ISSUE: DNA #272 – Sexiest Men Alive 2022 | Buy
How our straight mates changed direction and learned to appreciate other men!
Sexiest Men Alive time of year at DNA is such a chore! We have to trawl through all the hotties who caught our eye over the last year and decide who makes the list, look at pictures of sexy men, choose the sexiest pictures, write about all the sexy things they do… Yawn!
No, seriously, it’s months like this that I’m aware how many gay men would love my job! But it isn’t that easy. We always come up with more sexy men than we have space for.
At DNA, we’re all about appreciating the beauty of men – gay, bi, straight, trans men – their physical appeal as well as their actions and words. But something very interesting has happened over the last few years that I’d like to draw your attention to, and it involves straight men…
Regular readers will be familiar with our Straight Mate feature interview. Every month we talk to a straight-identifying actor, athlete or celebrity about their career, but also about their gay mates, their experiences of the gay world, and opinions on issues that concern the LGBTQIA+ community. Often, these interviews uncover stories about a gay friend’s coming-out or experiences of homophobia and can be quite moving and insightful. I think it’s important for us to be reminded that we have allies in the straight world. We also throw in a couple of cheeky questions about swimwear and underwear (which they all love to chat about!) and we ask them, “If you were gay, who would be your celebrity crush?”
When we started the Straight Mate interviews in 2005, the answer to this question was almost always the same. It was either Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp – with the occasional George Clooney or Hugh Jackman. It was as though there was an acceptable, standard male that other men were officially allowed to appreciate, without it implying anything about their sexuality.
In fact, we almost stopped asking the question because we were bored with the predictability of the answers and, I will admit, a bit annoyed that the “standard” answer didn’t seem entirely truthful.
But a couple of years ago, a new generation of Straight Mates emerged and the answers began to change. The responses became more varied, more thoughtful, more… authentic. There are still a lot predictable choices – Ryan Reynolds, Zac Efron, Ryan Gosling, Chris Hemsworth and Bradley Cooper – but, more often than not, the answers take us by surprise.
For example, Australian actor Keegan Joyce (Please Like Me) chose astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Gameshow host Grant Denyer chose race car driver Jamie Whincup. Wentworth actor, Jackson Gallagher, chose iconic gay photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe.
It’s as though straight men now have permission to express their appreciation and attraction to another man. It doesn’t make them gay; it shows they have the ability to see the world from a different perspective, to be empathetic, and to be confident that their own sexuality won’t be questioned.
Not only did the answers become more varied, they became more thoughtful, too. When stage actor Bobby Fox answered Hugh Jackman, he added, “because I feel like he’d take care of me. Even afterwards, I feel like I’d be cared for.”
“It’s as though they have already had a conversation about it,” says Matthew Myers, who writes the Straight Mate stories. “Perhaps they’ve discussed it with friends or with their partners, but definitely the fear of being labelled is gone. These days, it’s kind of cool to be open about saying another man is attractive. Even for hard-arsed footballers.”
Currently touring in An American In Paris, Sam Ward didn’t hold back when discussing Henry Cavill: “He’s a very beautiful man at the peak of masculinity. The costume designers on that show (The Witcher) certainly know what they’re doing! There’s a particular bath scene…” Sam, we’re on the same page!
Among DNA’s Sexiest Men Alive this year is Matt Bomer. Handsome, talented and a great gay icon, it’s satisfying to know he’s also well appreciated by our straight friends. Toby Leonard Moore said, “I’ve worked with him, he’s a laugh a minute and an impressive human being. The only thing I hate about Matt is that when I see myself on camera next to him, I look like a twisted old shoe. It’s not fair. He’s perfect!”
And the last word on Matt can go to Channing Tatum: “No matter if you’re a man, woman, cat, hamster, you will get lost in Matt Bomer’s eyes. I don’t know what they are made of outside of dreams and rainbows…”
So, please appreciate all the work we’ve put into this Sexiest Men Alive issue. I’d love to hear your thoughts on our choices.
Finally, check out the conversation between gay historian Eric Cervini and Andrew M Potts (Our War, page 70) as they discuss the unsung heroes of the early LGBTQIA+ right moment. A recommended read.
Until next month, be kind, especially to yourself.
Andrew Creagh
Founding Editor
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