Mike Balaban is recounting gay history through photos of hunks on the beach.
Like many of us, gay historian Mike Balaban uses his Instagram account to memorialize moments from his life. But Balaban takes the photo-sharing app one step further and documents moments in LGBTQ+ history from his point of view. The 70-year-old with a knack for photography shares queer stories from locations around the world including gay tourist destinations like Fire Island, Mykonos and Rio de Janeiro.
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In addition to posting photos online, he also writes detailed captions sharing stories from his gay past. From romantic partners to LGBTQ+ culture and his own sexuality, he isn’t afraid to be vulnerable and honest online.
Bammer and Me
Balaban identifies as demisexual, meaning he only feels sexually attracted to people he has an emotional connection with. This is a discovery he came across later in his life.
“As I’ve aged, as meaningless sex has become even less meaningful (after bedding 300? men along the way), and as erections have become less dependable regardless of my feelings for another man, the fact that I’ve always been demi-sexual, though trying to deny it, has become clearer.”
He also story tells on his podcast, “Bammer and Me,” which focuses on LGBTQ+ experiences. You can scroll through some of Banaber’s photos and captions below.
Related | 45 of the Gayest Moments in Sports History
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