GIiO II gay is ok -
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Scarlett Harlett Britain’s Next drag superstar
EduGaytion The Hanky Code
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Valentine’s issue
14
Ways to survive
FEB,14
Ways to know if he's gay
Confessions of a TEenage Heterophobe
+ Your
The Voice’s
Harry FISHER "I'm proud to be a misf it"
COming OUt Stories February 2016 £2.95
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February 2016
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Harry Fisher
ON THE VOICE, TEAM BOY GEORGE & BEING A MISFIT
Letter from the Editor
NEIL READMAN ON LOOKING FOR LOVE THIS FEBRUARY
Best Foot Forward
THE FRESHEST FOOTWEAR ON THE HIGH STREET
Newsboard
GIO'S ROUNDUP OF THE HOTTEST HEADLINES OF THE MONTH
I.M.O.
JAMES JEFFERSON & DAN ROBSON PUT THE WORLD TO RIGHTS
Music
REVIEWS, PREVIEWS, PLAYLIST & MORE
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25 30 46 50 54
Film & TV
REVIEWS, PREVIEWS, INTERVIEW & MORE
Fashion
YOUR FEBRUARY STYLE GUIDE & FASHION LOOKBOOK
Scarlett Harlett
INTRODUCING BRITAIN'S NEXT DRAG SUPERSTAR
Spotlight
CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE HETEROPHOBE
EduGaytion
THE HANKY CODE
56 61 66 68 70
Checklist
18 WAYS TO KNOW IF HE'S GAY
Coming out
YOUR COMING OUT STORIES
Fiction
PART 1 OF GIO'S EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL STORY INSTABOYF
dear gio
AGONY UNCLE GIO TACKLES YOUR PROBLEMS
The last word
GIO ASKS FOR YOUR BEST CHAT UP LINES
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EDITOR NEIL READMAN DEPUTY EDITOR ANDREW FRASER ASSISTANT EDITOR CHRISTIAN GUILTENANE ART DIRECTOR DAVID GRAHAM DESIGNER LUCY HENDEL PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR JASON LEWIS EDITOR AT LARGE LIAM LEE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT & STAFF WRITER LUKE KELLY ASSISTANT STAFF WRITER BEN STROUDE SUB EDITOR AARON THOMAS ACTING FASHION EDITOR JOSEPH KOCHARIAN FASHION ASSISTANT NICK BYAM
WEB EDITOR NICK LEVINE WEB REPORTERS SAM RIGBY
&
JOSH HAIGH
NEWS EDITOR KIERAN ROBSON FEATURES EDITOR ISAAC WITHEY REVIEWS EDITOR GRAHAM SPEALLE PRODUCTS EDITOR TAYLOR MULLIGAN MUSIC EDITOR WILL DAVIS FILM EDITOR MATT MUELLER SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITORS SIMON EDGE / PAUL FLYNN / SIMON GAGE / JAMIE HAKIM JOHANN HARI / PHILIP REAY-SMITH / TIM TEEMAN INTERNS ELLIOT BERRY, GEORGE WILLIAMS, ALEX MEREDITH, JAMES MCDONALD, MARK ASHLEY COMMERCIAL MANAGER ANDY GODDARD SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER STEVEN ASLAM SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER JAMIE BOYLE
GIO MEDIA LTD MANAGING DIRECTOR MIKE BUCKELY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR MATTHEW TODD CHAIRMAN JUSTIN SANDERS FINANCE DIRECTOR VINCE NICHOLLS DIGITAL ACCOUNT MANAGER MATT WELLS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR GLORIA MAYDEW COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AARON BLACK EVENTS DIRECTOR ANNE-MARIE BRACKEN EVENTS MANAGER HAL JONES EVENTS ASSISTANT JONATHAN GILLESPIE-SIMS WEB DEVELOPMENT ADAM OSBORN N MAGAZINE 8 THE BRAE, SUNDERLAND SR2 7PJ Copyright © N Magazine 2016 All Rights Reserved. Optati restiun daVoloria dolorisquia quiam, omniae. Nam nobit re nusaestis sapid qui iur maximpora ium aut labo. Ro conserro officid quiaersped ut am non porrum ad qui ut atur aut dolupis evenducia sim faciae Nequis si que num dolupti nveles dolupit faceprerem quis ate minciis eatur, temodigeni a nonsequia qui dolenis a doluptatest, qui omnihicianis sed es doluptate volor rem lacearum culpa sequi optatur? Qui blabo. Id moloribusae soloreic tem sum, et audicias ut aut ommolup tatur? Arumquo mos eum dolum alis dit ea venem quatem suntore hentiume sum repro.
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LETTER FROM
THE
C
EDitoR
ontrary to common belief, us gays don’t come with an inbuilt gaydar. That would be nice, wouldn’t it? It would certainly save a lot of time, not to mention one or two embarrassing encounters... Ahem. We’ve all met them: the handsome new guy at work; the cute barista in the coffee shop; your best friend’s hot, older brother or your older brother’s hot best friend. We’ve all met that ridiculously attractive guy. Suddenly, you need to know every last detail about this beautiful specimen. Who is he and where has he been all your life? Where does he live and what brand of toothpaste does he use? And, y’know – is he gay? Of course, these days many would probably refer to a certain hook-up app as their gaydar of sorts. This handy little device on your mobile phone that quite literally goes ping when you’re in the presence of a fellow user. Genius! There’s also this marvellous thing called social media. You may have heard of it? It’s ever so good and – again – downloadable straight to your phone. So with a bit of sleuthing to find out his full name and with the mystical powers of Facebook or Twitter, you’ll know which team that fitty in Starbucks bats for – and all other essential information like what he had for dinner – before he can so much as hand you your grande latte. But, imagine. After an hour of sleuthing through all 217 results individually, you’ve finally hunted down the right Matthew Smith and… what’s this? His Facebook header isn’t a fabulous shot of Gaga at the Grammys. His Twitter bio doesn’t say he’s #teamgay. His Instagram wall isn’t a mass of sassy Beyoncé memes and shirtless pouts. My God. For all you know
this handsome chap could be as straight as a wooden yard stick. Not to panic! Uncle Gio’s got you covered with his detailed list of tell-tale signs on page 56: the Twitter stalker’s checklist (expect LOTS of sarcasm… Well, this is Gio). You’ll be back on track to knowing if you’ve found yourself a fellow ’mo in no time. We’ll also be taking a look at what people did pre-social media and pre-hook-up apps? Whaaaat? Yes, it's the stuff of nightmares but believe it or not such a time existed and you can read all about it in Gio’s edugaytional guide to the hanky code on page 54. But that’s not all. Also in this issue, we’ve got our interviews with the lovely cover star Harry Fisher from The Voice – who talks to us all about being on Team Boy George and why he’s proud to represent social diversities on TV – and the fabulous Scarlett Harlett – who spills the tea on competing in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Ambassador; we’ve got the exclusive first part of our brilliant short story Instaboyf dealing with the issues of finding romance online; we’ve got your coming out stories which we LOVE hearing so do please keep sending them (details on page 64) AND we’ve got loads more where all of that came from... It’s a jam-packed issue that us guys behind-the-scenes have worked hard to produce. So, sit back, relax, get stuck in and I'll see you next issue.
Nei l Readman Neil Readman Editor-in-chief @neilreadman
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Best Foot Forward
Be Spotted!
Whether you’re young at heart or simply refuse to grow up, these colourful canvas shoes inspired by childhood faves are perfect for embracing your inner six-year-old. Who was your favourite Disney character, growing up? Mickey Mouse? Donald Duck? Winnie the Pooh? All of the above? We’re guessing you were delighted by Vans and Disney’s first team up last summer then. Now, they’re at it again. The second wave of Vans’ highly popular Young At Heart collection sees the iconic brand dive deeper into the Disney vault and it’s certainly been making a splash in our office. Now, you can sport even more of your cartoon heroes at your heels with three all new collaborations for 2016. Inspired by the beloved animated classics Alice in Wonderland, 101 Dalmatians and The Jungle Book, we’re told these vibrant designs are a bare necessity for any wardrobe, ideal for injecting some colour into these gloomy winter months. Get lost in Wonderland with the psychedelic Cheshire Cat, be spotted in the crowd with the Dalmatian puppies or be King of the Jungle with Mowgli and Bagheera at your feet. Relive all of your six-year-old feels in TURN TO P30 these colourful printed FOR OUR FULL plimsolls, exclusive to FEBRUARY Vans x Disney. FASHION And, they’re all LOOKBOOK >>> available in a range of styles including the original Vans Authentic low top and the legendary Sk8-Hi high top. Bonus. The new Vans x Disney collection is in stores now.
giomagazine.co.uk
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Newsboard
PED
THE MONTH, SNAP
Biebs got an adorable y called Phil. new Labrador pupp cuter! o’s wh We’re not sure
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The queens were finally ruvealed for Drag Race season 8, starting March, 7 on LogoTV , and it might just be the FIERCEST line -up yet. Gentlemen, start your engines ...
After offending 99.9% of the gay community with the ir anti gay parenting views, Dolce & Gabbana’s latest collection celebrates sam e-sex families now, apparently... #co ntoversy
@giomag
Round-up
Thousands rallied to support Italy in in the streets rently under cur bill ts righ l civi the ate. consideration by the Italian Sen
d The geniuses at Barbie unveile all g their new Curvy model, teachin body children a crucial lesson about bie! Bar Go s. shapes and size
giomagazine.co.uk
Fitness model Ben Melzer was announced as the first tran s man to ever cover a European men’s fitness magazine with Men’s Health Germany.
off to a blast!.
Student Pride 2016
got
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I.M.O.
WHAT’S HOT WHAT’S NOT COMING OUT
PUCKER UP Last month saw the first ever gay kiss cam at a US hockey game. What better way to let the world know you’re gay than smooching with your man on the big screen?
MARSHMALLOWS Cake is so last season. James Middleton – yes, brother of Kate – has unveiled the latest campaign for his rather unique business of printed marshmallows. Boomf now offers a range of squishy coming out-themed designs to help “make that nerve-wracking anouncement a whole lot sweeter”.
SING IT LOUD, SING IT PROUD It’s hard to believe Ally Hills’ Coming Out – The Official Song celebrates it’s one year anniversary this month. We can’t help question how many people have actually used it to do the deed, but there’s no denying it’s criminally catchy. All together now, “They’re gayyyy”.
THE MEDIA ’nuff said.
MOCKING It’s not big & it’s not clever. DON’T do it.
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James JEFFERSON WE MUST STOP DISPARAGING YOUNG PEOPLE COMING OUT Do people still come out? Is that even a thing anymore? I thought, these days, a quick text home sufficed: “Not in for tea, staying at Luke’s. BTW, I’m gay now”. I’m being ironic of course. If only it was that simple. It would certainly save a lot of pain and anguish for many – myself included all those years ago. I did, however, recently overhear somebody say coming out was ‘old-fashioned’. What a curious notion. Is that to say, being gay is out of style? Am I to toss my homosexuality out with last season’s Levi’s? No? I’d hope what said individual had actually meant to say was a well-intentioned message about increased acceptances towards the LBGT community. Now that, I can agree on. But, we mustn’t start getting complacent now. It’s easy to subscribe to the ethos that, these days, homosexuality and other non-heterosexual sexualities have become so normalised by the media, it’s just not a big deal anymore. You’re gay? Great. But, it’s this level of nonchalance that’s seen an increasing number of the gay community becoming almost dismissive of young people coming out of late, tossing them aside quicker than Taylor Swift churns out another single. You’re gay? Yawn. What’s new? This very month, a certain young boyband member made the courageous decision to come out. Not surprisingly, it was met with huge attention by the news media (not so old-fashioned after all then?). Yet, most surprising was the response from a fellow gay writer on Twitter. “George Shelley’s done a Tom Daley and come out as bisexual, something that’s long been known in the showbiz industry,” Dan
Wootton served up with a side plate of sass. Not cool. Not even accurate considering the precise message of the video [which George used to make the announcement – editor] was that he didn’t want to label himself. It’s so disappointing to see a member of our own community be so callously disparaging. If that’s the kind of welcome to the LGBT community young people can expect, it’s no wonder so many choose to stay in the closet. Back in my own days amongst the skeletons, one of the worst responses to coming out I could imagine was precisely that: that everybody already knew. Of course, as the kid who loved musicals and who’d sooner play with a Polly Pocket than a football, it was a pretty tall order to ask any otherwise. But, I dreaded being mocked for saying it aloud. It’s damaging to self-esteem and it HAS to stop. As a community, we should be supporting our brothers and sisters. We should be celebrating their displays of courage. We should be leading by example. It’s no wonder the media continues to make a spectacle of the LGBT community and celebrities who come out as anything other than heterosexual if our own community can’t simply embrace it with open arms. So, next time you roll your eyes at another celebrity coming out, instead of bitching and moaning on Twitter, try being a valid member of our community. Try showing your support. And, if you really haven’t got anthing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. It’s as simple as that. So that hopefully, one day, coming out can be as old-fashioned as December’s denims. Capiche?
@giomag
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I.M.O.
HUNK
BROCK O’HuRn
Of THE MONTH
Introducing ‘the King of Man Buns’. It takes a special guy to pull off this hipsters’ hairstyle and if anybody’s fit for the job it’s Brock O’Hurn (or perhaps we’re just too busy staring at those pecs to care). This Norse God rose to Insta-fame last year for his shirtless selfies and then came THAT video. Who knew the power of the man bun? Now, he’s starring in a hilarious new water commercial – topless, naturally – where a certain wet hair-toss garners the attention of some nearby office workers, male and female. As if we needed anymore reason to, we love Brock for giving a shout-out to his gay fans.
365 Reasons
TO Be glad YOU’re GAY
#112 you never have & never will hear A straight guy ask “Shall we do brunch?” 14
Dan Robson HOW THE GAYS DIDN’T STEAL VALENTINE’S DAY Let me start by saying this is not another one of THOSE rants about Valentine’s Day; it might be doing a good impression, but I assure you, it’s not. I love Valentine’s Day. I love its energy. I love the shop windows filled with red balloons and plush animals and I love spending too much time (and money) picking out the only card on the entire premises that’s just right. I love the fuss. It’s an excuse to spend copious amounts on heart-shaped tat that’ll be shoved to the back of the drawer by the end of the week, never to see the light of day again. And I’m fine with that. Bunting. Confetti. Napkins. It’s all necessary. I even discovered Valentine’s Day crackers last year – a life-changing moment for sure. I don’t care if it’s only for one day. All the more reason to ensure every second shines like Valentine’s tinsel – it’s a thing. Look it up. Sure enough, Valentine’s Day is rapidly becoming camper than Christmas. We gays have already taken the yuletide season – surprise, it wasn’t the Grinch after all – now we’ve set our sights on February, 14 (let’s face it, it’s the next best thing to look forward to after Santa’s been). I’m surprised then, to hear of members of our community feeling excluded; feeling somehow unwelcomed by Valentine’s Day; feeling that it’s for straights only. I recently read an article online about the absence of gay-specific Valentine cards on the high street. The author implied the tough task of finding cards specifically for same-sex couples meant we should simply go without. Bollocks to that. Sure, a quick browse of the Valentine’s card section in any of the leading card chains reveals a clear
dominance of heteronormative images, but I think there’s far bigger issues in the world to worry about than whether one of the turtles on my Valentine’s Day card is wearing lipstick and mascara. Like, I don’t know, Russia perhaps? RuPaul once said the gay community has a vested interested in its own victimhood. It’s perfectly understandable considering the crap we’ve taken over the years: the years of homophobia and anti-gay laws. We’ve almost been engineered by society to take offence, but this time, playing the victim card – pardon the pun – has gone too far. In the UK, we’ve achieved so much in the fight for equality in the past few years. We can marry. We can adopt. And we can sure as hell buy our partners a Valentine’s Day card. Finding myself single approaching this year’s celebrations has allowed me to view Valentine’s Day from a new perspective – one with a healthier wallet too. February, 14 should be a real triumph to the gay community. Instead of spitting feathers about the genders of two cartoon porcupines on a piece of card, try rejoicing the fact we even have a day celebrating love: a love that’s equal by law across the entire country. Wake up and realise the only people segregating the gay community on Valentine’s Day is the gay community itself. So, if you’re lucky enough to be in love this Valentine’s Day, celebrate it. Buy your man a card and take him out for a romantic meal. Celebrate the fact nobody around you is batting an eye-lid that there’s two men dining at the next table (something we couldn’t dream of ten years ago). I’ll certainly be raising a glass to that this Valentine’s Day.
@giomag
Guy'dbook
14
ways to Survive
FEB,14
*If you’re NOT SINGLE, you can probably stop reading now
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CALL YOUR GIRLFRIENDS UP #SINGLEBITCHESALONETOGETHER
DON’T FORGET TO INVITE BEN & JERRY
*OTHER ICE-CREAM BRANDS AVAILABLE
NO NEED TO GET DRESSED (UP), YOU AIN’T GOT NO MAN TO IMPRESS
SO, SLAP ON A FACEMASK & GET COMFY ‘CUZ YOU’RE GOING NOWHERE, SISTA
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SPEAKING OF WHICH CASH IN ON THE SYMPATHY. YOU POOR THING
THINK OF ALL THE £££ YOU’VE SAVED TOO
AND YOU’LL GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP - THERE’S ONLY ONE THING YOU’LL BE SPOONING
JUST THINK, YOU’VE A BED ALL TO YOURSELF
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9 OR, JUST GRAB THE EXCUSE TO BE YOUR USUAL, PASSIVELY-AGGRESSIVE SELF AT THE FIRST MENTION OF ROMANCE
WHATEVER YOU DO, AVOID SOCIAL MEDIA. CHANCES OF EXTREME HASHTAGGING: CRITICAL #SPOILT #BESTBOYFEVA
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LIKE THE URGE TO TAKE A BITCH DOWN WASN’T STRONG ENOUGH #KEEPCALMANDWATCHDISNEY
12 AND REMEMBER, YOU’RE A STRONG, INDEPENDANT WOMAN - YOU DON’T NEED NO MAN (AT LEAST, THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE TELLING EVERYBODY)
IF IN DOUBT, ASK YOURSELF, W.W.B.D: WHAT WOULD BEYONCÉ DO? ALL THE SINGLE LADIES, SAY WHUT?
14 BUT SERIOUSLY, WOMAN UP. STOP FRETTING ABOUT BEING SINGLE. GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT giomagazine.co.uk
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To order, go to subscribeme.to/gio or call 01778 592018 using the promo code GioFEB *This offer is for uk subscribers only and closes march, 31 2016 unless cancelled. The normal cost for 13 issues is £38.35 based on the cover price of £2.95.
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20 Music giomagazine.co.uk
i
Film & TV
i
The Ri-View
GIO'S VERDICT ON NEW ALBUM ANTI
Fashion > 17
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@giomag
Preview The Drag Race Top 10 Singles chart
The
Queen s’ March
1
Your Makeup Is Terrible Alaska Thunderf*ck
Genius and hilarious. A few people spring to mind... All tea, all shade.
2
Bettie
VIOLET CHACHKI H.O.T.
3
I ADORE U
Adore DElano This queen can SING. So cool she makes us question our life choices.
THE QUEENS TAKE OVER MARCH WITH NEW MUSIC
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Bitchy
PHI PHI O’HARA The bitch of Season 4 gets bitchy in the best way. #tuuune
5 Rupaul
Adore Delano
Butch queen
After Party
Ten albums. That’s quite a feat for anybody, let alone somebody who’s career started out performing in the backstreet bars of New York. Ru’s come a long way since those days. From scoring a top 10 UK single with Elton John to co-hosting the Brit awards in 1994, her career has gone from strength to strength. And, as a Mamma Ru gears up to release her tenth studio album AND launch the eighth season of her hugely successful reality show next month (eek!) things are showing no signs of slowing down. This time around, Ru’s going butch. And, from what little we’ve heard of Butch Queen (about 12 seconds of disco bop U Wear It Well from the Drag Race season 8 trailer), Ru sounds set to slay the charts once more with her latest musical offering. It has to be said, this queen knows her way around a good beat and we can’t wait to annoy the neighbours with this album on repeat. Our dancing feet are ready, Ru. Butch Queen is out March, 4.
The party’s over but Adore’s not stopping. Everybody’s fave hog-body, ratchet couture mermaid returns with her sophomore album and she’s keeping the party alive. You only have to check out Adore’s Instagram to see how much she’s grown since her phenomenal debut album Till Death Do Us Party in 2014 and, if the moody lead single Dynamite is anything to go by, the after party will be darker, maturer and sexier too. The thing about Adore is, she can sing. Like, really sing. Part of her charm may come from the fact she’s a self-confessed polish remover but this is one seriously talented queen and not just for being a spookily good Katy Perry lookalike (although, seriously – are these two from the same clone batch of popstars?). As notoriously difficult as second albums can be, we’ve every confidence we’ll adore the after party just as much as the party. We’ve already picked out our outfits. After Party is out March, 11.
giomagazine.co.uk
American Apparel Ad Girls Courtney, Alaska & Willam “I like Ariana Grande so much I wanna order an Ariana Venti” Best lyric. Ever.
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Kaleidoscope Courtney Act
Serving Tiësto realness. This Summer jam takes us to the beach... in February.
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I Run The Runway
Miss Fame Ft. Violet Chachki Two of the phreshest, fashion queens of Season 7 OWNing the chart in style.
Unreleased, 8 The Bianca del rio single Let’s face it, it’d be better than anything by Manila. No tea, no shade.
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Dressed to kill SHaron Needles
FIERCE. Werq it, hunty.
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Werqin’ Girl
Shangela laquifa Miley Cyrus approves. That is all.
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Review
Sia
RiHaNNA
This Is Acting
ANTI
A word of advice: if Sia writes you a song, take it. That’s exactly what the people who were offered these tracks didn’t do and we bet any money they’re kicking themselves now. It may have taken her the decision to start hiding her face behind a fabulously camp array of oversized wigs for the world to pay attention, but Sia has one of the best voices in the charts right now. She knows how to use it too. We were automatically sold when the Aussie songtress dropped the thunderous lead single Alive – co-written by Adele – as a tease of what to expect from her seventh foray into the albums chart and, sure enough, the end product does not disappoint. The thing about Sia is, she’s a bloody good songwriter. This Is Acting is testament of that. It’s baffling then to learn every one of its songs was rejected by another artist. Are they crazy? Incidentally, there are no rejects on this album. This is 12 backto-back consistently great tracks. The stomping self-empowerment anthem Unstoppable sounds like the much welcomed sequel to 2014’s Chandelier while the Caribbean coolness of new Friday night favourite Cheap Thrills has us reaching for the piña coladas. But, the biggest highlights One Million Bullets and Bird Set Free strip it all back with their mellow, bubbling-under verses before erupting into those huge, signature choruses only Sia could fill. Perhaps it took other artists tossing these tunes aside for Sia to push them up another gear, but This Is Acting puts in a golden performance that has us calling out for an encore. We suspect we may have already heard the album of the year.
She’s the queen of reinvention but this might be one Ri-invention gone too far. Whatever Miley was smoking when she put out Her Dead Petz last August, it seems Ri’s been having some too. Usually, listening to a Rihanna album is like a game of spot the next single. We can usually imagine bopping along to every one of the radio-friendly jams while driving home from the office. ANTI is not that album. Instead, listening to this eclectic mix of hard stoner pop is rather like being at a party we know we’re not quite cool enough to be at and everybody else is high. Still, it’s not entirely unlistenable stuff (though one or two tracks would certainly recieve a skip on shuffle – Higher being worst of all in which Rihanna decides our iPod’s not quite loud enough so starts screaming down the earphones). The album’s most vibrant track Work sees the Barbadian beauty return to her roots with an enjoyable tropical beat that has us booking our next holiday to somewhere hot, hot, hot, while the smooth, electro-jam Kiss It Better drips in all the Rihanna sexiness we’d expect. Needed Me also sees a return from the RnB-dubstep sounds of previous records sparking hopes of RiRi making more returns to past sounds in the future. Like, please do. But, the real diamond is soul ballad Love On The Brain. It’s subtle instrumental lets the vocals take centre stage. And if one thing can be said about ANTI, it’s that RiRi has truly stepped up her vocal game sounding silkier and more confident than ever. It might not be top form for the pop princess who's normally at the top of her game but that Rihanna reign won’t let up just yet.
MUSICAL MOMENT
Of THE
MONTH THE Super bowl
20
Gaga. Beyoncé. Coldplay. bruno mars. has somebody been peeking at our christmas list? Apparently there was a football match as well... @giomag
Quiz
WHICH RIHANNA SINGLE ARE YOU?
COME MR DJ, WON’T YOU TURN THE MUSIC UP? YOU’RE HITTING THE TOWN AND YOU JUST WANT TO DANCE
POUR IT UP, POUR IT UP. JUST A MOCKTAIL FOR YOU THOUGH - YOU’RE UNDERAGE/DRIVING/MORE SENSIBLE THAN YOUR FRIENDS
SERVING SIDESHOW BOB REALNESS
EASY FOR A GOOD GURL TO GO BAD. FIVE TEQUILA SHOTS AND YOU’RE THE BADDEST BITCH IN HEELS RIGHT HERE
WHAT EVEN IS ALCOHOL?
IT’S THE END OF THE NIGHT BUT SLEEP IS THE LAST THING ON YOUR MIND. THINGS MIGHT GET A LITTLE R-RATED
Only Girl
Pon de Replay
The upbeat pop princess who never fails to put a smile on people's faces. Fun and flirty, you're one in a million: the only one in the world, you might say.
Phresh out the runway, your youth and innocence are intact – for now. Young and free with one hell of a legacy ahead of you, you’re one to watch.
2010
giomagazine.co.uk
I’LL GET US A BOOTH #CHILLING
YOU’VE GOT YOUR BEST SHIRT ON AND YOU JUST GOT YOUR HAIR DID. LOOKING GOOD AND FEELING FINE
2005
DON’T STOP THE MUSIC 2007
You were all about that bass long before Meghan Trainor. You came to party and you're not leaving till the lights come up.
*BEST GOOD GIRL IMPRESSION* #NAILEDIT
hard
Diamonds
Work
Got your eyes on the prize and there ain’t nobody stopping you from getting it. You’re one fierce mama and when you go, you go... well, y’know.
More valuable than you realise, gems like you are rare and criminally underrated. You leave a shining impression on the people you touch.
Might nobody understand a word you’re saying but they want to listen to you all the same. You’re one cool dude who just wants to chill.
2009
2012
2016
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Playlist Jan 16
NOW PLAYING
Jan 16
Army
ELLie Goulding Delirium Everything you’d expect from Ms Goulding from the raspy vocals to the emotion-filled lyrics. Stunning.
Army
Nostalgia
Hands To Myself
Ellie Goulding Delirium
Vanessa White chapter one - ep
Selena Gomez Revival
Stepping out from the shadows of her band members, Ness is SLAYING us with those sultry RnB vibes.
This Ain’t Over Alex Newell Power - EP
This Ain’t Over
You’re Such A
Alex newell power - ep
Hailee Steinfeld Haiz - EP
Put your dancing shoes on because we might just have found the dance track of the year.
You’re such a
Artist Of The Month
The girl behind our fave masterbation anthem of 2015 is back with another dose of teen angst. LOVE it.
Nina Nesbitt Modern Love - EP Alex Newell
Chewing Gum
Hailee steinfeld haiz - ep
Of all theOut talented GleeWoods stars, Alex was the last we Of The expectedTaylor to see solo music Swift 1989 from but that’s what makes it all the more interesting. He's the gender fluid starlet with a set of pipes that could bring any roof down and we are LIVING for his debut single in the office this month. Roll on the album!
pay my rent dnce swaay
Joe Jonas is rather attractive, isn’t he? He makes good music with his new band too. Go give it a listen.
out of the woods taylor swift 1989
Serving goosebumps. The impressive sixth single off 1989 proving Qween Taylor isn’t done owning the chart just yet.
#ThrowbackTrack If This Is Love The Saturdays 2008 In celebration of solo-Vanessa, we're taking it right back to the start with this one. It's hard to believe it's been eight years since The Saturdays burst into the world looking gayer than a pride flag in their multi-coloured ensembles and this was the one that started it all. Featuring that not-so-subtle Yazoo sample (from 1982 track Situation – look it up!), those pumping pop synths in the track's opening beats have us dashing for the dancefloor every time. It's often over-looked in favour of the largely more successful folllow up single Up, but If This Is Love is a real underrated gem in The Saturdays's discography and one that only seems to get better with age. Let's face it, our favourite female five piece wouldn't be where they are today without it.
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Preview
A
PAGE out of ELLEN’ s book
7 Lgbt Documentaries you need to see
1
Paris Is Burning 1990
A red hot slice of history chronicling the Golden Age of drag ball culture in New York in the 80s. If you’re a Drag Race fan, this one’s for you.
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Call Me Kuchu 2012
Inspiring and saddening. The life and murder of Ugandan LGBT civil rights advocate David Kato. It’s a gripping tale and a fitting tribute to a brave hero.
ELLEN’S BUSY ADVOCATING GAY RIGHTS THIS MONTH
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For the bible tells me so 2007
A fascinating study of five christian families with gay members exploring how religion and homosexuality can coexist alongside one another. Amen, sista.
4 Freeheld
Gaycation
film
TV
This one’s a must-see, as in, we absolutely must see it. Not only for the fact its screenplay was written by the marvellous writer behind Philadelphia (if you’ve not seen it, go watch it – now!) but for its stellar cast too. Julianne Moore is revoking her Hunger Games scheming ways to become a police officer in this true story based on the 2007 short documentary of the same name. When Moore is unexpectedly diagnosed with terminal lung cancer she’s plunged into a civil rights battle to ensure her girlfriend (Ellen Page in her first gay role since coming out in 2014) receives her pension benefits after she’s gone. Freeheld looks to be hard-hitting stuff so don’t go expecting (m)any laughs. But, it’s an essential chapter of equal rights history and we’re thrilled to see such a poignant message about equality getting the screen time it deserves. Like we say, it’s a must see this February. Freeheld is in cinemas February, 19.
In her spare time in between filming, Ellen Page likes to travel the world submersing herself in foreign gay culture – as you do. With best friend Ian by her side (who we must say, it’s rather easy on the eyes), the dynamic duo head out to Japan, Brazil, Jamaica and America for this serious of documentaries, chronicling the celebrations and struggles of the LGBT community across the four nations. Although it may sound like another bad tween movie about short shorts and Hawaiian shirts, Gaycation promises to delve deep into the shadows of LGBT life. Across the four weeks, Ellen and Ian will explore varying attitudes, meeting up with numerous officials and advocates including a notorious anti-gay serial killer. But, at the end of the day, there’s still time to catch some rays on the gay beaches in Rio. It’s a once in a lifetime trip and one we can’t wait to join Ellen on.
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Gaycation is available online, Mondays from February, 29.
Small Town gay bar 2006
Visit some of the most rural gay bars in South America. This tale tells the struggles of gay men living in conservative towns and the refuge gay bars provide.
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bear nation 2010
Grr. Hang out with bears in this celebration of gay men who are bigger and furrier than your average model. Don’t worry, they’re ever so cuddly really.
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Stonewall uprising 2010
Collating the events of the Stonewall riots – one of the most important events in LGBT history. An essential watch for all gay men. Know you history, kids.
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do i sound gay? 2015
Does exactly what it says on the tin. Exploring the idea of a ‘gay voice’ – and we don’t mean adding ‘bitch’ to the end of every sentence, bitch.
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Review
Miss Transgender: Britain’s New Beauty queens Tv
The Danish Girl film Here at Gio, we can't use the phrase "Oscar nominee" without bursting into a verse of RuPaul's Cover Girl. Perhaps it accounts for our fondness of the term. We certainly do love a good Oscar nominee, especially one that tells the story of an LGBT individual so sensitively and beautifully as The Danish Girl. Based on the David Ebershoff novel of the same name, this period drama tells the incredible true story of Lili Elbe (Eddie Redmayne), one of the first known individuals to recieve gender reassignment surgery in the 1920s. As always, Eddie puts in a sublime performance that is compassionate towards both the character and the subject matter. He firmly secures his spot in the running for Best Actor at the Oscars
Movie MOMENT
Of THE
MONTH The Bad Neighbours 2 Trailer 26
for the second consecutive year. Yet, it would be wrong to claim Eddie completely steals the show here for Alicia Vikander is equally as mesmerising as Lilli's wife Gerda. Having initially encouraged her husband to dress in female clothes for her art, thus awakening Lilli's transgender identity, Gerda is plunged into a world of guilt, confusion and sorrow. They're two incredibly complex characters portrayed with utter perfection and professionalism. There really has been somewhat of a trans takeover in the media within the last year and some may accuse The Danish Girl of jumping on the band wagon. But to assume so would be doing the film and the trans movement a major injustice. The Danish Girl is in cinemas now.
A fascinating insight into the world of transgender pageants in Britain. This enjoyable one-off documentary from the soon to be online-only BBC3 makes good pace following the lives of three contestants in the run-up to the first ever Miss Transgender UK competition final. It might not offer any particularly gripping drama but it’s uplifting to see a unique representation of trans culture on British television all the same. Extra props go to the sensitive handling of some serious subject matters, especially the difficulties of trans parenting which is a real eyeopening moment to watch as transgender Fay explores the viable options of becoming a mum. It's highly educational stuff driven by emotion and hopefully it'll help to dispel the prejudices that still surround the transgender community. More documentaries like this please. Miss Transgender is available to view on BBC iPlayer now.
Or as we like to call it, the new zac efron film. Starring Zac Efron, Zac Efron & more Zac Efron. just one complaint: Not Enough zefron. @giomag
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Gimme Five
The TOP 3. Sophia Burset Orange Is The New Black
1. alexis meade ugly betty
5. sally st. claire hollyoaks
INFLUENTIAL TRANS TV CHARACTERs of the 21st century
2. unique adams glee
4. judy boy meets girl
1. Alexis Meade portrayed by rebecca romijn
2006-2009 Back in the days before ‘transgender’ was even the grammatical norm, Alexis broke boundaries as one of the first trans characters on prime time TV. Although not trans herself, actress Rebecca helped to introduce trans identity into mainstream culture, paving the way for a new era of trans actors in trans roles.
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2. unique adams
3. Sophia Burset
4. Judy
5. sally st. claire
portrayed by alex newell 2011-2015
portrayed by Laverne cox 2013-present
portrayed by rebecca root 2015-present
portrayed by annie wallace
One of a kind, you might say. Unique sashayed onto our screens as one of the most visible trans characters on network TV. This groundbreaking role helped educate the next generation about the struggles of being a trans teen with difficult storylines including the topical issue of transphobic bullying.
Possibly our fave trans character EVER! Laverne made history as the first trans female to be nominated for an Emmy award for her role as feisty hairdresserbehind-bars Sophia. She’s also the first trans person to have a wax figure of themselves in Madame Tussauds. Now there’s an ice-breaker.
Geordie Judy entered the history books last year as the first trans lead character to be played by a trans actor in a UK comedy or drama. Actress Rebecca was also named the 18th most influential LGBT individual in the UK in the Independent on Sunday’s Rainbow List 2015. Respect.
Sally St. Claire made headlines in 2015 as the first regular trans character to be portrayed by a trans actor in a UK soap opera. Actress Annie is also credited as the inspiration for ex-Corrie fave Hayley Cropper after working as a research assistant for the ITV soap. Annie, we’ll forever be in your debt.
2015-present
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T.V.
First dates’
Wayne BArrow THERE WASN'T A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE AFTER FIRST DATES' VIEWER FAVOURITE WAYNE, 24, FINISHED TELLING HIS EMOTIONAL COMING OUT STORY. NOW, THE DISHY BRUMMIE WITH THE BLUEST EYES ON TV TALKS MEN AND DATING WITH GIO.
Your First Dates blind date with Patrick seemed to go really well! How was the experience? Any nerves? It was a brilliant experience! The production team were all so lovely, and so caring. Most people ask me if I was nervous about the cameras but I’m a TV Presenter so cameras don’t bother me. There was a lot of anticipation about the blind date though. What happened afterwards? Unfortunately, we never met up again. I was living in Birmingham at the time, and Patrick was in London, and he didn’t want to do long distance. It obviously wasn’t meant to be. You win some, you lose some, eh? You dined at the First Dates restaurant for the show, but where would your ideal first date be? I’m quite an adventurous person, so I love doing really wild and fun things, but at the same time, it’s good to have that time to get to know each other. A theme park would be perfect! It’s fun, it’s different and whilst you’re queuing, you get the chance to talk. What’s your ideal type of man? My ideal kind of guy would be someone who’s very kind. I always say he has to be kind to everyone, not just myself. Someone who is quite laid back and chilled. I have a big personality so two big personalities tend to clash. Physically, I like someone who’s tall and has a lovely smile, those are important physical traits to me. Who's your biggest celebrity crush? I’m watching a show with Steve Jones at the moment. He’s pretty much my ideal type. On the show you discussed that your
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parents have been together for 31 years. Is a long-term, committed relationship something that matters to you too? Of course! I’ve grown up with two people who have dedicated their lives to one another, and support one another through thick and thin. They have worked hard at their relationship, so it’s something I really look up to and admire. Do you think it’s harder for gay people to find love? I think it’s hard for anyone to find love in this day and age. I think a lot of people aspire to have what they see, and don’t like to settle for something else. I think we all have to be realistic with our expectations and realise that we all can’t be dating Zac Efron. Sigh. We can dream, right? What’s the best date you’ve ever been on? I’ve had a handful of really good dates actually, even if they didn’t go anywhere. I guess for the experience the show was an amazing date. But for the date itself… I went for a run with a guy once. It sounds really boring, but it
was so much fun. We just clicked so much, and took the mick out of each other. Sounds like effort to us. What’s the worst date you’re ever been on? I went on a date once where a guy was just on his phone for the whole time, I actually said to him. “Am I dating you or your phone?” He then eventually ended the date by grabbing my crotch, thinking it was acceptable. Worst. Date. Ever! Yikes! What’s your best dating tip? I honestly believe the best dating tip is to just be yourself and be honest. Start as you mean to go on. And finally, what’s your best chat-up line? “Do you come here often?” Only joking! I’m not really one for chat up lines, I find them really cheesy and a tiny bit arrogant. Again, I think just being yourself is much more attractive than trying to “win” someone over. First Dates is on C4, Tuesdays at 10pm Follow Wayne on all social media @presenterwayne.
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Style Guide
SS
16 CALL US EARLY BIRDS BUT THIS MONTH, WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT SPRING/SUMMER 2016. IT’S ALL ABOUT SIGNATURE STYLE THIS SEASON AS THE LABELS GEAR UP TO LAUNCH THEIR NEW LINES. HERE’S A SNEAK PEAK AT SOME OF OUR FAVE LOOKS...
50of Reiss shades
ITEM Of THE
MONTH 30
TOPMAN £63
AVAILABLE AT REISS.COM
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Headliners
Denim2
WILL THE DOUBLE DENIM TREND EVER DIE? APPARENTLY NOT. AND WHY WOULD WE WANT IT TO? THIS SEASON, MANGO MAN IS TAKING IT BACK TO BASICS WITH ITS CASUAL FIT BLUE JEANS & JACKETS. THEY’RE A SPRING STAPLE FOR EVERY WARDROBE. MANGO MAN COLLECTION AVAILABLE IN STORE & ONLINE FROM FEBRUARY
Trend
ALERT!
Sometimes you want a bit of colour in life and, well... sometimes you don’t. As ever, monochrome is in in a big way but it doesn’t always have to be so black & White. This season it’s all about the middle ground with ReiSS’s Spring/summer collection. Be indecisive and layer it up in sophistacted shades of charcoal, gravel & mushroom. giomagazine.co.uk
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February Fashion
category is
Heart of
♥ GOLD
DO IT UP LIKE MIDAS AND ADD A TOUCH OF GOLD TO YOUR LOOK THIS FEBRUARY. A BIT OF BLING IS THE PERFECT GIFT FOR VALENTINE'S DAY, FROM YOU TO YOU. PLUS, IT GOES GREAT WITH THESE HEART PRINTS WE'RE FEELING THE LOVE FOR. SO, WHETHER YOU'RE SHACKED UP OR NOT YOU'LL SHINE THIS FEBRUARY,14.
LEFT HAPPY SOCKS HEARTS WOVEN BOXERS, £20 ASOS.COM TOP LEFT ARCHER GOLD SLIP-ON TRAINERS, £135 IRREGULARCHOICE RIGHT COMME DES GARÇONS PLAY BLACK CARDIGAN WITH GOLD EMBLAM, £264 FRWD.COM TOP RIGHT ZARA MAN GOLD EAU DE TOILETTE 50ML, £29 ZARA
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kbook
LEFT GOLD ARROW PENDANT NECKLACE, £7.50 TOPMAN RIGHT METALLIC GOLD BOW TIE, £30 TOPMAN LOWER RIGHT HAPPY SOCKS HEART SOCKS, £8 ASOS.COM FAR RIGHT MI-PAC NAVY HEARTS BACKPACK, £39.99 SKATEHUT .CO.UK
LEFT RED HEART PRINT SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT, £22 RIVER ISLAND RIGHT GOLD LOOK STRETCH BRACELECT, £8.50 TOPMAN BELOW COMME DES GARÇONS PLAY PRO STAR HI SNEAKERS, £79.99 SELFRIDGES
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Hand-picked
Editor’s pick NEW LOOK £17.99
PRIMARK £12
H&M £19.99
8 of the best
Printed Shirts
ZARA £29.99
TOPMAN £24.99 34
BOLD PATTERNS OWN THE HIGH STREET RIGHT NOW. THE BOLDER THE BETTER. FROM SWEET TREATS TO COLOURFUL FLORALS, DARE TO STAND OUT IN THESE LONG SLEEVED EYE-CATCHERS.
Fashion director’s pick
MR PORTER £39.99
ASOS £19.99
H&M £19.99 @giomag
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LGBT 46 Interviews giomagazine.co.uk
i
Features
i
Scarlett Harlett BRITAIN'S NEXT DRAG SUPERSTAR
Real Life Stories
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[Interview]
The Boy with
THE VOICE He's the 19-year-old drama student with a big voice and an even bigger fashion-sense. He stole the show with his James Bay cover on The Voice last month earning him a coveted spot on Team Boy George. Gio chats to The Voice's Harry Fisher about his unique style, working with Boy George and why refuses to put a label on his sexuality.
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@giomag
[Cover Star]
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[Interview]
“When I was a kid, I never had anyone on talent shows like, This is me – I’m a drag queen. It's been the most diverse year on The Voice. it's incredible”
H
ow was it performing in front of the four coaches (will.i.am, Boy George, Paloma Faith and Ricky Wilson)? It was amazing. It was so weird because I tried not to look at the chairs throughout my audition but I just kept staring at will.i.am’s foot. He had it out to the side of his chair, so I got on stage and was like, “Oh my god. That’s will.i.am’s foot.” Was it nerve-wracking? It was so nervewracking. I suffer from breakdowns anyway and I was so nervous – it’s not stage fright but it’s just really bad nerves. I had a cry before I went on stage because I was so scared but once I was out there and once I started singing I was absolutely fine. I think you can see at the end of my [audition] clip, I’m shaking with the mic in my hand.
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To add to the pressure, Boy George left it to the last minute to turn around – was there a moment where you thought none of the coaches were going to turn? I got half way through and still no one had turned so I was like, “Oh my god, I need to step up my game”. I tried harder than I thought I would have to try. I really went for it at the end – you can see the veins in my neck. I’m really pushing, like, “Turn. Please” [laughs]. Boy George was the only coach to turn, but, did you already have a team in mind before going into the audition? For me, it was out of Paloma Faith or Boy George. I just love Boy George so much and I love everything about him, especially when he was in Culture Club. His fashion and the gender-bending – I just love it. And then I think Paloma Faith is just an amazing, amazing vocalist so it was definitely out of those two. It’s interesting that you picked Paloma and Boy George because they are the two new coaches for this series – is that what pushed you to audition this year? I just thought it was time to be honest. When I first auditioned [for the initial producer audition round] I didn’t actually know who the new coaches were going to be. I think I just thought, “Oh my god, I’m 19 – soon I’m going to be 93 and I need to hurry up and do something”. Did you know that you always wanted to sing? Yeah, I’ve been singing from the age of seven. I used to sing Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston and I didn’t know I could sing at that age but my mum was like, ”Oh my god, you need to do something with your voice, you need to sing”. My voice broke when I was 15 or 16 and then it almost felt like I had to start again. Before,
I could sing really high, so when my voice broke I had a meltdown. But, I trained up again and now I’m 19 [laughs]. How did you prepare for your audition on The Voice? A lot of rehearsals. I spent a lot of time preparing. I think choosing the song was the hardest bit though because there’s so many songs that I love so it was really difficult to try and choose one to represent me. Ultimately, you chose Let It Go by James Bay – is this the music you typically listen to? Yeah! I love James Bay. I listen to any artists who write from their heart and soul – people who have been through the worst. My favourites are Amy Winehouse, David Bowie and Jessie J. I think it’s because they write from their most personal places. I listen to 70s, 80s and 90s to now. As long as they’re writing from a personal place, I’ll listen to it. Who would be your dream duet partner? Tina Turner! I feel like we’d have a right laugh up on stage me and Tina. Would it be a diva-off? It would be a diva-off. We’d sing Proud Mary. I’d sing a “rolling” and then she’d sing a “rolling” [laughs]. It would be great! Actually, Tina or Beyoncé. But everyone would say Beyoncé because she is the queen of everything. Quite. How has the response been since your audition aired? It’s been crazy! Have you been recognised out-andabout? I have. It’s really sweet. Although, sometimes it’s really embarrassing because I don’t look very nice. We’re sure that’s not true! No it is [laughs]. I went shoe shopping last week and I was in trackies and I couldn’t be bothered to do my hair and this woman was like, “Oh my god, can I have a picture?” and I just looked so horrid. It’s lovely though. Everyone who does recognise me is really, really nice and it’s something that I never thought would happen to me. Would you say that The Voice has changed your life? Yeah, it has. The Voice is an amazing
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[Cover Star] platform for artists and artistry. It allows people to be who they want to be. With me, that’s a big thing because I am who I am – I have a weird style. Some people don’t like it and some people do like it. With The Voice, they haven’t tried to change that. I love The Voice – it’s brilliant. There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding The Voice in recent years about the fact it hasn’t produced a mega chart star to date – do you think it’s necessarily important that contestants go on to be instant chart successes? I see The Voice as a platform and what you do with that platform is your choice. For me, I’m a really hard worker and I don’t give up. I’ll try my hardest to break the industry with the platform I’ve been given. It’s what you do after. As for [The Voice] producing a star... Who knows? Maybe this is the year. Is it true that you originally auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent? Yeah, it is true! I did Britain’s Got Talent when I was about 14. I sounded so different. My voice was five times higher. I sang Frank Sinatra and I could get really high. I got through but then I didn’t get past the next round. How was it dealing with that kind of rejection at a young age? I took things really personally when I was younger. When I didn’t get through the second round I was distraught. I thought my life was over – but it wasn’t, obviously [laughs]. I think you’re fragile at that age and if you get told “no” at the age of 14, you think, “Oh my god, I’m never going to be able to sing again”. But, obviously that’s not the case – I got over it. And then, 5 years later, here I am auditioning for The Voice. Do you have any words of encouragement for readers who are still trying to make their dreams into a reality? Always be yourself. Don’t let other people try and put you into some sort of box. Always do what you want to do. I’ve had opportunities in the past and had to turn them down because people wanted me to do stuff that isn’t me. It could’ve worked out to be amazing but it’s just not me so I don’t want to do it. I’ve been through so much rubbish for being myself at school and college and I think, I didn’t go through all of that back then just to change it now. If you just stick to being yourself, you will get somewhere in the end. Just have a little bit of patience. ►
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[Interview] You seem like a very confident person – is there a source for your confidence? My mum. She’s amazing. She just embraces who I am. She sent me a picture of these massive, massive platform shoes the other night and she was like, “I love these." So I was like, “Oh yeah. They’re amazing. I’ll wear them” and she puts, “No, for me” [laughs]. She’s just an amazing person. With confidence, if you’ve got supportive people around you, whether it’s friends or parents or other relatives, I think you get confidence from that. Surround yourself with positive people. Speaking of platforms, we saw Boy George take a particular liking to your shoes during your audition on The Voice – where are they from? They’re from eBay! I did wonder if the seller was watching [the audition] and thinking, “They’re my shoes!” [laughs]. I get a lot of my shoes from eBay – it’s great! You do have a very unique sense of style – who inspires you the most? Style-wise, I love the Spice Girls [laughs]. I absolutely love the Spice Girls. But then singing-wise [thinks hard], probably Amy Winehouse. I just absolutely love her voice, I absolutely love her songs and her music. It’s a bit of a weird mix isn’t it? Amy Winehouse and the Spice Girls. It’s a collaboration we’d love to have seen! And you mentioned how much you admire Boy George’s style too - how has it been getting to work with him? Amazing! Getting to work with Boy George has honestly been the biggest pleasure. He’s exactly the same person as he is on camera. He’s so straight-forward and so real with you and, for me, that’s what I want from a coach. If he needs to tell you something that’ll help you improve, he will. He doesn’t sugar-coat it and I really respect that. He’s a really great man and he’s so down to earth and genuine. I’m so happy to have him as a coach. Obviously you can’t say too much, but have you already filmed the battle round (the proceeding stage of the competition in which members of the same team are pitted against each other for a place in the live shows)? We have yeah! How was it preparing for your battle? The battle round was difficult. Obviously you’ve got a partner so you can’t just
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[Cover Star]
“Always be yourself. Don’t let other people try & put you in to some sort of box. Always do what you want to do” prepare by yourself so me and my partner FaceTimed and Skyped a lot. I can’t say much about the battles but I think with [pauses], no I can’t even say that [laughs]. It’s difficult because we [Team Boy George] all know each other but some of the people in the team, their auditions haven’t aired yet so I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say. But the battles are coming anyway... There goes our exclusive scoop! We’ve heard Boy George referring to his team as “a bunch of misfits” – do you think it’s important to show these social diversities on TV? 100%! Oh god, I need
giomagazine.co.uk
to word this in a very good way because it’s a really good point [laughs]. I think it’s so important – it’s so, so important to put [social diversities] out there because, when I was a kid, I never had anyone being on talent shows being like, “This is me – I’m a drag queen or I’m this or I’m that”. This year has been the most diverse year there’s been on The Voice and I think it’s incredible. It’s so good to put that out there on the BBC for teenagers to watch and think, “If they can do this, then I can do what I want to do”. I think that’s great and that’s half the reason that I do what I do. ►
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@giomag
[Cover Star]
“I don’t understand why there is this pressure on young gay people to come out. You don’t get straight people saying, Oh mum, I’ve got to tell you something – I’m straight” Do you think it’s important to portray positive examples of non-heterosexual sexualities in the media in particular for young gay and questioning teenagers to look up to – especially those who might be struggling to come out? Definitely. I never really had anyone when I was a teenager saying, “Be you.” I always did it for myself. I always thought, “Just be me,” but I never actually had anyone who was in the limelight saying these things and then Jessie J came along. That’s why I love her so much because she did say them. I think it’s so important to have that on TV and I hope that it’s a massive help to anyone that’s struggling with being who they are because, right now, it is still difficult to be yourself sometimes – especially if you are different or you stand out from the crowd. So, for Boy George to call his team a bunch of misfits, I love it. I’m proud to be a misfit. Hear, hear! It’s refreshing to see somebody so young like yourself be so confident on TV without sexuality being an issue – do you think it’s right for young stars (most recently, George Shelley) to feel like they have to come out so publically? No, I don’t. I always question why do we even need to come out. You don’t get straight people saying, “Oh mum, I’ve got to tell you something – I’m straight." I don’t understand why there is this pressure on young gay people to come out because, I think, you are who you are
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and I hope that one day, as a culture, we become so developed that that’s not a thing anymore. You are who you are and you like who you like. I’m a real believer in equality and I think if a straight person doesn’t have to come out then I don’t think a gay person should have to either. Did you ever officially “come out”? I stuck with what I believe and I never really did. I never really felt the need to. If people asked me, I would tell them that, “I’ll fall in love with who I want to fall in love with”. I don’t put any restrictions on it. If I meet someone and I like them, I like them and that’s who I am. It’s never been a big thing. You’ve just moved away to university – how have you found attitudes towards non-heterosexual sexualities at uni? Positive. Definitely – especially because I go to uni in London. People are eccentric here and a lot more open-minded. Do you have any final words of advice for readers who may be thinking of moving away to university and are worried about having to come out? Again, it always just comes back down to, “Just be you”. You will find your real friends. Of course, there’ll be
people who won’t like you – there are plenty of people who don’t like me. It happens. But you will find your real friends and you will find people who accept you for who you are so don’t change. Just go to uni being 100% open and honest with yourself and with others and you'll have nothing to worry about. You’ll have a great time. We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. So, what’s next for Harry Fisher? Is there a plan? I’m doing a lot of gigs throughout February. I’m going to playing across London and Southampton and hopefully Manchester too. After that, well, you’ll just have to wait until the battles air, won't you? [laughs] Wait and see what happens to me on The Voice! The Voice UK is on BBC, Saturdays from 7pm Follow Harry on all social media @theharryfisher.
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[Interview]
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@giomag
[Rising Star]
lady in
RED As one of the freshest faces in british drag right now, rising star Scarlett Harlett spills the tea on RuPaul, competing in Drag Race UK Ambassador and the state of drag in the UK right now. And be warned, this queen does NOT hold back. We hope you like your tea piping hot... Have you ever thought about what your drag name would be? What would you choose? It’s not as easy as you’d think Harry Mulvany, perhaps better known by his stage name Scarlett Harlett, tells us. You want your name to say something about you; to give people a little tease of your drag persona. “I wanted a name that was a little bit vintage and I little bit sexy and something that rolled of the tongue,” he says. Well, he couldn’t have hit the nail any harder on the head with that one. Scarlett Harlett. We’re getting Demi Moore as Hester Prynne-classic realness which is exactly the type of pop culture reference Harry loves to pay homage to. Scarlett was given birth to when Harry was only 17 – an early comer to the London drag scene, although he assures us he’s really been doing drag for as long
giomagazine.co.uk
as he’s been able to wrap a piece of fabric around himself and call it a skirt. Now, at the age of 21, the young queen has had quite the four year run, making numerous TV appearances as well as playing bars and clubs in the London gay scene, growing quite the reputation for her fierce performances. AND, a little birdy tells us she’s even set to make an appearance in the highly-anticipated Ab Fab movie. Is there no end to this queen’s credentials? But the thing that truly put Scarlett’s name on the map was her online audition tape. Last year, the queen of all queens RuPaul sent out an appeal to the UK looking for contestants for an exciting live competition based on the US smash Drag Race. Queens responded in their flocks, but of all the video applications, Scarlett’s stood out by a mile. Garnering more than 11,000 hits, the genius compilation – including a full, word-perfect lip sync to a legendary Faye Dunaway scene – secured her a spot in the final and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform in front of Ru herself.
Condragulations on making it to the final of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Ambassador. How was it getting to be on stage before RuPaul? Thank you! It was a complete blur to be honest. It felt like I was only on stage for about two seconds! I just remember my knees shaking and seeing Ru's shiny bald head and big white teeth. It was a fun night! Your audition tape was brilliant! What made you want to audition? I’m one of the new generation queens that was actually inspired to do drag because of Drag Race and so by auditioning for Drag Race Ambassador it was sort of my fullcircle moment. How did you prepare for the final? We were given such limited information about the night that there wasn't much we could prepare for really. All we were told was to learn Cover Girl, Glamazon and Sissy That Walk [RuPaul tracks which the queens would have to give a lip sync performance of] but we didn’t know which one we’d have to perform on the night. We didn’t realise until the night that half ►
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[Interview] of us wouldn't even get to lip sync! [only contestants who made it past the first catwalk round proceeded to the lip sync round]. It was all a bit of a shock! Did you manage to meet RuPaul backstage? We didn't sadly. I remember knowing that she’d arrived in the building because, suddenly, none of us were allowed to leave the backstage area. I guess she just wanted to show up and get the job done with no hassle. Which at this stage in her career, I guess you can't really expect her to get excited about meeting a load of gushing fan queens. Still, I was a bit taken aback by it at the time... No tea, no shade! You did, however, manage to share a picture with Jonathon Ross we see. How was it meeting him? He was so sweet! He actually came backstage just to see how we were all getting on. It was lovely to chat to him about his love for Drag Race and his excitement about judging. If I didn't get to meet Ru, at least I got to meet the guy who bought the rights to the UK version! How have things changed for you since taking part in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
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Ambassador? A lot of opportunities have come around since I did the competition, which I’m really grateful for. Nobody really knew who I was before Drag Race Ambassador so it’s nice people could see it as an introduction to me and my drag. You’ve also taken part in The Almost Impossible Game Show and Big Brother’s Bit on the Side – as a young drag queen, is TV exposure something that’s important to you? For where I want to take my drag career, yes. I want to be on TV in drag day in one way or another one day. That’s the dream. I'm a drag queen for Christ’s sake. We’re all egotistical beings whether we want to admit it or not, so by doing TV when I can, that’s just my way of getting attention. Do you think drag is becoming more mainstream wth increased representation on TV these days? Drag’s always been known about and showcased in some form or another, but, what with the growing popularity of RuPaul’s Drag Race, I guess the drag community as a whole has become a lot more mainstream. But I mean, individual queens have brought a
spotlight to drag for years. Stars like Dame Edna, Lilly Savage… They broke out of the gay community. I think, as long as we have those kinds of people in the limelight, then drag will always have a spotlight on it. Do you think the UK is ready for its own full version of RuPaul’s Drag Race [something that's long been rumoured]? Oh god. People are going to hate me for saying this, but in all honesty, no. I just don’t think it would work. I mean, firstly our country is tiny compared to America. On top of that, American drag and British drag are very different. The idea of what “good” and “bad” drag is already set in stone from the American show so choosing girls in this country that are on par wot the hih standards would leave even less queens in the runnning. Don’t get me wrong, British queens are so talented but if they stuck to the American format, so many girls just wouldn't get cast. I think we need our own show aside from Drag Race to really showcase British drag. Speaking of RuPaul (again) he recently discussed the ‘real’ differences between drag and being trans. Do you think there’s a stigma attached to drag with the association that all drag queens must be trans? I personally wouldn’t see it as a stigma. If somebody sees me and assumes I want to be a woman, I couldn’t care less. I think there’s only a stigma if the idea of being labelled as trans offends you. I know who I am and I’m comfortable with my gender identity. Whenever I am asked, I find it’s easily sorted when I tell them I very much enjoy having a penis between my legs and I'm happy for it to stay that way. That's us told! Do you have any words of advice for any young people looking to start doing drag? The first thing I’d say is never let yourself get too comfortable. Always push yourself. Always strive for more. Always step outside of your comfort zone and jump in at the deep end. Learn what your unique selling point is, translate that into your drag and then run with it. The finer you can tune where your uniqueness lies, the easier it'll be to propel your character to the heights that you want to take it to. As Ru would say, know who you are and deliver it at all times. Keep up to do date with Scarlet and follow her next adventures on Twitter, @TheOnlyHarlett & Instagram, @scarlettharlett.
@giomag
[Rising Star]
“whenever i am asked if i want to be a woman, i find it’s easily sorted when I Tell them i very much enjoy having a penis between my legs and I'm happy for it to stay that way” giomagazine.co.uk
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[Confession]
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@giomag
[Spotlight]
CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE HETEROPHOBE GIO MAGAZINE EDITOR NEIL READMAN SHARES HIS EXPERIENCES OF HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE HE HAS SPENT YEARS TRYING TO OVERCOME.
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I've always been an early developer. By the age of 3, I was already reading at the average ability of a 5-yearold. By the age of 4, I could already recite the alphabet – backwards. It’s something that’s followed me throughout all stages of growing up. By the age of 11, my voice had already broken and I was starting to grow hair down there. Of course, this also meant I was starting to develop certain thoughts and feelings. I should point out my fortune. Coming to terms with sexuality can be a difficult and lengthy period for many, yet, I always rather had clarity on the matter. It was a mere peck on the lips between two men on a certain Mancunian soap that awakened me to the very notion of homosexuality – it was titillating stuff, even at the age of 8. And, it was largely causal of the hours of web-searching that ensued. The summer between primary and secondary schools was an eye-opening period to say the least. In primary, I’d always been the happygo-lucky kid. I enjoyed school and had lots of friends of both genders. Admittedly, my closest friends were all females but, at that age, it was never an issue. Nobody had ever questioned it. Yet, in my first week of starting secondary school I encountered my first case of bullying over the matter. Interestingly enough, at the hands of a girl. “Weirdo. Why do you only hang around with girls?” she’d ask, aggressively. Sadly, it put an instant stop to any ideas I was having about being open about who I was – I was sure to lock the closet doors tightly shut behind me on the way in. And by luck, she just so happened to be in every single one of my classes. I was reminded of the fact by the comforting sense of being glared at for the entire duration of every lesson. Safe to say, I was happy to wave the wench off partway through the school year when she moved out of the area. I was first to ask if needed help packing, naturally. I always presumed she’d moved away to join a secret colony of feminists or lesbians – or both – somewhere deep in the mountains because she sure hated the idea of a male invading her circle of oestrogen. Either way, I was thankful to be rid of the torment – little did I know, this was merely the initiation ceremony for the years of taunting and humiliation to come.
I was an easy target. I was never particularly flamboyant and, appearance-wise, I was as plain – blonde-haired, blue-eyed and of average weight – as they came. Yet, increasingly, I didn’t fit in. I was so clearly not ‘one of the boys’. I was soft. I hated sport of all kind and I certainly didn’t want to play-fight. Instead, I played the violin and loved art. I auditioned for the school’s drama productions and spent my evenings memorising the lyrics of Disney songs, dreaming that, one day, my own prince would come. But this was no fairytale. The other boys soon grew wise to my differences. It started with my form group. I’d, rather mistakenly, been landed a spot in one of the rowdiest forms in my year group – a result of being absent in Majorca at the time the rest of my primary peers were choosing their classes (clearly, nobody had chosen to be with me… Ahem. Thanks for nothing). And so, I was, it seemed, shoved spur-of-the-minute into a riotous form dominated by boys who were bigger and tougher than me and who were soon competing with one another to be alpha male. It was a scene from Battle Royale as, one by one, members of the group were picked off. In no time at all, a hierarchy had been set in stone. Naturally, I was bottom. And then came PE. Boy, did I dread PE. I was thrown into an all-male prison camp and forced to play ball games of which I hadn’t the faintest idea how to play nor had I the faintest desire to learn. Instead, I created my own games. I became very good at dodgeball or at least, my version: running to the other side of the pitch every time the ball came near. I was a laughing-stock. It surely diminished any chances I had of redeeming my reputation in the boys’ eyes. I was dubbed a loser. Puff. Gayboy. I used to lie awake every Sunday night knowing I had to endure two hours of the torture first thing in the morning. Seriously, double PE on a Monday morning. Who does that? It felt like punishment. The crime: being gay. The first and last five minutes of every PE lesson were the worst. The changing room. Pure hell. As much as I loathed being out on the field, I dreaded hearing the whistle even more confirming it was time to return to the torture chamber. It was a roast. The ►
“I spent my evenings memorising the lyrics of Disney songs, dreaming that one day my own prince would come. But this was no fairytale”
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[Confession] other boys mocked me for my underwear; they mocked me for my trainers; they’d slap me from behind with their towels and then turned their backs to me whilst undressing, branding me a pervert and demanding that I stopped looking at them. The entire room would erupt into laughter at my expense. In reality, my eyes were fixed firmly to the ground, stinging ferociously as I fought back the tears. I wanted to be invisible. So, instead, I made it a race. The only race I was ever capable of winning. I became the master of speed-changing back into my uniform and fleeing to my next class, enduring as little interaction with the rest of the room as possible. Then it was straight onto round two: the corridors. It’s shocking to think but just getting from class to class could prove a traumatic experience. Often, I’d be subjected to another tirade of abuse from my hecklers. GAYYY. They’d shout it at me down the corridors to great hilarity. I used to long for the times I’d see a teacher on the move also. I’d race ahead so I could be directly behind them. They were my bodyguards. My shield. Other times, I’d avoid using the corridors at peak altogether. I’d wait in the toilets till I knew it was safe to emerge which often made me late for classes. Things were spiralling rapidly out of control. I could no longer tell if it was the other boys or myself who was segregating me, but one thing I was certain of was that I sure as hell didn’t need much pushing. By the age of 12, I'd cut contact with all members of the same sex barring family and teachers. I didn’t talk to them. I didn’t look at them. I didn’t even acknowledge their existence. I started changing for PE in the bathroom. I even took GSCE Dance just so I could be with the girls, away from the boys. This was, of course, wondrous music to the bullies’ ears. It wrote itself. I knew I wasn’t transgender and yet I longed to be a girl. I spent hours pondering how different life would have been. Instead, I surrounded myself with a close circle of female friends who I believed I could trust. My beliefs were wrong. Soon enough, the girls started growing more and more interested in the boys. As a result, it became increasingly more difficult to keep my distance from the boys. One by one, our friendship circle of girls (plus one ‘honorary girl’ – moi) was expanded by another member to include an enemy from the other side. Before long, it began to put a strain on a lot of my friendships. Before long, I’d lost two of my best friends to the dark side - one of whom start dating a boy behind my back who she’d known had a history of making jibes at me. I felt betrayed. I felt hurt. I felt alienated by my own friends. I didn’t think it was possible, but in the months to come I quickly became more unpopular still. I spent the rest of my secondary school days with my head down, making little interaction with anybody. Instead, I focussed on my studies. I eventually left school with 6A*s, 4As and very few friends but I didn’t care about the latter. I was just happy to see the back of the place. I’m proud I didn’t let the bullies deter my performance. I could’ve easily thrown in the towel and simply stopped attending school like so many young bullied LGBT individuals do - and who could blame them? Instead, I let the bullies break my confidence. I lost all self-esteem and with it, all trust for anybody. I lost trust to the point I
couldn’t even tell a teacher or my parents what was happening. The little boy in primary school who had lots of friends and would talk to anybody, now wanted to talk to nobody. And for somebody who had once had clarity on his sexuality, they made me feel wrong. Instead of owning my sexuality, I supressed it vowing never to tell a soul. To this day, I still have severe trust issues when it comes to straight males. After leaving school, I went on to college and from there university and attitudes were infinitely better at both. In fact I’ve never encountered another case of homophobia from a fellow student since. But scars have always remained. I don’t remember so much as holding a conversation with a single boy at college, let alone making friends with them. I was simply in the habit of ignoring them – forgetting their existence completely. I escaped the two years without so much as a hello. I did, however, meet some great female friends at college. They accepted me entirely for everything that I was and yet, still I could not bring myself to come out to them. The psychological damage – the scarring – from years of abuse had broken the pathway between my brain and my mouth. Those two tiny words simply couldn’t find a way out. But it was university that truly presented me with my biggest challenge. It came as a shock. Or was it horror? The idea of having to move into student halls and share a flat with other boys. It made me feel sick to the core. It was enough to make me doubt the ordeal all together. Commuting had never been so attractive. I even considered requesting to be put in an all-girl flat. Would I have been the first, I wondered. It would’ve been a huge mistake, that’s for sure. Now that I’m in my third year, I can honestly say university is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I made the plunge and moved into a mixed-sex flat in first year. The ratio of girls was higher than boys so I was slyly pleased, but still, it forced me into conversation with other boys for the first time in years. Don’t get me wrong, it was staggered and largely uncomfortable for both parties, but it was progress all the same. Baby steps. And that’s precisely what it has taken and precisely what it continues to take, every day: baby steps. It’s not something that’s just going to magically disappear overnight - I’ve accepted that. And unfortunately yes, it has been to my great detriment on many an occasion. I’ve met some genuinely lovely, amazing guys in my time at university who couldn’t give a flying monkeys about something as trivial as sexuality, but still my guard is so high up that I struggle to talk to them comfortably. It saddens me to think of all the great, genuine friendships I’ve missed out on. I hope to god my bullies are happy. Whatever it was they were trying to achieve by shouting abuse at me in the school corridors and by humiliating me in the changing rooms, they succeeded. But I take comfort from knowing I’m through the worst. And with every straight guy I encounter, and with every slightly less awkward conversation than the one before, I know I’m on my way to recovery. I may have always been an early developer, but this is one development that’s going to take me time.
“I knew i wasn't transgender & yet i longed to be a girl”
Support for anyone that's suffered homophobic abuse is available at stonewall.org.uk. 52
” @giomag
[Spotlight]
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show your
colours before the days of grindr and social media, gay men had to be a little more creative with how they caught each other's attention. the hanky code is a cruising classic. What's your favourite colour? Choose wisely – it can say a lot more about you than you think. That's because, back before hook-up apps and Twitter were around, many gay men used to use colour-coded pocket squares to find one another. The Hanky Code was made popular in Europe in the early 1970s. Gay culture was still being kept very much underground and so this unique form of signalling offered a way for gay men to meet like-minded others discretely. A handkerchief would be worn in the back pockets of one's jeans to let fellows know they were
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looking for fun. The colour of the hanky revealed A LOT about the wearer’s sexual interests with the hopes of finding a match. A hanky worn on the left meant the man was dominant while a hanky worn on the right meant the man was submissive. Got it? We’ve broken down the most commonly used Hanky Code colours and their meanings on the right. Don’t worry, we’ve kept it as clean as possible (something’s are better left unprinted...). A complete list of the Hanky Code colours and meanings can be found in The Leatherman’s Handbook II by Larry Townsend.
@giomag
EduGaytion
RED
fist Bumping
You’ll never look at baymax the same again. Sorry ’bout it.
Orange
Down for whatever
anything goes, sailor.
blue
looking to hire
mouthy
he probably doesn’t mean a car...
He's Probably doesn't mean small talk either...
Purple subtlety is key.
Pink toys you’re never too old for playtime.
Black s&M stands for Simba & Mufasa, obvs. Gotta love a daddy.
giomagazine.co.uk
watersports surfing, Rafting, Jet Skiing... Y’know the sort.
light
green
Piercings
yellow
dark
blue
obsessive compulsive
e.g. visitors must use the backdoor. We’re quite anal about it actually.
Brown
The less said, the better No, really. Just don’t.
Grey Bandage We think we heard that right. our ears are a li’l tied up.
White diy the job done how you want it doing.
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18 WAYS TO KNOW IF HE'S GAY
 (THE TWITTER STALKER'S CHECKLIST)
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@giomag
Checklist
HIS BIO IF YOUR FUTURE HUBBIE'S BIO DOESN'T DECLARE HIS MEMBERSHIP TO #TEAMGAY, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES. BUT DON'T WORRY, THOSE 160 CHARACTERS (NO, THAT'S NOT A TYPO. COUNT THEM!) CAN STILL SAY A LOT ABOUT PEOPLE – LITERALLY.
1. Does he say he's single?
Yes
NO
2. DoeS HE "love" pop culture?
"Loves music/ film/ tv/ food/ fashion" = I sit on my laptop listening to Lady Gaga and watching repeats on the Horror Channel all day, always thinking of my next meal and the possibility of getting dressed at some point. He's interesting, honest.
Yes
NO
3. Is he overinformative? "21y/o. 5ft 7, 12st. A+. Slight birth mark on left ear." Is this a bio or an advertisement? Cuz whatever you're selling, we ain't buying hunty.
Yes
giomagazine.co.uk
OK, this one has nothing to do with his sexuality, but gurl, if he can't even use spellcheck that is NOT boyfriend material. Don't be fooled by those luscious lips... and that perfect hair.... and those dreamy eyes... and... Sorry, what were we saying?
Yes
Thirsty gays be letting you know on the [not so] down low that they are single and very much looking to mingle. Just in case it's been a slow day on Grindr, y'know. It pays to have options.
NO
7. Is he pouting?
4. Is everything spelt correctly?
NO
GRAB YOUR MAGNIFYING GLASS SHERLOCK CUZ THAT PROFILE PIC COULD WELL BE THE KEY TO SOLVING THIS MYSTERY. NOW THAT THE RAINBOW FILTER IS A THING OF THE PAST *SOB*, IT'S GONNA TAKE THESE EXPERT POWERS OF DEDUCTION. YOU'RE WELCOME.
He'd trust a bitch with his life, just not with a camera. Y'all don't even understand the time it took to get the perfect shot. It's all about the angles darling.
NO
6. Is it buried beneath an unclassified no. of filters? Less #IWoke UpLikeThis, more #IWokeUp2HoursAgoToTake ThisSelfie&EditTheSh*tOutOfItSo I'dLookHalfDecent. Too long?
Yes
NO
8. Is his brow game on point? It's all in the brows. If they ain't plucked, shaped and coloured to within an inch of their lives, he probably isn't so. Leave dem furry caterpillars at the door.
Yes
NO
HIS tweets
5. Is it a selfie?
Yes
HIS Profile pic
Yes
How else is he gonna show off dat jawline? Carved for the gods, he's serving cheekbones for days – or, he's just very good at contouring. Either way, don't even act like y'all are not gagging.
NO
AND SO WE COME TO THE GOOD STUFF. IT'S TIME TO TRULY PUT THOSE STALKING SKILLS TO THE TEST. LET'S SEE JUST HOW MUCH ATTENTION YOU REALLY PAY TO HIS POSTS OR ARE YOU TOO BUSY STARING AT THOSE BROWS? IF YOU'RE OBSERVANT ENOUGH, THESE TELLTALE SIGNS SHOULD GIVE THE GAME AWAY.
9. Is He always amassing retweets?
"RT if you like me, RT if you don't. WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME?" Yawn. All that fishing for popularity is ex-haaausting.
Yes
NO
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Checklist
10. Does he tweet more than 5 times an hour?
Heaven forbid you should miss another riveting update about how he's "so full of Nando's" and "off for the bus now". Here, have a photo of his plain butterfly chicken for good measure. Oversharing is caring.
Yes
NO
11. DoeS HE regularly take Time out to remind beyoncÉ she's queen? "Yaas mama. Slay!" We absolutely never tire of seeing the stream of identical replies to Bey's tweets, honest *grits teeth*. Seriously though, that sh*t ain't cute. Stop.
Yes
NO
12. Has He ever tweeted about Starbucks?
NO
Ill-informed responses to public affairs are a particular fave. "This Donald Trumpet guy seems like an idiot. Hillary Clinton for Prime Minister." Points for trying...
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Yes
NO
NO
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THOSE UPLOADS, SHALL WE? PURELY FOR ANALYTICAL PURPOSES, OF COURSE. WE'RE NOT AT ALL HOPING FOR MORE PICS OF THOSE FLAWLESS CHEEKBONES AND BROWS... *COUGH*
15. Has he uploaded more than 15 selfies this month?
*Checks how many we've saved* Hah, jokes. We're not really stalkers... *cough cough*
NO
The Verdict
16. Were at least half of them shirtless?
Clothes are like, so totally
overrated anyway.
Yes
NO
17. Were the other half accompanied by self-critism?
HIS Photos
Mostly Yes
13. Does he Tweet Really bad opinions?
Yes
Whatya mean we've already done that one? It's important, OK? Learn your ABCs kids.
Yes
Like, seriously – ever!? If the answer's no then stop the world right there cuz we wanna get off.
Yes
14. Is everything spelt correctly (at least)?
"Why am I so ugly" = feed me compliments. It's all he eats. How else do you think he stays so thin?
Yes
NO
8. is the 0ther 20% of his photos drag race memes?
And you're still wondering if he's gay? Really queen?
Yes
NO
TOTAL UP THOSE SCORES HUNNY AND LET'S SEE IF WE HAVE OURSELVES A 'MO...
Congrats! You've blagged yourself one certified gaymosexual. Maybe it was the over-tendency to tweet RuPaul quotes or the notso-subtle use of "yaas" after every tweet, but gurl, the game's well and truly up. Now sliiide into his DMs while the night's still young. You've wasted enough time already!
Mostly NO
Devastated. Better luck next time! Your Man Crush Monday might not be feeling the man-love but there's plenty more fish in the sea. Take that attractive guy over there for example, with his luscious lips... and his perfect hair... and... Sorry, what were we saying again? Absolutely devastated, we tell you.
@giomag
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@giomag
[Real Life Stories]
Out of confusion Out of nerves Out of shame THREE OF GIO'S READERS SHARE THEIR INSPIRING COMING OUT STORIES
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Coming Out
Out of Shame LIAM ABBEY, 24, MALTON
“
I was an ex-gay man. I genuinely believed it. At the age of 18, I promoted the idea that sexuality can be changed. Like it can just be reversed; flipped on its head. It’s a choice; a choice I convinced myself my life would be so much better for not making. I told myself that I was so much better for being out of, what I called back then, “that lifestyle”. And if my 14-year-old self could have seen me then, he might’ve thought twice about everything. That’s because I was 14 when I originally came out as gay. I guess you could say that’s pretty young but I’d always felt really confident within myself and my sexuality.
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I’d felt that way since an early age and so, for me, it was natural. It wasn’t a big deal. It was just something that had always been there and it felt like the right time to let people know. How wrong was I? Don’t get me wrong, the reaction from my best friends was amazing. I came out to them one day at school. It was such a confidence rush. To know this secret that I’d been keeping in for the best part of my life was now in someone else’s hands too felt amazing. It was liberating. And yet, it almost felt dangerous. Off the back of telling my friends, I thought I was ready to tell my family. Low and behold, the reaction was 100% negative. I think I was in total shock at first. I’d dreamt about this moment for so many
years and I couldn’t believe it’d gone so badly. I was heart-broken. The negative backlash sent me down a road of self-hatred, shame and loneliness. After leaving school at 16, I went onto start my own business. By now I was keeping my sexuality a solid secret from anybody who didn’t already know. It was souldestroying to say the least. I wasn’t myself. I pushed friends away and kept myself to myself for risk of anybody finding out my dark, terrible secret. At 18 the loneliness got too much. I hated being gay and I hated myself. I wanted a way out. And so I turned to religion. I started my journey through ex-gay therapy. All of that stuff you hear about in the media about “praying the gay away” – you almost laugh it off. You don’t think for a second it’s real; that it actually happens; that people actually believe in that stuff. Let me tell you, t’s very real and it’s very dangerous. As a reformed ‘straight’ man, I got into relationships with numerous women in the years following. I was finally being the model son – on the outside. But on the inside it made no difference. Slowly, the feelings began to creep back. As, one by one, my relationships with women failed, I was plunged back into a pit of self-hate. I was conflicted between my newly-found religious beliefs and who I wanted to be. Who I was meant to be. And then, at 21 I met the most amazing guy. I met my current boyfriend Tony and suddenly, all of the loneliness and hatred I’d felt had gone – vanished in a heartbeat. He found me in my lowest hour and he opened my eyes to see the light. Every day, he encourages me to be myself and he supports me through everything. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Now, I don’t care what people say or think about me. They can say what they like. As long as I’ve got Tony by my side, I know everything will be OK. It was a long, dark road but I got there in the end. Now I can finally say I’m proud to be an openly gay man.
”
@giomag
Real Life Stories
Out of nerves DANIEL MADDISON, 21, SUNDERLAND
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My uncle never really ‘got’ the gay thing. He was brought up in different times. But when he found out about me, he pulled me aside and told me a story. He told me about how my other uncle – who we lost when I was small – told him days before he passed that he knew I would grow up to be gay. He told him to keep an eye out for me and he told him to always have my back because it wouldn’t be easy for me. And it wasn’t always. Growing up, I didn't know anything about homosexuality. I didn’t even know that was a thing. And I was well into my teens before I met somebody who was gay for the first time. It just wasn’t something I ever came into contact with. It was as alien to me as the off-side rule, and yet, part of me always knew that I was different. I mean, I was the 4-year-old who played with dolls and watched Mary Poppins on repeat, for Christ’s sake! I first started noticing boys when I was around 13 – specifically, that I was attracted to them. Instead of looking at the girls like all the other boys in school, I’d steal glances at the popular boys when they weren’t looking. I started to feel like I was fitting in less and less. I felt like I was being pushed out because I was sitting on this secret and it was stopping me from being who I wanted to be. I wanted to be the one joining in with my girlfriends, ogling the boys whilst arguing who was the hotter Jonas Brother – it was Joe. Always. I eventually made the decision to come out at 15. I was half way through year 11 when I finally worked up the courage to tell my closest friend. She was absolutely fine with it – barely batted an eyelid. I don’t know what I’d been so nervous about. We sat and talked about it for hours. About my thoughts and her thoughts and who I should tell next and, by the end, she’d convinced me to face my biggest hurdle: telling my mum – right there and then. So I texted her.
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That’s probably my biggest regret about coming out – that I didn’t have the courage to tell my mum face-to-face. I was just too nervous. I must’ve filled about 8 text messages by the time I was done, rambling on about how she said she'd always accept me for who I was - I think she’d always kind of known (I mean, Mary Poppins on repeat? C’mon). And at the end of it all, I put, “Can you order me a pizza for when I get home, too?” Her only reply was, “Well I hope it's not a sausage pizza you're wanting.” I laughed. It was the best reaction I could’ve hoped for. It meant she was cool with it. After that, I stopped caring what anybody else thought. The rest of my family just kind of figured it out in their own time. I guess most of them already had an idea.
Although, apparently I was telling everyone about it when I got drunk for the first time on New Year's Eve… Oops! As for school, it turned out everybody actually wanted a gay best friend. It was the ‘in thing’ at the time which was wonderful for me though I'm not sure it did wonders for equality... Still, I felt like queen bee. In fact, the response was and always has been great from everybody. I really do feel very lucky for the people I have around me for support. It feels like somebody’s lifted a weight off my shoulders. I’m finally free to be who I want to be. Suddenly, I don't have to be afraid of going, “Oh yeah - he is cute”. And to this day, I still hold my uncle’s story closely to my heart. And to this day, my uncle still always has my back.
”
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Coming Out
Out of Confusion ELLIOT PEMBERTON, 23, SHEFFIELD
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I thought it was just a phase - liking lads. I thought I would get over it. That it was somethind I would eventually grow out of it. I was wrong. I was about 14 when I first realised I fancied the same sex. I had a girlfriend at the time. Of course, at 14-years-of-age you think you’re madly in love. You think you’ve found the one, that you’ll marry and have kids and then die together. Them’s the rules of society. It’s just the way it is. And so I couldn’t understand why I was feeling the way I was feeling. Was I broken? It was a scary notion to contend with at 14-years-of-age. I felt very confused. And
at the time, I felt there was nobody I could talk to about it. Sexuality wasn’t such an open conversation back then like it is now. Instead, I brushed it aside and tried to carry on with life as normal. I thought, if I didn’t think about it I could forget it. I was wrong about that too. The feelings only grew stronger with time - and so did my confusion. At 16, I decided I would tell a group of my closest school friends. I told my girlfriend too. I was honest. I told them how I was feeling. How I was confused. How I thought I might be bisexual. It made sense to me. Surprisingly, the reaction was fine - it was better than fine. None of my friends even batted an eyelid. In fact, the reaction was so positive I got swept up in the moment. I forgot about
any confusion. What confusion? And from then on, if anyone asked, I was bi. But I wasn’t. It was more than that. I went to a few gay prides celebrations in the following years and explored my sexuality further. I got into relationships with boys and girls and experienced ups and downs in both. By 19, I was in a happy relationship with my boyfriend and things had never felt more ‘right’. It was only after taking a deep breath, I finally found the courage to admit it to myself. I was gay. I am gay. I was very nervous. It felt like having to come out again but it also felt like the right time to do it. I finally had clarity. I started to tell more and more friends which made me more and more comfortable still and, eventually, I built up the courage to tell my parents. I wish I could say it was this big, Eastenders-worthy drama but it really wasn’t - thankfully. I just sat them down on the sofa and talked them through how I was feeling. To my delight, they were really understanding. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I just wish I’d done it earlier! Today, I feel much more comfortable in my own skin. My sexuality’s still not something I jump to tell people about, but if they ask, I’ll be honest. Not many people do ask, surprisingly. Now I’m at university, not a lot of my course mates know. The subject has just never been raised and, quite honestly, it’s not something I feel needs to be brought up currently. I’m just glad I can be honest with myself and with my family. At the end of the day, it’s about me being comfortable with who I am. And, ironically I get more attention from girls now than I did when I identified as straight or bisexual.
”
Have you got a story to tell? If you’d like to share you coming out experience with Gio, visit giomag.co.uk/out for more information on how to submit your story. We can’t guarentee all submissions will be printed and some words may be altered for the purpose of the magazine.
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Fiction
InstaBoyf_ Part 1 ONLY IN GIO: EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL SHORT STORY
I
f nature could cry, this was it. Never mind ‘opening’, the heavens had come crashing down on Josh with a bloody big bang. Still, who could blame them? Josh felt like crying too right about now. He looked down at the large puddle growing around his sorry converse as his drenched skinny jeans quickly turned into sandbags around his legs. His dripping chestnut mop clung to his forehead like an eagle’s claw as he checked the time on his phone. The bus was 10 minutes late. Josh sighed. What better way to make a good impression on his first day at college. Not only would he have to rock up looking like he’d revolutionised his morning routine by showering and dressing at the same time, he’d also have to walk in after everybody else, just in case he hadn’t drawn enough attention to himself already. Josh sighed again. He was nervous. After, five gruelling years of being bullied at school, college offered a completely fresh start. It was an opportunity to make new friends and Josh needed it to go well. Clenching the straps of his navy backpack tightly, he started to rock on his heels restlessly. What was it Josh’s boyfriend would say around now? No doubt he’d upload a corny quote to Instagram about ‘silver linings’ or snapchat a cheesy-grinned selfie captioned, “keep your chin up”. He rolled his eyes and smiled. His boyfriend’s incessant positivity was both his best and worst asset and it was one of the reasons Josh loved him so much. It was, after all, the perfect counterbalance for Josh’s religious pessimism. They always joked, if the pair were jetting off to Barbados, his boyfriend would be
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excited for the holiday ahead and Josh would still be worried about the thought of having to return – even if they hadn’t left yet. Perhaps a more positive outlook was exactly what Josh needed right now. It wasn’t as if things could get much worse. Taking a deep breath, he forced another smile. He swept the eagle’s claws from his eyes and braved a glance up for the bus in time to see an old red Punto speeding towards him. Three rowdy boys raced past, skimming the kerb next to him. And, without a second to react, a huge wave of icy puddle water crashed over his head. “Gay boy”, shouted one of the lads aggressively from the front passenger window as his two cohorts roared hysterically. Josh’s entire body tensed. His smile instantly dropped into a murderous scowl as his long mop flopped over his eyes once more. So, this was what positive thinking brought him...
Josh felt like a drowned rat. He was still wringing by lunch. His converse had taken it upon themselves to start squelching every time he took a step which was of course ideal for somebody trying NOT to draw attention to himself. As for his hair – well, if it was fashionable to resemble the frayed bristles of an old scrubbing brush then Josh was hot on trend, though he’d somehow missed that style tip in the latest Men’s Health if so. Still, it hadn’t stopped people talking to him just yet – thankfully. By the time the bus had showed its face, Josh had only been 15
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(Not So) Real Life Stories minutes late. The last few straggled students were still bewilderedly roaming the campus, trying to locate their long lost classrooms and so he was able to pass off his tardiness as the result of an inability to navigate the campus map too. It might not have given the greatest first impression of his intelligence but it was, at least, a little more original than saying the bus was late. He made his apologies and took the last seat in his tutor group at a table with three other boys and two girls who he followed out to lunch at the end. Josh now sat poking at the remains of a plate of lasagne in the college cafeteria. He’d since worked out that the five others from his tutor group had all attended the same secondary school which accounted for why they already seemed so familiar with one another, but they were welcoming and friendly all the same. Although, as the newbie of the group, he’d unintentionally made himself the centre of attention – a source of great fascination who was now being subjected to 101 questions from the loudest girl Chloe who seemed to be the friendship group’s nucleus. “Are you the only one here from your school?” she pried. “Yeah. I hated my school,” Josh replied, honestly. “I never really got on with anybody and I just wanted a fresh start.” He’d decided honesty was the best policy if he was ever to make friends. “Was it because you’re gay?” Chloe sleuthed. Josh’s eye shot wide open. His tongue practically fell clean out of his mouth as his jaw hit the floor. He was speechless. He’d never been confronted so openly before and, despite his vow of honesty, he had no clue how to react. “Because it’s OK if you are. James is gay,” she continued, nodding her head towards the dark-haired boy at the foot of the table. He smiled back as if to confirm. “It was, yeah,” Josh answered unsurely. It was the first time he’d ever come out to anybody other than his boyfriend. Of course people had known. The bullies had known. But, he’d never physically confirmed or denied anything to anybody before – until now. It was liberating. Josh felt a whole wave of new confidence flood over him. A wide grin spread across his face. The weight he’d carried on his back for the past five years had suddenly vanished. “I knew it. So,” Chloe’s tone changed, suddenly becoming more excitable in her speech and movement. “Have you got a boyfriend?” James’s ears pricked up at this point as Josh paused for a second, weighing up in his head how much to reveal. “I have, yeah,” he replied proudly “We’ve been together a year.” “Aww,” Chloe gushed. “What’s he called?” “Daniel,” Josh answered, slightly less surely. “Let’s see a pic,” she was growing more animated by the second. “Uhm, we don’t really take pictures together.” Josh’s cheeks flushed. He really wasn’t used to receiving so much attention and he was still trying to process the small matter of his coming out. “He’s a few years older than me y’see. He’s at uni so we don’t see each other that often. We tend to just talk online.” “That’s cool. What about his profile pic then?” Chloe persisted. “He doesn’t use social media. He’s a bit of dinosaur when it comes to technology,” Josh laughed nervously as he started gathering up his pots onto his dinner tray. “But I thought you sai–” “We should be getting back to class,” Josh interjected, quickly. The others started stirring too, muttering under their breaths to
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one another as they collected their coats and bags from the floor, exchanging awkward glances every now and then. Chloe didn’t move. Her eyes were fixed on Josh, her eyebrows furrowed, her mouth gaped open in confusion. Or was it suspicion?
The rain was still pouring when Josh returned home. Thankfully, his mood had brightened considerably. He threw his bedroom door open almost knocking half of the plaster off the wall behind him and leaped onto his bed with a satisfied sigh. A huge smile erupted across his face. First day of college: passed with merit. The rest of the afternoon had been spent playing ‘ice-breakers’ with his tutor group which, as riveting as it was trying to work out whether it was a lie that Theresa had once been to Turkey or that she could play the recorder (alas, turns out she could barely muster an out-of-tune chorus of Hot Cross Buns), the games were hardly mentally stimulating. Still, at least they’d given him an opportunity to get to know his new group of friends better – at least they would have done if any of the others had been allowed to fit a word in around Chloe. It was fair to say she was a little more than Josh was used to but he was hardly in a position to turn down friends. Plus, she seemed harmless enough. She’d invited him out for food with them all at the weekend, much to his elation. Josh couldn’t stop grinning. Not only did he look like the cat who’d not only got the cream, he looked like he’d wolfed it down and had seconds as he sat, replaying the highlights from the day in his head. He’d certainly had nothing to worry about, although he likely needed to worry about enduring his boyfriend’s gloating. He was always right much to Josh’s irritancy. At the thought of his boyfriend, Josh reached down to retrieve his laptop from beside of the bed where it had remained since the previous evening. It was routine. He opened the lid to conveniently display his boyfriend's Instagram page still open in the browser. There was a new selfie – a snap of him enjoying the beach. It was gloriously sunny. Josh sat admiring the photo for a good few minutes before liking it and heading to the comments section. “Stunning as always,” he wrote. “First day of college was great! See you soon.” Josh smiled as he watched the post disappear into the stream of comments from his boyfriend’s 4,000 other followers, never to be seen by either of them again. He sighed. It didn’t matter. He knew his boyfriend cared, he just needed to know of Josh’s existence first.
NEXT TIME AS JOSH GETS CLOSER TO JAMES, CHLOE'S SUSPICIANS ARE AROUSED FURTHER BUT WILL SHE DISCOVER JOSH'S SECRET? Find out in part 2 of InstaBoyf, only available in Gio. Next issue out March, 4.
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Advice
De ar Gio,
A few weeks ago I forgot to delete my browsing history and I think my mum might have seen some stuff. I haven’t come out to my family yet so I’m especially worried. She hasn’t said anything but she has made a few comments out of the ordinary recently. I’m not sure what to do. I feel so ashamed.
organisation who provide support and guidance to young LGBT individuals on coming out every day. Why not try giving them a call? For more information visit RUComingOut.com. But do know, you should never feel pressured to come out if you’re not ready. You’ll know when the time is right. So, stop worring! And in future, always remember to delete your browsing history to avoid any other little mishaps, eh?
Q
Luke, 16, Bristol First things first, don’t feel ashamed, you’ve done nothing wrong. It’s natural for all teens to explore things online, whatever their sexuality. However, don’t invest too much in the things you see and read about on the web. Pornography in particular is not a good representation of real life and believing otherwise can lead to serious altercations further down the line – but that’s a matter for another day. As for your mum, if she has seen some things and she hasn’t mentioned it to you yet, then the chances are she’s absolutely fine with it and you’ve nothing to fear. Alternatively, if your mum hasn’t seen anything then she’s nonethe-wiser and you’ve nothing to fear there either so do try and stop worrying. That said, if you are especially worried about coming out to your family, there are plenty of help services in the UK who can help. RUComingOut is a national
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It’s natural to be attracted to the people we know we shouldn’t be, that’s part of the appeal
I fancy my best friend’s boyfriend A LOT and have done for a while now. I thought it would wear off but it’s only getting stronger. She doesn’t know but I’m scared she’ll find out. It’s making it really difficult to be around them both.
Q
Callum, 20, Manchester Yikes! It’s natural to be attracted to the people we know we shouldn’t be attracted to or the people know we can’t have, that’s part of the appeal. The key is to not act upon these thoughts and feelings. It’s not worth ruining your friendship over and, if her boyfriend really is straight, then it would be a waste of your time anyway. Try keeping your distance from him for a short period where possible and see if these feelings fade over time.
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Ask yourself, what is it about your friend’s boyfriend that you are attracted to in particular? It sounds as though you’re itching to be in a relationship yourself which could well be the root cause of these feelings. It’s common to see friends in loving relationships and feel jealous from time to time. Try getting out there and meeting somebody for yourself. LGBT youth groups or on the rise all over Britain and they are a great safe place to meet like-minded others in your area. Lesbian and Gay Youth Manchester (LGYM) is a gay and lesbian youth project based in Manchester’s city centre for young people who meet twice weekly. You’ll find all the information you need and more at www. lgbtyouthnorthwest.org.uk. So, why not pop along to one of their sessons and get involved? Your friend’s boyfriend will be a distant memory in no time. But, we’ll keep that one between us, shall we?
I’ve just turned 18 and still never had a boyfriend. I’m moving to uni this year. What if everyone’s more experienced?
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Ben, 18, Newcastle It’s might sound clichéd but you are not alone. It’s the sad truth that finding a partner as
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@giomag
A Problem Shared... a gay man can be difficult, especially when you’re young. But so what if everyone else is more ‘experienced’ in the relationship department? Good things come to those who wait Cinders. And you never know, you’re Prince Charming might await you at uni. So, stop fretting and start looking forward to the best three years of your life. And in the meantime, knuckle down with those A levels cuz you’re going nowhere without them. You ain’t got time for a boyfriend right now fool. Love, your Fairy Godmother xx
Ever since coming out to my family a year ago, my dad suddenly thinks he’s part of the justice league, fighting for gay rights and vocalising his support at every opportunity. He even asked if I needed somebody to go to Pride with this year!! Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled he’s so supportive and I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction, but it can be a little embarrassing. I’m still coming to terms with my sexuality myself and I especially don’t need it advertising. I just don’t want to hurt his feelings.
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Niall, 17, Belfast Well, this is certainly a first – and what a lovely problem to have too. Although, we can completely understand how this could be directing unwanted
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attention to yourself. You’re still very new to being out to your family. These things take time to settle in so it’s natural to be feeling the way you are. Whilst it’s heartwarming to hear how supportive your dad is being, by the sound of it he could be overcompensating in order to assure you just how proud of you he is and how much he cares. Try speaking to him and letting him know you know this. Tell him how grateful you are for everything he’s done and how much his support means to you, but, sometimes it’s the small gestures that matter most. Why not suggest he joins Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (FFLAG), a national charity dedicated to supporting the parents of gay and lesbian children? You’ll find all the information you need at fflag.org. uk. It could be an ideal space for your dad to meet and talk with other parents in similar situations. FFLAG meet regularly to discuss appropriate ways of showing love and support for the LGBT community and it could be a valuable learning curve for both of you. Good luck and let us know how you get on! That’s it for this month folks! If you’ve got a question or a problem you’d like help or advice with, email deargio@gio.co.uk with your age and location. We can’t respond individually but we’ll try our best to print all submissions. Note: Emails are sent in strict confidence. We’ll never publish your real name or contact details.
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Steps to finding a boyfriend
1
Switch off the laptop. There's a whole wide world just waiting for you outside your front door so switch off your technology and get out there. You can't date your iPad!
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Be social. The lady in the queue in Starbucks. The guy next to you on the train. Get talking to people and make new friends. One of the best ways to meet a partner is through other people. You never know, that friend of a friend of a friend could be a perfect match.
3
Sign-up to things. Zumba. Archery. Pottery. Get yourself down to your local community centre and stick your name down for a few extra-curricular activities. You never know, your future hubbie could be lurking anywhere. Perhaps not life drawing though, eh?
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Be open-minded. Don't restrict yourself to one limited type and especially don't be shallow. Remember: it's what inside that counts. Nothing more, nothing less.
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Be confident. Sadly it's pretty standard nature that us Brits aren't the most forthcoming when it comes to showing our affection. So, when you think you've found the one, don't be afraid to make the first move. You've got nothing to lose and perhaps a lot to gain.
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The Last Word
Q:
What's YOur best chat up Line? Mat, 23 Liverpool
Lee, 21 Newcastle
Where: The Basement, Sunderland When: Wednesday 27th January
Feel my shirt – that's boyfriend material.
Fancy a dance? Good, I'll have your seat then.
Danny, 20 Leeds
Wally, 19 Manchester
Liam, 22 Sunderland
If I could rewrite the alphabet I'd put U and I together.
Do you believe in love at first sight or shall I walk past again?
I don't know. Wanna make out?
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Valentine’s issue
14
Ways to survive feb, 14
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