If 30s are the new 20s, William Bercik is the new 40s. Successful and smoldering, the later-in-life model is ready to usher in a new age of visibility for gay men who find themselves on the other side of the hill. Once cast out of the community’s perspective by that proverbial hill, William hopes that speaking candidly about aging with Instinct will help his contemporaries emerge from the shadows to finally register on the gay community’s radar.
Admittedly, Instinct was complicit in the phenomenon. Only a handful of Instinct cover models over the past 12 years were over 40, though some may have shaved off a few years—a common aversion to aging that courses through the community’s veins, surfacing as bruises in gay media. With William’s addition to the growing roster and recognition of the (wrinkled) elephant in the room, is our youth-addicted culture willing to confront that which we try to avoid as feverishly as fluorescent lighting or carbs before Memorial Day? Are gay men ready to embrace aging?
As an out and proud 46-year-old, William’s expanding modeling portfolio might provide a clue to the answer or at the very least highlight that an influential industry may see the age limits for sex-symbol status dissolving. Although William boasts 23 successful years in the healthcare industry under his size-32 belt, he only recently launched a flourishing side career in modeling, (freelancing with Caliber Models in Atlanta)at an age when most have long retired from the catwalk.
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“In my early 40s, people started coming up to me to say, ‘Wow. You look great for your age and should consider modeling,’” he says. “The main thing for me was to be comfortable in my own skin. Once I got to that point, people started asking to photograph me because I have an obvious balance in life. That’s when I started thinking about modeling as a side career.”His continued accomplishments in fashion, an industry that taps youth more often than George Rekers, underscore William’s unwavering drive, a trait he honed, he says, on his path to becoming comfortable with himself.
“I don’t mention this so people will feel sorry for me, but when I was young I had crossed eyes,” he says matter-of-factly. “I had pneumonia at 4, was hospitalized, and it weakened my eye muscles. They became permanently crossed at 5. My parents decided to have major surgery at the time, but it was only successful on one eye. People made fun of me over the years, and I became shy and introverted because of it.”
Read more about William in our October issue, out now!
Comments (15)
... written by CTOBKA,
October 01, 2010
oops! In the magazine article the ending of this story, is without an ending...The cover model states (as printed in the magazine) "...these are the best years of my " And that's where it ends...
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... written by sunshine,
October 04, 2010
I noticed that too. I thought I was going crazy for a second.
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... written by michaelmlt,
October 06, 2010
ditto... where is the rest of the article?
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... written by Lorenzo,
October 14, 2010
Even the beginning.."if 30's are the new 20's"... reaks of bigotry. One article about a fourtish model can't make up for 12 years of being ignored. The bias and preference for youth in our culture blinds us. Hey, even a "bitter old queen" was once young! When will beauty be measured from within before the surface? Now its tile for this 50ish man to shower, shave, apply lotion and try to look younger (see, I'm just as quilty)!!!
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... written by Andymp62,
October 17, 2010
Yes what a shock it was to everyone around me when I was about to turn 40 back in 2002, exept me! I didn't have a problem with it until everyone aroun me started at me . OMG your goin to be 40!, OMG what do you think of turning 40! OMG 40 thats SO OLD! how you gonna cope. Well after having these and many more comments just like them I began to freak out too. Now having just turned 48 back in June this year ( which means Im now closer to 501 OMG!) should I just die now! Our world has always been youth orientated,and even MORE so in the gay world (why? I have no idea?)but it has only gotten worse since 2002. I started Uni this year and youth is being thrown in my face daily now. I got over it though. If Gen Y think I am SO OLD that they do not even want to talk to me we thats their problem not mine. I remember when I was 20 thinking people who were 30 were OLD! ,but I never thought they were not worth talking to and in fact I alawys prefered older people to people of my own age (and still do) but I never discriminated against someones age. If all young peolwe see is no one over the age of 25 then what can you expext. I blame the media and especially the gay media for this rediculus obsession with youth culture. How about reflecting whats really out there, anddont give me that crap about 'no one will by your magzine or watch your Tv show or film if you dare show someone over 25' It;s CRAP!
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... written by Wendell Soliven,
October 18, 2010
I just turned 40 this year. A lot of people especially so-called friends were basically doing the "OG" jokes. I just laughed and tell them to wait when it's their time. So far, I'm very happy being 40. I don't give a crap about the issues of being old. My only concern is my happiness. I'm happy to leave my 20s and 30s behind.
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