HOMO HISTORY. ΦΩΤΟΓΡΑΦΙΕΣ ΓΚΕΪ ΖΕΥΓΑΡΙΩΝ

'Homo History,' Photo Collection Compiled By Jeffrey Gent, Showcases Vintage Shots Of Gay Couples

The Huffington Post  |  By James Nichols

Before passing away, Jeffrey Gent's grandfather handed him a cabinet card of a young man from the 1890s, telling his grandson, “I just realized the other day that you look so much like my Great Uncle Clarence. It’s funny, he was a confirmed bachelor his whole life, just like you.”

From that moment forward, Gent developed an immense passion and curiosity for not only vintage photography, but stories of an untold history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals that could be hidden behind the lens. "That photo made me wonder if this bachelor uncle not only looked like me, but was also gay," Gent told The Huffington Post. "If so, how sad that Uncle Clarence’s family knew nothing about his life, and that he wasn’t able to speak openly about it."

Gent was moved to begin forming a massive compilation of vintage photographs that showcase same-sex couples, available now through a site he titled "Homo History."

"These photos represent just a small fragment of our Gay and Lesbian History. Unfortunately, so many of these photos were purposely destroyed by horrified family members," said Gent. "Since most of the men and women in these photos are unknown, it's hard to know for sure if they were a gay couple or just 'good friends.' For every photo that I may have mistakenly identified as gay, thousands more were burned or torn into pieces to keep a family secret... I hope that by sharing these photos of vintage gay and lesbian couples, we can correct the social injustice that they endured by seeing them in a brand new light."