In 1937 a glossy new magazine, designed exclusively for cosmopolitan gay men, discreetly hit the news-stands; the magazine was named Bachelor. (Using the name “Bachelor” was a tongue in cheek allusion to the old term Confirmed Bachelor: a single adult male, usually a gay man.)
The magazine featured
artists, writers, photographers, musicians and actors who were known through
the gay grapevine. Famous “bachelors” such as Cecil Beaton and George Platt
Lynes were profiled along with stories about high society events.
The language
was coded so that heterosexuals wouldn’t have a clue that the magazine was for
Homosexuals. Unfortunately,
Bachelor only lasted for one year, but just imagine the impact it had on urban
gay life!
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