Our First Gay Crushes

Who was the first celebrity to send your heart aflutter? From Janet Jackson to Steve Guttenberg, we spill our first same-sex crushes.

By Advocate.com Editors

BENNY THE JET RODRIGUEZ MIKE VITAR THE SANDLOT 2 | ADVOCATE.COM

The first time we saw the Born This Way blog, it was definitely an "aha" moment. Paul V. had figured out a fun way to share the essence of nostalgia, pride, and humor of early childhood for LGBT people; whether we slowly figured it out or knew from the moment we were zygotes, being gay is simply instinctive. But last week Paul launched an offshoot blog, My First Gay Crush. Once we heard, we couldn't help but play along in the office.

Here are our -- the staff of The Advocate -- first same-sex crushes. We kept it to celebrities and notable people just to prevent any cringe-worthy blast-from-the-past Facebook messages. Share your first gay crush below.

Scott McPherson, Creative Director
Mike Vitar as Benny "the Jet" Rodriguez, The Sandlot) — Picture it, 1993, what prepubescent gay boy wasn't obsessed with The Sandlot? I certainly was. And it wasn't because the main character shared my name, his discovery of the true meaning of friendship, or the killer gorilla dog behind the fence. It was because of Benny "the Jet" Rodriguez, the cool new kid that everyone admired and who could run faster than an Olympian in his brand new PF Flyers. Swoon!

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Reader Comments

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Name: Garrett
Date posted: 12/6/2011 4:25:54 PM
Hometown: Paradise, TX

Comment:
I'm still young but I remember the first men I thought about sexually very vividly... I was enamored with these people. My very first was Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic (to show my age LOL) then I saw Top Gun and fell for Tom Cruise and then River Phoenix in Stand By Me -which now makes me feel a little creepy. I thought my mother would have a coronary with all those posters on my wall. 'You know most boys your age have Britney Spears posters on their walls...' Well, mom, if you'd only been a fly on the wall you could have seen from my dance moves how much I liked Britney too...
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Name: Ben
Date posted: 6/22/2011 9:05:25 AM
Hometown: Mpls.

Comment:
Kurt Russell as "jungle boy" in a Gilligan's Island episode. We were probably about the same age when I saw this. About 10. I wanted to wear that leopard skin sarong like he had and cavort around on an island. mmmmmm One of those totally innocent crushes that you look back on and burst out laughing, then stop and think, wow, that was kinda hot.
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Name: Bill
Date posted: 6/17/2011 4:00:01 PM
Hometown: Royal Oak, MI

Comment:
Mine was Ryan O'Neal in What's Up Doc. When he is standing there with just those nerdy glasses, bow tie and boxer shorts - I immediately got a "funny feeling down there" (best way for an 8 year old in 1972 to describe it). His hairy chest (PERFECTION!!!!!) has made me into the fur lover I am today. Streisand was so lucky to be getting some of that!
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Name: Cacey
Date posted: 6/17/2011 8:37:10 AM
Hometown: San Franciso

Comment:
When I first saw Brandon DeWilde in Shane my heart went all a twitter. I was a year younger than he was at the time and I became a great fan and just wanted to share my life with this kid that just did something to my very young mind and body. What sadness it was to loose him at such a young age.
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Name: Jill
Date posted: 6/15/2011 1:47:57 PM
Hometown: Minneapolis

Comment:
Mine was Joyce Hyser in Just One of the Guys. She dressed in drag at another school to win a writing contest - she chopped off her hair and I was instantly smitten!
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Name: laxmi
Date posted: 6/13/2011 1:34:30 AM
Hometown: ny

Comment:
nancy mckeon from facts of life, always loved how butch and tough she was, and sweet too.
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Name: Adam
Date posted: 6/8/2011 12:38:42 AM
Hometown: Portland ME

Comment:
Eroll Flynn and Jim Morrison were the main ones as far as childhood crushes were concerned.
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Name: Eddy
Date posted: 6/7/2011 1:50:29 PM
Hometown: New Albany, IN

Comment:
Mine was definitely Greg Louganis. Even though I had no real interest in sports or the Olympics in general, I found myself glued to the screen for the diving competitions.
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Name: Frank
Date posted: 6/3/2011 1:39:13 PM
Hometown: Atlanta

Comment:
My earliest crush was probably Richard Chamberlain in Dr. Kildare. It came on before my bedtime, twice a week at one point. Later ones definitely included Luke Halpin from Flipper--movie first, then tv series. In the tv series, he was so sweet to his ornery little brother.
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Name: John
Date posted: 6/3/2011 9:46:06 AM
Hometown: Clinton, NJ

Comment:
Luke Halpin (Sandy from Flipper)--and he was often shirtless too! And Kent McCord from Adam-12.

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