DMVCTt CBSTt DBCBSFUt MJGF /P+BOVBSZ 18 Suitable only for persons of 18 years and over RYNBHB[JOFDPNtRYHBZMPOEPO QX_1141_Cover.indd 1 17/01/2017 14:31 The who, what, why, where & when of gay London… THE INFORMER London’s new open mic comedy night If you’ve ever been to an open mic night, you’ll know roughly 100% of comedians are straight that’s not dominated by straight men white men in chinos. Well, Sue Gives A Fuck and her sidekick Celeste, aim to put a stop to this, bringing their own madcap queer brand of comedy to the fore, in much-lauded new stand-up comedy night, Play Date! They’re showcasing the city’s most promising, hilarious, promisingly hilarious new LGBT and unconventional acts downstairs in The Glory’s glitter basment. This time around they’ve got Joe Lycett, Desiree Thursday 2nd February at 8pm sharp at The Glory, 281 Kingsland Road, E2 8AS. £5 entry. Burch and Glamrou La Denim. Over 82% of Germans support same-sex marriage qxmagazine.com EDITOR It’s the highest percentage of support for DYLAN JONES gay marriage ever recorded in a survey, yet [email protected] Germany still does not legally recognize gay marriage. In figures revealed by Germany’s EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Anti-Discrimination Authority, 82.6% of JOE HOLYOAKE [email protected] participants said they wanted gay and lesbian people to have the same marriage rights NEW BUSINESS SALES EXECUTIVE afforded to straight people. Germany’s STEVE GREGORY government however, has still not made any 020 7240 0055 [email protected] moves in this direction however, and has not acknowledged these figures. SENIOR DESIGNER JANNE ÖIJER [email protected] DESIGNER Student Pride returns with an emphasis on sex and sex education SUREN GUNPATH [email protected] CLASSIFIEDS /ESCORTS Student Pride is BACK this year on 020 7240 0055 th Saturday 25 February, with more [email protected] exciting stuff than ever, and a brand new theme – #LetsTalkAboutSex. Shortly DIRECTOR after the conservative government voted CHRIS COLMAN 020 7240 0055 against making same sex education [email protected] compulsory in schools, Student Pride have decided to put LGBTQI+ sex DISTRIBUTION / M.R.DISTRIBUTION at the centre of their event, blasting PRINTERS / ACORN open the closet doors on a subject PUBLISHED BY that’s still taboo for many, even in our FIRSTSTAR LTD. NEW HOUSE, comparatively liberal western society. 67-68 HATTON GARDEN, They’re aiming to trigger a national LONDON EC1N 8JY conversation on the subject, and they’ll COVER: WE PARTY be calling for sex education to include ORANGENATION.CO.UK all narrative, beyond the reproductive, to safe same sex, as well as body image TO SUBSCRIBE TO QX CALL and relationships. There’ll also be a host of other panel discussions, parties, 020 7240 0055 performances and events. £45 FOR 6 MONTHS £80 FOR 12 MONTHS WITHIN UK ONLY © Copyright in the UK and worldwide, of the publishers Firststar Limited, Qx (ISSN 1356-6903). QX is published every Wednesday. Deadline for editorial and display advertisement inclusion is Thursday, six days before the relevant issue cover date. Sorry, but For more info, head to studentpride.co.uk we cannot be held responsible for any unsolicited manuscripts , illustrations or photographs. 2 qxmagazine.com QX_1141_Informer.indd 2 17/01/2017 14:21 QX 1141 MASTER 1.indd 3 17/01/2017 14:22 QX 1141 MASTER 1.indd 4 17/01/2017 15:59 QX 1141 MASTER 1.indd 5 17/01/2017 15:59 The notorious, sequin-spangled WE Party boys are BACK. You must have heard of WE Party before, unless you’ve been living under Vauxhall Bridge for the last three years. Actually, bad example, if you’ve been living under Vauxhall Bridge for the last three years, you’ll definitely have heard of WE Party. Word travels fast in those parts, especially if you’re wearing hotpants. ANWYWAY, this WE Party is in the last weekend of January, so FAKEif you, unlike us and everyone we know, have actually managed to successfully navigate dry January, then it’s the perfect opportunity to have your first blowout of the year! This time round, the theme is FAKE. WE FAKE, that’s the name of FASHUNit. FAKE FASHUN. FAKE BRANDS. FAKE HAIR. FAKE FAKE FAKE. Let’s be honest, we’ve all got a fake pair of “Plada” sunglasses or a “Versachey” bag tucked in the back of the wardrobe from that ill- advised shopping trip to Chinatown haven’t we. We love a bit of fakery FAKEhere at QX, possibly because we’re a right bunch of fake bitches ourselves. Think we like you? We probably don’t. We probably don’t even know who you are. We just nod and smile for the free drinks. KIDDING. We love everyone! BRANDSNow where’s that free drink? WE Fake is at gorgeously characterful former theatre The Coronet, located in the rapidly regenerating Elephant & Castle district. There’ll be superstar guest DJ, SR EDU, as well as London residents Steve Pitron, Michel FAKE HAIRMizrahi and Miswhite. So dye your hair FAKE blonde, throw on a FAKE Tom Ford chemise, and GET FAKE. WE Fake is on Saturday 28th January at The Coronet, FAKE FAKE28 New Kent Road, SE1 6TJ. 11pm – 6am. Tickets available FAKE at orangenation.co.uk 6 qxmagazine.com QX_1141_WE Fake.indd 6 17/01/2017 15:24 QX 1141 MASTER 1.indd 7 17/01/2017 16:59 They’re the unmissable, messily anarchic glamazons of any gay scene, one moment lip-syncing their way through an Ariana Grande number, the next nicking your boyfriend’s drink. You’d think they came out the womb with an intense contour and a thigh-high white leather boot, but they all First started sometime way later. We asked some famous faces from all over the London drag Time scene to tell us about their first time they dragged up… In Drag! The first time I did drag was reluctantly (yeah right) for a competition in Southampton that my friends wanted me to do. It was at an old pub near the docks and they had a ‘Stars In Their Eyes’ competition. I was 20 and it was a toss up between Adam Son of a Tutu Rickitt or Mariah I was a jolly drag child long before I knew what drag was. That Carey. Mariah won was until reports of my escapades reached my father who, in his obvs! I didn’t win ultra-religious fury, beat the living hell out of me. I was ten years (I came second old at the time and had no idea what I had done wrong, but as a to Elton John) but result, did not go near drag again for over thirty years. still enjoyed it! I My first official time in drag was in Drag Idol; I succumbed didn›t do it again to the nagging of a friend and my own inner-voice but only half- for over 10 years!!! heartedly due to the lingering trauma of my childhood: I wore Funnily enough, I men’s shoes and trousers, a black woman’s vest with a shrug, now do a Mariah a gele (headtie) and a face that looked like it had been painted tribute act and I will by blind elephants; the date was 19th May 2010 at the Two be doing ‘Stars In Brewers; I remember it well as it was Tutu’s birthdate and my own Your Eyes’ again personal rebirth. at Her Upstairs, For the first time in my adult life, I felt that I had found me; not but this time, I will because I was any good at it, because I wasn’t, and very quickly be impersonating crashed out of the competition (I would go back a year later), a way bigger slag, but, because despite what I looked or sounded like, I had finally Lady Lloyd! heeded the call of my own DNA and stopped running, and that is Silver the essence of self-actualisation and happiness. I would go on to many ups and downs as a professional drag queen, but even the worst lows did not matter as I was home in my own self. I wish for everybody to find that: to live in accordance of what you are built-for whether it be drag persona, nurse, accountant, gardener Summers or QX-journo (yuck lol); to find it is bliss. 8 qxmagazine.com QX_1141_First time in drag.indd 8 17/01/2017 15:25 My first drag performance was in September 2015 at CC Blooms in Edinburgh. I like to think I’ve improved since then, but I also thought Brexit wouldn’t happen, so what do I know? My shoes were two sizes too big, so when the music started, I ended up lobbing them across the bar. I slit Dave Lynn my knee wide open doing something on the floor - dancing I think was what I was My first time in drag was at The Black Cap In a talent contest actually attempting hosted by Jennifer Scott. The other competitors included Mrs Ripley - and I nearly blinded Shufflewick and Marc Fleming. I was only 16 years old and I lip a punter by whipping synced to Liza Minnelli and Dusty Springfield. I asked my parents him directly in the to come and watch me, which they did. However, they didn’t eye with one of my recognise me and they thought I was a tranny trying to pick Dad tassels. To be fair up! Also in the show was the late, great Adrella.