Homoerotic Archaeology: Blueboy (May 1982), Part One

Friday, May 1, 2026

Blueboy (May 1982), Part One

There were twenty-three contestants in the fourth annual Blueboy Man of the Year Contest held in December of 1981. Sponsored by a hometown bar, contenders began the competition with a six-question interview, including what they would do with the prize money. A tie pushed six contestants into the final round, where Ralph Bassler emerged as the winner. A bartender at the Lost and Found in Washington, D.C., Ralph was shocked to win, confessing that he assumed the contestant from New York would take the prize. This May 1982 issue of Blueboy (which has been broken into thirds) is predominately focused on the competition itself, featuring everything from behind-the-scenes photographs of the contestants to their interviews during round one, where Ralph stated he would use the money to attend college and learn a trade. This first third ends with images of five contenders, with additional contestants appearing in next week's post.

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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.