Schon! Magazine continues to deliver creative and inspiring men’s fashion editorials. This shoot features some of the best menswear labels including Givenchy, Dior Homme, Kris Van Assche and Maison Martin Margiela. Photographer Franck Glenisson, captures model Clement Barreda, in a series of energetic images that showcase tailored pieces that have been uniquely styled to create a sporty yet sophisticated look.
To read Schon! Magazine online click here.
We are surrounded by false idols who we unwittingly worship but at what cost?
False idols give us nothing in return for the attention and praise that we give them. They present themselves to the world and tell us that they must be worshipped without considering what they really have to offer or what their followers really want. False idols do not engage with their followers. They yearn to be seen as different, elevated, better and divine. They are disconnected from the rest of us. It is only through this disconnection that their false sense of power exists.
False idols are committed to superficial pursuits and are driven by their egos. They appeal to the negative qualities inside of us such as greed, envy, vanity and feelings that we are not enough. It’s easy for us to be tempted by false idols, because much like the golden calf of the bible, they appear shiney and beautiful which is attractive to the superficial and egoic mind. The superficial mind however is never fulfilled hence why we continually partake in pointless worship.
When we worship false idols, we are left feeling empty, demoralised and worthless.
On the other hand there are role models. Role models contribute to our lives, they inspire us to be better, motivate us to improve and engage in two-way communication with the world. We learn from role models.. Role models appeal to our soul needs and although our soul needs are sometimes muffled by the noises of the superficial mind, they are much healthier and positive and when met lead to true fullfilment. You’ll know when your soul needs are satisfied because you’ll feel uplifted, loved and joyous.
Who are these false idols? They are reality TV stars (and their families), half-naked “Insta-celebrities”, social climbers, the “popular” group at school and anyone else who is worshiped based on superficial qualities.
The choice is yours who to praise but my advice to you is that if you’re not left feeling uplifted by the people who you worship then perhaps it’s time to shift your attention from false idols to role models.
Image Credit: Steven Klein, “Valley of the Dolls”
“God” is a difficult and heated topic, one which I try to avoid. Everyone has their own understanding of what God is and if God ‘is’ at all and when these understandings conflict, intense debate often erupts.
For many gay men, particularly those who come from families who prescribe to a traditional religious persuasion, God is a concern that they cannot avoid. Rationalising one’s sexuality within the context of religion and what is wrong or right in God’s eye is an inevitable part of coming to terms with homosexuality for these men.
Coming from a home and educational system that was based on a Judeo-Christian belief of God, I was one such man. Although my view of God differs slightly today, the following is the rationalisation of my homosexuality from a religious perspective.
I was taught that we are all created in the image of God and that we are all God’s children. If you believe this then you cannot deny that gay men and women were created thusly so, by God, in his image. Denying gay men and women is directly denying God. Furthermore, God is perfect and therefore does not make mistakes. When God created gay men and women, it was no mistake. Denying gay men and women is therefore denying that God is perfect. God exists within all of humanity and therefore we each possess the same, identical Godliness within us. Denying gay men and women is denying the God that exists within you, the one God that exists in everything.
Obviously there will be religious people who believe that homosexuality is a choice and that the above rationale is therefore flawed but it’s futile to try convince them otherwise. Anyone who is gay, knows in their heart that their homosexuality was not a choice and that they were born that way either by divine purpose or through nature.
It is not our duty to try persuade our religious parents, teachers or friends to think differently but it is my belief, influenced by these parents, teachers and friends, that God loves ALL of his children and that’s all that matters to me.
Image Credit: David LaChapelle for Flaunt Magazine
It may not actually be Friday but that’s no excuse not to start the week on a positive note with the charming sounds of “The Kin” and their single “Get On It”. Brothers Isaac and Thorald along with drummer/percussionist Shakerleg make up the three-piece band who are based in New York City but are currently supporting Pink on her Australian tour.
Enjoy while: getting dressed first thing in the morning to put you in an inspired and uplifted mood for the rest of the day.
Interesting fact: The Kin conduct “musical robberies” whereby they storm restaurants and bars and spontaneously begin playing their music.
Aesop, the skincare brand that originated in Melbourne, Australia in 1987 is internationally recognised for its signature stores which are located throughout Australia, New York, Paris and Hong Kong but it is the Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque that makes this brand particularly attractive to the modern gay man.
Although each of its 60 plus stores is a uniquely designed architectural masterpiece the success of the brand is based on the products sold within these temples of beauty. In particular, the Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque is the perfect antidote to a big weekend of drinking and partying or a particularly tiring week in the office. The clay-based masque deeply cleanses and refreshes the face, leaving the skin feeling softened, tightened and revitalised.
To view the full range of products available from Aesop or to order online, click here.
Openly gay Australian comedian Josh Thomas could very well be the face of the modern gay man. His quirky character, hysterically crude yet witty personality, diminutive frame and awkwardly loveable mannerisms are the antithesis of the superficial muscleman image that permeates gay culture. But like most 26 year olds who are exploring their sexuality, Josh has had his fill of interesting experiences from coming out of the closet to dating his first boyfriend which he shares with audiences through his hilarious stand-up comedic routines.
Now the GQ Comedian of the Year Award winner brings his story to America in a 6 episode series entitled “Please Like Me” which Thomas created, wrote, starred in and produced. The laugh-out-loud funny and charming coming-of-age show is based on the actual painfully awkward events of Thomas, who is clearly going through a quarter-life crisis. The series follows him as he heads towards his 21st birthday and, in the span of 24 hours, is dumped by his girlfriend, Claire, realizes he may be gay and moves in with his mother, Rose, who has just attempted suicide.
Although it is a scripted show, Thomas didn’t hesitate to cast his real-life best friend and dog, John, to star alongside him. In another genius move, handsome Australian actor Wade Briggs is cast as Josh’s love interest. Although he may not be gay in real life, Wade Briggs convincingly plays the cool and homosexually adjusted jock Geoffrey. Gay viewers will be pleased to know that there are plenty of opportunities to see Briggs in all his glory and even naked in one episode!
This refreshingly honest series depicts modern gay life for a 20-something in a humorous and realistic way, choosing to focus on family, friendship and love as opposed to sex, drugs and parties, which will resonate with viewers gay and straight alike.
Pivot will launch the series with a binge marathon of all 6 episodes on Thursday August 1st at 8:00pm ET / 7:00pm CT.
To watch, click here.
Wade Briggs as Josh’s love interest Geoffrey in “Please Like Me”
Josh Thomas Image Credit: GQ Australia
Sometimes the sexiest look is the simplest to achieve – a pair of blue jeans and a white shirt with a leather jacket. In this editorial for Schon! Magazine, styled by Luca Termine and shot by Stefan Giftthaler, model Franky channels Marlon Brando in the 1953 film “The Wild One”.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Marlon Brando. His brooding demeanour, masculinity and timeless handsomeness make him the epitome of “cool”. And let’s not forget his openness about his sexuality which he discusses here.
To purchase a copy of Schon! click here.
Next Friday, 26th July, The Modern Gay will be travelling to the beautiful beachside town of Byron Bay on the North Coast of New South Wales in Australia for “Splendour in the Grass“, a three-day music festival extravaganza. The line-up is basically a soundtrack to my Modern Gay Life from 1998 until today and includes:
Frank Ocean, The National, Mumford and Sons, Empire of the Sun, Klaxons, The Presets, Flume, Passion Pit, James Blake, Flight Facilities, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Cold War Kids, Haim, Sarah Blasko, James Blake, MS MR, Of Monsters and Men, Chet Faker, Birds of Tokyo, Vance Joy, Mitzi and many others.
Amongst the aforementioned artists is The Polyphonic Spree, a choral symphonic psychedelic pop rock band that produces music that would most definitely be enjoyed by members of a new-age cult that worshiped the rainbow dragon and believed that “love” was the only law to follow. Here’s my favourite song, “Hold Me Now”, which only confirms my willingness to be part of such a cult.
If you’re attending Splendour in the Grass then make sure you tweet me @joshvansant and we can schedule a Modern Gay dance off.
Britain has officially legalised gay marriage after Queen Elizabeth II gave her royal assent to a bill approved by both houses of parliament, paving the way for the first same-sex weddings to take place next year.
MPs in parliament’s lower House of Commons first voted in favour of gay marriage in February, despite fierce opposition from some Conservative MPs. The House of Lords formally approved the bill on Monday, and it went back to the Commons for their final nod on Tuesday night after MPs agreed to changes such as ensuring protections for transgender couples.
The Queen’s assent, given in her capacity as head of state, was then announced in both chambers of parliament on Wednesday, at which point it became law.
Article from abc.net.au and image by Matthias Vriens-McGrath
I’ve been dating men for close to a decade and in that time I’ve learnt some valuable lessons, the most important of which is that “games are for children”. Before I elaborate, let me share with you a recent experience that perfectly highlights my point.
I recently went on a date with an attractive younger guy. He seemed keen from the get go to set a time and place to meet and after a few false starts we finally agreed on a night that suited us both. We met for drinks in a bar one evening and indulged in interesting conversation. Although I’m reluctant to date younger men, he seemed mature beyond his years and I was captivated by his ambition and intelligence. My professional background has made me cautious however of people who are very skilled at selling themselves. I’ve come across many characters who present themselves well but fail to actually “deliver the goods” when it comes to crunch time. I threw caution to the wind as our banter intensified and our conversation became candid.
I should have been weary of the fact that he was still coming to terms with his sexuality, (one of my dating rules is to try avoid bisexual/questioning/closeted men as their journey of self discovery often adds a level of difficulty to the relationship) but once again I ignored my better judgement. Regardless of his stage of homosexual progress, I was lured into a false sense that this guy was different. We openly discussed the topic of “leading people on” and I stated my position: I would rather blatantly be told that someone wasn’t interested in me than to be led on. He agreed. We finished our drinks, said our goodbyes and both agreed that another date was imminent. On my way home he sent me a message, the contents of which confirmed (in my mind at least) his interest and that he had enjoyed the date as much as I had. I responded similarly.
Two days past and reflecting on the date and the open and honest conversations we had shared, I decided to message him to make plans for dinner. Some may say that two days is too short of time to reinitiate correspondence but believing that we shared similar dating values, I decided to go ahead anyway. The afternoon passed and I waited for a response. By 11:00pm and with no response I justified that perhaps he had been under pressure at work and hadn’t had the time to write back. After two days it became evident that I was never going to receive a response.
I was completely confused by the situation and unsure why someone who supposedly held similar values to me would not respond to a simple SMS, even with an honest “thanks, but no thanks”. Secretly hoping that he had been hit by a car (why else would he not have responded?), I scoured his Facebook page to check for “get well soon” messages but unfortunately he was fine. Actually he was better than fine. From what I gathered from the tagged pictures and status updates he was enjoying a very social weekend. Normally such a situation would not have affected me. I’ve come across dozens of immature boys who’ve acted similarly and easily brushed it off as learning experiences but I was shocked. Not shocked because he had convinced me that he was different, but shocked because I had believed him. I had ignored my dating intuition which had told me to be weary of questioning, younger boys and I had been duped.
The only conclusion that I can draw from this experience is that it had all been a game and I hadn’t been playing by the rules. But I never wanted to play the game in the first place. Through my many dating experiences, I’ve realised the pointlessness of game playing and how it becomes a boring and endless cycle. I’ve learnt to be open and honest from the onset as this is the only way of attracting likeminded people. I believe that game playing is a reflection of our need for attention; it’s the insecure child inside of us that wants to be wanted by others in order to feel worthy. We chase after other people’s affection to satisfy our own insatiable need to be loved and once we’ve received their attention and affection we lose interest and start a new game with someone different. When someone plays all their cards and shows too much affection or attention too soon then our interest wains just as quick. This is the genesis of the saying “be mean, keep them keen”. If you deny someone of the one thing they need (love/attention/affection) then they’ll keep chasing you until you give it to them.
The moral of the story is that game playing is unnecessary and reflects poorly on the person who is consciously or subconsciously playing to “win”. At the end of the day there are no winners. We are meant to be in this together so that we can find a partner who loves us for who we are and not how tactical we are at playing with their emotions. Honesty is often said to be the best medicine. If you like someone, tell them and if you’re not digging their vibe then have the balls to tell them that too.
Image Credit: Circus Maximus by Julia Hetta
THE MODERN GAY GUIDE TO LIFE 