Mike as a baby, “raised as an all-American boy” in Baltimore, MD, September 1961. Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike (age 3) and his Jaja (Polish grandfather) in Brooklyn, NY, July 1963. Mike shares, “Jaja may have also had multiple sclerosis.” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
A family portrait of the Szymanskis in Horscheim, Germany, October 1965. L-R: Michele (sister), Iggy (father), Mike, and Rose (mother) Szymanski. Mike shares, “I always wanted to be a cowboy.” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike with his first girlfriend Melanie, June 1977. Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike “going out on the town for Halloween” in West Hollywood, CA, October 1989. Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike Szymanski and his mother Rose Szymanski in the Pride March, June 29, 1992. Mike’s blue shirt reads, “My mother is straight… but she don’t hate.” Rose’s pink shirt reads, “My son is bi… I don’t ask why.” Photo Credit: activist Lynn Ballen. Mike shares, “This photo is often mis-appropriated on the internet as someone's else's uncle or grandmother. It made the cover of the Bisexual Resource Guide in 2001 and in the collection of iconic LGBT+ photos in ‘We Are Everywhere: The History of Queer Liberation.’” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike’s pornography colleagues, May 1994. L-R: Sharon Kane (starlet), Chi Chi LaRue (director), and Mickey Skee (Mike’s “nom de porn” critic). Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike in his Jesus role for “The Devil is a Bottom”, a pornographic movie starring Blake Harper and directed by Wash West. Mike shares, “My character was never shot in a scene with a nude guy.” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike posing with various pornstars. Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike posing with John Waters, April 2002. Mike shares, “Director John Waters was one of the celebrity judges for Mickey Skee's porn awards.” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike and Nicole Kristal, co-author of the Lambda award-winning “Bisexual's Guide to the Universe”, November 2006. Mike’s black shirt reads, “Bi.” Nicole’s black shirt reads, “Evilgelical” inside of an inverted ichthys. Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike and his nephew Donovan in karate poses, January 2011. Their shirts read, “Big Bang”, inside of neon green atoms. Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
L-R: Michele (sister), Dante (nephew), Donovan (nephew) and Mike Szymanski covered in colored powder, May 2018. Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike and other Los Angeles Bi+ Task Force Members, Hollywood, CA, December 2022. He shares, “I’m back in activism through serving on the board of the Los Angeles Bi+ Task Force. Here, we’re goofing around at my holiday party in my backyard.” His shirt reads, “Love Beyond Gender”. The banner in the background reads, “Bi / Fluid Pride.” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike and his dogs posing atop his future tombstone, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA, July 2021. He shares, “After a break-up of a 24 year relationship, I still created a tombstone modeled after my sofa at home and seven past Dachshunds with one future dog in bronze. The four dogs alive at the time are in the photo.” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
Mike and his daughter Lindsay Mitchell. He shares, “I recently met my daughter who was created through a cryobank. She now calls me “Dad” and lives in Austin, Texas.” Photo courtesy of Mike Szymanski.
