Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ATTO_PluginUpdate::$license is deprecated in /mnt/storage/stage/www/wp-content/plugins/advanced-taxonomy-terms-order/include/class.atto.plugin-updater.php on line 29
Andrew Hayden-Smith looks back on 'QAF' - Attitude
Deprecated: mb_convert_encoding(): Handling HTML entities via mbstring is deprecated; use htmlspecialchars, htmlentities, or mb_encode_numericentity/mb_decode_numericentity instead in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/streampublishing-attitude-server/latest-1.16.1-1793359797.063729/pugpig-attitude-theme/functions.php on line 974
Skip to main content
Deprecated: mb_convert_encoding(): Handling HTML entities via mbstring is deprecated; use htmlspecialchars, htmlentities, or mb_encode_numericentity/mb_decode_numericentity instead in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/streampublishing-attitude-server/latest-1.16.1-1793359797.063729/pugpig-attitude-theme/functions.php on line 974

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField::offsetExists($offset) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetExists(mixed $offset): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedField.php on line 218

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField::offsetGet($offset) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetGet(mixed $offset): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedField.php on line 116

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField::offsetSet($offset, $value) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetSet(mixed $offset, mixed $value): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedField.php on line 132

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField::offsetUnset($offset) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetUnset(mixed $offset): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedField.php on line 200

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedField.php on line 225

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField::count() should either be compatible with Countable::count(): int, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedField.php on line 236

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedFieldIter::current() should either be compatible with Iterator::current(): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedFieldIter.php on line 78

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedFieldIter::next() should either be compatible with Iterator::next(): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedFieldIter.php on line 96

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedFieldIter::key() should either be compatible with Iterator::key(): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedFieldIter.php on line 87

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedFieldIter::valid() should either be compatible with Iterator::valid(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedFieldIter.php on line 105

Deprecated: Return type of PugpigSiteGoogleAnalytics_Vendor\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedFieldIter::rewind() should either be compatible with Iterator::rewind(): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /mnt/storage/stage/builds/pugpig-site-server/latest-1.61.0-1793359797.063729/pugpig-site-google-analytics/src/vendor/google/protobuf/src/Google/Protobuf/Internal/RepeatedFieldIter.php on line 69

Home Culture Culture Film & TV

7 September 2017

Andrew Hayden-Smith looks back on ‘QAF’

By Andrew Hayden-Smith

haydenQueer As Folk

first aired 15 years ago today. I remember so vividly, the evening I stayed up late, finger poised on the TV remote just in case, hidden away in my room to watch that first episode when schoolboy Nathan had his first taste of Manchester’s Canal Street and gay nightlife; the night he would meet Stuart Alan Jones and his life would change forever.

I was the same age as Nathan at the time and going through similar struggles in coming to terms with my sexuality. What would my friends and family think? Could I really keep it a secret forever? It makes me sad now to look back and think that that was how I thought.

I now consider myself a very proud gay man but at the time, during those tough teenage years of self-doubt and questioning, it feels like the worst thing that could possibly happen to you, as many will be able to relate.

aidanQueer As Folk wasn’t just a programme about gay men; it showed myself and others that being gay was part of an acceptable lifestyle. It was OK. The characters were living their lives and were comfortable with who they were. The character of Stuart was and still is my absolute hero: he was an empowered, proud individual and so what if he had a multitude of notches on his bedpost? Stuart, Vince and co. were living their lives and were happy and therefore, by following their example, I could be too. For that, to Queer As Folk and Russell T. Davies, I will always be grateful.

> First episode of ‘Queer As Folk’ aired 15 years ago today

Follow Andrew Hayden-Smith on Twitter @AndrewHaydSmith or visit his official website.

In This Article: