Out Africa Mag Issue 16

AFRICA M A G A Z I N E

REMEMBERING SIMON NKOLI

R25.00 incl. VAT

FREE & EQUAL INTERVIEWS Princess Pop Angela Kilian Nakhame Toure

FROM THE EDITOR

I

met the “Queer Mandela” only once. I was still living in my hometown of Harare where, with my partners in crime, we were busy forming Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) in 1990. Simon Nkoli came to hear about what we were doing, and the next thing you know, he was on a plane to Harare to lend us support and the benefit of his experience. I later learnt that this was the kind of thing he would do - give freely of his assistance to family in need.

Indeed, we were in need of assurance that what we were doing was a good idea, that our around-dinner-table bravado could be survive the harsh reality of life under Tannie Roberta who was furious that we dared assert ourselves.

Simon was an inspiration to us and boosted our confidence when we needed it most. And he did this during what was a very busy year for him. A few weeks later Simon led the first South African Pride march in Johannesburg in September 1990. For me, Simon Tseko Nkoli is our premier gay South Africa Icon and in this issue we remember a man who has become a forgotten hero, although we owe him so much.

One wonders what he would make of what has become of Pride in Johannesburg. Upon Nkoli’s death, drag activist Stephen Cohen wrote that “without Simon, I believe today there would be two separate Gay Pride marches - and going in different directions.” Cohen must be eating his tiara, because fifteen years after writing these words, that is exactly what is happening in Johannesburg this year. In this issue we look at differences and similarities between Johannesburg Pride and People’s Pride and wonder why no common ground could be found.

Also in this issue: The UN’s Free & Equal Campaign, The Battle of the Glamour Grannies, Rihanna visits SA, Princess Pop exposes herself, and all the buzz on what you need to know!

Evan Tsouroulis

Cover Credit Princess Pop was photographed by Reno Horn MANAGING EDITOR: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358 ISSN 2304-859X published by: Patterson Publications P.O. Box 397, Sea Point 8060 Tel/Fax: 021 418 3039 E-mail: outmagafrica@telkomsa.net evan@outafricamag.co.za Advertising Sales: Robert Simpson 072 266 7051 Evan Tsouroulis 072 905 8489 Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358

Contributors: Daniel Dercksen John French Gary Hopkins, Riaan Norval, Liberty Banks Additional Photography: Val Adamson, Jesse Cramer Reno Horn, Lerato Mabokela David Lee, Simon Deviant Helena Grier Rautenbach Printed by ABC Press, Cape Town

Copyright: All articles, stories, interviews and other materials in OUT Africa Magazine are the copyright of the publication or are reproduced with permission from other copyright owners.

All rights are reserved. No materials may be copied, modified, published or otherwise distributed without the prior written permission of OUT Africa Magazine.

The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by those providing comments in this publication are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinionsof OUT Africa Magazine or any employee thereof. OUT Africa Magazine and Patterson Publications cc., will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in any information contained in the publication.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE INTERVIEWS

4 PRINCESS POP: 10 fascinating facts 24 MORE THAN ONE LOOK: Angela Kilian talks about life on and off stage.

38 NAKHAME TOURE: SA muso making waves

REVIEWS

39 WORD PERFECT 44 OUT TO LUNCH: Cheers for queers!

45 OUT ON DVD: With Daniel Dercksen 46 OUT ON FILM: With Daniel Dercksen 47 MUSIC MOVES: By Gary Hopkins 48 ON STAGE: With Daniel Dercksen

FASHION

24

30

12 - 13 Rocking the Underwear Drawer with NIKU

SCENE OUT

28 - 32 Who’s been spotted out and about on the party scene...

FEATURES 1 EDITORS COMMENT: 3 THE COBERN STREET SPRING FAIR 4 FREE & EQUAL: UN campaign launched in Cape Town 5 DJ GOLDEN BOY’S TOP 10 DANCE TRACKS 6 LABEL QUEEN 7 LOVE, FREEDOM & DIVERSITY: Nelson Mandela Bay Pride 8 RIHANNA’S DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER 9 PINK LIFESTYLE SHOW GOES NATIONAL 10 PRIDE IN JOBURG: A tale of two cities 14 THE NEW PROTEA SEA POINT 15 MODERN MAN OF STYLE: New fashion shop opening in de Waterkant 16 KEEPING UP WITH THE JOANS: John French takes a loook at two diva’s at 80 18 SIMON NKOLI: Remembering the gay Mandela 20 HALLELOO SHANGELA. 21 MAGIC NO7: Mr SA Leather reports back from Chicago 22 THE BUZZ: News, snippets & gossip 26 BUYING PROPERTY IN CYPRUS 33 HOTTER THAN EVER: The Hot House celebrates!!!

34 THIS CHARMING BAND: The gayest band ever 35 OBSERVATIONS OF A NON-CONFORMING UNIVERSITY STUDENT 37 GET OUT OF TOWN: Subscribe to OUT 40 MEN’S HEALTH ISSUES: H4M - The TerMENology of Sex 42 MILK TRAIN: Brings all the boys to the yard 43 PARTING IS SUCH SWEET...: Civil Parting a new play at the Artscape

WIN

3 WIN COUPONS FOR THE NEW MINISTRY FASHION STORE IN GREEN POINT

8

20

23 Mag 1

10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PRINCESS POP

Photo: Reno Horn

Live singing, uber-kugel, usually blonde bombshell, pop-tart drag sensation Princess Pop has been delighting patrons at Cape Town’s Beefcakes with her special brand of pop tunes and saucy repartee for the last couple of years. That’s when she’s not being whisked off to exotic locations by some Sultan of Swing or another. We asked her of the shortest skirts in town to us to tell us a few things we did not know about her. So make some noise for Princess Pop…!

Before moving to the bright lights of Johannesburg, Princess Pop grew up in a small town with a name not worth mentioning and went to school at the very fancy and underrated Gemsbok High School.

When looking for a man, Princess Pop’s pet peeve is dirty feet or toe nails. She feels that a gay man should always take care of himself. Although she says she would make an exception for man with soiled hands as long as he has been working long and hard on his 1969 Mercedes convertible. She wants to live out her Bridget Jones’s scarf-in-the-car-scene fantasy.

Princess Pop’s favourite sweet is a nice juicy lollipop. Any fruit flavour will do but never give her orange. She likes a nice cherry lollipop before performing, to sugar coat the vocal chords and to make sure she hits all the right notes.

Princess Pop’s favourite thing is to sing. She has a wide range of music and has never looked back since she bought her iPod Nano from a street vender in China selling frogs and spiders.

She listens to anything from the loud and crazy voice of Christina Aguilera to the soft, instrumental notes of Enya. “I mean who doesn’t love Enya?” she says.

One of Princess Pop’s favourite pastimes is to travel. She’s been a very lucky girl and has visited Italy, Switzerland, Prague, Croatia, Paris, Korea, China, New York and the Seychelles twice. While abroad she has met many lovers resulting in some very good-looking Facebook friends.

After school she went straight to study at the Waterfront Theatre School where she learnt what it was like to be in the spotlight and how to be a true diva. While at theatre school Princess Pop’s best workout was her classical tap dance classes. Most of the boys danced shirtless which made dancing in partners so much more enjoyable.

Mag 2

Princess Pop’s favourite TV show is The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, a Bravo TV show about five rich housewives living in and fighting each other all day in Beverly Hills. She really enjoys trash television but would never be caught dead watching Survivor. “No one should be fighting over who gets to eat the last spider or fish eye; that’s just nasty!” she says.

The Scary Movies franchise is Princess Pop’s favourite thing to watch. Nothing makes her LOL more than the character Brenda. Although Brenda has died many times in the series of movies, Princess Pop always cracks up with laugher at Brenda’s hilarious jokes and witty comeback lines.

Princess Pop’s idol is none other than Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson. As a child she strived to look like her, much to her mother’s dismay. The obsession began when she saw her running down the beach as a busty lifeguard and when she made all those home videos with her husband on their honeymoon. Her movie Barbwire is a Princess Pop all time favourite.

Princess Pop loves to shop. She knows all the great spots to get amazing make up. She believes Chinatown lashes are a gem for every natural woman working a 9 to 5. Her favourite make up is NYX cosmetics, an American brand from Clicks. She takes about 2 hours to do her makeup before each show. Princess believes the more time the better to look as glamorous and fetch as possible before singing and performing the night away.

Catch Princess Pop perform at Beefcakes, Cape Town every week. Check on www.beefcakes.co.za to confirm which night she’s on, and also to book.

Princess Pop is also available for private functions and can be contacted at andyjlzmail@gmail.com.

Follow her on Instagram under “andrewlightley”

COBERN STREET SPRING FAIR

S

treet Parties are getting more popular in Cape Town and the Pink Block is about to host another Block Party. Some of the gay venues have joined forces to usher in Spring at the Cobern Street Spring Fair on Saturday 19 October. Most of Coburn Street and the pavement of Somerset Rd between Beaulah and Beefcakes will be cordoned off to make a fabulous space for welcoming the new season after a very long winter! As was the case last year, there will be a great line-up of live entertainment on stage with some of the Mother City’s top club DJs on hand to keep the party going. There will be a number of outside bars to choose from as well as lots of delicious food to be tasted.

For those into a bit of retail therapy, some of the Arts and Crafts stalls should do the trick.

So whether you are a Muscle Mary, twink, leather bear, drag diva, lipstick lesbian or just the common garden variety happy homo, this is the opening party of the season for you.

Gates open at 3.00pm. Tickets R30.

SATURDAY 19th OCTOBER, 2013

15hoo - Late 10 lucky readers can win vouchers to exchange for something fabulous from the recently opened Ministry, the stunning new men’s fashion emporium in Cape Town’s trendy de Waterkant district.

To win, read the article on Page 15 or view the promo video on www.ministry4style. com and tell us which premium men’s brand Ministry will be stocking.

Cobern Street de Waterkant Bars, Dj’s, Live Entertainment, Stalls

Answers to outmagafrica@telkomsa.net by 15 November 2013

BOYZTOWN in the

of the Village

Mag 3

FREE AND EQUAL

It is somehow fitting that the United Nations chose to launch its Free and Equal campaign in South Africa. Not only is South Africa a beacon for gay rights in Africa thanks to its liberal Constitution, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and an outspoken advocate for gay rights, is South African. She was joined at the Cape Town launch on 26 July by two other internationally renowned South Africans, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Justice Edwin Cameron of the South African Constitutional Court.

Justice Edwin Cameron, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Navi Pillay, UN Commissioner for Human Rights arrive at the event.

F

ree and Equal, a project of the UN Human Rights Office, is an unprecedented global public education campaign which aims to raise awareness of homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination, and promote greater respect for the rights of gay people everywhere. Over the next year, it will release a variety of creative content, including videos like “The Riddle”, which was screened at the launch, and “The Story of a Mother from Brazil” which is the first in a series of films interviewing the families of LGBT people the world over.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights promises a world in which everyone is born free and equal in dignity and rights – no exceptions, no-one left behind” said High Commissioner Pillay. “Yet it’s still a hollow promise for many millions of LGBT people forced to confront hatred, intolerance, violence and discrimination on a daily basis.” She went on the explain that her office regularly receives reports of individuals who have been attacked, sexually assaulted, kidnapped and even murdered simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. More and more governments are responding with the introduction of new legal protections. But in more than a third of the world, consensual, same-sex conduct remain a criminal offence. Five countries impose the death penalty on people just because who they are and who they love.

Mag 4

The UN Human Rights office is working with governments to bring their laws into line with international human rights standards. But eradicating discrimination requires more than changes in laws and policies. It needs a change in hearts and minds. This led the commissioner to look at a local example: “South Africa has one of the best laws in the world when it comes to protecting the rights of gay and lesbian people but it also has some of the worst cases of homophobic violence”.

The campaign follows an Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report published in December 2011, which was the first official UN report on violence and discrimination against LGBT persons. It documented widespread human rights abuses. More than 76 countries still criminalize consensual, same-sex relationships, while in many more, discrimination against LGBT people is widespread – including in the workplace and in the education and health sectors. Hate-motivated violence against LGBT people, including physical assault, sexual violence, and targeted killings, has been recorded in all regions. Free and Equal will focus on the need for both legal reforms and public education to counter homophobia and transphobia.

The next speaker was the ever affable Desmond Tutu who received most of the media attention due to his now famous

remarks: “I cannot worship a homophobic God,” which perhaps diverted attention from the most important thing he had to say.

He compared homophobia to Apartheid: “I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about Apartheid. For me, it is at the same level. Can you imagine me having said it’s unjust to penalise people about something they cannot do anything about, their race or gender, and then to keep quiet when people are hounded, people are killed, because of their sexual orientation?” he asked. “I think it’s as utterly unjust as racism ever was.”

Justice Edwin Cameron, who described himself as proudly open gay man committed to gay rights, brought up a very important point that people tend to forget, and which was also unfortunately eclipsed by the media attention on the Arch’s comments. He said that in an ideal world young people growing into a sense of themselves will feel no stigma and no fear about a possible gay identity. He continued: “Our two greatest foes in attaining that ideal are invisibility and silence. Most LGBTI people, everywhere in the world, still cannot, or still choose not to, claim their identity. They are invisible. Unlike gender and racial differences, which generally are visible, difference in sexual orientation mostly is not. This leads to spurious claims that homosexual identity is Western, or North American, or European. It is not. LGBTI people constitute between 5 and 10% of all people, in all countries, societies, cultures and religions, everywhere. Free and Equal offers us all a chance to end invisibility. Our progress to equality is irreversible. Every family, every community, every workplace, every organisation has an LBGTI person in it. Once we realise that LGBTI people are integral to our family and working and community lives, persecution and ignorance will abate. The Free and Equal Campaign is a welcome and hopeful new step towards that ideal.” He ended by reminding the world that:”by denying our humanity you are denying your own”.

Free and Equal has asked a number of celebrities with a commitment to equality d to help spread the message. These include Princess of Africa Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Ricky Martin.

For more information about Free and Equal and to view the various videos, please visit www.unfe.org Justice Edwin Cameron addresses the delegates

Top 10 Spring Club Tracks

D

J Goldenboy aka Jacques Jordaan is a 25 year old B.Scs. student at Unisa. He began his DJ career a year and a half ago when he began spinning as a hobby at Babylon the Bar in Johannesburg. They liked him so much that they asked him to become the resident DJ. Goldenboy says “This journey has been amazing. I have so much to be thankful for. I am in a committed relationship and the future is very bright!”

He is thankful for his family friends and fans and says that he would not be where he is today if it was not for them. His motto in life is: “a dream will always remain a dream until you make it a reality”.

1. We Can’t Stop- Miley Cyrus 2. Bang Bang – Will.I.am feat Justin Bieber 3. Blurred Lines (Remix) – Robin Thicke 4. Jackin’ Like That - Swit 5. Yo - DJ Burlingham 6. Got That Power – Will.I.am feat Justin Bieber 7. Funk It (Remix) 8. Don’t You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia 9. I Could be the One - Avicci 10. Funky Vodka - TJR Dance to DJ Goldenboy every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at Babylon the Bar, 198 Oxford Rd, Illovo.

Follow him on Twitter: DJGoldenboySA Mag 5

LABEL QUEEN

M

ost non heterosexual people can recall a moment where they were called a name, faced some kind of prejudice or were even criminally violated because of their sexual orientation. Every year gay people in this country continue to be bullied raped, and murdered because of their sexual orientation. While developing her first gay film project last year, filmmaker Di Neo Matebese was struck by the violence perpetrated against gay people, particularly Black lesbians in townships. “I was baffled by how normalized the violence of corrective rape is in the communities where these acts are happening,” she said. This moved her to get involved, culminating in genesis of the I’m Your Ally campaign, a year-long initiative launched in Pretoria in August to raise awareness about gay human rights violations, to encourage straight people and organisations to become allies of the around 4.9 million-strong non-heterosexual community in South Africa, and to help fight the prejudice that persists in homes, schools and workplaces The normalized criminal violation of gay rights has warranted this bold yet measured step to get the attention of mainstream media and of all South Africans, because it is only with their support and “ally-ship” that this persistent scourge of prejudice can be combated. Di Neo continues to say: “Violence cannot be our norm; our daily cultural experience. This country is unsafe, for everyone!” Bearing this in mind, I’m Your Ally will be an on-going, year-long advocacy and awareness campaign seeking first to popularise itself and its message within the non-hetero community and its allies, after which it will be extended to high schools and universities.

The campaign will also feature prominent South African celebrities to help spread the word. The over-all objective is to help create a vocal and cohesive society that both respects and observes minority human rights and which becomes an ally of the gay community.

The campaign’s theme is ‘LABEL.’ We are all guilty of using labels and generalising and we have all be called queer, dyke, moffie, trannie, or such a term at some point in our lives by people trying to belittle us. One step towards ridding society of prejudice is to eliminate the use discriminatory words and labels which are hurtful to gay people. The campaign kicks off with a series of photos of people carrying labels, some derogatory and some positive. Hopefully it will make people think twice before they use insulting labels.

The I’m Your Ally campaign will be broadcast through a series of videos, TV Public Service Announcement, radio ads, print ads and social media sites

Mag 6

Photos: Lerato Mabokela @ iSnap Photography

Dyke. Homo. Stabane. Lettie. Trannie. Moffie. Fag. Freak. The newly launched “I’m Your Ally”© Campaign seeks to fight homo-prejudice in South African society by looking at the labels people attach to us.

LOVE, FREEDOM & DIVERSITY NELSON MANDELA BAY PRIDE

P

ort Elizabeth’s Nelson Mandela Bay Pride has announced this year’s theme: “Love, Freedom & Diversity”. Following the success and enthusiastic response received from the last 2 years’ events, NMB Pride is planning greater things for 2013. The main difference in this year’s Pride is that it will not be held over the Heritage weekend, but at the beginning of November when the weather is better. NMB Pride is all about charity, building communities and promoting tolerance of people with different sexual orientations, but also having fun while doing so! A diverse & fun selection of events are planned over a four day period, including an art exhibition, a glamorous variety show and an entertaining, fun in the sun, family day music concert after the Pride Parade, which starts in the historical and cultural hub of the Friendly City and ending at the vibey Beach Front area. A highlight will be the starlit, summer pool party featuring sets from top national and international DJs.. Help spread the love in showcasing the true diversity & welcoming spirit of the people of Nelson Mandela Bay at Pride on 7 to 10 November.

For more info visit and like the Facebook page www. facebook.com/NelsonMandelaBayPride

CAPE TOWN

Sovereign Quay, 40 Somerset Road, Greenpoint capetown@beefcakes.co.za | Tel: 021 425 9019

!!

how W hat a s smaller_ad.indd 1

Hot staf f!

JOZI

198 Oxford Road, Illovo joburg@beefcakes.co.za | Tel: 011 447 5266

Sexy Barman! www.beefcakes.co.za booking encouraged 2013/02/15 4:15 PM

Mag 7

RIHANNA’S DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER Following in Kylie’s and Gaga’s footsteps, Pop/R’n’B/Dance Diva and Fashion Icon Rihanna is bringing her Diamonds World Tour to the land of diamonds in October.

T

hough the excitement over her arrival in South Africa has not quite reached the fever-pitch caused by her predecessors’ arrival, Rihanna Fervor is high.

This comes as no surprise as she is a Drama Queen of note!

Her personal life is of as much interest as her ability to come up the perfect pop confection. One could perhaps forgive Rihanna for not knowing who Soft Cell are after it was pointed out to her that the riff from her hit song SOS was directly lifted from Tainted Love – she was not yet born when the Brit synth-pop duo had their Number 1! But it’s hard to fault her choice of producers who have helped her churn out hit after hit since Pon de Replay catapulted the Barbadian singer to international stardom in 2005. Not since Grace Jones has the Caribbean spawned an artist worthy of Diva status.

With sales of more than 41 million albums and 150 million digital tracks worldwide, Rihanna currently holds the record as the top-selling digital artist of all time. Forbes Magazine named Rihanna the world’s #1 social media star with over 2.9 billion views on YouTube/VEVO, over 63 million Facebook fans, and over 27 million Twitter followers. In addition to her 12 Hot 100 #1 singles and overall 24 Top 10 singles, she also has 18 #1 singles on the Billboard Dance Club Song Charts.

To put the cherry in top, Rihanna has six Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, 22 Billboard Music Awards, and two BRIT Awards under her belt! TIME named Rihanna one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Performing a string of hits including Umbrella, Don’t Stop the Music, the anthemic Only Girl Mag 8

(in the World), We Found Love, Rude Boy, S&M and Where Have You Been, Rihanna is sure to shine bright like a diamond in concert.

Diamonds is the fastestrising single of her career to date, and already a favourite with drag performers. The concert has so far received rave reviews in Europe, and South African fans can expect another visually spectacular show with amazing costume changes, choreography and, of course, music!

Rihanna will perform at the FNB Stadium Johannesburg on Sunday 13th October 2013 and Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday 16th October 2013.

Tickets are available at Computicket.

THE SA PINK LIFESTYLE SHOW GOES NATIONAL

D

Natalia da Rocha

espite being held over one of the coldest and wettest weekends to hit the Cape of Storms in a very long time, the first three day SA Pink Lifestyle Expo held at the Sea Point Civic Centre was well attended, after a slow start on the Friday evening. By Saturday lunchtime the place was buzzing. There was certainly a lot to do, from the predictable to…let’s say…the bit unusual. But it was a gay lifestyle show, after all. There were around 80 exhibitors punting anything from the latest luxury cars to a guy giving neck massages. Exhibitors included gourmet cheeses, salamis, wines, ice cream, alcoholic cream, coffees, toffees, special herb teas an oyster bar, sex toys, underwear, swimwear some rather unusual pictures and batiks and bedding.

The stage was constantly occupied by a variety of events.

Highlights were the Vondi’s Pet Show, which was well attended with contestants ranging from the highly pedigreed to rescue pets who were all as cute as each other making judging rather difficult.

The drag-queen cook-off featuring Genevieve le Coq, Bambi and Svetlana was a hoot, and the fashion show left everyone salivating for more of the hunky models and of course the fabulous clothing.

The host and compere was non other than the fabulous Natalia da Rocha who entertained visitors with a number of torch-songs to make any drag-queen moist with envy.

The cook-off with Bambi, Genevieve & Svetlana

Exhibitors and visitors alike there were very few negative coments, so much so that the organisers have decided to take the show to Gauteng where it will be happening on the 1st & 2nd February 2014 at Cedar Park Hotel & Conference Centre in Sandton

Just R2/day Subscription Service Requires WAP Over 18’s only Men only

Check out hot guys!

Show off your profile!

Swap photos and videos!

Chat, message, free downloads & lots more!

To join in, sms the word HOOKUPS6 to 31025 now!

R2/day subscription. Over 18’s only. Requires wap.

Regular wap charges apply. To unsubscribe send STOP HOOKUPS to 31025. Errors billed. For support call 072 4554 123 or e-mail help@hookups.co.za.

T&C hookups.co.za. © 2012 hookups.

Mag 9

PRIDE IN JOBURG A TALE OF TWO Following the announcement of the dissolution of the company that was running Jo’burg Pride for the last seven years, there will now be two Prides within a week of each other in the nation’s largest city run by two different groups with different philosophies and ideas about what Pride should be, both claiming to take Pride back to its roots. We spoke the organisers of both Prides to find out what they have in store.

Johannesburg Pride – Saturday 28 September.

T

his is being called the 24th annual LGBTIAQ Event organised by Johannesburg Pride Planning Committee, though it is unclear where their mandate to organise Pride come from. The activities for the day include a float procession and a free After Party. The day’ activities will start from 11.00am when participants and spectators will start arriving at Mary Fitzgerald Square.

Floats participating in the parade will assemble in Jeppe Street in Newtown, and the Parade will depart 14:30. The parade will make several stops on the route, including Johannesburg Central Police Station and the Gauteng Legislature where a memorandum outlining the LGBTIAQ communities’ concerns will be handed over. The march will then pause on the Nelson Mandela Bridge to commemorate the victims of homophobic and trans-phobic violence.

Wreaths and candles will be placed alongside photographs of the slain at a memorial wall. The march will return to Mary Fitzgerald Square which will be the venue for the Pride Party. The extensive line up of live performances and DJ’s will start at 16.00, and the party will go on until 2:00 on Sunday morning. This will be a free event.

Kaye Ally from the organising committee sent us some answers to our questions OUT: Some of the perceptions of the previous pride organisation were that it was elitist and exclusionary. Apart from moving the event to downtown Johannesburg, how will you make the event more inclusive and accessible?

KA: All NGOS are invited to participate fully and promote their respective Mag 10

messages thus Johannesburg Pride will be a “Party with a Purpose” to celebrate our gains but equally to highlight the challenges. This year Pride is going to be more inclusive and will address a balanced mix of political activism and celebrations OUT: Another criticism was that the event focussed on the fun aspects at the expense of the political message of Pride. Can Pride be both a protest and a celebration and will Johannesburg Pride have a relevant political context?

KA: We will actively engage government to place current LGBTIAQ challenges on the civil and human rights agenda.

Johannesburg Pride will continuously engage with them as one of the active organisations to take the LGBTIAQ agenda forward and address challenges throughout the year not just at or during the lead up activity month to Johannesburg Pride. This year we have chosen three focus areas: “corrective” rape, trans- and homophobia and hate crimes.

OUT: Many people are aghast that you are running Johannesburg Pride on the same day as Soweto Pride? How did this happen?

KA: At the time of going to press Soweto Pride date was not announced. Therefore

the planning committee took a decision to retain the date as stipulated in the original Pride constitution which clearly states Pride will be held on the last Saturday on September. Further to this we feel that there is sufficient room for all. There are some that will only attend either of the Pride functions on the day.

Some will attend both.

OUT: On paper, it appears that you share any of the same aims and objectives with People’s Pride who will be hosting another Pride in Jo’burg a week after your event. Was there no way that some common ground could be found to prevent the situation where there are now two Prides in Johannesburg being organised within the space of one week?

KA: Johannesburg is a City of 4.5 million inhabitants. It has many cultural festivals of a similar nature hosted at different times of the year or month some within a week or two from each other. Our Constitution advocates for the protection of freedom of choice. JHB Pride honours our Constitution. Once again we welcome the diversity that the People’s Pride adds to the LGBTIAQ community.

For updated information visit www.johannesburgpride.co.za or Johannesburg Pride on Facebook.

assert that insofar as only some of us are substantively free, then none of us can be free which is why there can be no cause for celebration until ALL of us are free.

CITIES People’s PrideSaturday 5 October

P

eople’s Pride will be hosting a series of activities in the lead up to the focal event, which will be the Protest Celebration March on Saturday 5 October. The March will be setting off from Constitution Hill at 11.00am while people should begin gathering at 10.00am. Sekoetlane Phamodi from the People’s Pride Media Team said that in setting the route, “we looked to revisiting the historic Pride route as well as chartering a new route which crossed sites which represent significant struggles and victories for LGBTIAQ people in Johannesburg and South Africa as a whole.”

Constitution Hill is a significant place to “recognise the hard won legislative tools that can be accessed by LGBTIAQ people in securing their right and material ability to live secure, full and dignified lives in South Africa”. The March will proceed to Hillbrow Police Station to highlight the problems gay people face when dealing with the police, who are often the first point of contact for people seeking justice, protection and redress.

“For socio-economically marginalised members of the LGBTIAQ community, particularly black lesbians and transgender people living in townships, the police are rarely sources of protection and security” said Sekoetlane. “Lesbians often face secondary victimisation, abusive and intrusive questioning by police personnel or even an outright denial of services when they try to report instances of violence or violation.

Even when the police register cases, poor investigation, carelessness and a lack of interest result in no arrests or convictions”.

The next stop will be Simon Nkoli Corner at the intersection of Twist and Pretoria Streets, so named by the City of Johannesburg in 1999 to commemorate gay rights activist Simon Nkoli (see story on page 18). Nkoli, along with Donné Rundle, Beverly Ditsie and Roy Shepherd, was one of the organisers of the first Johannesburg Pride in 1990, so it is fitting that the people who raised

the clarion call to oppose all injustice, be remembered. The March will then continue to Hillbrow Clinic and through Joubert Park to Cosatu House, and finally through the Johannesburg Civic Centre “to reclaim the City of Johannesburg as our own and demand that it do more to ensure our safety and quality services not just in the suburbs but also in the underserviced lokshins in which we are so often told to go back to.” The March will then make its way back to Constitution Hill where it will end.

We asked the People’s Pride some specific questions which Sekoetlane Phamodi answered for us: OUT: The People’s Pride Manifesto calls for a Political March with a clear political objective. What is that objective?

SP: Our objective is to draw attention to the struggles which countless LGBTIAQ people in Johannesburg and South Africa have to negotiate on a daily basis; to interrogate who has access to the many hard-won victories for LGBTIAQ people in South Africa and why it is only they who enjoy them; to realise a society in which ALL LGBTIAQ bodies in Johannesburg and South Africa recognise and fervently oppose all injustice; and to demand that we ALL have equal and full access to the enjoyment of full and dignified lives.

OUT: It [the manifesto] is critical of the fun aspects of Pride events in the past.

Although we still face issues or violence, corrective rape, discrimination etc., some people say that we do have a lot to celebrate when compared to other African countries, or even European countries such as Russia. Why shouldn’t Pride be a celebration as well as a political statement? Are they mutually exclusive?

SP: Our position has always been that ours is a protest celebration. While we recognise that many LGBTIAQ people in South Africa enjoy extensive enjoyment of the promise of the Constitution, we remain critical of the fact that that enjoyment, like most else in South Africa, is distinctly articulated across racial, gender and class lines. We, therefore,

OUT: The organisers of Johannesburg Pride on 28 September have already made changes to some of the things that the Manifesto is critical of, such as taking the march out of Rosebank and into the city, and seem to have many of the same aims as the People’s Pride. Was there no way that some of the differences could be settled to prevent the situation where there are now two Prides in Johannesburg being organised within the space of one week?

SP: We are of the firm belief that Johannesburg is for all of us, but that some of our struggles may not be the same. While we firmly believe in collaboration and the building of alliances across LGBTIAQ communities and beyond, we are also very critical of the creation of a singular LGBTIAQ face and voice which purports to speak for all LGBTIAQ people. We believe that there should be many Prides in all parts of Johannesburg and beyond which highlight all of our struggles and give voice to all of our respective communities.

This is just one way in which we can start that kind of engagement.

People’s Pride will be showing their support at other Pride events in and around Johannesburg, including Ekurhuleni Pride on 21 September and Soweto Pride on 28 September. When asked to comment on the news that Pretoria Pride will be now be happening on the same day at the People’s Pride we were told: “Although it would be lovely to represent the People’s Pride Movement at Pretoria Pride, we need all the possible people power, volunteers etc. to help host the People’s Pride. As always people are free to attend whichever Pride they want.

For those people who want to actively engage with issues affecting them as Queer Bodies then People’s Pride is the place to be, as a platform and opportunity has been created where those suppressed voices can be heard.”

For updated information visit www.peoplespride.org,za or JBG People’s Pride on Facebook PS: In our last issue we wrote about the first Pretoria Pride originally planned for 7 September. It has now apparently been moved to Saturday 5 October, on the same day as People’s Pride. At time of going to press, the organisers of Pretoria Pride had not responded to any of our questions.

Mag 11

ROCKING THE UNDERWEAR DRAWER! NIKU is a small Cape Town based label whose mission is to rock your underwear drawer!

This sexy brand proves that as far as design and quality goes, South African designers and manufacturers can do as well, if not better, than some of the more popular labels.

This small design house operating from Claremont, Cape Town, has been making waves for the last three years with its fabulous underwear and swimwear ranges. And now there’s more to get excited about: NIKU have added some amazing gym and sportswear lines to their range. Some of these styles were launched at the recent Pink Lifestyle Expo, and the beefy waiters at Beefcakes are now also sporting some sexy NIKU shorts.

NIKU UNDERWEAR is available at G’s Mens Wear in Illovo, Johannesburg and Cape Quarte, Cape Town. Also stocked by M Squared

Mag 12

Mag 13

THE NEW PROTEA HOTEL SEA POINT

REVEALS A FRESHLY DIFFERENT FACE

T

he newest and freshest hotel rooms in the Mother City are to be found at the new Protea Hotel Sea Point, which has just emerged from its construction chrysalis to reveal its beautiful and tranquil face to the world.

While the exterior structure of the Protea Hotel Sea Point has remained intact in its prime location less than 100m from the sea, the interior has been all but gutted to create what is effectively a new hotel.

The new public areas will show off a fresh face of nautical colours, granite, marble and a communal area ideal for socializing, relaxing, get-togethers or work. The public area between the lounge, bar and dining area has been opened up to allow for more comfortable seating whilst maintaining intimate spaces for dining and meetings.

The restaurant patio has also changed beyond recognition.

Gone are the orange bucket seats which have been replaced by comfortable beach house style furniture and loads of greenery to ensure that calm and relaxed seaside holiday feeling – even if they’re travelling on business! In fact, that’s what the hotel is aiming for; relaxation through the use of colours and textures in an interior that is guaranteed to beat the corporate blues and provide a freshly different experience.

The new rooms are reminiscent of walking into a world-class island resort, with soft whites and blues making up the soft Mag 14

furnishings and trim. All the sea-facing rooms are brand new and enjoy a tranquil leisure feel whilst incorporating modern amenities that meet the exacting needs of business and leisure travellers respectively. All the rooms have a new, more environmentally friendly air-conditioning system. Each room also has 9 plug points in total, 3 of them at the bedside to be able to charge all electronic and mobile devices. The hotel’s famous art suites have been left intact for posterity.

What remains the same is the authentic and personalized GUEST service and the central location of the hotel, close to the beautiful beaches, Cape Town’s famous attractions and the city centre. The gay strip in Green Point is literally minutes away.

The hotel is a great place to stay - luxury and convenience in a brand new package.

FOR BOOKINGS +27 (0) 21 434 3344 seapoint@proteahotels.com proteahotels.com/seapoint

NEWEST AND FRESHEST ROOMS

IN CAPE TOWN OFFERING AUTHENTIC TRANQUILLITY AND ENTHUSIASTIC GUEST SERVICE.

MINISTRY SPRINGS INTO SUMMER

I

f you are looking for a one stop gentleman’s outfitters offering the modern man of style anything he could wish for, then Ministry is the place for you. From limited edition jeans to cutting edge tops, this great new shop has it all. Also in stock is a new age selection of limited edition accessories such as leather bracelets and butch belts, as well as a range of individualized gym and travel bags to die for.

Cape Town based designer Luiz deLaja has seen a dream come true with the opening of Ministry, a stunning new clothing shop for men in the fashionable de Waterkant district. As the head creative director, and with a team of seasoned business backers, Ministry is set to offer fresh functional fashion salvation to help any party animal get into the gateway to club heaven, disco hell or any other hip party place on earth – or just something

comfortably stylish for the office or beach. The fashion concept store stocks its iconic range under the store’s unique Ministry in-store label as well as Luiz’s cutting edge M4S label, which has been blending his Brazilian heat with inspiration from Africa and other fashion hotspots from around the globe, since 1999. No stranger to the nation’s cat walks (or to the pages of this magazine) with his high-style custom made men’s clothing through his M4S label, these beautiful clothes are now more readily available through the shop.

Ministry is at 51B Waterkant Street, corner Waterkant and Napier Streets, Green Point. For more information on opening times, or to get on to the mailing list for must-be-at events this coming summer season, get in touch at info@ministry4style. com. or via our Facebook page

CAPE TOWN

51B Waterkant Street, cnr Waterkant & Napier Str, Green Point www.ministry4style.com info@ministry4style.com

OPENING SPRING 2013

Mag 15

Keeping up with the Joans … at 80!

Joan Rivers back in 1969 – 44 years ago

Joan Rivers at 80

Joan Collins in her Dynasty hey day

John French celebrates Gay Icons and Glamour Grannies Joan Collins and Joan Rivers as they enter the Eighties.

C

an you believe that Joan Rivers and Joan Collins are both now officially octogenarians? Yes, through some miracle of plastic surgery, career elixirs and sheer bitchy determination both these two radiant superstars look frozen in time and carry on like they’re stuck in their mid-50’s!

“I’m having a great time,” squawks Joan Rivers as she examines her own timewarped body: “Everything is working, my mind is fine. The only time I play the age card is on planes when I’m trying to put a bag above the seat: I am 80 years old! Would someone PLEASE help me?!” she chuckles in her iconic trademark raspy voice.

The internationally acclaimed blonde comedienne has been entertaining audiences for over half a century. Ms Rivers reached the grand old age of 80 on 8 June 2013. Often ridiculed for her extensive plastic surgery, Joan allegedly has had over 700 plastic surgery procedures. She quips: “I wish I had a twin, so I could know what I’d look like without plastic surgery!” Like her or not, one has to admit Ms Rivers looks miraculously youthful for someone her age.

Mag 16

If it’s brunette wigs you’re in to, the other famous glamour granny who turned 80 on May 23rd 2013 is none other than legendary British actress and Dynasty diva soap star Joan Collins. Having been a sex kitten through all of her 9 lives, Joan Collins is a modern day clock-stopping miracle who has also managed to hold back time with apparently far less help from a surgeon. Over the years Joan has written many health and beauty books where she advises a sensible and solid approach to ageing and health. It seems to have worked very well for her.

GAY ICONS Both Joans have enjoyed extreme gay iconic status for decades. Both exude ultimate diva glamour, wit, and a high sense of camp. Their glamo-camp concoction makes them resonate very deeply with the gay world. Stereotypically, our gay world seems obsessed with youth, living it up and looking good. Both these old broads have been blessed with these qualities in glorious abundance and it keeps them perched high up in the annals of gay pop culture.

Try and name one young 80’s twink who did not study Dynasty harder than their matric exams. We were all totally mesmerised by the antics of the uber- glamorous and lusty Alexis! To boost her gay scorings even more, Joan’s character Alexis also had a gay son, Stephen Carrington, which scored her even more hot pink points in the gay icon approval stakes.

A DEEPER INSIGHT INTO THE DIVAS My good friend Mark McMorrow is the world authority on Joan Collins. Dublinbased Mark runs The Joan Collins Archive and has met both Joans several times over

the years. Mark has gotten to study both their personal and stage personas. I asked Mark for his take on the two Joans and he responded: “I’m not sure about them being Queens of Mean as both Joans are far from mean. Well, only in their stage personas. You know both of them are actually good friends.”

“What I think is remarkable is that both of them have reached this grand old age and they are as busy as ever in a tough business that is obsessed with age and youth. Both Joans also send themselves up and they both have a very good sense of humour. I remember the time Joan Collins appeared on Joan River’s chat show back in the 80’s.

Joan Rivers asked her which husband was the best lover and Joan Collins shot back at her ‘… yours!’”

Joan Rivers currently stars on E!’s Fashion Police alongside Kelly Osbourne and Giuliana Rancic. Joan’s razor sharp tongue and cutting commentary targets the latest celebrity outfits. Although Ms Rivers may be clocking up almost a century on the planet there is still no one quicker when it comes to dishing out a classic put down guaranteed to annihilate anyone who’s unfortunate enough to be in Ms Missile Mouth’s way.

HOW THEY KEEP YOUNG Her unashamed addiction to the needle and surgeon’s knife has allowed Rivers to look much younger than her Octogenarian counterparts. “I believe in plastic surgery,” she once ventured. “Every weekend I just go in and I do something. I get a tenth one free. It’s a little like coffee, you just keep going,” she added on her reality show Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best.

Rivers has admitted on her Joan Rivers Guide to Plastic Surgery CD to having had over 700 plastic surgery procedures during her lifetime. These include a surfeit of Botox injections, several nose jobs, an eye tuck, liposuction, and a few face lifts.

Next to Joan Rivers, Michael Jackson almost had the ‘natural look’! Now, she says her plastic surgeon Steve sends her away when she bangs on his office door demanding yet more procedures. He tries in vain to hold her back: ‘You don’t need anything. Go home!’”

Rivers reportedly cancelled her 80th birthday party following the recent death of her sister. The talented comedienne and Fashion Police host had a pretty big bash lined up at the Metropolitan Club to celebrate her 80th. Although 300 people were invited to attend the celebration,

Rivers decided to scrap the plans after learning of her sister’s passing. Rivers is no stranger to loss, including the suicide of her husbandproducer-manager, Edgar Rosenberg, back in 1987. Her career has had more ups and downs than a hooker’s knickers.

working flat out at 80 when most of their peers are either dead or defunct. They look great, live great and are powered by their passions. It is no wonder that they are both such illustrious gay icons.

THE BRITISH OCTOGENARIAN British actress and American soap legend Joan Collins became one of television’s superstar characters of the 1980s and ensured that Dynasty — filled with more drama than a Saturday night at a gay club — became the top ranking soap opera.

Collins played the female version of J.R. Ewing, the famous scheming Texas oil magnate played by Larry Hagman on Dallas. Thanks to Joan, Dynasty soon became the most-watched show on American television in 1985.

Collins has always raised eyebrows by appearing in raunchy movies like The Bitch and The Stud and, at the unspeakable age of 50 she sprawled herself out in a 12-page layout in Playboy magazine.

Collins became known in the industry as ‘the poor man’s Elizabeth Taylor’ and has been married five tumultuous times.

She married her current spouse, Percy Gibson, who is 32 years her junior, in 2002. When asked about the vast age difference between her and husband Percy, Joan quipped: “… well, if he dies, he dies!” Of her five husbands, La Collins makes it clear that her 5th husband, the half-Scottish, half-Peruvian theatre director, Percy Gibson is the greatest. “We have been together for 11 years and they have been the happiest of my life,’ Joan radiates.

In 1997 Queen Elizabeth ll made Collins an officer of The Order of the British Empire for her contributions to arts and charity.

Today she still appears in films and on TV, writes books, does charity work and gives a lot of social commentary.

BRAVO Both these two remarkable women are involved in more projects and work assignments than most men and women half their age. The Joans are always jetting around the globe, promoting their brands and businesses, and lusting after life. Joan Collins is about to release her latest book, aptly named A Passion for Life.

Like them or loathe them, one cannot deny that both Joans are an inspiration. They have both conquered age, and are still

John French and Joan Collins

JOAN RIVERS ON AGEING “It’s been so long since I made love, I can’t remember who gets tied up.”

“Joan Collins lies about her age so much we should have her body carbondated.”

“I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware.”

“Don’t talk to me about Valentine’s Day. At my age, an affair of the heart is a bypass.”

JOAN COLLINS ON AGEING “The only difference between a plum and a prune is the amount of moisture in it.”

“The problem with beauty is that it’s like being born rich and getting poorer.”

“I don’t look my age, I don’t feel my age and I don’t act my age. To me age is just a number.”

“I don’t know why people are so obsessed with age anyway. I mean, 90 is the new 70; 70 is the new 50 and 50 is the new 40; so the whole act-yourage thing? Only up to a point.”

Mag 17

SIMON NKOLI THE GAY MANDELA

“

In South Africa I am oppressed because I am a black man, and I am oppressed because I am gay.

So when I fight for my freedom I must fight against both oppressions.

“

W

ith the reams that have been written about the charismatic anti- apartheid gay rights activist Simon Tseko Nkoli, it is shocking that so many gay South Africans who are enjoying the fruits of his labour, have no idea who he is. This is especially sad when 24 years after Nkoli and other activists organised the first Johannesburg Pride in 1990, his legacy is being fought over by a community that is more fractured and disunited as it ever was. Through his dedication and courage Simon Nkoli played a key role in the fight for Gay Liberation and human rights for people with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Here are some of the facts of Simon’s life: •

•

•

whose response was to send him to a series of doctors and sangomas.

She finally sent him to a psychologist who happened to be gay and showed him it was OK to be gay •

At 19 years he met his white boyfriend Andre. To the consternation of both their mothers they moved in together. But living together was difficult because of Apartheid and Simon had to pose as Andre’s domestic worker

•

He got arrested four times in 1976 during the Soweto Uprising

•

In 1979 he joined the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) and became secretary for the Transvaal region. He was known to be gay which caused much discussion amongst his fellow students but they voted to retain him in the post

Nkoli was born in Soweto on 26 November 1957 to a seSothospeaking family. He grew up on a farm in the Free State and his family later moved to Sebokeng.

As a teenager, Nkoli recognized his feelings for other men but identifying as a gay man was confusing because the seSotho word for homosexual is sitabane, which implies hermaphrodite.

He came out to his mother at 18 Mag 18

•

1983, he publicly came out in an interview in the City Press, a black newspaper. He also joined the Gay Association of South Africa (GASA), which as a mainly all-white organisation, maintained an apolitical distance from the apartheid struggle.

•

Frustrated with GASA’s conservatism, he started The Saturday Group, South Africa’s first gay black organization in May 1984

•

By 1984 he was a member of both the United Democratic Front and the banned ANC. Nkoli spoke at rallies in support of rent-boycotts in the Vaal townships when he and 21 others were arrested and charged “subversion, conspiracy, and treason,” crimes subject to the death penalty.

As a Delmas Trialist he became an international cause celebre

•

In 1987 Canadian filmmaker John Greyson made a short film about Nkoli titled A Moffie Called Simon

•

Nkoli was acquitted in 1988 and he and the rest of the “Vaal 22” were freed.

•

He helped found the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand (GLOW), the first largely black based gay organisation in South Africa in 1988.

•

Beginning in 1990, GLOW organized the country’s first three pride marches and became the model for

several other gay groups in the black townships.

•

•

After becoming one of the first publicly HIV-positive African gay men to come out in 1990, he became a founding member of the Positive African Men’s Project based in central Johannesburg and the Gay Men’s Health Forum, working tirelessly to bring AIDS education and counselling to disadvantaged populations. He was also a founding member of the National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality, as well as a board member of the International Lesbian and Gay Association.

He was one of the first gay activists to meet with President Nelson Mandela in 1994. His visibility in the anti-apartheid movement helped in winning the ANC’s support for gay rights, support that translated into tangible deeds once the ANC gained power. In 1996 South Africa became the first nation to include “sexual orientation” in the Constitution’s anti-discrimination clause. From this victory for equality came other gains, such as the repeal of sodomy laws and the recognition of gay relationships.

•

In 1996 Nkoli was given the Stonewall Award in the Royal Albert Hall in London.

•

He had been infected with HIV for around 12 years, and had been seriously ill, on and off, for the last four. He died of AIDS on 30 November 1998 in Johannesburg.

•

The September 1999 the Jo’burg Pride March was dedicated to him and included a stop at the newly named “Simon Nkoli Corner” at the intersection of Pretoria and Twist Streets in Hillbrow. There is also a Simon Nkoli Street in Amsterdam and a Simon Nkoli Day in San Francisco.

•

He opened the first Gay Games in New York and was made a freeman of that city by mayor David Dinkins

•

Nkoli was the subject of Beverley Ditsie’s 2002 film Simon & I and Robert Colman’s 2003 play, Your Loving Simon.

But these facts do not tell the whole story of a man whose charm, wit and wisdom inspired a movement. As the founder of South Africa’s black gay movement, Simon Nkoli embodied its link with the anti-apartheid struggle. His prominent

participation in the campaign for black freedom and his relationship with that movement’s leaders was instrumental in gaining recognition for gay rights in this country. As an AIDS educator and organizer of South Africa’s pride celebrations, he worked to unite black and white gay communities in a common cause.

In his obituary in the Mail and Guardian, South Africa’s First True Renaissance Man, Mark Gevisser wrote “Simon’s brilliance, as an anti-apartheid student leader, as the founder of the black gay movement in South Africa and as an AIDS activist in his later years, was his understanding of the tenet ‘the personal is the political.’ While in jail in the ’80s for anti-apartheid activities, he came out to his co-accused during a heated debate about homosexual behaviour in jail. So shocked were these anti-apartheid leaders that at first they demanded he be tried separately. But his unique combination of charm and perseverance won out. Terror Lekota, who was jailed with Simon for years, remembers him as one of the most enthusiastic, caring and intellectually curious of his co-accused.

And so, when it came to writing the new South African constitution, Lekota asked, ‘How could we say that men and women like Simon, who had put their shoulders to the wheel to end apartheid, how could we say that they should now be discriminated against?’

Simon joined the white, conservative Gay Association of South Africa (GASA) and proceeded to turn it upside down. Just as he would not accept the homophobia of his black comrades, he could not abide the racism of his white ones.

Once his ideas and GASA proved to be incompatible, he founded Gays and Lesbians of the Witwatersrand, which organized South Africa’s first Gay and Lesbian Pride March in 1990….The best place to see Simon’s legacy is in the vibrant black gay subculture in South Africa’s townships. These young men and women are the Nkoli Generation; they saw articles about him in the press, they flocked to him. He made something of a political home for them, giving them an ideology that fused the freedom struggle with a sense of how they might find redemption from their families’ rejection through gay community and activism.”

In a December 12 1998 article about Nkoli’s funeral, titled Queer State Funeral in Sebokeng -Fag Apartheid rules as the real gay South Africa says goodbye to our Queer Mandela, the ever irreverent and acerbic Steven Cohen tells of a straight film-maker who described Simon Nkoli as “the gay Mandela”. He

said he supported that parallel for the following reasons: “Simon Nkoli unified the black and white gay communities, ending faggot apartheid, by causing the dissolution of GASA and creating GLOW leading to the NCGLE (National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality).

Simon Nkoli formed the first black gay movement in South Africa - the first organisation to include black lesbians.

And Simon’s links with the ANC after his four years of imprisonment and subsequent acquittal were hugely instrumental in the entrenchment of our gay rights in the constitution. So, in no small way, Simon liberated, unified and legitimised the gay movement in South Africa. It is in part thanks to him that South Africa is not as fucked up as Zimbabwe. And at a time when we could all see no further than our mental and physical borders, Simon made links with the international gay world outside South Africa from his prison cell.”

Nkoli’s speech at South Africa’s first Gay Pride March in 1990 was a significant moment in the Gay Movement of this country. “This is what I say to my comrades in the struggle when they ask why I waste time fighting for moffies.

This is what I say to gay men and lesbians who ask me why I spend so much time struggling against apartheid when I should be fighting for gay rights. I am black and I am gay. I cannot separate the two parts of me into secondary or primary struggles. They will be all one struggle. In South Africa I am oppressed because I am a black man and I am oppressed because I am gay,” he continued. “So when I fight for my freedom I must fight against both oppressions. All those who believe in a democratic South Africa must fight against all oppression, all intolerance, all injustice. With this march, gays and lesbians are entering the struggle for a democratic South Africa where everybody has equal rights and everyone is protected by the law: black and white; men and women, gay and straight.”

Tragically Nkoli himself was not to see his dream realised, dying of Aids-related illnesses before it became a reality. And he never got to see the new South Africa government finally taking the AIDS epidemic seriously. Mark Gevisser wrote: “But if there is tragedy in this, there is also Simon’s impeccable feel for publicity: If he had to die, he may as well put his passing away to good use”, having died on the eve of World AIDS Day in 1998.

During this Pride Season in Gauteng, we should pause to remember and acknowledge Simon Nkoli, the ultimate South African gay hero, an icon of whom we can be really proud.

Mag 19

HALLELOO SHANGELA!

T

he Debutantess of the Deep South and star of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Shangela, will be co-hosting this year’s Miss Gay Western Cape Pageant in October. In what is becoming a tradition at MGWC, stars of America’s craziest TV dragavanza have appeared at South Africa’s most glamorous Drag Pageant in 2011 & 2012. Shangela will be following in the footsteps of Jujubee and the larger than life Latrice Royale who whipped the audience into a frenzy last year. Shangela made her drag debut in 2009 and was soon cast on Season 2 of Ru Paul’s Drag Race! She was sent sashaying away after only the first episode. But her talent was recognised and returned as a surprise contestant in the series’ third season, where she made the Top Five.

Since Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Shangela has had several television appearances including the Drag Queens of Comedy showcase alongside legends Lady Bunny, Jackie Beat and Coco Peru. She will be performing her singles Call Me Laquifa and Werqin’ Girl at MGWC. Meanwhile there is a lot of talk about who will be crowned the Fabulous Fifth ever Miss Gay Western Cape on 5 October? In its short history, MGWC has grown in leaps and bounds to become the nation’s premier drag pageant. This year’s “Arabian Nights” theme will be bringing the mystery and wonder of Ancient Persia to Cape Town.

In a welcome innovation, only 10 finalists will be strutting their stuff on stage this year helping streamline the show into a night of glitz, glamour and top notch entertainment. As well as the fab Shangela, also appearing on stage is heartthrob Mario Ogle who will be performing songs from his Superman album.

Miss Gay Western Cape 2013 will be crowned at the Baxter Theatre on 5 October. Tickets R120 through Computicket. Guests are encouraged to follow the theme in their dress and are advised that the show will begin promptly at 8.00pm Mag 20

MAGIC NO.7

Mr SA Leatherman Johann Jooste took 7th place at the International Mr Leather Contest in Chicago in May. He reflects on his amazing experience

I

did what I came to do… to represent my country and touch people’s lives. I was in Chicago for seven days to compete at IML. To convey my experience at IML could take either seven seconds of silence…as I am speechless or seven days of non-stop talking…and you would still not have a cooking clue of what I’m talking about.

No one can ever warn you of what this is all about. It is an experience that can only be experienced. There is a saying that goes: “And they were all of the same spirit”. That is the only way I can describe the Brotherhood and Camaraderie I have experienced amongst the IML goers. 51 individuals had one common goal: to be named the next IML. Please note, I said ‘Named’ and not ‘Win’. I’ve never liked the phrase “Don’t worry, you are all winners” as I always thought it was the lowest form of consolation. But now get it.

Being the representatives of our respective communities, we are indeed the winner in our community. And YES,YES. YES...it is great to win the big title. But just to be chosen to have this experience is a win in its own right. Together with the Victory and the Glory of the title, also comes a huge responsibility. When asked, each contestant had his own reason, motive or explanation as to why they would want to have this title; what they would do with it and what it would mean to them. But a common thread ran through all of their answers , “It would open doors and provide a platform” from which they could do something for their community, something which they are passionate about and regard as important enough to share with others. While all of this is true any title certainly affords us an advantage and privilege of a public platform.

PLACING # 7 Everyone measures their success at IML against their own personal measures of achievement.

-For some, it’s against the number they were placed -For some, it’s against the carnal pleasures they’ve enjoyed -For some, it’s the depth and quality of interpersonal relations they’ve established -For some, it’s the personal lessons learned and knowledge acquired of them’ There is no judgement or criticism of any of these. Your path is different from another’s. For anyone, gay, straight

or bi-sexual, who is not familiar with the Leather scene……I would like to present you with this perspective: If you look at the BIG Picture, in terms of evolvement, SA definitely rates as one of the minority groups. And by no means is this a negative rating, it only means that we are at different stages on the same journey. The general mind set within the International Leather Arena is on a completely different level than ours…certainly not for the conservative, closed minded or faint-hearted. We just do not have the population to sustain the lifestyle.

For us to compete at an event like IML is like taking the best primary school athlete and letting him compete against the more skilful and experienced high school athlete. So any one of us making it to IML, looking at the magnitude of this event, would have asked exactly the same question: “How on earth did we manage to get here in the first place?”

In terms of our level of evolvement in the bigger picture (and this is no excuse or apology)…7th place is like coming first, bearing in mind SA also beat a lot of similarly evolved contestants. So all together, we can be proud of ourselves One of my most memorable highlights was to meet David Watt, the founder of an NPO called Mr Friendly, which endeavours to reduce the stigma around HIV, one conversation at a time. Their message is whether you are negative or positive….I am always there for you. Mr Friendly is opening a branch in South Africa and I was appointed to be the local spokesperson. We hope that in time Mr Friendly will become a household friend to all South Africans ,one smile at a time on everyone’s face .

I once again thank you for the honour of letting ME stand there on your behalf. All of this was made possible by obvious hard work and the support of the whole community and I thank you all for your efforts of love, support, encouragement and dedication. I’d like to close with one of my favourite quotes: Do not compare your life to others as you have no idea what their journey is about.

For more information on Mr Friendly, please visit the Facebook page or contact Johann at johann@jjooste.co.za Mag 21

THE BUZZ KYLIE FASHION

B

esides being an awardwinning hit-maker, Kylie Minogue is a true fashion icon whose daring and love of self-reinvention have kept her current twenty-five years into her career.

From the very beginning, her fashion sense has been key to Kylie’s persona and performances. Now a dazzling new book, Kylie Fashion, celebrates her numerous and ground-breaking collaborations with the world’s great fashion designers. Drawing on her personal archives, it showcases Kylie at

all her key fashion moments, whether as geisha super-heroine in her ‘Impossible Princess’ era, ingénue in gold hot pants for ‘Light Years’, or Grecian winged messenger for ‘Aphrodite’. Curated by William Baker, Kylie’s creative director, and introduced by Jean Paul Gaultier, the book features specially written texts by the most important designers and stylists Kylie has worked with throughout her career, including Dolce & Gabbana and Karl Lagerfeld, as well as additional commentary written by Kylie herself. Packed with awe-inspiring images including the very best rare and unseen archival photography, video outtakes, fashion sketches, red carpet shots, and ephemera from Kylie’s archives, this book captures the cultural icon, trendsetter, and Vogue cover girl in all her guises. The tome also contains examples of Kylie’s cover shoots for the influential fashion magazines i-D (March 1991) and The Face (June 1994), which the stylist Katie Grand has said was the best-selling issue during her time as fashion director there. Minogue also has appeared on the cover of British Elle seven times, most recently in January 2013. This book is bound to be a collector’s item for Kylie fans and fashionistas alike.

CHER WIGS OUT

C

her is back and better than ever. Twelve years after her last album, the 67 year old Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, Golden Globe winner and fashion plate is making a comeback with something sure to make her gay fans ecstatic!. Her new single Women’s World from her forthcoming 26th album Closer to Truth is a throwyour-hands- in-the-air-like-you- justdon’t-care disco anthem that’s sure going to get any dance floor burning this summer. In the video, Cher wears a variety of outlandish wigs including one made of strips of newspaper. The energetic dance track is everything you’d expect from the pop diva. No wonder she’s a gay icon!

LIFE IS A CABARET

T

here’s no keeping a good girl down. Original nineties Follies cabaret star and the allegedly most photographed drag queen in the country, Miss Lola Fine, has teamed up with Boere Babe and Glamorous Puss Genevieve le Coq in a brand new show. They are joined by the Comedy Queens of the Garden Route, Olivia Mae and Corne, in the rambunctious cabaret bedazzlement that is…The Follies! This is a drag cabaret that will leave your senses shmangled with its choreography, live singing, comedy, costumes and antics. Prepare Mag 22

yourself for an Eleganza Extravaganza that revisits contemporary classics, Afrikaans nostalgia and modern Pop/ Rock that has something for everybody.

The Follies is hitting Gauteng for Pride season, appearing at Laughing Chefs @ Lucit Restaurant, Pretoria on 20 & 21 September, and Beira Alta, Monte Casino from 24 to 27 September.

I

HOLY ‘FRO

f you were wondering why Odidiva, Cape Town’s original no lip-synching drag Diva, has been so scarce of late, it’s probably because she’s been at home growing her ‘fro in preparation for her starring role in Brett Bailey’s genre-busting House of the Holy Afro. This show of driving club rhythms, soaring harmonies, electric dance, hip poetry and dazzling lighting has been touring the world since 2004. The Sunday Times

SKANK ANANSIE

GETTING DOWN TO URTH

W

ith spring in the air, getting back into shape is all important. But sometimes we forget the body’s largest organ…the skin. A brand new range of Asian inspired, botanical based essential skincare specifically designed for men’s skin is now available in South Africa. URTH Skin Solutions For Men infuses premium ancient Asian herbs, pure essential oils, vitamins and phytonutrients into its natural formulations created specifically for men. Using a

describes it as “James Brown meets Ray McCauley meets Brenda Fassie meets Boney M meets The Supremes meets Donna Summer meets Ru Paul meets Blaxploitation, all thrown into a blender with some seriously funky house beats and garnished with a Tarantino-esque flourish!”

The show has been invited to France where it will be staged at the Paris Autumn Festival from 19 to 21 November. C’est si Bon!

S

kank Anansie is returning to South Africa in October to perform in Jozi and the Cape.

The band last played SA in 1998 at Nelson Mandela’s “Gift to the Nation” 80th birthday show. Since then, the band broke up, reformed again 2012 and released their fifth studio album Black Traffic. The band has a huge gay following, partly for their weirdness and partly because their lead singer Skin is a lesbian. Last year Skin married Christiana Wyly at a lavish civil partnership ceremony near Verona in Italy. Supporting Skank Anansie will be rockers The Hives.

They will be performing in Jo’burg on 4 October at Vodacom in the City, Newtown. Rocking the Daisies Festival in Darling, near Cape Town will be the venue for their show on 5 October.

Tickets from Webtickets

rich blend of potent antioxidants, URTH nourishes and protects the skin against environmental elements as well as the stress of everyday life, whilst the light, non-greasy formulations leave skin feeling fresh and healthy throughout the day.

Green Tea, White Tea, Tea Tree and Ginseng are the main ingredients.

So far the following products are available: Deep Cleansing Scrub; Dual Protection Face Balm; Enriched Shave Formula; Invigorating Face Wash and Hydra Therapy Face Mask.

The Perfect Travel Kit contains all the above. URTH products are available URTH products are available through selected stockists and online www. geturth.co.za. You can also book get a fab URTH facial at Glasshouse in Cape Town and Tanz Johannesburg for R195.

POP GOES THE MIELIE

M

usic Festival lovers in the Cape have Rocking the Daisies; Rockers in the north have the Mieliepop Festival. South Africa’s most-loved rock, reggae and blues festival is returning in its third incarnation from 1 to 3 November. Mieliepop is fast becoming the festival goers’ quintessential escape from reality, tucked away safely from the hustle and bustle of city living, just two and a half hours from Johannesburg and Pretoria at the magical Tolderia Resort in Mpumalanga. The line-up includes local favourites such as Albert Frost, Crystal Park, Naming James and Kinky Robot. The international headline act is Men Without Hats. With tickets are R550 per person for a full weekend pass or R350 for a day pass. Visit www. mieliepop.com for more information and ticket purchasing options.

THE DIVINE MISS M

B

ette Midler has been beloved by the gay boys ever since she threw away her reputation singing at New York’s gay sauna, the Continental Baths, in the 1970s. And if we can’t get to hear the Divine Miss M in the flesh, then the next best thing would be seeing Debby Jamieson and her three piece band in A Taste of Bette Midler, a fun and light-hearted comedy song and dance cabaret, that has been getting rave reviews. Bette’s repertoire, including The Rose, Wind Beneath my Wings, From a

Distance and other songs give Debby an opportunity to utilise her comedic talent.

Alexander Upstairs in Cape Town’s Strand Street, will be hosting this fun cabaret from 18 to 21 September.

Book at www.alexanderbar.co.za/show/ atasteofbettemidler Mag 23

MORE THAN ONE LOOK WITH ANGELA KILIAN

Pic by Val Adamson

When you experience Angela Kilian on stage, it’s love at first sight, when you meet her in person it’s a permanent love affair. Her angelic charm and heavenly voice gave us sensational crowd-pleasing performances in Cats, Evita, Phantom of the Opera and now Sunset Boulevard. Just as she captured the hearts of many with her endearing performances of strong women, so has one loving woman captured her heart forever. Daniel Dercksen shares a few thoughts with Kilian and talks about fame, success and Kilian’s marriage to the strongest and most challenging woman she has ever met.

You have always been attracted to powerful women on stage and in life, tell me about this?

Yes, it seems I’m a bit of an adrenaline junky! Ha-ha! I do like a challenge and I’ve really had the most incredible opportunities to take myself to the limits as an actress with the women I’ve been able to portray - women with a strong story, and who have journeys of substance! And certainly offstage, I have also been attracted to women of substance, and I’m blessed to be married to one of the strongest, most interesting and challenging women I’ve ever met.

Following your stupendous performance as Evita Peron, you are now stepping into the shoes of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. This must be terribly frightening but equally exciting?

This last production of Evita was my fifth so I’d had years of experience with her by the time I got to doing this one. Eva Peron has always been the most thrilling of all the women I’ve portrayed, and I really didn’t think I would be able to find another complex character that could compete with her... and then along came Norma Desmond! I’ve never seen Sunset Boulevard live, but I’ve had the soundtrack for years and of course I adore the black & white movie with Gloria Swanson, so it has always been one of my favorite Lloyd Webber scores. But nothing I’ve listened to or watched could ever have prepared me for actually stepping into her shoes. She is absolutely terrifying, intense and really quite “milly”. She’s everything you pray that as an actress you never become and then some! It’s also a little Mag 24

intimidating that every gay man in the country seems to know Norma better than I could ever. If I drop a word I’m sure it’ll be screamed out from the audience - Ha-ha!

How did Sunset happen and how do you feel about playing this iconic role?

While I was doing Phantom of the Opera last year, Pieter Toerien approached me to find out if I’d be interested in playing Norma! Of course I was thrilled, but by the time we got close to signing contacts and I understood the enormity of playing a part that (not unlike Eva or Grizabella for that matter) has been made famous by some of the most exciting actresses of our time, and who people have an interesting obsession with, I hit a mild panic! And when I started listening to all the greats from Patti Lupone and Glen Close to Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley singing the great big anthems in the show, I really wanted to run for the hills. But now that I’ve started finding my own voice as Norma and capturing her intrigue and complexity, I am really glad I agreed to go on this journey.

Where did all begin, that moment that you knew you were meant to be in the spotlight?

I had been involved in theatre productions since preschool and was “discovered” by well-known Port Elizabeth drama teacher/director Robin Williams when I was 6 years old, and she has been one of my greatest mentors to date. When I was in high school I was doing a couple of productions a year so it was a natural progression. I was offered a bursary to study at

UCT Opera School when I matriculated but I wanted to study drama and so after a brief stint as a missionary in Africa, I went to study at the Waterfront Theatre School. I spent my entire childhood daydreaming about my name “being up in lights”. I’m a dreamer!

Does success frighten you?

I don’t think I’m afraid of success, but I often feel overwhelmed by the expectation that comes with having been successful. When I go onstage I am aware that there are people who are waiting for me to “move” them and I take that quite seriously and so I often feel afraid that I might disappoint. But all I can do is be true to the piece, and throw myself into it heart and soul and tell the story as honestly as I can.

jumped ship. But when we said “I do” we wanted that to mean something and so when we didn’t know what else to do, we stuck to our commitment until we found our way out of the storm. Relationships take work and sacrifice. If you think the person you are with is there only to bring out your best qualities, you will be disappointed. You have drawn them into your life to show you the very worst parts of yourself that need refining too. If you bail every time it gets too hot in the kitchen you will go from partner to partner never really dealing with your “stuff”. It’s a cliché but honest and deep communication is of prime importance. I have a saying “be slow to take offense and quick to listen” and that will take you through many trying times. We grow through trials and we are closer and better on the other side of them.

How on earth does a young diva like you relate to older divas like Evita and Norma?

I’m a diva? *blush*. I am a woman who has, from my birth, had a very colorful life and this has given me a vast reservoir of experiences and emotions to draw on when I step into their shoes. We all have a story and I guess I’ve drawn to myself experiences in my life that have prepared me to tell their stories with a depth of understanding I might not otherwise have had.

You are proudly and happily in an equal partner relationship… this must have taken a lot of courage to do as one of the most prominent musical performers in South Africa?

I am someone who is ruled by my heart and when I love someone I really can’t hide it. I get to act on the stage and so in my personal life I like to be my true self and I can’t be responsible for how other people handle my truth. The courage for me was in taking the step to live this truth, knowing that I might hurt some people close to me in the process, and I did. But I tried my very best to be truthful and to let people see that because I was seeing someone of the same sex as me, that I was still the same person I always was. People close to you are often just afraid that they are losing you or that you will change. People fear what they don’t know. I think it’s important for people to see loving, happy same-sex couples doing the normal, boring things that any couple does, so that the cliché image can be altered. Love always conquers hate eventually. I understand the need for people to be more private about their sexual orientation in their jobs because of the negative experiences they’ve had, but for me personally when it comes to my career - if I’m sidelined because of who I love then that job wasn’t for me anyway. My ambition is not greater than my desire to live an honest, full and happy life!

Do you think South Africa is as friendly to same sex relationships as it is made out to be?

I guess it depends who you speak to. In my world I’ve been very blessed by having even the people I would least expect eventually be accepting of my partner and show me great love and support. I’m certain many of them can’t quite understand but they still love me. Now it might help that I am so feminine looking. I think that girls who are less feminine looking often have a harder time with discrimination. And certainly amongst certainly sectors of our community there is a terrible wave of violence against gay women. We’ve had so many instances of “corrective rape” and murder. That is why it is important for those of us in the public eye to be ourselves but also be responsible with the image we put out there.

What do you think contributes to the success of your fruitful relationship? What’s the magic ingredient?

Good old fashioned commitment. Yolanda and I have great love for each other and we have a connection that you don’t experience often in your lifetime but what makes the difference is our commitment to our commitment. We have been through tough times like every couple has and we certainly could’ve

Who is the real Angela, the woman behind the voice and superstar?

I am someone who like anyone else wants nothing more than to feel loved, safe and happy. I love my job and all the benefits that come with it, but I am equally committed to having a healthy, balanced life and making a difference in people’s lives around me. I am a demented animal lover, vegetarian (my wife is a carnivore just to keep me challenged), I am a student and teacher of Kundalini yoga. I’m a hopeless romantic and a dreamer. I love roast potatoes more than life itself. I spend a great deal of time rescuing ants and other insects from our pool and bath tub. Flowers make me happy. And nothing in the world pleases me more than going to sleep at night, in my wife’s arms with our animals close by. I am also fiercely protective over the people I love. I will cause bodily harm to anyone who hurts an animal - well I might get my karate champion wife to do that for me, Haha! When the wind blows it puts me in the foulest of moods.

What makes you happy?

Yolanda, our animals, family and friends, flowers, roast potatoes, perfume, watching the birds at the feeder in our garden, walks on the beach, ice-cream, Shanghai, dancing around our house randomly with my wife as she sings “Kaptein span die seile, kaptein sy is myne”, candles and incense, cooking - to name but a few!

What inspires and motivates you?

Being able to help heal or inspire others. When I’m teaching yoga I have the opportunity to see people change their lives as they work on themselves and I’m inspired to keep learning more. When I’m on stage I get to see people escape or be moved by the story we are telling I want to do it with more truth and honesty each time. When I get to chat to people or work with kids who have had challenges in their lives and see them inspired to dream again, it inspires me to keep dreaming and growing.

Sunset Boulevard is on at the Montecasino Theatre, Johannesburg, until 20 October, after which it comes to Cape Town’s Theatre on the Bay. Mag 25

7 REASONS TO BUY PROPERTY IN CYPRUS

S

outh African investors are finding Cyprus – the 3rd largest island in the Med, full member of the EU and not part of Greece! - more and more appealing.

It’s easy to fall in love with Cyprus, especially with the 1st world lifestyle aspects. But it’s the excellent quality of life and the solid ROI opportunities that are driving investors in droves to look seriously at Cyprus. The following 7 reasons have motivated their investment: 1. Secure permanent residency in Europe: purchasing a residential property for at least €300,000 qualifies you for EU permanent residency; and there are no restrictions in renting the property out – so not only do you realise “Your personal Plan B”, but you enjoy a Euro-based income too!

2. The short term appreciation: is very good because of the demand for holiday accommodation in Cyprus’ busy tourist locations within walking distance to the beaches, near the promenade and on a bus route – so these properties are always sought-after for investors wanting to enjoy a solid Euro-based income for 6 months of the year.

3. The medium term appreciation: is solid because of the high demand by foreigners wanting to relocate to Cyprus or have a holiday home there. As long as there is a cold winter in Europe, there is ALWAYS a high demand for property in Cyprus!

4. The long term appreciation: is phenomenal because of the vast natural gas discovery in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zones. This natural gas is going to employ thousands of foreigners who will either purchase property or want to rent. Also being an island, there is limited space; and more importantly a limited number of properties within a 7km wedge of the sea: where people can see the sea, smell the sea or be within a short distance to it.

5. One of Europe’s lowest personal tax structure: for rental income earned in Cyprus, you would need to earn in excess of €19,500 nett (i.e after you’ve deducted all your costs associated to keeping your investment property running) per annum before you would need to start paying tax. And buying a property in a legal entity is also favourable; as Cyprus boasts the joint-lowest Corporate Tax rate in Europe with Ireland – capped at 12,5%.

6. No inheritance tax: on your death you can dispose of your assets to your loved ones without having to pay the Cypriot government any tax – this is advantageous for legacy planning.

7. Europe on your doorstep: Cyprus has 2 International AirMag 26

ports and several marinas, which means getting across to Cyprus from Europe is easy and inexpensive, which results in holiday makers retuning year after year.

Some of the practical aspects of living in Cyprus include: • the fantastic weather : Cyprus enjoys 320 days of sunshine a year; and short, mild winters; • being an ex-British colony, Cyprus has an English-speaking culture and this has cemented the island’s popularity because there is no language barrier; • a plethora of activities on offer: golf, sailing, bowls, social and service clubs (Rotary & Lions), tennis, hiking, camera clubs, art & cooking classes, church groups etc.; • the ease of getting around Cyprus: there is an excellent road and motorway network and a reliable and affordable public bus service – all which makes an affordable holiday for tourists; • fantastic food: fresh produce grown in Cyprus is delicious, inexpensive and in abundant supply at all the local supermarkets. It is seldom pre-packed, so you get to choose exactly what you want. Food tastes different in Cyprus because of the way it’s cultivated and prepared: in the traditional way!

• Cyprus boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the world where you can enjoy living with no alarms, security gates or electric fence - there is absolutely no fear for your personal or material safety in Cyprus; • a double-taxation treaty with South Africa: so there is no withholding tax when you bring your income across to Cyprus; • low cost of living: it is a lot cheaper to live in Cyprus than in South Africa even with a volatile exchange rate. Monthly living costs are a fraction of those in South Africa and there is a lot more income left at the end of your month!

Investing in a property in Cyprus is simpler than you think; and Cypriot Realty, a proudly South African company, has an impressive 5-year track record of assisting many South Africans in exploring what Cyprus has to offer.

A new investment property in a new country is the achievement of a lifetime and an investment in the future for the next generation. In Cyprus the options really are the best. Living is laid back – you set your own pace.

And what better place to do this than where the blue skies meet the Mediterranean Sea: on the beautiful island of Cyprus.

SCENE OUT

SA PINK LIFESTYLE EXPO

Ralf & Gerrie

Marais, Paul & Daniel

Fairy Queens Mary Smith & Odidi

Natalia da Roche

Bambi & Svetlana

Geneviev

e le Coq

Gerard

Brandley ShenFM G’s Menswear Models

Cameron

Craig Mag 28

Graham

EVH AWARDS AT ZER021 Darion

Tishaarn Vonarmberg & friends

idiva

Od Enigma &

Manila v

on Teez

Shannon, Enigma von Hamberg & Grant

& Odidiv

Manila von

DIVA’S ONE NIGHT ONLY

Kat Gilardi & Anushka

Angel Lalamore

Parker

a

Teez

Anastacia Khan & fans

Shanin Brown, Logan McGregor, Enigma von Hamburg & Layla Novacek

Sheena & Manila

von Teez

Mag 29

MISS GAY AMBASSADOR or

Tishaarn

McGreg & Logan rg e b rm na

Vo

Back - Alicia Connersea, Zilin Zhang, Logan Mcgregor. Front - Vida Fantabisher, Tisharn Vonarmberg, Liberty Banks

TWIST ON SOLSTICE - JOBURG Photos: Biddy Horne Photography www.biddyhorne.com

MR GSA CAPE FINALS

Werner de Waal, Steve Williams Mag 30

& Tom van Zyl

BOYZTOWN, AMSTERDAM & BACKROOM BARS

Mag 31

Photos courtesy Helena Grier Rautenbach

M.I.S.S. STEAM PUNK PARTY

MR GSA MEAT & GREET AT BEEFCAKES Reno, Casper & Hardus

Princess Pop

Mannie, Tom

& Justin Beefcakes!

Lola Fine

ys

kes bo

Beefca

KISS IN PROTEST - CT Photos - David Lee

SEEN AT BUBBLES

Mag 32

Freddie from Bros

B4 Hos

Vida Fantabisher

Stockists of designer-wear for men

Shop 2 Illovo Mews 198 Oxford Road, Illovo, Jnb T. 011 447 6921 C. 083 777 9808 E. info@gsmenswear.com

Shop 007, New Cape Quarter, Jarvis St, Green Point, Cape Town T. 021 421 2944

Hot House celebrates 15 years! he Hot House, still rated as one of the best saunas in the world, is celebrating its 15th Birthday in October – and it’s hotter than ever! This milestone anniversary makes this venue, popular with locals and visitors alike, the oldest gay venue in the Mother City. The stylish up- market European Style steam bath, in the heart of Cape Town’s Gay Village offers what you expect and more from a steam bath: luxurious double volume lounges with fireplace, a sundeck with the most spectacular views, enormous steam room, sauna, two Jacuzzis, three video lounges, maze, showers, darkrooms, glory holes, free internet & WiFi and private cabin. Exploring is thirsty work, so there are two bars and a restaurant to help re-energise. The latest addition is the Adult Store, stocking a state-of-the-art, sensual, erotic and satisfying range of innovative Sex Toys, stimulants & lubrications designed by the

world’s best manufacturers for maximum erotic pleasure.

The Hot House will be celebrating fifteen years of hot action and the beginning of the Summer season with a spectacular party on Friday 4 October. Expect strippers, drag performers, snacks, drinks specials, prizes and giveaways as well as DJs Ariee and Dawid. Entry is free between 8.00pm and midnight. Be there and get your pulse racing!

For info on opening hours and pricing visit www.hothouse.co.za or call 021 418 3888 Mag 33

Were The Smiths the gayest band ever?

1983 was an amazing year for popular music. Michael Jackson was thrilling the world; the Eurhythmics with their gender-bending lead singer released two albums; Culture Club with its gender-bending lead singer were on the top of the charts; Madonna made her debut… and singer/songwriter Steven Morrissey with guitarist Johnny Marr unleashed The Smiths on the world. Forget Pansy Division, Scissor Sisters or Frankie Goes to Hollywood! Some die-hard fans consider the Smiths as the gayest band in the world, thanks to Morrissey’s incisive lyrics, his highly camp stage performances and the band’s homoerotic record sleeves.

For every young gay Disco Queen dancing his tits off to poppers-fuelled Hi-NRG, there was an angst-ridden love-sick gay boy sitting in a darkened room listening to The Smiths.

The Smiths were a distinctive band that sounded like no one else that came before them. Although The Smiths never achieved mega-stardom, they were hugely popular in the U.K., where each of their four studio albums reached the top of the pop charts. In America and elsewhere, they were a cult band beloved by critics and by an uncommonly ardent fan base.

Their cult-like status was a product not of just the music but also because Morrissey and The Smiths “represented one of the most radical political voices of a deeply polarized era.” They influenced a myriad of Indi bands that were to follow.

The band’s dominant figure was the vocalist Morrissey, the focus of adulation and hostility in equal parts. Apart from his unique singing style, Morrissey also had a finely honed camp sensibility, and he has written some of the wittiest lyrics in rock. He identified with fellow Anglo-Irish drama queen Oscar Wilde, evidenced in Morrissey’s flamboyant public persona. He had a penchant for clutching to bouquets of gladioli on stage.

Like his idol, Morrissey never explicitly proclaimed his sexuality and for a while, claimed to be celibate. But the evidence was there, in his lyrics and The Smiths’ Mag 34

carefully chosen sleeve art which were brimming with gay signifiers. Their first album cover featured a nude photo of Joe Dallesandro, one of Andy Warhol’s “superstars”. When asked about his sexuality, Morrissey replied, “It’s all there in the lyrics.” Indeed. How many straight rock stars sang odes to “this charming man” or implored a lover to “shove me on the patio/I’ll take it slowly”? Morrissey’s coy, ambiguous sexual identity was intriguing to some and infuriating to others. In fact, Morrissey’s sexual intentions were so ambiguous that the band endured foul rumours in the tabloid press that they celebrated paedophilia, a radical misreading of songs like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Reel Around The Fountain and Suffer Little Children. Having said that, ‘Handsome Devil, the B-side to The Smiths’ first single Hand In Glove, was a lascivious exploration and acknowledgment of youthful, gay sexuality.

From the start, homosexuality was inseparable from The Smiths’ image and music, even if it seemed couched in ambiguity. In their very first single, Hand In Glove Morrissey cries “it’s not like any other love!” While this could be taken as a declaration of sexual difference or simply the way that all couples thinks their love is unique, the second single This Charming Man was more direct, with its tale of being picked up by the charming man of the title on “a hillside

desolate” and in awe that “someone so handsome would care”. The third single What Difference Does It Make? even starts out with the declaration “All men have secrets and here is mine so let it be known…” although Morrissey never quite completes the sentence. Morrissey’s short-lived affair with singer Billy McKenzie, of The Associates, resulted in one of The Smiths’ most wistful tunes, William, It Was Really Nothing. (McKenzie replied with Steven, You Were Really Something). A feminist sympathiser, Morrissey’s lyrics also took a mordant perspective on heterosexual relationships: “Loud, loutish lover/ Treat her kindly/Though she needs you more than she loves you”, he sang on I Know It’s Over, perhaps The Smiths’ saddest song.

Yet despite their massive gay following, the band’s relationship to homosexuality was complex. The Smiths certainly were not gay rights crusaders. While on tour in the U.S., they even declined to give interviews to the gay press. That attitude should be understood in the context of the era where the general cultural environment was far more hostile than now. So it’s not surprising that The Smiths were reluctant to be seen as a gay band (apart from the fact that only Morrissey was gay). But that reluctance failed to stop their legions of gay fans to idolise them.

It was easy to identify with Morrissey’s witty, heartfelt, often self- deprecating and sometimes ecstatically sad sentiments if you were unsure of yourself.

Sex is a crucial part of what made The Smiths so rich and multi-dimensional, disrupting the cerebral surface of the band’s songs. “Does the body rule the mind or does the mind rule the body?” a wistful Morrissey asks. In many cases sex adds the delicious, delirious humour that always made the band much more lifeaffirming than the popular, wearisome “wrist-slashing” stereotype. And even if you dismiss the homoeroticism of the lyrics, there still is Jonny Marr’s jangly guitar and Morrissey’s searing vocals that make the Smiths one of the greatest bands ever, gay or not.

OBSERVATIONS OF A GENDER NON-CONFORMING UNIVERSITY STUDENT Liberty Banks, law student at the University of the Western Cape, shares some thoughts on campus life.

U

niversity years are meant to be the most exciting years of one’s life which signal the transformation process between being a child, and becoming an adult. This is where we embark on a road of becoming a healthy contributing member of society and set our focus on success.

Yet, for a gender non-conforming student like me, university days have been very challenging because of my transgression of social stereotypes. I wish my loved-ones had informed me that being a coloured (broadly considered black), ‘gay’ crossdresser, coming from rural South Africa, raised by a single mother ostracised by family would put me at a great social disadvantage. My understanding of a new life for myself, of coming out, of an open identity, was to remain a distant reality. I can imagine that every university has an institutional culture that can drown even the proudest and loudest of LGBTIAQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual and queer or questioning) activists. My impression of intelligence quickly changed as intelligent students are not that intelligent after all, as least not when it comes to accepting social differences. I thought that rivalry amongst

the LGBTIAQ would be non-existent as access to higher education would prepare us in being well-groomed contributing members of civil society. But here as well, in-fighting amongst our own is just as rife as it at times can be on the outside. This could however be ascribed to us choosing to fight and resent each other because it is easier then fighting a dominant heterosexual community that is actually oppressing us. Also, many lecturers are not effectively equipped to engage with LGBTIAQ identifying students in the classroom or on an inter-personal basis. And then, many on-campus service providers are a cause for concern as they have not been educated on respecting sexual diversity.

If the saying is true that you either adapt or die – then it would appear as if I have adapted in dealing with the intolerance, disrespect and social superiority complex.

I have utilised my educative background received as a master’s student in law to advocate against injustices on campus – in both Liberty’s dress and Glenton’s pants. Or is it Glenton’s dress and Liberty’s pants? Anyway! For the most part, this form of activism has been received well by the university but this does not mean enough is being done to eliminate homo-prejudice and transprejudice on campus.

In looking at where I started and where the university is at now, transformation at the institution in favour of LGBTIAQ students is clearly visible through awareness-raising, education, training and accessible safe spaces. However, there are many challenges which we still face on a daily basis bringing uncertainty as to whether we are in fact being respected, understood and protected for who we are. The silent stares, the intolerant terms ‘moffie’ and ‘faggot’ and ‘dyke’ are still liberally used on campus to dehumanise our

community. Heterosexual males especially need to prove their masculinity through the use of physical violence to punish effeminate gay males, trans-females and lesbian women.

This behaviour puts pause on any amount of transformation that we have made to the point where we need to revert back to the table and revise our position, the mechanisms used and vision for a future campus tolerant of diversity in all shapes and forms.

It is clear that in transforming institutions of higher learning fully, more mechanisms are needed to educate the intellectual leaders of tomorrow. It is also clear that it will be a combined effort between LGBTIAQ student leaders, university stakeholders, lecturers, staff and students.

LGBTIAQ leaders at university level should not be afraid to lead their constituencies or call on each other’s support when confronting challenges at their respective campuses. LGBTIAQ identifying students and supporters must get involved actively within LGBTIAQ activism at their institutions to strengthen the movement at university level. Lecturers must be sensitised on how they teach students and how they engage with students. As to the rest of the student populace, they must start respecting our constitutional rights to dignity, equality, security and freedom.

And ultimately, the university organs must play an active role in pushing the agenda of optimum social transformation in favour of our community.

Consequently, if we as academic intellectuals fail to understand the principles of a common humanity founded on respect, dignity, equality, life and freedom irrespective of difference, we fail ourselves and we fail our communities.

Let us unite and stay united at our universities and in a greater social context in challenging homo-prejudice and transprejudice at each and every turn.

Mag 35

SLUTTY RENT BOYS AND JACUZZI JEZEBELS

Y

ou can’t keep those good ol’ OIA dykes down! Despite having to cancel the July outing, the Out in Africa Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, still busy celebrating its 20th year, is back for the last edition of 2013.

Thanks to further funding from the National Film & Video Foundation, the Festival will be running from 18 to 27 October at Nu Metro V&A and Hyde Park, with the Official Opening Premier events on Wednesday 16 October in Johannesburg and Thursday 17 October in Cape Town. As always, the fabulous selection of films on view should bring in the bottoms (think seats!). Here are some of the Highlights: The award winning Free Fall (Freier Fall), directed by Stephan Lacant (rumour has it that he may attend the Festival) is a gritty, intense study of a riot squad policeman whose life comes apart when he falls for a colleague. Beautifully shot, exquisitely acted, Free Fall is part Brokeback Mountain, part Undertow, an intense love story between two men set away from a gay world.

Director Rodney Evans, a guest of the Festival with Brother to Brother in 2005, is back with his latest feature, The Happy Sad. Two couples, one (nearly) straight, one gay, find themselves exploring alternatives to the usual till-death-do-us-part monogamy roundabout, with intriguing consequences. New York is the willing interloper that instils all four with a sense of existential restlessness that leads them inevitably to unexpected pairings, unforeseen repercussions and more twists than a 5th Avenue pretzel. A well-scripted, often pin-sharp delving into the new rules of engagement as permanence makes way for pleasure.

Those following OIA on Twitter will have heard that Doug Spearman’s Hot Guys with Guns - a modern take on the old-fashioned detective story – will be showing. It’s Chinatown meets Boystown. A series of raids on exclusive gay sex parties leaves a raft of LA’s most influential gay men high and dry.

Enter a world of slutty rent boys, casual sex and Jacuzzi Jezebels. Will the lads catch the bastards, or just the clap? This comedy is by turns tense, dramatic, titillating and yes, funny; a colourful mix of cocks, cruising and comedy, Hollywood insiderhumour and some pretty decent acting.

In their Room: London. Directed by Travis Mathews, this film takes viewers into the rooms of a cross-section of gay men across London to learn first-hand what’s on their minds - and in their hands - when the world is not supposed to be listening or watching. It reveals the truth behind the bravado and the result is an on-going excavation of individual and collective vulnerabilities. Compulsive, compelling, voyeuristic and sometimes just plain crazy.

Lose Your Head (Dirs: Patrick Schuckmann & Stefen Westerwelle) is inspired by a true story. Young Spaniard Luis is in Berlin for the weekend, to connect and party in the city’s drug-fuelled party scene. A little naive, a little curious, a little horny, Luis is a man who doesn’t say no. When he crosses Mag 36

Free Fall paths with two Greeks looking for a missing brother, we start to wonder if these clubbing adventures might be a backdrop for something more sinister and psychologically complex.

And one offering that is not to be missed by anyone - Louis(e) de Ville, portrait of a bad girl! The intelligent, articulate and very gorgeous Louis(e) de Ville is an actress, sex educator, author, and burlesque performer. Follow her as she performs in burlesque shows throughout Europe and for the run of her one woman show: Betty Speaks! From glamour to trash, from on stage to backstage, join her as she explores and explodes the codes!

Last but not least, OIA is working hard to try and secure a sneak preview screening of Blue is the Warmest Colour before its eventual release on circuit by Ster Kinekor – this is Abdellatif Kechiche’s 3 hour lesbian drama that won Palme d’Or, the top prize at Cannes this year.

For a full schedule visit www.oia.co.za. For more news follow Out in Africa on Facebook and Twitter.

Portrait of a Bad Girl

GET OFTOWN!

Y

ou can now buy a copy of your favourite gay glossy magazine at a one of 134 CNA outlets from Alberton to Walvis Bay for only R25.

Or you can subscribe and have OUT delivered to your doorstep. Send us an e-mail to: outmagafrica@telkomsa.net and we will tell you how. It’s only R100 a year, and we’ll pay the postage!

Don’t miss OUT!

Issue

TATE THE S IDE OF PR

3

ter 201

15, Win

’s as r that you are. the ca d as ience ay ahea w Exper

INTER NEWS VIEWS REVIE AND MWS ORE! R25.00

ead. ay ah trol the con A3. W Audi e select, which letstheyouonly modi elultrina new i driv . It’s also e and Aud of driv The All ures Aud of a button ance.

-wheel ch i A3 feat

incl. VAT

tou four form at the anent new Aud and per forms ® perm efficiency The all car per st r quattro you are. way the to offe gy, which boo ahead as ment way nolo its seg A3 as ight tech new Audi lightwe the makes which

t mon

re nt, Tel: 021 emo i Cla Audter & Loch Road, Clar cnr Chic

AN DAN V BREN N O F THE N RHY AB NNA O L MADO SHIPS THE S N W TO

P Ev ride Pu ents ll-O ins ut ide

07

to today Marais Audi A3.

Contact e the new 9 experienc 651 272 073

04

incl. VAT

04 8590 9 7723

R25.00

1.

657 711

hes

Mag 37

NAKHAME HOMO-EROTICA IN THE DAYS WHEN MEN WERE MEN! TOURE Nakhame Toure is making waves on the local music scene with his unique indie sound which has been described as modernist folk with subtle soul and Afro-pop underpinnings. Our muso Gary Hopkins fell in love with his music and decided to find out more about this singer and songwriter..

OUT: How does a kid from PE raised on Soul and Choral music discover indie bands?

NT: When I was 14 or 15 I realised there might be more than what my parents and friends were playing. I wanted my own identity. My mother used to joke that I’m rebellious. So I spent sinful hours on the internet. I also worked at a Look & Listen, which broadened my knowledge of music.

OUT: Your music definitely has an intellectual side to it. Do you need to have a deeper connection to the music to really enjoy another artist’s work?

NT: I have been accused of being a snob, so yes, 98% of the time there needs to be a deeper connection because then what’s the point? But there are days I’ll watch a Beyoncé top 20 TV show or listen to Kylie’s disco tracks, which I believe are great pop songs.

OUT: If you could be a member of any band, past or present which would it be?

NT: When I was younger I dreamt of being a fourth member of The O’Jays but now Wild Beasts. They’re my favourite band of the past 5 years.

OUT: Are you are starting to get recognised?

NT: About two years ago I was featured in an article in Cleo magazine. I saw this girl who used to go to high school with me.

She looked at me quizzically and said: “Ha. I thought you were famous”. I assured her I was not. She looked so disappointed. I thought that was funny...and slightly depressing.

OUT: You reference Radiohead and REM a lot. Who would you rather have dinner with Michael Stipe or Thom Yorke?

Mag 38

Photograph courtesy of The Famous Frouws

NT: Thom Yorke is my personal hero, but he seems averse to people who gush about his work. Michael Stipe on the other hand seems more inviting. I once had a dream I was a drummer in a band that consisted of myself, Thom Yorke and Michael Stipe. They had a fight, and I was the peacemaker.

OUT: Are you a pizza or pasta man?

NT: Pasta OUT: What CD in your collection would surprise your fans the most?

NT: Kylie Minogue’s Body Language. ‘Slow’ is a great song, and my ex-girlfriend and I always spoke of having a romantic moment while ‘Chocolate’ was playing in the background.

OUT: Any instrument you’d like to learn?

NT: I’m very interested in electronic music, so I’m interested in understanding how a sequencer works.

OUT: What was the last movie you cried in?

NT: It wasn’t a movie, but the last few episodes of Six Feet Under. That show is high art. I really tried not to be affected by it, but it was so powerful.

OUT: You have the choice to play any venue in the world.

NT: There are festivals that when I watch on YouTube, I can’t help but well up at the idea of me ever playing on their stages: Glastonbury, Coachella, Pitchfork Music Festival.

Read the review of Nakhane’s new album Brave Confusion in our Music Moves on page 47...

WORD PERFECT FREE VERSE SOUL Tamo von Arnim 2013, R120

F

ree Verse Soul is Tamo von Arnim’s third volume of poetry, following Un Hombre Fuerte and Amor Universal. Tamo began keeping a diary of sorts nine years ago where he would jot down feelings, ideas, and thoughts; basically whatever he was reflecting over. The desire to write did not come as a surprise as it seems that it runs in the von Arnim bloodline, and at least two of his German ancestors, Bettina and Archim von Arnim were well known for their musical, poetic and philosophical works in 18th Century Berlin.

Tamo has a particular affinity with Bettina as he was born 200 years after her, almost to the day!

Tamo began writing in 2004 when he says “I was still very ‘in the closet’, an emotional space that many can relate to, because we have all been there, all sorts of identity crises. “ This was the start of his voyage of self-discovery, and in this latest collection of free verse, he wanted people to share his journey and experiences, some very personal and others just idealistic reflections.

Tamo will continue to contribute 10% of the sales of Free Verse Soul to Ubuntu Africa, which cares for over 200 HIV Positive children in Khayelitsha. More information about this great facility, founded by another of Tamo’s friends Whitney Johnson, is available at www. ubafrica.org

This volume is beautifully presented with a sexy cover and centrefold of the poet, photographed by his dear friend Marguerite Oelofse. The book’s diary/scrap book feel was graphically designed by Luke Caldecott, another super talented creative artist, using the poet’s own photographs of his travels around the Cape and overseas.

Free Verse Soul can be purchased via www.iampoetic. com 27. Closet’d: The boy teary eyed, Falls asleep/ Silent yawn End of another day; Confessions/confusing.

Peace of mind/ disillusioning

QUEER AFRICA - NEW & COLLECTED FICTION MaThoko’s Books, Edited: Karen Martin & Makhosazana Xaba R180.

Available at Exclusive Books.

O

ne of the reasons homoprejudice persists is because the voices of gay people often remain unheard. So the publication of anthologies such as Queer Africa is always welcome.

Eighteen writers from six African countries have contributed their unique voices to a growing emerging queer literary culture in Africa, adding to the continent’s colourful variety of queer identities, expressions and experiences. The collection looks beyond one-dimensional representations of queer lives, offering instead a literary space that recognises the fluidity of sexuality and the complexities of human interaction.

‘Queer Africa was intended as a space for writers to explore queer experiences without judgement,’ reflects co-editor Karen Martin. ‘The

final collection showcases queer literary work of the highest quality that will stand proud alongside other African literary work and other international queer work.’ Fellow editor Makhosazana Xaba considers the collection to be a muchneeded opportunity for local writers and readers to reflect on queerness within various contexts. Such reflections, she hopes, will encourage readers to think critically about sexuality and society, as well as the vitriol spouted by so many political, religious and cultural leaders.

By refusing to proscribe or limit what constitutes queer, Martin and Xaba have compiled a collection that not only celebrates the colour of human existence but that also confronts hateful rhetoric positioning queerness as un-African, amoral and unnatural. Such a challenge is no small thing: many of the writers featured in the book, coming from Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Nigeria, Botswana and South Africa, exist within hostile social environments that deny their existence or, in its most extreme form, condone horrific violence.

Queer Africa is the first fiction collection from MaThoko’s Books, the recently established imprint of the Gay and

Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA).

Based in Johannesburg, GALA is the only LGBTI archival organisation on the African continent. GALA director Anthony Manion says ‘Queer Africa was motivated by a desire to celebrate and record African queer artistic expressions.’

Mag 39

THE ‘TerMENology’ OF SEX WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW!

Y

ou have three seconds to captivate your reader. SEX! SEX! SEX! They also say that sex sells so I’m sure you are still reading!

Fear, denial, apathy and ignorance are some of the biggest contributing factors to the transmission of HIV and other STIs - with lack of knowledge at the core of all of them. Here is a list of a few of the fundamental terms that you should know and understand in order to make informed decisions for yourself and your sexual partners.

Imagine I am the flight attendant just before take-off: “We will be showing our safety demonstration and would like the next few minutes of your complete attention. Even if you’re a regular flyer, please take a moment to listen to the safety instructions.”

Condoms and water-based lube: These two should always be used together for anal sex. Anything with an oil base like hand cream or baby oil will damage the condom and cause it to tear. Water-based lube makes sex more comfortable and it enhances pleasure.

CD4 and viral load: CD4 cells are the most important cells in your immune system. A CD4 count tells us how many CD4 cells there are in a drop of your blood. The higher your CD4 count, the stronger your immune system is. Viral load is a measurement of how much the HI virus (the virus that causes HIV) has spread in your body. The viral load can go up to millions. Your CD4 count and viral load influence each other. When your CD4 count is high, your viral load is usually lower which is a good situation. When your viral load is high, your CD4 count is usually low. This means your immune system is low and unable to protect your body.

ARVs: Taking antiretroviral (ARV) medication lowers your viral load and allows your CD4 count to increase. This treatment is usually started when your CD4 count is 350 or less. Once you start taking ARVs you need to take them correctly as prescribed, so that your CD4 count will stay up and your viral load will stay down.

Barebacking: Unprotected anal sex puts you at high risk for contracting HIV Mag 40

and other STIs, such as Hepatitis and Syphilis. Your risk increases with multiple sexual partners. The risk for barebacking bottoms is a bigger, but HIV but other STIs can be passed on either way.

Oral sex: Although safer than anal sex without a condom, there are risks. There have not been any confirmed cases of HIV transmission through oral sex published in scientific literature. However, it is possible for transmission to occur if the person performing the blow job has small cuts or sores in his mouth and his partner ejaculates in his mouth.

PEP: Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an emergency prevention measure for HIV negative people who have been exposed to the virus, where for example, a condom breaks during sex, putting them at risk of infection. PEP needs to be started within 72 hours after exposure to the virus. It helps reduce the chances of HIV infection.

Undetectable viral load: Having an undetectable viral load is one important way in which people with HIV can reduce the likelihood of HIV transmission.

However, achieving an undetectable viral load is not a reliable enough way to reduce the risk on its own. An undetectable viral load in the blood does not necessarily equal an undetectable viral load in the semen; it’s possible to have virus in the semen even when it’s not detectable in the blood. Even though the risk of transmission is significantly lower, technically, this means transmission could still occur. Viral load is best used as one method to reduce the risk alongside others such as consistent condom and lubricant use and sero-positioning.

Sero-positioning: Men who seroposition decide what role (top or bottom) to take when having anal sex based on their own and their partner’s HIV status. For example, you would be seropositioning if, as an HIV positive man, you decided to bottom during anal sex for a man who was HIV negative. This is because there is less risk of infection for a top as your semen will not enter his anus.

Some HIV negative guys never bottom because they know there is more risk of infection being a bottom. It remains important to use a condom and waterbased lube every time (regardless of whether you top or bottom).

by Riaan Norval

STI: Sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, gonorrhoea or herpes as well as HIV can be spread from one person to another during sex. Some are spread more easily than HIV and infection can take place even if there is no exposure to a partner’s semen or blood.

Most STIs are either completely curable or can be managed with treatment. You can’t always tell if somebody has HIV or an STI by just looking at them. You also can’t go on somebody’s word to know whether they have an STI or HIV. Most guys who say they are negative cannot be totally sure of their status. Maybe they were infected since their last screening, or maybe they’ve never been screened.

Some guys lie about their status and say they are negative because they are scared of rejection. Having an STI heightens your risk of contracting HIV. HIV stigma: Stigma is the labelling of an individual or group as different or deviant. The roots of stigma are often associated with fear, death and difference. This is intensified when there is a sense of perceived risk and is often based on a lack of information or misinformation. Consequently many diseases, disabilities and sexualities are stigmatised.

What does stigma look like?

- Referring to gay or HIV positive people as dirty or diseased.

- Rejecting an HIV-positive sex partner when they disclose their HIV status but having sex with them when they don’t.

Discriminating against someone with HIV doesn’t make you safer.

- An attitude that HIV-positive people are guilty or have somehow failed.

- Gossiping about the HIV status of a person in the community and avoiding them based on the knowledge that they have HIV. Riaan Norval is the Media Coordinator for Health4Men. Health4Men is a project of Anova Health Institute NPC and is funded by PEPFAR/USAID. Health4Men provides sexual health services for MSM (men who have sex with men.)

For free screening and any information about your sexual health visit your nearest Health4Men Clinic. Visit www. health4men.co.za for clinic locations

SEPTEMBER diary Sunday 1st Spring Fever A big bunch of flowers gets you in free! Friday 7th Leather Night Free entrance with leather gear · Friday 14th Long Schlong Night Free entrance for 20cm + · Thursday 19th Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 21st Fetish Night – Indulge your fantasies · Monday 23rd Heritage Day Cum celebrate queer kulcha · Friday 27th Pre-Pride Party Cum practise for Pride Saturday 28th Pride Party Africa's Largest Annual Gathering of Naked MEN OCTOBER diary Friday 4th Leather Night Free entrance with leather gear · Friday 11th Long Schlong Night Free entrance for 20cm + · Friday 18th Fetish Night – Indulge your fantasies · Saturday 19th Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 25th Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund NOVEMBER diary Friday 1st Leather Night Free entrance with leather gear · Friday 8th Long Schlong Night Free entrance for 20cm + · Friday 15th Fetish Night – Indulge your fantasies · Sunday 17th Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 20th Fire Crotch Night – Free Entrance with Red Pubes · Friday 29th Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund

MILK TRAIN BRINGS ALL THE BOYS THE TO YARD

F

ollowing the success of their production of Kingdom of the Earth at the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theatre Festival last year, Fred Abrahamse and Marcel Meyer have been invited back. As well as reprising Kingdom, they will be debuting the classic Tennessee Williams drama The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore in the United States in September before a short run at Cape Town’s Artscape Arena in October.

Milk Train, described as a sophisticated fairy tale, looks at the final two days in the life of ageing beauty, Flora “Sissy” Goforth, the much-married, widowed heiress, whose last Mediterranean summer is consumed by dictating her memoirs before she dies. Her last days are disturbingly interrupted by the appearance of a handsome young poet, known to be a gigolo of rich old ladies close to death. Williams is well-known for writing great parts for women and Sissy Goforth is one of his most fascinating and formidable creations. Acclaimed actress, Jennifer Steyn stars as Goforth with Marcel Meyer as the poet and Nicholas Dallas as the Witch of Capri.

It was while Tennessee Williams was working on The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore that Frank Merlo, his lover of 14 years, was dying of lung cancer. He implicitly wove Frankie’s death into the very fibre of this play. In his Memoirs, Williams writes: “People have said and said and said that my work is too personal: and I have persistently countered this charge with my assertion that all true work of an artist must be personal, whether directly or obliquely, it must and it does reflect the emotional climates of its creator.” This period in his life, “reflected so painfully the deepening shadows of my life as man and as artist.”

Williams and Merlo had been lovers since 1947. They started to drift apart in the early 1960s and Williams Mag 42

had a string of brief romances with a variety of young men, including “a handsome blond kid of about twenty-two with creamy skin and a very seductive backside which he was eager to offer” known as the “Dixie Doxy” (Williams uses this nickname as the stage-name Flora Goforth takes on when she enters show-business). He later he began “a serious flirtation with a gifted and handsome young poet…whom I’ll call Angel…” This was when Williams learnt of Frank’s illness which bound them together again and where art imitated life in the creation of Milk Train.

Milk Train provides an ideal opportunity for local audiences to

see a rarely performed play by one of the world’s greatest playwrights in a ravishing production directed by Fred Abrahamse, who also designed the striking set.

The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore is presented by Artscape in association with Abrahamse & Meyer Productions from 3 to 20 October at Artscape Arena. Tickets: R70 – R120 Booking: Computicket or Artscape-DialA-Seat

o as one of the first countries to legalise same sex marriage, it comes as no surprise that many South African gay couples might be experiencing a sevenyear itch. If we can have marriage, then divorce is bound to rear its ugly head sooner or later. Civil Parting is a funny and savage drama about a gay divorce from the prodigious pen of playwright Nicholas Spagnoletti, recently returned to the Mother City from Edinburgh where his play London Road was performed. Glenn and Jean-Pierre have been married for seven years but things have changed between them. Since they are professional, respectable members of the community, they have resolved to divorce amicably. But as they wait in an attorney’s reception, the cracks in their cordiality begin to show.

The War of the Roses is a favourite film of Pieter Bosch Botha who takes the role of Jean-Pierre. “I wanted to see how something like that might play out in a gay relationship,” says Pieter who put the idea to Nicholas one night at Alexander Bar. Nicholas began writing immediately. “With gay marriage,” says Nicholas “comes gay divorce. One of the things I want to show in this piece is how gay marriages can be just as banal and life-sapping as heterosexual ones, and gay divorces just as bitter and messy.

2014

Photography © Jesse Kramer

PARTING IS SUCH SWEET....

S

The play is about two people who are trying but largely failing to overcome human nature.”

Shaun Acker who plays Glenn says: “Civil Parting looks at two characters attempting to put their emotions aside and cooperate legally. At times, cooperation fails and violent emotions burst forth in moments of truth exposing the cracks of an abandoned relationship. When the characters successfully cooperate, nostalgic moments of happiness and sadness naturally brim. The actual life of a relationship is exposed. This is exciting theatrical territory to be in.”

Zanne Solomon directs Pieter Bosch Botha and Shaun Acker in Civil Parting at Alexander Upstairs Theatre, 76 Strand Street, Cape Town, until 18 September. Book at alexanderbar. co.za/show/civil_parting or buy your tickets in person at the bar Monday to Saturday 11am to 1am. Phone bookings and enquires: 021 300 1652

YOUR SHOW, YOUR WAY Brought to you by THE PINK BOX

PINK LIFESTYLE

EXPO JOHANNESBURG

R50 entrance

JOHANNESBURG AN TH E R MO 80 TORS I HIB EX

For more information contact: 021 425 6463 or email: tommy@thepinkbox.co.za Riaan: marketing@pinksa.co.za or Dierdre: sales@thepinkbox.net

1st - 2nd Feb 2014 10am - 6pm Cedar Park Hotel & Conference Centre, Sandton Mag 43

OUT TO LUNCH with Gary Hopkins

CHEERS FOR THE QUEERS Life is too short to drink cheap wine out of ugly glasses. With that in mind, OUT swopped fine dining this issue for fine wining, a craft distiller and a local beer Mecca.

Restless River Estate Wines

I Jorgensen’s Distillery

C

areer farmer, winemaker and Savingnac Potstill Brandy creator, Roger Jorgensen, turned his hand to distillation in 1994 on a historic family farm, Versailles, in the heart of Wellington. They produce finely handcrafted spirits including the Naked Lemon Limoncello made from handpicked macerated lemons (R150); 450 bottles of Field of Dreams Absinthe a year (R400); and Primitiv Vodka (R220) which comes with a set of uniquely numbered dog tags. To do their bit for the environment you get a 10% discount if you return your empty gin or vodka bottle. Sales online at www.jd7.co.za or from Roeland Liquors, Vino Pronto and Wine at the Mill in Cape Town.

Mag 44

had the pleasure of discovering Restless River at the recent Hermanus Food and Wine show.

The farm is situated in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley where Craig and Anne Wessels grow their Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay vines.

Without getting too technical and risk coming across as a wine snob, they chose to rely on natural fermentation and do most of the production by hand. Their yield is low and given their methodology they produce less than 3 000 bottles a year.

John Platter awarded their darkberried, red velvet in a glass cab 4½ stars. Their chardonnay is a lightly wooded marriage of soft vanilla and the acidity of grapefruit and is truly magnificent. Both varietals retail for R250 a bottle from their website. http://www.restlessriver.com

The Beerhouse 223 Long Street, Cape Town

T

his newly opened establishment brags about having the widest selection of beer in Africa and with 99 bottles of beer on the wall (literally) and 16 more on tap this is no idle boast. OUT was invited to their launch event and got to enjoy a beer and food pairing of mainly local micro breweries. Did you know they make Weiss (Wheat) Beer in Kommetjie? We had a blast and this funky yellow joint is sure to be the talk of the town come summer.

The beer theme is carried all the way through to the urinals and basins which are manufactured out of kegs. Aside from the huge array of beers they also serve a limited menu of bar snacks. www.beerhouse.co.za

OUT ON DVD LET’S WATCH DVD’S WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN

M

aster storyteller J.J. Abrams travels beyond the frontier of the imagination, with the spectacular space opera Star Trek into Darkness delivering a super spectacular space opera. This second space odyssey is filled with suspense, humour and tons of explosive action. Chris Pine is delicious as Kirk, who must face his inner demons in outer space. Also watch the DVD of the 2009 Star Trek with a fantastic audio commentary by J.J.Abrams and his team; it guarantees to heighten the experience you’ve had with Star Trek into Darkness.

With numerous big screen Superman films and 10 seasons of Smallville on TV, Man of Steel comes with loaded baggage and a celebrated history that could easily deflate its status and turn it into “just another Superman movie”. But thankfully it’s all new and refreshing. The envisioning of the planet Krypton is breathtakingly imaginative; the Man of Steel even has a brand new stunning suit.

Henry Cavill truly embodies the spirit of the iconic superhero and brings an emotional depth to this hero. He was born to wear “the suit”. He portrays Clark’s innocence and vulnerability with heartfelt honesty, and does full justice to Kal-El’s tenacity and magnitude. Man of Steel is the ultimate escapist high.

There are seven good reasons to indulge in the deliciously wicked and insanely wacky Seven Psychopaths. You will shamelessly and hopelessly fall in love with the feral characters that vividly inhabit this invigorating and highly entertaining crime-comedy. Colin Farrell is in top form as a writer who commits the ultimate crime: writing a screenplay with a catchy title but not having any clue what the story is about. Madness has never been so much fun!

Stoker is a deliciously dark and twisted shocker that will hit you like a ton of bricks. Although the trailer suggests a contemporary Lolita, Stoker is anything but that. Stoker proves that secrets are sacred and should remain buried. When we dare to probe its surface, the result is petrifying and perturbing. Matthew Goode is terrific as the devilish and handsome guardian angel, with Nicole Kidman in top form as the tormented widow. This smart, savvy and daring mystery-thriller with bite guarantees that you will be on edge until the final shocking reveal.

The terrifying dark side of human nature reveals its monstrous face in the enthralling Killer Joe, which questions whether every life has a price. Sensitive viewers are warned that when Killer Joe’s inner demon is triggered, the senses will be offended. Director William Friedkin perfectly captures the raw intensity of the vulnerable characters, as well as the sensitive seduction that takes advantage of their fragile disposition.

Friedkin is blessed with a great cast, including Matthew McConaughey as detective Joe Cooper, a charming and malevolent psychopath and hit man who is invited into a nasty plan that spirals into a brutal nightmare.

Profound films like Song for Marion make us re-evaluate our lives and our relationship with those who share it and powerfully express how music can unify a community and heal broken hearts. Terence Stamp is a grumpy 70-year-old pensioner who can’t understand why his wife Marion, played by Vanessa Redgrave, would want to embarrass herself singing silly songs with her unconventional local choir.

British director Mike Newell’s grand, sumptuous and nostalgic Great Expectations offers a magnificent journey into the heart and soul of Dickens’ novel. Expect nothing less than heartfelt and wholesome entertainment the entire family can enjoy, which Dickens’ gurus can revel in. Jeremy Irvine (pictured above), of War Horse fame, delivers a passionate performance in the role of Pip, a young man torn between two worlds.

The Place beyond the Pines reveals what it takes to be human and to what lengths people will go to redeem tragic actions that shape their destinies. Once you discover what happens ‘beyond the pines’, you will never forget it. Ryan Gosling delivers the performance of a lifetime as a charming, but inherently aggressive and rebellious mysterious and mythical motorcycle racer Luke whose life changes when he discovers that his former lover (Eva Mendes) secretly gave birth to his son. This most definitely gets my vote as one of the best films of 2013, not only for its profound and lasting impact, but for the masterful telling of a heartfelt story Visit Let’s watch DVDs on Facebook or visit www.writingstudio.co.za Mag 45

OUT ON FILM DANIEL DERCKSEN TAKES A LOOK AT TWO GAY THEMED MOVIES TO HIT THE FILM CIRCUIT THIS SPRING JIMMY IN PIENK

I

f Jimmy in Pienk is anything to go by, then being different has never felt so right. This funny and touching film revolves around Jimmy Bester, a rugged seventh generation mielie farmer who lives out his creative impulses by shearing sheep on neighbouring farms, something he has to hide from his father who believes that “men are not creative”. When Jimmy’s father dies suddenly in a freak accident, he is has to deal with two menacing loan sharks who come to collect what his father owes. A distraught Jimmy discovers that his father had a twin brother, Fredrique, who was exiled from the farm for being gay and is now a hair product tycoon in Cape Town. Jimmy gathers the courage to leave his home and travel to Cape Town to seek help from his uncle.

Fredrique plots revenge on the family that spurned him by making Jimmy enter his reality TV show, “SA’s Next Super Stylist”. If Jimmy wins, he can take home the prize money and save his family.

Under the fabulous tutelage of Bunny, his gay hair guru, Jimmy sets out to master the art of hairdressing and becoming a metrosexual man.

Louw Venter gives A very camp Terence Bridgett plays an outstanding Bunny. Inset Louw Venter the hairperformance as the stylist ‘boer-verine’ who is plunged into an unfamiliar alien world. His natural response and interaction shows how important it is not to judge a book by its cover. Terence Bridgett is as camp as a row of pink tents in the role of Bunny, an ambitious and raging hairstylist who is representative of all the gay stereotypes he’s ever been exposed to. Equally brilliant is Gys de Villiers (as you have never seen him before) in the dual role of Jimmy’s rugged mielie farmer dad, and his gay twin Fredrique, very much ‘a gay man trapped in a farmer’s body’ who longs for the uncomplicated life on the farm. Fredrique’s partner Gigi, an uber-chic, aloof man who symbolises everything Fredrique is trying to escape from, is brought to life with style and flair by Gérard Rudolf.

In a country where we need to bridge the great cultural divide cultures, in relation to issues of sexual preferences, freedom of expression and the celebration of being true to who we are in this world, Jimmy In Pienk succeeds triumphantly. It is a proudly South African film proving that local is indeed lekker.

Subtitled in English, it follows in the tradition of Afrikaans films like Roepman and Skoonheid, peeling away the layers of conservative fundamentalism that threaten the foundation of our Rainbow Nation. Jimmy might be an outsider struggling to Mag 46

find his place in the world, but he’s a proud spokesperson for a world where children still climb trees and pampered pooches are set free out of handbags to roam freely. Viva Jimmy, our new khaki-wearing super-hero who deserves a medal for changing our world.

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

B

efore Elvis, Elton John, Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Liberace: virtuoso pianist, outrageous entertainer and flamboyant star of stage and television for 40 years. Liberace lived lavishly and embraced a lifestyle of excess both on and off stage. Modeling himself after his idol, mad King Ludwig II of Bavaria, he acquired homes, clothes, automobiles, jewelry, mirrors, and pianos – always looking to add more glitter and glamour. In summer 1977 Liberace met a handsome young stranger Scott Thorson and the two embarked on a secretive five-year love affair. Based on Thorson’s book, Behind the Candelabra takes a behind-the-scenes look at their tempestuous relationship – from their first meeting backstage at the Las Vegas Hilton to their bitter and public break-up.

Throughout his career, there was continuing curiosity about Liberace’s private life - despite the steadfast devotion of his adoring female fans and his own obfuscations and denials, It was a time when celebrities were gay only in private and a public persona had to be protected. In the 1950s, Liberace sued and won a settlement against a London newspaper for insinuating that he was a homosexual. In the 1980s, Liberace still maintained the illusion of heterosexuality and his life with Scott Thorson remained behind the scenes. When Thorson sued Liberace for palimony after he was turned aside by the entertainer, Liberace continued to deny that he was gay or that they had been lovers.

Michael Douglas steps into Liberace’s shoes with grace and dignity. Matt Damon takes the part of Scott Thorson. Debbie Reynolds is Liberace’s mother and Rob Lowe is the bizarre plastic surgeon.

Behind The Candelabra is showing from September 27

Visit Let’s go to the Movies on Facebook or visit www. writingstudio.co.za

MUSIC MOVES

by Gary Hopkins

Gary Hopkins listens to some lekker local albums Nakhane Toure Brave Confusion

Louise Carver Say It to My Face

Craig Hinds Ordinary Boy

Who is he? If Helen of Troy’s face launched a thousand ships, then Nakhane is the artist to unleash a thousand clichés.

It’s impossible to describe his music without straying into a minefield of overtraded phrases like “the next big thing” and “bright new star.” What you should know is he is from PE and now lives in Jozi.

Who is she? A stalwart of the local rock scene probably best remembered for her single Warrior featuring Zulu Boy.

Who is he? The lead singer of Watershed flying solo.

What’s her bag? It used to be rock but she’s trying her hand at electronica.

Sounds like? He comes across a lot more youthful than he does on any of his band’s releases and he reveals a campy side too.

What’s his bag? He’s a young man armed with a guitar, a bagful of indie tunes and a voice that could quite possibly bring grown men to their knees.

Sounds like? Someone in desperate need of a two week break to the Bahamas and handful of happy pills.

The CD: He was raised on a diet of soul and Motown whilst singing in a choir.

Then he discovered bands like REM and Radiohead. Brave Confusion reflects all this whilst showcasing his uncanny ability to interweave African guitar rhythms with fragile personal lyrics and soaring vocals in a way that is utterly captivating. I did warn you about the clichés. If you are looking for easy listening pop, go play somewhere else. If Veuve Clicquot could buy music, you’d find this on their iPod. Brave Confusion indeed.

The CD: Call it first time jitters but Ms Carver seems rather hesitant to embrace electronica with both hands. She had a hit with Days Go By alongside Pascal and Pierce and that should have given her the courage to ditch her dreary songs of “relationships gone right or wrong” (as her record company so tactfully puts it) in favour of more upbeat material. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to enjoy if you have the patience to wade through her unhappy places. She aims for Massive Attack atmospherics but falls short and scores a bull’s-eye in maudlin. It’s a great pity because with a little more quality control this could have opened up a whole new market for her.

The track to download: Christopher

The track to download: Days Gone By

Sounds like? Strange as this sounds, try to imagine a male Kate Bush and you’re pretty close.

What’s his bag? Soft pop-rock

The CD: It takes balls to step outside of a highly successful band and try a project on your own. If you think he’ll always be recognized as the voice of Watershed and you’d only be half right. He clearly has the experience and the connections to return to basics and find a new voice. So on tracks like Ordinary Boy and Perfect Lie he employs a lighter pop touch that in a blind tasting you’d swear was Robbie Williams. The biggest surprise is saved for the final track - a cover of Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe, which has to have been recorded with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.

The track to download: Ordinary Guy

Mag 47

ON STAGE D

LETS GO TO THE THEATRE WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN avid Kramer’s adaptation of Willy Russell’s West End smash-hit musical Blood Brothers is set in 1960’s Cape Town, with the two families living in Walmer Estate and District Six. The story follows them into the 1970’s where the families have been relocated to Parkwood and Elfindale.

Starring Bianca Le Grange and Elton Landrew as the Narrator, it is on at Theatre on the Bay (from Sept 10) before transferring to Monte Casino in Johannesburg in November.

Based on the Billy Wilder film, the musical version of Sunset Boulevard, a magnificent tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition, is on at Montecasino Theatre (until Oct 20) before moving to the Theatre on the Bay (from Oct 28).

Angela Kilian plays silent movie star Norma Desmond who longs to return to the big screen, having been discarded by tinsel town with the advent of “talkies.”

CAPE TOWN Nicholas Spagnoletti’s Civil Parting about gay divorce is on at Alexander Upstairs Theatre until 18 September. (see page 43).

Directed by Chris Weare, David Mamet’s notorious, one-act, dark comedy Sexual Perversity in Chicago deals with a couple whose relationship suffers horribly by their suspicion-sowing “best friends” and is on at the Intimate Theatre from Sept 21.

Tennessee Williams’ classic drama The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore is on at the Artscape Arena from October 3 (see page 42) Philip Rademeyer’s fundamentally radical The View is inspired by an American pastor’s recent comments that gays and lesbians should be contained in an isolated enclosure and ultimately killed off. It features a young man imprisoned in a cell, looking down at a ruined earth and dreaming of being rescued. It’s also an incredibly funny and poignant dissection of the eternal rivalry between what society deems normal and anomalous; a dramatic conflict between Mag 48

Jacobus Van Heerden and Clinton Small from Romeo and Juliet, the East Side Story

heterosexual bliss and procreation and homosexual evil. If there is one reason to see this important work of art, it’s for Gideon Lombard and Ella Gabriel’s magnificent performances. It is on at the Artscape Arena from October 26.

Laugh the Buffalo is Andrew Buckland’s first new solo work in some sixteen years and features his characteristic combination of humour, an intense focus on the physicality of performance, clowning, satire, foolishness and dark consideration of the human condition, with serious doses of joy. Baxter Golden Arrow Studio from October 16.

At the Kalk Bay Theatre Gaëtan Schmid’s The Belgian is on from November 13 and is a hilarious trip into the mind of a most misunderstood species: Belgians!

Behind the façade of their clean cut little houses with their neat little front garden and patrolled by smirking garden gnomes … something obscurely wicked is lurking … and some waffles.

If there’s one musical that is as powerful as Les Miserables and one you cannot miss, it’s Deon Opperman’s sensational Afrikaans musical Ons Vir Jou, poignantly reflecting the lasting impact of the Anglo Boer War with passion and vigour. Artscape Opera from October 5.

Opera lovers can indulge in Christine Crouse’s “visually arresting” production Puccini’s Madama Butterfly from

September 19, and her whimsical new production of the sparkling The Barber of Seville from November 20.at Artscape Opera.

JOZI A feast of Greek flavoured South African Theatre hits The Theatre on The Square in Sandton. Renos Nico Spanoudes’ Soil, stars Ashley Dowds as a man who travels to Cyprus to find the inheritance that once would have been his. Irene Stephanou’s classic Greek/ SA comedy Meze, Make-Up and Mira, is a hilarious one-woman account that is both poignant and passionate, and encapsulates the agonies of an adolescent Greek girl growing up against the grain. The two shows play alternately from 29 October.

At the Joburg Theatre, Colm Tóibín’s controversial The Testament of Mary (from Sept 25) stars Patricia Boyer as Mary, who does not believe that her son was the son of God, and refuses to cooperate with the writers of the gospels.

Janice Honeyman’s pantomime Aladdin (from Oct 30) is steeped in magic, full of wonder and stars Jeremy Mansfield as the evil Abanazar.

DURBAN Nothing is sacred in Darren King’s panto Romeo and Juliet- an East Side Story at the Suncoast Casino from Nov 12. Set in Durban during the late 1950’s the time of rock ‘n roll - it stars glamorous Anthony Stonier as a shop girl from Garlicks department store, with Jacobus van Heerden and Katy Moore as the doomed lovers.

Written and directed by Steven Stead, the fun-filled panto romp Jack and the Beanstalk is on at the Elizabeth Sneddon theatre from Nov 29 and stars Rory Booth in the title with Darren King as his long-suffering, eccentric mother, and Peter Court and Bryan Hiles as the two incompetent crooks.

For more information, visit Let’s go to the Theatre on Facebook or visit www.writingstudio.co.za

t c e t o r p u o y o d e r w a o h w d r a h r yo u iruses? v m fro Most of us have a strategy to protect our software and hard drives from harmful viruses, but what’s your strategy to protect your body from sexually transmitted infections?

Come to us for a free scan to ensure your system is fully protected.

@H4Mtop2btm www.health4men.co.za or h4m.mobi on your phone

Health4Men

Contact Marais today to experience the new Audi A5 073 651 2729