Scroll To Top
Books

Gay Men, Queer Women, and the Cultural History of the Mustache

Gay Men, Queer Women, and the Cultural History of the Mustache

Mustache_ledx400

In honor of a new book on the 'stache, here are 31 gay or bi folks who rock facial hair.

deliciousdiane

The Walrus. The Captain. The Chevron. The Pyramid. The Fu Manchu. Call it what you want but know that gay, bi, and trans men and even a few queer women have helped popularize the mustache over the years. Now Allan Peterkin's new book, One Thousand Mustaches: The Cultural History of the Mo (Arsenal Pulp) offers a lighthearted cultural history of the 'stache -- and its many incarnations-- through the ages. He includes a handful of gay or bi men, some in multiple categories (Freddie Mercury fits in "gay mustaches" and "mustaches that rock," for example) and since he's a doctor, male grooming expert, and writer (check out One Thousand Beards for even harrier boys), you can bet he knows what he's talking about.

In honor of Peterkin's work, and the Movember movement (in which men around the globe sprout mustaches in November to help raise money and awareness about prostate and testicular cancer), we've come up with our LGBT slideshow of the 'stache through the ages from Bayard Rustin and Rock Hudson to Marcel Proust and Jennifer Miller.

On the following pages, see our gay gallery of most-famous mustaches.

Proust_cavafy_forsterx633

Remembrance of mustaches past, from left: Marcel Proust, C.P. Cavafy, and E.M. Forster

Watersx633

Mustache kitsch: John Waters

Milk_hormel_rustinx633

Upper lip politics: Harvey Milk, James Hormel, and Bayard Rustin.

Rupaul_riptaylorx633

New School/Old School: Rupaul and Rip Taylor

Flynn_webb_navarrox633

Moving picture mustaches: Errol Flyn, Clifton Webb, and Ramon Navarro.

Amaechix633

Sporty 'stache: John Amaechi

Cassady_miller_samsonx633

The lady's not for shaving: Bianca Casady, Jennifer Miller, and JD Samson.

Freddiemercuryx633

Mustache rhapsody: Freddie Mercury.

John-maynard-keynes_vaughn_walkerx633

Economical and just: John Maynard Keynes and Judge Vaughn Walker

Fridax633

Iconic and iconoclastic: Frida Kahlo

Maugham_williams_albeex633

Dramatis moustaccium: Somerset Maugham, Tennesse Williams, and Edward Albee

Lee-daniels_fassbinderx633

Behind the scenes 'staches: Film directors Lee Daniels and Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Maupin_turnerx633

Tales of the Mustache: Armistead Maupin and partner Christopher Turner

Hudson_romero_reedx633

Hollywood types: Rock Hudson, Cesar Romero, and Robert Reed.

Villagepeopleguyglennx633

Mothership mustache: Glenn Hughes of the Village People

deliciousdiane
Advocate Channel - The Pride StoreOut / Advocate Magazine - Fellow Travelers & Jamie Lee Curtis

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

Diane Anderson-Minshall

Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.
Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.