eurOut - The Magazine 2 by Sandra Showtime

e ur opean.lesb ian.n ews

May 15 th , 2010

eur ut .or g t

E x c l u s i v e

i n t e r v i e w :

ROXANNE CLAXTON f r o m

t h e

b a n d

‘ S a l o n

S o c i e t y ’

Plus: Lists Are Hot | LesBian Visibility W e A r e E v e r y w h e r e | T h e L e s b i a n N e w s S t a c 1k

eurOut magazine Dear reader

About:

Gayness comes in all sorts of shapes

Entertainment

and sizes. The contents of this issue

checked out lesBian favourite K’s

are so varied, that this kind of proves

Choice and reviewed their concert

my point. With the International

for us.

Day

against

Homophobia

editor

Natazzz

and up

On a more serious note, reporter

on May 17, I think it’s important to

Gwen looked at the deportation

realize that there are multiple ways

of LGB refugees from the UK, who

of expressing your gayness. Whether

often had to flee from their home

it’s

protest,

countries because of institutionalized

criticism, or in any other way – it’s

homophobia. A good example of why

all good and it’s all necessary. There

days like IDAHO are still necessary.

Transphobia

through

(IDAHO)

coming

celebration,

is not just one side to being gay, which is important to emphasize

And since we’re still on the topic of

when combatting homophobia.

‘expression’ - be sure to check out our exclusive interview with bisexual

So, how to express your gayness?

artist and singer Roxy Claxton, who

You can gather a bunch of lesBians

shared her thoughts on music, art

and party until sunrise, for instance.

and LGBT festivals with reporter

Our PR Officer Anna went to the

Ley.

L-Beach in Germany to report on what that’s like.

Warm regards,

Going to lesBian (friendly) concerts

Saskia Joreen

is also a really fun thing to do.

Chief Editor

This magazine is a biweekly publication of eurOut.org, the leading website for European lesBian entertainment and political news in the English language. EurOut.org was launched in September 2008, and is now one of the most frequently visited sites on the web for gay women who are interested in European lesBian entertainment news, storylines on television, movies, music, events and political news. On a day-to-day basis eurOut.org provides thousands of readers with news, columns, in-depth articles, opinionated pieces and interviews. Readers also have the opportunity to connect with each other, to learn more about each other’s culture, environment and life, or to just have chats about the concerts they visited. Besides giving lesBians their much needed visibility, eurOut.org wants to create more understanding and solidarity among European lesBians, so that we can grow and develop into a European community that supports each other. Feel free to contact us with any questions, tips, remarks, or to just let us know what you think. Find our website at

www.eurout.org. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Saskia Joreen (editor@eurout.org) PR-OFFICER AND LAYOUT:

'LG <RX .QRZ" Famous Lesbians in European History Fam 0DUOHQH 'LHWULFK *HUPDQ\ Marlene Dietrich; (1901 – 1992) was a German actress and singer, who later gained American citizenship. In 1920s Berlin, she acted on the stage and in silent films. She was one of the highest paid actresses of the WWII era. In 1938, Dietrich began a relationship with writer Erich Maria Remarque, and in 1941, French actor and military hero Jean Gabin. She was also known to have had an affair with the CubanAmerican writer Mercedes de Acosta, who also had affairs with Greta Garbo, according to de Acosta's auto- biography Here Lies the Heart (1960). In 1999 the American Film Institute named Dietrich the ninth greatest female star of all time. Learn more about this stunning film legend at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlene_Dietrich

Pam Harrison is the creator of the award-winning historical fiction series House of the Muses. Suggest famous lesbians you would like to see featured and check out her series at http://houseofthemuses.com

Anna McFaith (faith@eurout.org) EDITOR OF ENTERTAINMENT: Natazzz (entertainment@eurout.org) EDITOR OF POLITICS: Maxime (politics@eurout.org) ART DIRECTION: Embla (embla.eurout@gmail.com) CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE: Chantal (chantal@eurout.org) Gwen (garance@eurout.org) Joan (Joan@eurout.org) Ley (ley@eurout.org) Little G. Special inspirational thanks go out to Sandra Showtime, founder of eurOut.org.

In This Issue

4 Eye Witness Report: L-Beach 6 The Lesbian News Stack 8 Movie review: Searching 4 Sandeep 9 Concert review: K’s Choice 10 A Response To Leonard Sax

12 Lists Are Hot – 10 Euro Actresses Who Play Gay Or Should 14 UK Mums First To Co-sign Birth Certificate...? 16 UK Deports LGB Refugees Despite Risk of Death 18 LesBian Visibility: LesBian Life in Moscow, Russia 20 We Are Everywhere

22 The Teenage Coming Out Story – A Trend Or Simply Reality? 23 Interview: Salon Society’s Roxy Claxton 28 Where Are We on Television? 29 A List of LGBT Organizations

Eye witness Report: L-Beach

Billy Ray Martin

Sarah Bettens

Elle Bandita

Friday the 16th of April marked the kickoff of Europe’s most promising new lesbian festival; the L-Beach. EurOut was there to report on it for those of you who couldn’t make it or need some convincing for next year! By: Anna Mcfaith. Image copyright by Tina Stotz L-BEACH IS THE FIRST lesBian event

team. Even though there were nearly

especially in the main tent, it didn’t take

aimed at the whole of Europe. For one

5,000 lesBians around the premises, the

away from the fact that seeing so many

weekend only, you can share every

solid and continual organisation behind

gay (friendly) artists in one place is

single minute with lesbian and bisexual

the L-Beach event made sure the visitors

extraordinary and just plain awesome!

women in a resort rented out especially

never felt lost in the crowd.

for you. It’s our very own Dinah and I

Of course L-Beach will be back next

predict that in a couple of years, it will

With

threatening

year and you can already secure your

be as big as the Dinah as well!

to disrupt affairs, the visitors were

ticket by phone! You might want to do

informed of the status of artists every

so seeing as 15% of next year’s tickets

Organized for those who participated

step of the way, either at the festival

are already sold! Starting from the 25th

were various DJanes, live acts, parties,

or by means of the L-Beach Twitter

of April, you can also order your tickets

movie viewings and sport events as

account. This left everyone free to enjoy

online at the L-Beach website (see box).

well as access to swimming pools, spas,

themselves, knowing that everything

restaurants, bars, informational booths

would be handled for them and they

This year there were women from

and meet & greets with the artists.

didn’t have to worry about a single

Germany,

thing. An organisation this smooth for

Netherlands,

Because I live closest to the festival

a festival this big is extraordinary and

Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Poland,

of the eurOut staff and I happen to

deserves a lot of credit.

Romania, Denmark and Sweden. Let’s

the

ash

cloud

have taken the weekend off, I got to

Australia, France,

the

UK,

Spain,

the Italy,

hope next year’s L-Beach will be even

spend most of Saturday and Sunday

Now, on to that which you want to

at the L-Beach grounds in the north of

hear about: performances! For a first

Germany with the awesome people of

time event, L-Beach pulled out all the

From what I gather, the line-up for

the Emma Stahl crew, talking about

stops. Not only did they invite European

next year is going to be even more

lesBian movies, enjoying live music and

bands and DJs like Elle Bandita, Fagget

impressive, but we’ll bring you that

singing along with 4,500 intoxicated

Fairys, Sarah Bettens and Anatomie

news when it’s officially released. Keep

lesBians; and I mean intoxicated in the

Bousculaire, they also invited Betty, MEN

checking back on the official L-Beach

best possible sense of the word!

and Leisha Hailey’s Uh Huh Her.

website for this information for any

I want to take the time to thank and

While the sound quality left something

applaud

to be desired every once in a while,

more multicultural!

information on L-Beach 2010 and keep

the

L-Beach

organisational

a close eye on eurOut!

Further Reading:

of the DNA contributor, so shouldn’t it make more sense to state the person responsible for raising the child? Another critic of the amended Act is Baroness Deech, the Chairman of the Bar Standards Board. She is an open

“New rights for lesbian mums” at bit. ly/uk-lesbian-mums

critic of the rules about same-sex couples signing birth certificates with no mention of the father. The Telegraph reports that she has stated that: Stonewall (the lesbian, gay and bisexual

charity),

“This is not a moral issue; it is about the

disguising true facts, and it is about

change in the law and said it wasa

confusing biological parenthood, legal

much

and social parenthood.”

needed

welcomed

“fairer”

system

for

“Pregnant Pause: A guide for lesbians on how to get pregnant” at bit.ly/stonewallpregnancy

LesBian Visibility: LesBian Life in Moscow, Russia No matter where you live, there is a good chance you have no idea how lesbian life is in Russia. The supersized country has a reputation of being closed off so we spoke to Helga who is a lesbian and lived in Moscow to share her experiences. By: Little G Russia was known as the Soviet Union, and that’s when she got acquainted with very hospitable Russian folks and their rich culture. Helga pointed out that back then Russians had very little exposure to foreigners and tourists, and bent over backwards to accommodate guests. After that first visit she kept going back to Russia regularly - first and foremost to attend Russian courses, and secondly to do some additional travelling. In 2007 the opportunity arose to work for a Dutch organization as an interpreter, which she seized. Used to being out in her home country, she started the new job (semi) closeted, testing the waters. Helga told me she initially didn’t talk about her sexual preference. She suspected her Dutch co-workers (probably) knew from the start, and didn’t have any problems with it. As a woman working for the organization she was the only one who didn’t wear skirts and dresses, nor had long hair, which Helga thinks is telling, especially when the other female coworkers look more feminine. She did open up in her last year working Yelena Baturina on the cover of “Forbes Magazine”

for the organization, when she got a (Dutch) girlfriend. She did, however,

SEVERAL YEARS AGO Helga sent out

there all her life. She has recently

maintain caution when she was around

an appeal to experienced guitarists and

moved back to the Netherlands after

Russian

other experienced musicians to start

working as an interpreter in Moscow for

the younger generation is more open

a band jam. I can’t remember exactly

the past three years. I thought this was

minded about the issue, homosexuality

how that e-mail reached me, but I

a good opportunity to ask her about

is still a taboo in Russia and progress is

responded from my crib in Chicago, IL.

her point of view on lesbian life in the

extremely slow. Helga told me Russian

and soon we were e-mailing back and

Russian capital.

TV just started airing documentaries on

Even

though

homosexuality that aren’t completely

forth. The rest is, as the saying goes, history.

co-workers.

Helga loved learning new languages

negative portrayals of queers.

when she was young. That’s how she 46-year-old Helga was born and raised

started a course in Russian, which took

Her

in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and

her to Russia as well. She told me she

problem

(apart from a few brief stints) lived

first visited Moscow back in 1986, when

mainly hung out with Russian lesbians,

sexual

preference

outside

work,

wasn’t where

a she

LesBian Visibility: LesBian Life in Moscow, Russia but Helga’s quick to stress she wasn’t

Helga’s dear friend, who is nicknamed

their

out to her Russian acquaintances and

“Bootsman”, organizes weekly evenings

Unless you’re in the scene you don’t

co-workers.

concerned.

for lesbians in the basement of a

know which celebrities are leading

building. Women are invited to play

separate lives outside the spotlights.

crawling back into the closet would be

their guitars and read poetry. Those

And for the sake of privacy and out of

inconceivable in the Netherlands.

meetings even allow for women to talk

respect people in the scene don’t tell on

to each other about personal issues.

celebrities to the media.

Helga

two

Russian

the

“Lesbisch

(“Lesbian in

met

ladies

Festival” Festival”)

Amsterdam,

Netherlands,

something

are

she

2005

was

lives

had mixed feelings about; to Helga,

private

the who

introduced her to lesbian (night)life in Moscow. She made some friends, some of whom she accompanied

“Lesbian life in the capital is still underground.“

Helga knows of Diana Arbenina of a band called “Night Snipers”, who was in a relationship with fellow band member Svetlana Surganova. When they split up Surganova quit the band, and started

another.

Surganova

opened a women’s club in St. Petersburg

called

“Zemfira”,

to women’s clubs. These women’s clubs

When I asked her what she thinks of

and is rumoured to be in a relationship

are frequented by lesbians only and

the ban of Moscow Pride, she replied

with actress Renata Litvinova.

pretty much look like any club in the

she thinks the ban and the amount

West. They are tolerated by the local

of police force on previous Prides are

Don’t let the Moscow Pride ban, and

government.

ridiculous. She’s seen how police officers

a huge amount of homophobia, keep

arrested people of whom they assumed

you from travelling to Moscow: there

Much of lesbian life in the capital

were gay, including a female friend of

are a few places where lesbians can

is still an underground thing. Helga

hers, who hadn’t planned on rallying.

be amongst like-minded women. Helga

remembers how, until about a year ago,

Helga told me it also happens with

recommends

their lesbian archives were located at

“leftist” rallies; it’s virtually impossible

Tverskaya) and Club “69 Papugayev”.

the founder’s living room: a Muscovite

to rally against anything. One thing she

lesbian started the archives in the

was glad for was the fact that when a

She said: “To find these and other

living room of her 2-room apartment.

group of skin heads showed up trying

clubs, go to Tverskoy boulevard and go

She

collected

books

Club

“12

Volt”

(near

Russian

to disrupt the last Moscow Pride, they,

to McDonald’s on Pushkin Square. You’ll

(contemporary) classics such as poet

too, were arrested and taken to the

find young (Helga thinks some are not

Maria Tsvetayeva to more modern

police station.

even 20 years old) and out lesbians

novels. The collection also contains gay

near the Jesenin statue. (Jesenin’s a

publications and related articles from

Helga also pointed out the Mayor’s

Russian poet.) Go and talk to them; not

the 90s on, which were prohibited in

wife, Yelena Baturina (who, by the way,

only do they look up to foreigners, they

the Soviet Union era. The archives were

is Russia’s mightiest and richest woman)

will be delighted to practice the little

open to the public every Thursday, but

looks very much like a dyke herself,

English they know and go out with you,

it grew bigger, and more and younger

but has never really uttered a word on

but they usually have very little money,

people showed up. Eventually, after

this topic. She doesn’t know whether

so they reckon you’ll pay for the drinks.

15 years, because of its size and

Baturina is queer or not, but she told

To get back to your hotel late at night,

attendance the archives were relocated

me Russians often assume artists are

ask them to stop a taxi and haggle the

to a gay club called “Three monkeys.”

queer. Not because they actually are,

driver on the price so the driver doesn’t

but they’re seen as eccentric. And, for

charge you way too much.”

Helga never asked the founder of the

the sake of appearances, many Russian

archives why she’s started it, but she

lesbians marry gay Russians. (Marriage

There’s more to talk about, but

can imagine they were to chronicle

of convenience, anyone?)

between the interview and meeting

lesbian life and its movement in Moscow

a self imposed deadline, I’m running

(and Russia) and to give women, and

It seems as if those marriages of

late for band rehearsals. Thank you for

younger generations, the opportunity

convenience are very much a thing

sharing, H.

to read about it.

for Russian gay and lesbian celebrities who try to keep a low profile where

We Are Everywhere

By: Natazzz

In our regular column “We Are Everywhere”, entertainment editor Natazzz gives you a selection of everything that happened and is about to happen in European lesBian entertainment. This edition is filled with concerts, long-awaited movies, LGBT events and more.

Events:

TV-land:

Movies: The third movie of the

After the Dutch soap ONM,

FRANCE

“MILLENNIUM” trilogy featuring

Dutch TV has a new lesBian

Do you enjoy going to Disneyland

the anti-social, bisexual hacker

storyline. On the soap GOEDE

in Paris? Do you like hanging out

Lisbeth Salander, is playing

TIJDEN, SLECHTE TIJDEN

with a bunch of queers? Then

in theatres across Europe

(“Good Times, Bad Times”)

make sure you attend Gay Day at

right now. I recommend you

Isabella is back and she’s shown

Disneyland Paris on May 29. Go to

check out this film, although

an interest in Ronja, who seems

gayday.net for more information.

it’s probably best to see the

to be more than just intrigued.

previous two movies first.

Lets see if it’s better than ONM.

THE NETHERLANDS ‘Pink Week’ is taking place in

Movies:

TV-land:

Amersfoort in the last week of June, during which all kind of queer festivities will take place,

Dutch TV programme JONG

Habitación en Roma (“Room in

(“Young”) is looking for celibate

Rome”), the hot new lesBian

Christian lesBians to take part in

Julio Medem movie without

one of their shows about being

a plot, has been released in

Christian, gay and celibate.

Spain.

ending

with

‘Pink

Saturday’

on June 25. Find out more at rozezaterdagamersfoort.nl . NORWAY Oslo’s Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

Music:

Skeive Filmer is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. You can watch some great movies with queer content from September 25 until October 1. In addition, there will be a mini festival in June. Find out more at oglff.org

TV-land: RTÉ’s documentary GROWING UP Image copyright by Greymatter

GAY, in which teenagers share their coming out experiences, received an 18-and-over announcement for their online broadcast. It doesn’t really make sense that a programme about teenagers for teenagers isn’t deemed suitable for teenagers.

All-women band GREYMATTER are busy recording their third album. They

Then again, the Skins website

mentioned on Twitter (@greymattermusic) that they will release a new

have the same announcement

song next month, which will only be available for download on iTunes.

and I doubt anyone over 18 even

We’ll keep you up-to-date on when that happens.

visits there.

We Are Everywhere TV-land:

Books:

There’s good and bad news from Spanish TV land this time. Want to hear the good news first? Well, things have started to heat up again on 1950s TV soap AMAR EN TIEMPOS REVUELTOS (“Love in Difficult Times”), where Ana and Teresa shared a rather heated and passionate kiss. However, I am not sure this makes up for the very bad (but sadly, unsurprising) news that on LOS HOMBRES DE PACO (“Paco’s Men”), Pepa is sleeping with men these days. I guess that’s every lesBian’s logical next step after having lost your newlywed wife in the most gruesome and bloody way ever…

Concerts: Norwegian musician and activist LISA DILLAN can be seen performing in Norway, but fans in other countries might like to know they can also catch her live this summer. Check out lisadillan.com for details. SAM FOX hurt her knee while performing in Scandinavia recently. Because of the injury she sustained is so severe, she will have to postpone the UK tour she had planned this May until the autumn. The good news is

After the UK, Ireland and Italy, MALINDA LO’s Ash will

that she has also added future tour dates in the rest of

now also be released in Germany and even in Turkey.

Europe. Check out samfox.com for more info.

You can get your hands on a German copy of the young

Skunk Anansie have added a lot more dates to their

have to be a little more patient and wait until next year.

adult novel in November, but if you are in Turkey you European gigs this summer, including a few concerts in Germany where they are opening for German band Rammstein. You can find all the dates online at skunkanansie.net

Sports: The Gay Games (which are taking place in Cologne

Music: In an interview with British newspaper the Telegraph singer KATIE MELUA commented on her sexuality, saying “the lines are not always clear.” I guess that’s pretty vague, but it means we could put her in the all encompassing label “queer”.

this summer and you should attend, because it’s the gay event of the summer, plus you might run into some of the eurOut staff) have plans to become more global. Instead of choosing a different city each year, in 2018 the Gay Games hope to be a global (world wide) event. Norway Handball player Gro Hammerseng has made her comeback on Norway’s National team. Hammerseng

More entertainment news at:

eurOut.org

was not playing for the National team for a while, because she was recovering from several injuries, but now it looks like she’s back in top form.

The latest report by the UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group shows that homosexuality is often concidered an invalid reason to grant asylum. This while homosexuality often means certain death on return to the home country of the refugee. By: Gwen 20

UK Deports LGB Refugees Despite Risk of Death THERE ARE SOME jobs in this world

would anyone be forced to hide who

like Save Mehdi Kazemi, which I’m

I often believe the persons who have

they are? As the report says, “part of

sure you’ve already heard about. Save

those jobs do a far worse job than any

the problem is that case owners focus

Mehdi Kazemi has since gay Iraqi teen

reasonably thinking person would do.

on ‘homosexual acts’ only and not on

Mehdi Kazemi has been saved changed

sexual identity. For many case owners,

its name to LGBT Asylum News, and

These jobs are often things like

being ‘discreet’ simply means avoiding

since I last visited more pictures of

receptionist,

having sex in public or in a place where

people who have been saved have

one could be discovered.”

added themselves to the header.

teacher,

annoying

person in shoe store. This reasonably thinking person is often me. Usually

“when in doubt, deport.“

I don’t really feel the need to point this out, but there is one job I think almost everyone could do better than it is currently done: Home Office case owner. There is a report out by the Lesbian &

This is a mistake made by many

The latest case which is making the

Gay Immigration Group called Failing

people, to think that homosexuality is

headlines is that of Iranian lesbian

the Grade on how cases of immigrants

just the sexual act, in fact (sadly) even

Kiana Firouz. Her movie Cul De Sac is

who are LGBT (though mostly lesbian

by people who have no problem with

based mostly on her own life. In Iran,

and gay) are treated by the British

homosexuality at all.

lesbians can face the death penalty.

Home Office. It turns out asylum claims

This fact alone is not enough for the

by LGBT immigrants, when made on

Another issue raised in the report

UK to grant her asylum. According

the basis of being queer, are rejected

is the assumption that because a

to Firouz, “the movie contains sexual

more often than asylum claims made

certain country’s law doesn’t address

scenes which itself would be subject to

by people on different grounds.

lesbianism, the country must be safe

death punishment if I return to Iran.”

for lesbians. The British Home Office sends refusal letters to asylum seekers

Kiana Firouz has appealed in court,

were several problems gay and lesbian

with claims like “It is therefore not

but her lawyer thinks her chances are

asylum seekers apparently ran into,

accepted

slim. Cul De Sac, by the way, means a

which I felt could be easily avoided

and

road with a dead end. Let’s just hope

if the people handling the asylum

persistently persecuted as you claim,”

for Kiana Firouz, just like for Mehdi

seekers’ cases would just use their

downplaying the experiences of these

Kazemi at the time, the road doesn’t

head. For instance the requirement

women themselves. There might not

end here. And let’s also hope the UK

that the queer person in question live

be persecution by the state, but that

Gay & Lesbian Immigration Group’s

“discreetly” for the rest of their lives,

doesn’t mean it is safe to be a lesbian

report has some sort of impact.

after they are sent back to their country

in such countries. I believe too often

of origin. Often when you are gay in a

people who sit in offices all the time

country like Iran or Jamaica, you go

make

to great lengths to make sure no one

everything about a situation there is to

finds out you are, until you finally get

know, although of course I also know

“caught” and are forced to flee. The

sometimes asylum seekers do not give

Home Office in the UK then assumes

complete information, and research in

hiding who you are is relatively easy

these matters in countries like Iran and

and sends you back to continue what

Uganda is extremely hard. The problem

you were doing before.

though is that I think the current trend

that

Uganda

homosexual

are

decisions

women

systematically

without

knowing

is ‘when in doubt, deport’ (which is the First off, the asylum seekers this

horrible word Dutch politicians have

happens to often already have been

started using), and not just in the UK.

persecuted by the police in their country for being queer, so why does nobody

Luckily,

apparently think this will happen again

resourceful than me have also noticed

as soon as they return? Secondly, why

this, and they have started initiatives

people

who

are

Report by Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group: http://bit.ly/9NiZl7 Petition to keep Firouz in the UK: http://bit.ly/cqm1Db Biography of Firouz: http://bit.ly/bdpTKs Cul-de-Sac movie: http://bit.ly/9GBVZd

Further Information:

As I read through this report, there

The Teenage Coming Out Story – A Trend Or Reality? Emily and Naomi on Skins, Kurt on Glee, Sophie (and possibly Sian) from Coronation Street; all teenagers with a similar plot: The Teenage Coming Out Story. In a recent article, gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the teenage coming out story is a huge step in the right direction but Stonewall thinks we shouldn’t be jumping up and down with joy just yet... By: Chantal Image copyright Ley THE GUARDIAN POSTED the optimistic

storylines

concerning

suddenly show the gay characters

article but Ben Summerskill, chief

LGBT content are a huge step in the

having sex if it is not even in the

executive of Stonewall, tempers our

right direction. Yes, if the characters are

context of the actual show?

joy.

in a loving relationship, sex eventually

Broadcasters are being more liberal,

television

comes into play. Which they should

Ferrier also points out that plots

absolutely show, albeit tastefully.

among gay adults are not that common,

yes, but I think the main reason is,

but I do have to say that they usually

sadly, more about commercial reality

have a better run on European shows

than high-minded principles. It’s a

than American ones - lets not forget

trend.

Silvia on Los Hombres De Paco

This

prompted

At this point I have to say that I

Morwenna

Ferrier of The Guardian to ask

am glad that the networks are

whether or not TV writers

showing the teenage coming

avoid having to show gay

out stories – more visibility is

teenagers in actual sexual

always a good thing.

relationships by focusing on And hey, if for every coming

their coming out.

out

story

television

one

gay teenager comes out in real

This is where I start to wonder

life

about a different question – are

(which

the

only

reason

some teenagers do, because they

we ever able to be satisfied when it

identify with the character and know

comes to any LGBT content?

it is absolutely OK to be gay); the networks

All I hear is that if there’s an adult gay that

they

show

many

For

absolutely

coming out stories as they want and

they don’t show enough sex, or that

take note from the Emily and Naomi

Gay Teenagers can absolutely take

it is a faulty storyline and of course

relationship

over my television.

we cannot forget about the almighty

storyline was flawed at points – they

“they’re just doing it for the sweeps

did show that the girls were in a loving

week” comment. When it is a teenage

and sexual relationship and did it

gay relationship… it is pretty much the

respectfully.

should

can

relationship there are complaints that

Skins

–

yes,

the

same.

I do not believe we can tar every I completely agree with all points

storyline or every character with the

made in the article; they are not

same brush – I think we need to look

showing an actual sexual relationship

at the individual storylines instead of

between teenagers; yes, they are

everything as a whole.

more liberal, but yes it is usually about the commercial side of the story.

If they do not show any of the other characters (teenage or adult) having

Absolutely – most characters and

sex, then why should they have to

GUARDIAN ONLINE article: “How Gay Teenagers Took Over T.V.” by Morwenna Ferrier: http://bit.ly/c454b9

Interview: Salon Society’s Roxy Claxton

This edition’s exclusive eurOut magazine interview is with the absolutely lovely and down-to-earth Roxy Claxton. As a bisexual artist in Glasgow, the lead singer of the awesome band Salon Society, and having spent a year working as part of the team behind the Glasgay Festival, it seemed only fitting to interview such an awesome lady for all you lovely people to enjoy. During the interview we sat in a coffee bar, hugging our warm drinks and chatting like old friends, so I feel it’s only appropriate that you should join us in a similar manner: drink in hand, feet up, and ready for a relaxed chat about music, art, and colour-coordinated sticky labels. Yes, really! By: Ley

Interview: Salon Society’s Roxy Claxton

From left to right: Roxanne Claxton, Roy Collings, Luci Jones and Dorothee Weber

EurOut: Can you introduce yourself

privately but singing publicly? So it’s

And you never forget your childhood

to the readers and tell them a little

been a really interesting journey for

connection to it. So that’s how I first

about yourself?

me. It’s getting to the point now where

got into music, just by creative play,

Roxy: Sure, I’m an artist based in

I feel ready to take on a solo journey,

and being inspired by my Dad.

Glasgow, I’m the lead singer of Salon

so at the end of this year I’m going

Society, I’m the Co-Founder of First

to be kick-starting my solo career,

You’re an artist as well, expressive

Aid Records, I’m the developer of First

alongside Salon Society. For the first

art?

Aid PR, and I’m also the Social Media

time ever I’ll be playing guitar publicly,

interested in that?

and I’m really terrified… I’m terrified of

I think with the live art side of things,

the whole experience!

for me, I would say as a kid and

Manager for Merchant City Marketing. How did you get into music?

Have

you

always

been

growing up, I was always leaning

I was always singing and sort of making

I wrote my first song on a naff little

towards rule-breaking in creativity. I

up lyrics and melodies from a really

Casio keyboard when I was 11, and

was always the kid in ballet class that

early age. But I more officially got

the lyrics have never left me, basically

didn’t want to do what everyone else

into music when I picked up my Dad’s

they revolve around the theme of the

was doing, and wanted to go off on her

ancient acoustic when I was about 13,

world turning lots. Obviously at 11 this

own thing.

and just sort of started playing around

was quite deep.

in my bedroom at home… so, sort of a

I think in terms of painting it’s always

bedroom artist for many years! I guess

Deep and meaningful!

I’ve always been more comfortable

Deep

sort of playing

concept of the world turning lots.

and

meaningful

been the same, I don’t do anything at

11,

the

naturalistic, it’s all abstract stuff, it’s all very spontaneous.

Interview: Salon Society’s Roxy Claxton

I guess live art was the next step.

videos, I guess, [for me] it’s a way

trained? More true to yourself?

I’d never really explored live art until

of life. I don’t wake up one morning

Like, if you’re writing songs and

University and I’d gone on and joined

and go to work and when I get home I

someone’s saying “Well, write it

a contemporary performance practise,

do my art, I see my whole life as sort

about this,” it’s not just having

and that was a MASSIVE milestone

of a creative journey, and I’m being

total freedom and writing what

for me in my education, but also

creative while at work.

you want?

just my creative learning. I mean

Exactly, it’s just as well! It’s great to

it threw me into a whirlpool. Quite

It got to the point last year when I was

have structures and boundaries to rub

literally: psychologically, emotionally,

doing work for the Glasgay Festival,

against and rebel against and to break,

mentally, and spiritually. It threw me

that even when it came down to filing,

but I also think if you are forced into a

into a whirlpool being just completely

I found some sort of creative way of…

pigeon-hole where you begin to think

lost, and saturated in creativity from morning to night.

“Oh gosh, I can only write songs in this Colour co-ordination through stick

certain manner,” and you begin to get

labels?

really depressed because you think

To have that for about 4 years was

Exactly! I got very excited about laying

“Well if I don’t get it in a certain way,

really intense. It was just life changing.

everything out in what looked at the

how am I supposed to write a, ‘good’

I left University, and I just had to give

end of the day, a visual instillation

song?”

it all up for a couple of years and just

of like, files and papers. I got really

do teaching and threw myself as far

pedantic about angles being so, and if

But there is part of me that would have

as I could into music, because I just

you took a photograph of it, you could

absolutely loved to learn the theory side

had to take a huge mental break in order to allow myself to process what those 4 years were all about because they were so impacting. Last year I started to create work again. I created a piece that was looking very much at faith and sexuality, and I think that was a

“Music is art for me, and art is a form of music”

very gentle piece, that sort of put

of things, and I have a deep respect and admiration for musicians that have trained classically or jazz, and that have that theory, I think it’s really amazing. Can you tell the readers a little more about the Glasgay Festival? My term is now up with Glasgay,

me back on my, “making” journey, as

have put it up on show!

but I got the most amazing opportunity

you would say.

It’s just a natural extension of who

to be the Project Developing Officer for

you are as an individual. It’s a way

nearly a year. It was amazing to be part

Is there a connection between

of seeing the world, it really is. That

of a festival which is solely devoted

music and art for you? Or is it

connection of art to music is definitely

to LGBT art. To go in and work with

just, as many creative ways of

an ethos: it’s definitely a way of life.

really inspiring organisers… Stephen

expression that you can do?

Thompson who’s the head of Glasgay

Definitely! Both art and music are

So you studied art? And music?

Festival, Alfonso Harrison who does

really spiritual for me, and it comes

I studied contemporary performance,

all the admin work. Just being able to

from a really spiritual place. So the

which is live art. I’ve had no formal

fully saturate myself and trying to find

connection: music is art for me, and

music

out, what’s available for representing

art is a form of music. Even silence

singing tuition over the years on and

is music, and I think paint splashing

off, and I’ve taken the odd instrumental

against a canvas is a type of music,

lesson, but I’ve never trained as a

There’s a really interesting tension

and a type of poetry, and the two are

song-writer or a musician. It’s always

between saying, should we have an

very, very closely linked. The way that

just been something that again, I’ve

arts festival that is LGBT, because

I perform, and the way that I like to

just kind of explored on my own.

surely every festival should be LGBT?

create stuff visually and do music

Is it less generic if you’re not

training.

I’ve

taken

private

people in the LGBT community.

Interview: Salon Society’s Roxy Claxton

I find that fascinating because, yes of

Ok, if you come to Glasgow, we have

course every festival should be LGBT

our album only in the underground

can make off you then drop you…

and there shouldn’t be a sense of ‘we

record store called Monorail, which’s

Exactly, exactly. To our own detriment

have this other tiny world that we’re all

huge! You can also download it from

in a way, we’ve never made money

a part of and it’s not a real world, just

iTunes and all the other online providers

from what we’ve done, and some

very, enclosed’, but at the same time

or you can go to [our website] as well

people would say it was bad business,

there is something beautiful about

as the MySpace.

but we would say no we’ve not, we’ve

celebrating who we are as human beings.

Who don’t just use for what they

done everything we wanted and that’s Your

band’s

label,

Aid

the DIY ethos. I think one day we

Records, which is favoured by

maybe will be in a position to make

I think it’s ok to say, “Let’s not say that

women in music: you co-founded?

money from it, but I think it’ll be done

the LGBT arts festival is something that

Yeah, I co-founded it with [Dorothee]

with a lot of integrity and over a long

straight people can’t come to.” Let’s

and again it came down to being

period of time. Which is why people

say, “No, this is an LGBT festival that

absolutely

music

probably do see it as being different

is for everybody but it’s choosing to

industry, feeling this is where we were

to your normal record label, and being

celebrate those that have had to stand

headed and where we belonged. It’s

something a bit more special.

up in the face of mainstream society

a sign of the time, we knew about 3

and say, “I am gay, I am bisexual, I am

years ago that more and more people

First Aid PR was developed as an

transgender, I am intersex, and this is

were self-releasing, and had been for

answer to people coming to us and

my lifestyle, and this is what I want to

a few years (those that were really

saying, “We want to be part of this,

say about the world in which I live, and

in the know) and it just was common

but what can you do for us?” and us

these are my thoughts and feelings,”

sense. This was the way the industry

saying, “Well, we haven’t got money

and to be able to put that into a creative

was going, so let’s set it up now, and

to invest in you for your recordings,

expression, and by people being able

luckily, we did that in order to put

but here’s what we can do for you…”

to engage with those connections, and

out our own band’s music, but what

and that’s when we developed First

to have that representation in a city

we found is that other bands were

Aid PR.

where, in my opinion, there is still a

approaching us and saying, “Please

lot of fundamentalism, there is still a

help us, you’re a label”.

terrified

First

the

lot of closeted homophobia, there is

Is there anything else you want to share with our readers?

still a lot of need to educate people to

First Aid is again, you know, an ethos

I guess I would just say that, keep

lifestyle choices, and how LGBT people

about applying first aid to a broken

on checking out First Aid Records,

live and stuff.

industry, that’s what First Aid is all

keep your eyes open for First Aid PR’s

about, cradle-to-the-grave label, it’s a

MySpace which should be coming

I just think there is a need for it, there’s

carrier label taking people to the next

soon, please download any part of the

a need for that and until there no

level and trying to endorse and push

album that takes your fancy, it’s called

longer is a need for it because society’s

artists onto the next level. First Aid is

Promenade, and just keep in touch

become so amazingly accepting of

all about applying first aid where there

with us. If you want to make or create

everybody, and even then I think

is hurt, in an academic sense of not

any quirky music videos for us ‘cause

there’d still be a need to celebrate who

finding the breaks or opportunities. Or

you’re inspired by a song to, or create

we are as people.

hurt in the general sense of feeling,

any artwork for us because you’re

like people have had a really bad

inspired by the music or what we do,

From a music point of view, you’re

experience of people in the industry.

then don’t hesitate to get in touch, and

in a band called Salon Society.

We kind of wanted to be a hug for

stay connected!

Other than the band’s website,

people, to return to and get a sense

where can our readers check out

of wellbeing again, and show there are

your music, and if they choose to,

people who give a shit about music

get your CD?

and about humans.