qx1066.pdf

(38523 KB) Pobierz
clubs
bars
cabaret
life
No 1066 13 August 2015
18
Suitable only for persons
of 18 years and over
The
Women
Behind the Gay Scene
Working on the scene can prove challenging
at the best of times. Guestlists to sort out.
Madonna songs to remix, luxury flats to ward off. And all while you’ve got Lady Lloyd hanging off the end of the bar (or
John Sizzle rolling about on top of it). But what’s it like having to deal with all that, and not being a gay man?!
Dylan Jones spoke to four of the scene’s most salient sirens on the ins and outs of negotiating one of the most ridiculous,
high-octane and glittering environments on earth: the London gay scene!
Munroe Bergdorf
DJ, hostess, model, activist and all round fierce bitch
I’ve always loved working on the gay scene…as dramatic as it can be
at times. It’s a place where I feel safe, supported and encouraged to
be myself. During the tough early years of my transition, I learned that
although a lot of the scene didn’t understand what I was going through,
there was a willingness to understand and a willingness to help.
As someone who transitioned while already working on the scene, I
was hesitant and anxious about my journey to living full time as a woman
being so public. I didn’t know what to expect myself, let alone how
everyone else would
react. Obviously
not everybody
fully understood;
for a while I felt
gossiped about and
scrutinised, but then
I discovered that the
more vocal I was
about what was
going on with me,
the more supported
I felt.
Eventually I
discovered that the
scene has provided
me with a platform
that has allowed me
to reach others who
are going through
similar things that
I went through.
Whether that be
transitioning or just
feeling secure with
themselves and
confident in their
own skin. It has
also allowed me
to form personal
and professional
relationships with
likeminded individuals
who have helped me
to see that I’m not alone in how I feel or what I experience in life.
I would actually like to take this opportunity to say thank you to
everybody who came to see me at my DJ sets or contacted me on social
media and took the time to ask me “how are you doing?”, “are you ok?”,
“how can I help?”. It reminded me how much I value working in this
industry. It also made my transition a lot less lonely than it could have
been. I hope that from seeing me being open and vocal about my own
transition, those people who gossiped about me are now more likely to
know how to be supportive and understanding to somebody else that
could be going through the same things that I did.
Holestar
Female drag performer and DJ
I discovered that the more vocal I was
about what was going on with me, the
more supported I felt.
Being a person with a pussy on the gay scene can be a mixed
handbag. I recently won Best Drag Act at the London Cabaret
Awards, something I was surprised to be shortlisted for, let alone
win. While many who know and have seen my work were pleased
for me, I was on the butt end of a lot of lazy misogyny. Comments
like “she shouldn’t have won, she’s a woman!” and other drivel
poured forth from those who should know better.
There are venues that underestimate their audiences and won’t
book me because of my biological gender. Deciding the only version
of a queen on the scene is a cock-in-a-frock. Thankfully I get to show
off and DJ for plenty of audiences who judge me on my ability to
entertain and not the contents of my pants.
As much as I lean towards women sexually
(preferring to identify
as queer), I socially prefer the company of men. Most of which just
happen to be gay. However pulling can be tricky and I don’t go
for chasers. Sex in a wig? No ta.
I’ve always been envious of the options gay men have regarding
casual sex, women tending not to be so free and easy about it.
When I’ve got the horn, it’d be nice to pop to a lady sauna for a
fumble or female space that doesn’t involve veganism, comfortable
shoes or holistic hemp basket weaving.
Being a woman on the gay scene is fabulous and many of the
clichéd things that screeching fag hags love about it are true but
you do need the hide of a rhino. There’s bitchery and backstabbing
aplenty, but overall, it’s far more fun and accepting than any other
scene I know. Long may she reign.
2
qxmagazine.com
Princess Julia
DJ and QX Columnist
I should set the scene to when I first started going out, because there just wasn’t
as much going on as today. It was 1976. We went to punk gigs, pubs and discos.
Gay discos! One thing that is rarely mentioned is that the punk scene was very
gay. At the end of the 70s the New Romantic scene emerged and that was a real
melting pot of people experimenting with dress but of course sexuality.
As a girl on the club scene and especially the gay club scene I felt I’d found
a home. The idea of sexually segregated clubs has never appealed to me to be
honest. Although I did go to the newly opened Heaven back in the day on men
only nights, oh and I sometimes popped in the Coalherne and The Boltons in
Earls Court which in the 70s was the epicentre of the Gay Scene. And who knows
perhaps I’ll go to the men only Brüt as an honorary member or in man drag lol! I
always want to be in the most exciting places, meeting the most inventive people
and listening to a diverse selection of music.
It was at The Daisy Chain at The Fridge where I was given the opportunity to
DJ on a regular basis in the late 80s that I established a career traveling to clubs,
DJing across the UK and beyond throughout the 90s. My favourite nights were
always the gay ones of course. My fag hag legacy knows no bounds, as you can
see. Where else can you go and be welcomed with open arms!?
I became a resident DJ at Kinky Gerlinky, which in the ravetastic times of the
late 80s and 90s was a beacon of dressing up nights - all sexualities welcome.
And that is why I pay homage to my gay disco family, a place where all are
welcome. A place where in the past up to the present day there are so many
creative people putting on ever-inventive nights. A place where we encourage you
to be the person you really want to be.
My fag hag legacy knows no bounds, as
you can see. Where else can you go and
be welcomed with open arms!?
Zoe Argiros
Bar Manager & Co-owner of The Glory
I don’t really view myself as this ‘important woman working on London’s gay scene’.
Running successful bars is just my job and it’s what I’ve always wanted to do. As a
child my dream was to open The Lion King Pub. It was going to have large cutouts
of animals all over the walls and mobiles hanging from the ceilings. Instead I ended
up with A Man To Pet dancing with snakes on the bar, Jonny Woo in a pair of Mickey
Mouse gloves and John Sizzle on the floor like a turtle - so almost!
I was born in Stoke Newington and raised in Manchester so it’s probably not
a surprise that I ended up working in the gay scene. My five years as manager at
Dalston Superstore contained some of the most fun times of my life and it’s great
to feel part of the ‘Dalston detonation’ and that whole story. The Glory is what I’ve
always wanted though, to actually own my own proper pub.
People always ask me about London’s lesbian scene. I honestly don’t know much
about it. I know there are very few girls nights, which are all rammed, which proves
there’s a huge demand, but I think a lot of these girls go to these nights just to meet
other girls, regardless of what the music or style is. At The Glory I really want to
create a totally mixed Queer environment where girls don’t need to feel like it has
to be a ‘girl’s night’ for them to come. Obviously we will have nights that are aimed
more towards the girls, but we’ll be concentrating on making them more music
orientated. We’ve got a great live set up so I’ve been getting lots of my talented
female friends to do live sets and shows, that sort of thing! So far I’ve been seeing
loads of women down at the pub on a regular basis, which makes me very happy!
3
qxmagazine.com
Conchita
Wurst
Conchita Wurst is a force to be reckoned with, a whirlwind in a ball-gown.
Fresh off the back of releasing a book and an album, she’s continuing her
unstoppable, sequin-spangled rise to success. Chris Godfrey managed to
catch her on her way from one private jet to another, to talk life, drag and the
rumours that she might be doing the theme for next Bond movie.
Photography by Markus Morianz
What changed your
mind?
I said, ok, listen if we release
a book it needs to be a book
that I would buy myself and
the books that I buy feature
many pictures. So this is
what I did. I put in many
pictures that lead through
the story of my life. So there
are pictures of little Tom and
my parents and obviously of
Conchita. It became a really,
really close project to my
heart, which I didn’t expect
in the first place. I’m really
happy I agreed because it’s
beautifully made and I’m
actually very proud.
How has your drag
transformed over the
years?
I think that we all, at least
I feel like this, are in a
constant movement towards
hopefully becoming the
best version of ourselves.
By changing as a private
person day by day obviously
the drag character changes
with the experiences that
I’ve had.
I started out trying to be
this funny, nasty drag queen,
the picture the mainstream
has when it hears the term
‘drag queen’. But I had to
let it go, because I’m just
not funny enough. I’m not
the person who’s making
jokes on the back of others.
So I changed that and it’s
changing constantly and
I’m finding my style more
and more.
Do you feel people still
focus too much on the
beard?
If they do I don’t mind. I
decided to be a bearded
lady in the first place
because it was so practical to
me. I would host a burlesque
show every Saturday in 2011
and I just loved my face with
a beard and I thought, oh
my god if I have to shave it
would take a week to grow
back but then I have to get in
drag again.
The Unstoppable
Gender identity has been a big topic this year; do you
think we’re experiencing a golden era in drag?
I think that RuPaul definitely started bringing the art of drag
into the mainstream, which I think is a brilliant thing. There
is definitely a huge movement going on in the whole LGBTI
community; the trans community is celebrating their heroes with
Laverne Cox and obviously Caitlyn Jenner and others like Chaz
Bono. I think it’s so beautiful.
All of these people are so brave to put their private issues
into the mainstream. Because Caitlyn Jenner could have said
‘I’ve been a reality star, I’m done with it, that’s the real deal and
this is how I want my life to be and this is who I am’. She could
have done it without any media, without creating discussions
and bringing it to the mainstream.
Respect or freedom is linked to knowledge. And so many
people just didn’t have a clue before what the whole community
was all about. Now they’re starting to think on their own and
they’re creating their own opinions, which I think is great.
You’ve been pretty busy putting together a book and an
album. Tell me about the album.
Well it’s very colourful! It’s my very first one so I really wanted
to introduce myself with all the music styles that I’m interested
in. I just wanted to entertain myself, if I’m honest. That’s how I
created this album. I wanted to have a track list for the whole
day, for every mood you’re in; whether it’s in the evening
thinking about going to the club or having a romantic dinner or
something. I think it has songs for every situation.
And what about the book?
After winning the Eurovision song contest, a publisher came up
to me and asked me if I wanted to release a book about my life
and I said ‘no’ because I’m 26 year’s old and it’s quite early. I
think I said no about five to ten times.
We all
are in a
constant
movement
towards
becoming
the best
version of
ourselves.
4
qxmagazine.com
Do you remember the first drag queen you saw?
I’m not sure if she’s stuck to her name now but her name was Pam Glam. She was the first one
that actually painted my face. So my drag mama!
How was it doing drag at 14?
You know, in the very early days, if you would call it drag, I think I started doing drag when I was
six years old. Because I would always dress up at Carnival as a girl, each and every year. You can
imagine each and every year the day to be able to express myself and not getting the side eye.
But when I was 14, that was when I started to go to parties, having experiences in the LGBTI
community and that was the time that I saw the first drag queen in my life. And yeah I thought
‘oh my god you can do that without carnival!’ and I thought that was great. So I started to paint
my face and try things out.
Have you had much experience with drag queens from other countries at all?
Well not really when I started to do drag, because I’ve been doing drag since I was 14 but never
in a regular way. So it was basically about 2011 when I started to do it regularly and in public.
With RuPaul’s Drag Race obviously, because the whole world is watching that show, it definitely
became this thing of ‘oh I’m a fan of her and I like her’. Now, with winning Eurovision I’m got one
of these international booked artists, as well.
So yes we do meet from time to time and it’s beautiful. Anywhere I go and I meet a drag
queen, there’s wig talk, there’s lashes talk and having fun. Obviously we talk about all the gigs
we’ve had, where we’ve been and whether she was there before and exchanging experiences.
And honestly for me it’s totally exciting to meet those Drag Race girls because I know
them from the TV. There is something about drag which makes it possible to be connected
immediately and that’s beautiful.
I was in front of the mirror and I tried out some
new eye make up. I hadn’t shaved and I thought
‘I’ve never looked better’! So I stuck to it. Even in
the LGBTI community it created discussions about
whether I was doing drag or not…and I thought
‘well listen you’re the ones asking for equality and
wanting to be accepted for who you are. I am doing
drag. Thanks for asking. Sit down’.
But I realised that not just the LGBTI community,
but people on the streets who had probably never
ever heard of me in the early days but saw me on
the street they couldn’t’ help starting to talk with
their family, with their friends. Even if they were
critical or negative they talked about being different,
of drag queens, and in the best cases there would
be one person they’re surrounding saying ‘well I
don’t get it, why this is such a big deal?’ I think it’s
great. Just watching something uncommon could
change your whole mindset.
Who’s been your biggest influences?
Well I have to definitely say Shirley Bassey because
I listened to Goldfinger when I was seven year’s old
or eight and I obviously didn’t have a clue which
language it was or who that woman was, but it
touched me. And I kept on listening to it. I started to
imitate her and by doing so I realised that I actually
sound quite nice when I sing. That’s when I fell in love
with the fact I could probably be a singer one day.
I’ve heard rumours that you were in the
running to do the Spectre theme song…
Oh no! You know I’d love to sing a James bond
song one day but I still have to grow!
Just
watching
something
uncommon
could
change
your whole
mindset.
5
qxmagazine.com

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika:

Zgłoś jeśli naruszono regulamin