12 ‘Regular’ Guys Embrace Body Positivity in the Buff for the New ‘Meat’ Naked Calendar
Tired of body shaming he saw in the gay community, in 2010 photographer Adrian Lourie began celebrating “ordinary” gay men by taking their pictures and publishing them in MEAT, a London-based gay pinup fanzine. We’ve interviewed Lourie before but are intrigued by the newly released 2019 MEAT Naked calendar featuring 12 regular sexy men in the buff.
Lourie says his portraits of men “attempt to redefine what it is to be a sexy gay man.” Admittedly, the 12 men in the calendar are mostly furry white guys, but Lourie’s shots still radiate an intimacy and body positivity that any lover of independent queer art would be proud to own.
“Some of us have muscles and some of us don’t,” Lourie says. “The calendar is a great way to celebrate the bodies of real men.”
Here’s a video showing guys from the MEAT Naked calendar:
One of the men in the 2019 MEAT Naked calendar, Nick, says he jumped at the chance to appear in it. Of his pictures, he says, “They’re an honest representation of where I am right now – physically and emotionally. Seeing them has definitely increased my confidence and acceptance of myself, flaws and all.”
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The 2019 MEAT Naked calendar also includes a gay East London couple, Darren and Paul, who wanted to defy the stereotypes of older gay men.
In a joint quote, they said, “We’re either perceived as daddy potential or over the hill. The ideal is portrayed through the media channels we all so readily interact with as muscled, smooth and tanned. The reality is we’re all shapes, sizes and ages, too. Now is the time to embrace our differences.”
Here are some preview shots from the new MEAT Naked calendar:
The calendar is available to pre-order online now from meatzine.com along with the zine’s August issue.
Lourie will also be throwing a launch party for the 2019 MEAT Naked calendar and the latest issue of the zine at The Glory in Haggerston on Friday, Aug. 31. The party will feature DJs like the meat boys, Cozette and Princess Julia. You’ll also be able to hang out with the guys who appear in the 2019 MEAT Naked Calendar.
