Do you recognize the handsome gays from these vintage photographs?
ding, ding, ding* From left to right, it’s Jesse L. Martin, Michael “Mick” Peterson, Bill Lyons, and Robert E. Reeves—a.k.a.
the social media stars, authors, and all-around inspirations known as The Old Gays. Of course, The Old Gays weren’t always old.Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.Decades before they were winning our hearts with their hilarious viral videos and candid stories from yesteryear, they were surely capturing attention with their good looks and suave style.Some of these throwback pics recently resurfaced thanks to a delightful “Then & Now” post from photographer and author Maxwell Poth, who also shared a series of previously unreleased portraits of The Old Gays.Click through to see Poth’s side-by-side comparisons of The Old Gays and “The Young Gays” below:A post shared by Maxwell Poth (@maxwellpoth)Poth—who released his debut book Young Queer America: Real Stories And Faces Of LGBTQ+ Youth last year—reveals he first took the photographs while working on a project with The Old Gays this past April.Now, he’s finally sharing the original images along with the Gays’ vintage shots in order to spread a beautiful message about our queer elders:“I find joy in working with and capturing the essence of seasoned queens—those who paved the way for us,” Poth writes in his caption. “Every queer person who came before me holds a special place in my heart, shaping the person I am today, whether they realize it or not.”He continues: “It’s easy to overlook the entire generation missing from our gay culture, but those who are still with us carry countless stories within them.
Taking the time to listen to their experiences is truly remarkable, and I am endlessly grateful for these moments.”Amen to that!
That’s why we can’t recommend The Old Gays’ book enough, which we were lucky enough to talk with them about last year. The Queerties Award-nominated The Old Gays’.
