Jonathan

Jonathan, age 10
Cheshire, UK (1982)

This pic was shot at my prep school. The previous year, I had my first crush on Mr. Barton - a sexy, newly qualified teacher with a thick beard (and the first signs that I liked the bearish, masculine type of man). In this picture I was an innocent only child, whose life would change just 6 months later. My innocence was lost, but it has made me the person who I am today.

"Sugar wouldn't melt.
But 4 years later all hell broke loose."

Things were lovely and idyllic growing up, until my stepfather had a breakdown after the birth of my half brother. Mother didn't realize that he was relentlessly bullying me, both physically and emotionally.

However, things changed for me at 12, and I suddenly realized I could control my own life. My stepfather stopped the bullying when I stood up for myself, as a physically strong pre-teenager.

And my mother sensibly kicked him out shortly after.


I experimented at an early age with sexual encounters, with girls/women and boys/men. I lost my straight virginity at 13 and my gay virginity 6 months later with my then best friend. Very hedonistic days, and not at all like the teenage years shown in Disney films!

During university, I almost married a woman. But I knew I got more pleasure being with men, both emotionally and physically. I was outed at work by a security guard who showed a CCTV video of me making out with a fellow bank colleague - a very swarthy, butch, muscular hocky player - in a car in the parking lot! The security guard lost his job as a result of this.

I was surprised at the lack of shock at my outing, but it was then when I started to identify as a gay man - instead of a man that had occasional sex with men.

I am now 37, and married to my husband since August 2010. Our families attended and our life is amazing, fulfilling, and is made so by both of our life experiences.

Jonathan's first, famous-person same sex crush:

Brian Blessed (Prince Vultan in "Flash Gordon")

I found myself attracted to his hairy chest, big beard, and leather harness.
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