In this, the final instalment of our Summer of Pride campaign, we continue to shine with a series of names, faces and experiences from across the LGBTQ landscape – displaying once again that our differences (and often similarities) are what allow us to keep moving forward together.
CHRIS APPLETON in conversation with KIM KARDASHIAN WEST
Chris reveals the inspiration behind his Internet-breaking hair looks for the likes of J.Lo, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry and Kim Kardashian West, working with the biggest names in the business in the age of social media and why Chris came out as gay later into his life. And Kim reveals what happened during a photoshoot that lead to a major hair disaster.
"Everybody has got their stories and some people are ready with it straight away, I just wasn’t. I didn’t have that realisation. It was also really important to me that [my] kids were comfortable before I expressed that, and that they understood and were in a good place. It was just time. Everybody has their story and mine was later on."
ADORE DELANO in conversation with BIANCA DEL RIO
It’s from the Drag Race werkroom to our cover as we welcome Ru-Girl royalty serving up a never-before-seen lewk. Ms Adore Delano, legendary queen of Season 6 and All Stars 2, heads poolside to speak with champion, Bianca Del Rio. In a meeting sure to send Drag Race fandoms into meltdown, the real-life friends spill some serious T on life beyond the Emmy Award-winning show and if they’d ever actually make a ru-turn.
"I used to be super ambiguous in high school, to the point where my substitute teachers would think I was actually a little girl, and it never bothered me, but as you get older and you explore who you are, you figure out who you are."
NIKITA DRAGUN
Self-made is a term that is overused – often incorrectly, we should add – but make no mistake honey, Nikita is self-fucking-made. The model, makeup artist and influencer initially launched her career on YouTube back in 2013 and became an A-list star on the social media platform, racking up hundreds of thousands of views for her beauty tutorials, relatable life advice and transformative videos. In our exclusive conversation Nikita gets real about Victoria’s Secret scandal, transphobic rappers and creating a beauty empire.
"I feel the most empowered I’ve ever felt as a trans woman of colour. There’s a lot of pressure because of governmental policies, but because of this pressure, it’s forming something beautiful. I see such powerful leaders wanting to make a difference and I feel like there is a fire within us all to understand that now, more than ever, key decisions are being made for us and that’s why we’re becoming so active, loud, visible, crazy, rampant and unapologetic about our community."