These magazines primarily serve to stimulate sexual thoughts and emotions.
Some magazines are very general in their variety of illustrations, while others may be more specific and focus on particular activities or fetishes.
Prior to the 1970s, gay pornography was not widely distributed due to censorship laws.
Non-pornographic "beefcake magazines" were widely available, and were generally purchased by gay men.
From the late 1980s, a number of gay magazines and newspapers featured homoerotic nude or partially clothed male models but were not classified as pornography, for example Gay Times and QX Magazine.