Gay Rome: 9 images of LGBTQ men and allies as queer mag Elska hits the Italian city
“More than almost anywhere else we’ve visited, which as of now includes 54 different cities, it was a huge challenge to persuade local men to take part," says Elska editor Liam Campbell
Elska, a publication spotlighting communities of queer men and allies from across the globe, has landed in the Italian city of Rome for its latest edition.
As ever, the issue features an array of everyday guys through a combination of casual photography and intimate storytelling.
“Ever since the Elska project began, people have been asking us to make an issue in Italy, and finally after 10 years, we’ve done it,” says Elska editor, writer and chief photographer Liam Campbell.
“However, it turned out to be a surprisingly difficult issue to make. More than almost anywhere else we’ve visited, which as of now includes 54 different cities, it was a huge challenge to persuade local men to take part.
“Perhaps it’s the looming shadow of the Vatican that casts an air of conservatism, or maybe it’s something else, but the fact that I managed to interview and photograph one person, let alone nine, felt like something of a miracle!”
“Half of the men featured in this issue aren’t full-blooded Italians” – Elska’s Liam Campbell
“I was also surprised by how diverse Rome is,” added Campbell. “Despite being the capital of a large, wealthy, European country, I somehow didn’t expect so much multiculturalism. As it turned out, more than half of the men featured in this issue aren’t full-blooded Italians, even if they were born and raised there. I learned that Rome is an absolutely modern city, and that being Italian isn’t such an easy thing to define. Overall, this issue broke stereotypes more than most any other before it.”
Ordering information and details of the subscription service can be found on the Elska website at ElskaMagazine.com.
