THEGAYUK

Author: Roger Walker-Dack

  • FILM REVIEW | Sexing The Transman

    When the opening credits roll in Buck Angel’s new documentary and you see that it is an ‘I Love My Vagina Production’, you know that this is going to be a no-holds-barred look at demystifying the whole aspect of sexuality of trans men.

    What the charismatic handsome hunky Angel does is fill this highly unusual ‘sex education’ movie with scenes of explicit sexual activity to ensure that we are shocked enough not to forget his message of how liberated these men became after transitioning.

    In a series of in-depth interviews Angel talks to a several FtM (female to male) trans people about how they felt alienated from the bodies that they were born with and their decisions to transition into a male persona. They all had a great deal in common as they discussed the surgeries to get rid of their breasts, and how the effects of taking testosterone changed their lives in ways they never expected.

    Before transitioning some of them had played the traditional female roles with their boyfriends, some of them were in relationships with lesbians, but once all the hormone treatments kicked in, they all seemed to notice that their sexual libido shot through the ceiling and they started to be much more fluid and open to all different types of people to have sex with. Most of them also followed the same route that Angel took and opted not to have ‘bottom surgery’ with the end result that have started to be proud of the vaginas that had disgusted them previously, and now they were being penetrated and actually enjoying it.

    They all unanimously agreed that transitioning had changed their lives completely and for the better. Some of them are now in relationships, some have sex with other FtM guys like themselves, some like sex with men, some others like it with women. In terms of gender they all feel male. In terms of sexual orientation, they are very different – some of them are heterosexual (they like sex with women), some are gay (they like sex with other men or FtM men) and some like to experiment with men, women and FtM guys.

    As an outsider, it is often hard to get beyond our preconceived ideas of gender and the labels that society insists that we all use. One of Angel’s talking heads was the comedienne Margaret Cho who perfectly articulated her take on it all. Her sexuality had been ‘straight’ and then ‘lesbian’ and then she realised that she loved men sexually, and trans men in particular. She now identifies, as being queer as that, she feels, is not limiting and it makes sense to her as ‘gay’ simply doesn’t cover who she is. And she aptly sums up the feelings she shares with many trans men by saying that she is happy with strap on’s…’a dick is a dick, whether it’s been bought or grown.’

    The message that is loud and clear in Angel’s film is that the effects of injecting so much testosterone is that it makes you aware of many more possibilities and that your sexuality is never finite whatever your gender is. I am however also convinced that we would have completely grasped that concept without nearly all of the film’s subjects getting naked and playing with themselves on camera.

    Above everything, Angel is a powerful advocate for making this community visible and giving them a voice, for which he needs to be applauded for.

  • FILM REVIEW | Seek

    Twenty-something-year-old Evan Brisby is ambitious. Currently working on a gay magazine that covers the local community in Toronto his hometown, he aspires to bigger things and so sends samples of his writing to The Gazette, one of the city’s daily newspapers.

    ★★★

    He doesn’t get offered a job but the editor is suitably impressed to give him the assignment to write a freelance piece on the city’s nightlife, something that shy Evan is not really an expert on. He does, however, accept the challenge, as he knows that this could be his big break, and he also knows that Aidan his colleague at the gay magazine will be able to connect him up with exactly the right sort of people.

    Aidan comes up trumps and hooks him up with Hunter who despite the fact he is Evan’s age is evidently THE king of the night who runs clubs and hosts parties that are the best in the city. It is also obvious that Jordan quickly takes a shine to his interviewer who is so single-minded and determined to get the best story he can, is totally oblivious to his new admirer. Evan is also distracted by the fact that he cannot shake of the memory of a recent ex who very inconveniently keeps popping up in his mind and his dreams quite regularly.

    This micro-budgeted homegrown movie from first time writer/director Eric Henry is evidently partly autobiographical and besides being a fond love letter to the city of Toronto, is very much about different kinds of acceptance. When Evan is not shadowing Hunter for his article he is still doing his regular writing job that includes interviewing people like the gay couple into fetish sex, or the straight couple who have embraced the husband’s cross-dressing. Even when he is off-duty having a drink he has an uncomfortable encounter with an old man looking for company. Very admirable reminders about everyone needing to find their own path to happiness, but still a tad too preachy and really unnecessary to the flow of the story.

    Kudos to the fact that the production values of the piece that are much higher than one has come to expect from movies of this type. Henry helped this by making good casting calls using Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski a very impressive newbie as Evan, Ryan Fisher as Hunter, and hunky male model/actor Matthew Ludwinski as Evan’s lost love, even though the script he gave them had more than the occasionally grimacing moment.

    The whole affair is an enjoyable boy-lite romance that may not stretch your mind too much, but if this is a genre you like, will nevertheless put a big smile on your face when you see that everyone does in fact live happily ever after in the end.

     

     

  • Frameline Festival Has The Gayest Promo Ever

    We have been to a few film festivals in our time but we can say without a doubt that the brand new trailer promoting San Francisco’s Frameline Festival is by far the best we have ever seen It is also probably the gayest too.

    Now in its 39th year Frameline is the world’s oldest and largest celebration of queer cinema. It so worth the trip, that’s if you even need an excuse to visit San Francisco itself. After all, there is no place like here.

    Watch it below

    www.frameline.org

    @RogerWalkerDack

  • Just What Do The Scientologists Call Poppers?

    Are you still calling your favourite inhalant ‘poppers’?

    Well according to the Church of Scientology’s ‘Foundation For A Drug-Free World’ you are so behind the times. They have been touring New York City public schools teaching children about the evils of some fo the world’s more popular recreation drugs. Parts of the information they are imparting are the street names that are now used for inhalants.

    We are not quite sure where/how they discovered these terms, maybe some leading Scientologists filled them in… but calling poppers names such ‘Satan’s Secret” suddenly makes us think maybe we have underestimated them.

    Poppers that is, not the Scientologists.

  • FILM REVIEW | Meet The Fokkens

    69-year-old identical Dutch twins Martine and Louise Fokken give a new meaning to the word sexagenarian. Both of them have been working as prostitutes in Amsterdam’s red light district for almost 50 years now, and Marianne is still plying her trade daily. (Louise retired 2 years ago when arthritis meant she ‘couldn’t get one leg over each other’ any more)!

    ★★★★★

    In this truly delightful documentary we discover that they are a wonderfully colorful irascible pair of Rubenesque women who have such joie de vivre. The film starts with following elderly Martine as she catches the bus from the suburbs clutching her tiny chihuahua (which she NEVER ever seems to put down) and en route to work calls in at the convenience store to pick up another box of 144 condoms. Immensely affable she greets everyone she meets with her big smile and constant chatter as if she is just heading for another day at the office.

    Setting up her room she hangs her accouterments to show to passing strangers that she offers dominatrix and other kinky services for her ‘naughty’ men, and then dressed very provocatively sits in her large window enticing then to come in. The fact that all the ‘working girls’ in adjoining ‘windows’ are barely 20-years-old seems to hardly bother this old trooper at all.

    The sisters explain that very few of the punters want full intercourse but just to simply ‘get their rocks off,’ and the film includes some hilarious scenes with Martine and her gentlemen callers and how easily she can get them to be satisfied. What should be regarded, as an intensely sexual experience seems to be harmless and a somewhat funny episode for the men who appear to enjoy the free cup of coffee afterwards just as much.

    The sisters are inseparable and do literally everything together and live in their own apartments that are in buildings opposite each other. They dress in the same bright gaudy clothes, finish each other’s sentences and clearly are each other’s best friend. We see them in conversation with each other and also alone talking unguardedly straight to the camera about their lives to date. The information they reveal is somewhat patchy which makes their story even more intriguing. When Louise was 19-years-old and already a mother of 3 children her physically abusive husband ‘forced’ her into working, as a prostitute and Martine seemed to follow almost to support her sister’s indignity and precarious situation.

    They touch on the fact that they made so much money in the early days, but now stuck in municipal housing there is no sign of it at all. They are fiercely independent and talk about the days when they broke away from the organised crime ‘pimp’ system and even opened up their own brothel at one time. And there is a scene when Louise is reconciled with one of her daughters but no real explanation is offered as to why the child grew up with foster parents. It’s almost like there is a whole another movie to be made here.

    The sisters own pleasure now is in painting bright garish canvases of scenes of their life in the Red Light District. Like the women themselves their artwork can best be described as somewhat naive. They do however make for a wonderful scene towards the end of the film when they are exhibited in a Gallery and all their old cronies turn up to show their support and their genuine love for these two unstoppable women.

    They are two good-natured women with an infectious sense of humour who have obviously led a tough life yet appear to bare no scars or even deep resentments even, and the final scene where they are frolicking together in the snow like a couple of silly schoolgirls shows what a wonderful resilient couple they are.

    A sheer joy to watch, and even enough reason to check up flight schedules to Amsterdam.

    by @RogerWalkerDack

  • RIP: Anne Meara Dies

    Anne Meara actress and comedian and wife of Jerry Stiller and mother of actor Ben Stiller and of actress Amy Stiller died yesterday aged 85.

     

    Extremely well-known to US Audiences, she is instantly recognisable to us as for her role as Cynthia’s meddling mother-in-law in Sex And The City. Married to Stiller for 61 years during which they constantly performed together, although he and Ben became bigger stars, Ms. Meara still appeared in over forty movies in her long career that included Fame, The Boys From Brazil, The Daytrippers and she co-starred with her son in Zoolander and The Night At The Museum.

    Here is a clip of Jerry and Anne on Good Morning Joe TV Show in 2012 when they were honoured by the Actors Fund.

    @RogerWalkerDack

  • No Voters Offer CONGRATULATIONS in wake of Irish Gay Marriage Victory.

    Anti-Gay marriage groups offer ‘CONGRATULATIONS’ to campaign in wake of Irish Marriage Equality Victory.

    Whilst the outcome of yesterday’s historic vote in Ireland was widely predicted, the big surprise of the day was the unprecedented and gracious behaviour of the two main organisations behind the No campaign. When they conceded defeat they both issued statements congratulating the equality side’s victory.

    Catholic-based anti-gay marriage activist group Iona Institute, which had aired a series of misleading fear ads ahead of the referendum vote, sent out the following press release:

    ‘We would like to congratulate the Yes side on winning such a handsome victory in the marriage referendum. They fought a very professional campaign that in truth began long before the official campaign started. For our part, The Iona Institute is proud to have helped represent the many hundreds of thousands of Irish people who would otherwise have had no voice in this referendum because all of the political parties backed a Yes vote.’

    Mothers & Fathers Matter, the organisation behind last week’s video featuring two gay men explaining their opposition to same-sex marriage, said:

    “We offer our warm congratulations to the YES campaign on their victory. There are thousands of people who worked hard for them to achieve this result, and they can be justifiably happy with their efforts today. Though at times this campaign was unpleasant for people on all sides, nobody who involves themselves in a campaign does so with anything but the good of their country at heart. There is no better way to resolve difference than the way we are using today. From our point of view, we have represented a proportion of the population greater than those who support any political party. One in three Irish people in this campaign was not represented by the political establishment, the media, or the institutions of the state. We are proud to have fought on behalf of those voices when nobody else would. Today’s result was achieved by the Government after they issued certain promises about surrogacy, adoption, and a range of other issues. A lot of voters believed those assurances and they must now be kept.”

  • Ellen DeGeneres Mother Of Hot Twins?

    On her TV Show this week talk-show comedian Ellen revealed that she has been keeping a secret since 1989.

    (more…)

  • Results Of Irish Gay Marriage Vote Expected Early PM

    After an “abnormally” high turn out, the votes are being counted for the historic same-sex marriage referendum vote in Ireland.

    Hundreds of thousands of votes have been cast and with no exit poll it’s difficult to guess what the outcome will be, but pundits are quietly confident that the result is likely to be a Yes, meaning that same-sex couples will be afforded the rights to marry in Ireland.

    The same-sex marriage referendum has become worldwide news as countries around the world wait to see the outcome of what will be the first ever-public vote on gay rights. This will be the first time where the rights of a minority group, such as LGBTs has been voted by the public at large.

    Pundits have also commented about the sway of votes suggesting that cities are swaying towards a yes, whilst more rural towns and countryside villages are swaying towards a No.

    However, one town, Trim in co Meath, which has just over 6000 inhabitants said that it would vote Yes.

    The results are expected to be announced at 4PM.

  • Entire Irish Village Of Trim Plans To Vote Yes On Gay Marriage Equality

    We have been following the YES EQUALITY campaign in Ireland with great interest as it has worked so hard and steadfast towards the referendum on same-sex marriage this coming Friday.

    Voters will be asked to vote Yes/No on whether to add the following to the Irish Constitution: ‘Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.’

    A “Yes” vote will effectively ratify the Marriage Equality Bill 2015, which was passed by Ireland’s parliament, the Dail, by overwhelming majorities in March.

    This is an enormous historic step as if it passes as expected then Ireland will become the first country in the world to get marriage equality by a popular national vote.

    Our hats are off to the faultless and compassionate campaign that has been run so professionally and that has gathered together so many sections of Irish society, from children to mothers, from industry to church to show such universal support. The final video we are showing today is from the people of Trim, a small town of County Meath where it seems like the entire population of 8268 people are going to vote YES.

    THEGAYUK applauds the people of Ireland for the bravery and their tenacity for doing the right thing to give our community real equality.

  • FILM REVIEW | More Than Friendship

    ★★★ | More Than Friendship

    Twenty-something-year-olds Lukas, Mia and Jonas have been best friends since their childhood, but then three years ago this all changed.

    They fell in love with each other and became a very happy ménage-a-trois. They decried society’s contempt for their unusual relationship and became totally committed to each other even though it meant making a break from their parents who vehemently disapproved of their arrangement.

    Since then once a year every summer the trio went on a camping trip together touring the countryside where they were able to be completely free from everyone’s prying eyes and pointed fingers. This year, however, is different as Lukas has just been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and although the tight-knit lovers agree to take an oath that the holiday should be focused just purely on joy, they soon realise that it is difficult to completely forget that this will be their very last summer together.

    The trip starts off all light and love and it is surprising that they actually get to their first destination as they cannot keep their hands off each other and are always making out in the back of the van. However, it is inevitable that they cannot avoid the elephant in the room especially when Lukas shares with them the Living Will that he has written that gives them both control over his final days rather than his estranged parents.

    When Jonas gets taken sick and is rushed into hospital the trio’s joy and hope deserts them and is replaced with fear and grief and they have also to deal with the anger of Jonas’s parents who turn up and insist that the Doctors keep him alive even though that is against his express wishes.

    This sophomore film from German writer/director Timmy Ehegötz is overly melodramatic even given its themes. The three good-looking young leads play their parts passionately but despite this, it still seems that there is not enough actual chemistry between them to convince us that their relationship is as deep and real as the script would have us believe.

    This well-meaning movie is full of energy and brimming with enthusiastic performances and has a lot to commend it for particularly, in its attempt to de-mystify the whole thruple relationship concept.