GAY TIMES takes you on a scenic voyage of Curaçao, the Caribbean island that is an unexpected melting pot of queer joy, art and community.

WORDS BY UMAR SARWAR

From the outside lens, it’s understandable that there are existing reservations within the queer community on whether it’s safe to step foot onto the Caribbean shores. After all, safety and relaxation are the key pillars to ensure any pleasurable travel experience. But to our pleasant surprise, Curaçao reveals itself as a breath of fresh, queer air. Within our first few moments of soaking in the warm Caribbean sun rays, it was clear this colourful island was going to be quite the transformative experience.

The island itself is located in the southern Caribbean Sea, about 40 miles north of Venezuela and is famously known for its vibrant culture, kaleidoscopic carnivals, gorgeous cuisine, crystal waters and friendly natives. It’s these exact pillars that made our visit a feast for the senses.

The trip started with a whistle stop tour of the capital, Willemstad. With a balance of history and architecture to digest, there was only one way to hit the streets: electric motorcycles. Quite the thrilling start! We hopped onto the vehicles, ours being a pretty pastel pink, and under the warm supervision of our guide Cliff, away we went into the district of Punda.

The neighbourhood revealed itself to be a residential area like no other. It became apparent that experiencing Curaçao is essentially like strolling across a real-life colouring book. Each corner is more vibrant than the last, with the most gorgeous memorial art decorating every wall. Even the trees are given a lick of fuschia or turquoise paint by the local neighbourhood. Sculptured art installations ranging from clay busts to recycled plastic arrangements are scattered throughout the streets, elevating the feeling that you are immersed inside an utopian painting. Think Dr. Suess meets the Tate Modern.

Colour and art are an integral part of the Curaçao tradition. With artists being revered and commissioned by the government to bring vitality and energy into the island’s city quarters. Natives are actively encouraged to paint their homes with the boldest colours of canary yellow and lime, to name a few. This colourful explosion, combined with the sunny temperature, had an immediate and uplifting effect on our spirits. It’s impossible to feel grey in such a rainbow infused landscape.

The tour – on its final lap – took us to the second district of the city, Otrobanda. With a more modern feel, the area promised ideal retail therapy for the fashion enthusiast, complete with fresh fruit juice vendors providing the perfect refreshments to enjoy when catching the scenic views from the Queen Emma Bridge.

For those after a more thrill seeking experience, GAY TIMES highly recommends Eric’s ATV Adventures, where you can rent a quad bike to take in the scenery with more power and charge.

Once land was conquered, the second day was dedicated to the sea. Chic transportation is the key when in Curaçao, as a floating catamaran from BlueFinn Charters whisked us away from the lively beach club Mood Beach, and onto a voyage of aquatic excellence. When cruising the waves, admiring the mountains, cliffs and crystal sea was one thing from afar, but the adventure increased tenfold as we plunged into the waters to snorkel in the blue lagoons. One glance down and we were greeted with the most vibrant coral views, energetic fish and sunken ships felt like visuals straight from The Little Mermaid.

With land and sea conquered, sustenance was required, and Curaçao did not disappoint on the cuisine front. Whether it’s strolling into Plasa Bieu for traditional authentic delicacies or stepping into the local restaurants for a bite of freshest seafood, there is variety to suit all taste buds. Our personal favourite dining experiences took place in the Papagayo Beach Club at Sunbuns Beach. The ambiance, sunset views and music were the perfect tonic to accompany the feast that awaited us, while the beach club’s spa and pool made for the most ideal spot for those after a calm, luxurious rest and pamper.

Once all the sights, tastes and sounds were sampled, it was time for the main event, Pride. Assembling together at Rif Fort Village, a glittering assembly of 300 people gathered to begin the march through St Anna Bay. Led by a full brass band and the fiercest drag queen on staggering 7ft tall stilts, a sea of beautiful queer faces hit the streets. The energy was nothing short of infectious and warm. With not one commercial float in sight, it was clear the walk was entrenched in authentic community and love. Many hands grabbed onto the gigantic Pride flag as it floated high and proud in the island wind.

The feeling left us moved and grounded. The stand out of the trip, and the true reason why you should book a flight to Curaçao immediately, is to meet the host of energetic and beautiful people that await to make you feel seen and cared for.

Pride at Curaçao was a pure celebration of love, friendship and solidarity. We can’t wait to see it go from strength to strength each year. Here’s to Curaçao.

For more information, visit curacao.com.

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James Hazlett-Beard talks with GAY TIMES about his new production agency ART ENGINE, which puts queer creatives at the forefront.

WORDS BY UMAR SARWAR
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE ASLANIDIS
RETOUCHING BY FLECKS STUDIO

Founder, James Hazlett-Beard, brings a 360 approach to production. Having started his career as an artist, going on to produce editorial, content & global multi-channel campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands. Honing his craft within; creative agencies, service production, In-brand & post houses. His clients have included; adidas, Bjork, De Beers, H&M, Tom Ford & Vogue France.

Given the continuously changing creative and consumer environments, our clients might find it challenging or confusing to determine the right starting point and approach for tackling the complexities of their projects. This also extends to the selection of tools we utilise for the creative process.

ART ENGINE can be used to power and support our clients to enable them to realise their visions. Using our proactive, reactive & intuitive solutions to optimise workflows, find innovation within our work & produce budget conscious solutions.

With our agency and brand understanding, we can work independently, or as an extension of an existing team, to help our clients – creative agency or brand – take the now, into the next.

James, congratulations on launching ART ENGINE, can you talk us through the company’s ethos and the services it will provide? 

Thanks so much, the launch feels like it’s been a long time coming. 

ART ENGINE is a non-traditional production partner with an intuitive approach to production. We were born from a passion for diverse talent and the innovative tools we use to create. We chose to use the refractive colours in our brand because it represents the diverse talent that fuels our industry and powers creative ideas. As a queer owned business, this was very important for us to have this as a part of our brand DNA. 

We offer full production support from inception to delivery, across stills, motion, CGI & special projects. Our goal as a company is to support creative teams, agencies and brands to achieve their visions, facilitating a safe space for everyone, including members of the queer community to feel safe and supported on or off set. I started the company as I knew I could make a positive change within the industry and bring innovation to processes that needed updating.

One thing that is very important to us is to create opportunities for those who may have been previously overlooked. Breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for those from marginalised groups, even outside the queer community.

Tell us more about you, your background and your experience working within the creative industry.

My career hasn’t always been a linear journey to where I am today: It’s gone through many evolutions, as I’ve gained insights and understandings through the many roles I’ve taken. Where I am now encompasses all of those learnings, affording me a greater understanding of people’s roles, and how they behave on set, which further strengthens the 360 approach we have on projects.

I always knew I wanted to be a creative. I spent most of my childhood on the Isle of Wight, with just my imagination and the countryside to entertain myself. Back then, these places weren’t always the most kind to queer people, and I was constantly singled out inside and outside of school just for being me. I knew I had to leave in order to find myself, my people, and to fulfill my career as a creative. 

I didn’t go to uni. After interviewing for multiple photography courses, they all told me that going out and getting real life experience would be the best route for me. I was shattered. I had no means to pay for living in London; no contacts to start assisting, and no idea where to start. 

I got a job at a department store in Oxford Circus, and began engaging with creatives on social media. After time, model agencies let me test some of their talent and build my portfolio. This caught the eye of queer artist Daniel Lismore, which led me to trek two hours in the snow to shoot them on the banks of Bermondsey. It’s still one of my favorite shoots to date. It reminded me that photography allows me to explore parts of myself I once rejected, then went on to reclaim.

I then went on to produce, and have been fortunate enough to gain experience across all different areas of production: multiple agencies, brands, post houses, and production companies. This experience has given me a broad overview and allowed me to collaborate with so many amazing crews, creatives, and clients from all around the world.  

We‘ve come a long way from when I first started in the industry, but we still have such a long way to go in terms of real inclusivity. I acknowledge my privilege as a CIS white male, and I hope I can continue to help bridge the gap in creating opportunities for queer, and other marginalised, communities. 

What makes queer communities and creatives so exciting to collaborate with?

In my experience, as queer people, we face many different challenges and experiences, both internally and externally, in order to become our authentic selves. 

We bring such a rich perspective to the creative industry, and are so fortunate to be a part of such a vibrant community. Our art can be both an extension of our expression but also a means to tell our story. 

In order to become who we are, we work so hard to unlearn what society tells us to be. As someone who has also been on this journey, I really connect with other queer creatives as we all have a mutual understanding of what it has taken to be who we are today.

We may have different experiences, needs and journeys, but this is exactly what excites me both on a personal and professional level. Not one person is the same and with the infinite possibilities within the gender, sexuality and identity spectrum, we continue to push the boundaries and challenge perspectives inside and outside creative the community.

Who were some of your mentors that inspired you and what type of mentor do you hope to be?

There have been a couple of mentors that have inspired me throughout my journey, one being Fabian Hirose, a management consultant working within luxury fashion with groups such as LVMH, and brands including Valentino. Fabian started me on my personal development journey, inspiring me to look inwards so I could better understand myself, others, and the outside world.

By working through this, I was able to start changing my internal narrative, so my external become aligned with my desired goals and experience. Personal development is a journey that never ends but I am forever very thankful for Fabian giving me the tools to start this journey.

Another huge influence is Claire Ramasamy, Head of Production at the creative agency U DOX. Claire’s kindness and empathy for others showed me that it’s ok to have compassion in the workplace. The industry can be a hard place both physically and mentally. Claire’s actions continue to inspire me every day. 

It can sometimes be hard or overwhelming to even begin to understand where to start on your personal development journey. As a mentor, I hope by listening, having empathy and patience, I can guide mentees onto or as a part of this journey. 

What advice would you give to queer creatives who want to pursue a career within production or the creative industries?

Our industry thrives from the diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives it attracts, including those of the LGBTQIA+ community. Be proud of who you are and see the value that you bring as a queer person. People like you are exactly what inspires me and gets me up in the morning. Being queer is your superpower, so own it.

It can be a challenging time when first starting out in any industry. Like anything, you only win opportunities you put yourself forward for. I know for me when I first started out, it sometimes felt like I was sending endless emails, cold calls, job applications and receiving nothing but radio silence whilst working a job I had no interest in.

But I promise you, if you want it badly enough, keep trying, think outside the box, go around the agencies or creatives a few times over and at some point, someone is going to need the help. 

Just make sure you are ready, remain humble and remember that no one owes you anything. When given the opportunity, give it your all and dont be afraid to get your hands dirty. Even to this day I will be sweeping the floors with the runners. Nobody is above any task.

Do you have an advice for facilitating a inclusive and diverse production

Inclusive productions aren’t just for those in front of the camera, it’s also behind. By adding everyone’s pronouns to the call sheet, learning to say people’s names correctly, understanding individual personalities and needs, can make a huge difference to people’s experience in the workplace. This extends far beyond the queer community and includes the BAME, neurodiverse and those with disabilities.

We are still pushing for more female representation leading our projects even as photographers and directors. Let alone roles on set that have been previously filled traditionally by CIS men. We work a lot with neurodiverse talent here at ART ENGINE. Their superpower allows them to be some of the best within the CGI and digital art space. Everyone’s needs are so different and it’s for us to make sure that we make sure everyone feels supported so they can perform at their best. A group of people that feels safe and empowered, will only deliver the best possible outcome.

There really isn’t an excuse anymore not to be pushing for more diversity within our teams. I can sometimes feel like it isn’t always the easiest task to undertake, however, if we all continue to try to push hard every day, one day, we will have achieved our goal to bridge that gap. 

What are your biggest hopes and plans for ART ENGINE for the year to come?

I think the first step is to just introduce ourselves to the world, showing the industry what we do and our ways of working. So far our clients and teams have come back to say they have all felt heard and supported when partnering with us. This kind of feedback is what really excites us.

We see this as a year of growth, innovation, and positive impact for ART ENGINE as we strive to push boundaries, inspire creativity, and make a meaningful contribution to the creative industry.

We have also founded an extension of ART ENGINE called FUEL. Here we are looking to grow this into a space for creatives in the industry to come together. We are also in the early stages of planning our first event, which we hope to launch later this year to platform up-and-coming queer talent. 

This really is just the beginning for us, and I’m so thankful for the support and opportunities we’ve received so far. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us.

To learn more about ART ENGINE, click here.

The post ART ENGINE: James Hazlett-Beard launches queer-focused production agency appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Whether you’re planning your visit for EuroPride in September, or are in need of a quick sunshine getaway, Malta is the perfect destination.

WORDS BY UMAR SARWAR

The glittering and vibrant festivities of EuroPride will soon flood the streets of Malta from 7 September. Ahead of the big event, we were lucky enough to visit and explore the gorgeous sights, history and experiences the warm country has to offer. Whether you are coming to party, to learn or to reach optimum relaxation, there is something for everyone during this year’s EuroPride and beyond. 

Valletta

We should really start with the wonderful city of Valletta, after all it’s where most of the fun will unfold at this year’s EuroPride. The city opens up to you with the wondrous and colossal site of the Triton Fountain. The bronzed Tritons spray a refreshing mist upon the traveler as the city’s architecture and rich history awaits.

Take a guided walk, and you will soon strut past a host of LGBTQ+ bars and venues, rooted in the same spot where queer sailors from bygone eras would come and express their sexuality freely. You can still enjoy a drag show, and sip a fruity cocktail on the city steps just like they did decades ago.

The city offers a host of museums and galleries exploding with renaissance art and artifacts to gaze upon. Though a simple stroll through the city streets is enough to transport you back in time, as every step and corner reveals historical treasures and wonder.

Valletta has it all, sights, sun and sea. Its beauty is enough to make you never want to leave. Whilst every step is enriched in radiance and history.

Gozo

Sometimes island life is the most relaxing life. Taking a swift ferry ride from Malta, you can shortly arrive at the quaint island of Gozo. The island is a treasure trove of natural beauty, preserved and presenting breathtaking sights. Take a boat ride into the Blue Lagoon to lay eyes on the most turquoise blue waters, or for the more adventurous take a climb into the caves to unlock the most gorgeous coastal views. We recommend hiring a Tuk Tuk from Yippee Malta. A 2 hour speedy ride will allow you to take in so much of the island’s history and beauty, and once the ride is over, you will undeniably be enamored with the romantic energy the island exudes.

In summary, Malta is a feast for the soul. The country’s energy and loving warmth is enough to restore and re-energise your spirit as the summer of Pride comes to a beautiful close. Yet, Malta’s energy is accessible all year round, so whether you visit with family, friends, lovers or on your own, we highly recommend you visit Malta. You will not be disappointed.

To learn more about what Malta has to offer, click here.

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Meet the models and muses who are redefining the fashion mindset and paving their own creative paths.

Photographer Asafe Ghalib 
Words and Fashion Umar Sarwar
Art Director Jack Rowe
Hair Kieron Fowles
Makeup Kareem Jarche
Retoucher Daria Bologova
Photography assistant Sahar Mizrahi
Fashion Assistants Lily Hobman and Bradley Turner
Makeup Assistant Bridget Mogridge

Fashion! It’s a feast for the eyes. It rotates from the camp, the outrageous and the chic. When you gaze into its alluring eyes for a split second you’ll be left inspired, moved, and utterly awestruck by the power of innovation and creative design. It’s only when you dive deeper, past the immediate visual satisfaction, when you unpin, undress and loosen the seams. It’s clear that this seductive and blinding industry is built on and thrives on queer excellence and artistry. Queer creativity is everywhere, in every garment and image. Behind any iconic fashion moment, there is most likely always a queer spirit in the room guiding and facilitating its creation from ideation to conception. Fashion, afterall, provides a vibrant space where queer creatives can transform their lived experiences, unique energies and emotions, dynamic thoughts and feelings into works of art. It’s a place where one’s intersectional thoughts and identities can be explored and expressed with nuance and balance. Fashion, just like the people who exist within it, cannot be defined as one thing, word or look. It is an energy that lives in the eye of the beholder. It’s this thought that inspired us to showcase and profile three multi-dimensional queer models – Sheerah, Munya Jani, and Lucky Love – who are beyond the boxes the industry would like to place them in. They’re models, creatives, musicians, dancers, writers, speakers, change-makers and pioneers for a new wave of fashion.

Sheerah 

In your own words, how would you introduce yourself to the world? What are the key pillars that make up Sheerah? 

If I was introducing myself to people, I wouldn’t even talk about my occupation. There’s words that I feel strongly describe me, my essence and my viewpoint on life. So I would say an anomaly, an icon, a muse, and a God. I would also say punk because I feel like punk is an ideology and a state of mind, rather than just an aesthetic. I’ve always gone into spaces and demanded that I am in those spaces, rather than asked. In spaces where I also feel that straight, cis heteronormativity and whiteness has occupied it, I feel like I’m that opposing force. So these are the words and the ideologies, I think really describe me as a person. When people ask me, ‘What do you do?’ it’s a really hard question for me to answer because I feel, in many ways, being a creative – even that word – is so fluid, just as queerness is. I’m creative with a moral obligation. So it’s using the creativity, mixed in with me wanting to do something better in the world, and how I can use that creativity and the platforms that I have to create change, but also be someone that holds the door open so that other people can get in as well.

Sheerah for president! When you speak about being the opposing force, that takes a lot of confidence, assurance and strength. What was the process of accessing and activating that confidence? Was it always there?

I’ve always, even as a kid, been quite strong-minded. I always had a very confident personality. My mom, especially, encouraged us creatively and we did music and singing. We were always on stage; even in church, when there would always be a guy dressed up for Santa Claus. You know how everyone’s always scared to go up? My parents would go to the front and I had no choice!

My confidence was natural, but I’m still human, so I still had insecurities about the way that I am. When you become aware and conscious, you start to feel like, ‘There’s something wrong with this, there’s something wrong with that…’ So, you build this idea of confidence to the outer world. But actually, I wanted to completely take away that layer and be a confident person. To get to that place is not something that happened straight away.

For me, it took a moment of questioning everything around me and it started when I was a teenager. When we talk about beauty standards, for example, the way that I was feeling internally about myself as well, that started when I started looking into social movements and activist groups. I started to understand Black radical politics, Black activists and creatives. That really influenced me, even to explore my own identity as a Tamil person. The way that you see Black empowerment movements, like the ‘Black is Beautiful’ movement, there’s so much that I took from that as a non-Black person of colour because, a lot of the beauty standards that affect our communities correlate back to anti-Blackness. So many aspects of the way that I looked or aspects of my outer self that were scrutinised was because of my proximity to Blackness.

My dark skin, for example. Learning to love Blackness taught me to love my own self, because I had to dismantle my own internalised anti-Blackness and other attitudes – even internalised queerphobia – in order to even get to the place that I am now. When you start to realise that so many of the things that you’ve been taught are not actually things that you yourself think, you start to realise, ‘Wow, I’ve actually been taught a lie.’ It’s like having to take the building blocks apart. You’re gonna make mistakes along the way, but I think the idea of having confidence straightaway isn’t true. It’s a learning process of constantly being confident or more socially aware.

When reflecting on intersectional identities, whether that’s race, queerness or religion, do you think there’s a superpower or strength that exists there? 

I know that I have so much power. When people focus on one aspect of who they are, they’re missing out on all the other things that make up who they are. As an adult on this journey, I was just focusing on this part of me. Every single identity of mine, every single experience of mine, everything I’ve ever done, bad or good, has made me who I am. My power is when I understand that all of those things accumulated makes me so individual from anybody else. No one has experienced the things that I have experienced. No one identifies the way that I identify. There might be similarities, but my power is understanding that I am my own being and that is why I’m so confident in who I am and sure of who I am.

You’re unapologetic and fearless, often speaking your mind and truth on social media. What’s that experience and reaction been like for you?

I think that I see myself as this vessel. My image is going to precede my own lifespan. My picture is going to precede my own existence, and actually has nothing to do with me. Because of the identities that this body comes with and what it represents, it’s my responsibility to make sure that I present myself in the most unapologetic, out there way possible, especially for people that have never seen themselves in fashion or media. It’s saying, ‘You have every right to occupy these spaces too.’ It’s important for me to use my body as a way of empowerment to others.

I feel so powerful when someone comes up to me because of something I did and it made them change how they viewed themselves or the world around them. And that’s where my power comes from, I think. That’s the impact I want to have: teaching people on how they can be a better human being. Essentially, learning how to drop your ego because I think that’s where a lot of it starts.

We know Tamil representation isn’t plentiful in Western media, but who were some of the key people that inspired you creatively and personally?

The main people that made a huge impact in my life are my family. My grandfather was a Tamil civil rights activist and the first Christian Martyr to die in the Tamil struggle, murdered by the state of Sri Lanka. He was such a prominent person in that community and used the power or the privilege that he had to help those who are marginalised. I actively don’t use the word ‘activist’ but it’s in my bloodline to be so outspoken because that’s what I come from.

My parents never stopped me from what I wanted to do. In fact, they championed me. My dad instilled this immigrant work ethic in me. My mum pushed the creative and music side. Without them being open-minded and instilling certain values in me and my siblings, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. In terms of public figures, a personal hero of mine is Anthony Bourdain. He was more than just a chef. It’s the way he saw the world and human connection. He used food as that focal point but then he had so much knowledge in music and culture and all the people.

My existence is an existence of icons that have been brought together. I also have to give a moment to appreciate my best friend Ryan Lanji. He continues to champion, mentor and give opportunities to so many incredible queer and trans people. Also, I have to thank dark-skinned Black women because they have done the work that everyone else still fails to do. Growing up, I felt I wasn’t white enough. I wasn’t the right type of South Asian or North Indian or Punjabi. Then I wasn’t Tamil enough. It was always Black women that opened their arms and allowed me into their spaces. It’s important that the South Asian community also opens space for others. 

Lucky Love

Lucky, how would you introduce yourself to the world?

I’m Lucky Love, a super sensitive, loving and melancholic character whose only drama is to be in love with life. 

What are some of the key sources of inspiration that go into your music and art? How was Lucky Love the artist born?

My key sources of inspiration are The Italian Renaissance, pictural art in general, and the pure beauty of humanity. I’m fascinated by humanity and the holy aspect of it. Because an artist is only the witness of his time, I’m also very inspired by my surroundings and my queer community. Lucky Love is born from the urge to express ideas, to say out loud all the things I’ve been keeping in my chest for so long. My music is a call to my generation. 

Talk us through your journey as a model in the fashion industry, How did you get started? Did you face any challenges? 

I met the fashion industry through Umberto Leon, who was the Art Director of Kenzo at the time. I did my first show with Kenzo, but everything started after being shot by Craig McDean for Vogue in NYC. After this, I had to be strong and make my space in such a hostile industry. Back in the days when I started, we still had a lack of diversity and representation in the fashion world. It felt quite lonely at the beginning but then nine years later here we are, running the world!

What are some of your key moments so far as a musician and model?

The biggest privilege for me is the incredible artists I had the chance to meet and work with such as Craig McDean and Tim Walker. In the music industry, people like Bonnie Banane, Juliette Armanet and Lava La Rue. Even my producers, Paco del Rosso and Nomak. But I have to admit that when my song ‘MASCULINITY’ went viral on TikTok and became the international anthem of transmasc people, I was so proud. Without knowing it, creating a song that became a safe place for so many queer people is my biggest accomplishment.

Your documentary ‘Lucky’, which was shown at Tribeca Film Festival, ‘was an honest insight to your life and journey. How was it for you to share more of yourself in this way? 

The greatest vertigo of my entire existence. But, I felt like I had to share my experience. I had to say out loud what we never say. People have the tendency to think that when you’re famous you’re happy and you must have had a good and simple life. However, my love for my work and for life comes from all the adversity I’ve faced. My urge to express myself is just a way to turn what people would define as a drama into a beautiful and positive art object.

Your energy is infectious and playful. Where did your sense of confidence come from?   

I’m still trying to figure it out. Self-love is a constant job. I used to be part of the “fake it ‘til you make it” church but lately I’ve had to face my insecurities and learn to love myself. That’s what I talk about in my last song ‘NOW I DON’T NEED YOUR LOVE’. I’ve always been such a people-pleaser begging for love and consideration. I realised that all the energy and effort I was putting into other people, I could give it to myself first.

Your queerness is unapologetic and at the forefront of some of your songs including ‘MASCULINITY’, why is it important for you to share these experiences in your art? 

I want my music to be the refuge I didn’t have as a teen. I want my music to help people of my community to feel seen, represented, important, beautiful and most of all loved.

How can the world become more loving?

By focusing more on what brings us all together instead of focusing on what divides us. Realising the luck we have to be on earth, alive.

What are your dreams and hopes for the future?

My dreams are to simply get to know myself even better,  love myself and share this love with the world. I hope my music’s going to help me connect even more with my audience. I want to wake up every morning surrounded by people I trust and love and doing music more and more. 

Munya Jani 

How would you introduce yourself to the world?

My name is Munya Jani and I am a Black trans woman. I’m 24-years-old and originally from Zimbabwe. I grew up in Hull, where I completed my early education. I am a creative, lover and an active member of the Ballroom scene. In the London Ballroom scene I am known for walking the categories Best Dressed, Fashion Killa, European Runway and Voguer.

How did your modeling career begin? How were you discovered?

My modeling career began in 2019 when I was at university in Birmingham. Due to my personal style, I found myself modelling on my friend’s project. After this I began building my confidence in front of the camera, working on my poses and building my portfolio. This led me to getting signed in London and Birmingham. During this time. I walked my first London Fashion Week show and began booking jobs that would eventually bring me to London.

Where did your sense of style and self-confidence come from? 

From a need to express myself. I grew up with little choice, so in my love for fashion I found a freedom of limitless expression. I think of how I’m feeling on that day and gravitate towards items usually in some order of textures, patterns, silhouettes, comfort and accessories. My self-confidence comes from knowing myself and who I am. I’m grateful to know where I come from and the richness of my culture. I learnt to educate myself to unlearn the shame and stigma that can come along with an inherently racist society. My family, especially chosen family, allow my self-confidence to exude by continuous healing, reaffirming, communication and love.

What does the journey of self-love look like for you?

The path I’m currently on. I’m grateful and privileged to be coming up to one year on hormone therapy treatment. I’ve been on a journey of listening to the little girl inside of me. I’m relearning what it means to love whilst allowing my emotions to navigate my entity. In a world where others are so adamant on discussing realities that do not directly concern them, it takes a radical self-love to be able to withstand any of these perceptions – day in, day out. Overall, I am more aligned with my body, spirit and mind. There’s a peace I find day to day that is somewhat ethereal. It’s honestly a dream to be surviving and chasing self love throughout.

What does queer beauty mean to you?

Queer beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is a uniqueness that transcends binaries and an abundance of creativity. It is a freedom of expression internally and externally. A beauty that’s found through a personal journey where you deconstruct what it means to present how you are and how you express it. 

How would you revitalize the fashion industry to make it more inclusive and diverse?

Inclusion and diversity needs to become a priority in the fashion industry. Over the past few years, we have seen some changes that bring previously marginalised groups to success. However, this is often done in ways that feel like tokenism. True inclusion and diversity would see a continuous wider cast with different body types, range across countries, queer identities, height, gender and different body abilities.

Although I understand the industry operates on who the client requests, casting directors and agencies can propose new faces and also continue to push for genuine and continuous representation across seasons. I am an active member of the Haus of Maison Margiela, founded in NYC, which is an organisation that addresses social issues that affect the Black and POC communities.

The Haus of Maison Margiela consists of some of Ballroom’s biggest icons, legends and the next generations of stars. The house prides itself on high standards of excellence across personal, Ballroom and professional lives. The Ballroom scene is international and active here in London, especially for the Black and POC queer youth who need it the most. You can find the next ball in London at Somerset house on the 12 August. Details can be found on Instagram @voguerites.

Who are some of your muses and figures of inspiration?

I have a long list of figures of inspirations and role models, but I have to begin with my parents. I am grateful for their sacrifices and hard work as they provided me and my siblings with better opportunities. My younger siblings bring me so much joy. My heart goes out to Ballroom and the chosen family I have found within this community. It continues to give me the strength to endure through life. The Ballroom icons and pioneers that have paved the way for me, I am ever in your gratitude. Some names include Iman, Naomi Tracey Africa, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Munroe Berdgorf, Simone, Erica Kane, Dominique Jackson (Tyra Margeila), Tempress, Amiyah, Tabytha and Neasy.

What are your biggest dreams for the future? 

I dream of a more peaceful future, where trans rights aren’t used in parliament as political weapons instead of directing attention to the issues at hand. To meet, work with and form good relationships with the creatives I adore in the fashion industry. Long runways, busy work periods, fashion weeks, Haute Couture, campaigns, editorials and more magazine covers.

I’m grateful to be working in fashion. I cherish all the opportunities I’ve received and I’m looking forward to the rooms I’m going to enter. Working as a model in London can be difficult, especially as a dark-skinned woman. The beauty standards mixed with racist and capitalistic elements force us in a cycle of either not knowing when the next job will come, or chasing invoices for work we’ve already completed.

Proper inclusion is catering to your talent immediately before and after jobs, which also includes our well-deserved payments. Healthcare for trans people in the UK is not adequate due to lack of government funding, and waiting lists can take several years. As people who have already given years of our lives, I urge you to see this through our eyes. Please help the transgender people in your communities begin or continue to access gender-affirming procedures and professionals that help me throughout my journey by donating to the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/munyas-transition-fund

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Meet the Ballroom dancers who are letting their inner confidence and queerness shine for Pride.

Meet the Ballroom dancers who are letting their inner confidence and queerness shine for Pride. 

CREATIVE DIRECTION: STEVE HARNACKE AND UMAR SARWAR
PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE HARNACKE
FASHION AND WORDS: UMAR SARWAR
ART DIRECTION: JACK ROWE
DESIGN: ANISA CLEAVER
VIDEOGRAPHER: YOSEF PHELAN
HAIR STYLIST: LOUIS BRYNE
MAKEUP ARTIST: KAREEM JARECHE
PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR: TIFFANY GUMBRELL
CLIENT SERVICES LEAD: ANUP PARMAR
SENIOR PRODUCER: SOPHIE CHRISTOPHERSON
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: OLIVER WEBB
HAIR ASSISTANT: MARC RAMOS
FASHION ASSISTANT: LILY HOBMAN
MAKEUP ASSISTANT: AIMÉE TWIST

Ballroom; a kaleidoscopic space where the most exceptional and expressive shades and hues of the queer community are revealed. Through the art of movement and dance, beings and spirits collide and intertwine to create euphoria. Societal judgment and prejudice dissolve into thin air, as the hypnotic rhythms of the music provide the perfect stage for dancers to Let it Out. Sensuality, confidence, charisma and flair flood the dancefloor, raising the vibrations and energy of the performers and audience.

It is this euphoric confidence, and glowing community spirit, that inspired GAY TIMES to cast three of the UK’s most talented and striking Voguers. Inviting them to express themselves through the art of movement, but to also, in their own words, shed a glorious light on how ballroom and voguing have helped shape their identity, sense of style and expression, and their confidence to glide through life with an empowered sense of self.

The people you will meet in this article, Jabri King, Sema-Tawi Smart, and Webster are all dynamic creatives, models, dancers, dreamers and free thinkers. They exude all the ingredients of queer joy and strength and vibrantly bring their queer essence alive on the ballroom floor. We invited them to reflect and write on how they Let it Out, but also the advice they would give to anyone on their own personal journey with queerness and identity.

To Let it Out is to truly shed away expectations, strip external pressures and embrace the true authentic and radiant self that lies in the heart of all of us. Once this is accessed, there is no other option but to express it on the dancefloor. 

You can shop Calvin Klein’s Pride collection here. 

Jabari King 

The ballroom scene has allowed me a space to fully show up as my most authentic self without holding back any parts of me, it’s strengthened me in ways I didn’t know possible, and it’s allowed me to express myself to my fullest degree with no holding back. Ain’t nowhere else as a queer individual you truly find a space to be that free.

I feel freedom within the movement, whenever I move my body it’s like nothing else matters in that moment, just me, the music and however my body decides to move. It just makes me feel so free with no care in the world.

I feel most empowered when I allow myself to navigate life experiences, without judgment or control over anything. I allow myself to surrender to the divine mission, and be without any expectations or pre-set limitations against myself and all I believe in, because once you believe it you shall receive it.

My message for the future queers will be to ignore the negative energy projected onto you by society, friends, and family as much as possible, I know it will be very hard in the beginning, it might even seem impossible, and you might even want to give up on this entire experience but on the other side of it all joy awaits you, your dreams awaits you, your freedom awaits you once you believe in it all, so believe in yourself at all costs, no matter what your life may look like at the moment. give yourself grace and have patience with yourself because we all experience this differently. Patience is key, have patience with it, stay dreaming, create a safe place in your mind where you can go after a long day, and allow yourself to be. Overall, trust the process, trust your journey. No one will tell you this but you have all it takes to make this world a better place and by simply existing, you’re already making it a much better place for all of us. So choose life and just be yourself.

Performing for my community is like showcasing to my brothers and sisters something I’ve been working on that’s ready to be shared, honest feedback and their own perspective on my expression fills me, to have their love, support, and energy in the room with me giving it full out is just one of those feelings you really can’t explain.

The ballroom scene brings communities together with the unmatched energy that fills the rooms when a function is on. The joy, the expressions of self, the freedom, the glamour, the fabulosity, the effects, the productions all offer you a one-night-only experience like never before. It makes us queer and non-queer folk come alive. 

Sema-Tawi

Ballroom, it’s given me a space to see people who look like me be free and in seeing their liberation, I find my own self empowerment and motivation. It’s also given me some of my closest family. Kylee, Mystic, kaia, Léo are some of the people whom are truly incredible behind the scenes, which for me, is what matters the most in ballroom: family.

Ballroom makes me feel liberated, free, movement and sound is the most universal language of communication regarding feelings, emotions, thoughts and questions and options. It gives me the space to think and feel by being able to take my mind to a completely different space, one where I am able to articulate myself through words or movement without any outside influence.

I feel the most empowered version of myself by being loved on, affection, platonic and intimate,  words of affirmation, people being soft with me and taking the time to understand where I am coming from as it’s the same grace I give to all who I interact with.

Learning to accept who you are when looking in the mirror is life’s journey. A balance between the fantasy of what you want and where you are now and then how to get there. Accepting who you see and are is the only pride that matters. My queerness is not my story, my journey and experiences are.

Being alternative is the vibe and the key to freedom. Not making a shock factor for the sake of it but really living for YOU, because this will determine how you see yourself in the world and in turn how the world sees and treats you in return.

Ballroom brings the LGBTQIA+ community together because we speak in a language only we can understand the true meaning and perspective, it comes from a lived experience of life.  It gives us a space of liberation and empowerment. 

Webster

I let out my sense of pride through my fashion statements as a model, and by expressing myself through my movement when tackling everyday adversities this crazy world brings my way. The ballroom scene has reaffirmed so many disbeliefs I had about myself in the past. The consistent love and care from a support system I found a few years ago has been eye-opening.

Dance and movement allows me to feel and understand my body. To be able to move without thinking and channelling is so empowering. Being aware of my growth as a multifaceted being is so empowering, as this life is a continuous journey that has no guidebook.

Understanding how powerful you are as a being is the first step. And the rest is just trusting your intuition and spreading the frequency of love. My chosen family has helped shape my queer stories through the ups and downs that we go through and never letting the bad moments or struggles govern how our story should be. Go and look for a sense of community if you haven’t already, make sure to not get swept up in the lifestyle and know what your priorities are as you get older.

Performing and showcasing my talents to a queer crowd is a magical affirming experience and that’s so beautiful to me. To make my younger self feel at peace. Dance and Voguing are very spiritual experiences, this experience draws the community  together as we get to celebrate our talents and stories.

In line with their year-round support of the LGBTQIA+ community, Calvin Klein is proud to have committed over $220,000 USD to NGOs including PFLAG National, ILGA World, Transgender Law Center and more in 2023 to date; additionally, Calvin Klein Australia and the PVH Foundation donated $55,000 USD to BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation this year.

The post Let it Out! UK voguers showcase their Pride with Calvin Klein appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Actor and activist Amandla Stenberg is the new face of Calvin Klein’s ‘This is Love’ collection.  The star speaks to GAY TIMES about the power of chosen communities, the queer people who have inspired them and the true meaning of Pride.

WORDS BY UMAR SARWAR
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARIM SADLI

Actor and activist Amandla Stenberg is the new face of Calvin Klein’s ‘This is love’ collection.  The star speaks to GAY TIMES about the power of chosen communities, the queer people who have inspired them, and the true meaning of Pride.

For Calvin Klein, Pride is simply not just a seasonal celebration. It’s a year round, 24/7, eternal global presence, commitment and attitude. Acceptance, inclusivity and representation is woven into the heart of all their visuals, and this year’s installment of the ‘This is Love’ campaign is no exception.

For 2023, Calvin Klein wants you to Let it Out! To celebrate the collective euphoria at the heart of the LGBTQIA+ community. To dive into yourself and access inner sensuality and confidence like never before. We sat down with Stenberg to find out more on their sense of Pride and what this year’s campaign means to them.

Hi Amandla! Tell us more about your role in Calvin Klein’s new campaign, Let It Out, what does it mean for you to share your Pride?

Sharing my pride especially with other gay people is one of my favourite things to do! In all seriousness, this was a nerve wracking shoot for me but it felt free and meaningful. My body is the strongest it’s ever been right now. It has been a beautiful journey to accept its fortitude and endless generosity in the face of many things in my life that could have broken it. It’s been like a see-saw understanding its expression. It’s a joy to share that.

The campaign is partnering with NGOs including PFLAG, ILGA World and Transgender Law Center, how does it feel to be part of a project taking such impactful actions?

It’s a blessing when I can advocate through the exposure my job provides. Ultimately that is my goal. There have been over 120 bills introduced in the states in 2023 alone targeting LGBTQ people and the safety of transgender students, and restricting access to health care for gender dysphoria. These three organizations are wonderful to donate to, especially the Transgender Law Center, which has historically been led by and centred Trans Femmes of Color, who exist at the most precarious intersection. However, if donation is not an option, these organizations, especially the PFLAG, have pages of easily navigable resources. You can find information on how to engage with your local government, how to lobby against anti-LGBTQ+ bills, how to be a good ally, and how to support your queer children, family and loved ones.

Who are some of the inspiring faces in the queer community who have helped shape your sense of Pride?

Audre Lorde has a big place in my heart. I always return to the prologue of Zami. When Audre writes “I would like to enter a woman the way any man can, and to be entered… I would like to drive forward and at other times to rest or be driven. When I sit and play in the waters of my bath I love to feel the deep inside parts of me…other times I like to fantasize the core of it, my pearl, a protruding part of me, hard and sensitive and vulnerable in a different way. I have felt the age-old triangle of mother father and child, with the “I” at its eternal core, elongate and flatten out into the elegantly strong triad of grandmother mother daughter, with the “I” moving back and forth flowing in either or both directions as needed.”

The key messaging behind this year’s Calvin Klein ‘Let It Out’ are confident sex appeal and freedom, what does this look like to you? For those who may need that extra boost of inner confidence, how can they find it in themselves?

One of the best parts of being queer is there are a million ways to be sexy, a million ways to love, and a million ways to be worth being loved. Being queer is a continual experiment in truth. Your truth will resonate in its own way.

You have a lot of exciting roles coming up in the future, *cough cough* Star Wars’ Acolyte, can you tell us anything about your upcoming projects?

If I do, they will find me and they will kill me. But I can say I’ve never spent so much time training in stunts and I saw a LOT of aliens.

In line with their year-round support of the LGBTQIA+ community, Calvin Klein is proud to have committed over $220,000 USD to NGOs including PFLAG National, ILGA World, Transgender Law Center and more in 2023 to date; additionally, Calvin Klein Australia and the PVH Foundation donated $55,000 USD to BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation this year.

You can support these incredible organisations and look sensually chic when doing so by shopping the collection here.

The post Amandla Stenberg is ready to Let it Out as the new ambassador for Calvin Klein appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Season two of Netflix’s Next in Fashion struts onto our screens this week and it’s truly a camp, queer, creative explosion. The gorgeous Tan France returns… but wait, he’s joined by none other than supermodel, style icon and Tarus queen, Gigi Hadid.

The stylish duo open the atelier work room to a host of talented designers, all competing for a chance to win a cash prize of $200,000 in order to launch their visionary fashion brands to the world.

Iconic guest judges to feature in the season include Hailey Bieber, Emma Chamberlain, Helena Christensen, Bella Hadid, Isabel Marant, Ashley Park, Olivier Rousteing, Candice Swanepoel and Donatella Versace. Talk about a legendary frow.

Speaking to GAY TIMES about the heartfelt queer stories of self expression and acceptance, Hadid says: “These people are just so inspiring, not only from their creative ability, but also just their bravery and them being able to represent their community through this show and through their experiences, is an honour to be a part of and to watch them really take ownership of that.”

Tan adds: “I only ever want to be involved in inclusive and diverse programming… I’m wildly intersectional. When you see yourself represented in entertainment, it really does make an impact.”

You can watch more of the gorgeous interview below or by clicking here. The season is streaming now on Netflix. 

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RAYE speaks exclusively with GAY TIMES about her highly-anticipated debut album and why going independent has been a “liberating” process.

WORDS BY UMAR SARWAR

The reign of Raye has officially begun. Free from the shackles of record label politics and industry double standards, Raye has found herself on the other side as an artist in full control. Empowered and enlightened, Raye is ready to creatively exhale and tell her complete uncensored truth with her hotly-anticipated debut album My 21st Century Blues.

The album is a triumphant exploration into self discovery and recovery as Raye works through personal traumas and setbacks with raw, punchy lyrics and hypnotic melodies. The newfound independence is paying off with her brand new single Escapism, which is sitting currently at number one on Apple Music and eyeing atop 10 placement this week on the Official UK Charts.

The Croydon-raised songstress sits down with GAY TIMES to dive deeper into her newfound happiness, her creative hopes for the future and how she will never let anyone take her shine again.

How does it feel to finally have this debut album moment after dreaming and fighting for it for so long?

It does just feel beautiful, but it also doesn’t feel real, entirely. I feel like someone is going to call me up and tell me, ‘Oh, we’re moving it another two years.’ I am definitely battling with the surreal versus the real, but I’m very excited. I am also so proud of it and I think during this time with independent life, I’m reevaluating what really matters to me and who I want to be. I just know I want to put bodies of work out and this is my first one. I am about to achieve a really important goal of mine. Yeah, I am so excited.

Going independent can be both a liberating and overwhelming experience. Did you notice any changes in your approach to the music and within yourself this time around?

100%. I am such a people pleaser anyway, that’s something I’ve been working on. I think it’s important to be lovely to everyone and be kind, but not to compromise yourself and what you believe in for the sake of pleasing someone else and, I guess, I really badly got sucked into wanting validation and I wanted this love. That just meant I was compromising so many things. I think in this independent journey it’s really been about stripping away all the other things I never cared about, but I felt like I needed to care about. For me, one of those things is the integrity of the music that I am creating. I am a very deep layered, complex person. I am not a simple person. I have a lot to say, I have a lot of feelings, I like to be honest. I like to say how it is and push boundaries and break walls. I think that this independent process is definitely liberating. The music now, compared to everything before, it’s very different. This music is not created to sell or designed to make money. It’s designed to be honest and express myself. Whatever happens happens but fucking hell, it feels so good.

Euphoric Sad Songs feels like the beginning stages of what is now about to be revealed in My 21st Century Blues, in relation to the sound and complexity of the lyrics. You’ve never been afraid to get raw and really dive into your emotions, whether that’s betrayal, heartbreak or industry politics. Are there any topics that you keep to yourself?

Not on this album darling, it’s extremely personal. I wanted to have, similar to Euphoric Sad Songs, where there was a slight order to it, you feel emotions in different orders. The first emotions I was processing and dealing with that I wanted to share with this album was anger. Rage and hurt, but like red hurt, burning; being burnt and needing to blow that steam. Black Mascara was the next step in dealing with trauma, dealing with a drink spike and absolute betrayal. Medicine shows me trying to work out how to become a human again. There’s different textures coming and a lot more emotion and songs that are so personal that I will be preparing for it all. At the end of it all, I do believe that that’s what art is truly about. I have been trying to sing some of these songs on my little The Story So Far tour, but I can’t even get through them without balling into tears. It’s really real.

How do you get to that point of a transformation of the pain, where you can listen and perform the songs night after night and shield yourself from going to those dark spaces?

There are definitely some situations that are way easier to process than others for me, personally. Hard Out Here, for me now, is just a bop. I said what I said, you know what I mean? I said what I said and it feels great and it is what it is. I don’t listen to it and feel like, ‘Oh my god, how hard it was…’ I am over that. I have moved on. Ice Cream Man, for instance, I am not over that. I am not healed from that 100%. Then I have a song called Body Dysmorphia and it’s just extremely, extremely personal and I’m still processing that emotion from the best perspective than I have before, but it’s still extremely vulnerable. A lot of this album are just things that would align in the innermost part of my head that I wouldn’t talk about or share. I really do believe that when things are in the darkness they have power over you, but the second you bring them into light they lose a certain power. It turns from a weakness into a strength. I kind of think that is my plan with this album and how vulnerable and honest it is. Other people might hear it and relate to these flipping things that hold you into the darkness. It is definitely intense. I am definitely going to need therapy for the tours. It is what art is, darling.

Speaking about the tour and your performance style, you have a magnetic gift of uplifting the crowd. The songs may have heavier undertones but the energy is always euphoric. What is being on stage like for you?

It’s home. It’s a second home. Especially when it’s your own crowd, it’s just home. Sometimes I take a step back and realise I am in a space where I am so grateful. I have been working in this industry for about 10 years, since I was 14-15, and the fact that I get to call it a job and a career is just nuts. I am so blessed and I love it and I am never going to stop fighting. I am never going to stop using my platform to speak out about things I believe are wrong and things I need to change. We need to change things about songwriters because I am so sick of this and I am going to be a broken record until things change. I am giving them all the details, all the statistics, all of these things because I am empowered. I am not scared anymore. I have nothing to lose, and I feel like that when I’m on stage. When I am on stage, no one can hurt me. It’s a very beautiful feeling.

Throughout your fight for creative freedom, you’ve always held the respect of the creative, fashion and LGBTQ+ communities. How has this support and energy been channeled into the visual identity of the album? It’s looking flawless.

It has been so fun and so liberating. There are no rules. This is my favourite place to exist, where you can move and do whatever feels right or whatever sparks your imagination, whatever sets your soul on fire. These new visuals I’m putting out, it’s just so exciting. It’s the opposite of being safe. It’s the same thing I am doing with my music. Through fashion, obviously I am dying my eyebrows blonde and having all these different looks. I’ll be outside with no makeup on and no eyebrows and people look at me like, ‘What is going on?’ And I’m like ‘And?’ You know what I mean? ‘And?’ Different looks, pushing myself out of my comfort zone, feeling more confident… Just expressing myself. The LGBTQ+ community just inspires me countlessly. I am just like, ‘How do you have the confidence and strength to go out and be so fabulous?’ I need to take a leaf and I really have been. Regardless of those fears of what anyone else might think, that has just been so fun.

Your energy and music really resonates with so many people, especially the queer community. Whether they can relate word for word or find meaning in the situations you sing about, what are some wise learnings you’d want people to take away?

The biggest thing I’d love to share is: don’t let anyone steal your light. In this life, there are good people and there are bad people. In this life, there are great days and awful days. It’s how we process and choose to survive and handle that and overcome the bad days that define who we are. A lot of this life will come and try to put your light out. You can’t give them that power. In the thick of me processing everything, even across my career, there have been times when I’ve lost myself and become so bitter and so not me. So glass half empty, so hurt. Personally, I believe in forgiveness, only because it allows me to be free and be rid of all of this stuff. The biggest thing now is that I am so happy, I feel so free of anything and all of the things that were once weighing on me. I just want anyone who hears this music, who feels they can relate in some way, I hope it may be medicine to help you lift the load and find your light. Slightly cheesy, but that is my really honest message there.

As a person of colour myself, hearing you go completely full throttle on Hard Out Here was so empowering to hear. People will definitely listen and feel vindicated and know it’s okay to be human and angry. People can’t inflict pain and then control the reaction. Within your journey of empowerment and overcoming adversities, who were some of the people that pulled you out of the darkness, besides yourself?

Honestly, the process of saving me was by saving myself. Before this year, I was never on my own. I was scared to be alone. I would always have a friend sleeping over, always have breakfast with three other people. A part of being an artist is that this is seen as normal for that to be the case. When all of this stuff happened, I went through these big changes and I kind of shut myself in. I was like, ‘Who the hell am I?’ I got sober. I got really deep within myself in a really long time. I had to check myself, look at myself in the mirror, figure it out, cry. It was a real journey of self-discovery, to be honest. It was quite powerful because I was never this person. I was such a people person. I had to be that. Going away, working out who I am when no one is around, working out who I am when I’m sad and on my own and with no one to stroke my hair or pour me a drink… It was a journey of really deep individual self-discovery, but really empowering when I found myself on the other side of it.

There’s a sense of feeling reborn with any form of personal awakening. With that in mind, what was the process like when it came to revisiting former situations and maneuvering environments that held you back before?

To be honest, very humbling. There is an assumption of how you should feel and act as an artist. The idea of, if you turn up somewhere, you have to turn up in a nice fancy car. Or if you turn up to a party, you have to show up with three people. You have to look like you’re above this person and this person. The irony is, during this time of self discovery and individualism, and just realising we’re all humans and we’re all the same… Yes, expressing myself and being fabulous and feeling empowered and like I look incredible is one thing, but that doesn’t mean I am anything but a human being who just has a job that they love, and I get to write songs and perform for a living. It’s been such a transforming year for me. There’s been so many things I’ve been insecure about or there’s been these smoking mirrors I needed to uphold for the industry, for image or whatever. It’s all removing slowly. I feel more grounded than I’ve ever been for a very long time. I feel so good at the moment, I really really do.

RAYE’s debut album, My 21st Century Blues, is due for release 3 February. 

The post RAYE on her debut album My 21st Century Blues: “I have a lot to say” appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Cara Delevingne speaks exclusively with GAY TIMES about her new BBC documentary Planet Sex and her relationship with her queerness.

WORDS BY UMAR SARWAR

After gracing the covers of every magazine, walking the most prestigious runways and carving an impressive acting career, Cara Delevingne is venturing into new water and entering the expansive realm of Planet Sex. In the six-part BBC documentary, Delevingne explores the different avenues of sex, from the empowering to the taboo, in the hopes of understanding the human mind and condition. Whether it’s donating her orgasm to science in Germany, making art from her vagina in Japan, hitting up a women-only sex club, taking a masturbation masterclass, and visiting an “ethical” porn set, Delevingne shares a vulnerable and candid journey of self sexual exploration, to define what makes us all human.

Let’s dive in, let’s talk about sex. Planet Sex!

Let’s go in, head first!

We love it. The world of sex is expansive, but what were some of the key inspirations that sparked this investigation?

I think I’ve always been curious, as soon as I realised that society had any say on my own sexuality, I guess. It wasn’t until I got a bit older that I really started exploring the subject. I’ve always been so entranced and curious about sexuality, but also about psychology and why people do things – especially depending on where you’re from or your religious beliefs. It’s a subject that is, really, the basis of all humanity in connection, not just about sexuality. It’s the most real currency in terms of how we are to each other and the human need for connection. We all desire and need to connect to one another because we’re all human. For me, I’ve always lived my life under that preface of wanting to explore what other people think and feel and what adversity they’ve come up against and how they change or what they feel deep down. That’s always been something I’m curious about because I’ve always had internal conflicts about certain things and not felt sure in myself. But, the more I explore that subject, the more I realise that what I kind of dealt with was normal.

Totally. And as a model and actor, you’re in front of the camera and being someone else’s muse and soaking in their psychology and creativity. What was the process like for Planet Sex, being vulnerable and putting yourself out there in a very human fashion?

I’ve been in front of the cameras so much, but this was definitely the hardest thing for me, being myself. I’ve never been in front of a camera as myself. Well, not as myself but just being myself. And I found that incredibly hard. It was so awkward in the beginning. I was sweating. I was moving around. I couldn’t stop talking about random shit. I’ve spent so long masking myself to be something else for other people and, with that being my job, I had forgotten how to be myself. That gave me a kind of mask and a buffer for this world that I live in, in terms of people saying whatever they wanted and stuff like that, so that kind of helped. But also in regards to this subject, it made me realise what a journey I had to go on in myself, which was really helpful.

In the docuseries, you travel around the world and meet people from different walks of life. What were some of the poignant experiences that shifted the emotional, psychological or sexual awakening within yourself?

I guess all of it was, in a way. I felt like a kid again. I felt like a teenager. I felt like so many years had passed in-between me coming out and never really coming out because I never sat down with my family and said, ‘I’m coming out.’ It was just me being the way I was, being in a relationship with a woman. From then to now, it had been so long and there’s been so much that I still hadn’t realised. I would point jokes at the fact that I was homophobic slightly, like not really, but slightly. How deep down I was actually like, if I take away that laughter and that defensiveness, why is it that I still feel internalised homophobia? What is that about? Why? And why are there so many insecurities I had in terms of gender? Being genderfluid and being queer gendered, but my pronouns being ‘her’, is that still okay? I do love being a woman, but I want to play with gender and how I think that gender should be fun. In terms of the female orgasm or the orgasm gap in itself, female sexuality, how much there is to explore and how people should be allowed to be open about these things? Especially the orgasm gap, how that, as a subject, has not moved anywhere since however long we’re talking about here… Everything has kind of changed in terms of our conversations on gender, conversation on sexuality. But, our conversation on the orgasm, women are still having less orgasms – apart from with toys – than they were back in the sixties. So, it’s terrible. There are just a lot of things, but for myself in general, I think I just discovered how much there is to learn and even after the show, now that I’ve finished, I definitely feel more educated. But, there is still so much to explore because there are no rules in this subject.

You touch upon the queer experience and how it was somewhat taken away from you in the media. It is an intimate process, going through that within yourself. What do you think the queer audience can take away from this documentary? And what advice would you give from your experiences as a big sister or like a mother figure for the queers?

Or a daddy!

Or a daddy! Exactly.

Mostly, I think I didn’t realise how much I could rely on the community in terms of being even open to it, without even meeting anyone in it, I felt already helped. I think when you’re 16 and you’re 50, when you’re 25, I just think that everyone is queer. We’re all humans, we’re all queer at the end of the day. But obviously, you don’t have to identify yourself as that, but I think that no one is 100% straight. That could be the wrong thing to say, because I think everyone can be obviously inclined totally towards one sex, but until you try anything, how dare anyone say that if you’re anywhere in-between, or if you just don’t know what the future may hold, that you have to kind of label yourself and you have to be on this kind of spectrum. Exploration is the most important thing and connection is, for humans, what we are made for. So no matter who you connect with, it doesn’t have to be sexual, it can be anyone, to never feel bad about that fact. Follow your heart and do what naturally comes to you and that should lead to happiness. As long as it makes you happy, that’s the most important thing. Obviously, people can be 100% straight, just like people can be born gay. Of course you can be. I just think people shouldn’t be so quick to judge or to say things.

I think it’s one of those things where you can be 100% straight, but then if you take that stance, then don’t be so affected and hurt by someone else exploring the other side of things. You can have your own island but don’t destroy someone else’s.

I was with someone the other day and I was like, ‘If you think you’re 100% straight, okay, fine. But if you had to have sex with the man, who would it be?’ And before I even finished he said, ‘Brad Pitt!’ And I was like, ‘You said that way too fast!’

There’s a 5%!

Is there not a 2% in there? I was like… Come on. If Brad Pitt offered to give you a blowjob, would you really say no?

Exactly. What kind of changes do you hope to see in the attitudes and behaviours of people within the industry you work in? What conversations do you want to be ignited from this documentary?

I think representation has come a long way. For me, you know, the extreme hate is also something that is so damaging. Extreme hate on any level in this world is terrible. I also think that conversation is the most important thing. People don’t have to like what I say. People don’t have to like the show, but I think to have an open conversation and to be able to watch the show and ask themselves those questions, to have an open dialog, to watch it with their family, to talk about it with their friends and just go, ‘Maybe there is something.’ That’s what I want, is for people to be open-minded, to really just go, ‘Why is it that because my parents taught me that, that’s what I believe? Why do I adhere to these set rules that I’ve been told my entire life? Why do we have to do those things?’ Because there is no reason for it. That’s kind of what I want and what I want moving forward for the world is just to go back to being kids and having imagination and thinking anything is possible.

Planet Sex With Cara Delevingne airs 1 December on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer at 10pm.

The post “We’re all queer at the end of the day”: Cara Delevingne on her BBC documenatary Planet Sex appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Coach’s latest campaign sees their new ambassador Lil Nas X star in the inspiring short film, Courage to Be Real.

Directed by Americana aesthetic queen Petra Collins, the film features his latest single, STAR WALKIN, and sees the Grammy-winning rapper take a dreamy retrospective dive into the moments that led him to the bright lights of the world’s stage.

Opening a mystical doorway portal that has landed in his Atlanta suburban neighbourhood, he glides into his high school music class and with one blow on the golden trumpet, his musical ascension is manifested.

He goes on to evolve his sense of style in his bedroom, opening the door to a private cocoon to strut through the metro in a cute western and denim glitterized number before taking the stage in a purple fur coat of dreams. Quite chic.

The significance of doors is the key message here. The campaign film is short, sweet and sparkling, with the underlying message from Lil Nas X being “about breaking down doors”.

It’s a call-to-action to encourage courageous self-expression, and for all to embrace all aspects of who they are with confidence, and to inspire others to express themselves authentically.

Speaking on the campaign, Lil Nas X stated: “My whole career has been about breaking down doors, and this campaign represents everything I’ve overcome so far.

“It’s about walking into new chapters of life, new experiences and new versions of myself, and it’s rooted in authenticity and self-expression—two things I really care about. It was really fun collaborating with Stuart and Petra to bring this to life.”

We feel courageous already.

You can watch the short film here or below.

The post Courage to Be Real: Lil Nas X stars in inspiring short film for Coach appeared first on GAY TIMES.