What's Up Column: Gay Model

My name is Anthony, and I’m a gay model.
I tell you, there’s nothing like an opening statement that would likely send the Italian side of my family into apoplectic fits. Allow me to explain.
Stephen Dunbar, a good friend of mine (since the song and dance extravaganza known as Hair), owns and operates Yukon Pride Adventure Tours. The company specializes in offering unique tour packages, throughout the Yukon, to the gay and lesbian market.
In almost every aspect of modern marketing, a slick website can make a major difference. Yukon Pride’s website has all the hallmarks of a good website. It’s colourful, easily navigable and features professional quality pictures of (seemingly) gay and lesbian couples.
I throw in the seemingly, as some of the models aren’t gay (or couples for that matter).
Looking to make an update on his website, Stephen put out a call for models, using a rather unique lure.
Anyone not living under a rock (though there’s nothing wrong with that if you do) has likely heard of The White Stripes and their interesting decision to play shows in every province and territory in Canada. Tickets were sold out here in twelve minutes, and Stephen was one of those few who camped out successfully.
These tickets were then offered to any male willing to participate in a photo shoot, posing as gay couples.
I had two reasons to offer my reasonable looking features. Firstly, I’d gladly take any opportunity to help a friend and secondly, whereas I would rather fold laundry than go see The White Stripes, my sweetheart Erica is of a different mind.
So, with a meager (metrosexual I ain’t) selection of clothing I went off to pretend I was gay.
I arrived to discover the fellow I was going to be paired up with couldn’t make it. Geez, I was gay for about 5 minutes, and already I was being stood up. My career as a model wasn’t off to an auspicious start.
Out of twelve applicants, there would be five of us participating in the shoot. Stephen only had four tickets, but in typical Yukon gregariousness, one of the models was there just to support Stephen and his groundbreaking business.
I wasn’t exactly sure how I would do pretending to be gay man. I’ve certainly had enough experience on the stage, performing various parts, but this would be wholly different. How one looks certainly doesn’t dictate one’s sexual orientation, but we’re talking about my mug as a promotional tool.
I started asking myself what I realize now is a pointless question. Can I look “gay”?
I must honestly say I had absolutely no qualms about participating in the shoot, posing as a gay man. I’ve always been perfectly comfortable in my sexuality. Though that isn’t to say that I don’t have my own particular hang-ups.
Pretending to be a couple involves faking a certain intimacy, so a believable closeness can be conveyed in the pictures. I’m generally an introverted sort of guy, and I’d be uncomfortable even if paired with a female model. My personal space force field is generally on “high”. I’m not much of a hugger, alright? I’ll take ‘em, sure, I just don’t usually offer.
So, I wasn’t anxious about being held by a man, just mainly the being “held” part.
We were all introduced to each other, and we played some quick trust games, to build a comfort zone with each other.
It became quite the fascinating social experiment on Stephen’s part; to have these completely straight men come together to promote the Yukon as a destination. The more we worked together, the more comfortable we became with each other.
Aiding us was a perceptible (however small) air of glamour, as Stephen treated everyone professionally, as we moved from location to location.
Perusing through the final product of the day, showed some pretty amazing results.
In many of the pictures, two completely straight men, are able to convey images of intimacy and closeness. You would look at these pictures and could honestly believe that these men were couples.
I think that a lot of boundaries were healthily pushed, and some broken. I heartily applaud my fellow models, for taking a brave step, regardless of the White Stripes coercion.
Intolerance of people’s sexuality is a ridiculous notion to hold. (Regardless of which side of the Bible you tuck under your pillow.) Bigotry in any shape or form makes absolutely no sense in this modern age. Just to know that there are more people, who agree with me, is very comforting.
Also, its kind of fun that my sweetie, Erica, gets to go see a once-in-the-Yukon’s-lifetime show. Go for yourself and see the lines of (perceived) sexuality blurred at yukonpride.ca