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Licence To Queer
Redefining safe sex: James Bond and the fight against HIV/AIDS
Redefining safe sex: James Bond and the fight against HIV/AIDS

Of all the fantastical elements of the James Bond franchise, it’s our amorous agent’s consequence-free sex life that strains credulity the most. The creators of the next 007 instalment would be wise to reflect modern day reality in at least one regard: we need to see him enjoying sex safely and responsibly.

Licence to… chill?
Licence to… chill?

When someone says they meditate, what do you imagine them doing? Many of us picture someone in a lotus position listening to 'chillout' music. Not the sort of thing we associate with James Bond. However, there's both more - and less! - to meditation than this...

Book Review: Quantum of Menace
Book Review: Quantum of Menace

The announcement of Quantum of Menace put me in a quandry: I’d long desired a genre diversification of Bond but surely ‘cosy crime’ would be too quotidian for the exotic, fast-paced world of 007? And what of Q himself… how could a character whose page count has, to date, been barely quantifiable, sustain a whole novel? So, now that Vaseem Khan’s book is out in the open, have my qualms been qualified, or have they been rendered quiescent?

Queer re-view: GoldenEye
Queer re-view: GoldenEye

Brosnan’s opening mission ends with the death of his best buddy. But unbeknowst to him, the object of his bromantic affections isn’t really deceased: he’s just watching from the shadows. Will Bond manage to stay Onatopp of things? Will he leave it up to a Russian computer programmer to save the day while he runs off to have a messy break up with his best mate? And will we ever get to the bottom of why 007 spends so much time hanging around in men’s bathrooms?

Licence To Queer covers queer aspects of Bond books, video games and more. Search here for your favourite titles and characters or find content related to particular queer identities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, etc).

David Lowbridge-Ellis MBE David Lowbridge-Ellis MBE

He shoots, he scores: Talking Bond, Bend and (rugby) balls with director Matt Carter

Matt Carter’s first film as a 22 year old director was a gay James Bond film. His soon-to-be-released feature is a love story between two rugby players, based on his personal experiences. I spoke with him about what draws him to stories set in stereotypically hypermasculine, straight male contexts and how gay cinema needs to move beyond telling coming out tales.

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