marcusbe

My first contemporary dance teacher. Don’t know if he is still alive, but I think of him every time I dance

Reply 5 3 months

havi

An old boss I used to work for in college. He’s in his 70s, husband younger than him. We stay in touch, he’s always so happy to hear from me

Reply 4 3 months

gbrl.solis

In my mid 20s, my Store Lead was an older gay Latino who was consistently stepping around in some designer sneaker or shoe. He was/is a bright light in this world

Reply 3 3 months

crook

My godfather. My mom’s gay best friend from childhood. ✨

Reply 5 3 months

nolan.t.brown

My best friend, my brother’s lesbian friend who clocked my queerness before I did, and two of my ancestors who were queer. Their full story is unknown, but I somehow feel connected to them even though they’re long gone. All of them have taught me so much about myself, what it is to be queer, and most importantly, that I determine my own happiness

Reply 1 2 months

casbahmike

Harvey Fierstein, Larry Kramer, Armistead Maupin

Reply 1 2 months

casbahmike

@casbahmike I should add, I grew up in a conservative, small, city in the South, in a Catholic family. I went to Catholic schools until I went to the I university, so I didn’t have any “out” elders in my life. That’s why my response only includes public figures. It was through books, magazines, art house cinema and theater that I found role models. I should add James Baldwin, E.M. Forster, Derek Jarman, Rupert Everett… Though, to be more accurate, I should say the characters in their work. I knew little to nothing about these authors, directors, and actors.

Reply 1 2 months

xserg

My queer reference points were also via media (paris is burning, party monster, juan gabriel) as being “out” was not socially embraced. It was a quick road to being stereotyped to a character

Reply 1 2 months

casbahmike

@xserg. You are making me feel old! 🤣 I was already in graduate school by the time those films came out. The LGBTQ characters i grew up with were mostly tragic, lonely outsiders. There were gay men in the entertainment industry-Barry Manilow, Freddie Mercury, Paul Lynde, Liberace, Elton John. Rick Hudson… but they were either closeted or I didn’t know they were gay. When you grow up where I did, you don’t recognize the Camp signals many of those entertainers were sending.

Reply 2 months