Leather Lens: Minnesota Leather Pride 2004

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #239, July 23, 2004)

With presentations spread over a ten-day period, this year’s Minnesota Leather Pride celebration was the most ambitious ever. Months of planning paid off with a series of well organized and well attended events. Here are a few scenes from the celebration.

Friday evening, June 18: The official kick-off to Minnesota Leather Pride 2004 was a trampling demonstration, featuring the trampling talents of Sharina Nicole and slave michael, at the Minneapolis Eagle. (Sharina and michael also gave a trampling workshop on Tuesday, June 22 during which this photo/these photos were taken.)

Saturday evening, June 19: A Floggapalooza, featuring four simultaneous flogging scenes, was held at the Minneapolis Eagle.

Sunday afternoon, June 20: It was Father’s Day, so it was appropriate that the ever-amazing Amanda Wildefyre, right, presented a “CBT for Daddy’s Day” workshop. (“CBT” stands for cock-and-ball torture.) To Amanda’s left is one of her two willing victims, David Coral (aka Jazz Thomas)—who, that afternoon, also learned how to mount and dismount a trapeze.

Tuesday evening, June 22: Trampling isn’t just for spike heels. Here, at the aforementioned trampling workshop, Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2004 Carl Byrd tries trampling David Coral (aka Jazz Thomas).

Tuesday evening, June 22: David Coral (aka Jazz Thomas), who was having a busy week, presented a body-punching workshop using International Mr. Leather 2003 John Pendal as the punching bag. (Pendal later returned the favor.)

Sunday morning, June 27: A gentle rain did not stop the Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride Parade—or the 75-foot leather pride flag—from making its annual trek up Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis.

Sunday morning, June 27: Cleo Dubois, left, and Fakir Musafar, right, are shown here watching the Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride parade. The duo had a busy week as presenters and participants in this year’s Minnesota Leather Pride. On Wednesday evening, June 23, they were part of a “Leather Spirituality” roundtable discussion at The Town House in St. Paul. On Thursday, June 24 they presented a workshop on “The Magic of Temporary Piercing” and followed it up with “Spirit+Flesh,” an all-day workshop/body ritual on Saturday, June 26

Sunday afternoon, June 27: This year Minnesota Leather Pride had an official booth, complete with cage, at the Pride Festival in Loring Park.