Advocate Men (February 1989), Part Two

Born in Vienna on August 18, 1963, Garrisson von Habsburg was a descendant of the royal Habsburgs who ruled Austria for over six centuries. Moving to the United States in his twenties, Garrisson became a part of the San Francisco gay scene during the 1980s, performing in two films under the stage name of Garrisson Marcs and frequenting the clubs, where he met Larry O’Daniel in 1985. The two quickly moved in together; however, after five years, Garrisson, who was twenty years younger than Larry, ended the relationship because he wanted to try new things. Two years later, as his battle with AIDS grew worse, Garrisson returned to Larry and spent his final months with him, passing away on May 23, 1993, at the age of twenty-nine. The grieving Larry wrote Garrisson’s obituary for the gay paper Reporter, calling himself Garrisson’s “longtime friend,” and eventually moved to Flagstaff, Arizona. Contained in this February 1989 issue of Advocate Men (which has been broken into two parts) is a spread of Garrisson, where he talks about his lineage and how he possesses the family crest as a tattoo. Included in the second half (see the first half here) are the short stories “Blind Obsession” (where the narrator’s longing for an unobtainable man becomes a reality when he takes on the role of his masseur) and “Long Distance Operator” (about phone sex on a car phone), a showcase of Anos’ art, and photos of models Tom Ross, Ramino Souza, and Dean Tait. 

Advocate Men (February 1989), Part One

Born in Vienna on August 18, 1963, Garrisson von Habsburg was a descendant of the royal Habsburgs who ruled Austria for over six centuries. Moving to the United States in his twenties, Garrisson became a part of the San Francisco gay scene during the 1980s, performing in two films under the stage name of Garrisson Marcs and frequenting the clubs, where he met Larry O’Daniel in 1985. The two quickly moved in together; however, after five years, Garrisson, who was twenty years younger than Larry, ended the relationship because he wanted to try new things. Two years later, as his battle with AIDS grew worse, Garrisson returned to Larry and spent his final months with him, passing away on May 23, 1993, at the age of twenty-nine. The grieving Larry wrote Garrisson’s obituary for the gay paper Reporter, calling himself Garrisson’s “longtime friend,” and eventually move to Flagstaff, Arizona. Contained in this February 1989 issue of Advocate Men (which has been broken into two parts) is a spread of Garrisson, where he talks about his lineage and how he possesses the family crest as a tattoo. Also included in the first half are the short stories “Unmerciful Good Fortune” (about a street hustler and his john) and “You Like To Watch?” (where two mall security guards use the video surveillance system to act out their nightly lust), a Donelan cartoon, photos of model Kip Dern, and advice from the Sexpert on the difficulties gay men face with adoption.

Playguy (February 1991), Part Two

As Brent Hartinger explains in “The Gay Youth Movement,” the lives of gay teenagers are exceedingly difficult, with limited role models, lack of support from family and friends, perpetual bullying, and minimal dating prospects. As the writer states, depression and suicide are major factors with these struggling young adults and, despite efforts by gay youth organizations like San Francisco’s Project Ten, many fail to receive the acceptance they deserve. Published in the February 1991 issue of Playguy (which has been broken into two parts), Hartinger’s message still resonates over thirty years later, as a 2020 survey for the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found gay teens are four times more likely to commit suicide than their straight peers. The article, in turn, stands in stark contrast to the remainder of the issue, which showcases spreads titled “A Day in the Life,” “Up on the Roof,” and “The Student Body” and the short story “N.A.T.O. Nights” (about a navy solider whose desires for the Italian men at his station in Naples leads to an encounter with a young football player) in the second half (see the first half here).