VIKINGS AND HOMOEROTICISM

I have yet to meet a gay guy who has not heard of Tom of Finland. Frankly for most boys these sketches of hunks personify their earliest experiences of homoeroticism as art.

Having been a fan of Viking lore since my childhood, I’m not surprised that my first self-made toys resembled bad copies of Viking ships. Initially I used hollowed reeds then progressed to far more detailed versions made from clay at the age of about eight. Boats were my favourite toys other than a Cowboy Roy set of toy revolvers with holsters. Later at the age of ten, I received two Action Man toy dolls with “real hair”, and they were far more interesting and lifelike than the Ken dolls, and with real rubberised hands that could hold rifles and swords. My dream twins present came naked in two boxes labelled streakers! Great, now my gay side emerged as I needed to dress them in the right outfits! I immediately tried to find them