Blueboy (Prior revision dated Saturday 16 September 2023 03:15:29 -- @177)

Blueboy was a men’s lifestyle magazine that made its debut in 1974. Originally, it was a small black and white journal before being purchased and rebranded by Donald N. Embinder, a former advertising manager for the arts magazine After Dark. Embinder transformed Blueboy into “The National Magazine About Men”, a tagline that the magazine maintained for decades. The inaugural cover of Blueboy was a playful parody of the painting "Blue Boy" by the 18th-century master, Thomas Gainsborough.

Blueboy swiftly rose to prominence as a men's monthly magazine, catering particularly to the LGBTQ community. It boasted a glossy finish and featured some of the LGBTQ community’s most prestigious writers and artists. The magazine was inspired by "Blue Boy", a character that had become an unlikely gay icon in the 1970s after being mocked as effeminate by MAD Magazine and Dennis the Menace. The debut issue of Blueboy featured a model dressed as "Blue Boy" without breeches, with his plumed hat strategically placed between his legs.

Blueboy holds the distinction of being the first nationally distributed gay men’s magazine in the United States and was also available internationally in countries such as France, Australia, England, and Spain. It was published for 33 years, making it one of the most prolific gay magazines. The magazine continued publishing until December 2007 and advertised products and services, often employing “Blue Boy” as a recurrent symbol. Throughout its tenure, Blueboy was celebrated for its contributions to the LGBTQ community, and its artful and provocative content.

With its rich history, Blueboy remains an iconic publication, emblematic of a significant era in LGBTQ culture.{{Categories}}