Attitude to celebrate 25th birthday year with two special editions, five events, and £200,000 for LGBT+ causes

2019 is set to be another landmark year for Attitude Magazine as we celebrate our 25th birthday, and we’re thrilled to announce a host of exciting plans to help mark the occasion with you, our readers.

After a quarter of a century spent serving the LGBT+ community, 2019 is set to be our biggest year ever, with two special edition publications, five events celebrating the LGBT+ people who shape our lives, and the donation of more than £200,000 to LGBT+ causes. 

It’s all set to kick off on 27 March, exactly 25 years after we began life as a small but vital monthly magazine for gay men in the UK.

Now, as the the UK’s biggest-selling magazine LGBT+ magazine and the world’s biggest gay media brand – having syndicated editions in Belgium, the Netherlands, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, with Spain and Brazil to come – we’ll be publishing a bumper 25th anniversary issue that looks to the next 25 years as we hold a grand anniversary ball at the Rosewood, London.

That’ll be followed in by a 500+-page, retrospective limited edition book, Attitude 25, featuring all your favourite Attitude moments since 1994, including George Michael’s first interview after coming out and David Beckham’s only gay media interview ever.

It’ll be launched on 16 May at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, in association with the GREAT Campaign.

We’re also proud to announce that six months after it was established – and following the incredible success of our FIFA World Cup campaign with Paddy Power highlighting the absurdity of anti-gay laws in the tournament’s host nation, Russia – the Attitude Magazine Foundation has now been granted charitable status by the Charity Commission (Registered Charity Number 1180876).

Our new philanthropic arm will distribute more than £200,000 to LGBT+ causes in its first year, helping to change the lives of LGBT+ people not only in the UK but throughout the world.

Matthew Shepard Foundation founders Dennis (right) and Judy Shepard (left) are presented with a cheque for $10,000 from the Attitude Magazine Foundation

The effect is already being felt, with Attitude Magazine Foundation Founding Trustee Tom Tillmon already overseeing donations of £10,000 and $10,000 to the Peter Tatchell and Matthew Shepherd Foundations to help support their vital work.

The Attitude Magazine Foundation Christmas Lunch for patrons and supporters at London’s Berkeley Hotel on 6 December will help us bring into focus the work that still needs to be done as the fight for global LGBT+ equality enters a new decade in 2020.

Of course, all this will come alongside longstanding events like the Attitude Pride Awards, which returns for a fourth year at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in July to honour those who have triumphed over tragedy or work tirelessly in the third sector for LGBT+ causes.

And that’s not forgetting the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, set to take place this year at Camden Roundhouse on 9 October and which have previously seen historic appearances from royalty like Prince Harry and Cher.

Attitude Managing Director, Darren Styles OBE – who collected his honour for services to the economy, diversity and charity from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace just before Christmas – says of the plans for 2019: “Attitude’s 25th Anniversary year will be one to remember – as two years of groundwork and repositioning are bearing fruit in the most spectacular fashion.

“Our multi-channel offering that spans print, digital, online, social and live events is unrivalled in scope and scale, and the Attitude Magazine Foundation underscores that we are part of the community we serve.

“We will have raised and distributed more than £200,000 in our first year with the support of Paddy Power, Three Mobile, Virgin Atlantic, Jaguar and Chappy, and through our own live events and initiatives.

He continues: “Last year’s seventh annual Virgin Holidays Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar, was our biggest ever – 600 guests in black tie at the iconic Camden Roundhouse, with live performances from Jess Glynne and Boy George – and the Attitude Pride Awards, in association with United Airlines and Sky (launched 2015), were the first to highlight those working tirelessly in the third sector for the benefit of LGBT+ people nationwide.

“In 2019 we will do more again, and – with the support of Downing Street’s GREAT Campaign, for whom I am a proud Ambassador – Attitude 25 will resonate globally, when and where it matters most.”

As we celebrate 25 years gone and look forward to 25 more to come, we can’t wait to share it all with you.

The February issue of Attitude is out now, complete with our FREE 68-page travel guide 101 Things We Love About New York City, supported by nycgo.com (available with both print and digital editions). 

Buy the February issue of Attitude now and take advantage of our best-ever subscription offers: 3 issues for £3 in print, 13 issues for £19.99 to download to any device.