In the 1950s, so-called 'physique magazines' sold much more than beautiful pictures. For many isolated gay men, they were an important source of community and connection.

These magazines with tinted photos of muscular men were sold under the counter. Officially, they were fitness magazines or art books. In reality, they offered something very different: a way for gay men to meet each other and feel less alone.

Many gay men lived in small villages or conservative cities. They could not simply go to a bar or pub. These magazines were a quiet form of resistance against a society that saw homosexuality as sin or illness.

The publishers cleverly capitalised on this demand. They used the appearance of fitness and art as a cover. At the same time, they knew exactly who their real target audience was. The magazines circulated through networks of gay men who found each other through these channels.

For many men, these magazines were a first sign they were not alone with their feelings. A small step in a time when homosexuality was punishable in many countries, including America and the Netherlands.

The magazines disappeared as society became more open to gay men. Today they are mainly of historical importance. They show how gay men creatively and carefully searched for each other in difficult times.