Gay Sailor Tattoos

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Gay Sailor Tattoos RJ Gillis It wasn't always a breeze to find lovers on the high seas, and we don't have many sources about sailors who desired their shipmates. But what we do hav e are tattoo designs—still recognizable in today's traditional tattooing styles—which sailors used to communicate their origins, status, and sexuality while on ship or shore. Gay Sailor Tattoos gives us a look into the lives of queer men, who, despite the dangers and difficulties of the sailing life, found freedom in their relationships and bodily expression. This thoughtful and well-researched zine brings together historical and visual details about the lives (lustful and otherwise) of sailors at the height of the seafaring profession, and their enduring cultural influence. Show more