Amy Middleton, founder of Archer, has created a publication that aims to engage Australians with an intimate discussion about gender diversity. The cover of the magazine, she believes, sums up her goal of the publication. ‘The photograph of Aram Hosie that adorns the cover of [this magazine] … bears a resemblance to the personality I envisaged for Archer. The image is intimate, personal and inescapably human. It demands attention, and something in Aram’s eyes hints at a story yet to be told’, she says.
Aram Hosie, a 30-year-old trans man, is one of the featured writers in this issue. His piece, ‘Walk like a man’, recounts his experience of transitioning from a woman to a man. Rather than focusing on physical changes, Aram describes the process of learning social etiquette as a man and, interestingly, the change of his sexual identity from a homosexual female to a homosexual male.
Another article highlight is Christos Tsiolkas’ piece entitled, ‘Dangerous desires’, in which he unashamedly writes about his own sexual desire: ‘On the cusp of 40, I realised that my desire was subtly shifting, that although still attracted to older men, I was also beginning to fantasise about youth’. Other articles worth mentioning include Bill Calder’s history of queer media and Bruce Cherry’s article regarding the etiquette of public sex at ‘beats’.
To break up articles within the magazine, Middleton has included works from emerging photographers and artists. But the work that deserves the most attention is ‘Hellfire’, a photo series by Kelly-Ann Denton. Her photography is an interesting exploration of the ‘world of kink and perversion that creates the “us and them” scenario’, she states. Through her photography, Denton turns her lens toward the clientele of the notorious Hellfire Club in Sydney. She removes her subjects from the club setting and places them in their own homes. The result is mesmerising, with one couple donning bondage gear in the comfort of their living room.
While there’s a steady flow of queer voices within the media, Archer ‘s unique perspective cements its place in this crowded industry.
4 stars out of 5
Archer Magazine
Founded, Edited and Published by Amy Middleton
Paperback, 94pp, RRP $20
