Reflections from reading the Boy Culture Blog

My thoughts on where Steve is at in his life now

Steve becomes deeply engaged with what he throws himself into:

·         Age ?-12 – desiring a connection with male role models; isolating from peers; reflective

·         age 13 – positive Scout camp experience with a straight older youth counselor; takes on a gay identity

·         ages 14-18 – interacting with his clinical psychologist counselor; become an Eagle Scout; express self through music

·         ages 19-20 – diving into the gay culture; one year in college; modeling photos for Ausse DNA magazine

·         ages 21-22 – pulling back and reflecting on his life; meeting Nicholas Alan, his AAB

·         age 23 - performing music, making AAB music video; continue long career of playing and singing for church

One segment from Steve’s extensive interview with Matt Rettenmund:

* I see in the comments there, that they are beginning to discuss Nick's work as Taylor. 

SG: That incredible combination of strength and tenderness and confidence. That’s what I’m so drawn to in a man, and that’s what I saw in Nick—strength and tenderness and the ability to be a strong man and also be able to be very free and expressive and the way you feel. I feel it’s the modern masculine man. It’s not like, “Suck it up, don’t cry!” It’s like, “Know who you are. Be who you are. Embrace it.” Soft stuff is cool, too; let’s talk about our feelings and shit. [Laughs]

 

Steve’s idea of the modern masculine man:

(Steve was well used to the gay culture by the time he met Nick in 2011.  He is vague about the context of how he met Nick in Miami.  And vague about Nick’s sexual orientation - only saying Nick was with a women and he was with a friend, when he met Nick.  However Nick is Steve’s ideal man.)  Strength and tenderness and confidence.  Be strong and able to be very free and expressive.  Able to show how you feel.  Able to cry.  Know who you are and be who you are.  Embrace who you are.  Able to talk about your feelings.  

 
My translation of Steve’s idea of the AAB, the modern masculine man:

(From studying Nick and hearing what Steve says.)  Self-absorbed about your buff body.  Work in straight acting gay porn industry.  Vague about your sexual identity.  Ability to be strong, tender, confident, free, expressive, to talk about your feelings, to cry; know who you are, be who you are, embrace it. 

 
How far I think Steve has made it to that role model image:

An openly gay man, marketing his music through AAB video with the help of his buff body.  Appealing to a broad audience by being a nice guy, telling an amalgamated story through a music video about a supposedly straight man who doesn’t reject him after he makes a pass at him – having sensed that he is comfortable being with him.  Private about current relationships.  Public about his counseling experience.  Desire to be honest.  Progressively more open in interviews.

How do you grade Steve’s progress?  Or, my interpretation? 
 
I don’t know what else Nick does in his career.  Nick recently stopped working at Fratmen.TV.  So, from what we do know from what Nick talks about on his Facebook page and in his Twitter account and the little bit that Steve says – what is communicated is this.  Nick does gay porn and webcam work and is available for private shows.  Not sure about Nick’s sexual identity, some idea about his sexual behavior.  Nick is not a model.  Steve only did one barter for pay model photo shoot session for DNA magazine.  Steve does continue to have photographers depict him in photos to show off his build.  Both are using the AAB video to promote their respective careers. 
 
From DNA magazine:
 
About The Magazine

DNA is Australia's best-selling magazine for gay men. Every month, you'll find great feature stories, celebrity profiles, pop culture reviews and sensational photography of some of the world's sexiest male models in our fashion stories. DNA was launched in Australia in 2000 and is now available worldwide in bookstores throughout Canada, US, UK and Europe.

What Does DNA Mean?

Many people ask why a gay magazine is called DNA and if it has anything to do with Deoyxribose Nucleic Acid. Yes and no. Back in 2000, there was a lot of talk about the ‘gay gene' in human DNA. We decided DNA was a great title for a gay magazine. It also gave us a chance to say that *being gay has something to do with what's in your jeans!

About DNA Models

Who are they? Where do they come from? How did they get so hot? These are FAQs here at DNA. The guys who appear in the magazine come from all over the world, though most are Australian or American. Some are professional models. Some are just regular guys who we discover. Credit must go to the incredible photographers and stylists who work on our shoots.

* this sounds different than saying gay individuals with something in their jeans are genetically born gay.  Sounds like they are talking more about someone being born with certain predispositions, that are then impacted upon by society, family, peers, culture, faith, art, role models...

Nick recently stopped working at Fratmen.TV and works with USACAMGUYS.  I don’t know what else Nick does in his career.  So, from what we do know from what Nick talks about on his Facebook page and in his Twitter account and the little bit that Steve says – what is communicated is this.  Nick does gay porn and webcam work and is available for private shows.  Not sure about Nick’s sexual identity; some idea about his sexual behavior.  Nick is not a model.  Steve only did one barter for pay modeling photo shoot session for DNA magazine.  Steve does continue to have photographers depict him in photos to show off his build.  Both are using the AAB video to promote their respective careers.