One photographer and 200 naked men fighting for diversity
Romanian photographer Tiberiu Capudean captured black and white portraits of more than 200 naked gay men. By telling their stories, he is taking a stance against homophobia, racism and body shaming.
Y. - Tailor, French
"My father was born between the two World Wars. I never told him about my sexuality. I never told my mother, either. I studied medicine. After graduation I fell in love with a man ... my family thought that he was my best friend. Unfortunately, he died 16 years later. I work as a tailor now. I'm happy that nowadays in France men can marry other men. I think it should have been possible long ago."
J. - Shop Attendant, Spanish
"I grew up in a Spanish village. I was bullied a lot in school. When I was about 13, an older boy approached me while I was sitting on my bench, reading. He told me 'You're filthy!' And the next thing you know, he poured a bottle of chocolate milk on me. I was shocked. I just stood there, all wet, while the ones around me laughed and looked at me as if I had been a monster."
S. - IT Project Manager and Massage Therapist, German
"It was much harder for me to deal with my father's reaction. He started to yell at me, making it clear that I, as his son, would always be welcome, but my boyfriend wouldn't be allowed in the house. I could not breathe. I cried ... I stopped contacting him for eight years, and later, thanks to his wife, except for my first boyfriend, all my boyfriends would join me for visits."
A. - Fashion Designer, Spanish
"I am not invisible. Or am I? I work in a very 'machista' environment. And even though nobody bullies me personally, I see what happens to the younger, more effeminate gay guys I work with. What does 'masculine' mean? Do we all have to be young and strong? Do we all have to be muscular? Are we just an object of desire?"
D. - IT Manager, Belgian
"When I was living at home with my parents, I worked night shifts at the local bakery. Three days after I had come out to my parents, I drove back home and went to sleep in the early morning. My mother walked into my room all freaked out and asked 'Who did you tell you're that way?' Somebody had written the word 'homo' on the hood of my car ... I took it as a badge of honor."
M. - Rugby Player, Spanish
"When people discover I am bisexual, a common reaction is to tell me how lucky I am, because I have a whole world of possibilities to choose from. However, reality is quite different and being bisexual has often been an obstacle for a relationship. Frequently, I am questioned when was the last time I was with a girl, as if I had to prove that I am still what I am."
D. - Actor, Dancer and Director, Romanian
"I was in a supermarket with my boyfriend. We were going to the movies, so we bought two bottles of water, some snacks and a chocolate. And we were queuing, waiting to pay. Suddenly, behind me I hear: 'Gay, Gay!' I could have told him lots of things. But I kept my calm, since this type of behavior often leads to violence.
S. - Illustrator, Spanish
"One night, I was in a park in Coruna, talking to a friend. Suddenly, seven hooded guys surrounded us, started to beat us up and call us 'faggots.' We fought back, but during the quarrel, one of the guys stabbed me in the back twice."
D. - Sales Manager, Italian
"I’ve always been a 'fatty.' I became hairy at 14. Kids at school would often make fun of me. Growing up in a small Italian town, I never declared my sexual orientation. At 30, I left Italy to live in France, in the perspective of a better gay life. One day I had a sort of crisis and I waxed my entire body. I was so sad. Today I try to accept myself and be happy with the body I have."
C. - Shop Supervisor, Spanish
"I went to the movies with my sisters, mother and aunt to see '50 Shades of Gray'. When the movie ended, two girls between 20 and 25 years called me 'faggot' out of the blue ... I didn't think that people still do that in 2018. Especially young people. My younger sister confronted them. A young straight couple also told them off and threatened to call the police. The girls ran away."
S. - Actor, French
"Abroad. Eastern Europe. I was staying in a very old woman's apartment, in a poor faded tower of a grey suburb. She invited her grandson for me to meet. We drank vodka. Lots of vodka, directly from the bottle. He started to talk about what a family is and should be. 'Faggots. They all should die.' What do I think about that? 'I don’t know,' I said (lying). 'I never really thought about them'"
Tiberiu Capudean, Romanian photographer and LGBT activist
"The fact that the men are naked in these pictures is the least important aspect. My aim was to show that diversity is something normal, whether it comes to sexual orientation, body shape, age or race."