ISSUE: DNA #291 – Men To Admire | BUY
This month, we bring you a selection of men who, for different reasons, we admire.
Robert Irwin grew up in public. As the son of Steve Irwin, the famous crocodile wrangler and media personality, we’ve known him since he was a baby. He’s now 20, has the same passion for conservation as his father and, like his dad, has cultivated a media profile. In the US, he’s appeared many times on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he’s been a guest judge on Drag Race Down Under, walked in Melbourne Fashion Week, and he’s currently co-hosting I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
He has great energy, enthusiasm and curiosity. I’d long thought he would be an interesting story for DNA, but I wasn’t sure how or when. So I asked Matt Myers, who writes the regular Our Straight Mates feature, to put out some feelers. It took a while, but with his I’m A Celebrity… gig, the opportunity to speak with him arrived, and he doesn’t disappoint! We discover that his best mates are gay and just married, he loves ABBA’s disco album Voulez-Vous, and doesn’t compromise on the quality of his underwear. Matt writes, “Crikey! Is he our best Straight Mate yet?”
Another Aussie we admire in this issue is singer/songwriter Greg Gould. With his soulful vocals, Greg has never shied away from big issues and difficult conversations in his music. His latest single, Who Gave You Permission? was written in response to his experiences of sexual abuse. For survivors, opening up about their abuse makes them vulnerable to the trauma all over again. Putting it into a song, and releasing it publicly as a piece of art takes guts, so we applaud Greg’s bravery.
When it comes to admiring the career of Pet Shop Boys… where do you start? For the last four decades, they have been, “flagbearers to the noble cause of gay pop,” writes Marc Andrews in our feature on Neil and Chris and their 15th studio album, Nonetheless. We can all name some of their biggest hits, but a search of their discography proves just how staggering their output has been. So many hits! So many great songs! And whether it’s a dancefloor anthem or one of their incredibly beautiful-but-sad ballads, there is always a gay sensibility. Sometimes it’s obvious like It’s A Sin or Go West. Sometimes it is tantalisingly understated, as with Bet She’s Not Your Girlfriend or the delicious new single, Loneliness. Marc has interviewed Pet Shop Boys several times over the years, so has a depth of knowledge to draw on. While The Boys have every right to be proud of their achievements, they remain humble and grounded and, admirably, are still creating excellent original tunes.
A newcomer to the music world is Boy Radio, who Marc describes as Lil Nas X’s older, raunchier brother. “Being sex positive is a part of me that I honour!” he says, and you’ll discover that when you listen to his music or follow him on Instagram. My favourite part of the interview is when he says, “I craved joy in my life. I needed it, and I was willing to define it, stand for it, and protect it. Joy! So I activated the ‘pop star’ button in my life.”
This month’s cover boy also finds joy in music. Ramon says Mozart is his favourite composer, but he really enjoys playing Franz Liszt’s La Campanella on the piano. Yes, Ramon is one of those amazing all-rounders. He paints, plays piano, skies and snowboards, programs software, is an architect and, on top of all that, looks the way he does! Most impressively, however, he takes his adventurous cat, Ton, paddleboarding.
We’re equally impressed with the physiques of go-go dancer Nathan Slaten in a portfolio by Tom Cullis, and Jonatan Gutiérrez in a fashion story shot by Emilio Gomez/Fotogomont.
A generation who have grown up without knowing shame or guilt around gay sex, plus the rise of the fan site phenomenon, has helped create, beautiful, sex-positive men like Sascha Cologne. He’s a fans content creator, loved for his enthusiastic bottoming. We asked him for some sex tips and he gladly obliged. More than just a pretty face and a body with curves in all the right places, he’s a water polo player and the CEO of his own company.
Photographer and filmmaker, Jean-Daniel Cadinot is the subject of a new book that features many of his most famous images. Cadinot was a celebrity photographer in the latter half of the 20th Century. He also redefined how the male nude could be photographed by allowing his models to reveal their vulnerabilities and to express their desires. We owe much to Cadinot’s vision, and we honour him with a feature in this issue.
Finally, if you’re looking for a lot of men to admire all in one place, probably with their shirts off and having the time of their lives, an all-gay cruise is the place for you! We sent Gary Nunn on the toughest assignment this issue to find out everything you need to know about cruising. With little more than a speedo and some fancy dress “costumes” Gary did the hard yards, and I’m sure you’ll find his report enlightening. Maybe we’ll see you on the pool deck!
As always, thanks for reading, take care of yourselves, and your feedback is always welcome.
Andrew Creagh, Founding Editor
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