Homoerotic Archaeology: Mandate (October 1996), Part Two

Friday, October 13, 2023

Mandate (October 1996), Part Two

Using the lawsuit Cary Grant brought against Chevy Chase and the Tomorrow Show in the 1970s as a case study, Milton Rexford’s article “Gay Trials,” found in this October 1996 issue of Mandate (which has been broken into two parts), explores how closeted celebrities will use frivolous lawsuits to reaffirm their perceived heterosexuality. As Rexford explains, societal disdain for homosexuals – particularly gay men – forces some celebrities to sue as a means to counter claims about their sexuality. As the author claims, it would be wiser for the celebrity to simply ignore these claims or courageously confirm them. Included in this second half (see the first half here) is the short story “Dirty Trick” (where a hook-up in New York’s West Village leads to obsession and stalking) and photo spreads of models Mr. Curtis, Tom, and Tony.

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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.