Gay Skinheads Part 5 of 5

A documentary I released in 2003 (production in 2002) to try help people understand what (European) Gay Skinhead culture is about. I set out to interview as many gay skinheads from as many European countries as I could to ensure there was as wide a range of views as possible.

My approach was to reflect the kind of questions I myself encountered from people. So each of the interviewees were asked the same questions and their replies were edited together in what I considered to be the most representative set of responses I could present.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Gay Skinhead
• skins
• skinhead
• gay
• European Skins
• documentary
• Karl Hayden

[younglimbs]

thanks for making/posting this doc, it's interesting to see how complex and maleable the gay skinhead identity is. I find it confusing how some of these guys seem more immersed into skinhead culture (going to shows, etc) whereas others have just adopted the imagery and are purely involved in the gay social scene yet still call themselves 'skinheads' - for me the latter is kinda missing the point.

[KarlHayden]

@younglimbs Hey thanks for that... you do get the point. After so many comments like "gays can't be skinheads" and "Gays are sick", it is so refreshing to get someone who is able to see some of the real contradictions. I hope more people will look at the content and forget the stupid point of weather or not gay men can be skinheads. Thank you for reminding me that not all the people on the internet are stupid :-)

[wordscontrolminds]

Thank-you Karl for a very insightful documentary, has it shown at any Doc festivals? I do have contacts for Sheffield Doc fest. Do you have plans to ever interview straight skins about their views on gay skins? If so, give me a shout. Thanks again.

[KarlHayden]

@wordscontrolminds It was screened in Dublin at the LGBT Film Festival in 2003, at the Zagreb Film Festival in 2004 and on Australian cable TV in 2005. Zagreb was an interesting experience. They invited me to introduce it and take questions after. It was attacked by two lesbians from India who thought it was about promoting racial hatred towards non-whites and gays. I was threatened by a White Power skin who said if I showed it in the USA I would be killed and anyone who helped show it would be.

[Blackhatewolf6]

what the fuck !? this  is a joke right? O_____o

[KarlHayden]

@Blackhatewolf6 I think the joke here is the guy who uses the channel name Blackhatewolf6, titles his channel "Holocaust and Blasphemy", styles himself as a satanist with his upside down crosses, posts videos of tormenting a dog, plays really bad music badly and paints himself in white makeup with black lips and eyeliner. Do they not have mirrors where you live?

[KarlHayden]

@SURFACEACE When I read comments like this I really wonder how morans like this manage to get themselves dressed everyday. What a stupid mindless comment. No wonder people think skinheads are dumb assholes. Every so often an asshole like this pops up his head to make a comment and gives people a reason to this all skinheads are idiots. "gay skins arent skins becuase skins fight with homos" what a stupid comment.

[tobbawiberg]

@SURFACEACE Come on now. "skins fight with homos"? I´ve been a skinhead for many years and I never picked a fight with any "homos"! Your just a retarded redneck.

[lossmail]

What a fascinating documentary! The perspectives were fairly diverse even within as narrowly-defined a group as "gay skinheads". Thank you for making this, thank you for sharing it.

[tubewerkz]

I admit. I had drawn up my own conclusions before this.after watching it, it dispelled my blanket judgement of all skinheads being racists our supremacists. I apologize for it and now hv a little beret understanding about others who are just a little didn't from mainstream society.

[chaos97]

i had a friend that years ago said he was talking to a group of skinheads and he was trying to figure out what one had tattooed on his neck. after talking to them for a while, he found out they were all gay and the tattoo was actually of a dick! funny stuff.

[younglimbs]

@KarlHayden No problem...well I think that's probably due to ignorance - I personally know no gay skins aside from those I've seen in the gay quarter in Paris (I live in France), and I've always wondered if this is because they aren't interested in being part of the skin scene or if they're afraid of being persecuted. But I'd love to see more integration, such as in the punk scene - hopefully someday!

[camposmopar1973]

Sharps Son Of Bitchs