Phillip Pessar: Down and Out in Miami Beach
By Jim Lucio
Illegal immigrants, homeless hustlers and down and out dopers are photographer Phillip Pessar's men of choice. For the past four years, Pessar has been befriending and nurturing relationships with many of Miami's castoffs, adding them to his very unique stable of stars.Working with cheap, disposable cameras and using a trashy, rented by-the-hour motel as a studio, Pessar teams up with whichever desperate model is available for an afternoon of beer, pizza and nude modeling.
Pessar's work is deceptively simple, yet layered in melodramatic back story, hope and sexual tension. He offers us a glimpse into a rarely seen subculture whose presence, particularly sexual presence, is mostly overlooked. Under their dirty street clothes are men who are proud of their bodies and know that getting an erection or arousing someone sexually can be a great equalizer.
Have Safe, Fun Sex on Pride Weekend and Every Time
Our front page feature interview of straight collegiate athlete Hudson Taylor was intended to highlight the importance of having straight allies on our side in the quest for equality. As we celebrate Pride and reflect upon why as members of the lgbt community we should be proud, one of the major reasons is the fact we have many straight friends and allies aiding our cause.
‘Role Model’ Citizen: An Interview with John Waters
