Tag Archives: Vintage Gay

Leonard Bernstein spent much of his career as the music director of the New York Philharmonic and went on to score music for West Side Story, Peter Pan, Candide, and On the Waterfront as well as many others. Although he was married, he ultimately came out in the early 1970s when he was in his 50s. The above photo is of Bernstein and Michael Tilson Thomas in 1974. You can read more about this famous American composer in a feature post by Gay Today, Leonard Bernstein: A divided life.

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 to share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.

Previous Vintage Gay Photos

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 to share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.

Previous Vintage Gay Photos

Tim Conigrave (shown on the right) was an Australian actor best known for his autobiographical work, Holding the Man (1995), which tells the story of his 15-year love affair with John Caleo (shown on the left). The two met at Xavier College in the late 1970s (where I believe this photo was taken). Conigrave finished the book shortly before dying of an AIDS-related illness in 1994 at the age of 34 and it was published one year later.  Caleo died two years earlier in 1992 at the age of 31 from an AIDS-related illness.  A few years ago their story was made into a film (available on Prime) called, Remembering the Man

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 to share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.

Previous Vintage Gay Photos

Much thanks from Miller in NY for emailing me these photos, that date back 110 years (circa 1910). Don’t they look cozy in the first photo? My favorite is the middle one, because it reminds me of countless times Sergio is taking a photos of me. Having said that, it does look like they had a great time out on that rowboat.

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 to share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.

Previous Vintage Gay Photos

Billy Strayhorn was one of the greatest composers from the Swing era (shown second from the left). He is best known for his long-time collaboration with Duke Ellington. He is shown above at a party in Harlem in the 1940s. Strayhorn was a brave man, living as an openly gay man of color in the 1940s. You can learn more about this amazing man, here.

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 to share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.

Previous Vintage Gay Photos

I don’t know about you, but I love how one guy has casually draped his right leg over the left leg of his boyfriend. I can’t help imagine what he is thinking because it seems to me he has quite a look in his eye while posing for this photo.

Much thanks to Bob Lowe who shared the 2016 blog post, Homosexuality & Homoromanticism During the Victorian Era: 28 Vintage Portraits of Gay Couples From the 19th Century where I found this 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 to share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.

Previous Vintage Gay Photos

This week’s photo dates back to the 1960s in Tucson, Arizona. I stumbled upon a website for the Tucson Gay Museum which collects images like these for the same reason I felt compelled to create this weekly post. You can learn more about the museum and their work at, tucsongaymuseum.org.

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 to share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.

Previous Vintage Gay Photos