ʀ ᴇ ᴛ ʀ ᴏ ᴍ ᴏ ᴏ ᴅ
Before he became “The Muscles from Brussels,” Jean-Claude Van Damme was a young Belgian martial artist chasing a Hollywood dream. Born in 1960, he trained in karate and ballet before heading to Los Angeles, where persistence eventually paid off with Bloodsport in 1988. Kickboxer, Double Impact and Universal Soldier soon followed, cementing his place among the great action stars of the era.
This candid black and white photograph captures Van Damme’s youthful physique and understated charm, a reminder of the years before he became an international action icon. The exact date and the photographer remain unidentified, but it is likely early to mid 1980s.
Two Black men.
Date night. No distractions.
We oil up, get dressed, put the phones on Do Not Disturb, and actually show up for each other.
Concert first. Dinner after. That’s the plan.
People still act shocked when two men treat love like it’s serious.
Gay love is not a phase.
LGBT couples do date night too.
Love is love, and Black gay love looks like this:
getting ready together, fixing each other’s hair, running late because we refuse to half-step.
Proudly living it.
Not hiding it.
Date night is how you keep a relationship.
Straight or gay, same rule.
We just do it louder.
Drop a 🏳️🌈 if your man gets you ready like this.