Diva is the girl’s magazine to beat all others; it’s smart, it’s funny, and it comes from a world in which lesbians are the norm, not the exception; and that makes it a safe place to be too.

It might not look like it it, but Diva has some deeply funny writing in it. Why shouldn’t it have? Lesbians are very funny, in both ha-ha and clever departments.  I wouldn’t know where to begin looking for a quote from any given issue, but  donna McPhail (‘Vajazzling: god’s way of saying you’ve run out of taste.’) is as funnier than hell.

There is also the clever without funny, always digging up interesting questions: Why do some of us police the representations of lesbians on tv with such venom? (Iman Quereshi)  The answer is, she says is that the paranoia about not being represented ‘positively’ is down to the fact that lesbians are hardly represented at all.  It’s an important issue, and one of many that’s forever coming up within the simultaneously glamorous and queer ore pages of Diva.

It’ll always strike you reading Diva that you had no idea that there were so many lesbian actors, artists and musicians out there; who knew?  Well the answer is that Diva does and their interviews are brilliant.  In fact I’ve seen more reading in this magazine than I have in some books, and there is always a lot to digest; family, music, fashion, people and in this issue pictured, an amazing history of nudity.  In shorty, all you need to know to keep you informed and happily up to date.

Further, Diva now provides what they believe to be the highest-quality and web presence possible for gay women at http://www.divamag.co.uk/ where they have continued to create a magazine and resource for the community to be proud of and enjoy.

Attitude is the business; that is one full on magazine.  Like it says in the column of the same name: Big Gay Following.  It is still as British as Corrie, and wears it well. It may be more British than it is anything else, as it happens, and that may explain the glorious amount of men in it, but who knows.

All that is to say as well, is that Attitude is to be both looked at and read, a good thing.  I was there that I first heard of Morrissey’s autobiography, where he described it as ‘the sentimental climax to the past 30 years.’  Oh and by the way, a quick warning for anybody else that read that, but I am sure that Mozza mean ‘sentimental’ in the 18th century use of the term.

What makes Attitude stand out not just among gay magazines, but all men’s magazines, is the stuff that it promotes isn’t only good fun, but it makes a difference.  Attitude’s across the board support for gay, culture and business, and their desire to see it as mainstream as possible, is evident from start to finish; as is their focus on organisations like OutdoorLads.

Matthew Todd the editor makes a great point concerning OutdoorLads; ‘the fact that we are finally coming out of the bars and clubs and clubs into the real world.’  Todd has also brought Attitude out of London more and more, and this issue pictured, the Made in Manchester issue showed to the rest of the UK many shining stars; Rob Ellis, Will ‘n’ Rick, Greg Thorpe, DJ K’Reem, Sebastian St Charles and Jayne Compton.

You get just enough fashion in Attitude, and it isn’t limited to one thing, and there’s always bits and pieces about icons past and present, but it’s really all about celebrating the strength and warmth of the community, and paying tribute to everybody in it, personalities, businesses and groups.

Buzz, The Gay Scene Magazine is a hoot; you can tell from the cover. I’m thinking of having this particular cover framed. The cover celebrates 20 years of Halfway to Heaven and I want to be there, in that room, admiring those girl-stars; and Kevin Walsh of course.

Left to right: Lady Imelda, CJ, Tanya Hyde (front row), Myra Dubois, Mrs Moore, Baga Chipz (front row), Kevin Walsh, Bette Rinse; and Trindy.

That said the talent on the inside of Buzz is the thing to see. For the greatest selection of clubbers in action, handsome guys on nights out, and pictures of the most awesome party action, Buzz is a must. And there are some magazines in which the ads are an annoyance, but in Buzz, they can positively be the main attraction at times. Stare in wonder at the Gay Handyman adverts; masculine massage; and every club and drag night in London worth its salt.

Listings are the backbone of the entertainment industry, and a complete set like this, it’s a secret to admit, are heaven for listings trainspotters. As for spotting the talent we have to admit being Baga Chipz sluts, and great admirers of the work of that special performer.

There is a simple classic look to beige that makes you feel good holding it. It’s like reading The Face, a long time ago, with even less fuss and a much more global and unplanned selection of articles. I’m looking at a picture of David Hoyle and I can’t wait to read him; and I’m not disappointed; he is brilliant. He is interviewed by David Urquhart, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read it.

David Hoyle well sets the scene for beige, actually; cool, creative, artistic, serious. When you flick through beige you do notice that it has fashion pages; but they are kind of discrete. Really you are reading a smarter than average by far glossy, except one that is unpredictable. There’s a lot of art in beige one way or another, and in a great balance of art you don’t know and art you do; but also in depth stuff ona whole lot of suave, including scent, wine, books and restaurants.

On top of this excitement, I never did mention that beige was free, which is quite a coup given the value. It appears quarterly Culture, Fashion, Travel and Lifestyle magazine that delivers passionate, creative and complete coverage to the LGBT community and beyond. Beige balances creative editorial with useful and insightful lifestyle solutions. Each issue contains in-depth travel features, character interviews, extensive cultural coverage and original fashion editorial. Beigand e gives its readers defined and diverse sections in which to explore and embrace their world.

Beige’s goal is tremendous: to empower the multi-facetted modern LGBT market in their search for enlightenment and entertainment. As a LGBT magazine Beige supports aspiring journalists, artists, and designers from our own community but also looks beyond for fresh blood and talent. As they say of themselves: ‘ To pay homage to what has been before and find inspiration for the future.’ Amen!

You always used to be able to get your BUTT on paper twice a year. BUTT was there to be discovered or rediscovered, often on a visit to a book shop such as Gay’s The Word, in Marchmont Street in London. Inscrutable, nude, spunky, shaved, tattooed, posed, clothed, naked, BUTT and its men also captured something all of its own, monochroming everything on carefully coloured paper.

By world standards, LGBT rights in the UK are pretty decent. It’s a fact that Out At Work editor Sarah Garrett stands by; ‘Unlike other countries, the UK has taken great steps towards diversity inclusion, by making sure that employers recruit from a diverse candidate pool, ’ she says in her publisher’s introduction to the Autumn 2011 edition.

She’s right, and it’s sad but true that there are even some countries where a magazine such as this would be illegal, unthinkable; but there it is. You are reading a perfectly sized glossy, with professional tips, articles stressing equality, plus every magazine these days needs at least one profile on a wooly jumper.

We reckon Out At Work could be a top ‘time-on-the-Tube’ filler; small; containing good advice about how to get on at work and with others; interviews with LGBT people about career experiences (here, it was Corrie’s Charlie Condou); which clothes and tablets were cool to own; and some general studies on working for enormous companies, as well as other job styles.

If you can get hold of it, the article How to Answer the Ten Most Common Interview Questions in the Autumn 2011 copy, is simply life advice par excellence, for anyone at all.

It’s just astounding how everybody in the UK seems to be happy to put their name to equal rights, and we do take it for granted, which is quite right if you ask us, because one’s rights should be taken for granted in an ideal world. But here are Societe Generale, Google and the Royal Air /force to name but there, proud to sponsor and support the publishers of Out At Work, Square Peg Media.

I say pick up and read Out At Work; if you see it, put it in your bag for the right moment; that’s what it wants. It’s a beautiful thing to see the basic groundings in rights being taken as a very bottom line for all aspects of life; in this case professional life. We are fortunate to have this, and on top of that, you will always get some good advice from Out At Work, whoever you are, whether you like it or not!