Founded in 1996 by Peter Ian Cummings in San Francisco, XY Magazine was designed to "affirm pride in gay teenagers and assert positive ideals toward sex instead of shame and guilt". Unlike other gay publications of the era like Out or Advocate , which targeted an older, more affluent demographic, XY focused on readers aged 18 to 24. The magazine was famous for its:
While most gay magazines assumed an audience of affluent, out, 30-something men, XY spoke directly to the teenager in his suburban bedroom, the college student questioning his identity, and the young adult navigating his first coming-out experiences. xy magazine pdf