If you ignore the large letters that spell out ‘M E N B O X’, this magazine looks like a run of the mill Chinese glossy magazine; can’t go wrong with Becks and Posh on the front cover.
But have a look inside and you might start to think a little differently. And when you see the ‘male body art supplement’ you will realize that you are holding China’s first real gay magazine in your hands. This is the cover of the ‘male body art supplement’ of Menbox:
Here’s a spread from the ‘male body art supplement’:
Menbox is brought to you by the China Academy of Social Sciences, a liberal state-controlled institute, and Beijing Fashionable Gentleman Media Company.Thanks to Kaiser Kuo for first telling me about this magazine, and Mauro Marescialli for actually procuring a copy.