Matt Fennemore talks David Wojnarowic.

Michael Langan talks to performance artist Matt Fennemore about the queer arts pioneer David Wojnarowicz, whose work has inspired his new piece, You Killed Me First!

“Film-maker, performer, photographer, iconoclast, AIDS campaigner and all-round agent provocateur, Wojnarowicz belonged to an age when to be gay, queer, or whatever you want to call it, was to be fighting a constant battle against prejudice, bigotry and, as a matter of life and death, striving for human rights.”

What would you do?

In a moving, and funny piece, cabaret performer Menno Kuijper writes about living in Brixton and standing up to the man who called him “batty boy” on far too regular a basis.

“I never really quite knew how to respond to it. I always wished I could do something that would scare the living daylights out of him, unleash some kind of monstrous strength or fantastic superpower, or at least find something clever to say. ‘Yes, I’m gay, well-spotted, you’ve just won a fridge!’.”

Against homophobic bullying.

In April the Get Real video against homophobic bullying went viral. This is the follow-up video.

“The video was a letter to their past selves, urging them not to partake in the homophobic bullying that they now as adults regretted.”

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233 pages • Accent Press • May 9, 2012 [HB]

Tim Bennett-Goodman is angered and moved by this between-the-wars tale of homosexuality and prejudice.

“All the Beauty of the Sun, whilst far from being a polemic, serves as a salutary warning not to judge those who went before us by contemporary standards.”

Are we living the dream or the nightmare?

Performer and cabaret artist Alp Haydar asks if there’s an epidemic of hate in our society. To celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia/Biphobia and Transphobia Polari Magazine is publishing a series of stories from its writers about homophobic, transphobic and biphobic incidents.

“In a city that Boris Johnson claims prides itself on it’s open-mindedness, anti-gay hate incidents have risen by 28 percent in the last four years and continue to do so.”

Chasing the Homophobic Down.

Paul Baker writes about not letting homophobic abuse go unchallenged. To celebrate IDAHO 2012 Polari Magazine is publishing a series of stories from its writers about homophobic, transphobic and biphobic incidents.

“Acting on instinct, I chased him down the street and gave him a mouthful, right outside Waterstones. Nice old ladies stopped and watched in shock.”

How do we learn the art of disguise?

Uli Lenart from Gay’s the Word bookshop writes about hiding in the open for fear of being called different. To celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia/Biphobia and Transphobia Polari Magazine is publishing a series of stories from its writers about homophobic, transphobic and biphobic incidents.

“He turned and said, I would’t fuck you if you paid me’. It was as if time stood still.”

Not Standing Down To Jeers.

BJ Epstein writes about writes about men who leer at lesbians in an attempt to get back on top. To celebrate International Day Against Homophobia/Biphobia and Transphobia Polari Magazine is publishing a series of stories from its writers about homophobic, transphobic and biphobic incidents.

“I smiled at the men and said, ‘Yeah, and what of it?’ They looked taken aback, as though wondering how I dared to question their right to say whatever they wanted to me.”

How can you stand up to schoolboy bullying?

Polari‘s editor writes about being outed at 17. To celebrate International Day Against Homophobia/Biphobia and Transphobia Polari Magazine is publishing a series of stories from its writers about homophobic, transphobic and biphobic incidents.

“He turned and said, I wouldn’t fuck you if you paid me’. It was as if time stood still.”

The Confused Voice of the Opposition.

A reader thinks that homosexuals are militants bent on taking over the world!

“The author is obsessed with sex, listing activities that I had to look up. My knowledge has been enriched now that I know what orchiectomy, apotemnophilia and acrotomophilia mean.”