Real Bodies: ‘I’ve posted naked photos before, but I’m the one under a towel on the beach’

Lee Wyatt, 27, Plymouth, Barber

Growing up I had body issues – I wanted to change gender into female. I had some therapy, but when I was about 21 I started to accept myself as male, and I learned to love the body that I have. I still love the female form, so I started having tattoos of female villains that I love. I’ve got everyone from Poison Ivy to Nicki Minaj.

Height: 5’11

Weight: 12 stone

Diet: I eat crap. I eat a good meal when I can, but the majority of the time its takeout meals or microwavable meals, a lot of pizza. So easy stuff. I’m quite fussy so I like simple stuff. I can cook spaghetti bolognese but that’s about where it stops.

Guilty Pleasures: I always have a big bag of sweets or crisps beside my bed so I have something to eat when I’m watching TV. My favourite are pickled onion Space Raiders (63 calories). If I’m drinking I have a flavoured vodka or disarano and coke.

Ideal Man: I always say Pete Wentz and people go “who?” So, I tend to go with Adam Levine, but when he had his body hair. I don’t like him now he’s shaved. I like guys to be hairy.

Manscaping: I used to clipper my chest and I try to tidy my back up when I can. If I go out I fake tan and obviously keep my beard trimmed up because I like facial hair on my face but not on my neck, because it starts to itch then. I do keep up with male grooming but I’m not one of these who draws my eyebrows on.

Top Body Product: I always like to use L’Oreal products because that’s what I’ve been trained in. Obviously because I’m a barber I get to try loads of different stuff.

Clothes: I wear whatever I like. A lot of the clothes I wear are dark. I wear shirts when I go out or in the daytime I wear quite baggy stuff and boots. I like stuff that shows off my body as well, if they holes in them maybe.

You’re quite hairy now, but you used to get rid of all your body hair didn’t you?

Yeah I did, when I was younger I would have all my body hair off, but that was more to do with the fact that when I wanted to transition, I would do drag. I actually was asked do something the otter week for drag and I said I’d do it and I clippered my beard off and I felt disgusting so I said I wouldn’t do it because I didn’t want to get rid of any of this. I love it now.

Do you think that the gay community puts a lot of pressure on itself to look good?

Yes. I was comfortable thinking about this last week, and as the week got closer I got nervous and it’s one of those confidence things. I’m happy enough to take a picture and put it on Instagram but then standing in front of people, it’s different. I’ve posted completely naked on Instagram before, and that doesn’t bother me. But I’m still the one who stands on the beach with a towel on trying to get their underwear off underneath it. It’s just because of other people and how judgmental they are.

What do you think are the main offenders for gay body issues; apps, magazines, clubs?

I would have to say as much as I hate it – I deleted it again this week – apps like Grindr. Everyone knows everyone because of Grindr, that’s how I met my friend Chris and he knows someone else I know through Grindr. It’s just a viscous circle I think. As much as we all use it and we all go on it, it just ruins the gay community.

Does it make it easier to date though?

Probably yeah because a couple of my exes have been through meeting online so I guess so. But if I meet people online I can come off all shy if I’ve never spoken to them before.

You can read more from Real Bodies in the new issue of Attitude, available to download and in shops now. Also in our April Style Issue, alongside all your usual fashion, fitness, travel and real life stories:

• The legendary Pet Shop Boys speak to Attitude about their four decades at the forefront of pop across an exclusive 10-page interview and shoot.
• Phantom of the Opera’s Ben Forster takes is into the glitz and glamour of the West End in ‘Big Gay Following’.
• Maths teacher-turned model Pietro Boselli strips off for another scorching new spread, posing in nothing but his briefs for photographer Daniel Jaems.
• We explore the longstanding history of queer punk culture and meet Britain’s angriest and exciting new band, Sleaford Mods.
• Everyone’s favourite Gogglebox chatterbox Scarlett Moffatt finds out whether she’s one of us as she takes our ‘How Gay Are You Quiz’.

The new issue of Attitude is now available as a digital download from pocketmags.com/attitude. It’s in shops now and print copies are available to order from newsstand.co.uk.

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