Bikes n Boyz

1992 LA CA 35mm Film The sound of a motorcycle always gets my attention. This photograph I took in LA in 1992, was one of my first photo sets for the queer erotica magazines. A big fan of biker imagery, it represents rebellion and a freedom to challenge convention. The iconic bad boy imagery of movies like The Wild One and Rebel Without a Cause, released in 1953, has long been a source of this inspiration of this look. As a gay young adult , the terror of being labeled a "sissy" was constant as was the fear of being beaten up, which happened to me leaving a bar in 1989.

In the 1990s, AIDS was a pervasive threat to the gay community, and the erotic images in these magazines provided a form of escapism and empowerment for their readers. The photographs showcase the beauty and strength of the male form, celebrating homosexuality at a time when it was often stigmatized.