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China’s Metrosexual Crackdown

China’s ruling Communist Party has reportedly finally had enough of impossible male prettiness, and is cracking down on the promotion of metrosexuality. ‘Sissy’ boybands, ‘vulgar’ social media influencers, reality TV and ‘abnormal esthetics’ have been denounced by China’s mighty broadcast… Read More »China’s Metrosexual Crackdown

Ronaldo’s Coming Home

Football may not be coming home, after England’s Euros finals defeat earlier this year. But football’s greatest star, and perhaps the world’s most famous face and body, is going to be ‘back where I belong’. In England. According to his… Read More »Ronaldo’s Coming Home

Fauxstralian Britain

 Mark Simpson on how we’re all Australian now   (One from the vaults, originally appeared in the Guardian Guide, 2001 – at what now looks like Oz’s cultural high-water mark) If you listen carefully to the soundtrack on Puppetry of… Read More »Fauxstralian Britain

Purple Passions

Mark Simpson on lavender marriage – between the closeted star & the public. (Independent on Sunday, August 1995) [One from the vaults for LBGTQIA++ Pride. Probably because it came on the cowboy heels of Male Impersonators (1994), it’s rather more… Read More »Purple Passions

Streaking: The Naked Truth

Mark Simpson looks at the British ritual of stripping off on the hallowed turf (Independent on Sunday, July 1996) Melissa Johnson’s bra-less gallop across Wimbledon’s Centre Court this week in a skimpy pinny and lovely smile proved to be a… Read More »Streaking: The Naked Truth