Wayne Loves Peter Tork!

My first gay crush was The Monkees' Peter Tork!

I was around 9 years old when The Monkees premiered on NBC. 

At that age I was also a big fan of music like The Beatles and Paul Revere & The Raiders.

I loved reading 16, Flip, and Tiger Beat magazines, all of them cover to cover. 

But I could never actually "see" my heroes, except in the movies.  

I remember seeing The Beatles' "Help!" in the Pascack Theatre in Westwood, NJ. All the girls in the theatre screamed the whole time!

With The Monkees, it was like I got to spend a half hour with my new "fave raves:" Davy, English and my height (LOL); Mickey, the perfect class clown; and Mike, the mature, responsible one. 

And then there was Peter. He seemed like someone I wanted to live next door, to be best friends with. 

Sometime in the summer of 1968, one of the mags printed a two-page "Body Painting" photo of Peter. There he was, no shirt, almost down to his belly.  

I grabbed my markers and started designing Peter with groovy psychedelic patterns and colors. I remember lying on our living room floor, on my stomach, drawing circles and squares around his nipples, his pecs, and felt some sort of stirring in my 11-year old loins. So I guess you could say that coloring Peter's poster induced my puberty!

Forty or so years later, I met him, and he is a super nice guy. And still cute! I didn't tell him about him being a catalyst in my becoming a man, but I certainly remembered!

Wayne - Ridgefield Park, NJ

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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
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Jeff Loves Donnie Osmond!

My first gay crush was dreamy Donnie Osmond!   

I was 10 years old, and growing up as a gay boy in the 1970's was a magical experience.  

Back then, my sister bought all of the popular teen magazines, such as "Tiger Beat" (my FAVORITE), "16" and "Teen Beat." We read them from cover to cover, and trust me, those magazines were dog-eared and tattered when we were done with them!  

My sister also had a set of Donny Osmond bubble gum cards, which I snatched away. I saved them in a dresser drawer and would pull them out whenever I wanted to imagine myself kissing his luscious, lovely lips.  

I kept my Donny Osmond desire a secret from my family. But to this day, I am still partial to dark haired men with pretty white teeth and full lips.  

Thank you for all you do for the gay community with your blogs. You are much appreciated!  

Jeff - Wichita, Kansas 
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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

Victor Loves River Phoenix!

My first gay crush was actor River Phoenix.

And more specifically, his character Chris Chambers in the movie "Stand By Me."

I remember that I was shocked by his beauty.

I was roughly 12 in the early 2000's when I saw the movie for the first time. I loved how he was tough and a rebel, but also very sensitive and sad inside.

I was very sensitive too, and I remember crying at every emotional scene he had with his friend Gordie. What moved me the most was how he was being protective with him, even with his own problems.

At the time, I wanted to see them as a sort of couple, so I was jealous of Gordie and thought he was annoying and selfish. Ha ha!

Oh, and I also remember re-watching the scene with River shirtless with the leeches. I had to watch that scene covertly when my parents weren't around!

Victor - Avignon, France

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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

Henry Loves Fred Dryer!

My first gay crush? Actor Fred Dryer!

When I was around 12, I used to stay up late and read in the family TV room, as I liked the silence. I have a big family, so getting some time just for myself was rare. 

Then one night in 1984, I was bored of reading and I switched on the TV. There was a show called "Hunter" just starting. I was just about to change the channel, 'cuz police shows were not my thing. 

But then, I saw HIM. 

A tall hunk of MAN with broad shoulders, black sunglasses, and tight blue jeans. I had never seen a man with a huge bulge like the one he had!  

Of course, I was sold. 

I watched the show and sat very close to the TV so I wouldn't miss any scenes of his very visible bulge.

As this was "pre Internet searching" all I could do was watch the re-runs at night to get my fill.

And when I went to bed, I would dream that he would stand in front of me, grabbing my arm and placing my hand on his growing bulge...
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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

Jonathan Loves David Cassidy!

My first gay crush? Duh! David Cassidy!

From the time "The Partridge Family" first aired in 1970, David Cassidy was the preferred boy idol of the girls in my grade school.

Which lands this crush during my tween years. 

Fronting the fictional family band, he sang one of their most popular hits: "I Think I Love You" - 
a full out ode to being fearlessly in love!

But then in the Spring of 1972, Annie Leibovitz's "Splendor in the Grass" portrait of him ran on the cover of Rolling Stone!

And I felt something truly illicit when I acquired a copy of it. 

However, my feelings were hidden away at the time.


But they fueled endless fantasies of David and I rolling around naked in the grass (for starters).

Looking at it today, I would still like to roll around naked in the grass with him!!!

Jonathan - Staten Island, NY

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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