A Hint of Homosexuality?: 'Gay' and Homoerotic Imagery in American Print Advertising

by Bruce H. Joffe

Well before the June 1969 Stonewall riots threw open the closet doors to unleash and proclaim an unmistakable gay mantra, myriad clues-some subliminal, others overt-clearly ingrained the notion of homosexuality in advertisements appearing on the pages

214 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2007

Reviews

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting interpretations of print advertisements from the 1890s to the 1960s. The preponderance of the book is composed of chapters pointing out the male homosexual nuances in print ads with but a small chapter on possible lesbian interpretations of certain ads. The author notes that 'gaydar' is different now and the way these ads are looked at now could be dramatically different than when first published. It is a quick read because of the numerous pictures, in black and white, of the ads.

[Bruce Joffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well before the June 1969 Stonewall riots threw open the closet doors to unleash and proclaim an unmistakable gay mantra, myriad clues — some subliminal, others overt — clearly ingrained the notion of homosexuality in advertisements appearing on the pages of many American periodicals. Hedonistically intertwined with homoerotic connections are advertising themes such as youth, vitality, and carnal pleasure. Gay intimacy and interaction, references to the male genitalia, and threats of sexual conquest of and between men can be documented in ads as far back as the late 1800s. And, although the images reflected in their advertising mirror are fewer and farther between, women who prefer the company of other women similarly have been goosed and gandered by Madison Avenue. In this richly illustrated tapestry hinting at homosexuality in American advertising, Bruce H. Joffe examines and analyzes over 200 suggestive ads … concluding that gay imbroglio and innuendo tease at us amid subliminal elements seductively perceived and strategically portrayed.