(IMAGE) Why Depression Won’t Ever Stop Me From Finding Love!

By: David Artavia 
GAY GUYS

It’s an effort nowadays to find a neutral state of being. My heart is constantly being tugged and dragged to the ground by an invisible force, which often goes unnoticed until I’m pinned with grief. The cause is always unknown but one thing is for sure: I have to fight like hell every single day.

People today are afraid to confront sadness—we think it keeps us from achieving our goals. It’s a toxic trait we try and steer away from. We stopped training ourselves on how to deal with it because we’re convinced sadness is contagious. When we’re around a friend who’s sad, our first instinct is to runaway rather than to console or listen.

I’m one of the lucky ones. I know what love looks like (some people go their whole lives without ever knowing). My body remembers how it feels, how it tastes, how it moves—a gentle surprise like a giggle in your tummy.

(IMAGE) Are Nice Guys Overlooked In The Gay Community?

By: David Artavia 
GAY GUYS


Do nice guys finish last in the gay community? You can’t go two blocks in a gay neighborhood nowadays without the feeling of being judged or scanned up and down. Unless you play the game, it’s as if you’re left to fend for yourself.

It’s hard to tell someone’s intention in today’s world. There’s a defense mechanism, almost territorial-like way of responding to nice people with no real motive. When someone is a kind soul, it seems like people always view them as “out to get something.”

It’s Survival of the Fittest on a giant scale. It’s those who lay it out there, who are in it to win it, or who fight their way to the top that gain an imaginative “social status,” and are therefore worthy of praise and attention. But nice guys are rarely a part of the game, if at all.

(DATING) 7 Easy Steps To Finding The Right Guy!

By Zachary Zane
PRIDE

The right guy for you is out there. He’s hiding though, and he’s going to make it as difficult as possible to find him. Here are seven steps to finding Mr. Right.

Step 1: Make sure he exists 




Have rom-coms screwed with your perception of real men? Nobody’s perfect. Prioritize your deal breakers, and don’t compromise. As for the rest, try be flexible when you can.

(DATING) 8 Easy Things You Can Do To Drive Guys Wild!

By: Jerry Plaza
GAY GUYS

I can’t help it. I love to watch boys everywhere I go – we all do, right? It’s a weakness we’re susceptible to give into at one point in our day. As a self-confessed man watcher, I’ve picked up on a few tips to really get the attention of the boys. They’re easy to do and are so obvious you probably do them without even realizing it. They are:

(DATING) 8 Tips To Boost Your Confidence in Gay Flirting!

by David Artavia
GAY GUYS

Flirting is like skydiving. There you are, standing in the plane with the wind blowing in your face (opportunity). You know what to do (make the move). You understand that things can go horribly wrong but there’s no other way out (taking the risk), so you free fall and in a millisecond release all of your worries and you surrender to the wind (approaching the guy). When you finally hit land and realize you’re alive with no broken bones, you are on cloud nine that you had the courage to take the leap. It’s an exhilarating experience that requires constant practice and learning, but many of us fall victim to fear and never leave the plane.

We see opportunities in front of us and instead of taking the risk we walk the other way. Why? Above all, it’s a lack of confidence both in ourselves and in what we have to offer.

You don’t have to be scared of yourself. If you truly take the time to dissect what flirting actually is, you will find it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with your imagination. Our thoughts and assumptions can be our worst enemy. Mind, body and soul work in tandem, so the sooner you can separate them the better. Here are a few tips that are sure to lead you in the right direction:

(DATING) Why Short Men Are Sexier Than Tall Guys!

By: David Artavia
GAY GUYS

I’ve been called numerous names in my life. I was the tallest guy in my junior high class, but the summer before my freshman year of high school was a most unproductive time for my body and social life. I returned to see that 95% of my classmates rose above me, literally. The years of towering over my peers disappeared forever, and though I was expecting it to return in the following months, it never did.

I’ve been called “shorty,” “dwarf,” “baby,” all of which I tried to brush off my shoulders, but when you’re trying to attract the hottie in the corner, the last thing you want to hear is someone make fun of your height. It also didn’t help that my name was David – the David & Goliath jokes never ended. Standing at 5’7, I know I’m not the shortest guy in the world. But since the average height for a man in America is 5’9 ½, I sadly remain a dwarf inside the gay community, whose interpretation of beauty requires a stature of at least 5’10. But I’ve learned recently that being short is the sexiest quality a man can have.

(DATING) Why I Will Never Date a Male Model Again!

By: Jerry Plaza
GAY GUYS
 
One of my exes was an up and coming supermodel in L.A. People knew who he was not because he was friendly or outgoing necessarily, but because he had the power to turn heads. You know those types of guys you see in a coffee shop window; they’re so attractive you have to back step for another glance—he was that guy.

I fell for his looks and he fell for my personality—both of us were a bit insecure mainly because I knew he was better looking and he knew I was more fun. But it didn’t matter because in accordance to the unwritten law, looks are more important than personalities, at least from first impression.

People saw us together and I was instantly labeled the “ugly one.” I was the guy who should consider himself lucky that such a man would want to date me. The world convinced me I wasn’t good enough for him, so random (more attractive) dudes would try and break us up—all the while my boyfriend’s ego got bigger and bigger.

(DATING) Right Man, Wrong Time?

By: David Artavia
GAY GUYS

It’s interesting what happens when a new man comes into my life. Familiar feelings I thought would never return come bubbling back, and I get frightened. I overanalyze the smallest things, wondering if the feelings are mutual or not. History repeats itself and before I know it, he ends up being another face on my wall of failed attempts. I used to blame myself, until I realized there was nothing wrong with me. When it comes to compatibility, timing, I’ve learned, is everything.

I’ve often wondered what might have happened if I’d met Jeff, Michael, Tyler or Ben just a few years down the road. Would we have had better chemistry? Might I have been more confident in where my life was? The truth of the matter is it’s pointless to think about – we can’t change reality to fiction. To do so would be torturous.

The right guys can come at the wrong time, no question. I’ve experienced it a few times in my life, and it sucks. You think, if only he was ready to settle; if I wasn’t so busy with my career, I could give him more attention; if he was slightly more comfortable being out, I might have been more open to my feelings; if he didn’t just go through a breakup, his heart may have been more willing; if I had more confidence in myself, perhaps I could have been a game changer for him. The what if’s never end and while it’s easy to pinpoint it back to ourselves, the fact of the matter is it just wasn’t the right timing.