographs together with Facebook comments from people who were around at the time, the result makes for compelling reading.

Author Herb Klein

For those who were around and out on the gay scene during the apartheid years it is a chance to reconnect with many wellknown and famous faces. You will revisit some fabulous clubs and bars and get nostalgic about what it was to be gay when you were young. For younger readers, the so-called millennials, it is a wonderful opportunity to have a glimpse in to the past, a chance to sample the gay life lived, enjoyed and suffered by people of your parent’s and in some cases grandparents-generation - and to discover that there once was an exciting, busy and diverse gay scene. You’ll meet some of the people who paved the way for the rights that you enjoy today. The idiom, “A picture is worth a thousand words” is never truer than in this book where so many pictures capture the feel and atmosphere of the time. From the drag competitions at the Dungeon Club to the street vibe of 70’s Hillbrow, and the people who shaped the gay experience for many at the time. You’ll get to meet some of the national celebrities of yester-year, the effervescent Joan Brickhill and Alvin Collison to name just two, as well as some who were celebrities in the gay community and helped define the vibrant gay scene of the time like the outrageous Granny Lee, who was loved and hated in equal measure, but was never-the-less and iconic figure. The book also includes a selection of images portraying the dichotomy of life for black and white South Africans during the apartheid era. However, the book is seen through the eyes of a white-gay man’s perspective only and the apartheid black gay experience is not visited. Whilst the book is South African gay people and life in the sphere of the author only it does provide us with a glimpse that being gay was as exciting, alive and flamboyant as it is today - if not more so. Luiz De Barros of Mambaonline said it perfectly in the Foreword to the book when he wrote: Lost Gay South Africa is by no means a comprehensive overview of gay life in the country (how could it ever be), but it’s a unique time capsule of the personalities, places and moments that defined a portion of our diverse gay South African tribe. A great read and most definitely an important addition to your library. Get your copy of LOST GAY SOUTH AFRICA at Amazon. com or Apple Itunes if you are outside of South Africa. The cost is only US8.99 (about R100), a small price to pay for a collection of amazing memories and window in to South Africa’s gay past. Mag 9

ICON

THE ULTIMATE MAN’S MAN

n 2016 celebrated Washington Post journalist Richard Cohen writing about his friend New York socialite Nora Ephron over-heard her exclaim, “Marlon Brando’s gay, everybody knows that.” “Nora said that one night in my house in Washington. I can’t remember how Brando’s name came up, but there it was, this startling (at the time) piece of information, so inside, so unknown to the general public, who considered him—fools that they were—a womaniser of great repute. I can remember exactly where I was at the time. In the living room. Standing in front of the sofa. The remark hit with the force of a dumdum bullet. Marlon Brando’s gay? Who knew? Everybody! it turned out. Everybody knew. And whether they did or they didn’t, whether it was true or not, was totally beside the point. When Nora said one of these things—and she said them quite often— You knew some things. She knew everything.” Astounding as this revelation was in today’s times of fast news and an endless string of exposés, scandal of any kind is somewhat diluted. He went on to add, “Homosexuality is no longer considered outré. Premarital sex is now passé, as are open extramarital affairs. Ingrid Bergman’s affair with the director Roberto Rossellini—they were both married to others at the time—all but had her banned from America. Ed Sullivan would not have her on his popular and influential TV show. Nowadays, she would be a sought-after guest.” Marlon Brando was SO masculine, SO good looking, oozed sex appeal - he was hot, hot, hot!!! and as a young man I was totally in love with him - he was for a time a screen idol to gay men the world over. I went on a quest to unearth some the facts and rumours about the hunk’s sexuality and his famous sexual partners. In researching this topic I stumbled across a fascinating account of one of his early gay encounters. The story involves Roger Vadim, Daniel Gélin & Christian Marquand ... sowing their youthful, bisexual oats.

MARLON BRANDO 1924 - 2004 DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS, AMAZINGLY TALENTED, BI-SEXUAL ... MARLON BRANDO WAS EVERY GAY MAN’S IDOL Mag 10

In 1949 Roger Vadim was living in Paris with his best friend, actor Christian Marquand. At the time Vadim had worked as a stage actor and journalist, but had not yet become a film director. The two were having lunch on the terrace of La Coupole, a former hangout of Hemingway and Henry Miller in Montparnasse when they noticed a startlingly handsome young man seated alone at a nearby table - he had removed his shoe and was massaging an aching

foot. At the time Marlon Brando was having an affair with one of the male waiters at the restaurant, Jacques Viale. Vadim and Marquand overheard Brando muttering in English and introduced themselves. They knew nothing of Brando’s recent success on Broadway, taking him for an out of work actor bumming around Paris. When Brando mentioned that he was suffering in an uncomfortable fleabag of a hotel, the Hotel d’Alsace, Vadim and Marquand decided to invite the young Brando to come live with them, and all three became intimately acquainted, if you get my drift. In fact the normally heterosexual Marquand soon became besotted with Brando. Christian Marquand became best known to English-speaking audiences in Lord Jim (1965) and Apocalypse Now (1979). Marlon introduced his new friends to his waiter friend, Jacques Viale, who joined their circle. Viale later said that his time with Brando and his friends was the greatest moment of his life. “It was all downhill after Brando.” This was also before Vadim captivated three of the world’s most voluptuous women: in 1952 he married Brigitte Bardot, in 1961 he began an affair with Catherine Deneuve and in 1965 he married Jane Fonda. He later wrote a book about them: Bardot • Deneuve • Fonda: My Life with the Three Most Beautiful Women in the World (1986). But I digress. When Roger and Christian moved to larger quarters in Paris, they took in another actor, Daniel Gélin, to help with expenses. Even though Brando and Christian were immersed in a deeply sexual and emotional relationship, Brando set his sights on Gélin, as well. He was an easy, willing target. Late in life Brando said, “I have truly loved only three men in my life: Wally Cox, Christian Marquand and Daniel Gélin. All others were merely ships passing in the night.” Marlon later named his son Christian in honour Marquand of one of his first loves. Interestingly, at the Hotel d’Alsace where Brando was holed up, he was staying in the very room in which Oscar Wilde had died penniless and disgraced in 1900. (numbered Suite 16 today). This building now houses one of the most elegant Left Bank hotels and restaurants in Paris, namely L’Hotel at 13, rue des Beaux-Arts. Before long Brando became known in inner circles as Hollywood’s rogue bisexual, and what might have been construed as youthful exploration of the

various facets of one’s sexuality, was anything but. Marlon was a tough guy with a stunningly beautiful face. As a young teenager, he got kicked out of high school for riding a motorcycle through the schools hallways. But this tough “rebel without a cause” image belied a protective, tender person, illustrated when he once came to the rescue of a skinny kid being taunted and beaten by schoolyard thugs. He intervened and helped him up, threw his arm around him and announced to the grateful boy, “I’m your new best friend.” Thus began a bizarre, intimate relationship with fellow actor Wally Cox that would last a lifetime. After Cox died in 1973, Brando kept the ashes for safekeeping, because he wanted his own ashes to be commingled with Wally’s when the time came. Sure enough, in 2004, Brando’s family honoured his request. The Associated Press reported, “The ashes of Brando’s late friend Wally Cox, who died in 1973, were also poured onto the desert landscape of Death Valley as part of the ceremony of scattering Brando’s ashes.” Brando not only kept his friend’s ashes for more than 30 years, but, when lonely, would sometimes dine with the urn, holding conversations in which he would perfectly imitate Cox’s distinctive voice. Unlike many bisexuals (Cary Grant for example), who denied their homosexual activity all their lives, Marlon Brando brazenly admitted it. In a 1976 interview, Brando said, “Homosexuality is now so much in fashion it no longer makes news. Like a large number of men, I, too, have had homosexual experiences, and I am not ashamed. I have never paid much attention to what people think about me.” Of course rumour has it that not only was Brando bisexual but he was possessed of a voracious libido. There were plenty of homosexual experiences to report – among his partners were Burt Lancaster, Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Leonard Bernstein, Noël Coward, Clifford Odetts, Tyrone Power, Montgomery Clift (on a dare, they once ran naked down Wall Street together), James Dean and Rock Hudson. However, striving for a balanced diet, his conquests also included Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Shelley Winters, Ava Gardner, Gloria Vanderbilt, Hedy Lamarr, Tallulah Bankhead, Ingrid Bergman, Edith Piaf and Doris Duke (the world’s richest woman at the time). By the age of 23 Brando had achieved stardom as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams’s stage play, A Streetcar Named Desire (1947). It was

during this time that he met another great American actor ... Paul Newman. Paul Newman was a movie star so impossibly attractive that all the most famous faces of Hollywood, both male and female, wanted to bed him. He complied enthusiastically. In author Darwin Porter interviewed Brando in 2004, and in his 2009 biography Paul Newman: The Man Behind the Baby Blues, he relates this quote from Marlon: “He never fooled me. Paul Newman had just as many onlocation affairs as the rest of us, and he was just as bisexual as I was. But, where I was always getting caught with my pants down, he managed to do it in the dark.”. As a youngster, Newman idolised Marlon Brando and plotted to meet him. Having been discharged from the navy and with plenty of gay sexual experience under his belt he went to see Brando in A Street Car Named Desire on Broadway. Newman was floored, totally swept away by Brando’s performance. He contrived to meet Brando and an hour after the curtain, Paul nervously confronted his prey with a well-rehearsed line: “Mr. Brando, you’re the greatest thing since God granted men the right to cum.” It worked like a charm. Next thing you know, Brando was saying, “Now get your fucking cute little ass over here and plop it down on my [motor]-cycle. I’m going to take you on a tour of the midnight sights of Manhattan.” According to Carlo Fiore, Brando’s longtime companion, Brando later boasted, “I fucked the kid in all known positions. He even inspired me to some new ones. The kid even resembles me. It was as if I was fucking my younger self, even though he’s just a few years younger than me. Of course, by the time he got on that train back to Ohio, he’d fallen madly in love with me.” Back at school, Newman wrote Brando a fan letter every week. None was ever answered. Even so, once Newman returned to college, he changed his major to Drama, and the next big change in his life came when he won a spot at Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio in NYC, where he became caught up in an affair with fellow student James Dean. But Brando continued to haunt his life. They looked so much alike that throughout the 1950s people came up to Paul mistaking him for Marlon and asked for his autograph. Paul obliged. Paul started an affair with actress Kim Stanley, who herself had earlier had a sexual relationship with Brando. According to one of Kim’s many other lovers, the Mag 11

He was a generous and tireless advocate for social justice, particularly for the rights of African-Americans and Native Americans. He supported statehood for Israel, and in 1946 he performed in Ben Hecht’s Zionist play, A Flag is Born. When Brando read in a newspaper that actress Veronica Lake had fallen on hard times and was working as a cocktail waitress in Manhattan, he had his accountant mail her a check for $1,000; she never cashed it, out of pride, but framed it and hung it on a wall to show to her gay friends.

relationship between Paul and Kim ended like this. Once, when they were having sex, she called out “Marlon,” and Newman became furious. He leapt out of bed, put on his clothes and stormed out after they argued. Kim said. “Don’t judge me. I’m trying to get over Brando. You look like him – you can help me get over him. You don’t know what it’s like to get fucked by Marlon Brando.” Newman replied, “You’re wrong about that. I know exactly what it feels like to get fucked by Marlon Brando.” Actress Shelley Winters blabbed that she once had a three-way with Brando and Newman. She later told her lover John Ireland, “In the 40s I had a threeway with Gable and Flynn; in the 50s I sampled Newman and Brando together. I can’t wait to see what the 60s will bring.” Marlon Brando’s great looks, talent as an actor and his appeal to both men and women sustained a Hollywood career that lasted decades.

The roles he lived off-screen were even more provocative than those he created on film. When filming Mutiny on the Bounty in Tahiti in the early 1960s, he fell in love with the place and purchased a private 12-island atoll. He married the Tahitian actress who played his love interest in the film and became fluent in French, her native tongue (he conducted many interviews in French). After Brando’s death, a portion of his ashes (along with those of Wally Cox) were scattered in Tahiti. The world knew of his predilection for “dark-skinned women”, particularly those of Tahitian and American Indian descent. The fact Brando had a skinny, bespectacled male lover called Wally didn’t fit the image. Yet he once admitted that he had never been happy with a woman, adding: “If Wally had been a woman, I would have married him, and we would have lived happily ever after.” Wally Cox was the only person Brando allowed to berate him – many was the time that Cox would put Brando in his place. In his youth Brando was an electrifyingly handsome and talented star. Exuding a sense of brooding power and bottled-up anger, he changed the way stars, both male and female, acted and even the way young men dressed. James Dean based his entire charisma on Brando, whom he worshiped. Marlon’s blue jeans and tight T-shirts became standard issue while he reigned as the male sex symbol of the 1950s. But he was much more than just a rebel. He later chalked up two Oscar-winning performances in On the Waterfront and The Godfather. In later years he admitted, “I searched for, but never found, what I was looking for either on screen or off. Mine was a glamorous, turbulent life – but completely unfulfilling.” At the time of his death at 80 years old in 2004, he weighed well over 300 pounds and was suffering from diabetes, pulmonary fibrosis, congestive heart failure, liver cancer and failing eyesight.

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In his two Oscar winning roles : On The Waterfront & The Godfather

performance on the night of December 3, 1947, made theatrical history. A Streetcar Named Desire opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in NYC, and no one could remember an actor or actress so electrifying an audience. For days people had lined up around the block to buy tickets. Theatre doyenne Jean Dalrymple said, “From the moment Brando walked out on stage, all eyes were riveted on him. He was like an animal in heat, with those tight jeans and sweaty T-shirt. His Stanley was violent and crude, totally mesmerizing. I don’t recall having seen such utter rapture in a drama. It was more than a new star being born – we were devastated by the performance, as if a quart of our blood had been drained from us. I knew that I had witnessed Broadway history – in this performance acting, and theatre itself, had changed for all time.” Marlon Brando, at the tender age of 23, gave a performance that caused people to leap to their feet in a 30-minute ovation after the curtain went down. Jessica Tandy (portraying Blanche) was furious, because she knew the applause was not for her. In the audience were Cary Grant, David Selznick, Montgomery Clift, Edward G. Robinson, Geraldine Page, George Cukor and Paul Muni – all gasping for air. Tandy, whom younger readers might know from her Oscarwinning performance in Driving Miss Daisy, somehow coped with Brando’s masterful performances, each varying from night to night. Elia Kazan also directed the 1951 film version. This time Blanche was portrayed by Vivien Leigh, an actress with whom Brando had greater chemistry than Tandy. He was brilliant and received an Oscar nomination for best actor. By the time of his death, the American Film Institute had named Brando the fourth greatest male film star, and Time Magazine included him in its list of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century.

MCQP

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Photographer / SDR Photo.

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INTERVIEW

Jade Esteban Estrada who recently performed his ICONS show at the MCC in Cape Town is a Latin pop singer, comedian, burlesque performer, choreographer, actor, journalist, political commentator, & human rights activist. Out Magazine (USA) called him “the first gay Latin star.”

orn in San Antonio, Texas to Mexican American parents, this dynamic performer has made his mark on the entertainment circuit in the States and beyond as a Latin pop singer, and his numerous one-man shows the most successful of which have been the ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 1 series of shows – he’s currently working on ICONS Vol: 6. His father was in the military which meant that they moved around a lot sparking his love for travelling. From an early age he discovered that he could make friends and captivate people by entertaining them. A natural performer. After completing school he studied journalism but it was his teacher who encouraged him to take to the stage – explaining that he was far too creative to be a journalist, although he sees his brand of theatre as a kind of theatrical journalism – after all he is making both political and social comment in his show he said. With his journalism studies behind him, Jade enrolled at The American Musical & Dramatic Academy in New York City where he excelled and his experience confirmed that a lifetime as a performing artist was to be his passion.

QUE SERA SERA ...

“ALSO AVAILABLE IN JADE” Mag 18

Photo: Simple Creature Photography

I asked whether coming out to a military father and Catholic mother had been easy … “My father is a real macho man. There was a real don’t ask don’t tell policy in the family. Are you familiar with the Jerry Springer Show … I came out on the Jerry Springer Show. That’s how my family found out! Including my mother who was on stage with me!” … well that was theatrical, dramatic and true to character. Are they supportive today? “My mother is enquiring and constantly asks about friends and other gay people she meets. My father doesn’t talk about it but things have been smoothed over somewhat by my step-sister who lives on his ranch with her girlfriend – and he adores her”

And the history of your name? “I was watching FAME, the tv series and this commercial came on: “You can buy this beautiful diamond ring for only 19.95 – the perfect Valentine’s gift. Also available in Jade!” – That’s it!. It was Jade from the next day on ‘till right now.” But getting back to entertaining … after graduating from the Academy in New York, Jade worked as a dancer on cruise ships and in glamour shows in Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City. He’s always been a multi-faceted entertainer singing, acting and dancing. “I was doing a dancing gig in Chicago and was asked to do a cover of a Macarena-type song in Spanish. Their English version flopped and the Latin version was a hit. A lucky break that saw me being invited to participate in the 2002 Human Rights Initiative Being Out Rocks which featured amongst others George Michael, K.D Lang, Queen and Cyndi Lauper” and Jade of course, a huge feather in his cap. I was keen to know how he came to do a one-man show …”So many things were happening and had happened in my life, l was a Latin pop singer, I’d come out in an interview which resulted in the gay community propelling my exposure by having me perform at gay pride events around the country. But the first one-person show … well, I’d just completed a contract on a cruise ship, I was going to London with friends and a family emergency brought me back to America. I’d written all these songs for an album I was going to do with a singer friend in London, so instead of going in to the studio I put them in to my first One-person show called It’s Too Late … It’s Already In Me. It was based on the true story of my best friend who contracted HIV and passed away. – that was in 1997 at an International Latin Arts and Culture Festival in San Antonio.”

Burlesque

Jade performed Vol. 1 of the series of ICONS shows here in Cape Town. It was first performed in 2002 and since then he has written and choreographed and performed another 5 volumes and is working on Volume 6. They are so successful not only because they are entertaining but they are something positive for the LGBTI+ community, giving us a heritage we can be proud of. They are enlightening and educational and a valid commentary of the progress, huge contribution and difference LGBTI+ people have made throughout history. Icons was reported by one journalist in Dallas as a “Feel good session for gay people”. For one night only Jade performed his ICONS show to the “most diverse audience I’ve ever performed to” at the Goodhope MCC in Green Market Square. In ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 1 Jade took on six gay personalities, starting in Ancient Greece with Sappho (Plato’s 10th muse) , Michelangelo, a delightfully camp Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein (brilliant with her belligerent snobbishness!), Sylvia Rivera (the Puerto Rican drag queen who in 1969 lit the spark that ignited the Stonewall riots in New York when she threw her high-heeled shoe at the police) and Ellen DeGeneres (whose musical number in the show is entitled “Yep, I’m Gay” which was the title of the Time magazine cover story when she publicly came out). From the acceptance of same-sex relationships in the ancient world to the religious demonisation in later centuries. From the wit of Wilde to the tragedy of the holocaust, ICONS is an enlightening, educational and above all, entertaining experience as he turns the pages of history. “So many of us in the LGBTI+ community have little knowledge of gay history” says Jade, “Gay history is lost history. But I didn’t just want to point out to people, ‘Look at all the great things gays and lesbians have contributed to society.’ The show is more about needing to know your heritage, leaving a mark and having your voice heard.”

Gertrude Stein

Jade - Clown Life Photo: Brent Kosadnar

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SCENE OUT

MISS GAY WESTERN CAPE

Photos by Errol Stroebel

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THE BEARS AT HEARTACHE

HALLOWEEN AT CREW

Photos by Leonardo Solomon

Mag23 23 Mag

BABYLON CT OPENS

PRETORIA PRIDE

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JOBURG PRIDE

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SA BOOTBLACK 2017 AT INTERNATIONAL MS LEATHER/ BOOTBLACK CONTEST IN SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA

Words: Fiona Horsley liked! Later that evening the contestants had a compulsory contestant meeting with the contestant coordinator. It was a chance to unwind and speak about our ‘win’ for the day. I thought it was a great way to get to know each other, and know how we were feeling as well as experiencing.

n December 3, 2016, I won the title of SA Bootblack 2017, the very first Bootblack title in SA Leather South Africa’s history! When I won this title, I realised the responsibility of leading a community and starting the foundation of having bootblacks within South Africa’s leather community. I was about to represent South Africa on an international level and understood what that meant for myself as well as the organisation I was going to represent. I had to start preparing myself for an adventure where I was going to be part of huge contest that has been going for many years. The International Ms Leather contest started in 1987, and the International Ms Bootblack contest started in 1999. I was making history by being the first South African to be taking part in the bootblack portion of the contest and being the ONLY international competitor this year. I had heard many stories about what International Ms Leather / International Ms Bootblack is about from former chairman of SA Leather South Africa – Jaco Lourens (Mr SA Leather 2009 – the very first Mr SA Leather) but nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to experience. Many had told me that being at IMsL is a life changing experience and that I would come back a different person. That was indeed the case, but first let me tell you what I experienced. Mag 26

As I walked through the doors at the DoubleTree Hotel in San Jose, California, I saw a group of women in the foyer and recognised their faces. I met Sarha Shaubach (International Ms Leather 2013) Just Angel & Tig Natious; I was greeted with big hugs and they were so happy that I had made it to the contest. Before the official start of the contest, the contestants organised a dinner so that we had a chance to introduce ourselves and get to know each other a little bit. On the way there, I bumped into Lascivious Jane (International Ms Leather 2016). It was great to meet her, and she is so beautiful! I knew that I was in for a lot of introductions, photos and hugs as there were so many people that I made connections with on Facebook. It was so exciting to meet all these people for the first time and I really looked forward to meeting up with my international friends that I had met at our local leather contest in December 2014. Patty, Saoirse and Angel, it was great to see you again! On Day 1 we were moved from one task to the next; contestant breakfast, receiving our contest medallions, a photoshoot, endless rehearsals on stage and as a bootblack, my tech boot part of the competition. That evening we attended the famous Seduction event where various members of the queer/leather/ kink community performed and stripped on stage to raise funds for the IMsL travel fund. It was fun to put a dollar bill down the pants or bra of the performers you

In the morning of day 2 there were more rehearsals on stage and a new introduction script for the evening. This time we rehearsed a little opening number with Lascivious Jane where we looked like dancing penguins trying to sway in time. At 10.55am it was the interview part of the contest for me, and there were not 3 judges but 9 of them! The interview was open to anyone that wanted to hear what the contestants had to say. I walked away from my interview feeling positive and I loved the fact that I made everyone laugh. That afternoon in the bootblack lounge, the bootblacks had 2 hours to work on boots and I was lucky to have Mr San Francisco 2017, Geoff Millard, to be the first person to sit for me. Going on stage was quite an experience because as they introduce you, you walk on the stage, bright lights hit your eyes and the energy from the audience (800+ people) is very evident as you not only hear it but feel it. After the first night on stage, it was time for the uniform party and it was great fun to see how everyone dressed up. It was a chance to let your hair down but as a contestant you had to be aware that judges were attending. It was a chance to have a quick chat with each one of them! On day 3, early that afternoon, I was walking to the bootblack lounge when I saw Mama Reinhardt walking toward me. I was so happy to finally meet her and we had our picture taken with a quick chat. The bootblacks worked a 5 hour stretch of doing boots and making sure that the person sitting in your chair not only got their boots shined, but that we made a good impression on them, so that they bootblack token to vote for their favourite bootblack! I had a judge sit in my chair – Tabitha (International Ms Bootblack 2015), and I was like, oh my goodness a judge and former winner in my chair!!!!! Aaaahhhhh!!!!!

That night on stage we were asked a pop question, and it’s a question where each contestant responds with something funny, the first thought that comes to mind. My pop question was so perfect for me because of what my speech was about. The question was, “If you are an animal, which one would you be and why?” I gave a short and sweet answer! My answer was, “Oh that is easy, I would be a lion as am always ready to pounce!”

GAY AND LESBIAN NETWORK GETS DONATION

When the time came to announce the winner, I was thinking… this is it!!! this is it!!! Girl Complex was announced as International Ms Leather 2017 and Elisa Vegas was announced as winner of International Ms Bootblack 2017. I am so happy for them as I know that they are going to make an impact on the leather community! Micky Rebel is the runner up for International Ms Bootblack 2017 & Stela Furtado was announced as runner up for International Ms Leather 2017. I felt so emotional after the announcement and I could not face anyone for a good 30 minutes afterward. All the time spent preparing for the SA Leather competition throughout 2016, winning the SA Bootblack title and preparing for the biggest adventure I had just experienced…ended just like that. I felt a drop on a grade scale! I knew that I had to show my face at the boots & cigar party and welcome the new title holders. As I walked in I saw some familiar faces, Boi Debney with his mistress, the owner of Wicked Grounds in San Francisco (who I met just days before) and Thomas (a fellow contestant who ran for International Ms Leather) I remember Thomas’s big smile on her face and her hug! I was so emotional and I am not one for showing my emotions that easily. Their where bootblacks doing boots in the dark with just a tiny light. I got to witness some cigar play with Lucky and Micky (a fellow contestant) Danielle who was one of my handlers was dressed in a latex wonder woman outfit…. I think Gal Gadot has some serious competition!! The Sunday night as I packed my suitcases, I felt so sad as I was leaving all these wonderful people behind and my experience of IMsL/IMsBootblack was OVER! I didn’t want to go home! Monday morning, I was standing outside waiting outside of the hotel doors already thinking of how I was going to come back and excited to share my experience with the leather community in South Africa. I would like to send out a huge thank you to Dara Bryant (International Ms Bootblack 2014) who I finally got to meet after two years of Skype bootblacking sessions. Your time, kindness, knowledge and generosity makes me smile from ear to ear. I think you are amazing!!! I can’t wait to see you again!! I would like to thank the group of women that I met and experienced IMsL/IMsBootblack with. Lucky 13, you will forever be in my heart and I hope that our bond will continue. I look forward to seeing each one of you in the future!! I would like to thank to the people on my team who made sure I had something to eat, something to drink and my outfits were always sorted for the next task. My team made the experience of competing easy and I would like to thank Douglas Ambrose, Tris Esclave and Danielle Venator for making my contest experience something to remember. Teagan and Jesbian, thank you for being you! I can’t wait to see both of you again and see more of San Francisco! THANK YOU to SA Leather who made all this possible! If you are interested in the BDSM, Kink, Fetish and Leather community, contact us: SA Leather South Africa - info@saleather.org or find us on Facebook!

Anthony Waldhausen – Director of Gay & Lesbian Network (left) and Qiniso Nonjabulo Ntuli – Finance Officer of Gay & Lesbian Network (right) accept the generous donation from Mark Butler (centre) on behalf of the Gay and Lesbian Network.

he Gay and Lesbian Network (GLN) would like to express our deepest gratitude for the kind donation from Mark Butler. He recently gave a very generous donation which will go towards the work that GLN does to ensure equality, respect and acceptance. GLN runs various programmes which take a holistic approach to improving the lives of marginalised communities, primarily the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community. These programmes include outreach, health, research and a unique creating an enabling environment, which focuses on educating and sensitising various stakeholders. Butler had the following to say’ “First of all, it’s a terrible indictment on us as a society, as a community, that the Network needs to exist at all. It really shouldn’t be too much to ask that, as humans first & fundamentally, all of us love all of us - without qualification, without reservation, without fear, and without hatred. But the truth is we do fail – repeatedly and systematically. Scourges like racism, sexism, elitism, xenophobia, and queer-&homo-phobia are much too commonplace. So there’s lots of work to be done to affirm everyone’s fundamental humanity and dignity; to challenge prejudice and hatred; and to comfort and heal the many who are hurt and damaged by our failures of love and humanity. Giving support - and cash - to organisations like ‘Maritzburg’s Gay and Lesbian Network is one part of that work.” The money that he donated is extra special, as it comes from his late mother’s estate. GLN would like to take this opportunity to remind the public of our bequest programme, in which you are able to include GLN in your will. You can always make a difference in someone else’s life by assisting in any way that you can, whether it is by donation of money, food, clothes or volunteering your time. As GLN is a nonprofit organisation and relies on donations, all bequests and donations are exempt from tax. Please visit www.gaylesbian.org.za if you would like any further information. Mag 27

GENDER DYNAMIX:

Transcending the challenges trans and gender diverse persons face in South Africa in linking high-level advocacy with diverse communities Words: Liberty Banks (Glenton Matthyse)

t has been exactly one year since I started at Gender DynamiX as the National Advocacy Officer: Legal, Policy & Education. What was and continue to be a daunting task of advocating for the human rights of trans and gender diverse persons in the country has also enriched my life in unimaginable ways. From working with diverse community members to engaging government officials and political leaders, the journey required that I get out of my comfort zone every single time in every single space. It has been exhilarating! This year has truly been filled with many successes for the organisation and I would like to thank Gender DynamiX for having created an opportunity for me to do the work that I am passionate about. For those who are unaware, Gender DynamiX is a trans-led and trans-focused human rights organisation that uses advocacy as its primary tool to advance the human rights of trans and gender diverse persons within diverse African contexts. In addition, it seeks to build the capacity of younger organisations whilst exchanging knowledge to shape an African discourse on trans and gender diversity that recognises ways in which people identify within different contexts. We provide sensitisation training and education to our partners, allies, state departments, higher education institutions and business. Through these initiatives Gender DynamiX seeks to transform laws and policies with other queer civil society stakeholders whilst working towards shifting the hearts and minds of persons in decision-making positions on the matter of being trans and gender diverse identifying.

Life Orientation academics, school teachers and Department of Social Development representatives brainstorming. Mag 28

One of the groups led by the National Task Team Co-chair and Executive Director of Access Chapter 2, Steve Letsike.

Self-identification Law Reform Consultation in Gauteng

Self-identification Law Reform Consultation in Bloemfontein

Executive Director of Gender DynamiX, Ricki Kgositau, formally opening the Symposium. 2017 has been quite a year of firsts and in the month of September we managed to reap rewards from all our efforts with the hosting of a Gender Identity and Gender Expression in South African Schools Symposium as well as securing a landmark judgement reassuring transgender persons of their (our) right to remain married under the South African Marriage Act despite the existence of the Civil Union Act. We are very thankful to our partner the Legal Resources Centre for providing legal assistance to all the parties involved and the exceptional reasoning provided in court in positioning this very contentious legal and human rights matter. The judgment of this case, KOS and Others v Minister of Home Affairs and Others, highlights that couples do not have to get divorced under the Marriage Act before a transgender spouse can get their gender marker/sex descriptor legally changed with the Department of Home Affairs.

Colleagues from Legal Resources Centre co-facilitating the self-identification Law Reform Consultation in Bloemfontein. Another progressive initiative pertaining health has been the continued training of healthcare providers which includes medical doctors, nurses, counsellors, psychologists etc. on rendering gender affirming general and specialised healthcare to trans and gender diverse persons. The organisation partnered with Dr. Kevin Adams, a renowned surgeon who has provided transgender persons with access to gender affirming surgeries, in training surgeons across the country and from Lesotho on surgical techniques to perform surgery effectively and efficiently based on the highest healthcare standards. Self-identification Law Reform Consultation in Limpopo on the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act 49 of 2003. Mag 25

Healthcare professionals engaged on gender affirming healthcare training as well as legal recognition models for trans and gender diverse persons in South Africa. Gender DynamiX continues to build and maintain relationships with government departments such as the Department of Social Development, Basic Education, Higher Education, Justice and Constitutional Development, South African Police Services etc. to secure dignity for trans and gender diverse persons. In addition, it is indeed very heartening realising that the tide is turning within South Africa for the betterment of trans and gender diverse persons lives regardless of some state departments like the Department of International Relations and Cooperation acting inconsistently with constitutional imperatives. The spotlight is shifting to matters concerning queer communities and collectively we have a responsibility to again mobilise and consolidate our efforts in making sure change happen that will benefit each and every single one of us.

Training surgeons on gender affirming surgery with Dr. Kevin Adams As we conclude 2017, our focus is firmly set on what needs to be achieved in 2018. We remain resolute in the fight for gender equality from a transgender perspective whilst aligning our politic to the broader societal engagements concerning gender inequality. Femininities and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experiences remain marginalised in both transgender communities as well as the cisnormative world. For gender inequality to fall, there needs to be a concerted effort to align strategies in order to push back against patriarchy and toxic masculinities. We are stronger together in our splendour and diversity! In this transition period between 2017 and 2018, let us reflect on our blessings, privileges and what we can do for those in our community and society at large that do not have what we have and enjoy. It is a fact that many trans and gender diverse persons find themselves without a home, without a family, no resources to make it possible to enjoy the big days. Knowing this, we are tasked to do what we can to bring dignity to the ones in our community who have been stripped thereof. Let us be the change we want to see in this world. Let us be a beacon of hope or a candle that shines light into lives wherever we move. On behalf of Gender DynamiX, we wish you a fun, safe and fulfilling holiday season. Yours in Solidarity and Love! Liberty (Glenton Matthyse)

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HOW DID COME TO MEAN HOMOSEXUAL? By Alex Bollinger New York Public Library

When I was in high school, my English teacher complained that homosexuals “stole” the word gay.

I have no idea why he was talking about that, but he’s not alone. To listen to some straight people, it’s like they think that all the gays got together one day and voted on a word to replace “homosexual.” When “gay” got the most votes, we all laughed maniacally about how we were stealing straight people’s awesome word.

n reality, language doesn’t work that way.

“Gay” came into English from French in the 13th century and meant “merry.” By the 17th century, according to Merriam-Webster, the word had taken on a second, sexual meaning: “rakish,” or sexually immoral. This meaning led to expressions like “gay blade,” which is, as the Oxford English Dictionary puts it, “a dashing or lively man; a rake.” 18th century playwright Nicholas Rowe (who became Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, so he was thoroughly mainstream for his time) referred to a character in one of his plays as a “gay Lothario” because he was a womanizer. The short 1904 film The Gay Shoe Clerk is about a very heterosexual shoe clerk who isn’t particularly merry – he’s “gay” because he kisses a female client he just met. By the 19th century, a “gay house” was a slang term for a brothel. It’s from this very heterosexual sense of the term – not gay-asin-merry – that it probably came to mean “homosexual.” Merriam-Webster‘s theory is that gay-as-in-rakish led to the slang term “gaycat,” which referred to a young male hobo who worked with an older male hobo and may have had a sexual relationship with him. They cite a 1935 “handbook of underworld and prison slang” that includes an entry on the word “geycat,” defined as “a homosexual boy.” But it’s possible that gay-as-in-rakish, with it’s antonym “straight,” came to mean “homosexual” through another queer subculture in the early 20th century. Some of the first written uses of the word gay to unambiguously mean “homosexual” appear in the early 1950’s, which means that it was probably already slang among some gay people earlier than that. It appeared in books for gay people and occasionally in books written for straight audiences in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but the “merry” definition dominated while the Mag 30

“homosexual” meaning remained slang. It wasn’t until Stonewall, the birth of the Gay Liberation Front, and increased gay visibility in the late 1960’s and 1970’s that the “homosexual” meaning became widely known. At the same time, the “happy” definition of the term fell out of usage. There is no definitive explanation of why the “happy” definition stopped being used at around the same time as the “homosexual” definition became prominent. There’s really no reason people couldn’t use “gay” to mean “happy” today when, for centuries, it had multiple meanings. Even other words for people’s identities – like black, white, and straight – have multiple meanings. The other common meaning of the word gay is “bad,” which comes from the “homosexual” meaning in the late 1970’s. If someone says that something is “so gay,” there’s no ambiguity. So even the word “gay” is perfectly capable of carrying more than one meaning today. This story from 2010 provides some insight. A school in Australia changed a line in the children’s song “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree.” The last line is “Gay your life must be,” and the school, tired of the kids bursting out in giggles at that line (but also refusing to just talk to the kids about why giggling at the word “gay” is all sorts of terrible), changed the line to “Fun your life must be.” While the word “gay” can have multiple meanings, even today, none of those meanings can be positive because straight people think that being gay is shameful. Like so many other things, it’s not gay people or homosexuality or LGBTQ culture that’s to blame, its homophobia. But I don’t expect people like my high school English teacher to take responsibility for their attitudes.

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HEALTH

HASHTAG #FITSPO BODY IMAGE ISSUES ARE BECOMING MORE PROMINENT AMONG MEN AND TRENDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SUCH AS #FITSPO MIGHT NOT BE HELPING ... Mag 32

ody image concerns have long been associated with women, but men also feel societal pressures to look lean, fit and, especially, muscular. This is especially prevalent in the gay community, where the quest to look fit and healthy is seen as an indication of one’s sexual health. This trend for fitness took off, at least in the gay community, during the AIDS crisis in the late 1980’s and 1990’s, where it was important to have a healthy appearance - being too thin drew the possible inference that one had been infected by the AIDS virus. You might well ask what is fitspo? Fitspo refers to images and words that people post with the purpose of inspiring themselves and others to live a fit, active life. Fitspo is used as inspiration for people to get healthy, fit and sporty. All well and good, and a great idea. Unfortunately, the images often portray dangerously thin, overly sexualised women, or very muscular men with bodies that the vast majority of viewers will never be able to achieve. A lot of fitspo unfortunately promotes obsessive tendencies to attain impossible appearance ideals resulting in a whole other set of issues, as you can imagine. So it seems that like everything, fitspo has its downside.

which I dare say is a good thing. Being inspired by a healthy self image and positive goals is what fitspo should be all about. Peer pressure to get fit and healthy, look muscled and tanned, to be able to take your shirt off with confidence and display your physique on social media for the world to see can be positive but you need to be aware of the downside where obsessing can lead to a whole host of problems making you not the person you ought to be. There’s good fitspo—say, a picture of a healthy man or woman sprinting up a mountain or a slogan that reads, ‘You’re one workout away from a good mood’ – that can motivate one to improve one’s health. Bad fitspo is more about comparing yourself to others and setting unrealistic goals. The key to succeeding in your goals is making your own realistic milestones and hitting them—not focusing on some man or woman in a photograph.

Written before the age of fitspo, the book The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession (Free Press 2000) covers various body image issues that men struggle with, including body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, steroid abuse and muscle dysmorphia - so fitness ideals are nothing new. Muscle dysmorphia is a “muscle” subtype to body dysmorphic disorder, which is characterised by intense concern with the appearance of a certain body part, such as the nose, ears or legs. A man displaying features of muscle dysmorphia might constantly worry that his body isn’t defined or muscular enough. He might frequently compare his muscularity to that of other men and therein lies the problem. For men, viewing muscle-centric fitspo images on Facebook, Instagram and other social networks can exacerbate worries about “adequate” muscle size and definition, and/or trigger an urge to make comparisons with others. “To further complicate matters,” says Petya Eckler, PhD, a researcher and lecturer at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, “men also face the stereotype that body problems and uncertainties are ‘a woman’s thing,’ which makes it even harder to deal with the issue.” It seems that men today on social media seem to be just as engaged in “fat-shaming” and body obsessing as women have always been alleged to be. “If you check out the comments from males on images of popping muscles and ripped abs on Instagram, you’ll notice the same feedback and the same questions that women tend to post. For example, How did you lose body fat? How much protein do you eat? You are ripped! I wish I were that big. What’s your workout routine? Do you do cardio? How did you get your quads so big?”… and so on. What seemed to be an almost exclusive domain of the fairer sex, it appears that body image concerns may be just as real for some men on social media as they are for some women. This is not entirely the fault of social media and the avalanche of images flooding our phones and computers everyday all day but is exacerbated by the explosion and availability of pictures, videos and the like on the internet which is unprecedented and therefore cannot be avoided. Perhaps. the acceptance and awareness that modern man has of his and other men’s sexuality and being able to comment is another possible factor. Twenty years ago a man would never openly discuss or admire the physique or looks of another man (women have always looked at each other) for fear of being labelled as gay… it seems that is happening less and less –

You wor ’re o fromkout a ne a g way mo ood od Mag 33

LIVING WITH YOUR DIAGNOSIS

Words: Johann Snyders

It is something that is extremely close to my heart. We all know the fear, the dread and the life-changing shock a possible diagnosis can have. Being HIV positive has changed my life in many ways, but mostly for the better. I now have an opportunity to change other peoples’ lives, make a tangible difference and be a beacon of light for someone out there who’s in need.

f you have recently been diagnosed HIV positive you probably have a lot of questions just like I did when I first got the news. Why me? What now? Am I going to die? When will I start getting sick?

What will my friends and family think? All of these are valid questions and quite normal too. There is no easy answer to any of these questions as it all depends on you and how you decide to deal with it. But I am going to try and answer these questions for you as comprehensively as I can, based on my own experience, in the hope that it will shed some light on your own situation and help you move on with your life. WHY ME? HIV, just like any other illness, can strike at any time and can affect anyone regardless of race, cultural background, age or gender. It does not ask how much money you have or what your social standing is. It is not a picky illness and when you are susceptible to the virus through your own doing or someone else’s it will affect you either way. We are all human and sometimes we make mistakes. None of us are perfect and it is in our human nature to falter at some stage in our lives in one way or the other. Blaming yourself for what you have done wrong will not change your situation one bit and blaming someone else who might have done you wrong will not change the situation either. Life happens and it is how we deal with it that will ultimately make the difference. I was furious when I first discovered my status and for a very long time I held a grudge against the person who infected me. I could not look him in the eye without feeling an unhealthy amount of hatred towards him. But then one day I sat down with my counsellor and he explained to me that maybe this person was also going through exactly the same distress as I was. Maybe this person was also just a victim like I was. I never once took the time to confront him about it because I was just so angry that this had happened to me. After a lot of soul searching I took the time to contact him and to talk to him about how I felt and only then did I discover that he himself was infected by someone he trusted whole heartedly. At the time I got infected, he was totally unaware of his status as well. The anger inside me towards him started subsiding and after a while I managed to forgive him because I realised that no matter how much anger I held inside, it was NEVER going to change my status. I was positive and I was going to be positive for the rest of my life. This one undeniable fact was never ever going to change. It took some time, but in the end I managed to move on with my life and so did he. I am not saying that I will ever be able to Mag 34

forget what happened, but I have learned to live with the reality of it all and so will you. You need to accept that this very real thing has happened to you and no matter what you do it will never change. For your own sanity and for your own health it is better to accept it and move on with your life in a healthy and positive way. WHAT NOW? The first thing you need to do after your initial diagnosis would be to get a second opinion, just to put your mind at ease. This helped me a lot because it gave me the affirmation I needed. I studied haematology and viral diseases so I knew that two positive results is a definite confirmation of infection. Then after this the next step will be to determine your CD4 count and viral load. Your CD4 count measures the number of blood cells in a cubic millimetre of blood. A good CD4 count is anything above 500. Your viral load measures the number of HIV virus particles in a millilitre of your blood. An undetectable viral load is normally anything between 40 -75 copies/ml. Once these levels are determined your doctor will be able to determine what treatment to put you on. It is very important to start medication as soon as possible. I decided to start immediately because I wanted to make sure I get my levels right as soon as possible. The next thing you should do is to find a support group. It is extremely important to have someone to talk to. The very reality of depression in people with HIV is there and it is one of the main things that prevents us from dealing with this effectively. My saving grace was the fact that I had a few good close friends who were all positive and part of an excellent support group. We met once a month to just discuss how we were doing and to touch up on medical issues related to the illness. I also saw a counsellor once a week to help me cope with my depression and got my doctor to prescribe some mild antidepressant for me. This together with my ARV’s saved my life for sure. AM I GOING TO DIE? The short answer is NO. You are not just going to keel over and die. There as so many advances related to HIV/AIDS treatment. In 1996 -1997 the life expectancy at the age of 20 for people living with HIV was around 20 years. By 2011 thanks to all the medical advances that number has improved to 53 years. As you can clearly see the advance is massive. The important thing here is to make sure that you take very good care of yourself. Take you medication religiously and try not to skip any dosage. Exercise regularly and always wear protection; should you be sexually active. Your life did not end when you got that diagnosis, it just got a little bit more complicated from a medical point of view. Surround yourself with good positive people who lift you up and who keep your mind-set positive. Make sure you

get your CD4 and viral load tested every six months to monitor your progress and to change your meds if necessary. This will ensure you a long and happy life. WHEN WILL I START GETTING SICK? As long as you are on ARV’s and see your doctor on a regular basis, your CD4 should rise and your viral load should decrease. Doing your blood tests every six months will also give your doctor an indication of what the status of your health is and he/ she will be able to adjust your medication accordingly. Keeping fit is very important and cutting out any bad health-related habits is also extremely important. Make sure your diet is sufficient and that you take very good care of yourself. If you do this, you will stay healthy for a very long time. A great number of people living with HIV never get sick. They live normal healthy lives and eventually they pass on just like anyone not infected by the virus. WHAT WILL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY THINK AND SHOULD I TELL THEM? Firstly, and I think most important of all is that you never have to disclose your status to anyone. The South African Constitution has a Bill of Rights that protects all people. The rights to life, dignity, privacy, freedom and others. *“When it comes to healthcare, food, water and social security rights, in section 27, it says: Everyone has the right to have access to: •

healthcare services, including reproductive healthcare;

•

sufficient food and water; and

•

social security, including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependents, appropriate social assistance.

•

the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available sources, to achieve the progressive realisation of each of these rights.

•

no one may be refused emergency medical treatment.

The Constitution of South Africa protects the rights of people living with HIV. It doesn’t allow discrimination and protects people’s right to privacy and confidentiality. In South Africa, there aren’t any laws that force people to tell others about their HIV status. People who do test positive should tell their partner, so that they can be protected and also have an HIV test. People

with HIV or AIDS in South Africa are protected by the Bill of Rights and have the same rights which protect all citizens. •

There can be no discrimination against anyone who has HIV or AIDS

•

They have the right to medical treatment and care from the health and welfare services

•

Children with HIV are allowed to attend any school

•

No one can be fired from a job just because they are HIV-positive

•

No one can be forced to have an HIV test before getting a job or while at work

•

Test results cannot be shown to anyone else without the permission of the person who had the test

•

Pregnant women with HIV have the right to make a choice about their pregnancy”

The decision to tell your friends or family is entirely yours and you can do it once you feel comfortable, safe and confident that it is what you want to do. As far as disclosing your status to your employer, you are under no obligation to do so, unless the nature of your work requires you to do it. The just of it all my friends is very simple. Your diagnosis is as real as life itself. It is not something that will change or go away, unless a much anticipated cure is found. Accepting it and choosing to live a happy and long life is completely up to you. You can and will have the same life you had before you were diagnosed. The only thing that has changed is a small little virus that now occupies your body. Taking care of your health is important for every single person whether they are positive or not, but it has now become imperative for you do make sure your do just that. Live life, continue to dream big and never give up on yourself. You are precious and the same world is still out there waiting to see you soar! * For more information please visit: https://www.aids.gov Mag 35

PROSTATE CANCER Symptoms, risk factors, and treatment

As the most common cancer in men, prostate cancer is curable if diagnosed early, so it is important that men get tested regularly, particularly after the age of 50 ... don’t be foolish, get tested ...

rostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men and according to the National Cancer Registry the lifetime risk for Prostate Cancer in men in South Africa, is 1 in 19. However, it is also treatable if found in the early stages therefore regular testing is crucial as the cancer needs to be diagnosed before metastasis. What is prostate cancer? The prostate is a walnut-sized exocrine gland. This means that its fluids and secretions are intended for use outside of the body. The prostate produces the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm on their journey to fuse with a female ovum, or egg, and produce human life. The prostate contracts and forces these fluids out during orgasm. The protein excreted by the prostate, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), helps semen retain its liquid state. An excess of this protein in the blood is one of the first signs of prostate cancer. The urethra is tube through which sperm and urine exit the body. It also passes through the prostate. As such, the prostate is also responsible for urine control. It can tighten and restrict the flow of urine through the urethra using thousands of tiny muscle fibers. How does it start? It usually starts in the glandular cells. This is known as Mag 36

adenocarcinoma. Tiny changes occur in the shape and size of the prostate gland cells, known as prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). This tends to happen slowly and does not show symptoms until further into the progression. Nearly 50 percent of all men over the age of 50 years have PIN. High-grade PIN is considered pre-cancerous, and it requires further investigation. Low-grade PIN is not a cause for concern. Prostate cancer can be successfully treated if it is diagnosed before metastasis, but if it spreads, it is more dangerous. It most commonly spreads to the bones. Symptoms - There are usually no symptoms during the early stages of prostate cancer. If symptoms appear, they usually involve one or more of the following: • frequent urges to urinate, including at night • difficulty commencing and maintaining urination • blood in the urine • painful urination and, less commonly, ejaculation • difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection may be difficult Advanced prostate cancer can involve the following symptoms: • bone pain, often in the spine, femur, pelvis, or ribs • bone fractures

If the cancer spreads to the spine and compresses the spinal cord, there may be: • leg weakness • urinary incontinence • fecal incontinence Risk factors -The exact cause of prostate cancer is unclear, but there are many possible risk factors. Age - Prostate cancer is rare among men under the age of 45 years, but more common after the age of 50 years. Genetic factors - Certain genetic and ethnic groups have an increased risk of prostate cancer. A man also has a much higher risk of developing cancer if his identical twin has it, and a man whose brother or father had prostate cancer has twice the risk of developing it compared to other men. Having a brother who has or has had prostate cancer is more of a genetic risk than having a father with the disease. Diet - Studies have suggested that a diet high in red meat or high-fat dairy products may increase a person’s chances of developing prostate cancer, but the link is neither confirmed nor clear. Obesity - It is often believed that obesity is linked to the development of prostate cancer, but the American Cancer Society maintains that there is no clear link. Some studies have found that obesity increases the risk of death in advanced cancers.

Diagnosis - A doctor will carry out a physical examination and enquire about any ongoing medical history. If the patient has symptoms, or if a routine blood test shows abnormally high PSA levels, further examinations may be requested.

However, the success of these options is never guaranteed.

Imaging scans can show and track the presence of prostate cancer.

Outlook - If the disease is found before it spreads to other organs in a process known as metastasis, the 5-year survival rate is 99 percent. After fifteen years, this decreases to 96 percent. Once the cancer metastasizes, or spreads, the 5-year survival rate is 29 percent.

Tests may include: - a digital rectal examination (DRE), in which a doctor will manually check for any abnormalities of the prostate with their finger - a biomarker test checking the blood, urine, or body tissues of a person with cancer for chemicals unique to individuals with cancer If these tests show abnormal results, further tests will include: - a PCA3 test examining the urine for the PCA3 gene only found in prostate cancer cells - a transrectal ultrasound scan providing imaging of the affected region using a probe that emits sounds - a biopsy, or the removal of 12 to 14 small pieces of tissue from several areas of the prostate for examination under a microscope These will help confirm the stage of the cancer, whether it has spread, and what treatment is appropriate. To track any spread, or metastasis, doctors may use a bone, CT scan, or MRI scan. Staging will take into account the size and extent of the tumour and the scale of the metastasis. At Stage 0, the tumour has neither spread from the prostate gland nor invaded deeply into it. At Stage IV, the cancer has spread to distant sites and organs.

Patients with prostate cancer can speak to a fertility doctor if they still intend to father children.

Most importantly - Regular screening can help detect prostate cancer while it is still treatable.

CANSA places the focus on the ‘Big 5’ cancers affecting SA men during its Men’s Health Awareness Campaign in November, namely, prostate, colourectal, Kaposi sarcoma (a type of skin cancer), lung and bladder cancer. However, it’s vital that men be pro-active, stepping up and taking responsibility for their health all year round.

Treatment Treatment is different for early and advanced prostate cancers.

FAST FACTS ON PROSTATE CANCER:

Early stage prostate cancer. If the cancer is small and localised, it is usually managed by one of the following treatments:

• The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system.

Watchful waiting or monitoring: PSA blood levels are regularly checked, but there is no immediate action. The risk of sideeffects sometimes outweighs the need for immediate treatment for this slow-developing cancer. Radical prostatectomy: The prostate is surgically removed. Various types of radiation therapy, In the early stages, patients may receive radiation therapy combined with hormone therapy for 4 to 6 months.

• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. • It is treatable if diagnosed early, before it spreads. • If symptoms appear, they include problems with urination. • Regular screening IS the best way to detect it in good time.

Treatment recommendations depend on individual cases. The patient should discuss all available options with their urologist or oncologist. Advanced prostate cancer - Advanced cancer is more aggressive and will have spread further throughout the body. Chemotherapy may be recommended, as it can kill cancer cells around the body. Fertility - As the prostate is directly involved with sexual reproduction, removing it affects semen production and fertility. Radiation therapy affects the prostate tissue and often reduces the ability to father children. The sperm can be damaged and the semen insufficient for transporting sperm. Non-surgical options, too, can severely inhibit a man’s reproductive capacity. Options for preserving these functions can include donating to a sperm bank before surgery, or having sperm extracted directly from the testicles for artificial insemination into an egg. Mag 37

OUT ON FILM ON THE BIG SCREEN WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN - A FEAST OF REALLIFE STORIES Nothing is juicier than taking a peek into the lives of people who made their world spin round.

was Megan Leavy, a former US Marine corporal who was wounded alongside her military working dog Rex. The film Megan Leavy (26 Jan) stars Kate Mara as the titular character who was awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a “V” device denoting heroism in combat.

In 1973 there was an unrivalled scuffle on the tennis court between women’s World #1 Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-men’s-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), and is now relived in The Battle Of The Sexes (20 Dec). King was not only championing for equality, but also struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, as her friendship with Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) developed. Another sports hero was Olympic-class skier Molly Bloom, who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons. Her escapades can now be experienced in Molly’s Game (12 Jan), with Jessica Chastain kicking ass.

Chris Hemsworth stars in the war drama 12 Strong (12 Feb) that deals with CIA paramilitary officers and U.S. Special Forces sent to Afghanistan right after the September 11 attacks and team up with General Abdul Rashid Dostum of the Northern Alliance to help conduct unconventional warfare against Taliban forces; Emma Stone plays Billy Jean King

Margot Robbie steps into the skates of Tonya Harding in I, Tonya (16 Feb). Harding rose through the ranks of competitive figure skating only to find disgrace when her husband tries to eliminate her rival. We loved Hugh Jackman singing his heart out in the National Theatre’s Oklahoma and the film Les Miserables. Jackman now returns to the musical front in The Greatest Showman (29 Dec). Inspired by the imagination of P. T. Barnum, it celebrates the birth of show business and the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. In Bleed for This (DVD release) Miles Teller played World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza who, after a near fatal car crash left him not knowing if he’d ever walk again. Miles now plays a soldier in Thank You For Your Service (Jan 5) who must deal with the aftermath of a bombing in Iraq that left him with a traumatic brain injury. The film deals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), affecting U.S. soldiers who try to adjust to civilian life. Another soldier who caught the attention of the world during her service in Iraq, Mag 38

James Franco

With more than 65 million people around the world forced from their homes to escape famine, climate change and war, the German documentary Human Flow (12 Feb) explores the current global refugee crisis, examining the staggering scale of the refugee crisis and its profoundly personal human impact. Over the course of one year in 23 countries, the film follows a chain of urgent human stories stretching across the globe, including Afghanistan, France, Greece, Germany and Iraq. James Franco not only produced and directed Disaster Artist (9 Feb), but stars as writer, director, and producer Tommy Wiseau opposite his brother Dave, who takes on the role of Greg Sestero. The two actors made headlines with their raucous friendship during the making of the 2003 cult film The Room, a film often hailed as the Citizen Kane of bad movies. Based On A True Story (9 Feb) focuses on writer Delphine (Emmanuelle Seigner) who suffers from depression and writer’s block until she is unblocked when she starts a romance with a mysterious younger woman (Eva Green) who is seductive, intelligent, and intuitive and who understands Delphine better than anyone else; and Good Bye Christopher Robin (16 March) deals with the lives of Winnie-thePooh creator A. A. Milne and his family, especially his son Christopher Robin.

Miles Teller in Thank you For your Service For more information on the latest film releases, visit www. writingstudio.co.za or visit us on Facebook – Let’s Go To The Movies

In Ridley Scott’s All The Money In The World (23 Feb), kidnappers demand $17 million from billionaire J. Paul Getty in exchange for his grandson’s release. The film tells the story of Getty’s refusal to cooperate with the extortion demands of a group of kidnappers.

OUT ON DVD LET’S WATCH DVD’S WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN THE BEST MUST WATCH GAY MOVIES ON DVD We’ve all been there, falling in love with the object of our affection, trying the accept that our love will never be returned. John Butler’s absolutely sensational HANDSOME DEVIL centres on an ostracised teenager (Fionn O’Shea) at a rugby-obsessed all boys boarding school in Ireland whose new roommate (super sexy Nicholas Galitzine) is the school’s new rugby star-player. The two form an unlikely friendship until it’s tested by those around them. The boys take an instant and visceral dislike to each other, and Ned and Conor seem destined to remain enemies until an English teacher, Mr. Sherry (Andrew Scott), begins to Nicholas drill into them the value of finding one’s own voice. This lesson isn’t appreciated by everyone though, not Galitzine least the rugby coach, Pascal (Moe Dunford), who has his own agenda, and who harbors some deep suspicions about Sherry... Director Joey Kuhn admits that THOSE PEOPLE was inspired by his own experience falling in love with his best friend at college, as well as by his fascination with the story of Bernie Madoff’s son Mark, who committed suicide two years after his father’s arrest. In this stirring drama, Charlie (Jonathan Gordon) and Sebastian (Jason Ralph) are childhood best friends now in young adulthood. Charlie is an art student, whose unrequited love for Sebastian influences his art, while Sebastian has been in a state of personal crisis since his wealthy financier father’s (Daniel Gerroll) arrest on white collar criminal charges. After moving into Sebastian’s apartment to help Alan Cumming him through his bouts of depression and alcohol abuse, Charlie is drawn into a love triangle when he meets Tim (Haaz Sleiman), a successful concert pianist. The hilariously charming FOURTH MAN OUT stars Evan Todd as Adam, a young man living in New York state who, on his 24th birthday, struggles to come out as gay to his three best friends, Chris (Parker Young), Nick (Chord Overstreet), and Ortu (Jon Gabrus). Comedy ensues as Adam’s three best friends struggle to come to terms with their friend’s sexuality, worried that his coming out might somehow change the nature of their relationships. The farcical screwball comedy SUCH GOOD PEOPLE tells the story of Richard (Michael Urie) and Alex (Randy Harrison) who, while house-sitting for rich humanitarian friends, find a huge stash of cash in the Monster Pi7es residence. When the homeowners die in a car crash, altruism and greed collide as Richard and Alex try to decide what to do with the money. The arresting EYEWITNESS is an American drama television series, based on the Norwegian series Øyevitne and centers around the sexually charged relationship between two teenage boys, Philip Shea (Tyler Young) and Lukas Waldenbeck (James Paxton). Things get more complicated when the teens witness a murder and fear that they will be found by the person who committed the crime. While they stay Super sexy Irish actor Warren silent about what they saw, they realise that it can Christie

never be unseen and the traumatic event has changed their lives forever. As he is potentially being hunted by the killer (super sexy Irish actor Warren Christie), Lukas worries that his secret will be revealed, he will be outed, and he will lose everything. If there’s one DVD you must add to your collection, it’s ANY DAY NOW, featuring a powerhouse performance by Alan Cumming as a struggling musician and drag performer in a gay nightclub in 1979 West Hollywood, where he meets Paul Fleiger (Garret Dillahunt), a closeted district attorney. Returning home to his apartment, Rudy finds Marco (Isaac Leyva), a 14-year-old with Down syndrome, left alone after his drug addicted mother had been arrested. Rudy takes in the abandoned boy, but Family Services intervenes and takes Marco to foster care. Rudy enlists Paul to help him gain custody of Marco. Be warned, this is a heartbreaking story that will leave you in tears, and an experience you will never forget. The powerful documentary BRIDEGROOM: A LOVE STORY, Unequalled chronicles the story of Shane Bitney Crone and his same-sex partner Thomas Lee “Tom” Bridegroom, who died in a tragic accident. After Bridegroom’s death, Crone found himself cut off and deprived of any legal protection. The film tells the story of their 6-year-long relationship, and the struggles Crone faced after Bridegroom’s death, including the family not allowing Crone to attend the funeral of his life partner. Equally powerful is the Australian romantic drama HOLDING THE MAN. Featuring outstanding performances by Ryan Corr and Craig Stott, with supporting performances from Guy Pearce, Anthony LaPaglia, Sarah Snook, Kerry Fox and Geoffrey Rush, it tells heartbreaking story of two boys who fell in love while teenagers at their all-boys high school. John was captain of the football team, Tim an aspiring actor playing a minor part in Romeo and Juliet. Their romance endured for 15 years to laugh in the face of everything life threw at it - the separations, the discrimination, the temptations, the jealousies and the losses - until the only problem that love can’t solve, tried to destroy them. Another great independent coming of age film from Down Under is MONSTER PIES, telling of an awkward film obsessed highschooler, Mike (Tristan Barr), whose life is turned upside down when a new, hot, highschooler, Will (Lucas Linehan), joins his class and he and Mike get lumped together to complete a monster movie reworking of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ for their class project. It’s love at first sight and the beginning of a love story with a shocking conclusion that will leave you stunned. The sweet romance THE 10 YEAR PLAN features great performances from Jack Turner and Michael Adam Hamilton. Afraid of being alone forever, two friends agree to become a couple if they’re still single in 10 years. A decade later, they’re not so sure. Mag 39

ON STAGE

LETS GO TO THE THEATRE WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN CAPE TOWN At Gate 69 your three favourite Trolley Dollies are back for Macbeth! The Adult Panto. This isn’t Shakespeare the way you remember it. The three w(b)itches whiff out an untold story of what dirty little Willy was really on about. Until 30 Dec from Wednesday to Saturday. Bookings: 021-035 1627 / 071 589 2915 / gate69.co.za

Emma Kingston plays Evita at The Artscape

The rousing musical King Kong is on at The Fugard Theatre and tells the story of heavyweight fifties boxing champion Ezekiel Dlamini whose self-appointed ring name was “King Kong” to the wildly exhilarating music of Todd Matshikiza. Until 09 Feb. Bookings: 021 461 4554 / www.thefugard.com/ kingkongstagemusical.com At the Artscape Theatre Centre Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber`s musical Evita is on until 7 Jan, with Emma Kingston as Evita, Robert Finlayson as Peron and Jonathan Roxmouth as Che. One of the most artistically challenging ice shows ever created, Cinderella On Ice is on from 10 – 28 Jan and offers a dramatic new interpretation of the classic tale; and the super sensational West Side Story is on from 7 March. Bookings: 021 410 9800 /www.artscape.co.za/ Popular Comedian Marc Lottering’s most beloved character, Aunty Merle Abrahams from Belgravia Road in Athlone, sashays onto the stage in the musicalcomedy Aunty Merle, The Musical at the Baxter Theatre until 13 Jan. High drama unfolds as Merle’s daughter Abigail (Tarryn Lamb) announces her engagement to Alan (Stephen Jubber). But it’s never smooth-sailing in the world of Musicals and Abigail’s twisted and corrupt ex (Loukmaan Adams) is determined to get her back. If not, he threatens to reveal a very dark secret which is bound to tear the lovers apart. Age Restriction: PG14. Bookings: 0861 915 8000 / www.baxter.co.za/ At the intimate Alexander Bar Upstairs in Cape Town you can see Dianne Simpson in the wicked cabaret The Sisters Ugly – The other Side of the Cinderella Story from the perspective of the Ugly Sisters from 4 – 11 Jan, and Cohen – A Tribute is an exploration of the life and works of the late Leonard Cohen, featuring his music and poetry interspersed with anecdotes from his life and other literary writings and performed by Dave Starke from 8 – 13 Jan. Bookings: 021 300 1088/ alexanderbar.co.za/shows-upstairs/ Mag 40

Janice Honeyman’s Pinocchio, the Pantomime Adventure is on at the Joburg Theatre until 30 Dec, starring Tobie Cronjé (Geppetto Spoletto) and Andre Schwartz, and the South African première production of the Tony Award Winning Musical, The Color Purple, opens on 4 Feb, it is an inspiring family saga that tells the unforgettable story of a woman who – through love – finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world. Bookings: 0861670 670 or 011 877 6855 / www.joburgtheatre.com

TSWANE At the State Theatre in Tswane Isambulo The Musical embraces the fusion of the old traditional hymns with the new hymns that are composed in this day by authors who are passionate about worship until 23 Dec. Bookings: 012 392 4139 / www.statetheatre.co.za/ Until 31 Dec you can immerse yourself into the magical and sexy cabaret Caliente - Circo De Danza at the The Followspot Kalk Bay Theatre. Inspired by heat, it’s the greatest micro dance circus in Africa. Bookings: 021 788 7257 / www.kalkbaytheatre.co.za At Theatre On The Bay you can see Alan Committie’s hilarious stand up show Planet Mirth - A funny look at everything! Is on 31 Dec. Bookings: 21 438 3301 / www.pietertoerien.co.za

JOBURG At the Montecasino in Joburg the virtuoso talents A Handful Of Keys are Roelof Colyn and James Smith until 7 Jan, and Dickens’ timeless tale of warmth and redemption, A Christmas Carol gets a revamp at the Montecasino Studio until 7 Jan. The wild punk-rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch is on from 2 March, starring Paul Du Toit and Genna Galloway, and follows Hedwig, her roadie, Yitzhak, and their fictional rock band, The Angry Inch, as they shadow Tommy’s tour while exploring Hedwig’s past and her complex gender identity. Age restriction: 18+ SVLP. Bookings: 011 511 1988 /www.pietertoerien.co.za At the Teatro at Montecasino The Sound Of Music runs from 31 March to 29 April, with Andre Schwartz as Captain von Trapp and Carmen Pretorius as Maria. Bookings: 011 510 7472 / www.pietertoerien.co.za

DURBAN In Durban Anthony Stonier, in his 20th Adult Panto, is ready to suck you dry with laughter as Count(ess) Dracula! in the Adult Panto Dracula until 30 Dec at the supper theatre Club Altitude. Bookings: 0718205617 / www.quicket.co.za. Tina: Simply The Best, which features well-known cast members from previous Showtime Australia hit shows, is on at the Izulu Theatre at the Sibaya Casino in Durban from 15 Dec to 7 Jan. This dazzling show recreates the powerful and energetic vocals and stage presence of the Queen of Rock, Tina Turner. Book at Computicket.

THE KAROO Escape to the serene tranquility of the Karoo and experience world class entertainment at The Showroom Theatre in Prince Albert: Blues guitarists Doc MacLean and Albert Frost’s African Blues ( 15 Dec), enjoy the mellow music of Coffee Snobs (20 Dec), a Christmas show with Suzanne Rentzke (23 Dec), Oldies But Goldies – A Trip Down Memory Lane (31 Dec), Evita Bezuidenhout & Kaktus Of Separate Development (2 March) and Pieter Dirk Uys’ One Man Memoir The Echo Of The Noise (3 March). Bookings: 023 541 1563/ www.showroomtheatre.co.za Experience Theatre Live and visit www.writingstudio.co.za, featuring listing of theatres in South Africa and internationally.

IBIZA 2017

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY

CAPE TOWN 23 FEB - 3 MARCH

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