Do Not Talk to the Lifeguard | Digital Photocollage
Too late.
Gay men have been talking to the lifeguard — and looking at the lifeguard, and thinking about the lifeguard — since the lifeguard first climbed into the chair.
The sun-kissed, heroic lifeguard is a longstanding archetype of gay visual culture. A historical intersection of masculinity and queer admiration. He saves lives for a living. Of course gay men noticed.
But the lifeguard metaphor runs deeper than desire. The Lifeguard Project in Australia trained gay men to become lifeguards for their friends — teaching them the practical tools to support peers struggling with anxiety and depression.
Same instinct.
Different shore.
The lifeguard watches the water. He knows who’s in trouble before they do. Gay men have always appreciated that kind of attention.
The Closet Series.
