Photo by Andy Cohen

Jim French

It’s the last day of Fleet Week in New York City and these visuals tend to skew toward male camaraderie that months at sea must induce. There’s a book called Hello Sailor! The Hidden History of Homosexuality at Sea, from 1945 to 1985 British merchant ships were ‘gay heavens.’ Passenger, cargo and Royal Fleet ships were the main workplace where men could be out (and camp). Who knew? The visual history here runs the a specific gamut from vintage pics to Bruce Weber to Tom of Finland. Happy Memorial Day weekend, seamen or not!

Vintage photo booth picture

Vintage photo booth

A gay stewards welcome gay stewards, photographer unknown

Vintage photo

Tom of Finland

Vintage tattooed sailor

Sailor tattoo by Geir

Stephen Tennant

David LaChapelle

Ginch Gonch ad

Wojciech

Pierre et Gilles

Pierre et Gilles

Bruce Weber

Richard Pier Petit

Brad Davis in Querelle