QUEERish

Q U E E R ish cutting-edge content for the community

August 2020

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Edition #1

LOCKDOWN SPECIAL le freak,

c’est chic!

putting the kink in fashion

Mask 4 mask: show your pride whilst staying safe

A decade in a dress: Confessions of a crossdresser

Special: Keep your sims stylish - in partnership with

WE STAND WITH YOU #black blacklivesm m at t e r

The mystifying new fragrance for they, them .. . and for you

C O NT E NT S

page

LGBTQ+ definitions 10 Make sure you’re up to date with what the ever-evolving definitions of key LGBTQIA terms are, from intersex to asexuals and, of course, QUEER! The Dos and don’ts of being an ally 12 Your simply guide to being an ally in challenging times Herstory of drag 13 Queerish conversations: what it means to be non-binary 15 How to cope with not being ‘normal’ (whatever that is!)

QC: pansexual in a pandemic 18

‘one a day’ fashion 62 Our top pics of your most novel accessory

QC: to acceptance and beyond 18 We talk to a heterosexual cis female for her hot take on how LGBTQ+ acceptance looks frmo the other side of the lens

essential lockdown entertainment 64 Save your sanity and your bank balance; here’s our top picks of how to while away the hours...

a decade in drag: confessions of a cressdresser 26 welcome to chromatica Explore Gaga’s alien-inspired colour pallete 31 chromatica: get the look 36 sims 4 queerish fashion tips 41 50 shades of fashion 49 lockdown realness 59 Your must-haves to stay both safe and stylish mask 4 mask 61 Our top picks of your most novel accessories...

god save the queens: a dragcon exclusive 69 Go behind the scenes at the nation’s first Drag convention...

DoNaTe nOw! QUEER

ish

Help us to grow...

bit.ly/grow bit.ly/ growQUEERish QUEERish Thank you for your support

ediTor’S Welcome to the first ever edition of QUEERish. 2020 has already been such a crazy year - I honestly couldn’t think of a more terrifying time to launch a new magazine, but here at QUEERish we’re on a mission to cultivate change in the community and make young people feel more comfortable with themselves, and that simply can’t wait for less turbulent times. In this very special lockdown edition of QUEERish, we’ll take you on a whistlestop tour of Chromatica, show you the kinky side of fashion, and introduce you to our team in QUEERish Conversations.

Creating this magazine during a global pandemic has presented us with unique and unforeseen challenges, especially when it comes to photoshoots - which left us with an interesting backdrop that looks like an early 2000’s green screen! That’s all part of the fun, though. Nothing is perfect right now and we all know that but we can still put our personality

into all that we do. I find myself giving heartfelt credit to those who are still pushing through and trying to create content, despite all the restrictions currently in place.

As LGBTQ+ community members, we’re no strangers to adverse conditions and uphill struggles. As a young queer man, I learnt that people will look, stare, and judge no matter what I wear. Once I stopped caring about others and focused solely

message

on what I want to do, I found I noticed the negative less and my conviction attracted the positive; compliments on my outfits and envy of my confidence to wear such expressive and loud attire has boosted my self-esteem and allowed me to really create a sense of self... and you can too. Join me...

Because right now, we need to come togehther as a community and fight our corner - and we can only do that as our most authentic selves. With Trans rights at risk, the introduction of LGBTQ+ free zones in Poland and two of the most insatiable idiots polluting power in the USA and UK, we find ourselves in traumatic times, so now’s the time to stop the internalised homophobia, judgement and segregation - it’s the time to offer love, support and (most importantly) to stand together.

Stay safe, QUEERish people!

Callum Stokes Editor in chief

On our covers

Callum Stokes Editor-in-chief and non-binary person.

jamie hogue Journalist, designer, and crossdresser.

Elizabeth smith Photographer and pansexual woman.

jodie howlett Journalist and heterosexual ally.

l g bT q +

definitions

a few of the basic definitions of the LGBTQIA community:

LESBIAN: women who are primarily attracted romantically, erotically, and/or emotionally to other women.

GAY: a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. Gay is often used to describe homosexual males but lesbians may also be referred to as gay.

Bisexuality: romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behaviour toward both males and females, or romantic or sexual attraction to people of any sex or gender identity; this latter aspect is sometimes termed pansexuality.

Transgender: a gender description for someone who has transitioned (or is transitioning) from living as one gender to another. Also can be used as an umbrella term for anyone whose sex assigned at birth and gender identity do not correspond in the expected way (e.g. someone who was assigned male at birth, but does not identify as a man) Queer: an umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities that are not heterosexual or cisgender. Queer was originally used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires but, beginning in the late-1980s, queer scholars and activists began to reclaim the word.

Questioning: the questioning of one’s gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, or all three is a process of exploration by people who may be unsure, still exploring, and concerned about applying a social label to themselves for various reasons.

Intersex: a variation in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, or genitals that do not allow an individual to be distinctly identified as male or female.

Asexuality(or nonsexuality): the lack of sexual attraction to anyone, or low or absent interest in sexual activity. It may be considered the lack of a sexual orientation, or one of the variations thereof, alongside heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality.

Ally: a (typically straight and/or cisgender) who supports and respects members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

dos

and d o n t’ s

Yo u r s i mple g u i d e to b e i n g a g o o d ally i n c h alle n g i n g t i me s

Do

Don’t

• Involve and immerse yourself in the community

• Make it all about you – remember that your rights are never at risk • Tell someone who is LGBTQIA+ they are overreacting if they think someone is being homophobic – this may well not be happening but to them it’s what they’re used to and the first thing they jump to. It’s not their fault • Ask personal questions –unless you know this person and know they are happy to answer • Let homophobic jokes slide because there are no LGBTQ+ people around –it just encourages and normalizes it • Waste your breath on homophobic people who don’t want to hear –say your piece and leave them, don’t let their stubborn ways drag you down • “I understand but…”, “I get it but…”, “you say that but…”, “I support but…”

• Discriminate against any part of the community –to be an ally you need to support the whole community • Discount people because you don’t understand why they are the way they are –they don’t understand why you’re heterosexual either • Be hard on yourself because you think you don’t do

• Support your friends as well as others • Educate yourself • Try to understand and ask questions where appropriate • Use your voice to speak up for LGBTQIA+ rights • Shut down homophobic speech and inappropriate jokes • Educate others – where possible • Talk to your family and friends about the LGBTQ+ community and help normalise it • Follow and support LGBTQ+ news sources and keep up to date with LGBTQ+ issues • Support LGBTQ+ events and venues by attending • Support and donate to LGBTQ+ charities

ENIGMA

The mystifying new fragrance for they, them .. . and for you

A brief

herstory

of Drag

ly m e n l a n i g i Or e n in m o w s a dressed n p la y s a e r a e p Sh a k e s

arlem ball Pose: th e H d a safe scene c rea te g q ue e n s a r d r fo e c s pa

Dr a q q u eens took to r u n wa y as a ch e th e a alterna ti ve to sup per ermodels

During World War II, men threw on frocks to entertain troops

M ar s h a P a drag q . J ohnson was ue e who foug n and ac tivis ht for eq uality

s to From da me d ra g h a s Q ue e n ( s ) in th e always been

W o me n w or e m e n’s c lo th es to a ssert th emselve s as equ al s

Drag imper sona tor s gave us th e chan ce to see celebrities close-u p

T o da y , d r a normaag has become media al part of th e nd socie t y

QUEER

ish

Co n v e r sat i o n s

What does it mean to be Non-binary

?

We sit down with our editor-in-chief to find out what it means to be nonbinary. Callum stokes discusses how to make sense of not being ‘normal’ and why style has no dress code or gender...

So, Callum - how would you describe yourself if you could summarise yourself in three words?

Unique, passionate and compassionate.

opens me up and allows me to easily interpret emotions and struggles that others are trying to convey.

Can you tell me what it means to identify as non-binary? Nonbinary means different things to people, for me it’s about acknowledging that I’m not a typical man but I’m also not just a feminine boy, I sit between the lines of the binary. I think personally it also has a lot to do with my fashion taste.

I spent a long time debating whether I was a male or a female but realised that i was both and neither.

to really think about it more and do my research. It was at a similar time that I found the term non-binary, but at first I didnt identify with that, I think it was fear mixed with a lack of understanding.

That makes sense - school in particular can make people feel they need to homogenise I see. Would you say that changes day by day, so there - when really that’s when people are still learning who are some days where you’re they are. How would you more inclined to present describe your style now? as more masculine or more And do you feel that being feminine?

It used to, but I think that was non-binary gives you more largely down to environment, options in terms of exploring and showcasing it? there were situations where I totally agree. I’d say my I couldn’t show my feminine style varies depending on my side and situations where mood, but overall its loud, I could. Now I’ve learnt to camp and slightly feminine. embrace both sides and almost pull them together so I love to take masculine So you’d describe as elements and feminine I’m not hiding either. something a kindhearted elements and combine them. humanitarian? Would you say I’d say my style and fashion that identifying as non-binary So, how long would you say is a way to express myself you’ve felt this way? And means you’re especially have you always known there and it was probably my sense sympathetic to others? of fashion and style that led was a term for it?

Yeah I would, I think I’ve me to explore my gender I think I always felt I wasnt finally came to terms with identity more. I definitely use “normal” but it wasn’t until who I am and that brings a few years ago that I started it to showcase who I am and a certain inner peace that

a large part of that is my gender identity.

What would does say about you personally? You strike me as very outgoing?

I think personally my fashion would say I’m outgoing, but in reality I’m not. I use my fashion to create the illusion that I have confidence which itself helps boost my confidence.

So you’d say you use your style and personal fashion to put a more confident version of yourself forward?

Yeah definitely, they always say ‘dress for the job you want’ but I dress for the confidence I want.

Arguably something that’s harder to get that a job!

So what inspires you?

Oh yeah definitely. I look at celebrities like Billy Porter

and Ezra Miller who often push the boundaries of gender with their fashion and I think I’d love to see more of that in the world.

But without sounding too corny, I’d have to say my biggest inspiration is myself and staying true to who I am.

No, those are some stellar examples - both are pushing boundaries , so it’s something to aspire to.

Definitely. I love what they do and I think they help shine a light on our world and who we are.

If our readers like your style, where can they get kitted out and explore the look?

Yeah definitely, I tend to get a lot of my stuff from online retailers such as ASOS, especially because I order a lot of womens clothes, it’s easier and less awkward than going to shops.

What would you say to those people still struggling to find the best representation of themselves in their look and in their lives - such as gender identity?

I’d say these things take time, if you look in the right places there are some great finds,

but we’re still not widely represented in the fashion world and what is out there can either be hard to find or super expensive. Just do what you can with what you can get and as we progress forward hopefully there will be more available. I’d also say do what makes you feel comfortable, dont try to live up to some expectations that maybe dont reflect you.

There is no dress code for

pansexual

in a

pandemic Covid-19 has given everyone a new set of challenges that we have had overcome by adapting. Not being able to see with our friends has been difficult, but we have still found ways to connect and maintain our relationships.

I took the opportunity to chat with our photographer on Facebook about mental So, tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

My name's Elizabeth, I'm 22 years old and I'm a freelance photographer. I'm a cis female and identify as pansexual.

For those who maybe don’t know, can you explain what pansexual is?

To me, pansexual means that you look more into an individual’s personality rather than superficial looks. It also means that I will date anyone regardless of their gender identity or biological identity Oh, that's pretty cool and open. So obviously it's one of the more obscure sexualities, how and when did you discover that it was the right fit for you?

I like to think I'm a pretty open person in general! I was struggling with my identity when I was in high school. I knew I liked men but found myself becoming interested in girls. I spent a few months thinking that I was bisexual until I became romantically involved with a friend who was transitioning from female to male. He often asked me if his gender change bothered me. I always accepted him for who he was! It wasn't till a few months into the relationship my other friend told me about pansexuals and what it means. As soon as she explained I understood that I fit into that term and felt very welcomed into the community.

That sounds really lovely and genuine. Struggling with your identity must have been difficult, how did that impact your mental health?

I did feel very stressed and confused. I didn't feel like myself for a long time.

I knew my parents would accept me no matter what, but I worried about my classmates finding out and judging me for who I am. I was already at a low point with my mental health, but I feel like going through finding out your sexuality can take another toll. I often felt like I was pretending to be someone else just to keep my peers happy. However, when I came out, I felt a big weight lift from my shoulders as I had a lot of support. Even if my family did face some confusion of a term they had never heard of. I was constantly being asked “what does pansexual mean?�, but I was always happy to help them understand who I was and help educate them.

That's really nice and so great that your family supports you so much. You mentioned you were at a low point with your mental health, what exactly did you suffer with?

My mental health started as depression. I lost my grandad and I never really knew how to grieve his death. I think struggling with depression did make me question who I was even more than usual. As I managed my depression, I became more and more anxious, till I was told I have Depression with mixed anxiety. I still suffer with both to this date, while having to now manage PTSD. Can I ask about the PTSD and what caused that?

My PTSD was after an incident of being touched by a guy. He attempted to sexually assault me as I repeatedly moved his hand and asked him to stop. I still can't be touched by a guy without feeling anxious and suffer from nightmares and vivid flashbacks. It's affected my dating life a lot more than I let on to others.

That's really horrible. I can imagine that's had a huge impact on your depression as well. How do you manage all your mental health struggles?

It really had and still has a big impact on my depression. A few weeks after the incident I ended up in A&E with suicidal thoughts and was kept until the next morning, with the condition of several mental health reviews. I'm in a better place now and I have learnt how important self-care is. Really simple things like cleaning your room, having a bath, and keeping a thought journal can make a big difference. I do However take different medication to manage the side effects of my mental health. this includes trouble sleeping, low moods and trouble waking up. Medication has been a big trial and error and probably will be for years Yeah, mental health can be a very long-term thing, but it sounds like you've got it under control, do you ever worry about how it will affect you in the future?

I worry a lot about how it will affect my future. I have recently got back into the dating game and I often feel myself second guessing a lot of things. I also worry about how it will affect my job as I work alone and find it hard to get the energy to do work as my depression can control my energy. I also often think about how my mental health could get worse in the coming years before getting better. I also stress about one day acting upon my suicidal thoughts, even if that means it happens tomorrow or in 20 years time. Mental health is always there, we just need to look for the signs.

I agree, that's a lot of worry, what keeps you positive and on the right path moving forward?

Usually, planning little things with friends like meals out, holidays and coffee dates. But I often set myself small goals. As lockdown began, I found myself out of a job and decided to take a key worker role in a care home. Keeping myself busy during the pandemic has really helped my mental health. Another important thing to moving forward is to have hobbies. My photography has really helped me express my mental health as well as being an escape from it.

I recently decided to take up film photography, this helped keep it as a hobby rather than mixing the lines between work and hobby. I think to keep moving forward you need to see the beauty in the small things.

That sounds really good. So, would you say Covid had a negative impact on your mental health or would you say it actually helped you manage it more?

I think it has probably been 50/50. It helped me get a job with a more stable income but I find myself overworking. At the start of lockdown, I did find myself falling down the rabbit hole and I often didn't get out of bed till 3pm and sleeping for 12 hours. My parents helped me identify that I wasn't helping my mental health and they pushed me to get a job. However, I do find the job to be mentally challenging sometimes and do find I need to take several days off to help my mental health It's good that with the help of your parents you recognized that you were struggling, what advice would you give to anyone who is maybe new to mental health issues?

Well, firstly research is important. Go to your GP and explain your symptoms, they will give you plenty of information and help. During the pandemic it's been hard to see a GP but there are always charities like Samaritans and Mind who have plenty of information and call centers to help you through difficult times. Mainly understanding your mental health is the best first step and informing friends and family. If you don't have either tell a neighbour who can keep an eye on you That sounds like some really solid advice! Thank you so much for talking with me and opening up about your experiences with mental health Thank you for asking, and I hope I could help some of your readers!

If you’re struggling with mental health you can find more advice at: samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan

Mind.org.uk

nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-health-helplines/

QUEER

ish

Co n v e r sat i o n s

To acceptance - and beyond!

I had the opportunity to sit down on Skype with an old friend and discuss the LGBTQ+ community.

I’ve known Jodie for 10 years now, we met before I came out as gay, she has been a true friend and ally throughout our friendship. A little background on our ally: Jodie is 24, works as a quality engineer and identifies as a “heterosexual, cis gender female”.

Hi, Jodie! Today we are talking about the LGBTQ+ community, how would you say you fit into that?

I see myself as an ally to LGBTQ+ community, probably not as active as I could be in that sense, but I guess an open minded and supportive person.

That sounds ideal, So, what does the LGBTQ+ community mean to you?

By definition, Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer plus, a community of people that identify as outside of the heterosexual cis gender definition.

You have been for me, what does it mean to you to be an ally?

I think as an ally you’re kind of there to offer support, you don’t judge people for their life choices, you’d get involved with LGBTQ+ movements and try to be a bit of an activist and fight for better equality.

Yeah, but what about how you fit into the community and what it means to you to be a part of it?

I think for me, maybe I don’t fit the criteria as such but I’m involved in the sense that I have close friends, my brother and professional contacts who identity LGBTQ+. I think I kind

of embrace their choices and decisions and I’m quite open to learning more about it all.

Would you say you feel like you belong in the community or do you feel like you sit as an outsider?

Maybe, it’s a bit of both. I don’t feel as though I’m being pushed out of a certain community but I think there just isn’t enough general awareness around and people aren’t fully aware or they’ve not made themselves aware of how they can better support the community and become an active part of it, even if they don’t identify by definition.

Would you almost say it’s like allies have sort of been forgotten about or a lot of people don’t always realise kind of thing?

Yeah, I think they play a really important role, like maybe from your experience as well, you’ve had people that you can talk to.

As an ally it’s kind of like you’re this support function in a way.

At least that’s kind of how I see it. I do think allies play an important role to individuals, their confidence and how they can feel more comfortable in themselves. Maybe if people are made more aware of the important role they play then more people would come forward almost and say yeah “I’m an ally too” and I’m here to help with whatever, I can just be someone to listen to what’s on your mind and just be a friend.

I totally agree, for a long time

I kind of knew allies existed but I didn’t really know they were a part of the community and then when I did realise, I said to a few of my friends “you know, you guys are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, you’re allies” and some people have gone “No, I’m not really, I support you and I’m an ally but I’m not part of the community” whereas others have been like “omg that’s amazing, I’m actually a part of the LGBTQ+ community” they feel included all of a sudden. Do you feel you had the same experience when you realised you were an ally and a part of the community?

Yeah, I guess I didn’t’ even consider myself an ally really, I was like ‘well I’m just friends with people because I’m friends with people’ and it’s nothing to do with being LGBTQ+. And then when they say, “oh actually you’re kind of behaving in a way that an ally would behave”, it’s like oh okay, that’s good, I didn’t really know much about this.

I know there’s been a whole social media movement about friends with allies or something like that, I think that’s great and there’s an awful lot more the media can do to portray the kind of support avenues people can get and to encourage it.

diversity and inclusion in its broader sense. So if you consider the women in engineering thing, when I discuss that with people I think ‘well it’s not just about women in engineering’, it’s about everybody in engineering, including LGBTQ+ but there’s also BAME, people with disabilities, there’s so many minority groups that I think are overlooked sometimes, so in that sense I do support the LGBTQ+ community. I think maybe not identifying as LGBTQ+, I’m not really aware of what I can do and how I can help.

What kind of stuff would you like to see out there that can help allies and sort of give them clues on what they can do how they can get involved?

I think for a lot of young people, they struggle to kind of come to terms with their identity , to come out and share that with friends and family. So maybe a support network where people can kind of volunteer on an online platform and you know just like “I’m here as a friend and open to listen to you and we can have a chat and stuff”.

Almost like an anonymous or more private thing where you I completely agree, so obviously can basically just ask anything? you mentioned earlier that I’m thinking how there’s you don’t really do a lot for the mentoring platforms for community so to speak? students where you can get I guess I’m not a member of support from people who have any properly set up LGBTQ+ been and had that experience networks or anything like that before. Obviously I guess an ally but I’ve always supported can be someone who identifies movements that encourage as LGBT but is maybe more

mature in their identity if that makes sense, they’re fully out, fully accepting of it and they’re in a confident position to support others and offer a helping hand to someone who might be struggling. So, you know maybe like matching up those kind of people in an anonymous sense where you can just have open discussions and not have to worry about how they’re perceived, judged and obviously it’s all confidential.

angry, especially having close connections like you and my brother. I’d try to educate them, but I think in those situations you can react quite emotionally and people don’t want to listen to logic if they’ve got a very strong opinion, they think they’re right and they’ve got a lot of aggression, it’s very difficult to deal with.

I suppose it’s obviously more difficult for members of the community because we’re already vulnerable, but for Creating a safe space that allies it’s maybe why they includes allies who obviously a don’t get as much recognition lot of the time are our voice on in the community, because the other side. I suppose you a lot of members think they must feel like as an ally you sit should stand up, scream and on the border of both sort of shout because they can, a worlds really. lot easier than we can, but I Yeah, I think so. Obviously, suppose that’s not always the you see both sides to it. You reality. see people who are really Yeah, like myself I kind of have helpful and wanting to support to read up on stuff to keep everyone and they want gender up to date with the progress equality, equal rights, same sex that’s being made and the marriage, they’re campaigning news around LGBTQ+ issues. for all these amazing things So sometimes it’s like a fullbut then on the other hand you see people who are totally against it all and they’re spreading a lot of hate.

If you find that in that situation where you’re faced with someone who’s spreading homophobic and anti LGBTQ+ speech, how would you respond?

It would frustrate the hell out of me.

I’d feel genuinely

on conscious effort to try and keep up. It kind of makes it more difficult I think to fight the cause in a sense, because if you’re already identifying as LGBTQ+ and you’re in that network you’re already more informed I guess, but that’s just my perception really.

Obviously, it would benefit you and other allies to know where them networks are and how to access them.

Yeah for sure, to know where to look for what the current issues are specifically, what do statistics look like, what kind of laws are being passed. Just knowing where to look, some pool of information to just raise awareness would be really helpful.

I completely agree, what advice would you give to someone who is maybe like you ten years ago, when you didn’t really know many LGBTQ+ individuals and were less aware of the whole

community, someone who is just starting to become an ally and move into the community?

I’d say even if it feels a bit daunting and you don’t fully understand the LGBTQ+ community, you can still make a huge difference, you just need to be a friend at the end of the day. I’d say go for it. The kind of civil rights you are helping to advocate for, obviously you’re supporting people who aren’t causing any harm in anyway, why not let people just be themselves, be comfortable, love who they want, look how they want and just embrace their own personality. They’re not causing you or anyone else any harm so what’s the problem at the end of the day?

situations where I’ve had allies who have heard it and said, “wait this isn’t right” and they’ve stood up to it because they can.

I think maybe being out with allies and friends like that who have got your back, you can be more yourself and feel more comfortable.

Definitely, so moving forwards what do you think you could do for the community?

For me, I want anyone I meet in the community to feel like they can just be themselves around me and I want to be myself with them. I’d like to see more people being comfortable in themselves, particularly in the workplace.

In my workplace there’s around a thousand people and there’s only one person Yeah, I think the most I know that’s openly gay. important thing for allies to It’s not a discussion point remember is a lot of the time whatsoever. I think there’s a they’re the voice we can’t lot that allies can do to kind have. of set up support networks Definitley, it’s like my family in the workplace and to help have been worried about bring about space and create my brother just going on a supportive network. nights out, you know if he acts a certain way, he might Mmm, I’ve always said aggravate another person. education is one of the most important things, especially Absolutely, it happens! IU when it comes to the got called a faggot in a gay community. bar recently Yeah absolutely, obviously Really?! I hope he got kicked there’s a lot more that can be out! done in schools as well.

I agree, there’s been a lot of Yeah he did, it’s happened talk over the past few years a few times, in gay bars about it, obviously there that are our safe spaces. was protests in Birmingham Thankfully I’ve been in a few around that school that was

teaching about same sex relationships, what’s your view on that and what do you think should be done in schools?

Kids can be really cruel in some situations, I know when I was at school, even in year 9 there were kids that were really homophobic for no good reason, they were just, unjustifiable. I think kids need to be bought up to see that its totally normal to be part of the LGBTQ+ community, the fact that we even need an LGBTQ+ community in itself is, I don’t know, it should just be normal anyway right? It shouldn’t even be a point of discussion; I think if we can educate kids to have the perception that everybody is equal from a young age then growing up they’re less likely to take these unjustified viewpoints. I think the education system needs to incorporate more tuition in sort of life skills and just general awareness about stuff liken politics and equal rights, it was totally missing from my education anyway.

I can second that. We still have a long way to go, but with allies like you I’m sure we will get there. It’s been an absolute pleasure talking to you, I look forward to seeing what you do as an ally in the future.

Thank you, I think I will definitely try to play a more active role where I can.

A Decade in a dress

Confessions of a crossdresser A

QUEER reflection

ish

by jamie hogue

to their eighteenth birthday party - it was, of course, fancy dress. I’d been to scattering of awkward fancy-dress parties before, but never as a woman... but I’d recently come out of the closet (something which I’m sure must have been a two-way mirror to everyone but me) so I took a chance.

Now, I can’t remember a lot from that night (there’s literally a photo of me sat in a urinal, so I’ll leave that to your imagination) but what I can remember is deciding to go as Lady Gaga... Straw-like I don’t need to idle anxiously wig, a cheap H&M top and or seek control - because I can create a new person that has all some leggings I’d later discover I didn’t have on right - what my desires and drives, but an entirely different outlook. The could go wrong? Sadly, this idea proved to be less than stellar worries are still there - don’t when the very first song played get me wrong - but they’re into a silent working man’s club safely tucked away in that box was, of course, Poker Face. until I’m ready to take them out again (or until I get a wiginduced headache, at least).

I’ve been crossdressing for about thirteen years now, but it still gives me that same feeling: quietly comforting and somehow cleansing - although try telling that to my towels, which look like someone let Lee Evans loose with a paint-gun.

There’s something strangely comforting about being able to pack yourself away in a box. For a few hours, you seem to shed all those gnawing insecurities that bite away at the back of your brain; for a control freak like me, it’s one of the few times I can actually relax.

A lady (gaga) of the night Like most good stories, mine started with Lady Gaga and an absent parent. It was late 2009 and Poker Face had risen from the top of my charts - before promptly falling on on my last nerve. Before the seemingly ceasless airplay did just that, my friend Ashley invited me

Just dance Did I know the dance? Did I balls. But after the silence became jeering (all very jovial, but still) I clambered to the dance floor with all the grace of someone standing up

on the bus just as it judders to a screeching halt. After almost four minutes of disembodied flailing, the nightmare ended and an entirely different dream began.

Now, I’m not the kind of person that stands up to dance in a room full of mostly strangers (there was a LOT of his family present) but that potent combination of peer pressure and rampant delusion turned me into someone else.

I might have been a Poundland facsimile of Gaga, but that wig that absolutely blinded my peripheral vision somehow also made me see more clearly.

If I could do that, what else could I do?

Post-parody It was a few months after Ashley’s 18th that I mustered up the courage to go a step further. Parody was one thing, but as empowering as it had felt, it wasn’t enough.

At the time I lived with my dad, who worked nights - so when I say he was absent, I mean it in the most literal sense - he physically wasn’t in the house a lot of the time.

After 17 years of being under the ever-watchful eye of my mum, the idea that I would have the entire house to myself was absolutely inconceivable.

What began as one solitary wig (that I’m sure I wouldn’t be seen dead in now) soon snowballed into something else. I’d love to sit here and take credit for having a calm and logical explorable of my what

I wanted from life - my depths, and my desires, my demands, but I can’t - because after Gaga came the boy who transformed into a lady whenenever he got the chance... adam and evening I met my first boyfriend on Bebo. (I know, don’t @ me! I also had a painfully awkward community poetry page, so hormonal indescretions should be your least shameful takeaway from this).

Adam was an enigma, an anomoly, and easily the most genuine soul I’ve ever met - and he just so happened to be a crossdresser who lived within walking distance.

We spent the best part of 10 years together in total. From the the early days in 2009, the late nights discretely dressing in the living room once Dad’s car pulled away into the darkness, past moving away to study at university, to getting my first job, losing my first job, and every ostacle in between. He was always there with a wig in one hand, a whiskey in the other, and an immutable joy that filled every room he

entered.

Adam taught me a great deal of things: how to be kind, how to open my mind to possibilites beyond your comprehension and, fittingly, how to transform into a better version of myself with nothing more than a ratty wig and and a desire to be something different.

getting out of the grey After a few years of quietly crossdressing at home, I progressed to intimate evenings with friends, and finally to going on nights out in towns both familiar and foreign whilst presenting fully as a female - and bar a few wig-related incidents in the appropriatelynamed Mosh, it’s usually a pleasurable bubble isolated from reality.

I’ve always been effeminate; I always viewed my bone structure, slight build, and pale complexion as a constant liability from the moment I stepped into school. I used to spend hours gripped with an acute, almost feverish anxiety,

that I would somehow discover a way to make myself stand out from the crowd even further.

I wanted to be grey. I wanted to be so devoid of colour and saturation that I would be able to sneak through life utterly unseen - for fear of being mocked, bullied, or anything otherwise outstanding.

For a time, I thought that I might be transgender (and my mother did too - hence calling me at work one afternoon to ask when I was “getting it chopped off”) but that path never looked quite familiar enough to walk down. It’s a path I respect and I like to think I understand, at least in part, but it isn’t for me.

I don’t feel like my body is not my own, I don’t feel that I am fundamentally meant to be someone else that my biology denies me - it’s just that as a formerly-grey person, I sometimes like a splash of colour. don’t be a drag I’ve occasionally dressed as other people, such as artists or drag queens, but I don’t consider what I do to be drag.

I’m not trying to create a largerthan-life persona, or become someone else; I crossdress because I enjoy the novelty of transformation and I find it comforting to step away from myself for a time. I don’t want to become someone else, but there’s an enduring appeal in the idea that I can leave ‘Jamie’ in a box for a little while, and keep the lid on for as long as I need to...

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Get ready to serve it

Ancient city style . . .

freedom fighter

Junkyard scavenger

eco warrior

Government official

cyber kid

Kindness punk

Transport yourself to

Chromatica

get the look

freedom fighter For this look we used a custom-made House of Mostro T-shirt and jeans, but you can get the look yourself at home. Simple grab your black T-shirt and jeans and cut holes in them, then use a blue fabric to patch the holes up. You can make it your own by doing different sized and shaped holes in different locations. This simple look will help you fight for freedom on Chromatica.

Junkyard scavenger For this look we used dungarees from ASOS (£35.00), an old pair of steel-toe-capped boots we had lying around from past explorations, and chains from Homebase. It’s a pretty simple look that you can recreate at home, giving you authentic junkyard scavenger vibes.

eco warrior For this look we used a custom-made T-shirt from House of Mostro and paired it with a homemade pair of short shorts.

But don’t worry, this look is easy to recreate at home; just get some artificial flowers from somewhere like The Range and sew them onto a green top. Make it individual and unique by using your favourite flowers and plants to create a look that screams “I am an Eco Warrior!”

Government official This look features a custom cape from House of Mostro with a simple black T-shirt and jeans underneath. This look is super simple to recreate; just grab some red material and sew it yourself, or (failing that) shop around and find a nice red cape.

Pair it with a pair of black boots and you’re ready to keep order on Chromatica.

cyber kid This is one of our more simplistic looks but it channels Stupid Love to a tee! A pair of yellow high-wasted trousers (£25.00) and a training top (£14.00) from ASOS. Its an easy look to achieve that would instantly signal which tribe you belong to on Chromatica.

Kindness punk

This look is inspired by Gaga herself. One of our more complex looks, it features a baby pink harness with chains from ASOS (£20.00) over a holographic skin-tight jumpsuit from House of Mostro (£30.00), accompanied by a fan from Dirty Squirel (£10.00), Head chain from ASOS (£15.00) and heels from Sequin showstoppers (£95.00). This look is something we could see Gaga decked out in whilst spreading the love and kindess on Chromatica!

QUEER

ish

Fa sh i on t i p s

With lockdown keeping us all stuck at home, we can’t think of a better excuse to spend hours on end playing The Sims 4. Why do your own housework when you can build a mansion and watch your sims do their housework? If, like us, you’re finding yourself spending 12+ hours a day building houses for you Sims and then wondering how to dress them, then look no further - we’ve put together some of our favourite looks from our Queerish Sims to share with you!

Jamie

firstly, let us introduce you to Jamie! He is a sim with ambition, an investigative journalist his work is his life, but he still finds the time to chill with Queerish crew and party...

Every day

For his everyday wear, Jamie likes to keep it simple. His hair is from the base game, top from Movie Hangout Stuff, bottoms from Bowling Night Stuff and sandals from Get Famous. He accessorises with a base game necklace, Eco Lifestyle glasses and Vintage Glamour Stuff watch. With this look, Jamie is ready to blend into the crowd and catch the next big scoop.

Formal

When it comes to formal wear, Jamie likes to impress; he changes up his hair for a style from City Living, puts on a sparkling suit from Luxury Party Stuff and shoes from City Living. He accessorises with a basic pair of stud earrings from the base game and rings from Get Famous. Jamie is ready to stand out at a formal event – from dinner with the Editor-in-chief to collecting his award for investigative journalist of the year.

Athletic

When he is not at the office or sat at his desk, Jamie reluctantly hits the gym. He puts on his Spa Day crop top and Discover University joggers, covers his base game hair with a base game beanie and slips on his white base game shoes. He wears the Spa Day watch to time himself and the Island Living whistle around his neck so he looks more athletic.

Sleep

For Jamie, bedtime is a sacred time. So, he keeps it simple and changes his hair for a messier style from Eco Lifestyle, a top from Island Living, bottoms from Laundry Day Stuff and slippers from the base game.

Party

When it comes to party time, Jamie likes to crossdress. With hair from Get Famous, he does his eyes using MAC, gets his eyeliner from the base game, cheeks from MAC, and lips from MAC. He puts on a pair of base game earrings, a dress from Vampires and heels form the base game.

Tonight, Jamie has been left at home, so Jacqueline has been let out!

Hot weather

When the temperatures start to peak, Jamie likes to look and stay cool. Everything for this look is from the base game – including the pride t-shirt. Thank you, The Sims 4, for allowing Jamie to wear our flag with pride and show he is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Swim

When it comes to pool time, Jamie would rather be sat on the sidelines than in the water. He leaves his standard base game hair and puts on his swim trunks with a cute little sarong from Island Living, sandals from Eco Lifestyle and accessorises with a pair of base game sunglasses and a bracelet from Outdoor Retreat.

Cold weather

Jamie loves the cold; it is his favourite weather.

He dons this full-body outfit from the Vampires game pack and pairs it with shoes from Outdoor Retreat and accessorizes with a pair of gloves and hat from the base game.

Gotta stay warm on those chilly sim days!

Liz

Meet Liz. She’s a freelance fashion photographer with her own unique style. Rebellious at heart, she has an eyebrow piercing from Eco Lifestyle that she keeps for all of her looks. Liz is looking for love in a world full of unique sims and never stops searching for her simulated soulmate...

Everyday On a day-to-day basis, Liz likes to keep it casual, she has dip-dyed hair from Island Living, eyeliner from the base game with cheeks and lips from MAC and an eyebrow piercing from Eco Lifestyle. She wears a comfy jumper from Tiny Living Stuff, bottoms from Realm of Magic and boots from Discover University.

She’s comfy and ready to work.

Athletic Liz loves to go to the Gym, halfying back her hair with the Island Living hairstyle, she puts on her Moschino Stuff top and Discover University jogger with her deep pink base game shoes.

Maybe she will meet her one true love whilst on the treadmill?

Formal When it comes to her formal wear, Liz shows no hesitation in crossing gender boundaries. With half-up, half-down dipdyed hair from Island Living, she gets her eyes, eyeliner, cheeks and lips from MAC. Her blazer, shirt and tie combo is from City Living, her bottoms from the base game and her shoes from Get Famous. She’s feeling fine, looking great, and ready to mingle.

Sleep Liz likes to sleep in luxury. She puts a towel from Spa Day on her head, puts on a glamorous necklace from base game and a robe from Vintage Glamour Stuff. She needs to be looking fabulous if her prince – or princess - charming comes to wake her from her slumber.

Party It’s time to party and Liz is going to take that opportunity to try to impress potential love interests. She lets her Island Living hair down, uses a subtle style for her eyes and eyeliner from thee base game and does her cheeks and lips using MAC. She puts on a colourful jumpsuit with crop cardigan from City Living and heels from the base game.

She accessorizes with a multi-chain necklace from Get To Work.

Swim When it’s time to hang out around the pool, Liz can be found looking classy and sunbathing with a cocktail. She uses a tiedback hairstyle from the base game and keeps her makeup simple by only putting on MAC lipstick.

For her outfit she puts on a little swim dress from Seasons and pairs it with a pair of wedge heels from Laundry Day Stuff. She accessorises with a large white hat from Seasons, sunglasses and earrings from the base game and a necklace from Island Living.

She came to impress, maybe a lifeguard can save her love life?

Hot weather When not by the pool during the summer heat, Liz lets her hair down again with this Island Living hairstyle.

She changes into a dungaree-style dress with black top from Discover University and heels from Perfect Patio stuff with bangles from get to work. It’s a simple outfit perfect for a hot summer day.

Cold weather As winter rolls in and temperatures plummet, Liz covers her Island Living hairstyle with a red beanie from the base game, with matching this with gloves from Get to Work she puts on a little red dress with a blackcoat from Seasons and tights from the base game. She’s ready for a winter romance.

Callum

Callum is a non-binary sim who doesn’t believe

in the constraints gender binaries place on sims.

He has a successful career as a trendsetter within the style influencer career. Callum keeps the same pink hairstyle for every one of his looks, the style form Eco Lifestyle is a small bop, tied up with shaved sides. He likes to stand out in a crowd and tell the simworld you can be whoever you want and wear whatever you want.

Everyday Callum double denims for his everyday look, putting on a denim crop top and jeans with a skirt element from Eco Lifestyle and basic white pumps from Get to Work, he accessorises with earrings from Realm of Magic.

Callum not only likes to push gender boundaries but also the constraints of fashion; who would have thought double denim could look so good?!

Athletic When it come to working out, Callum just likes a gentle jog around the block.

He changes into matching shorts and crop top from Discover University and shoes from Fitness Stuff, showing off his impeccable fashion sense and skinny physique to the whole neighbourhood.

Formal When it’s time to get formal, Callum isn’t playing around.

He pushed the boundaries further by wearing a woman’s blazer from Luxury Party Stuff, skin-tight bottoms, and heels from the base game. He accessorises with earrings and necklace from Luxury Party Stuff.

For makeup, he uses eyes, eyeliner, cheeks, and lips from MAC. Not only does he look stunning, but he’s got something to say about gender norms.

Sleep When it comes to bedtime Callum keeps it simple and comfy. He puts on an oversized shirt and bunny slippers for the base game. He’ll sleep well in comfort and fashion...

Party Callum must be the centre of every party.

He puts on a pair of high heels from the base game, shorts with straps from Get Together, a longsleeved top featuring mesh and a harness on the chest from Realm Of Magic and accessories with earrings from Realm Of Magic. He puts on makeup with eyes from Get to Work, eyeliner from Realm of Magic, cheeks, and lips from MAC. He’s definitely going to have all eyes on him.

Hot weather During a heatwave Callum likes to look as hot as the weather. He changes into a pair of short shorts, stylish top and pumps all from the base game.

He accessorises a simple necklace from the base game, earrings from City Living, sunglasses and hat from Movie Hangout Stuff. Keeping his makeup simple he just has a red lip from MAC. Callum is the envy of the neighbourhood with this sleek look.

Swim When it comes to swimwear, Callum likes to keep it simple-ish.

He loves to swim and look good on the pool side. He puts on a pair of speedos with a sheer sarong from Island Living and leaves it at that. He knows how to get attention with everything he wears.

Cold weather Callum really hates the cold and when winter hits he can normally be found by the fireplace reading a book, but when he does have to venture outside, he makes sure he is at the height of fashion. He puts on this full body outfit from Realm of Magic, with earrings from the base game and boots from Moschino Stuff.

Keeping himself looking good whilst building a snowman.

The Sims 4 is a great way to express yourself and create the world you want. We certainly love playing with our sims, telling their stories, guiding their lives, and watching them achieve great things. Our little Queerish sims family is available for download on The Sims 4 Gallery if you want to have a closer look at them or put them in your world. DM us @callummostro and use #queerishsims to let us know how our sims fit into your world. Happy simming, simmers!

50 shades of

QUEER Fas h i o n

ish

Le freak c’est chic: Putting the kink in fashion rock musicians, such as The Rolling Stones, in the 70’s Vivienne Westwood pushed fetish fashion even further with her London shop ‘Sex’, and in the 80’s Jean Paul Gaultier added his piece with his designs for Madonna’s ‘Blonde Ambition’ Tour.

Today, we tend to forget that materials such as Latex, Leather and Lace and items such as chokers which have Fetish-inspired fashion is on the rise, but don’t be fooled, been normalised by the recent 90s revival, have a this is no new trend. Kinky dark and storied past - but fashion has been around longer than you think; leather a lot of us wear these on a daily basis without thinking became popular in the gay twice about how they were community in the 40’s and was then catapulted into the once for the bedroo or the streets... mainstream in the 60’s by In recent years, stars such as Adam Rippon, Timothée Chalamet, Lady Gaga and Rihanna have incorporated the more illicit side of fashion into their wardrobes and sent people into a frenzy.

So, it’s no surprise that celebrities have started to incorporate items such as harnesses into their style, turning the red carpet into a more formal Folsom Street.

There is something exciting and exhilarating about wearing something that was originally designed to be used in the bedroom out in public as part of an everyday outfit. It can even vary from extreme to subtle depending on individual style, giving this trend the opportunity to be unique for each wearer.

When incorporating fetish fashion into your wardrobe, there are a number of factors to consider...

What will people think of me?

Limehaus burgundy suit: £95.00 Bolongaro Trevor Truman leather harness: £85.00

There will always be haters - so if you’re comfortable and living your best life, no one else’s opinion matters.

You do you.

Is my body right for it?

Look to celebrities who will wear anything & make it look good - like Lizzo, for inspiration...

You don’t have to be a chiselled Adonis to pull it off. You know y your body and what fits, work to your strengths.

ASOS DESIGN faux leather chest harness: £20.00 Yours burgundy dress: £35.00 Dr Martens: £69.00

Primark white shirt: £5.00 ASOS DESIGN cigarette suit trousers in high shine gunmetal sateen: £40.00 ASOS Burgundy tie: £8.00 Bolongaro Trevor Truman leather harness: £85.00

I’m too old for this

No, just no.

I don’t want to hear that,

Madonna is living prood you’re NEVER too old for fetish-inspired fashion

ASOS DESIGN faux leather chest harness: £20.00 Next white shirt: £22.00 Next jeans: £40.00 Ted Baker tie: £30.00

What’s too extreme?

Simple, pretty much nothing. Obviously don’t break any laws and try to make your look appropriate for the environment or event you will be at.

Primark white shirt: £5.00 ASOS DESIGN cigarette suit trousers in high shine gunmetal sateen: £40.00 ASOS Burgundy tie: £8.00 Bolongaro Trevor Truman leather harness: £85.00 ASOS DESIGN hoop and stud earring pack: £8.00 Flying Tiger Copenhagen glitter hipflask: £8.00

Everyone has a different perception and different limits, so as long as you’re comfortable and confident it doesn’t matter how extreme your look is.

ASOS DESIGN faux leather chest harness: £20.00 Next white shirt: £22.00 Next jeans: £40.00 Ted Baker tie: £30.00 Flying Tiger Copenhagen glitter hipflask: £8.00 Primark hoop earrings: £4.00

I just don’t have the confidence

ASOS Slim fit sheer mesh shirt in Black: £22.00 ASOS DESIGN strap harness with hanging chain detail in pink: £20.00 ASOS Ripped skinny jeans: £45.00 The bigger the hoop earrings: £10.00

Next trousers: Next: £24.00 Next white shirt: £22.00 Homebase – short link chain – bright zinc plated: £3.50 per meter Flying Tiger Copenhagen padlock: £2.00 Mood child: £9.99 Primark earrings: £3.00

Yes you do, its in there, you just need to find it.

Start of simple and subtle and only do what makes you comfortable but do what you want, don’t be scared to try.

QUEER

ish

Lo ck d ow n

Realness

to p Fas h i o n This understated unisex t-shirt from ASOS DESIGN x glaad is the perfect way to show your pride. Now £14.40 reduced from £18.00

Chilling at home is even better when you’re showing love for Katya with this cheeky t-shirt from Dragqueenmerch.com. $29.95

This genderless pinstriped crop top from Db-Berdan is ideal for working from home during the summer heatwaves. £50.00

“We should all be them” is the message this unisex t-shirt sends. Challenge the gender boundaries with this item from One DNA. $28.00 Why chill out when you can stand out?

This jumpsuit from Zara is perfect for doing odd-jobs around the house or stepping out in style. £95.99 This cropped hoodie with mesh sleeves from Asos is perfect for those days when it’s too cool for just a shirt but too hot for a full hoody - ideal! It can also be worn without a t-shirt underneath. £25.00

mas k 4 mas k Club London are bringing high fashion to this pandemic and at an affordable price of £9.99. This chic blue lace mask will keep you looking stylish whilst doing your food shop.

Show your pride and support our community with these LGBTQ+ masks from Gay Pride Shop. They have a selection of makes, for only £8.00, with the flag of most sub-communities including non-binary, lesbian and pansexual.

Taking into consideration those who rely on lip reading, this mask on Etsy comes in a variety of cute patterns, adult and kids sizes and only costs £12.07 with proceeds benefiting St Jude’s Childrens’ Research Hospital.

Rose gold is one of the must have colours right now, and what could make it better?

Sequins, of course darling! This mask will leave the rest of the bus envious and with a price tag of £9.99, what’s stopping you?

to p C ele b r i t y lo ck d ow n lo o k s Nicola Roberts in all her natural beauty after a run

Ariana Grande introduces the world to her natural curls.

Nicole Scherzinger shows off her flexibility whilst cleaning in a stunning jumpsuit.

Joan Collins cleans the house in a comfy casual outfit with no makeup.

O n e a day

Fashion

Work out and show your pride with this pride t-shirt from Gay Pride Shop. £10.00

The Nike Air Vapormax 2020 Flyknit trainers in pure platinum available from ASOS are not only cute but also made with left over materials to reduce waste. £189.95

These shorts from ASOS are simple, chic, and comfy to wear.

Perfect for jogging around the block. £14.00

Personalise your trainers and show your true self with these laces from Gay Pride Shop, available in a variety of different flag styles. £3.50 Socks are essential when working out, so why not show your pride with these socks from Gay Pride Shop. £10.00

Exercise like a pro with these sweatband sets from Gay Pride Shop, available in a variety of different flag styles. £6.00

Track your workout with the Fitbit Versa 2, available in a variety of colours. £199

Lo ck d ow n Entertainment

By Elizabeth Smith

Top TV series to binge

As lockdown sets in, you’l likely have have found some more time to watch TV. However, we often find ourselves getting bored of repeating the same old television series. Fear not! We have some great options for indulging in binge worthy LGBTQ+ shows that you’ll love.

AJ and The Queen. Although this show only has one season it’s still loved by many in the community. With the main cast being a mix of Ru Pauls drag race (Ru Paul, Valentina, Eureka O'Hara, Bianca Del Rio, Katya, Jinkx Monsoon and many more) and Netflix stars such as (Josh Segarra, Katerina Tannenbaum and Jane Krakowski). This charming series came onto our Netflix pages in January this year and captivated an audience. With many of us begging for another season. Unfortunately, Ru explained in tweet “Netflix has decided to not extend our trip across America. Thank you for all the love & support. We’re so very proud of the work”. This series Will have you laughing, crying and dancing all in one episode. This is a must watch series, that can’t be missed.

QUEER EYE. This series is one of my personal favourites, as it shows small changes you can make to lead a larger and better life experience. Queer Eye follows five gay men also known as ‘The Fab Five’ (Karamo, Bobby, Antoni, Tan, and Jonathan) as they take their collective expertise to help change the lives of struggling individuals. Each member of ‘The Fab Five’ has a unique area of expertise, Fashion (Tam), Hair & beauty (Johnathan), House renovation (Bobby), cooking (Antoni) and lifestyle (Karamo). This series is family-friendly, with plenty of heartfelt moments, whilst still being full of humour. If you love reality and lifestyle shows, you’ll likely love this tear-jerking series. Catch all 5 seasons on Netflix.

POSE shines a light on New York’s Ballroom scene in the 80’s and early 90’s, giving an insight into the inspirational world of ballroom culture. Following Blanca, a HIV-positive trans woman who started her own ‘house’, (The House of Evangelista) takes in estranged individuals and encourages them to build a better future for themselves. This heart-warming series will have you dancing, laughing, and crying in equal measure. The series tackles some extremely harsh truths that the queer community faced during this dark period, and does so in an extremely tasteful way but also reveals how full life could be, despite all the domineering obstacles faced. I’d recommend watching Pose not only for the absolutely unrivalled entertainment value, but also for the inherent education of our history it subtly places throughout.

Season 1 and 2 are available on BBC iPlayer.

Top albums to jam out to If you’re anything like me, you;ll have turned to music for much of lockdown to break up the hours, days and weeks and stop them stagnating. Although a lot of production slowed down during this time, we were still graced with some isolated gems. Here are my top three LGBTQ+ albums of 2020.

LADY GAGA - CHROMATICA

Dua Lipa is a fresh face for the LGBTQ+ community and is already close to achieving icon status. She dropped her album Future Nostalgia a few weeks into lockdown and it was just the ‘pick-me-up’ we needed. The album serves futuristic disco vibes and is ideal for forgetting about the mess of a world we live in. Dua is going all in with this album and has teased for her upcoming remix album “Club Future Nostalgia” that will feature some epic collaborations.

Top song from the album: Hallucinate

KYLIE - DISCO

Lady Gaga has been an integral part of the LGBTQ+ community for many years now. She’s been creating music since she was 20 years old, and since then has released six studio albums, with her latest creation Chromatica hitting streaming services on the 29th May 2020. The album, whcih shot to number 1 globally, features mammoth collaborations and epic transitions, and gives you the ability to escape to another dimension while still speaking truths about life back here on Earth.

TOP SONG: Rain on me – ft Ariana Grande DUA LIPA - FUTURE NOSTALGIA

This much anticipated album, due for release on the 6th November 2020, from a much-loved LGBTQ+ icon is said to be Kylie heading back to her roots and gifting us with some decadent disco.

That is evident in her first single “Say Something” which gives us chilled disco vibes and is such a bop for the summer.

We can’t wait for Kylie to funk up 2020 with this album!

Tik Tok hit the online iOS and android stores in 2016, not growing in popularity until 2019 - and with it, becoming a major part of society as we found ourselves in lockdown.

Many trends and challenges have since come into the public consciousness, whether that be ‘put a finger down if...’, dance challenges or even LGBTQ+ content...

The ‘Don’t Rush’ challenge is our favourite this month - being embraced by all corners of the TikTok community. Typically, it features the song ‘Don’t Rush’

by Young T & Bugsey featuring DaBaby, although some users have taken to the same challenge name using different songs. The trend involves users recording themselves as normal and then taking a make-up brush or prop and putting it in front of the camera to reveal them in make-up and different clothing. There have been many collaborations where the prop is handed or dropped virtually. Many drag artists and members of the LGBTQ+ family have taken to this trend. This challenge is for anyone wanting to show their creative side and wanting to collaborate with more LGBTQ+ individuals.

LGBTQ+ instas you need to follow now

Top celebrtities we love CARA DELEVINGNE Cara has spoken publicly about her bisexuality and how she identifies as gender-fluid. As well as this, she has been an advocate for the LGBT+ community and worked with charities such as The Trevor project. Her message is “embrace your weirdness, stop labelling, start living”.

@ReadyToStare

@maxisms

@micahholmesofficial

@iamjarijones

LIZZO Lizzo talks a lot about body positivity and the LGBT+ community. Her message is that you can be whoever you want to be. She is an inspiration and reminds us that we need to own who we are. We adore her unapologitic ‘f*ck the haters’ attitude...

LIL NAS X He shocked the world by coming out as gay whilst his song ‘Old Town Road’ simply soaring in the charts. He wanted to achieve great before announcing his sexuality, so it was not perceived as a stunt. He Said bye to the haters and has since been an advocate for LGBT+ people and we love that.

LAVERNE COX Laverne is one of the most recognisable trans actresses today.

She has shown us time after time that she is an inspirational woman, actress and advocate for trans women in Hollywood. She has proven that she is capable of anything and that’s why we love her...

S howsto p p i ng fash i ons fo r e v e ry o cc as i on . . . as s e e n at d r ag con

86A bristol street, Birmingham, B5 7AH

www. s e qu i nshowsto p p e r s . co. u k

God save the Queens Liz had some serious competition as Mother Ru and her army of Queens descended on London Words and original images by Callum Stokes and Jamie Hogue

F

inally, after months of excitement and anticipation, the day I’d been waiting for had arrived. Me and my friend woke early and eagerly prepared ourselves for the day ahead. We rushed to the tube station nearest to our hotel and wondered about what we would see, what we would buy, and who we would meet. Admittedly, we hadn’t done much research beforehand and were ill prepared for the day, but we wanted to live in the moment – and we were certainly served up a sizeable slice of spontaneity!

We got off the tube and wondered where the entrance was, quickly we followed the crowd and ended up in a (long) queue. There, the wait began and the realisation kicked in: this was it, we were at the nation’s first ever DragCon UK! After what felt like an eternity idling in the cold, we finally made it inside. We had no idea where to go first; it was just so overwhelming.

We grabbed our lanyards and t-shirts then headed towards the main stage, just in time to see ‘The Queens Walk’.

The Queens Arrive One by one, the queens emerged from the back of the main stage and strutted their way down the pink carpet – taking their place on the stairs leading up to a magnificent balcony overlooking the screeching throngs of fans. It was like a fashion show on steroids.

The queens were beautiful, each with stunning outfits and carefully curated looks.

It was an unparalleled excitement to be in the same room as these dazzling stars we’ve seen grace the small screen, such as: Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea, Bob The Drag Queen, Shea Couleé, Trinity “The Tuck” Taylor, Crystal and (of course!) the UK’s first Drag

Superstar appointed by RuPaul herself: The Vivienne, to name a few.

Once all the queens had strutted their stuff, we were free to wander and absorb the atmosphere, which was positively crackling with electricity. Slightly more relaxed, we decided to browse the open exhibition, ‘mosey around’, and just generally ‘go with the flow’. We quickly found ourselves at a stall selling ornate and outrageouslydesigned bamboo fans (a staple in the drag community). “I NEED one, I’m fed up of being the only gay without a giant fan,” I exclaimed to my friend. So, I impulsively purchased the most stunning black fan that simply said ‘SHADE’.

We then proceeded to browse an immense collection of extravagant lace-front wigs and other stalls selling staples for any drag enthusiast, before heading to

“I’m fed up of being the only gay without a giant fan!”

the balcony area, where we had our picture with the now iconic ‘Dragcon’ signage – in hot pink, naturally.

A Fairy Good Time Straight away we saw Blu Hydrangea’s stall and knew we just had to – it was also conveniently close to a bar which sealed the deal for us. As we neared the front of the queue – three away – Blu had to pop away for a bit. “I’ll be back!” she trilled before a frenzied departure. We waited and killed some time talking to one of her staff, who we later discovered was Blu’s sister! (Thanks to my friend for putting his foot in his mouth for that particular surprise).

Once Blu returned some time later, we had a picture taken with her and she signed a personal photo for me. It was incredible – in the most literal sense. She was wearing a light blue and pink holographic material, reflecting light into every corner, and the booth (itself covered in her namesake of blue hydrangeas) smelt like lavender and ylang ylang. My friend commented on the scent to which Blu laughed a reply of ‘thanks, it’s from Lush!” whilst brandishing a bottle of body spray labelled ‘Twilight’ – it all felt very apt to meet a real life fairy in twilight.

I’m not usually shy in the slightest but when it comes to meeting famous people, especially those that I admire, I turn into the complete opposite; I had no idea what to say – so with my verbal

diarrhoea, I spluttered out “this is the highlight of my year. 2020 can end for me now. Roll on 2021!” to which Blu laughed and said something along the lines of “that’s sweet but if this is the highlight of your year, that’s really sad”. She was lovely and extremely humble, and entirely ethereal. I was just overjoyed – I’d been officially frock destroyed!

Eccentric & outlandish There were so many weird and wonderful people from varied walks of life, from kids to adults, some elderly people, families and more.

The costumes were equal parts eccentric and outlandish – some (such as those wearing bondagewear

FROCK OFF! OFF! Who are our TOP and BOTTOM(S BOTTOM(S)) of DragCon? In true Ru fashion, we celebrate our leading looks - and pick out those that leave us feeling worse for wear...

Is Sum Ting Wong?

Wong? It absolutely is. We start off with the bold brummie queen in an asian-inspired outfit of soft purples and rose gold with a sweeping sleeve. Whilst it’s a nice concept, sadly the execution and lack of structure leaves this look lacking. Luckily, real life Bratz doll and makeup mogul Blair St Clair was able to blow us all away with a chic, understated nude essemble, complete with an absolutely unclockable lace-front wig that is indistinguishable from human hair - even from the front row! I do declare we have a WOMAN in our midst! Next up, we have Charlie Hides.

Hides. Yikes, I would too with an outfit like that. The over-simplified top drowns out any sense of a silhouette, and leaves us wondering if she knows where her actual glasses are... Finally, our fan favourite of the week goes to the inimitable Baga Chipz, Chipz, paying homage to her famous portrayal of an uncouth house maid in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. With its clear kitsch and camp value, she brings new momentum to the meme that made her famous. Simple yet well constructed, her signature style leaves us all feeling “MUCH BETTA!”.

Stream season one of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK on BBC iPlayer catch up on season’s 1-12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race on Netflix.

Charlie Hides

Blair St Clair

Sum Ting Wong Baga Chipz

and harnesses with high heels) would be almost sexual in any other atmosphere, but here it was understood that it was only about the visual impact and enjoying an incredible spectacle. It was amazing to see so much diversity and so much love in one place, like a little macrocosm of the LGBTQ+ community.

It was honestly inspiring to see so many people living life to the fullest, no matter what their age, gender, or sexuality.

On our belated browse of the upstairs balcony, we came across Mrs and Mr Kasha Davis (another famed alumni of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’) and decided to have a quick ‘meet and greet’ with them, for a small fee.

Every single one of the queens was larger than life, with their enormous energy keeping the crowds entertained and elated.

Panels & performances

Whilst we preferred to wander through the convention at our own pace, there was an incredible variety of things to do and see, including so many stalls, self-contained shows on the main stage, and panel discussions. (See ‘WHO’s WHO’ for the full list).

Before long, we found ourselves stood on the balcony overlooking the chaos and watched RuPaul living his best life with a frenzied and energetic DJ set of his top hits.

This was followed by performances from other notable queens including Shea Couleé, India Farrah, Vinegar Strokes and (my favourite performance) Baga Chipz and The Vivienne as the equally infamous Margaret Thatcher and Donald Trump (below). No stranger to controversy, Baga and The Vivienne have recently brought their rendition of this raunchy duo online with their own talk show ‘Morning

T&T’ on WOW Presents Plus where they discuss current topics performing as Trump and Thatcher; the pair performed a version of this for DragCon (inset) both in and out of character.

There were so many panels and performances that we couldn’t see them all, but examples include: Drag Queen Story Time, Sibling Rivalry and Celebrity Drag Makeover.

Whilst drag is of course intended to be a spectacle, Ru knows that now is the time for nuance, and she spiritedly encourages discussion, debate and free-thinking - and DragConUK was no exception!

It’s all in the audience Strangely, arguably the best part of the day didn’t actually involve drag queens, but instead turned the focus on the audience by featuring a light-hearted lip-sync battle between some audience members.

WHO’S WHO? The first of its kind in the UK, this year’s DragCon featured a host of established and emerging drag artists, as well as a host of businesses that support the LBQTQ+ community and the important work that artists do. The full list of this year’s exhibitors and queens is below: Adore Delano Advanced Teeth Whitening AEAP Designs Alexis Mateo Amped Accessories Andreas Diofebi Ardell Lashes Asia O'Hara baehmbaehmwigs.com Baga Chipz Beautiful Brows Bianca Del Rio Blair St. Clair Bling Bling Bling UK BLOODHUN by Luke Marsh Blu Hydrangea Bob The Drag Queen BritCrew BPerfect Cosmetics Camp Wannakiki Cancer Research Cats Protection Charlie Hides Cheryl Hole CJ Accessories Clack That Fan Crayola's Fun Factory Crystal Crystal Canine, London's Genuine Swarovski Tooth Crystal Company Daftboy Daniel Franzese Derrick Barry Desert Moon Dirt Squirrel Co Divina De Campo Dolls Head Wigs Doris Loves Drag Apparel Drag Pole Shoes Eldora False Eyelashes Elleni the Label Exotic Ecdysiast Exotic Jewels Face Lace Fascist Panties Funkodragrace by Adam Give Face Cosmetics Go Get Glitter God Glam It

Gothy Kendoll H Smith Creative Hairtomic Hamburger Mary's Haunted Prosthetics HolyT House of Namaste IncogniD'or Show Design India Ferrah Jodie Harsh JuJubee Kel Enders Art Klub Kids Laila McQueen Leatwerpenn Illustration Lottie London magió ManAQueen Manic Panic UK Mariah Balenciaga Mayhem Miller Michelle Visage Minority Beauty Misty Couture Miz Cracker Monét X Change Morgan McMichaels Mr. and Mrs. Kasha Davis Mr Pink MUA Cosmetics Novympia Ongina Penny Ledger Werqs Phillip Normal Pop Beauty Pressed for Time Nails Rebecca J Higgins Design RuPaul Essentials Scaredy Kat Serena ChaCha Shea Coulee Shokushu Boutique sorayraya Steven Austin Hair Artist Sum Ting Wong SW3 Chelsea The Bigger The Hoop The Gorgeous Family The Contemporary Nail The Georgia Bird Foundation The Perfume Shop The Vivienne Tom Taylor Illustrated Trinity The Tuck twistedEGOS Vanessa Vanjie Mateo VANITY STUDIOS LTD Vinegar Strokes Webster Wigs Wing & Weft Gloves Wig Mistress Shyanne O'Shea Wilberth Wear

First up was a young boy who went up on his own and absolutely slayed everyone with some incredible choreography and hair flips.

Following him were two young drag queens who brought it to the main stage with their own spirited dance routines. In my opinion they were all winners!

This late afternoon show was dramatically different… I can’t even find the words. We spent most of the performances either screaming “YAAAAAASS” or with faces of mounting shock whilst mouthing ‘oh

my god’ to each other. It’s safe to say that we were absolutely blown away, not only by their performances, but by their confidence and the fact at such young ages they are able to fully express themselves, flourish and blossom on a national stage – something me and my friend both later commented we wish we’d had the opportunity and the confidence to do when we were younger.

Spill the tea: how was DragCon UK? Silence! I’ve made my decision: The first ever UK RuPaul’s Dragcon was… a winner, baby!

Condragulations to all that attended, and we hope to see you next year; I’ll certainly be tuning in…