I dedicate this weekly post, featuring vintage gay photographs, to the men and women who lived in a more critical time where being true to yourself and loving who you want wasn’t always an option and came at a great price. Do you have a photo you would like tose share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.
Robbie Rodriguez, a.k.a. rhino_robbie, is an openly gay nurse who lives in Southern Florida and Crossfit athlete, who some of you may have seen this past summer on NBC’s Titan Games with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Robbie’s Instagram feed is 80% workout shots or post workout photos like the one I’ve shared above, but he does occassionally also appear in scrubs and then there are the few shots like the one below which somehow makes wearing a mask not only damn sexy but quite appealing.
You can follow this week’s featured account on Instagram here, and you can check out previously featured IG accounts here.
Hopefully the caption I’ve shared below inspires you to offer up a caption or two of your own. Leave a witty or funny caption as a comment for this post, and I’ll approve it for readers to enjoy.
“Lower and to the left”
Voting by mail has suddenly become politicized with unfounded claims of voter fraud. At the same time the Postmaster General has been accused of intentionally underfunding the US Post Office and removing mail sorting machines to slowdown mail processing. All of this makes me feel sick to my stomach. I will admit I’ve taken my right to vote as a given, but now I feel like that is being tampered with, and I really don’t like it. Considering our history of setting up barriers to minorities and immigrants to vote, I suppose I’m getting only a taste of what some have had to deal with for generations.
I will admit in the past I’ve taken my right to vote as a given.
I don’t really care who you plan to vote for, but I do hope you will vote. If you have decided to vote by mail, I suggest you vote early. The State of Massachusetts recommends voters submit an application for a November ballot no later than October 20th. You can register online here. It only takes a couple of minutes and is easy to do online. If you know people who plan to vote by mail, follow up and encourage them to vote early (mail your ballot by Tuesday, October 20th if possible). By mailing your vote in two weeks prior to election day it stands a better chance of being tallied on election day.
For those of you in Massachusetts, bookmark this early voting – in person or by mail web page. Additional guidance on voting locations will be updated no later than October 9th. In-person, early voting in Mass. will be held October 17 – 30.
Share this information with anyone who may find this helpful.
May this morning’s post distract you from the fact that it is a Monday morning.
Better known as “The Esplanade”, this state-owned park in the Back Bay is probably best known today for hosting the city’s annual July 4th celebration with the Boston Pops. However, this 17-mile stretch of parkland that snakes alongside the Charle River offers so much more and is one of my favorite parks.
The birth of “The Esplanade”
The park was created in 1910 when the Charles River Dam Bridge was created and was called the Boston Embankment. In the late 20s and early 30s this parkland saw major expansion, widening the narrow strip of land and extending the park. This incluced adding the first of what would be several lagoons, boat landings, playgrounds and more including a temporary bandshell. In the summer of 1929 Arthur Fiedler performed for the first time with the Boston Pops.
Sailing and other popular activities at the Hatch Shell
Approximately 30 years after the park was opened the Hatch Memorial Shell was constructed in 1941. This was possible because of a generous posthumous donation from Maria Hatch in memory of her brother. Boating and sailing on the Charles River started in the 1930s and due to its popularity in 1946 Community Boating was created as the country’s first public boating program. Where for a modest fee, thousands of people each year can learn to sail on the Charles River.
Storrow Drive and the Esplanade expansion
The next major change to the Esplanade began in 1949. The construction of Storrow Drive significantly reduced the size of the park. To make up for the lost land additional islands with crisscrossing paths were created. In the 1960s the park was linked to adjoining parkland and bike paths were added. These paths remain popular for biking and running and this free Esplanade map is used by many to calculate distances between bridges.
Gay cruising along the Esplanade
For decades Beacon Hill was the neighborhood of choice for Boston’s gay community. Its proximity to the seedy Scollay Square which is no more and access to public land like the Boston Common and Esplanade provided men an opportunity to meet under the cover of night to cruise for sex. By the 1980s most of Boston’s gay community had moved out of Beacon Hill and the park became less popular for casual sex.
The Esplanade park remains a favorite for Bostonians and tourists alike. The park is regularly used for concerts, outdoor movies, hosting exercise classes and large gatherings for charities. Each day thousands run, bike and walk along the parks’ paths and many come to relax, reflect and enjoy time with friends or someone special.
Looks like this guy really enjoys his morning coffee in bied. I love how Mickey is joining him with a face mask for protection.
ADAM & ANDY is set in the fictional New England town of Woodfield, CT. You can learn more about Adam and Andy and purchase a copy of “the definitive collection of Adam and Andy” by visiting, adamandandy.com.
Click on this week’s comic strip to enlarge
Click here if you would like to see the previous Adam & Andy
Thanks James for continuing to juggle work and this comic strip.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been suggesting places to go and things to do this fall that will let you get out of Boston and enjoy the weather.
A couple weeks ago I suggested taking daytrips to Vermont and New Hampshire to see the foliage. Last week I suggested challenging your sense of direction by visiting one of the many corn mazes throughout New England.
This week I thought I’d suggest taking a hike. Boston Magazine has set up a great web page that lists more than 50 hiking paths throughout New England. The page includes an interactive map that lets you sort by difficulty level, driving time from Boston and even which hikes have “Instagram-worthy views”.
If you like to hike or are just looking for a good day trip suggestions this fall, you will want to bookmark Boston Magazine’s Amazing New England Hikes page.
Are these two in mid embrace or dancing at a gay sock hop? Who can say for sure but the photo of this cute young gay couple appears to date back to the early 1950s. Anyone else care to take a guess or see any clues in the photo?
I dedicate this weekly post, featuring vintage gay photographs, to the men and women who lived in a more critical time where being true to yourself and loving who you want wasn’t always an option and came at a great price. Do you have a photo you would like tose share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.
BosGuy 
