Dejan Jotanovic

Guest writer

Dejan is an Auckland-based freelance writer whose interests spin around queer history, feminism, pop culture and policy. He particularly enjoys watching RHONY, eating naughty vegan food, skateboarding and refreshing his Twitter feed (@heydejan).

Eureka O’Hara, Shangela Laquifa Wadley and Bob the Drag Queen in We’re Here. (Photo: HBO)

Sissy that hoedown: Big city drag takes on small town values in We’re Here

We’re Here is the new Neon show which takes drag out of the city and into small town America.

By Dejan Jotanovic | 2nd July, 2020

Leah Lewis in Netflix’s Alice Wu, which queers up Cyrano de Begerac to great effect. (Photo: Netflix)

Review: Netflix’s The Half of It queers a tired, age-old love story

A queer retelling of Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, Netflix’s The Half of It highlights the messy reality of love at a time when we might need it most.

By Dejan Jotanovic | 7th May, 2020

(Image: Sam Orchard)

Stereotypes and stigma: Drug use in the LGBTQ community

Judgement prevents understanding, which in itself is a barrier to preventing unsafe behaviour. Are different approaches to harm reduction in the Rainbow community needed?

By Dejan Jotanovic | 18th August, 2019

CHARLI XCX, 10 November 2018 at Raynham Park, Auckland (PHOTO: Dejan Jotanovic)

Charli XCX: Live in a K Road yoga studio

Charli XCX played twice in Auckland on Friday night – at Mt Smart Stadium and a performance space/yoga studio on K Road. Dejan Jotanovic was there.

By Dejan Jotanovic | 11th November, 2018

Julia’s issue with David’s masculinity has deeper roots than MAFs is perhaps wiling to investigate or address.

‘He’d be more comfortable in the kitchen’: The problem with MAFS and masculinity

Julia dropped a metrosexual bombshell on Married at First Sight this year. Dejan Jotanovic goes deep on the implications of this, and what's behind our society's relationship to masculinity.

By Dejan Jotanovic | 23rd October, 2018

Sam and Tayler are a couple of MAFSNZ.

MAFS just touched on HIV prevention – and really messed it up

The second season of Married at First Sight looks to walk queer representation down the aisle of mainstream New Zealand TV. But this week, it made a serious misstep.

By Dejan Jotanovic | 16th October, 2018

Topp Twins, Chris Parker and Rose Matafeo

How NZ’s queer and women comics are changing the scene

Our queer and women comics have been charging hard ahead and spotlighting the industry's issues with gender and sexuality.

By Dejan Jotanovic | 10th September, 2018