This week on Fashion Is My Foreplay, I’m joined by Ruben, creative, designer, body-paint enthusiast and self-described fashion alien.

I originally found him on Instagram after a Reel where he talked about working on a construction site while secretly listening to Drag Race in his headphones. Fast forward to painting himself green, building avant-garde queer fashion, and unlearning internalised homophobia, and I was obsessed.

In Part 1 we talk about:

• Being queer in hyper-masculine spaces (like building sites)
• “Performing masculinity” vs performing authenticity
• Growing up in a Steiner school (yes… eurythmy included)
• Why lockdown changed everything
• Drag Race, Bimini & Gottmik’s impact
• Internalised homophobia & trying to be “palatable”
• From furniture design to Berlin nightlife fashion
• Making clothes for queer bodies , without formal fashion training

This is about creativity, queerness, identity, fantasy, and the freedom that comes when you stop trying to be “normal.”

This is Part 1 — Part 2 drops next week.

Follow Ruben:
Fashion: https://www.instagram.com/rubenbodower/
Personal: https://www.instagram.com/rexyruben/

Follow the podcast:
Host: @fashionismyforeplay
Email: fashionismyforeplay@gmail.com

⚠️ Content note: Discussion of mental health, internalised homophobia, queer identity, nightlife culture and brief mentions of anxiety/depression.

This week on Fashion Is My Foreplay, I’m joined by Ben, the creator of Brighton’s brand new monthly queer night: Dirty Talk

This episode is a little different, more of an event special, where we talk all about what Dirty Talk is, why Brighton needs more queer nightlife spaces, and what you can expect from the launch night this Friday 6th February at CHALK.

We cover:
– The vision behind Dirty Talk
– Drag, pole, go-go dancers + runway moments
– Building inclusive, accessible queer spaces
– Brighton nightlife culture
– What to wear, who it’s for, and why you should come dance

Dirty Talk Launch Night
📍 CHALK, Brighton
🗓 Friday 6th February
🎟 Tickets: https://www.fatsoma.com/e/cyajde51/dirty-talk-01

Follow the event: @dirtytalk.btn
https://www.instagram.com/dirtytalk.btn

Content Warnings:
Adult themes, mild sexual humour/language, queer nightlife discussion.

Follow the pod: @fashionismyforeplay
Guest enquiries: fashionismyforeplay@gmail.com

PART 2 of my conversation with Violet (@imissviolet) goes deeper, into politics, protest culture, trans survival, sexuality, confidence, and what it actually means to build a livable future while you’re exhausted.

We talk about:
– Protest culture, burnout & why communities turn on themselves
– ACT UP, AIDS history & what’s been erased from collective memory
– Being trans in the current political climate
– Experiencing hate crime & navigating safety
– Gray sexuality, desire, communication & sex as “drag”
– Confidence, self-love, affirmations & building yourself up
– Foreplay as ritual, music, comfort & care

This episode is raw, funny, heavy at times, and deeply human.

This is PART 2 of a two-part conversation.
If you haven’t listened to PART 1 yet, start there first.

Content Warnings (PART 2):
Adult themes, sex & sexuality, gender identity & trans experience, hate crime discussion, political content, protest & activism, mental health, medical discussion (endometriosis, HPV), strong language.

Follow us:
Host: @fashionismyforeplay
Guest: @imissviolet

Listen on Spotify & watch on YouTube — search Fashion Is My Foreplay
Guest enquiries: fashionismyforeplay@gmail.com