According to État Libre d’Orange and the Tom of Finland Foundation, Touko Laaksonen (a.k.a. Tom of Finland) “was one of the most influential artists of the last century” and before he began creating his beefcake illustrations in the 1950s, gay men went around lisping and limp-wristed, dressed in chiffon or dandy garb or they huddled — scared, bony and uptight — in dark corners, nervously adjusting their ties, cardigans and horn-rimmed specs. In other words, gay life, pre-Tom of Finland, was full of flamers and nerds. Perhaps Tom of Finland’s aesthetic influenced the world of fashion (and ‘gym culture’) for some gay men who hopped onto his brawny bandwagon and dressed in tight jeans and t-shirts, leather boots and jackets…

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