Homoerotic Archaeology

Friday, April 17, 2026

Numbers (April 1995), Part Two

Born Dimitri Perparos, Dino Phillips entered the adult-film industry in 1993, working with directors such as Chi Chi LaRue and earning the Best Newcomer award at the Grabbys in 1996 and the Best Supporting Actor award at the GayVN in 1997. Between 1999 and 2008, he directed several films under the pseudonym Dane Preston. In addition to acting and directing, Perparos was an active member of the gay community, supporting artists like playwright Jerry Douglass and attending fundraiser events at L.A. Mickey Skee. In October of 2025, he passed away from unknown causes at the age of fifty-five. This April 1995 issue of Numbers (which has been broken into three parts) features images of Perparos at the start of his career. Included in this second third (see the first third here) are photos of models Charlie Boy and Robb Easton.

Friday, April 10, 2026

Numbers (April 1995), Part One

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Friday, April 3, 2026

Playguy (April 1978)

Fantasy is a major theme in the three short stories featured in this April 1978 issue of Playguy: in “Pulling Rank,” airman Robert Jefferson daydreams about his commanding officer, Captain Parker; in “The Wish,” the narrator – a runaway from his father’s abuses – longs for the affection of the older Max, who takes him in; and, in “The Ritual,” the erotic fantasy between two men brings their relationship closer. Also contained in this issue are reader-submitted fantasies as well as photospreads titled “On the Beach,” “Lumber Jock,” and “Rough Riders.”

What is Homoerotic Archaeology?

In 2016, I discovered several discarded boxes at an estate sale. Under their flimsy flaps were hundreds of well-worn issues of homoerotic magazines from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. I purchased them out of mild intrigue and, as I perused their pages, I was startled to realize that something commonly disregarded as pornographic smut earnestly chronicled the evolution of gay culture: the social and sexual liberation of the 1970s, the crushing devastation from AIDS during the 1980s, and the gradual strengthening of the community in the 1990s. As a gay man, I was touched by the subtle narrative these publications told. As a historian, I was motivated to digitally preserve their content. And, as an educator, I was driven to create a platform to share that information freely with others interested in the progression of gay society. Homoerotic Archaeology is that venue. Here you will find the advertisements, articles, short stories, and (of course) pictures found in these magazines lovingly preserved and presented for future generations of gay men to enjoy and study.

Why Preserve Homoerotica?

As early as the 1970s, scholars such as June Rook have stressed the need to preserve homosexual history in an effort to combat repression and establish a cultural background for future generations. Much of the preservation process admirably focuses on the substantial works of homosexual artists and thinkers; however, it sadly ignores other elements quintessential to the community’s history, particularly homoerotica. Although frequently labeled obscene filth, homoerotica has, just like the significant creations of artists and thinkers, been a prevalent part of the group’s culture and has played an integral role in shaping identities and perceptions (consider how influential Tom of Finland’s hypermasculinity has been in molding the body ideals of modern gay men). Due to this factor, the conservation of homoerotica is just as essential as the preservation of major artistic and theoretical homosexual works.