Michael Loves Shaun Cassidy!

When I was 7, I discovered my first gay crush:
His name was Shaun Cassidy.

He was a "Tiger Beat" heart throb, who was also a pretty good singer. I listened to all his albums, and dreamily gazed into his eyes on the covers.

And, I wondered what it would be like to kiss him on the lips.

In 1977 in suburban Chicago, I didn't have words to express my feelings.

I didn't know what being gay meant or that there was even a word for it.

But, I did know that Shaun was something special.
He was the only reason I watched "The Hardy Boys" on TV. Well, Pamela Sue Martin as Nancy Drew was also pretty fierce.

This video clip is really pretty hot. Shaun's kinda beefy, and when he's sweaty and showing his armpit? OMG! It's almost porn.


I never met Shaun, and my crush is well over.
Although, his songs do still rotate in my iPod.

Michael - San Francisco, CA
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Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Ed Loves Kirk Cameron!

My first gay crush was Kirk Cameron on "Growing Pains."

And I guess I'm really ashamed to admit it, considering what a raging homophobe he is today.

There were probably earlier crushes I ignored, but my first serious crush around age 15 was Kirk Cameron. 

Yep... My crush was the Bible-carrying, gay-hating, 'Stephen Hawking is an idiot and evolution is a LIE!'-spewing Mike Seaver.

But back then? I would have rather severed a limb than miss an episode of "Growing Pains!" Just the title of the show is quite suitable for the way that I was feeling at the time.

Too bad I never had the courage to admit it...
Not then, and not today 25 years later. I may be alone, but at least I'm not married & living a lie.

Ed - Iron Mountain, MI
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Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Philip Loves David McCallum!

Back in the 1960's, before I even knew what our naughty bits were for, I would find myself unable to stand up in front of my parents, after watching
"The Man From U.N.C.L.E." on TV.

All thanks to David McCallum as the Russian super spy, Illya Kuryakin. As I look back, what is important to me was the awareness I had. Even at that young age, I knew that I liked boys. Er, men.

Illya was in good company in my crush category since then, with actor Peter O'Toole and David Bowie also on the list. Somehow, it always came down to those slender, blond, UK guys for me.

Philip - New York, NY
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Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Barbara Loves Yvette Mimieux!

I was around 10-years old, and my first gay crush
was 1960's actress Yvette Mimieux.

As the frail, emo girl in "Where The Boys Are," Yvette needed to be rescued. And I was just the one to do it.

Then on TV in 1964, she was Dr. Kildare's one true love.

As a surfer girl with epilepsy, she couldn't give up surfing, even though her condition made it dangerous.



That sealed my obsession with Yvette. I fantasized about saving her from fatal surfing accidents, and making her promise to only go surfing with me.


I had a relationship with another Yvette as an adult. And the theme was pretty much the same.

Barbara - Woodstock, NY
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Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Tony Loves Sgt. Knox!

My first gay crush was Sgt. Knox.

I was age 7 in 1980, and I was addicted to Japanese Anime.

Growing up outside of Boston, I would watch "Star Blazers" on TV, religiously at 3PM every weekday on the UHF dial.

Remember the UHF dial, people?

The show centered around a crew following a signal from a distant planet. On the way there, they picked up a bunch of Space Marines from the edge of our solar system, to help save the Earth.

The leader of those space marines was a man named Sgt. Knox. And in a moment, my taste in men was formed for the rest of my life.
Knox was loud, brash, and occasionally crude. Built like a Mack truck, he didn't take crap from anyone. The American dub featured a voice actor who sounded like he was from Long Island or New Jersey, which only made him even more compelling.

I suppose the subtextual military homoeroticism might have set off my nascent Gaydar, but I think the scene where we got to see Knox bare-assed also may have been a factor. And I was in love.

Those eyebrows! Those teeth! That huge f*cking gun!
His belt had a lot of pouches, like a handy lesbian.

AND HE HAS KNEE PADS BUILT INTO HIS UNIFORM!

Since my first gay crush was a cartoon character, there wasn't much chance of meeting him in real life. But he secured my attraction to square-jawed bears. They protect you from aliens!!!

Tony - Los Angeles, CA
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Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com