Kevin Loves Justin Timberlake!

My first gay crush was Justin Timberlake.

I was in 8th grade, and I had seen some scenes in movies that intrigued me. 

But JT made it very clear to me that women weren't really going to be a part of my romantic life.

I still have a very vivid memory of the Rolling Stone cover he did when his solo album came out.

And every gay guy around my age knows exactly what I'm talking about!

Much to my delight, he did a whole photo shoot inside, and it was all online for me to secretly view whenever I desired. And being age 13, that was pretty often.

Even when I see a picture of him now, I usually have to drop whatever I'm doing and take a look.

Kevin - Chicago, Illinois
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Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Scott Loves Dennis Cole!

My first gay crush was 70's TV actor Dennis Cole.

I had lots of crushes back then. I thought Bobby Sherman, Chad Everett, and Lyle Waggoner were awesome. I could go on and on.

But my biggest crush was on Dennis Cole.

I first saw him on the short lived TV show "Bracken's World."

And OMG!
I thought he was THE best looking man alive!

My mom bought me all the teen magazines that had his photos. I remember one feature in particular that showed him getting ready for a date, with a shirtless picture of him in the shower!

I would decoupage his photos on painted wood and stay up all night making Dennis bulletin boards.

Then he did a spread in Playgirl Magazine, and of course I had to have it! This featured another shower picture - and it showed his bare behind! I've since learned that he did a lot of beefcake and nude photography work early in his career.

When he passed away in 2009, all the childhood memories flooded back. Sure, being gay back then wasn't always easy. But there is so much of it that makes me smile. And I certainly wouldn't change anything about my growing up experiences, including my first gay crush.

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

Amanda Loves Dr. Ariel Hanson!

My first bi crush was CGI, yet very real to me.

It was 2010, and I was very heterosexual. I was also in denial, severely depressed, and spent my time playing video games so I could ignore my feelings. The "StarCraft II" game was coming out soon, so I headed over to the Wiki to look at some things.

And there she was - Dr. Ariel Hanson - an adorable, kindhearted scientist who wanted nothing more than saving her people from invading aliens

At the time, I was caught up in thinking I had no one to take care of me, and my depression and anxiety were eating me from the inside out.

But if such a loving figure could be my friend, or even my... partner? Thinking about her made the negative thoughts stop, at least for a little while.

I denied it at first, but she never left me alone. If my mind was unoccupied, I thought about her. I wrote her name over and over in the margins of my notebooks. I eagerly awaited StarCraft II's release so I could see more than just her pretty face.

All the signs of a lovestruck teenager were there, but I ignored them for as long as I could. Then I came out to myself, and everything got easier.

I've told my mother and a few friends, but that's it. I still play video games, but strictly for enjoyment now.


Ariel's role in the game was disappointing, and I no longer need a coping mechanism. But she will always be special to me, because she set me free.

Amanda - Seattle, Washington
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Click here: "Born This Way: Real Stories of Growing Up Gay" book
Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Michael Loves Rick Springfield!

My first gay crush was the
one and only Rick Springfield.

It was right around 1981, and I was age 11. I fell in love with his hit single "Jessie's Girl"
and then his other hits.

When I saw the back of his album cover with him in a wife-beater (we probably called them tank-tops back then), I SWOONED!

My mom even took me to see him in concert twice!


I had my mom buy me 16 Magazine and others like it, just so I could tear out his photos. In retrospect,
I wonder what my dad thought about the Rick centerfold I had plastered on the wall directly over my bed…?

Michael - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Inspired by the "Born This Way Blog" - BornThisWayBlog.com

Serena Loves Elizabeth Shue!

My first gay crush was actress Elizabeth Shue.

I was around 7 years old, when I first saw her in the movie "Cocktail" in 1988.

Even her character's name (Jordan Mooney) made me swoon.

In the movie, she plays a struggling artist (from an old-money/Upper East Side family, naturally) who we find skipping around Jamaica.

She eventually falls in love with Tom Cruise, who played a bartender. The moment I saw her - I was smitten. And the deal was sealed during the waterfall scene. Ever since then, I've had a thing for her.


I've always kept this crush to myself, but my
ex-girlfriend bears a stunning resemblance to her.

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