In an era dominated by digital scrolls and fleeting timelines, a new project is resurrecting the power of queer print. Photographer Austin Ruffer and Brazilian singer Yann, known for his music project IGUAL, have joined forces to launch The Queer Magazine Series: a visual homage to the groundbreaking LGBTQ+ magazines that once defined identity, desire, and resistance.
Breathing Life Into Forgotten Icons
The series restages covers from cult favorites like XY, BUTT, Drummer, Honcho, Playguy, and Blueboy. Each image is styled and photographed to capture the essence of the original publications, which offered representation and community long before queer visibility reached mainstream media.
“As I began researching the history of queer print media, I was struck by how much of it has disappeared and how easily these cultural landmarks could be forgotten,” Yann told Gayety. “Each publication had its own unique voice, whether it was celebrating queer joy, pushing the boundaries of art and sexuality, or creating a safe space for expression at times when mainstream culture gave us nothing.”
Yann added that these covers weren’t just glossy pages. “They were lifelines, sources of visibility, and platforms for liberation. By reimagining them, I’m hoping we both honor their legacy and spark new conversations about how vital queer media has always been, and continues to be.”
A Creative Partnership
Ruffer, known for capturing the subtleties of queer identity through his lens, said Yann’s vision instantly grabbed him. “I love when people come to me with strong concepts for a photoshoot, particularly when they’re referencing specific queer work from the past. So when Yann pitched this, I was thrilled,” Ruffer said.
Not everything was serious, though. “The challenge of imitating these images, some decades old, was fun in and of itself,” he said with a laugh. “The most difficult part was giving him an era-appropriate spray tan in Photoshop.”
The collaboration blends historical reverence with playful reinvention, reminding audiences that queer creativity has always thrived in spaces both radical and camp.
Why It Matters Now
The project arrives at a moment when independent queer media is under threat, and younger generations risk losing touch with the bold publications that shaped community culture. By resurrecting these covers for Instagram and beyond, Ruffer and Yann are not only preserving history but also inviting new audiences to discover it.
“Queer media has always been essential,” Yann said. “This is about making sure people know that, and making sure it isn’t erased.”
The Queer Magazine Series serves as a reminder that visibility is both cultural memory and political act, something as true today as it was when those magazines first hit the stands.
