These Men's Naked Bums Are Teaching Self Acceptance

In just eight short months after anonymously posting a photo of his naked “bum” on Instagram, Jeff Perla has reached what some would call the pinnacle of success on the social platform. With more than 47,000 followers (and growing), The Travelin’ Bum Instagram account is about more than a selection of nude men with beautiful booties—it’s a community of self acceptance.

After struggling for years with his own sexual identity, Perla wanted a place where others could talk openly about “coming out” and in turn, inspire others to do the same.

“After my first picture got over 1,000 likes I thought ‘wow, this is cool.’ Then someone direct messaged me asking to be featured and I figured, ‘why not?’ I definitely never imagined it would get as big as it has. It means a lot to me; watching people feel so comfortable and talking to me about their personal lives.”

The personal “coming out” stories shared for all to see have helped skyrocket The Travelin’ Bum into the social media limelight; attracting attention from members of the LGBTQA community across the globe. For a feature he calls, “Bum of the Week,” Perla’s account receives hundreds of submissions—most photos come attached with stories of men who have bravely decided to speak their truth. Perla recalls one story in particular that motivates him to keep the account alive and active, and to be a voice for those who may be struggling.

“A [story] that I remember the most was when someone came up to me in Penn Station because he recognized me from my Instagram account. He said that he was visiting the city with his parents and couldn’t talk long. We grabbed a photo and he told me to keep up the good work. He also told me he was not out to anyone and that I was the first person he ever told. He explained that he can’t follow my [Instagram] account or ‘like’ any of my pictures because he is too scared someone will see his activity—but that he checks the page everyday and hopes to one day have the courage to send in a photo with his own story. For me, being reassured that what I am doing is helping so many people — that is why I keep this going.”

Although many have shared their stories of what they have learned from Perla and the bravery of the other “bums” featured on the account, Perla says he’s the one that is continuously learning and gaining inspiration from those who follow him.

“One of the biggest things I have learned is that I am so fortunate to live in a fluid city [NYC] that is accepting and embracing of the LGBT community. I had someone from Asia reach out to me asking to share his story but he needed to remain anonymous because law enforcement would arrest him for posting a picture and admitting to being gay. I'm learning about different cultures on a daily basis and hearing about situations I couldn't even fathom.”

So what does Perla have in store for all of these ‘bums’ in the future?

He compares the future of the account to an “ocean” and says that he has been approached with a few opportunities already and is keeping all options on the table.

For now, his advice to men still living in fear of coming out of the closet:

“For those who are afraid to come out, I would say don't be. The people who are going to give you backlash don't deserve to have you in their life. We are only young for so long and before you know it we will be old and unable to travel and experience life as the person we truly are. There is a lot to experience in the world, and you cant experience it without being happy and comfortable with yourself.”