This
Taschen published compendium is “the best and the baddest” of
magazine “BUTT”, which had just 29 issues between 2001 and 2011.
NOTE:
I have put a lot of words in quotation marks because language is our
downfall, I have used very imperfect words and I want to flag up I am
aware of the failing of those words – in particular as a gay man I
have used “gay” a lot as that is my lived experience but I am
aware and would embrace the significant overlap in experience on
these issues across LGBT+ identities.
Reading
it alongside the BBC’s current season of programmes on “nudity”
has been useful in reflecting on it.
The
book, like the magazine I assume, is made up of pictures of men (who
as often as not are without their clothes) and interviews with men
(who are almost all gay or bisexual).
I
could try to claim to have just been reading it for the “interesting
articles” but I will be honest - I probably spent (a lot) longer
look at the pages with pictures than the ones with words…
So
the question becomes whether the images are “Art” or “Porn” -
as Mary Beard recently unpacked those categories – the only
“explicit” images are drawings that are in the lineage of Tom of
Finland, but we could debate which side of that divide Tom was on.
The
book is published by Taschen, and they publish “Art” books and
are not known for “pornography” - but I am sure that Mary Beard
would point out that just because you hang a picture in the National
Gallery it does not automatically stop it being pornographic.
There
is in this case perhaps a third category we should deploy –
“reportage” - many of those pictured spent a significant amount
of their time without clothes on (for one reason or another), so
showing them in that state could simply be an expression of
authenticity?
Turning
to the interviews – the majority are “creatives” - musicians,
artistic, designers, performers – some with long decade long
careers, some fresh faced.
Compared
with the general population a disproportionate number have worked in
porn and/or been what the interviews call “hustlers” – and they
seem very positive about their overall experience of these different
aspects of sex-work, and this was the one aspect of collective
narrative that didn’t sit that well with me. It is not to doubt the
personal experiences of those interviewed, but in a lot of cases they
had obviously successfully transitioned from the time in their life
when they were involved in sex-work to being a musician (or whatever
was the prime reason for them being interviewed). Does this result in
overstating the positive? The few who make a success out of it are
heard, the many for whom it is a damaging experience aren’t. Also
most of those interviewed engaged in porn would have been working in
a pre-Internet era, and so their ability to “move on” might have
been significantly greater than today – how would that of changed
the dynamics…
Finally
I would reflect on the issue of “respectability” in two ways.
First,
the fact that they stopped making the magazine in 2011 – was that
just the general death of print media, or something to do with the
decline of “Gay” spaces, in a “Gay” bar you can sell a
magazine with naked men in it, in a multi-use family friendly one you
can’t. I don’t know, but I would think it was more to do with a
lack of places to sell it than it was peoples wanting to buy it.
Secondly,
the people interviewed almost always failed the test of
“respectability” in some way, but for some of the older
interviewees the simple fact of being “Gay” who have denied them
respectability, and maybe once you have lost respectability you find
a new freedom.
Personally
I am very aware that as being “Gay” is, in itself, normalised it
is now possible to be “Gay” and “Respectable” - but I am
always mindful that those of us that can get away with it must not
forget those who have joyous lives that are never going to fit in a
respectable box. Whenever there is a choice between conformity and
queer solidarity I am going to shove my elbows around and make a bit
of queer room. And if you catch me not doing it, you have my
permission to call me out…
Lets
end with a quote that captures the positive vibe about body image
that I think runs through the book...
“One
last question: can you please describe your penis in detail? Oh, um,
let me just say that I’m absolutely delighted with it. I used to
have doubts about it, but I’ve decided that it is exactly the right
penis for me...”
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