Homoerotic Archaeology: Advocate Men (February 1989), Part One

Friday, February 17, 2023

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.

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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.