Out Africa Magazine issue 25

FOR WHEN YOU NEED TO MOVE FASTER, JUMP HIGHER AND FOCUS SHARPER

ENHANCE YOUR PERFORMANCE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FEATURES

1. EDITORS COMMENT:

1. MCQP TICKET COMPETITION

4. ANNUAL REPORT BACK ON THE PRIDE SHELTER

6. FROCKED UP AND FABULOUS - Ceri Dupree returns to South Africa

8. THE BUZZ: Snippets of news

10: PINK MYNAH FESTIVAL - KZN

12. TRAVEL: Fantastic Australia

14. WE THE BRAVE - PRIDE CALENDAR OF EVENTS

20. DARLING LILI: Lili Elbe’s fascinating life

24. UBER SEXY & DYNAMIC: Out interviews Siya Khumalo

26. CAMILLE von ZUUSH: The new Miss Gay Western Cape

32. GENDER BENDERS: Sorting out who’s who and what

36: EXILE: Cape Town’s new fetish party

38. FITNESS - Ab-solutely F-AB-ulous - how to get that washboard stomach

40: THE BEAR ESSENTIALS: Underwear and T-shirts designed with gay men in mind

42: MEN’S HEALTH - My Boyfriend’s a Cock Doc...

43: TEN 81: Reaching the LGBTI Community & Beyond

FASHION

16 - 19 DURBAN’S FASHION FAIR 2015 - A look at what’s trending on the catwalk

SCENE OUT

REVIEWS

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47

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FROM THE EDITOR

Hi - We are looking forward to a busy season this year - with current exchange rates as they are and our super weather, South Africa is the ideal destination for our globetrotting LGBTI visitors.

The Gay wold tourism body, the IGLTA will be hosting their annual convention in Cape Town next year, which will help to put not only South Africa but the rest of the continent in to the LGBTI spotlight.

MCQP is promising to be an even bigger and sexier event than before. We are giving away tickets to lucky OUT Africa Magazine readers in this issue. (see page 2).

Looking good is always the mission for the summer months as we all flock to the beaches to soak up the sun ... getting that wash-board stomach is the hardest part ... follow the exercises on page 38 and you’ll go a long way in getting there.

OUT Africa Magazine recently attended the Pride Shelter AGM, what a proud and humbling experience to see such great commitment and the real results that are being achieved by helping people from across the various communities regardless of race or gender - hats-off to the team!

Plans for Pride 2016 are also well underway and the calendar of events has now been released courtesy of “We The Brave” who are launching their campaign at next year’s Pride.

One of the World’s best female impersonators, Ceri Dupree, is returning to South Africa in February next year. A definitely not to missed show with all the glitz and glamour of a professional performance.

Siya Khumalo, Mr Gay SA runner-up is out main interview, see page 24 to get to know more about what makes this young, gay man tick. Congratulations to Camille von Zuushwinner of Miss Gay Western Cape!

OUT Magazine urges all readers to support our advertisers who support you!

A full edition - so sit back and enjoy. Happy holidays...

Tommy Patterson

Published by:

Patterson Publications

P.O. Box 397, Sea Point 8060

Tel: 021 555 1279, Fax: 086 535 5063

E-mail: Keith Coventry at outmagafrica@telkomsa.net outmagazine@mweb.co.za

Advertising Sales:

Robert Simpson 072 266 7051, Matthew Van As 084 761 7942

Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358

MANAGING EDITOR: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358

Contributors: Daniel Dercksen, Rob Simpson, Matthew van As

Additional Photography: Simon Diener, Luiz Barros, Joffrey Hyman

Pride Shelter Trust

Shelter Trust

The shelter was originally a place for members of the LGBTI community to have a safe place to sleep obtain some food to eat but through the years we have realized how important it is to look at our residents needs more holistically. This need for a more holistic approach has led us to create a personal development program for the shelter. The program is created by us and for us with the help of service providers such as Health4Men and Guy Hamilton (counsellor) to name a few. The aim of our program is to empower, equip and heal in a safe place for our residents, previous residents and members of the community.

The programme consists of the following modules: Job skills and workplace development, personal development (incl. individual counselling, boundary setting and conflict resolution, building self-esteem and group counselling sessions), Creative arts, Health and wellness (Pilates, sexual health workshops) and Financial Literacy. We are already running our counselling courses and we plan on starting our Pilates and sexual health workshops in a few weeks.

The annual report for the Pride Shelter Trust looks at the homes finances and the changes we would like to implement and have implemented in 2015. This year our income has reduced from R424 146 to R129, 110. Looking at these numbers it is clear we need to work harder to increase our cash flow. We have hired a part-time fundraiser to research the fund- ing world and hopefully obtain some big donors as well as look at other ways to raise funds for the shelter. It is important to note that we have received and continue to receive help from many individuals and companies in Cape Town and for this we are extremely grateful! This Christmas the shelter is creating gift tags for you to gift a donation to the shelter as a present to someone special.

For more information on these gift tags please contact Kim at the shelter (kim@pridesheltertrust.co.za or 021 423 2871).

1

Our Grateful Thanks

TO THOSE WHO HAVE DONATED SERVICES, GOODS, ITEMS AND FUNDS THIS FISCAL

Kyle Kleinsmith, Ricky Arendse, Mark Gibbons, Jean Bester, Kaveshin Naidu, Nick Simpson, Dane Bezuidenhout, Garhard Breedt, Dr Cathrine Gilfillan, Craig Mathieson, Sulone Reddy, Obi Oke, Brian & Harry Haviga, Carpenters Workshop, David Spence, Rory Heard, Anton Kotze & Stuart Beckett, Dr Riaan Els, Edward Roelofse, Mark & Robert, Terry Close, Herman Pretorius, Garth Luxton, Dave & Steve, Brendon Sullivan, Dave Bester, Jean Bester and Warren Gnesin, Ferhaard De Nicker, Sally Chapman, Menzi Cele, Andy Reineke, Richard, Dave Bester, Brendon, Richard & Tobin, Dave Bester, Dave & Wouter, MCC Church, Andre Du Toit, Dr Gilbert Lawrence, Stuart Beckett, Cathrine, Charles Holthauzen, Alan, Gareth De Jager, Sureya of Rich Meats, Keith, Joey & Rozanne, Richard - MCC Church, Steve Watson, Richard & Grant, Aletta Cedress, Di Sochen, Conrad, Henk Rubridge, Hurst & Warner, Coenie Kukkuk & Casper, Francois, Trent, Karish, Gavin Povey, AA Cocktails Group, Ronel van Dijk, Wim, Bevan and Melanie Judge and all those who supported our fundraisers, Spar Table View are incredibly helpful with all the food!!

Andrew from Conversations Gay Business Net- working, Mark Gibbons, Beefcakes Restaurant and Crew Bar who all donated Substantial amounts (R23 000). Thanks to Steve & Johan and Michael Ipsen - all of whom signed debit orders for every month of the year totalling R7800!

Section 18A of the Income Tax Act: This enables The Pride Shelter Trust to provide donors with a S18A receipt, which enables the giver to deduct their donations from their taxable income. Please contact us for more information.

CERI DUPREEFrocked

up and Fabulous

Daniel Dercksen shares a few thoughts with Ceri Dupree who makes a welcome return to South Africa hot off London’s West End in a brand new hilarious glitterfest, The Fabulous Ceri Dupree Show in Cape Town from February 9 to 13 and in Johannesburg from February 16 to 20.

Ceri Dupree is not just any female impersonator, he is simply the best in the world!

When Ceri frocks up he means serious show biz and provides ultimate entertainment. His chorus line of super divas seduce the senses and when you speak to an unfrocked Ceri dressed immaculately in his suit, you constantly look over his shoulder waiting anxiously for one of his dames to make an appearance.

Ceri has been delighting audiences worldwide for more than 30 years and his unique talents have landed him roles in musical theatre, pantomime, summer seasons, TV and cabaret. He has performed in major venues around the world, including Las Vegas, London, Spain, Greece and the Seychelles. His passion for theatre has inspired him to write and produce his own shows and most recently he starred alongside his sister, Ria Jones, at the St. James Theatre in London in the runaway smash hit MissLeading Ladies, that critics adored unanimously.

In The Fabulous Ceri Dupree Show, Ceri closely resembles and sounds just like the gorgeous Divas he impersonates. Every song is performed live, with no lip-syncing. From the glamour days of Marlene Dietrich and Doris Day, through the Broadway Divas era, to icons like Cher, Madonna, Adele and Lady GaGa, Dupree takes his audience on a rollercoaster ride that will delight and entertain.

With more than 20 suitcases filled to the brim with gowns, headdresses, feathers, gloves, boas and enough diamantes to dazzle an audience, Dupree is set to display a glorious wardrobe, scarcely seen since the heyday of his mentor and friend, Danny La Rue.

Why do you think female impersonation is such an entertaining art form?

I think it’s the mystery, the illusion, the costumes and wigs of course, and it’s still taboo for a man to dress as a woman...it’s not normal...if it became or becomes the norm, it will then cease to work.

What do you think makes it work so well?

It only works well in the hands of experts...it’s a hard act to pull off...a bad singer is just bad,a bad magician is just bad,but a bad drag act is revolting!

What inspired you to become a female impersonator?

Mrs Thatcher! lol...she was one of the first of my impersonations when I was a kid,I did her when I was aged 14 in a school concert! But I was always dressing up as a kid in anything outrageous...tho I wished I’d never started!! lol

Tell me about your chorus line of gorgeous gals. Who is your favourite?

Oh dear me,well you name her I’ve done her!!....audiences favourites tend to be your Tina Turner, Cher, Amy Whinehouse … and believe it or not Camilla Parker Bowles and The Queen..... Though for me it’s the old stars...Bette Davis,Zsa Zsa Gabor and Marlene Dietrich...Sorry folks, all the dead ones!

Who is in charge?

Me...always...I am a director’s nightmare and I’d give Barbara Streisand a run for her money!!

Is there still an ultimate dream you wish to fulfil? Tell me about this?

There are a few! But the latest is to appear in Las Vegas,and we are working on that.....fingers crossed!

Who is the man behind the women?

A hardworking motivated organised fella....I think!!

What do you do when you are not frocked up?

I relax (ha ha...I try) with friends,try and spend time at home,I’m always around people so it’s nice to sometimes just be on my own!

Is there ever a moment that you think: “It’s time to quit?’’

A lot of the time as our business is getting tougher and tougher... but I need to pay bills, mortgage, etc...just like everyone else...

You have an incredibly hectic life filled with a busy schedule. Do you have that special someone to share your life with?

Yes I do,and he has nothing to do with show business whatsoever. His job couldn’t be further removed from mine-maybe that’s why it works.

There seems to be a huge misunderstanding between female impersonation and drag? Your views on this?

Well basically I think female impersonator sounds better than saying drag act that’s all....it’s a gentler word and makes it sound more professional...the word drag act can conjure up images of a two- bit drag act in a backstreet pub in a cheap wig,dress,Minnie Mouse shoes miming badly to ‘I will survive!’ (of which there are many!!)...The word Drag actually comes from Shakespeare: it’s from the skirt dragging along the stage!

The world and attitudes towards sexuality and sexual freedom and expression have changed drastically since you first started in the business? How different is if for you now?

The only way it has changed is there are maybe a few more people that are a bit more open minded about coming to see a show like mine. there’s more open minds in the world now and it’s not just for the gay or theatrical crowd. My audiences are all across the board...they’ll either enjoy it or they won’t....and 9 times outta 10 they do...you’ll never please everyone all of the time, ever.

What makes you tick? Motivates you?

Laughter.....it really is the greatest thing....try and laugh loud and often...it’s cheap medicine!

Do you think the art of drag and female impersonation will ever fade? Why?

I’d like to say no....but what with social network these days and everything’s so ‘out there’ and open! You see pics of performers doing their makeup,without clothes on...half made up,all backstage tricks laid bare,giving away tips and trade secrets, so there’s no illusion ...the magic and mystery are gone.....so then there’s no interest and it’ll fade and die.....why do you think people like the Queen and Joan Collins are still up and running? they only let us see what they want us to see, so we remain hooked!

Any comments you would like to share with your fans in South Africa?

Just that I’m looking forward to coming(understatement!)and to catching up with friends,sharing a Dom Pedro or two here and there! Shopping,entertaining people and laughing...a lot!

The Fabulous Ceri Dupree Show runs in Cape Town at the Artscape Arena from 9 to 13 February 2016 with tickets costing R150.00 and with bookings via Computicket or 08619158000. In Johannesburg the show will run at the Auto & General Theatre On The Square in Sandton from 16 to 20 February 2016 and bookings are through www.strictlytickets.com

Join Ceri on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CeriDupreeSA.

THE BUZZ

DRC SUPPORTS MARRIAGE FOR SAME SEX COUPLES

In October the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) announced that it had approved of same-sex unions and that would now allow homosexual ministers to be ordained without the need for them to be celibate. In a radical move a 64% majority of the church’s synod voted in favour of acknowledging same-sex marriages and having openly gay church members serve in the church, which had previously been forbidden.

The moderator of the DRC, Nelis Janse van Rensburg said the issue of allowing same-sex unions had been discussed in the church since the 1980s, saying that “the Bible refers to homosexuality in the context of more than 2 000 years ago. The question is, are these verses applicable in today’s situation?

The decision, which has been welcomed by LGBTI organisations around the country has been critiscised by other churches, with the Catholic Church spokesman Archbishop William Slattery saying what the church had done was not in line with the Dutch Reformed Church’s traditional teaching and, as Catholics, they had a different view of marriage.

LANDMARK DECISION IN ZIMBABWE

CAITLYN WINS WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

Caitlyn Jenner accepted a Glamour woman of the year award on Monday 9 November, at the 25th Annual Glamour Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall in New York, telling the crowd that she believes she was put on Earth to tell her story and make a difference in the world.

She said that before she had come out as a woman, she stayed home most of the time. “Now,” she said to cheers, “I actually like going out, and being myself.”

In Zimbabwe, a Bulawayo man who had been fired from the civil service for allegedly engaging in homosexual activities has successfully appealed against his dismissal at the Labour Court.

Labour Court president Justice Evangelista Kabasa on Monday ruled that Raymond Sibanda’s appeal against dismissal was valid as no one should be dismissed from work on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Justice Kabasa said the case against Sibanda had no merit as it involved a moral issue over which there is no absolute right or wrong.

Spokesperson Mojalifa Mokoele of the Sexual Rights Centre said that his organisation is pleased with the ruling.

Moekole said, “We see that as a milestone achievement as an organisation that advocates for sexual rights especially those of minority groups; that it is justice served. We have always advocated for each and every citizen’s right to be heard in court and this is exactly what has happened.

IGLTA CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR CAPE TOWN

The IGLTA Annual Global Convention is the world’s premier educational and networking event for LGBT tourism professionals. The 33rd edition of the conference will take place in Cape Town from the 14 - 16 April 2016 in Cape Town with the host hotel being the city’s famous Mount Nelson Hotel. The conference itself, attracting delegates from all over the world will endorse the city as a desirable gay destinations. The theme is “Spectrum” and the conference will connect gay, lesbian and gay friendly travel and tourism suppliers and buyers through a scheduled appointment program, numerous educational workshops and networking receptions. It will take place at the Cape Town International Conference Centre, and will be a highlight on the LGBTI calendar. It is the first time the IGLTA will hold its educational and networking conference in an African country. “Cape Town is a world class city - incredibly scenic and with a vibrant LGBT community. It has all the right ingredients to ensure a successful convention,” said Dan Melesurgo, IGLTA Board Chair. “Bringing the convention to Africa for the first time is an opportunity to grow our membership there and create greater understanding and awareness of the LGBT travel market on the continent.”

Jenner described her journey to becoming a woman, and spoke of how he sat down with his children to discuss plans to go public. She said she had realized that perhaps “this is why God put me on this earth, to tell my story ... and make a difference in the world.”.

Jenner is not the first transgender woman to be a Glamour Woman of the Year; last year, actress Laverne Cox was honored. Still, Jenner’s inclusion sparked some backlash.

CONVERSATIONS JOINS THE OTHER FOUNDATION

The phenomenally successful urban networking and social giving event for gay and lesbian professionals in Johannesburg and Cape Town known as Conversations, today announced that it has become a programme of the Other Foundation.

The Other Foundation is an African trust that gathers support for those who are working to protect and advance the rights, wellbeing and social inclusion of homosexual and bisexual women and men as well as transgender and intersex people in southern Africa – and it gives support in a smart way that helps groups to work better for lasting change. It does this through both fundraising and grant making.

Conversations was launched in October 2013 in Cape Town and in November 2014 in Johannesburg for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) professionals. The monthly events provide a space at upmarket, LGBTI-friendly venues to network professionally and make new friends in a socially responsible way by raising awareness and money for LGBTI and other causes. It has a 4,000 strong online LGBTI community.

Neville Gabriel, the chief executive officer of the Other Foundation, said: “The decision to give a home to Conversations was an easy one because we have shared values and shared interests. Andrew Howard has built an impressive platform in Conversations, which will increase its capacity and footprint through this partnership. Not only does it offer new possibilities for the development of LGBTI philanthropy but also innovative approaches to building links between LGBTI communities, activists, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.”

Andrew Howard, the founder of Conversations, said: “I am delighted that the success of Conversations in Cape Town and Johannesburg has been recognised in this way. Taking Conversations into the Other Foundation is a great privilege. I’m looking forward to using the Conversations network I have built to support the advancement of human rights for LGBTI people throughout southern Africa and to promote LGBTI philanthropy to help fund this work.”

Shekeshe Mokgosi, the public engagement manager at the Other Foundation, said: “Even though there will be slight adjustments to Conversations branding, the model of Conversations events will not change because it has been proven to work well.”

Photo By: Zanele Muholi

MY NAME IS ROSE

Abrand new Gay-themed drama was screened at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg on the evening of 15 October 2015. Written and directed by Mlungisi Msomi and Sekara Mafisa, My Name is Rose is the second film released this year by these two directors.

Among the audience were all the cast members, directors and film crew. The film is the story of forced marriage, African tradition and the newly discovered love between two young African women coming to terms with a patriarchal society. Starring Enoch Mnguni, Slindile Dlamini and Zenele Mazibuko, My Name Is Rose looks at the emerging sexuality of a young Zulu princess in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal who flees to Durban to avoid being ‘sold’ to an older chief for 40 cattle, and in doing so initiates great changes in her world

The audience were given an opportunity to question the directors during the intermission.

After a 20 minute break, the show opened with a hot performance by Zsa-Zsa Whitney Gabor Houston, who also acts as Nicky in the film, The audience was then introduced to the project by the screening of the project introduction. This 3 minute video showed queer visibility in the African continent, with the voice over of Sekara Mafisa explaining how My Name Is Rose endorses queer visibility in general African Society.

The first official screening of the film actually blew the audience away - they were fully engaged with the action and drama portrayed in the film.

The launch, voice of thanks and the introduction of the film cast members, crew and the directors followed the screening.

My Name is Rose - NPC, is in a project involved in bringing queer African stories to the world. They were the first Gay themed film makers to screen publicly in Zimbabwe, and will be screening in Lesotho at a film festival taking place from the 17-27 November 2015.

We were also invited to screen the film in Beijing at the China Women’s film festival, in September as well as Minneapolis and Durham where the screening of My Name Is Rose has been included at their International Festival events.

Here in South Africa; My Name Is Rose World Premiered at the Durban Gay and Lesbians Film Festival in June. They were also invited for a special screening at the Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival in Cairo. These events were followed by a special screening at Nongoma, where My Name Is Rose was launched to the local community together with the cast members.

KZN - PINK MYNAH FESTIVAL

The Gay & Lesbian Network will be hosting our annual Pink Mynah Festival in December and everyone is welcome to join the festivities. The festival is aimed at celebrating diversity within our communities, bringing people together and creating awareness. The event promises to be jam-packed with great entertainment and will be fun for the whole family.

The festival will kick off with an Arts & Film Festival which will be held at the KZN Museum on the 3rd of December. The highlight will be the network’s very own Rainbow Theatre Group, who performed an amazing piece at this year’s Jomba Contemporary Dance Festival, hosted by UKZN. There will also be an art exhibition which will look at the life of members of the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) community in South Africa and some of the challenges that they face.

The second day, the 4th of December, will see the Pink Mynah Pageant at the Protea Hotel Imperial. The Pageant is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 35 who has a South African ID or passport. There are two categories, Mr Pink Mynah and Ms Pink Mynah, and you are welcome to enter either category, regardless of gender or sexual orientation- the choice is yours!

This is just one of the many factors that make our pageant very unique. There is a total of R5000 up for grabs, as well as many more prizes.

A 3 course Gala Dinner and a fashion show will be held at the hotel before the pageant, starting at 5pm. Tickets are available for R300 per person, or R2800 per table of 10. Tickets are limited so book soon to avoid disappointment.

On the 5th of December there will be a street parade taking place and we urge everyone to join us for this enjoyable day. The parade will start at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and we will march with pride to the Alexandra Park, where there will be live music, stalls and great prizes up for grabs.

For all you party animals out there, there will be an after party at Sticky Fingers (9 Manchester Road, Northdale) that night. Pre-sale tickets are available for R70 at our office. This includes entrance to the after party, transport to the afterparty, entry to the lucky draw and a pink shooter on arrival! Or you can buy your ticket on the night at Sticky Fingers for R80.

We are also running a completion to be entered into our 2016 Rainbow Calendar, which is again open to everyone in a celebration of diversity. The winners and runner-ups of the Pink Mynah Pageant will be going into the 2016 Rainbow Calendar.

If you are interested in entering the pageant, the calendar, having a stall, sponsoring the event or just having an awesome time for a good cause, please visit our website www.gaylesbian.org.za or visit us at our office at 187a Burger Street. Alternatively, you can call us on 033 342 6165 or email media@gaylesbian.org.za.

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GET THE LOW DOWN ON DOWN UNDER

Roman sage Seneca once said, “Travel and change of place impart new vigour to the mind.” With this is mind ... one of the greatest destinations for gay travellers is down under - Australia has it all - cities, beaches, deserts and of course the Great Barrier Reef - one of the World’s seven Natural Wonders.

Book your flight to Sydney - you won’t be disappointed. The city has established itself firmly on the world’s gay map as one of the most desirable city’s to visit for LGBTI travellers. Not only does Sydney play host to one of the biggest gay Mardi Gras festivals it is so gay that bars, clubs, restaurants and coffee shops abound. Gay and lesbian culture forms a vocal, vital, well-organised and colourful part of Sydney’s social fabric. As the starting point for the famous Priscilla, Queen of the Desert trio the Imperial Hotel pub is a must visit, but Oxford street, a stone’s throw from the city centre, is the part of the city where gay life thrives. (In Australia the word ‘hotel’ does not always mean a real hotel)

Check out the Stonewall, Sydney’s No 1. Gay & Lesbian venue. With entertainment 7 days a week featuring Sydney’s finest DJs, drag performances and male dancers. The Midnight Shift in the same street vies for the reputation of being Australia’s best known gay venue. The video bar with its plasma screens scattered throughout the bar and dance floor has a sunken pool area, two bars, and relaxed seating where you can chill and chat. The Colombian has two floors of gay pleasure. The decor is self-described as South American chic. Oxford street the location of all these also has trendy clothing venues and great places to rest your weary legs and re-energize with a great cup of coffee.

In Newtown the place to be seen is Bank Hotel at 324 King St, it’s a beautiful venue, frequented by students, artists and the hip and young. For those of you looking for something a bit more daring there are a number of cruise bars like the Signal in Oxford Street which is a mens cruise club with 30 rooms in all, some are large with mirrors or slings, whilst others are small Glory hole booths. What gay destination doesn’t have a sauna ... well Sydney City Steam, or 357 as they call themselves, is easily Australia’s busiest sauna/bathhouse, serving 2500 guys a week. Then there’s Bodyline in Taylor Street, Darlinghurst which boasts 4 floors of steamy adventure to explore. Thought by many to be Sydney’s most popular bathhouse for gay and bisexual men.

But the city is not only about parties and sex, no visit is complete without a visit to the Rocks Markets where you can wander through the market and buy dresses and bags designed by the stallholder, one-off jewellery, original artworks and prints, all in a place where you can feel the sun on your face and catch glimpses of the gorgeous harbour. And Sydney is very proud of the harbour. Take the famous ferry to Manly, which has been running since 1855, Manly has a great beach and loads of shopping and places to eat, or take a boat trip round the harbour, you’ll see the city’s iconic Harbour Bridge and the spectacular Opera House.

Not unlike Cape Town’s Waterfont development, Darling Harbour is Sydney’s great celebration space, where the big events and cultural festivals are staged making Darling Harbour a playground for all ages.

Just outside of the city is the world famous Bondi Beach, so get buffed, slip into your swimming shorts (not your speedo!) and check out the guy candy, especially those mouth-watering Bondi Beach Lifeguards ... who are local celebrities.

Australia is vast and so if there’s not a lot of time hop on a flight to Melbourne, the country’s second city - a city of stately 19thcentury buildings and tree-lined boulevards. At its centre is the strikingly modern Federation Square development, with plazas, bars, restaurants and cultural events along the Yarra River. In Southbank, the Melbourne Arts Precinct is site of Arts Centre Melbourne – a performing arts complex – and National Gallery of Victoria, displaying Australian and Indigenous art.

For gay travellers the city offers bars, clubs and saunas. The Greyhound Hotel in Brighton Rd, St Kilda is Melbourne’s premier gay bar and entertainment venue. It had a massive refurb some time ago, and offers a range of entertainment, Hounded on Fridays brings two rooms, with a drag show in the front bar and Boylesque in the massive showroom.

The Laird in Gipps St, Abbotsford attracts a generally a masculine crowd / leather crowd on selected Saturday nights and the local bear crowd. The Peel in Collingwood, is one of Melbourne’s oldest gay bars. Club 80 in Peel St, Collingwood is a huge, three story sex club, one of the biggest in the world, with 30+ private rooms with beds, massive group areas, free soft drinks and coffee in lounge, free net cafe, large screen Hollywood movies.

Wet on Wellington is a nice sauna with a good steam room with cool pulsing LCD lights. The pool is huge (you can do laps in it) and they have a little shop where you can buy toys and things. The maze upstairs is literally a-maze-ing fun.

No visit to Australia is complete without a visit to somewhere

along the Barrier Reef. I flew to Cairns in Queensland. The city is small with loads of tourist accommodation. Whilst there wasn’t a lot happening in Cairns we took a boat out to Green Island, a beautiful coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef and spent the days snorkelling both in the shallow waters off the island as well as further out near the outer reef. For those who haven’t explored a coral reef it is truly a mind-blowing experience. The colours and varieties of marine life is astounding. We also took a trip up to the Daintree Rainforest which contains the oldest surviving rainforest in the world and teems with an extraordinary diversity of uniquely Daintree animals, plants and fungi.

Brisbane is the biggest city in Queensland, with a population of around 2-million it’s a big, modern city set on the Brisbane River. Clustered in its South Bank cultural precinct are institutions including the Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, with noted interactive exhibitions, and Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, among Australia’s major contemporary art museums. Looming over the city is Mt. Coot-tha, site of the sprawling Brisbane Botanic Gardens, with panoramic views from its summit.

When it comes to gay life check out Sportsman Hotel on Leichhardt Street. It is a gay venue with a bar, lounges and a restaurant for lunch and dinner. The Wickham on Wickham Street is a Gay bar with live shows and entertainment, and NUmber 29 Cruise Club on McLachlan Street has several themed nights.

Australia for LGBTI visitors is a great place, attitudes are liberal, everything works. Most places have gay and gay-friendly accommodation, we stayed in gay guest houses in Cairnes, Melbourne, Canberra and on the way to Canberra, as well as in the Blue Mountains. I haven’t touched on Perth, Adelaide, Alice Springs, The Gold Coast or any such amazing places, but if you’ve got the time to explore, do it! - cuddle a koala, pet a kangaroo, bungy off a bridge, sip wine in the Barossa Valley, surf at Surfer’s Paradise, dive on the Great Barrier Reef, climb Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, go out in to the Gibson Desert, buy an Opal, tan on a pristine beach, watch an opera,watch an Aussie Rules rugby match where the hottest, butchest of men chase a rugby ball around a field wearing the shortest shorts and the tightest tops... shop till you drop and party at one of the biggest and best gay party’s in the world. With something to suit every kind of traveller, Australia is a fabulous destination.

Cape Town Pride is beefing up its program in 2016 with adding various events that people have asked for. Cape Town Pride is very lucky to be able host a 10 DAY Festival for the LGBIQA community in 2016...

The Events below are some of the core events that we are hosting. We are also aiming to add more community events as the year continues to make sure that every LGBTIQA and LSM group is encompassed.

19 Feb: Pink Party

19 Feb: Charity Auction

20 Feb: Pool Party

20 Feb: Ms and Mr Cape Town Pride

20 Feb: MISS Party

21 Feb: Sports Day

21 Feb: Movie Night 1

22 Feb: Book Evening

22 Feb: Informational Workshop 1

23 Feb: Movie Night 2

24 Feb: Informational Workshop 2

24 Feb: Celebrity Fashion Show

25 Feb: DIVA’s

25 Feb: Informational Workshop 3

26 Feb: PELT Party

26 Feb: Movie Night 2

27 Feb: Festival Day

28 Feb: Church Service

*Events calendar correct at the time of going to press

STRONG AFRICAN THEMES AND CASUAL STYLES DOMINATED THE RAMP AT THIS YEAR’S DURBAN FASHION FAIR. THE EVENT WHICH FEATURED COLLECTIONS

From PALSE HOMME beads and lace themes dominated

DURBAN FASHION

FROM MORE THAN 20 DESIGNERS WAS WELL RECEIVED .... ON THESE PAGES WE FEATURE SOME OF THE EYE CATCHING MEN’SWEAR CREATIONS ON THE RUNWAY

African influences from TERRENCE BRAY

FASHION FAIR 2015

Casual wear featuring vests and T’s were a feature of the DAX MARTIN collection

DARLING LILI

Given that her life has fascinated so many, even with relatively small notoriety on a large scale, we were curious to know: who is this Lili Elbe?

Born Einar Wegener on December 28, 1882 he was one of the earliest recorded recipients of sexual reassignment surgery in the world.

Einar Wegner grew up in a small Danish Town the son of a priest and a midwife. Describing his early years Einar once said that he felt like a boy when playing with her brothers, but that his greatest joy was pushing a pram full of her sister’s dolls.

Elbe was a successful artist in his day and attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen where he specialised in painting landscapes. It was at the Academy that he met his future wife Gerda Gottlieb who was also an artist. Elbe and Gerda married in 1904 when he was 22 and Gottlieb was 19. Their marriage was controversial and to avoid controversy they travelled through France and Italy and finally settled in Paris in 1912.

Gottlieb was an artist who main line of work was illustrations of fashion models for a women’s fashion magazine and it is said that Elbe’s discovery came at the hand of Gottlieb, who needed a model to sit for a series of illustrations after hers was unable to show up. Elbe put on a pair of stockings and therein began the transformation Despite his initial reluctance he discovered that he liked wearing women’s clothes and it wasn’t long before he was posing as a woman on her own accord. One day while modelling in female clothing he was given the nickname “Lili”

Gottlieb was renowned for her paintings of women with almondshaped eyes. It wasn’t until 1913 that the world discovered that petite standard of feminine beauty with “haunting almond shaped eyes”, was actually being embodied by someone who was born a man.

An accomplished artist, Elbe, while still presenting as Wegener, earned the Neuhausens prize in 1907 and exhibited at Kunstnernes Efteraarsudstilling (the Artists Fall Exhibition) in addition to the Vejle Art Museum and in the Saloon and Salon d’Automme in Paris.

Lili as she was now known, presented as female throughout the 1920’s being introduced to society as Gottlieb’s sister – only her closest friends knew that she had transitioned. She became well-known in Paris society through her position as a socialite –attending balls and parties and hosting guests at her home. To the world she was Lili Elbe, Gottlieb’s sister, but Elbe insisted on becoming a biological woman, against all odds. She was so convincing and comfortable as a female that she even received a marriage proposal from a man who thought him to be a woman.

Towards the end of the 1920’s Lili began searching for a way to escape her “double existence”. In the Spring of 1930 she travelled to Germany in search of what was then an extremely primitive form of sexual reassignment surgery and over the course of the following two years was to undergo five highly risky operations.

The first was carried out under the supervision of Magnus Hirschfeld, an advocate of homosexual and transgender rights in Germany. (Featured in a previous issue of OUT Africa Magazine)

The first of these procedures involved the removal of his

testicles and after a short period of recovery he travelled to the Dresden Municipal Women’s Clinic in Germany where he met Dr. Kurt Warnekos, an eminent surgeon who was to perform the remaining surgeries to complete the transformation. He reportedly wanted to “free her of her suffering” by making her a “normal woman”.

Suffering from abdominal pains, Dr. Warnekos after an examination informed her as an explanation that she was already a woman to a “prominent degree”. Warnekos described Elbe’s condition as an “error in nature”, and commented that any expert could see that with Lili, “nature had wanted to create a woman” but through some ”unfortunate circumstance” hadn’t. With the advances in medicine, we now can surmise that Warnekos’ diagnoses indicate that she was most likely intersex.

There were a number of factors which indicate this, the most conclusive of which were the discoveries made by Warnekos during tests carried out before her surgeries. He discovered that pre-operative blood tests indicated that Elbe had more female than male hormones in his blood. Warnekos is also said to have discovered undeveloped ovaries in her abdomen, a possible cause of her abdominal pain.

Known to have been very petite looking and acting in a pronounced feminine way, Elbe, when dressed in male attire was often thought to be a woman masquerading as a man. Although doctors in her early childhood had declared Elbe to be a male despite notable female characteristics, it is thought that he may have suffered from Kleinfelter’s Syndrome, a condition which was not medically recognised until 1942. Having Kleinfelter’s meant that whilst Lili had some subtle female features she otherwise appeared to be physically male.

Lili’s desire was to bear children and Warnekos claimed that he could give Elbe “new and strong” ovaries. During her first

operation, when her penis was removed, an ovary transplant was attempted using the ovaries of a 26 year old woman, but following rejection and other complications they had to be removed in two subsequent operations.

His attempt to undergo these pioneering medical procedures made Lili the subject of vicious rumours and sensational newspaper headlines. It is a brave decision in our enlightened times, how courageous it was nearly 100 years ago.

Lili returned to Denmark, where King Christain X declared her marriage to Gottlieb null and void.

She received a passport with her chosen name and new gender marker, completing the legal transformation from male to female. As a sign of her official change of her name and gender she stopped painting, as she thought of it as part of Einar’s identity and separate from Lili’s.

Following the annulment of her marriage to Gottlieb, Lili received a proposal from another man.

It is said that she desperately wanted children with her husband an Italian military officer, aviator, and diplomat, Major Fernando “Nando” Porta, with whom she moved to Morocco prior to her death.

She travelled back to Germany where Dr.. Warnekos attempted a uterus transplant. In the 1930’s very little was known about the immune system, tissue matching etcetera and the transplant was rejected. Lili died tragically in September 1931 at the age of 48.

Today she is remembered as a pioneering transgender person who defied public opinion to live as the person she wanted to be.

Sourced and adapted from an article by Tom Bates for GNI magazine and further researched

A film of her life called The Danish Girl directed by Tom Hooper and starring Oscar winning Eddie Redmayne as Lili will be released on the 29th January 2016 … keep an eye out for it It’s an inspiring tale, and one that feels tailor-made for our modern times’ discussions on being transgender and the general outlook on gender and sexual fluidity.

Another pioneer who famously transitioned was Christine Jorgenson Born in the Bronx in New York City. Named George William Jorgensen Jr. at birth he served in the US army during World War II. At the end of the war he travelled through Europe and in Denmark obtained special permission to undergo a series of reassignment operations which started in 1951. After which he changed his name to Christine and returned to the USA where she became an instant celebrity. She had her vaginoplasty operation performed in the States. In the United States she campaigned tirelessly for transgender rights, she influenced other transsexuals to change their sex on birth certificates and to change their names. Her case is significant because, for the first time, it led to complications over sex and science and the changing definition of sexuality. Whilst she was hailed by the New York Daily News newspaper as being the first sex change that wasn’t true as Lili Elbe was the first, however she was the first American to undergo reassignment surgery.

She tried to marry but the marriage licence was denied because the state refused to alter her birth certificate which stated she was male. Christine worked as an actress and nightclub entertainer and died in 1989 of bladder and lung cancer four weeks short of her 63rd birthday. Not being one to mince her words Jorgensen famously said in the year of her death, that she had given the sexual revolution “good swift kick in the pants”.

Most recently we have seen Bruce Jenner transition in a blaze of media attention, Caitlyn as she is now called has been in the public eye ever since winning Gold at the Montreal Olympics in 1980, has starred in two movies and was the father in the famous Kardashian reality spectacle.

All three of these women have been pioneers in their own way and have brought the issues of transitioning to the public’s consciousness. Brave women all, who deserve to be icons.

SIYA KHUMALO

Meet Siya Khumalo, Mr Gay SA runnerup and a nominee in the Mambaonline/ We The Brave’s Sexiest Man Survey 2015 ... Out Magazine found out a little more about what makes this dynamic guy tick ...

Siya, tell our readers a little about your background –like where you grew up, your schools etc…

Sure. I was born in Umlazi near Durban. I matriculated from Kingsway High School and after that joined the Defence Force (now that’s what we call “going through a phase”).

Are you an only child or do you have brothers and sisters?

I have a younger brother and three sisters. Mum had the last three of us in 1987 (me), 1988 and 1989. So my younger siblings and I are practically the same age and I find everyone else’s family interesting because of what I see as these massive age gaps between consecutive siblings.

At what age did you realise that you were gay? I may be fuzzy on the exact age but I was 12 years and 50 weeks old when the penny dropped. There were mini-realizations before that, though.

You acceptance of being gay and the “coming out” experience – how was that?

Looking back, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, though it’s been a mix of really good and really painful experiences. It’s been less about being gay and more a journey towards authenticity and fearlessness. Towards liking this weird person I’ve had the privilege of being.

Did your friends and family support you when you told them that you were gay?

For the most part, they have. Interestingly, some don’t understand it AT ALL but love me to bits, exactly as they find me. It’s not a clear-cut situation where everyone’s on the same page and speaks the same language. Life is messy. But the love is strong.

Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, famously said that there is no place for gays in Africa and likened gay people as “worse than pigs and dogs” –what is your response to him?

The bar for who counts as Africa and who doesn’t must be set really low or really skew if gay people can’t make it because they happen to love persons of the same sex, but he can make it though he’s continuously demonstrated hatred and tyranny. If that’s what Africa stands for (I don’t think it is) then it’s not worthy of gay people in the first place. He can keep it.

South Africa is the ONLY country on the continent where gay people enjoy full human rights. How do you celebrate Gay Pride?

I march during Pride. The walk gives me an opportunity to interact with other marchers, activists and attendees, but also to reflect on the moment we’re going through in history. It’s a gathering of people who challenge the status quo. Progress comes on the back of truth-tellers.

Are you involved in any charities or human rights groups involved in the gay community?

I am Deputy Chairman of the KZN Gay and Lesbian Tourism Board. It’s not a charity – it’s a NPO – but organizations like it are a bulwark for LGBT rights. South Africa is the only country on the continent where gay people enjoy full human rights; therefore, it’s the best platform from which the importance of the “pink currency” can be advanced as an economic argument for gay-inclusive policies and business practices. This isn’t limited to tourism but pours over into stuff like venture capitalists investing resources and even their brand equity into events, movements and products that challenge heteronormativity – and that’s a mushrooming episector. Though it isn’t located anywhere in particular, it will

take the old guard off guard. The world is becoming smaller, bodies and the personal are becoming more political and every square inch of the world is becoming an ideological battlefield. So if we can quantify gay leisure and traveling spend, for example, and synergize our stakeholders, LGBT and human rights will be seen as inextricably tied to the economy.

What motivates and inspires you?

I want to matter. I want people who’re like me and who’ve experienced the types of things I have (good and bad) to matter. I have a hunger to see that happen – to be significant for doing something good and great.

You recently entered the Mr Gay SA Competition. How was that experience?

Now that was brilliant! It showed me that we have so much unseen and untapped potential in our gay community. Passionate, beautiful guys galore. I’d just like to take this opportunity to encourage guys to visit the Facebook page or google the competition, and give a serious thought to entering. It’s possibly the best thing I did this year.

What was your motivation to enter?

I thought that with the activism I’m involved in, I could use the platform to amplify the message I’m working to get out in the world. It’s not a new message but it is a somewhat new terrain. Oppressed and endangered people have been fighting to exercise their human rights for years. We just haven’t before fought for sexual minority rights in the public space quite the way we’re doing now. It wasn’t seen as polite.

You have also been nominated in the “We The Brave / Mambaonline Sexiest Man” Competition. How did that happen and are you confident of your chances? I received an opportunity to share my brave story and much of the feedback was along the lines of, “We really liked your story!” At first I thought everyone was just being polite about liking the story, then I looked and looked again and – BAM! – I was nominated for Sexiest Man, and tomorrow (November, Friday the 13th ) I’m on the Expresso Breakfast TV Show talking about that.

What are your plans for the future?

Meeting with a publisher. I’ve written a book about sexuality and the New Testament. It will be the foundation of what I’ll call The Unveiled Faces Project. Watch this space.

Do you have any advice for young gay people who are dealing with the issues of “coming Out – particularly those in the black African community where attitudes tend to be very conservative? If people say to change something about yourself, think about why they would ask that. Is it because your behavior is really bad, or are they just unable to face their own issues?

Please don’t marry someone of the opposite sex just because someone else said to. Our cultures are beautiful but so is the Bill of Rights. That’s chapter two of the constitution, and that

makes it the law of the land. Not someone’s interpretation and application of a cultural, tribal or religious norm. In this country, the constitution is above those things.

Get informed, get connected, get involved and stay safe. Informed, because the timely application of knowledge really is power; it’s not just a cliché. Read. Ask questions.

Connected, because you don’t have to face the world alone, and being online is a great way to have a community watching out for you (it comes with its own risks).

Involved, because each of us is responsible for creating tomorrow.

And safe because STIs, stalkers, haters, bigots and hot guys named Luke are real and they’re dangerous.

Are you single, dating or in a committed relationship? I’m married to the book I’m about to release.

Who is your favourite singer / entertainer?

My Mr Gay South Africa co-leader, Mortimer van der Westhuizen. If you mixed together the sweetest human qualities and then wrapped them in human skin, the result would be Mortimer.

What do you do to relax and unwind?

I kick back with a glass of red wine.

It is the Festive Season. Are there any special gifts that you are hoping to get this Christmas?

I’d rather not say. I have this really weird pattern where I want something, I get it – then I discover it takes me so long to learn how to use it that in the end it’s wasted on me.

What are your New Year’s resolutions?

To get a body that would put me into some hectic modeling (it’s coming along)

To grow The Unveiled Faces Project

To help make something spectacular happen with gay and lesbian tourism in KZN.

OUT Africa Magazine wishes Siya all the best for the future ... and what a great future there is for this country with young people, like Siya, who are out, proud, intelligent and not to mention that he’s great looking to boot...

MISS GAY WESTERN CAPE 2015

Once again the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch was the home of the Annual Miss Gay Western Cape Pageant. Now in its 7th year, the 7th Queen was crowned on the 07th of November… All of the lucky 7’s.

The pageant follows a specific format every year as follows; Entrants from all over the Western Cape are encouraged to enter via Social Media and other platforms. They are required to take part in the prelim competition, known as Miss Body Beautiful, which is held at West End in Athlone. On this evening, the finalists for the year are selected. This year 12 finalists were chosen and Miss Anastacia Khan was crowned as the winner of the title, Miss Body Beautiful 2015.

The selected finalists then spend every Sunday thereafter preparing for the Finals. They are well informed of the requirements and subject themselves to the following categories, Pre Judging – One on one discussions with judges; Ghost Judge – Time schedules to rehearsals and events, appearance at rehearsal and behaviour; Swim Wear – a bather of their choice; Theme Wear – a costume that depicts their interpretation of the Theme for the year; and Evening Wear – an evening gown of their choice.

Tickets to the event were sold out 21 days in advance and those lucky to get their tickets in time were not disappointed. This year the theme was “A Whole New World” (not the Aladdin Song) but an interpretation of how the finalists would see a whole new world for themselves.

The opening, choreographed by Kitty de la Renza, saw all finalists, as well as the previous Title holders get the crowd on their feet! The MC’s for the evening, Irma G and Nathan Kayster, were once again on point and had the crowd in stitches! Performances this year saw the creative Manila von Teez come out with her own interpretation of the New World, which saw her don a transformer outfit, flanked by dancers in orange jumpsuits (depicting Hazmat Suits), this mixed in with lighting attachments, was spectacular. Miss Body Beautiful 2015 Anastacia Khan, known as the Whitney Houston of Drag, was breathtaking with her version of the classic “Didn’t we almost have it all” Well known Cape Town Diva, Salome Damon, did not disappoint and had the crowd both singing and dancing along.

Former winner and member of 3D, the beautiful Kat Gilardi, took to the Stage with Diva extraordinaire Angel Lalamore and both gave it their all before dance group sensation, Cocoboiz, joined them. The collaboration was perfect and the audience showed their appreciation. It was then the turn of Angel Lalamore, and what more can be said about this performer? Joined in the middle of her song by Manila, Anastacia and Kat, she had standing ovations in both the middle and end of her song, with the crowd chanting for more! A performance par none. Finally, and also gracing the stage, was previous Idols Winner, Karin Kortje, who’s soulful voice was, as always, breathtaking.

Ultimately, the evening was all about the Finalists. Representing from Wolseley, to Elands Bay, to Mitchells Plain, they competition was extremely tough and a winner hard to select. The finalists were outstanding, the effort they had put in had audience members chanting their names, raising placards high, and shouting for more. They did not disappoint at all and should be extremely proud of themselves. Judges on the night included the likes of Coenie Kukkuk and previous Miss South Africa winner, Pearl Janson and others. Both Coenie and Pearl were highly complementary towards the event.

Awards given were as follows: Miss Gay Humanitarian (selected by previous winners of this Title), Miss Personality (selected by the finalists) and Best Themed Wear – Belinda Qaqamba Kafassie. Best Dressed – Layah Raja Novacek. The top 5 were then placed as follows; 4th Runner-Up – Emogen Moore, 3rd Runner-Up – Laylah Raja Novacek, 2nd Princess –Evon von Diamond, 1st Princess – Wendy la Rosa and then finally, the Queen – Camille von Zuush.

Camille von Zuush, from Wellington, was certainly enjoying her weekend as she had been admitted to the high court on Friday as an attorney. A well-deserved win, the heartwarming moment, was when her mother joined her on stage and the tears flowed. Once again proving how valuable the support and love of our family in whatever we do, is so vital. Camille joins a group of fierce queens, and no doubt, will make her mark on our community! We wish her all the best for her year of reign and the support and love from us all.

HALLOWEEN & MCQP LAUNCH AT CREW

GENDER BENDERS

Unravelling gender terminology

The graphic has three interlinked components: The “female symbol” (or “mirror of Venus”), a circle (representing a body) with a cross below it; the “male symbol” (or “spear of Mars”), a circle with an arrow at the upper right; and a plain circle in the centre, representing a body unspecified as to sex. A complexity here is that this symbol is sometimes taken to be a transgender symbol, the central circle representing someone who in some sense is “both” female and male. And for this purpose there are a number of competing symbols.

Have you ever wondered about acronyms like LGBTIAQ – standing for Lesbian – Gay – Bisexual-Transgender-Intersex-Asexual-Queer. Other acronyms include a “C” – Curious … I am sure as we become more politically correct the list will grow till the acronym becomes unusable…

AGENDER

The “A” in Agender is an old Greek prefix meaning “without”, so Agender literally means “without gender”. This includes those people who do not have a gender identity, those that are neutrally gendered or those who do not know how to describe their gender. Agender people can refer to themselves using any pronouns, whilst others avoid the use of gendered language as much as is possible. The present themselves as male, female or non specific. Remember though that physical appearance and presentation has nothing to do with gender identity.

ASEXUAL

As in the above, describes someone who doesn’t indulge in sex. A person who has no sexual feelings or desires.

BINARY / NON BINARY

When people talk about the gender binary the talk about the idea that people can only ever be “male “ or “female” (incorrectly of course). There are people that identify as non-binary in that their gender falls somewhere in between these two categories, not always perfectly in the middle and sometimes not even on the spectrum at all.

For the most part the term “non- Binary” functions as an umbrella term for many different individual identities like gender fluid when ones gender fluctuates.

BI-SEXUAL

A bisexual person is one who is sexually attracted to both men and women and who identifies with their own gender assignment – male or female.

BUTCH

An overtly/stereotypically masculine man or masculine-acting woman. The word can be used to denote an individual, male or female, or the dominant role in a lesbian relationship.

CAMP

Effeminate way of being Gay. However, one can be camp without being gay. Think Will (Eric McCormack) from Will & Grace.

CISGENDER

Cis is a Latin preposition meaning “on this side of”. Being Cisgender means that you are comfortable with your designated gender and do not have any desire to transition from one gender to another.

CURIOUS

A person who simply want to know more about somebody they barely know merely out of curiosity. It does not necessarily mean that the person is attracted to/ interested in the person, sexually or socially.

DEMI BOY / DEMI GIRL

Someone partly a boy, and partly something else, without defining that other part. Demigirl: Someone partly a girl, and partly something else, without defining that other part. NB: Short for Non-Binary, someone whose gender is simply non-binary.

GAY

A homosexual male or female . The word is also often used to describe something stupid or unfortunate, or camp, originating from homophobia, often among many teenage males in order to buff up their “masculinity”

GENDER

Gender is how you identify, not what’s between your legs. Almost everyone gets assigned a gender at birth and in most people this is never questioned because it matches the perception of their gender.

HOMOSEXUAL

A person who is sexually attracted to people of their own sex, They are comfortable with their gender assignment and have no desire to change physically. The terminology most acceptable these days is “Gay”

INTERSEX

Intersex people are those whose physical sex does not fit in to the typical categories of male or female. When a child is born it

is allocated a sex, either male or female. The decision is made on the basis of the appearance of the child’s genitals If there is any doubt, doctors will assign the child a sex and in many cases intersex children are operated on, without consent, to assign them as male or female. Intersex people may also have “typical” genitalia but vary hormonally, or have less common sex chromosomes.

LESBIAN

A term referring to a homosexual woman.

QUEEN

Entrance to “the Playground” - R35

A slang term which at times is disparaging and offensive, used to refer to a male homosexual, especially one who is flamboyantly campy or effeminate.

QUEER

Originally meant to describe something as unusual or strange. The word became a derogatory word to describe homosexuals. More recently, it has been reclaimed by non-heterosexuals as a word used to describe themselves. Queer can now be used to describe homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgendered people. In scholarly studies the word queer is also used to describe those who practice unconventional sex (e.g. bondage, etc.), therefore even heterosexuals can sometimes be defined as queer.

TRANSGENDER

Trans is the Latin preposition meaning “on the other side of” So being transgender means that you are uncomfortable with the gender you were assigned. Transgender is used as an umbrella term for anyone whose gender identity is different from what they were assigned, and can include people from all genders. It’s a more general term that includes transvestites, transsexuals, and anyone else who does not conform to typical gender roles. A Trans Man is a man who was assigned female at birth. A Trans Woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. A man trapped in a woman’s body and visa versa…

TRANSEXUAL

Transsexual means “one who wishes to be considered by society as a member of the opposite biological sex”. Transsexual (also can be spelled transexual) is the medical term for a person who has changed their physical gender to their desired target gender. However, outside of the medical definition some people describe themselves as transsexual and haven’t undergone sex reassignment surgeries.

TRANSVESTITE

A transvestite is a person who dresses in a style or manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex. At the root of the word is the Latin vestire, meaning to dress.

XX/XY

Binary and unchanging biological sex is as much a social construct as the gender system it tethers itself to. There is no indicator that can even be reliably used to sort people as biologically male or female. Intersex people exist that can’t be classified by XX or XY chromosomes. Hormone levels vary widely from person to person (a cis woman can easily have higher levels of testosterone than a cis man without it invalidating either persons sex).

MUSIC MOVES

Avicii (aka Tim Bergling), shocked the world at Ultra Music Festival when he brought out a harmonica and a banjo on the main stage, but quickly turned the world on to his brand of country-infused EDM that took over the radio with hits like Wake Me Up and Hey Brother from the Swedish producer’s debut album True

He has followed up with the release of Stories in October this year… the album has been getting mixed reviews but fans and EDM followers are loving it. It’s getting heard and played and the album sky-rocketed straight to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart

There is a bit of everything in this album. Some straight EDM bangers, almost straight up country tracks, disco and even reggae, and seems like Avicci is wanting to expand his boundaries.

Waiting for Love is a great album opener because it’s perfect mix of all the things you will find throughout this album.

Gonna Love Ya manages to capture a new summery vibe from Avicii music we haven’t before, with the same cheery synth leads he is known for.

I like how he mixed different genres into

“I have family and friends that are gay and it’s an important issue for me. I grew up in Sweden ... [being gay] is really not that much of an issue in Sweden” - Avicci commenting on his attitude to gay people

this and was able to bring out in this what has influenced him throughout the process of making this album. I applaud him, obviously, for stepping out of his comfort zone a little bit on the hip-hop leaning Pure Grinding. It is pretty different from a lot of the album but the song is so fresh and fun. The reggaeinfused Can’t Catch Me just didn’t feel like Avicii to me and the execution I think is really awkward, but I enjoyed his pure dance grooves such as Talk to Myself and City Lights. The fifth track on the album, For a Better Day,” even has a slight gospel feel.

The album excels when he sticks to the formula that he’s already built with tunes like City Lights, Broken Arrows (the best on the album) which features uncredited vocals (as all Avicii tracks do) from country star Zac Brown, and the hopeful For A Better Day is magic.

Somewhere in Stockholm is one of my favourites. It’s not the big EDM affair you look for when listening to Avicii, though, but I think it’s a powerful recording.

True Believer is awesome too, while Touch Me is a welcomed change with its disco-tinged production. I also like how Talk to Myself and Touch Me have these ‘80s vibes going on with the beats. Ten More Days was boring, but generally the album is a decent attempt at keeping up with a formula while trying new things. The dance tracks are actually where most of this album’s pleasant surprises lie. However, the flow of the tracks on the album did throw me off a little.

Despite Avicii’s well-publicised health problems in 2014 which led to a slew of canceled live dates, some melancholy would be understandable, but the mood of Stories is decidedly upbeat and lively. In the main, Stories stays true to all the things I already knew and liked about Avicii. I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it - his music is enjoyable and he is really good at what he does.

New Par ty Premiers –

Now besides being the slickest Gay dance bar in the Cape this popular venue will “Growl” starting Saturday 5th December, when OUT Africa Magazine will host the first new fetish circuit party.

This fetish party will be the first in a series of circuit parties being held at this fabulous new rooftop venue this summer.,” says Tommy Patterson, Entertainment and Public Relations Director of OUT Africa Magazine.

The party will cater for every fetish - underwear, leather, uniform, sportsgear etc. and of course boys AND girls are welcome… we have thousands of international visitors, as well as our annual pilgrimage from our neighbours around South Africa.

All ready for some serious partying in the Cape? So come and join them on the 5th December – whatever YOUR fetish…

Only R50 cover. Drink Specials.

Ticket bookings online at: outmagazine@telkomsa.net

ABS-OLUTLEY F-AB-ULOUS

Great abs are the secret desire of most men ... they give you that extra boost of confidence, draw admiring stares and wow do they look good when you dancing topless on that podium in the club...

UPPER OBLIQUES

a. Take a firm grip of the Cable Machine handle with both hands. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your knees slightly bent and chest up.

b. With your back and arms straight rotate your body

4 sets of 15 reps

UPPER ABDOMINALS

a. Using a Swiss Ball this exercise will isolate the upper abs.

b. Sit on the Swiss Ball and roll your body forward till the ball is under your lower back area.

c. With your hands placed either side of your head, raise your chest in a slow controlled movement

2 sets of 20

LOWER OBLIQUES (Love Handles)

a. Using a weighted disc or dumb bell in one hand

b. Stand straight up with the weight at your side with knees slightly bent and the free hand at the side of your head.

c. Tilt your upper body lowering the weight laterally alongside your body, returning to the upright position.

d. Repeat with the in the other hand 4 sets of 15 on each side

Upper Abdominals

Lower Abdominals

Upper Obliques

Lower Obliques

LOWER ABDOMINALS

a. Using a light weight bar bell – lie on a bench and with arms straight holding the bar bell and legs straight.

b.Keeping your legs straight raise them up to meet the bar bell

2 sets of 20

RECTUS ABDOMINUS (the 6-pack)

a. The barbell roll out will strengthen those core muscles

b. Take two bar bells and kneel on the floor with the bar bells at your knees.

c. Roll them out until your stomach almost touches the floor, then roll back again - be carefull not to hunch your back on the return

4 sets of 10 reps

THE BEAR ESSENTIALS

The trend for gay men to purchase their underwear online is growing each year. A local South African company which manufactures their own underwear and T-shirts is getting more popular ... check it out and take your pick ...

Established in 2012, Undieco is an on-line underwear site that serves up everything you’ve ever wanted in today’s hottest men’s underwear trends and styles. The universe of men’s underwear, particularly in the gay community, is gaining momentum every day with innovations in technology, production and design focusing more on fit and comfort. Undieco has grown significantly catering to the broader LGBT community.

A visit to www.undieco.co.za will leave you impressed with the exclusivity and quality of their branded product range. Their pride in this, combined with their service delivery leaves them with a 99.99% positive rating from a customer base that has grown significantly in South Africa and keeps on coming back for more.

Undieco’s underwear collection ranges from the subtle to the sexy. Their products include jock-straps, g-strings, bikinis, and boxers. In addition to this they also cater for the exotic tastes in underwear, toys and accessories.

Undieco also stocks a range of swimwear, in time for the holiday season, which includes the popular Aussiebum and Austin Benn brands.

They are proud to have started a range of Bear Wear products, the only stockists of locally produced and designed t-shirts, caps and bandana’s for the Bear and Bear

lovers community. They are currently in the design phase and will soon be starting a collection of apparel for the broader gay community.

You will not be disappointed if you visit their web-site and their facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Undieco/) and browse their collection.

For enquiries contact sales@undieco.co.za

The NEW Heroes

We know our status. We use condoms. We take treatment, stay in care and go for regular CD4 monitoring if we are positive. We are ARV adherent. We use PrEP when we are negative. We get tested regularly. We take responsibility for our health.

MY BOYFRIEND IS A COCK DOCTOR

Words: H4M contributing writer

Upon meeting acquaintances for the first time with my boyfriend, the conversation often goes something like this:

Acquaintance: “So what is it you do for a living?”

Boyfriend: “I’m a urologist, actually”

Acquaintance: “Neurologist? Oh how lovely”

Boyfriend: “No, a UR-ologist – I work with the other head”.

Invariably, this leads to an awkward giggle and a bout of intense shoegazing, as conversation swiftly turns to more mundane topics. So what is it exactly that causes polite company to run screaming for the hills, when one’s chosen profession is revealed to entail a specialised interest in the genitalia of strangers? Sure, being an architect would certainly elicit a more genial response, but damnit urology is as honourable a profession as any!

For obvious reasons, the primary subject matter of such a profession is certainly bound to cause one to prick up ones ears (pun intended). And indeed, there are many funny consulting room anecdotes (and others which are equally stomach churning) which my man is only too happy to share, especially in the company of my conservative, Catholic parents. Preferably at dinner time. You see, the good doctor is in on the joke too, and revels in the reactions evoked by his daily operating theatre antics. Naturally, of course, patient confidentiality is always strictly adhered to, ensuring that patients’ names and identities are withheld to protect the dignity of those under discussion.

One rather unnerving incident comes to mind. For good measure, members of my extended family, were on this occasion being treated to a slideshow of holiday snaps taken by my boyfriend on our recent holiday to Thailand. So far, so goodazure skies and golden beach sand and then, suddenly…. Wtf? An (admittedly impressive) pecker with a zipper agonisingly enmeshed into its tender flesh. Apparently doc had forgotten to place his surgical case images into a separate (and more discreet) folder. To her credit, my poor Mom’s riposte was that she’d never seen more than one of “those” in all her sixty years, and hoped never to see another again!

But on a serious note, let’s just consider for a moment the professional implications of being a gay urologist in South Africa, more specifically one who works in the public healthcare system. Imagine the potential reactions of mostly heterosexual men, were they to become aware that their practitioner was in fact (gasp!) a practising homosexualist. I know it’s ludicrous but I can clearly conceive that there would be men who would assume that he was getting some sort of extracurricular thrill out of performing an examination of their shrivelled knobs (not likely, gents). Sadly, notwithstanding our progressive Constitution and the advances in equality that the gay community continue to make, the reality is that, like many gay professionals in other sectors, he must continually work within the confines of what is essentially an “old boys club”, which requires discretion and a level of assimilation.

Happily for me though, my partner’s interest in penises (peni?) is not merely academic. So what do I think of his trade? Am I wracked with jealousy by the fact that he gets to inspect meat flutes on a daily basis? How do I measure up, given the presumably encyclopaedic database which he has accumulated over the years? Luckily I am fairly confident in my manhood, and take comfort from the fact that, by his own admission, none of his patients cause him to do a double take. Perhaps the old adage “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all” does hold true. Besides which, I have no doubt that there is nothing sexually attractive about a festering, STI riddled schlong or one into which a pencil has been strategically inserted via the urethra (true story). That takes putting some extra lead in one’s pencil a bit too literally, doesn’t it?

Having a urologist partner does at times bring home in a very real manner the need for all of us to ensure that we maintain good sexual and reproductive health. With my 40th birthday looming large, he has become increasingly adamant that I undergo my first prostate screening. I always assumed that diseases such as prostate cancer were only the preserve of older men. Not so, says my good doctor: While for most men at average risk of prostate cancer, discussions about prostate screening usually commence around the age of 50, it is recommended that men with a family history of prostate cancer start screening earlier. As many of us know, whether from comedy sketches or otherwise, the prostate screening entails one’s doctor inserting a gloved finger into the rectum in order to feel the prostate for hard, lumpy or abnormal areas. The test takes only a few minutes to complete and may cause slight, momentary discomfort. In the event that something suspicious is detected by the doctor (and no I’m not referring to that new buttplug you purchased online), your doctor may refer you for further testing.

When all is said and done then there’s no compelling reason for any man to baulk at the prospect of visiting the urologist. Yes the subject matter may at times be hilarious, but ultimately this practitioner performs a vital and sometimes lifesaving role. On the upside, at least when my time comes, there will be no uncomfortable avoidance of eye contact when I get my first (free) prostate exam….

The views expressed in this article is that of the writer’s. To find out more about Health4Men or to find your nearest gayfriendly clinic please visit www.health4men.co.za.

OUT’S TEN81 CENTRE: REACHING THE LGBTI COMMUNITY AND BEYOND

Aground-breaking new clinic, catering to the needs of groups at high risk of HIV infection, has been opened in Pretoria by Gauteng’s MEC for Health, Ms Qedani Mahlangu. On Thursday 3 September, MEC Mahlangu cut the ribbon to officially inaugurate the TEN81 Centre, located at the offices of OUT LGBT Well-being in Hatfield. The ribbon cutting ceremony marked the integration of the TEN81 Centre into the Tshwane Public Health Network, as the designated Key Populations Clinic in Tshwane (Pretoria). It will service men who have sex with men (MSM), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, sex workers (SW), and people who inject drugs (PWID). It is believed that the clinic is the first of its kind to be funded by Government in South Africa, and possibly the world. The event marked a significant milestone in the history of the OUT Clinic, which has been open since 2006. “The transformation of the clinic to a comprehensive one for key populations in Pretoria is a major step for OUT in its mandate to serve the LGBTI community, now also including the addition of two vital key populations; namely sex workers and people who inject drugs,” commented Johan Meyer, Health Manager at OUT.

“It also gives a powerful message in terms of Government’s commitment to the basic human rights of all, including access to basic health care for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity,” he said. “Furthermore, the clinic is a first of its kind in the collaboration between Government (Gauteng Department of Health), and civil society (OUT LGBT Wellbeing),” added Meyer.

In her address, the MEC encouraged the staff and peer educators at OUT and the TEN81 Centre to continue with their significant and necessary work in the sector, with the full support of Government, and specifically the Gauteng

Department of Health. The MEC further emphasised Government’s commitment to providing services to high risk key populations, adding that these groups enjoy all the rights of full citizens of South Africa; including the right to health care and protection under the law.

The TEN81 Centre staff complement includes two full time registered nurses and two lay counsellors. The following services are offered:

• HIV counselling and testing (HCT)

• Sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings and treatment

• Tuberculosis (TB) screenings and treatment

• Provision of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

• Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)

• HIV management (CD4 and viral load)

• Pap smears

• Basic wound care and clean needles and syringes

• General medical, sexual health, and safer sex consultations

• Individual and couple counselling

• Condoms and lubrication

The above services are free, professional, friendly, confidential and non-judgmental. Office hours are 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. Appointments can be made by calling 012 430 3272.

OUT LGBT Well-being, registered with the Department of Social Development as a non-profit organisation, has been providing services to the South African LGBT community for more than 21 years. OUT offers sexual health and psychosocial services; conducts research; trains mainstream services to meet the needs of their LGBT clients; and campaigns against LGBT discrimination and hate crimes.

For more information please visit www.out.org.za or www.1081.co.za

OUT TO LUNCH CONTEMPORARY CUISINE

Words: Rob Simpson

SILVER ORANGE BISTRO

Country Restaurant

Hartebeespoort

Cell: +27 (0)12 253 2132

Sunday morning, I’d just finished the local paper. Feeling restless, I decided to call up a few friends and we decided to meander through to Hartebeespoort near Pretoria.

We wandered in to a silver Spring early orange orchard, (later I found out that one can arrange for a gourmet picnic basket and spread out under the orange trees in the orchard). Should you be there in early Spring the fragrance which is most sought after permeates the gentle breeze as it engulfs all your senses.

The Silver Orange Bistro is country style bistro situated on the family owned citrus farm. It is a country style restaurant serving contemporary South African cuisine. The venue is also popular for weddings and conferences with a number of guest houses in the vicinity.

Also nearby is the Margaret Roberts Herbal Centre, the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre, the Chameleon Craft Village and the Welwitschia Country Market. You can also visit the Hartebeespoort Dam Wall, a Mampoer Distillery, an Elephant Sanctuary and the Bush Babies Private Rehabilitation Sanctuary.

The wine selection is also something to behold with a vast selection with over 180 excellent local wines with some rare allocation wines on offer as well as over 10 different French Champagnes and 11 local

Cap Classiques.. The Silver Orange Bistro also pairs the wines, the Champagnes and sparkling wines are mainly Brut or vintage and discovering their sources is in itself a fascinating exercise.

On entering the dining area one is hit by the magical elegance of the silverware, glittering chandeliers and the chic, tranquil atmosphere. The room is decorated in lilac and grey making one feel as though you’ve been lured in to an enchanted place leaving you wondering what magical food delights will be served.

Owner / Chef Leon Nel

The menu changes regularly but there are always the popular favourites …

For starters I can recommend the Pear and Baby Marrow Soup with fresh cream and homemade French Toast or the Silver Orange Duck Samosas, made with duck and figs and served with a red wine plum puree.

For the main course we selected – the Caramelised Onion Fillet (a grilled beef fillet, with caramelised onions, braised red cabbage and mashed potatoes).

Secondly, the Gorgonzola Fillet (a grilled fillet with Gorgonzola and a red wine reduction, served with baby potatoes and in season vegetables.), accompanied by a perfect glass of red wine. And lastly the Seared Tuna which is perfectly prepared and literally melts in the mouth.

For desserts we chose the Frozen Peanut Fudge Ice cream Bar, the flourless chocolate and citrus cake (highly recommended!) and the Namibian dates stuffed with Brie – A Middle Eastern classic that leaves you begging for more.

Visually striking plates of food that not only are works of art but are as delectable on the palate as they look are a signature element of the Bistro. Leon Nel the owner considers the food preparation to be an art form but maintains that his dishes are never contrived or pretentious as food is his passion. He insists that each plate is a dialogue of unusual tales, flavours and textures designed to unlock the diners emotions.

It is a great day out and highly recommended.

OUT TO LUNCH

MAKING HIS MARC

MARC’S TABLE

Sugar Hotel

Somerset Road, Cape Town

Tel: +27 21 430 3780

The evening was warm and balmy, the first after a long Cape winter ... A few friends met for a night out at Marc’s Table. We’d all been once before on the night of The Cape Town Carnival and with all the activities hadn’t really appreciated the fine fare that we indulged in.

Immediately on arrival we ordered a round of drinks and chose an outside table and settled in to what promised to be a great night. Marc’s Table is located in the Sugar Hotel, a small boutique Hotel a stone’s throw from the de Waterkant “Gay Village” so is convenient especially if one wants to take in a bit of Cape Town’s gay scene afterwards.

Our waitron brought the menu and for starters I chose Pan Seared Chicken Livers in a Sherry Cream reduction with herb toasted croutons - just lovely! Others in the party ordered the Home Cured Beef Carpaccio topped with microgreens & Parmesan and salsa verde. Also given the green light was the smoked Springbok with strawberry and microgreens with a delicious Gorgonzola dressing. The starters were all very tasty indeed - we didn’t sample the soup of the day or the smoked Snoek Frikkadels but if the choices we went for were anything to go by - they must be great - next time perhaps...

Incidentally a beautifully styled dish by chef Marc van Rooyen was voted the “Zomato Best Dish of Restaurant Week 2015” in November ... .

For the main meal I would usually have chosen the Braised Lamb Shank which is served with a roast vegetable cous cous, caramelised butternut pureé and a Moroccan spiced jus - sounds mouthwatering. But another favourite which I never rustle-up at home is Pork Belly so after much deliberation I settled on the Pork Belly which was liquorice glazed and served with an Asian vegetable stir-fry, a pork springroll and a five spice jus. My choice was perfect! Our table also ordered the Gnocci served with roast butternut and tomato served with roasted pine nuts and a sage parmesan foam which was pronounced superb. The Roasted Chicken Supreme served with crushed spiced potatoes, curry veloute and beetroot raita looked and tasted delightful as was the Beef Fillet which came with a potato, Spring onion and Cheddar croquette, grilled vegetables and a bone marrow jus.

Desert, always the best part for me, didn’t disappoint. I tucked into the Vanilla Bean Crème Bruleé with a Wild Berry Compote, while a friend had the Belgium Chocolate Fondant with White Chocolate Ice Cream, we also ordered the Cape Malva Pudding finishing off with a Cheese Selection served with homemade preserves.

The ambience was very pleasant, looking out towards the Waterfront on the busy Somerset Road in trendy Green Point. Modern furnishings and food that tastes sublime and looks like an artist has prepared the plate, Marc’s Table is an excellent choice if you are looking for good food and an agreeable atmosphere.

OUT ON FILM

LET’S GO TO THE MOVIES WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN

Spotlight In 2001, editor Marty Baron of The Boston Globe assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against John Geoghan, an unfrocked priest accused of molesting more than 80 boys. Led by editor Walter “Robby” Robinson, reporters Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Matt Carroll and Sacha Pfeiffer interview victims and try to unseal sensitive documents. The reporters make it their mission to provide proof of a coverup of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church. It is directed by Thomas McCarthy (The Station Agent, The Visitor) and written by McCarthy and Josh Singer. Release date is 5th February, 2016

Freeheld is based on the true story of Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore), a police officer in Ocean County, New Jersey. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, decorated New Jersey detective Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) wishes to leave her pension benefits to domestic partner Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). Denied by local county officials, Laurel receives help from hard-nosed colleague Dane Wells (Michael Shannon) and activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell), who unite to rally fellow police officers and ordinary citizens to support the couple’s fight for equality. Directed by Peter Sollett and written by Ron Nyswaner. It is based on the 2007 documentary short film of the same name and releases in south Africa on February 19.

Other upcoming highlights include The Lady In The Van (Dec 11) Maggie Smith plays an eccentric houseless woman who lives in the driveway of a house in Camden. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Dec 18) will take you back again to a galaxy far, far away. Cate Blanchett stars in Carol (Dec 18), the story of a young aspiring photographer and her relationship with an older, married woman. , Michael Fassbender plays Steve Jobs (Dec 25) and also stars in a hard-core adaptation of Shakepeare’s Macbeth (Jan 9). Hunky Chris Hemsworth stars in In The Heart Of The Sea (Jan 1) the real-life maritime disaster that inspired Moby-Dick. Leonardo di Caprio stars in Revenant (Jan 22) in a true story inspired by the life of frontiersman Hugh Glass who sustained injuries from a brutal bear attack and had to utilise his survival skills to find a way back home. Gods of Egypt (Feb 26) is an upcoming American adventure epic fantasy film about the conflict between

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

the gods Set (Gerard Butler) and Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) as they battle for control of the Nile River Valley.

The NT Live season continues with Winter’s Tale (Jan 16), Jane Eyre (Jan 23), and for opera lovers there’s The Magic Flute (Jan 9), and The Pearl Fishers (Feb 6)

Top gay-themed cinematic experiences of 2015 now available on DVD

Pride is a film that will most definitely change your life and how you see the world and follows two very different communities who found strength by standing together.You will laugh, you will cry, but most of all, you will never forget this super film that will break your heart and proudly shows how important it is for communities to unite in peace. In 1984 the UK’s National Union of Mineworkers began a nationwide strike in protest at planned coalmine closures around the country. Among the many groups who supported the striking miners was a group of gay and lesbian activists in London who, following the Gay Pride march in the same year, decided to raise

money for the strike fund on the grounds that they had the same adversaries. So began an extraordinary tale of friendship and solidarity, following the events of a fraught 12 months during which LGSM became one of the biggest fundraisers in the whole of the UK.

The superb The Imitation Game is an intense and haunting portrayal of a brilliant, complicated man, and follows a genius who under nail-biting pressure helped to shorten the war and, in turn, save thousands of lives. Featuring a captivating performance by Benedict Cumberbatch as the tortured gay mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing. It’s the unforgettable story of a man whose passion was devoured by his passionate secret.

If there’s one theatrical experience that will change your life, it’s DV8 Physical Theatre’s spellbinding John. It is not only one of the most provocative and fearless explorations of male sexuality, but dares to state what needs to be said about the human condition. It will not only jolt your senses, but shake you to the core with Newson’s bold and imaginative interpretation and choreography of its rich narrative. Based on conversations with the real-life ‘John’, it takes you through the emotional turmoil of his life, from his appalling childhood, through the trauma of a crime and drug ridden adulthood, the harsh brutality of prison, to the intimate decadence and promiscuity of gay saunas, where he confronted raw sex and unsafe sexual encounters with strangers. For once, the drama was candid and significant, and marks one of the most explicit explorations of sexuality.

Saint Laurent is mesmerising journey into the life and mind of celebrated French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, who is regarded as one of the greatest names in fashion history. It’s a fictional tale that draws a compassionate and elegiac portrayal of his personality, lifestyle and friendships and a darkly romantic and visually distinct period documentary and homage which is set in France mostly in the late 1960s and 1970s, reconstructing real events and where shallowness, decadence and excessiveness is present. It also focuses Saint Laurent’s (Gaspard Ulliel) troubled romance with life partner Pierre Berge (Jérémie Renier) as well as on his individual neuroses, insecurities and delusions.

OUT ON DVD

LET’S WATCH DVD’S WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN

BEAUTIFUL THING

This heart-warming urban fairytale is based on Jonathan Harvey’s enormously successful stage play. It’s a tender love story set during a hot summer on a South-East London housing estate. Jamie (Glen Berry), a relatively unpopular lad who bunks off school to avoid football, lives next door to Ste (Scott Neal), a more popular athletic lad but who is frequently beaten up by his father and older brother.

A MARINE STORY Marine officer Alexandra is tough enough to kick any guy’s ass in a bar fight, but there’s one opponent she can’t beat: military policy. When she returns to her conservative hometown from Iraq with a mysterious personal life, she finds herself charged with preparing a tempestuous teenage girl to boot camp.

ANOTHER COUNTRY Another Country tells the story of Guy Bennett (Rupert Everett) and Tommy Judd (Colin Firth), teenage friends at an elite English public school during the summer of 1931. Clever, hedonistic and gay, Bennett is in his penultimate year of school and the future looks bright. Homosexuality, honesty and hypocrisy are the main themes in this coming-of-age film, based on the award winning play by Julian Mitchell.

BOUND Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly play a fiery role with one another in this hot movie. Jennifer’s character, Violet, is dating a shady man, Caesar. Corky, depicted by Gina, is a convicted criminal-turned-plumber. She arrives to Violet’s apartment to fix needed repairs around the apartment only to fall into the catch of Violet’s ways and try to steal millions of dollars from a mob only to blame it on Caesar. The passion between Violet and Corky ride a large wave of love and suspense.

BOYS IN THE BAND In 1968, the year before the Stonewall riots, Mart Crowley’s play d premiered off-Broadway. It was groundbreaking in its day, and Clive Barnes in The New York Times called it “the frankest treatment of homosexuality I have ever seen on the stage.” In 1970, it became a movie, directed by William Friedkin, with its original cast intact. A group of thirty-something gay men gather to celebrate their friend Harold’s birthday. It is important to note that The Boys in the Band dealt with gay topics as a time when no one else was doing so.

FOR A LOST SOLDIER Set in The Netherlands at the end of WW II, this touching story, told in flashbacks, explores the complex and romantic relationship between an adult soldier and a displaced, lonely adolescent boy. The touching story us based on Rudi van Dantzig’s autobiographical novel titled Voor een Verloren Soldaat.

GIA Angelina Jolie plays America’s first super model, Gia Carangi, in this true story that looks at her life of drugs and love affair with her make-up artist, and shows the reality of fame and the price of addiction.

PRICK UP YOUR EARS Stephen Frears’ 1987 biopic about genius British playwright Joe Orton is essential LGBT cinema, and comes hot on the heels of Criterion’s release of Frears’ My Beautiful Laundrette. Gary Oldman and

GO FISH The setting of this movie, which takes place in around a coffee shop settled in Chicago, offers a location of mystery and movie fuelled with love and scandals. The twists and turns of relationships and love affairs are prevalent throughout this movie and are what drives this film.

MY PRIVATE IDAHO River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves star in this haunting tale from Gus Van Sant about two young street hustlers: Mike Waters, a sensitive narcoleptic who dreams of the mother who abandoned him, and Scott Favor, the wayward son of the mayor of Portland and the object of Mike’s desire. Navigating a volatile world of junkies, thieves, and johns, Mike takes Scott on a quest along the grungy streets and open highways of the Pacific Northwest, in search of an elusive place called home. Visually dazzling and thematically groundbreaking, it’s a deeply moving look at unrequited love and life on society’s margins.

LA CAGE AU FOLLES Renato (Ugo Tognazzi) and Albin (Michel Serrault)—a middle-aged gay couple who are the manager and star performer at a glitzy drag club in Saint-Tropez—agree to hide their sexual identities, along with their flamboyant personalities and home decor, when the ultraconservative parents of Renato’s son’s fiancée come for a visit. This elegant comic scenario kicks off a wild and warmhearted French farce about the importance of nonconformity and being true to oneself. A breakout art-house smash in America, Edouard Molinaro’s La Cage aux Folles inspired a major Broadway musical and the blockbuster remake The Birdcage. But with its hilarious performances and ahead-of-its-time social message, there’s nothing like the audacious, dazzling original movie.

Alfred Molina portray one of the most dysfunctional gay couples ever committed to celluloid — Love Is Strange indeed! — as Orton, who became the toast of London’s West End with cheeky plays like Loot and was even hired to pen a screenplay for The Beatles, and his not-so-talented-wannabewriter mentor/boyfriend, Kenneth Halliwell, who went bonkers over Orton’s insatiable appetite for cruising and hookups. Comical and tragic, this one’s a must and quite the history lesson to boot. Visit Let’s Watch DVDs on Facebook or visit www. writingstudio.co.za

MAURICE Set against the stifling conformity of pre–World War I English society, E.M. Forster’s Maurice is a story of coming to terms with one’s sexuality and identity in the face of disapproval and misunderstanding. Maurice Hall (James Wilby) and Clive Durham (Hugh Grant) find themselves falling in love at Cambridge. In a time when homosexuality was punishable by imprisonment, the two must keep their feelings for one another a complete secret. Sparkling direction by James Ivory, distinguished performances from the ensemble cast, and a charged score by Richard Robbins all combine to create a film of immense power. Maurice is a romantic, moving story of love and selfdiscovery for all audiences.

ON STAGE

AT THE THEATRE WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN

Singin’ in the Rain will delight musical lovers at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town from December 11 to January 10 and at the Teatro at Montecasino from January 15 to March 13. The spectacular show is packed full of the charm, romance, comedy and tinsel town glamour of one of the world’s best-loved films and features wonderful tap dancing sequences and all the well-known songs from the glorious MGM score, with Bethany Dickson, Grant Almirall, Steven van Wyk and Taryn-Lee Hudson. With its joyous story, high-energy choreography and sumptuous set design and costumes, Singin’ in the Rain showers you with everything you could wish for in a hit musical. Please note, the first 3 rows of the stalls (A – C) are designated as the “splash zone” where there is a strong chance of a shower during the show’s big number. If patrons want to avoid getting wet, please do not select seats in these rows.

Pieter-Dirk Uys directs the musical incarnation of his classic Die Van Aardes Van Grootoor at Theatre on The Bay from December 9 to January 9. This sprawling seepie has been transformed into a glorious musical with book and lyrics by Uys, with music by Godfrey Johnson. A new generation of South Africans can share the angst en drang, die snot en trane, the laughter and tears, with Aia Siena, Tannie Dolla, suster Mimi, Brenda, John Firestone Junior, Tertius, Ouma, Elana van Aarde, Fanie and Evert.

The Imperial Ice Stars returns to South Africa with a dynamic new interpretation of its award-winning masterpiece Swan Lake on Ice at the Artscape Opera from January 14 to 31. Performed in the intimate setting of a frozen theatre stage, to Tchaikovsky’s famous and well-loved score, the show features exhilarating new choreography and some of the world’s most stylish dancing on ice, telling the timeless tale through mind-blowing high-speed leaps and throws, daring manoeuvres and graceful and sublime ice dancing.

David Kramer’s acclaimed Orpheus in Africa, an original new South African work is on at the Fugard Theatre until January 9. The beautifully executed musical charts the introduction of African American spirituals and the beginnings of ragtime to the colonies of Queen Victoria

and includes original songs by David Kramer. It gives audiences an opportunity to step into the elegant Victorian era and experience the powerful singing style of the Virginia Jubilee Concert Company as they recreate well known classics such as Roll Jordan Roll, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Hush and Deliver Daniel, and David Kramer’s specially written songs.

Marvin Hamlisch was the man behind some of the most beautiful music of the twentieth century. I’m Playing Your Song traces his remarkable story through the songs and music he gave the world. Jonathan Roxmouth is back at the grand piano as Hamlisch, with Sharon SpiegelWagner playing everyone from his first Juilliard teacher to Barbra Streisand in an evening of music, memories and affection for a great musician and man at the Montecasino Theatre from December 17 to January 10, and at Theatre on the Bay from January 13 to February 6.

Platform 9 - To Park Station is the sequel to the 2013 hit production Platform 9 starring local television hunks Maurice Paige from Isidingo and Theodore Jantjies from 7de Laan. It trails the story of two friends who are making a train journey from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Whilst travelling the two meet very different and certainly interesting characters which include, amongst others, Colonel Baaidjies (an ex-soldier) and Buddrew (a pregnant woman). It is a heartwarming story about friendship, trust and human relationships. It is on at the Baxter Theatre from December 14 to January 16.

400 years after his death, Shakespeare is performed more and more and is loved throughout the world. He is without doubt Britain’s greatest export. Sweet Mr Shakespeare examines the reactions to him over the centuries and performs great passages from the comedies, tragedies and histories and is on at Theatre on The Bay from February 9 to 13.

The music of Cole Porter, the legendary American songwriter of the 20th Century, is simply made for dancing. To celebrate Porter’s versatility and enduring appeal, the Cape Town City Ballet’s fun Night & Day is on at the Artscape Theatre from December 31 to January 10 and puts its

own dynamic spin on some of his bestloved songs. It is also on at the picturesque Maynardville Open-Air Theatre from 24 January until 21 February with performances on Sundays only.

This summer the Mother City is going to rock as Alistair Izobell and the Baxter Theatre Centre pay tribute to the iconic Luxurama Theatre, one of Cape Town’s grand old dames of cinema and entertainment with a brand new production, Remembering The Lux. Written and directed by Izobell and Baxter CEO and artistic director Lara Foot, Remembering the Lux is set to be the undisputed highlight of the festive season. They have teamed up to bring to life and celebrate its history through stories and classic hit songs in this firstever homage to the legendary Luxurama. Remembering The Lux is on from December 3 until January 9.

It’s panto season with the swashbuckling version of the classic fairy tale Puss in Boots at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban until January 11, featuring the charming and charismatic Rory Booth in the title role, we also happily welcome back panto stalwarts Bryan Hiles (as Puss’s hapless surfer-dude owner, Tom) and Darren King (Tom’s outrageous mother, Dame Marzipan, the village baker), and at The Mandela at Joburg Theatre you can see Sleeping Beauty until December 30, with hunky Christopher Jaftha as Prince Harry Hunkador the Handsome and Tobie Cronjé,as Dame Nora Nursey.

Queen – It’s a Kinda Magic is a spellbinding experience that brings people together to celebrate the genius of iconic rocker Freddie Mercury and the immortal music of Queen. It is on at the Sibaya Sun Casino from December 11 until January 10, the Wild Coast Sun on January 5, and at the Joburg Theatre from January 14 until February 7. If there’s one thing a tribute show of this magnitude demands is that it rocks, and it does, solidly, with enthralled fans joining in the pulsating beat by singing along, stomping their feet, dancing joyfully and raising the roof.

For people on the move.

Our staff understand that time is precious. They do all they can to make the most of every day. Including yours. That’s why we gave them all a pair of running shoes, because at Bidvest Car Rental, every minute counts.

www.bidvestcarrental.co.za

reservations@bidvestcarrental.co.za

Call 086 101 7722

Car Rental

Because every minute counts.

Experience customer service excellence

Audi Centre Claremont invites you to come and experience true customer service excellence at our state of the art facility located in the Southern Suburbs.

You can expect to be pampered and treated like royalty whether you are in the market for your dream car, browsing our extensive collection of Pre-Owned vehicles, or servicing your Audi to keep you on the road for longer.

Our friendly staff are always happy to help you, so do not hesti tate to give us a call on 021 65 77 111 and let us know how we can help make your next trip to Audi Centre Claremont a memo rable one.

Centre Claremont

143 Imam Haron Rd. (previously Lansdowne Rd.) Claremont Tel: 021 65 77 111