(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #96, January 29, 1999)
“Queer” seems to be the new umbrella term that’s been chosen to be inclusive of all sexual minorities, such as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Is that umbrella big enough to cover kinky heterosexuals as well? Historically the gay (predominantly men’s) leather/SM community and the community of kinky heterosexual folk have been parallel worlds, with little interaction between them. Some folks might like to keep it that way, but increasingly there are powerful forces inspiring a convergence of the GLBT and heterosexual kink communities.
I first heard about the concept of “het queers” from Jonathan Krall, senior congressional advocate for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. He was in the Twin Cities this summer to address a meeting of TIES, a local pansexual group of kinky people which bills itself as “GLBTH” (you can guess what the “H” stands for). He finished his talk with this admonition to the audience: “Don’t let anyone ever call you ‘straight’.”
It’s not easy for kinky heterosexuals in today’s society. They are in a no-win situation: They may look “straight,” but they aren’t, because according to society’s rules straight people don’t engage in kinky activities. They therefore have a choice: By being “straight acting and appearing” they can avoid the oppression and disdain that society reserves for the queer community—but they will be ignoring an important part of themselves in the process. Or they can be open and honest about their kinkiness, and society will reward them with the same disapproval it gives queers.
Actually, the disapproval may even be greater than that reserved for obvious queers, as if society were saying “Well, we KNEW they were queer, so we wrote them off a long time ago. But we had such high hopes for you. You have a lovely spouse, 2.2 children, a stable job, a house in the suburbs. How can you be such a traitor to our ideals?” Marriages may break up over the revelation of one spouse’s kinky proclivities; even if both partners are kinky, there’s always the question of what to tell the children—and how to keep the rest of society from finding out, lest the children be taken away.
As a response to these types of oppression, the national heterosexual and GLBT leather/SM communities have joined forces to form The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), a lobbying group that is “working to reduce the discrimination faced by adults who engage in, write about, study, or describe alternative sexual practices in the United States.” The NCSF includes gays, lesbians, bisexuals, heterosexuals, the transgendered, and individuals who self-identify as “none of the above.” According to Executive Director Susan Wright, “It’s time that Americans realized that one of our First Amendment rights is freedom of sexual expression. No one should ever have to suffer violence or discrimination because of their sexuality.” (Contact them at NCSFreedom@aol.com or visit their website at www.ncsfreedom.org.)
In most places the infrastructure of the heterosexual kink community is not yet as well-developed as that of the gay leather/SM community; there are few equivalents to gay leather bars where they can meet like-minded individuals. In the Twin Cities there are several organized groups for kinky heterosexuals, but TIES (an acronym for “Tremendously Intense Erotic Situations”) is the only one that is public enough for me to mention in print; the rest of the groups are composed of people who, for various reasons, need to keep their private lives private.
TIES hosts a monthly gathering (called a “munch”) for members and non-members; attendance at December’s munch was somewhere around 150 people over the course of the evening. There are monthly discussion groups for dominants, submissives, and switches. There is also a TIES quarterly play party with attendance by invitation only. And there is an e-mail listserv featuring interesting discussions about topics ranging from serious (how do I tell my husband/wife that I want to experiment with SM?) to lighter subjects (BDSM shopping at Ax-Man). For more information, visit the TIES website at www.visi.com/~ties.
It was through that e-mail listserv that I first got to know some of the members of TIES—a varied group of interesting people of all ages, genders, orientations and interests. Having followed the list for many months, and having attended two monthly munches, I am finding I have a lot more in common with them than I might have expected. If I had just assumed that we would have nothing in common because they’re het and I’m gay, I would have missed meeting some very nice people.
I know some male members of the GLBT leather community who are not happy about the coming of pansexuality to the leather/SM scene. For them leather is about gay men relating to other gay men, and they are allowed to make that choice. I’m sure there are lesbian feminist leatherwomen for whom leather is a woman-to-woman scene. And there are probably heterosexuals who don’t feel comfortable with the label “queer.” To all of these people, I have said it before and I’ll say it again: The leather/SM community is pansexual, crossing all gender and orientation boundaries. The people who make up that community, however, are not necessarily pansexual, and that’s okay too.
That’s an important distinction to keep in mind. If a group hosts a play space and wishes to designate it as exclusively for lesbian activity, for instance, that’s not politically incorrect. That’s their perogative, and it would seem to me rude for a group of men to crash the party. On the other hand, no one group or faction “owns” the leather community; in order to thrive it must be open and accessible to anyone who wants to identify with it and with its traditions and values, regardless of their sexual orientation, identity or expression.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Leather/Levi Dinner at Nicky’s Cafe
Saturday, February 6, 7:30 pm. Nicky’s Café is located at 107 3rd Ave. N. in the Mpls. Warehouse district.
The public is invited—call to make reservations.
The First Annual Mr. Minneapolis Eagle Contest (Preliminaries)
Sunday, February 7, 8:00 pm. Nicky’s Café is located at 107 3rd Ave. N. in the Mpls. Warehouse district.
Get a $10 bar tab and one free hour on Manline just for entering—how can you beat that? The Eagle is looking for someone who is the embodiment of their clientele: fun, hot, no attitude. Judging will be by customer and staff ballots. If you make it to the finals (Sunday, February 21, 8 pm) you’ll get an additional $15 bar tab, and there will be a fabulous prize package for the first and second runners-up and the winner. The winner represents the bar for the year and participates in the Pride Parade this summer. See any Minneapolis Eagle bartender for an entry form.
Pantheon of Leather IX and Olympus Leather Contest
February 5-7, New Orleans
Good luck to Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Greg Hausler and Cori Ander as they represent Minnesota in the Olympus Leather contest on Saturday night, Feb. 6. Community service awards for Pantheon of Leather will be announced Sunday afternoon, Feb. 7, and seven of the awards nominees are from Minnesota:
• Atons, Club of the Year
• Atons, Club Event of the Year (25th Anniversary run)
• Black Guard, Club Event of the Year (Black Frost 21)
• Kevin Cwayna, Reader’s Choice (Men)
• Renee Indehar, Midwest Regional Award
• Michael deLeon, Midwest Regional Award
• Steve Lenius (your humble columnist), Midwest Regional Award
The Black Guard presents Black Frost ’99
Friday through Sunday, February 12-14, various locations
You can still save $20 by registering for Black Frost ’99 before February 1, so hurry! Call for information and a run registration form.
Friday: Registration check-in at The Town House in St. Paul. Serving as host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, also in St. Paul. There will be sixteen events and parties throughout the run sponsored and hosted by other clubs from across the country.
Saturday: Even if you’re not attending the whole run, you can be there for the banquet, show and Red Heart Party in the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America on Saturday night, February 13. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”). After the banquet and show is the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community. Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door; advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
Sunday: Awards ceremony, change of club officers, and wind-down party at The Brass Rail.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
February 26-28: The next leather contest on the horizon is the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman.
Friday, January 29, 1999
Friday, January 15, 1999
Black Guard plans a star-studded Black Frost
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #95, January 15, 1999)
Minneapolis leather club The Black Guard was recently called “the premiere show club in the U.S.” by Drummer Magazine, and their Black Frost run was selected by Drummer as one of the nation’s top four runs. That’s nice recognition, but it also means The Black Guard now must live up to that reputation. How will they do it? Well, in planning Black Frost ’99, their 22nd annual run, they’ve thought BIG: for their banquet/show venue they’ve booked the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America, and they’re going to fill the theater with performers from show-biz places like Broadway, Hollywood and Las Vegas.
Black Frost ’99 is slated for Friday through Sunday, February 12-14, 1999. The action starts Friday night with registration check-in at The Town House in St. Paul. Serving as host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, also in St. Paul. There will be sixteen events and parties throughout the run sponsored and hosted by other clubs from across the country.
The highlight of the run will be the banquet, show and Red Heart Party in the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America on Saturday night, February 13. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”) featuring performances by Black Guard members and by Frit & Frat Fuller and The Kin International Dance Company from “The Wiz” touring company. The banquet and show will be followed by the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community presented in cooperation with Because We Care. Scheduled to appear are Jm J. Bullock (television: “Too Close For Comfort,” “Hollywood Squares”; also has appeared in Las Vegas); Wayne Moore and Brenda Silas Moore (stars of Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe); and Kelly Britt (who has appeared on Broadway, television and film). Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door; advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
Sunday afternoon is the Awards ceremony, change of club officers, and wind-down party at The Brass Rail.
Sponsors of the Red Heart Party and Black Frost ’99 include U S West, Lavender Magazine, United Airlines, Coors, National Car Rental and, according to a Black Guard press release, “many others.” According to that same press release, “The Black Guard of Minneapolis over the last years has dispersed over $80,000 to various Twin Cities and Minnesota GLBT-related charities through their fundraising efforts. They have also worked with, or teamed with, other organizations to raise another $50,000 in that same time period.”
You can save $20 by registering for Black Frost ’99 before February 1. Call for information and a run registration form.
Stars to entertain at local leather contests
The next leather contest on the horizon is the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest, which takes place February 26-28. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman.
Local leather contest producer Minnesota Leather Productions recently announced that Drummer Magazine has awarded them the privilege of producing the Great Plains Regional Drummer/Drummerboy Contest. This regional contest, scheduled for June, includes the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Winners of each individual state Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy contest will compete in this regional contest, and the winning Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy will go on to compete in the International Mr. Drummer contest in San Francisco.
Planning has commenced for a full weekend of events, called “Drummer of the Northern Star,” which will be held in conjunction with this regional Drummer contest. Scheduled to appear at the main contest will be Mercury Records recording artists Men Out Loud. Watch this column for further details.
Minnesota Leather Productions will also be presenting the Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy contest April 16-17, and the Mr. Minnesota Leather contest September 3-6 (Labor Day weekend). Both of these contests will feature generous prize packages and will send their winners to the next level of competition. The Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy contest will feature Jason Stewart, who has been seen on HBO and in the television series “Charmed” and “The Drew Carey Show.” HBO star Michelle Balland has been scheduled to appear at the Mr. Minnesota Leather contest.
Gay leathermen interested in competing for the Mr. Minnesota Drummer, Minnesota Drummerboy or Mr. Minnesota Leather titles should contact Colin Spriestersbach at Minnesota Leather Productions.
Minnesota Leather Productions is partnered for the Minnesota state contests with The Black Guard of Minneapolis and The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle.
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Send-Off Party
Sunday, January 17, 7 pm-close (show 9:30-11 pm), The Brass Rail
Come and support Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Cori Ander and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather Greg Hausler as they head for New Orleans to compete in the national Olympus Leather contest. Kendra Blake has hostess duties, and there will be hors d’oeuvres, special prizes and auctions all evening. The live show from 9:30 to 11 pm will include fantasy performances by the two Minnesota Olympus Leather titleholders. $5 at the door.
Pantheon of Leather IX and Olympus Leather Contest
February 5-7, New Orleans
Pantheon of Leather is the Leather Nation’s equivalent of Hollywood’s Academy Awards, and this year’s leather community service awards show includes seven nominations from Minnesota. Also part of the festivities will be the national Olympus Leather contest with Cori Ander and Greg Hausler representing Minnesota. If you want to go, act now! For air, hotel, and registration information and a registration form point your browser to www.theleatherjournal.com/Pantheon.htm.
Minneapolis leather club The Black Guard was recently called “the premiere show club in the U.S.” by Drummer Magazine, and their Black Frost run was selected by Drummer as one of the nation’s top four runs. That’s nice recognition, but it also means The Black Guard now must live up to that reputation. How will they do it? Well, in planning Black Frost ’99, their 22nd annual run, they’ve thought BIG: for their banquet/show venue they’ve booked the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America, and they’re going to fill the theater with performers from show-biz places like Broadway, Hollywood and Las Vegas.
Black Frost ’99 is slated for Friday through Sunday, February 12-14, 1999. The action starts Friday night with registration check-in at The Town House in St. Paul. Serving as host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, also in St. Paul. There will be sixteen events and parties throughout the run sponsored and hosted by other clubs from across the country.
The highlight of the run will be the banquet, show and Red Heart Party in the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America on Saturday night, February 13. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”) featuring performances by Black Guard members and by Frit & Frat Fuller and The Kin International Dance Company from “The Wiz” touring company. The banquet and show will be followed by the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community presented in cooperation with Because We Care. Scheduled to appear are Jm J. Bullock (television: “Too Close For Comfort,” “Hollywood Squares”; also has appeared in Las Vegas); Wayne Moore and Brenda Silas Moore (stars of Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe); and Kelly Britt (who has appeared on Broadway, television and film). Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door; advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
Sunday afternoon is the Awards ceremony, change of club officers, and wind-down party at The Brass Rail.
Sponsors of the Red Heart Party and Black Frost ’99 include U S West, Lavender Magazine, United Airlines, Coors, National Car Rental and, according to a Black Guard press release, “many others.” According to that same press release, “The Black Guard of Minneapolis over the last years has dispersed over $80,000 to various Twin Cities and Minnesota GLBT-related charities through their fundraising efforts. They have also worked with, or teamed with, other organizations to raise another $50,000 in that same time period.”
You can save $20 by registering for Black Frost ’99 before February 1. Call for information and a run registration form.
Stars to entertain at local leather contests
The next leather contest on the horizon is the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest, which takes place February 26-28. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman.
Local leather contest producer Minnesota Leather Productions recently announced that Drummer Magazine has awarded them the privilege of producing the Great Plains Regional Drummer/Drummerboy Contest. This regional contest, scheduled for June, includes the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Winners of each individual state Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy contest will compete in this regional contest, and the winning Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy will go on to compete in the International Mr. Drummer contest in San Francisco.
Planning has commenced for a full weekend of events, called “Drummer of the Northern Star,” which will be held in conjunction with this regional Drummer contest. Scheduled to appear at the main contest will be Mercury Records recording artists Men Out Loud. Watch this column for further details.
Minnesota Leather Productions will also be presenting the Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy contest April 16-17, and the Mr. Minnesota Leather contest September 3-6 (Labor Day weekend). Both of these contests will feature generous prize packages and will send their winners to the next level of competition. The Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy contest will feature Jason Stewart, who has been seen on HBO and in the television series “Charmed” and “The Drew Carey Show.” HBO star Michelle Balland has been scheduled to appear at the Mr. Minnesota Leather contest.
Gay leathermen interested in competing for the Mr. Minnesota Drummer, Minnesota Drummerboy or Mr. Minnesota Leather titles should contact Colin Spriestersbach at Minnesota Leather Productions.
Minnesota Leather Productions is partnered for the Minnesota state contests with The Black Guard of Minneapolis and The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle.
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Send-Off Party
Sunday, January 17, 7 pm-close (show 9:30-11 pm), The Brass Rail
Come and support Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Cori Ander and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather Greg Hausler as they head for New Orleans to compete in the national Olympus Leather contest. Kendra Blake has hostess duties, and there will be hors d’oeuvres, special prizes and auctions all evening. The live show from 9:30 to 11 pm will include fantasy performances by the two Minnesota Olympus Leather titleholders. $5 at the door.
Pantheon of Leather IX and Olympus Leather Contest
February 5-7, New Orleans
Pantheon of Leather is the Leather Nation’s equivalent of Hollywood’s Academy Awards, and this year’s leather community service awards show includes seven nominations from Minnesota. Also part of the festivities will be the national Olympus Leather contest with Cori Ander and Greg Hausler representing Minnesota. If you want to go, act now! For air, hotel, and registration information and a registration form point your browser to www.theleatherjournal.com/Pantheon.htm.
Friday, January 1, 1999
Cori Ander, Greg Hausler win MN Olympus Leather
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #94, January 1, 1999)
Plus: Ms. MN Leather’s Year-End Message & 1999 Event Calendar
PHOTOS: (Please use A and B, or C, or D. Also please use E. In other words, it’s important that all three people get their pictures in the column.)
Photo A: Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photo B: Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photos C and D: Left, Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999; Right, Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photo E: Holly Wheland, recipient of the first-ever Minnesota Olympus Leather Community Service Award.
The 1999 Mr./Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest took place on December 13, 1998 at The Saloon. First-time contest promoters Joshua Smith (the current Mr. Minnesota Leather) and Thomas Smith (the current International Mr. Rubber) put together a tightly-paced, entertaining evening that drew quite a respectable crowd. The evening’s beneficiaries were The Aliveness Project and The Leather Archives and Museum.
The show opened with a fantasy performance by current Mr. Minnesota Drummer Steve Eue. After the five contestants had been put through their paces, outgoing Ms. and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather Renee Indehar and B.D. Chambers, who helped judge the contest, gave heartfelt step-down speeches before sashing their successors: Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999 Cori Ander and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999 Greg Hausler. First runner-up honors for the women’s title went to Pamela Keesey, and for the men’s title to Leowyn. Also competing for the women’s title was Ruth Berger, who was also in the recent Ms. Minnesota Leather contest.
Other judges for the evening were Gary O’Neill of Wolf Productions, current Ms. Minnesota Leather Mario, and Holly Wheland of The Brass Rail. Wheland was also the recipient of the first-ever Minnesota Olympus Leather Community Service Award; she was honored for her willingness to help the leather community and the entire GLBT community by hosting events and assisting with fundraising. According to Joshua Smith, Wheland is “usually one of the first to offer her help.”
Ms. Minnesota Leather’s Year-End Message
Your humble columnist will now turn over the soapbox to Mario, Ms. Minnesota Leather 1999, who has this year-end message to the community:
“1998 brought huge accomplishments to the Minnesota leather community. Two of our leather clubs, The Black Guard and The Atons, are nominated in this year’s Pantheon of Leather for the “Club Event of the Year” award, and The Atons are also nominated for “Club of the Year.” These are very large honors.
“Since Kevin Cwayna took International Mr. Leather, it seems to have really helped boost our morale. This year marks the return of Ms. Minnesota Leather, an achievement due solely to the hard work of Renee Indehar (along with the help of many others). And after almost being lost, the Minnesota Olympus Leather contest and crown was sweetly restored and recovered thanks to Thomas Smith and Joshua Smith. I’d like to extend special thanks and praise to people who lead in the community such as “Mr. Fantasy” Michael deLeon, Steve Lenius, Renee Indehar, Kevin Cwayna, P.J. Knight, Colin Spriestersbach, B.D. Chambers, Ken Flanagan, Steve Eue, Dan and babalon of TIES, Empress C.C. Sakowitz and Emperor Bill Ganzer of the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle . . . and that’s just to name a few.
“This year has seen the beginning, with the help of Joshua Smith, of a leather roundtable forum which meets monthly and which invites anyone to come and participate. Thanks to this forum we have a calendar of events to the year 2000, which will ensure that future events and fundraisers won’t compete with each other for the same dates.
“I’d like to say ‘Good Job’ to The Minneapolis Eagle for its Wednesday-night Women Night. This is truly a way to unite both the men’s and women’s leather communities. And with that, I would like to proclaim the New Year’s resolutions of Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Leather: “We will no longer refer to the men’s or women’s leather community as such. We will only refer to it as our leather community.”
“Congratulations to the new Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather. They will be great representation for us in New Orleans at Pantheon of Leather in 1999. In closing, please remember that the fundraisers in the coming year are of paramount importance in producing another international titleholder for Minnesota, so please show all of your support in 1999.”
Mario, Ms. Minnesota Leather 1999
Upcoming Leather Events
Here it is: a list of Minnesota and selected worldwide leather events until the year 2000. Mark your calendar now, but remember that these dates are subject to change.
January 23, 1999: Atons Installation Banquet
January 29-31: ISCIC Coronation
February 5-7: International Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Contest and Pantheon of Leather, New Orleans
February 12-14: Black Guard presents Black Frost ’99
February 26-28: Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Contest
April 16-17: Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Contest
May 21-23: Knights of Leather Tournament XI (run)
May 28-31 (Memorial Day Weekend): International Mr. Leather (IML) Contest, Chicago
May 30: Atons IML Widow Party
June: Regional Drummer Contest
June 25-27: Minnesota Leather Pride, Twin Cities Festival of Pride
July 16-18: International Ms. Leather (IMsL) Contest, Las Vegas
Mid-August: International Mr. Fantasy Contest, Omaha
September 3-6 (Labor Day Weekend): Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest
September 24-25: Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest; International Mr. Drummer Contest/Folsom Street Fair, San Francisco
October 16-17: Rainbow Expo Minnesota
December 5: Atons Holiday Fundraiser
Plus: Ms. MN Leather’s Year-End Message & 1999 Event Calendar
PHOTOS: (Please use A and B, or C, or D. Also please use E. In other words, it’s important that all three people get their pictures in the column.)
Photo A: Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photo B: Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photos C and D: Left, Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999; Right, Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photo E: Holly Wheland, recipient of the first-ever Minnesota Olympus Leather Community Service Award.
The 1999 Mr./Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest took place on December 13, 1998 at The Saloon. First-time contest promoters Joshua Smith (the current Mr. Minnesota Leather) and Thomas Smith (the current International Mr. Rubber) put together a tightly-paced, entertaining evening that drew quite a respectable crowd. The evening’s beneficiaries were The Aliveness Project and The Leather Archives and Museum.
The show opened with a fantasy performance by current Mr. Minnesota Drummer Steve Eue. After the five contestants had been put through their paces, outgoing Ms. and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather Renee Indehar and B.D. Chambers, who helped judge the contest, gave heartfelt step-down speeches before sashing their successors: Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999 Cori Ander and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999 Greg Hausler. First runner-up honors for the women’s title went to Pamela Keesey, and for the men’s title to Leowyn. Also competing for the women’s title was Ruth Berger, who was also in the recent Ms. Minnesota Leather contest.
Other judges for the evening were Gary O’Neill of Wolf Productions, current Ms. Minnesota Leather Mario, and Holly Wheland of The Brass Rail. Wheland was also the recipient of the first-ever Minnesota Olympus Leather Community Service Award; she was honored for her willingness to help the leather community and the entire GLBT community by hosting events and assisting with fundraising. According to Joshua Smith, Wheland is “usually one of the first to offer her help.”
Ms. Minnesota Leather’s Year-End Message
Your humble columnist will now turn over the soapbox to Mario, Ms. Minnesota Leather 1999, who has this year-end message to the community:
“1998 brought huge accomplishments to the Minnesota leather community. Two of our leather clubs, The Black Guard and The Atons, are nominated in this year’s Pantheon of Leather for the “Club Event of the Year” award, and The Atons are also nominated for “Club of the Year.” These are very large honors.
“Since Kevin Cwayna took International Mr. Leather, it seems to have really helped boost our morale. This year marks the return of Ms. Minnesota Leather, an achievement due solely to the hard work of Renee Indehar (along with the help of many others). And after almost being lost, the Minnesota Olympus Leather contest and crown was sweetly restored and recovered thanks to Thomas Smith and Joshua Smith. I’d like to extend special thanks and praise to people who lead in the community such as “Mr. Fantasy” Michael deLeon, Steve Lenius, Renee Indehar, Kevin Cwayna, P.J. Knight, Colin Spriestersbach, B.D. Chambers, Ken Flanagan, Steve Eue, Dan and babalon of TIES, Empress C.C. Sakowitz and Emperor Bill Ganzer of the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle . . . and that’s just to name a few.
“This year has seen the beginning, with the help of Joshua Smith, of a leather roundtable forum which meets monthly and which invites anyone to come and participate. Thanks to this forum we have a calendar of events to the year 2000, which will ensure that future events and fundraisers won’t compete with each other for the same dates.
“I’d like to say ‘Good Job’ to The Minneapolis Eagle for its Wednesday-night Women Night. This is truly a way to unite both the men’s and women’s leather communities. And with that, I would like to proclaim the New Year’s resolutions of Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Leather: “We will no longer refer to the men’s or women’s leather community as such. We will only refer to it as our leather community.”
“Congratulations to the new Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather. They will be great representation for us in New Orleans at Pantheon of Leather in 1999. In closing, please remember that the fundraisers in the coming year are of paramount importance in producing another international titleholder for Minnesota, so please show all of your support in 1999.”
Mario, Ms. Minnesota Leather 1999
Upcoming Leather Events
Here it is: a list of Minnesota and selected worldwide leather events until the year 2000. Mark your calendar now, but remember that these dates are subject to change.
January 23, 1999: Atons Installation Banquet
January 29-31: ISCIC Coronation
February 5-7: International Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Contest and Pantheon of Leather, New Orleans
February 12-14: Black Guard presents Black Frost ’99
February 26-28: Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Contest
April 16-17: Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Contest
May 21-23: Knights of Leather Tournament XI (run)
May 28-31 (Memorial Day Weekend): International Mr. Leather (IML) Contest, Chicago
May 30: Atons IML Widow Party
June: Regional Drummer Contest
June 25-27: Minnesota Leather Pride, Twin Cities Festival of Pride
July 16-18: International Ms. Leather (IMsL) Contest, Las Vegas
Mid-August: International Mr. Fantasy Contest, Omaha
September 3-6 (Labor Day Weekend): Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest
September 24-25: Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest; International Mr. Drummer Contest/Folsom Street Fair, San Francisco
October 16-17: Rainbow Expo Minnesota
December 5: Atons Holiday Fundraiser
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