A photographic history of the gay mustache

The gay mustache

We gays are punctilious about our follicles.

Are mustaches gay? Well, we practically owned the mustache in the '70s, and now it's become a symbol of men's health issues celebrated every year during Movember. So yes, we owned it then and now.

Whether you prefer the American English spelling (gay mustache and mustache gay) or the British (gay moustache and moustache gay), there are a number of cross-cultural gay mustache styles.

In honor of our hairy upper lip history, we present the big gay mustaches of our past.

Bruno

The mustache that launched a thousand fantasies.

Bruno was the Cuban-born American model and actor who first posed nude at age 18 and, along with his iconic moustache, was most beautifully shot by Colt Studios. He also posed for Tom of Finland in his 1975 TARGET BY TOM; The Natural Man. The Natural Man. Bruno and his moustache later appeared in numerous adult films for Colt Studios and Bijou Video. More recent photos posted by Gay Porn Blog show Bruno now goes by the name Hermes and has shorn the stache for a slightly unshaven look. Judging from the pics, everything appears in good working order for Bruno/Hermes with or without the stache.

Armistead Maupin

Adorable Armistead Maupin and his mustache were the Charles Dickens of San Francisco in the '70s with Tales of the City, his avidly followed serial first in the alternatively weekly newspaper Pacific Sun and later the San Francisco Chronicle, which then grew into the novel, followed by a book series, and multiple TV adaptations. And even after all these years, Maupin still sports the 'stache, and he is still adorable.

Glenn Hughes

The mothership of mustaches was the hairy horseshoe on Village People band member Glenn Hughes's upper lip.

The iconic mustache, which extended down the sides of his mouth and connected to his beard, along with his leather attire and on-stage persona, solidified his "biker" persona within the group. And it also became an instantly recognizable symbol of the band and the era.

Village People

Have you heard of hair bands? Well, the gay moustache styles sported by most members of the Village People pretty much made them the original mustache band.

Marlon Brando

Bisexual actor Marlon Brando decorated his perfect upper lip with a John-Watersian-style lip liner in The Ugly American. We wonder if that sexy stache was the only thing he was wearing when having a passionate sexual affair with comedian Richard Pryor.

E.M. Forster

English author E.M. Forster withheld publication of his groundbreaking gay romance novel Maurice until after his death. Here, he and his mustache look dapper in Paris in 1925.

Harvey Milk

Harvey always sported the best Milk mustache.

Rock Hudson

Rock Hudson wore it well in his '70s television hit, McMillan and Wife, after cementing his legacy with his performances in Giant and three light-hearted comedies with Doris Day, including Pillow Talk. Oh, the pillow talk that mustache could tell.

Freddie Mercury

If Glenn Hughes wore the mothership of all mustaches and Bruno launched a thousand fantasies with his during the 1970s, then bisexual rock star Freddie Mercury kept the gay mustache relevant into the 1980s

George Rekers

Wait! What? Who let this gay-anti-gay guy in? Or did a male escort let him out of the closet, perhaps?

Robert Reed

Whether you wanted him as your daddy or your dad, Robert Reed of Brady Bunch fame knew how to work the mustache/afro combo.

Sal Mineo

Actor Sal Mineo stole our hearts opposite James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause, but he looks downright hot and tricked out with a pimp-stache.

Rip Taylor

The always lovely Rip Taylor handlebars on the $1.98 Beauty Show. He might not have been the first, but he made flamboyant confetti bombs mainstream on many television game show appearances.

Al Parker

Al Parker, adult entertainment star-director-producer, appeared in jeans, mustache, and little else in an early Blueboy layout. He also appeared in numerous films like Inches and even Time magazine courtesy of Pacifico Solano magazine courtesy of Pacifico Solano.

Pacifico Solano

And speaking of Pacifico and Blueboy, here is an artwork by Pacifico Solano using appropriated images from that appeared in Time and elsewhere.

John Waters

Like a cherub from Hell, a young John Waters looks absolutely divine (pun intended!) with his signature upper lip liner, waiting to leave America in a permanently shocked state.

Nick Chase

Nick Chase was dreamy in his work as a Colt model, but he was even more impressive in his real-life persona of Steve Schulte, who happened to be one of the first mayors of a newly independent West Hollywood. American lives do have second acts.

Edward Albee

Who's afraid of a mustachioed wolf? Phrase-maker and playwright Edward Albee casts a knowing grin topped by a salt-and-pepper teaser.

Tom of Finland stamp

The Tom of Finland mustachioed postage stamp from 2019 makes hitting the post office extra special.

Steve Kelso

Colt favorite Steve Kelso and his mustache struggle with a too-tight Speedo. Can we lend a hand?

Michael Kearns

Actor-model-adult entertainment star and fabulous imposter Michael Kearns of Happy Hustler fame.

Yosemite Sam

And finally, we end with everyone's favorite ginger with anger management and varmint issues – Yosemite Sam.