Homoerotic Archaeology: Honcho (June 1992), Part Two

Friday, June 26, 2026

Honcho (June 1992), Part Two

As some soldiers returned from the battlefields of World War II with a newfound sexuality, the 1950s saw the emergence of several homosexual organizations which aimed for advocacy and visibility. Among the first was the Los-Angeles-based Mattachine Society founded by Harry Hay, which published The Mattachine Review. Although internal rifts caused tensions within the group, the association paved the way for other organizations, such as ONE, Inc. formed in 1952 and the Daughters of Bilitis established in 1955. This June 1992 issue of Honcho (which has been broken into two parts) features a short history of the Mattachine Society. Included in this second half (see the first half here) are the short stories ”Seafood Orgy” (where the narrator’s casual encounter with a sailor at a YMCA leads to a deeper connection) and “A Violation of Code” (about a code inspector and his blackmailing supervisor) and photospreads titled “The Benefit of Experience,” “Come to Papa,” “Fatherly Advice,” and “Sugar Daddy.”

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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.