Foundations (or Generations)

This project features photographs of men, taken in gay bars in New York City. Before taking their pictures, I spoke with them at length. What stood out to me was the variety of people I met. They came from different places, periods and social backgrounds. Some were truck drivers, some were accountants and lawyers, some came into the city through the bridges and tunnels, some grew up and lived in Hell’s Kitchen their whole lives. Many of the younger guys expressed feelings of social acceptance. However, those who lived in the big cities in the late seventies and early eighties described a different experience. Juxtaposed to their feelings of alienation and indifference, many described a social circle that was tight-knit, providing support and creating community. For some, the gay bars provided a base for an “alliance of rejects” as described by one of these men. Risking their professional and family ties and in some cases even their lives, they stood up for our basic rights in front of a disapproving society and hostile institutions. Their resistance motivated a movement that began then and is still taking place today. It is important to recognize and respect the contribution of t