2023 Rewind: Nasty Pig Co-founder David Lauterstein on Getting Positive Queer Energy Out Into the World

This piece is part of EDGE's 2023 Rewind series. We're reaching into our archives and sharing some of our favorite stories from the past year.

The fashion brand Nasty Pig will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, as will its two co-founders, Frederick Kearney and David Lauterstein, who met that year. From a $50 investment it has grown into one of the most recognizable LGBTQ+ fashion brands whose easily recognizable logo can be seen on their underwear, jockstraps, jeans, shorts, T-shirts, and swimwear.

But how did Nasty Pig come about? EDGE spoke with co-founder Lauterstein about the genesis of the company, how Nasty Pig made its way to the White House, and the secret to his personal and professional success.

EDGE: Can you tell me about the history of Nasty Pig?

David Lauterstein: I started Nasty Pig in 1994 with my then boyfriend and now husband of 29 years, Fred. We started it in response to the AIDS crisis and we wanted to be a voice for sexual positivity. At the time, our community had adopted the stigma of AIDS, and it was unfairly placed upon us. The prevailing wisdom back then amongst our own community was to just blend in. To be heteronormative. I don't need to be tolerated or accepted. I want to be respected for my uniqueness. So, we started Nasty Pig as a way to put that energy out into the world.
We were wildly unpopular, and the gay community hated us. No stores would carry us and no magazines would print our ads. We were too gay, even for a lot of the gay press at the time. I do too gay really well, so I stuck with it. We built our following one person at a time.

EDGE: You were hated even within the gay community?

David Lauterstein: On more than one occasion, we had notes posted to our door saying, "You're spreading AIDS." Back then, the idea of being sexually forward was not welcome. Because of the HIV/ADIS epidemic, this was the type of energy that we were faced with.

EDGE: You recently paid a visit to the White House and received recognition for 30 years of championing queer sexual positivity. Tell us about that experience?

David Lauterstein: It was one of the most profound experiences of my life. When we started this company, I was 23 years old, and my friends were dying. I felt so powerless. I just wanted to help. I just wanted to make people feel better. So, 30 years later, to be recognized for the work that we had done is just amazing. We were very involved with the White House and the CDC on the Monkeypox response, so to come full circle is awesome. To be that powerless 23-year-old kid standing in the White House holding my husband's hand under a portrait of George Washington was unbelievable.

EDGE: What does this recognition from the White House mean to you and what does it do for the queer community?

David Lauterstein: The recognition for me is really an acknowledgement of the power that we have when we stand in our own skin and when we embody who we are as a people. The idea that the White House and CDC are approaching people like me to talk to our own community is mind blowing. I still don't understand the gravity of that. In 1981, if we were in a position where health officials could talk to the gay community and talk about the AIDS epidemic, maybe there would have been a different ending.

EDGE: Why has Monkeypox faded from the headlines?

David Lauterstein: We all know that I am not a doctor, but I got quickly versed on it as much as I could when I first heard about it. It began to first circulate back in May of 2022. I heard about it while we were on our way to the International Mr. Leather event in Chicago. All of sudden, all the trauma I had from the AIDS epidemic came rushing back to me. In June, Dimitri, our CEO, and I worked on sending out a letter talking about it. Queer people were lining up in masses to get their vaccinations. There were more arms than vaccinations. I was approached by the White House and the CDC about doing a vaccination clinic at Mid-Atlantic Leather event. I'll do anything to keep my community healthy and safe. When I found out the number of people who still didn't get second shots, I was a little shocked. The need was still so great, especially for my queer siblings who live in smaller communities. The act of asking for a shot in those small communities is really outing yourself and some were in fear of doing it. There are people in our community who are not getting vaccinated for fear of being found out. Putting your health at risk should never be an option. I gave up my booth at MAL. We didn't sell a thing because I knew that if I could just help a couple of people then it was worth making no money at all.

EDGE: Where did your road to queer sexual positivity begin?

David Lauterstein: I came out of the closet in 1992. I was so excited to be this out gay person. I went out bars and shows and anything I could attend. I put my whole life on the line for this. I was terrified of AIDS. That same year, I attended my first Gay Pride parade and saw all these people celebrating and being joyous in the face of looming death. I mean at that time every sexual encounter could be a death sentence. I was so inspired by that strength. This love, joy and celebration that I was seeing was a gift. I made a vow on that day that I would dedicate my life to harnessing, honoring, and sharing this joy with others.

EDGE: Is there a correlation to embracing sex positivity as a reaction to the oppression that the queer community has faced?

David Lauterstein: When I was younger, my Jewish grandmother sat me down in my parents' living room and she said : "David, you are a Jewish person living in the United States. You have to be the smartest, the strongest, and nicest person that you can be. Not because you are chosen, but because your relatives who were back in Russia felt that they had to blend in and pretend not to be Jews and because of that they didn't make it. You must be who you are and be the best version of yourself. If you hide who you are and people find out that you lied about it they'll hate you for what you lied about." I don't walk around announcing to everyone that I am gay, but at the same time, my queerness and my homosexuality is rooted in who I am. I'm not going to bury that. I think everyone should learn to be their authentic self and not be ashamed. There is no reason to live a life of oppression.

EDGE: What is the secret to your long-term relationship with your husband and business partner, Fred?

David Lauterstein: Well, there's no real secret. It's a lot of hard work. When you go into a relationship, you go all in at 100%. Once you're in the relationship, it changes to 33% you, 33% him, and 34% us. You have to be willing to give up 66% of who you are. I always tell people if you live your life in search of happiness and authenticity and your road is to be single, you are better off than two miserable people who are locked together forever. So, the secret to our happiness is that we always kept an eye on what made us authentically happy. It helps that we love being creative and being voices of positivity in the community.

EDGE: What are your latest fashions for 2023?

David Lauterstein: We are already working on Spring 2024. We have always been so far ahead when it comes to our line and brand. For our collections, we always try and give a representation of we think the customer lens is on. We have clothing that's specific to going to the gym or some sort of physical activity. We were putting out a line of what we are calling out "Chill Out Collection." It's clothing made of Terry cloth. We want you to feel like comfortable and sexy at home. We always do a Pride Capsule Collection.

EDGE: What do you hope is Nasty Pig's legacy?

David Lauterstein: I want every single action of this company to be empowering our community with all the money that we bring in and all the money we put out into the community. We work closely with the Ali Forney Center to help house and clothe homeless queer kids. I want this to continue as a foundation long after me and Fred are gone. I made a vow to myself that I would always honor all the queer ancestors who had passed. I was born with blind confidence, but I promised them that everything I would do would be in service of passing down what they couldn't give to me. I will honor my lost elders by giving to the new generation of queer people.

For more information on Nasty Pig, visit the brand's website.