Craig Loves Les McKeown!

My first gay crush was on Les McKeown,
singer for The Bay City Rollers.

I was a young teen when the Bay City Rollers became the first real "boy band" in 1976.

And their sexy lead singer Les McKeown touched something inside of me that I couldn't comprehend at the time.

Seeing his open shirt with that broad smile was mesmerizing to me.



Looking back, my attraction to him was probably the first sign I was somehow "different" from other boys.

Craig - Indianapolis
__________________________________________
"Bay City Rollers: The Definitive Collection
Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

David Loves Corey Hart!

My first gay crush was singer Corey Hart!

Seeing the video for "Sunglasses At Night" started it for me...

Corey Hart had such a smoldering, sexy look that I totally fell for.

As he's from Canada,
I found his slight foreign accent to be especially intriguing.

I followed his career, reaching the peaking point of my crush with his album, "Boy In The Box."

I remember reading an interview in Bop Magazine about how he got his hair so spiky. His answer? Toothpaste. So I gave it a try to be like him. It didn't work on my hair that well, but it did smell minty fresh that day.

My crush on Corey was a secret, but I would tear out the full page pics of him in Bop and 16 magazines, and put them on my bedroom wall. I felt like it wasn't as obvious, since I had Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and Wham! posters up there in the mix, too.

David - Los Angeles, CA
___________________________________________


Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Zach Loves Jonathan Taylor Thomas!

Jonathan Taylor Thomas was
most certainly my first gay crush.

It was the 90's and he was on a little hit show called "Home Improvement". It all started when I was about 12.

In fact, my crush on him helped me to begin to come to terms with my sexuality.

He was cute, funny, and I adored him. Being about the same age, he and I basically grew up together, as he and his career grew.

I always found him to be a comfort when times were difficult for me growing up.

My friends and family didn't know about my crush, because I wasn't out to them then. But they were
well aware that I was a fan, as I had a small collection of his pictures from teen magazines.


It was still good times when we all went to see
"Wild America" and "Tom & Huck" at the movies - even
if I was one of the only few guys in the theater. :)

Zach – Moreno Valley, CA
________________________________________


Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Scott Loves Michael Schoeffling!

My first gay crush was actor Michael Schoeffling.

It was early summer 1984.

I was 9 and got dragged to see a movie by my older female cousin.

I remember I didn't want to see this movie at all, and just wanted to go back home and go swimming.


But my cousin was 16, able to overpower me, and she made me go. And the movie we saw changed my life forever: It was "16 Candles." From the moment Jake Ryan (played by the gorgeous Michael Schoeffling) came on screen, I had goose bumps. I had never felt so instantly attracted to anyone like that before.

He was handsome, sweet, and rich. Oh, the chiseled jaw, beautiful eyebrows, smoldering glances, and the way he pegged his jeans. It was love (or at least lust) at first sight.

Feelings and sensations were suddenly unlocked for me, that I'd never felt before. And by the end of the movie, I was sobbing with all the teenage girls in the Cineplex. 


After the movie, I would pray to wake up one day and be Molly Ringwald, so that I could go off and marry Jake. I was convinced he was the man for me.

To this day, men who resemble Michael Schoeffling still get my blood boiling. Thus, my second gay crush was on Matt Dillon, because to me he had the same physical attributes: dark hair, thick brows, smoldering looks...

Whew, is it hot in here? :)

Scott - San Diego, CA
____________________________________________

Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Bobby Loves Ricky Schroder!

My first gay crush was Ricky Schroder.

The first time I saw Ricky was in "The Last Flight of Noah's Ark" in 1980.

I was only 9, but I remember being jealous of his friend in the movie, and I wanted desperately to be his best friend.

I didn't understand my feelings, but I know I was obsessed with wanting to know more about him.

I made my parents rent "The Champ" just so I could watch more of the boy with the blonde hair and the bright blue eyes.

By the time Ricky was in "Silver Spoons" in 1982,
my crush had developed to the point that I would hide my sister's Tiger Beat magazines, so I could look at the pictures of Ricky, alone by myself.

I still hadn't figured out exactly why I wanted to know as much about him as possible, as I stared at every picture and read about his "likes/dislikes." But I did know that these feelings were to be kept hidden, especially from my older brother.

I feel like I grew up with Ricky, and by the time I recognized this crush on him during "Silver Spoons," I started to come to terms with the idea that I was gay. While I wouldn't come out to my family for many years, I'll always remember my first crush.

Bobby - West Hollywood, CA
____________________________________________________________________


Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

JD Loves "Marky Mark" Wahlberg!

I was 11, and my first gay crush
was "Marky Mark" Wahlberg.

Initially, I didn't like his cocky attitude in his "Good Vibrations" video.

But my hormones soon kicked in after a few months of being mesmerized by his sweaty moves in arty black and white.

And then?

I wanted him to push ME against a chain-link fence, like the lucky female model in the video.


Then his workout tape came out. But I didn't buy it until I was 15 or so, in the bargain bin at K-Mart. I remember being so nervous as I bought it, so my mom and sister wouldn't see. The cashier was almost laughing at my obvious nervousness.

I hid the video inside my coat to leave, and often hid the workout tape at home. I was never able to watch it for very long, thanks to my hormones. And sure enough, I got forgetful once and left the tape in the living room as my family was spring cleaning.

I was clearly embarrassed as my nosy sister asked why I had the tape. And, why I didn't seem as fit as Marky or his workout buddies in the tape.

I attempted to actually use the workout tape for its intended purpose. But again, I could rarely make it past the first few minutes. Which is when they show Marky waking up in bed, in nothing but his Calvin's.

JD - Augusta, GA
__________________________________________


Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Shannon Loves Ralph Macchio!

My first gay crush was Ralph Macchio
in "The Karate Kid" movie.

He played a young man named Daniel Larusso, who experienced bullying, for being the new kid in town. And I could relate, as I was picked on and bullied a lot at school.

I was 11-years old, and
it was the first time I was physically attracted to anyone. I also knew since he was a guy too, that made me different.

Being raised in in Tennessee, I didn't even know what the word gay meant. But with my crush, it didn't take me long to realize what I was.

I remember asking my mom to buy me one of his posters, and the weird look on her face. She asked me, "Why do you want a poster of him?" and I replied, "Cause I really like him a lot." I didn't realize then that it was strange to her for me to have those feelings. To me, it just seemed natural.

Thanks for starting this blog and allowing me to share this story. It's important that other young people realize that it's natural to have these feelings, whether you're gay or straight.

Shannon - Phoenix, Arizona
________________________________________

Click here - "Born This Way: Real Stories of Growing Up Gay" book
Click here - "Born This Way Blog""
Click to follow my blog with Bloglovin' Tweet Me!

Jamie Loves Parker Stevenson!

My first gay crush?

Parker Stevenson!

Shaun Cassidy was the favored Hardy Boy, but Parker was my man.

He was blonde, beautiful, tall, and more masculine than 'Mr. Da Doo Ron Ron.'

And he looked way better in tight jeans than Pamela Sue Martin ever did...

By the time he got to "Baywatch" - and became Kirstie Alley's "Big One" - he was prime beef.

He joins Lee Majors, John Schneider, and Jameson Parker in my all-time, gay crush hall of fame.



Jamie - Whitehall, OH
_________________________________________


Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com