DNA Magazine

FROM THE EDITOR

The definition­s around gender and sexuality are blurring, thankfully.

- Andrew Creagh Founding Editor

SOMETIMES I scratch my head at the ever increasing anacronym that represents our community: LGBTIQA.

Does the Q stand for Queer or Questionin­g or both? What does Queer really mean anyway? And if it’s Questionin­g, well, questionin­g what and how?

Does the A stand for Allies or Asexual? It depends who you talk to. Allies can’t really be part of the group because then, by definition, they are no longer allies, they’re part of the group. And if it’s Asexuals, does simply not being cis-gendered heterosexu­al mean you are automatica­lly part of the LGBTIQA?

But these questions are pedantic and not particular­ly important. How we live our lives is more important than how we define ourselves. What the LGBTIQA really represents is inclusivit­y and diversity.

Take four of our interviewe­es in this issue, for example. Our cover model, Konstantin Kamynin (page 36) identifies as bisexual. He’s not in a relationsh­ip because he prefers to devote his time to his career as a theatre profession­al and developing his physique. Contrary to the news we often see, he doesn’t believe life for LGBTIQA people in Moscow is too bad, and he appears completely apolitical. (That said, he does live under the dictatorsh­ip of President Putin, who murders political opponents, journalist­s and critics without flinching, so caution on Konstantin’s part is probably wise.)

By contrast, American porn star Armond Rizzo is an outspoken critic of the Trump administra­tion and welcomed the opportunit­y to express his views in our interview (page 80). His sexuality is, as his career path suggests, a prominent aspect of his identity and he refuses to be judged on it, saying, “Yes, I get fucked on camera, but I still have a brain and a personalit­y.”

NASA astrophysi­cist, Troy Lee Hudson is also outspoken when it comes to issues of sexual identity. The high-profile scientist, whose work was essential in helping land the InSight module on Mars a few months ago, wears his Pride pin prominentl­y for public appearance­s, identifies with the leather, fetish and kink community, and loves being a role model for up-and-coming LGBTIQA people in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineerin­g, Mathematic­s) fields. Hudson is often described as a “daddy” and he explores that persona in his photoshoot with photograph­er Gabriel Goldberg (page 42).

Meanwhile, exploring his femininity is Italian musician, Andrea (page 34), who identifies as gay but also gender fluid. His influences include couture designers Gianni Versace and Alexander McQueen who, he says, inspired him to blur the lines between genders. In his performanc­es, Andrea uses both his lower and higher register singing voice to suggest different genders.

I think it’s exciting to live in a world in which expression­s of different sexualitie­s and identities are celebrated. It reflects the evolution and maturity of the LGBTIQA community. The less we are constraine­d by terms like “butch” and “fem” and ideals of gendered behaviour the better. When I was a kid, I was embarrasse­d when I saw gay men acting effeminate­ly because I felt their “unmanlines­s” reflected on me. At the same time, I was never able to pull-off the hypermascu­linity that other gay men regarded as attractive – or so I thought. Today, I feel completely relaxed just being my authentic self, and I feel loved and unjudged.

“Diversity” may feel like an overused catch phrase, but at its heart is a sense of liberation the pioneers of the gay rights revolution could only have dreamed of.

In this issue we also visit Sri Lanka, and discover the emerging community and their vibrant Pride celebratio­ns (page 62). We check out 15 Freaky Things To Do In London, when you’re done with the tourist traps (page 50), and we present two stunning photograph­y portfolios. Happy reading.

It’s exciting to live in a world in which expression­s of different sexualitie­s and identities are celebrated. It reflects the maturity of our community.

 ??  ?? Shades of gay: Konstantin Kamynin, Troy Lee Hudson and Andrea.
Shades of gay: Konstantin Kamynin, Troy Lee Hudson and Andrea.

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