(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #41, December 20, 1996)
Many, many years ago, in a land far away, there was a young drummerboy named Willie. Willie played his drum at the temple, where he accompanied the temple dancers. He loved drumming, and he also loved the leather harness that he wore to carry the drum. It had been a gift from his Daddy, who had made it especially for him. He loved the harness so much that sometimes he wore it even when he wasn’t playing drums. His Daddy had a harness too (even though he didn’t play drums at all) and most of their other friends had harnesses and other leather clothing as well.
Playing the drum at the temple didn’t pay very well, but Willie didn’t mind. Shortly after he had attained manhood and left his parents’ house he had started living with his Daddy, an older gentleman who made a good living as a successful astrologer.
One winter night, Willie and his Daddy were lying in bed, cradled in each other’s arms. Willie, feeling very contented, looked out the window at the starry sky. Suddenly he saw one star grow brighter and brighter, until it blazed with a radiance he had never seen before. As he drifted off to sleep holding his Daddy, he thought to himself that the star could have symbolized the love he and his Daddy shared.
The next day Willie had just finished playing his drum when his Daddy suddenly appeared at the temple. “Willie, take your drum and come with me,” said his Daddy. “We’re going on a long journey.” The King had seen the same star that Willie and his Daddy had seen the night before, and had asked his Daddy’s company (Weisman, Weisman and Weisman Astrological Consultants P.A.) to investigate it.
Day and night, the star continued to blaze in the sky as Willie, his Daddy and his Daddy’s two partners followed it for twelve days. Finally, it led them to a tiny stable behind an inn in an obscure village. In the stable, among the animals and the stablehands, there was a young woman, Mary, sitting on a bale of hay nursing a baby! Willie had never seen such a sight before. But what was even more incredible was that his Daddy and his Daddy’s partners knelt down before the mother and child and presented them with rare and precious gifts. Willie didn’t understand at all what was happening.
Willie’s Daddy, seeing the look of puzzlement on his face, took him aside. He explained that he and his partners had all had a dream telling them that this child was the long-awaited Hebrew Moshiac, or Messiah, who was born to remind all people everywhere of the common humanity they share.
Willie was amazed to hear this. He understood how important this was, and he felt both honored to be in the presence of this child and ashamed that he had no gift to bring, as his Daddy had. He went over to Mary intending to apologize. But before he could say anything, Mary spoke to him. “Thank you for coming here, Willie. You honor my child with your presence. Your Daddy told me all about you.” “He did?” Willie suddenly felt uneasy; many people in that time didn’t approve of Daddy/boy relationships, or people who wore harnesses even when they didn’t need to. Mary, who was wise beyond her years, sensed his discomfort and said, “Yes, and don’t you ever worry or feel ashamed of who you are. You have every right to be part of this holy event; you are just as much a brother to this child as is any other person.
“This child was born to be brother and friend to everyone in the whole world, in each and every tribe. I know your tribe is working on brotherhood and sisterhood in your own way. You have an idea of what brotherhood and sisterhood are all about; many people in this world don’t.”
Willie listened, fascinated, as Mary foretold some of the events in the life of her child, Jesus. He would never condemn anyone, and in fact would associate with many classes of people whom the rest of society at the time considered untouchable. History would never record whether Jesus ever married or had children. But it would record that he had many followers, including a disciple named John who would be enigmatically referred to as “the disciple Jesus loved”; scholars would argue for centuries over the exact meaning of that phrase. And they would argue over whether or not Jesus was, in fact, Moshiac. What they wouldn’t argue about was that Jesus was destined to play the most famous crucifixion scene in history.
Willie found himself lost in the wonder of Mary’s predictions. Suddenly, he remembered what he had intended to tell her: “I’m sorry I have no gift to give your son.” As he said this, an idea came to him: “Perhaps I can play my drum for him, like I do in the temple.” Mary nodded and said, “I think that would be lovely.”
As his Daddy listened with pride, Willie played his drum softly, gently and skillfully, tapping into the primal rhythms of the wind, sky, ocean, birds and animals. As he played, Mary swayed and rocked Jesus gently to the rhythm of the drum.
As they left the stable, Willie turned to his Daddy and said, “Daddy, I think we just saw something very special.” “Yes,” said his Daddy, “I think we did.”
Friday, December 20, 1996
Friday, December 6, 1996
Who Put The “M” in SM? Leather and SM In History
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #40, December 6, 1996)
“The New Joy of Gay Sex,” by Dr. Charles Silverstein and Felice Picano (published by Harper Perennial) is a fascinating gay-sex encyclopedia covering everything from “AIDS” and “Bars” to “Wills” and “Wrestling.” While not specifically targeted at the leather community, it contains a wealth of leather- and SM-related information (as well as some spectacular illustrations). Here’s one interesting SM tidbit:
SM, in leather circles, stands for “sadomasochism.” It is relatively common knowledge that sadism (achieving sexual pleasure by inflicting pain) takes its name from the Marquis de Sade. The origin of the name of the opposite practice, masochism (achieving sexual pleasure from receiving pain), is much less well-known.
According to “The New Joy of Gay Sex”, masochism takes its name from Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, “a historian and novelist. All his novels contained whipping scenes, and he himself preferred to be whipped by women wearing furs, especially if the women were older.” (It’s an interesting comment on society’s values that the Marquis de Sade has become a household name and archetype, while von Sacher-Masoch languishes in relative obscurity.)
Some other items of historical interest from “The New Joy of Gay Sex”:
• The flagellants were a twelfth-century mass movement within the Catholic Church that encouraged people to flog themselves until they bled.
• Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was a seventeenth-century nun who “carved the name of Jesus on her chest with a knife.” Because the carving didn’t last long enough, she subsequently burnt it in with a candle. (She was canonized in 1920.)
• Saint Mary-Magdalen dei Pazzi “used to roll in thornbushes in the convent garden, then go into the convent and whip herself. She also forced novices to tie her to a post, insult her, whip her, and drop hot wax on her.”
(The above examples are not intended to be disrespectful of the Catholic Church, but rather to show that SM impulses have been around a long time and in many different and unexpected segments of society.)
• The Chicago Hell Fire Club is an organization of men who are into heavy SM play; their annual Inferno run is a social and sexual highlight of the SM scene. Where did the name of the club come from? It was “probably borrowed from the Hell-Fire Club organized by Sir Francis Dashwood in late eighteenth-century England.”
On a more local note, the Atons leather club of Minneapolis take their name from Akhenaton, the Egyptian Pharoah just before Tutankhamun. His theory was that there was just one divine being instead of a myriad of gods. He called that god the Aton, the Sun God, and symbolized it as a sun disk with rays streaming from it. He closed the old temples and built new ones for the Aton. After he assumed the throne he installed a man named Smenkhare on the throne of Queen Nefertiti, his wife. Smenkhare was given all Nefertiti’s royal titles, and the inscriptions that remain make it clear that Akhenaton and Smenkhare were lovers. Eventually the old priesthood overthrew Akhenaton, installed the boy prince Tutankhamun (whose name was originally Tutankhaton) as his successor, and tried to obliterate Akhenaton’s name from the earth (primarily because of his religious heresy, not his sexuality).
Now you know.
Upcoming Leather Events
Leather Knights
Wednesdays in December, 8 pm to close, Town House Country
Leather/levi/uniform attire encouraged. Drinks are $1.50 all night with a $5 cover.
Atons Holiday Fund-raiser
Sunday, December 8, 5-10 pm, The Saloon
Help the Atons fill a few baskets by attending this fund-raiser benefiting The Aliveness Project’s Holiday Basket Program. $7 at the door or $5 with donation of food shelf items or new unwrapped toys. Free food, 75¢ tap beer & soda, other drink specials. Net proceeds benefit The Aliveness Project. For more info: call or e-mail AtonsMpls@aol.com.
Steve Kelso Aliveness Project Fund-raiser
Friday, December 13, 9 pm, Town House Country
Come meet the legend himself! Buy a calendar or poster and Steve will autograph it for you on the spot. $5.00 at the door, net proceeds benefit The Aliveness Project.
“The New Joy of Gay Sex,” by Dr. Charles Silverstein and Felice Picano (published by Harper Perennial) is a fascinating gay-sex encyclopedia covering everything from “AIDS” and “Bars” to “Wills” and “Wrestling.” While not specifically targeted at the leather community, it contains a wealth of leather- and SM-related information (as well as some spectacular illustrations). Here’s one interesting SM tidbit:
SM, in leather circles, stands for “sadomasochism.” It is relatively common knowledge that sadism (achieving sexual pleasure by inflicting pain) takes its name from the Marquis de Sade. The origin of the name of the opposite practice, masochism (achieving sexual pleasure from receiving pain), is much less well-known.
According to “The New Joy of Gay Sex”, masochism takes its name from Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, “a historian and novelist. All his novels contained whipping scenes, and he himself preferred to be whipped by women wearing furs, especially if the women were older.” (It’s an interesting comment on society’s values that the Marquis de Sade has become a household name and archetype, while von Sacher-Masoch languishes in relative obscurity.)
Some other items of historical interest from “The New Joy of Gay Sex”:
• The flagellants were a twelfth-century mass movement within the Catholic Church that encouraged people to flog themselves until they bled.
• Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque was a seventeenth-century nun who “carved the name of Jesus on her chest with a knife.” Because the carving didn’t last long enough, she subsequently burnt it in with a candle. (She was canonized in 1920.)
• Saint Mary-Magdalen dei Pazzi “used to roll in thornbushes in the convent garden, then go into the convent and whip herself. She also forced novices to tie her to a post, insult her, whip her, and drop hot wax on her.”
(The above examples are not intended to be disrespectful of the Catholic Church, but rather to show that SM impulses have been around a long time and in many different and unexpected segments of society.)
• The Chicago Hell Fire Club is an organization of men who are into heavy SM play; their annual Inferno run is a social and sexual highlight of the SM scene. Where did the name of the club come from? It was “probably borrowed from the Hell-Fire Club organized by Sir Francis Dashwood in late eighteenth-century England.”
On a more local note, the Atons leather club of Minneapolis take their name from Akhenaton, the Egyptian Pharoah just before Tutankhamun. His theory was that there was just one divine being instead of a myriad of gods. He called that god the Aton, the Sun God, and symbolized it as a sun disk with rays streaming from it. He closed the old temples and built new ones for the Aton. After he assumed the throne he installed a man named Smenkhare on the throne of Queen Nefertiti, his wife. Smenkhare was given all Nefertiti’s royal titles, and the inscriptions that remain make it clear that Akhenaton and Smenkhare were lovers. Eventually the old priesthood overthrew Akhenaton, installed the boy prince Tutankhamun (whose name was originally Tutankhaton) as his successor, and tried to obliterate Akhenaton’s name from the earth (primarily because of his religious heresy, not his sexuality).
Now you know.
Upcoming Leather Events
Leather Knights
Wednesdays in December, 8 pm to close, Town House Country
Leather/levi/uniform attire encouraged. Drinks are $1.50 all night with a $5 cover.
Atons Holiday Fund-raiser
Sunday, December 8, 5-10 pm, The Saloon
Help the Atons fill a few baskets by attending this fund-raiser benefiting The Aliveness Project’s Holiday Basket Program. $7 at the door or $5 with donation of food shelf items or new unwrapped toys. Free food, 75¢ tap beer & soda, other drink specials. Net proceeds benefit The Aliveness Project. For more info: call or e-mail AtonsMpls@aol.com.
Steve Kelso Aliveness Project Fund-raiser
Friday, December 13, 9 pm, Town House Country
Come meet the legend himself! Buy a calendar or poster and Steve will autograph it for you on the spot. $5.00 at the door, net proceeds benefit The Aliveness Project.
Friday, November 22, 1996
The Difference Between Black and Gray
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #39, November 22, 1996)
True or false: a leatherman displaying a gray hankie in his right pocket thinks it would be fun to be tied up and beaten.
Answer: False. Although “tied up” and “beaten” may seem like a natural kinky sex combination, bondage and domination or B&D (gray hankie) are not the same as SM sex (black hankie). B&D covers a wide range of activities, some of which overlap with SM but many of which don’t. The gentleman in the above example may indeed want to be tied up or otherwise dominated, but that gray hankie says nothing about wanting to be beaten.
Being tied up or otherwise restrained may be followed by a flogging session, tit clamps, and hot wax. But it could as easily be followed by a long, slow blow job, full-body massage session, or a tongue bath—things even non-kinky types might find pleasurable. If you think of bondage only in connection with SM activities, think again; you may be missing something very enjoyable.
The theme of bondage runs through modern society, although most people don’t consciously think of it that way. A wedding ring is a symbol of being bound to another person, and the fact that one needn’t get pierced to wear one doesn’t change that fact. And a necktie can symbolize submission to a multinational corporation just as much as a dog collar can symbolize submission to a master. Many people turn to bondage and domination play as a way of understanding dynamics that the rest of society often would rather not discuss.
For a person playing the “bottom” role part of the thrill of bondage may come from being, literally, “out of control”—having turned control over to the top. The top, in turn, gets a thrill from being in total control of (and responsible for) another person. Some people even practice self-bondage (harnesses, corsets, cock-and-ball toys, butt plugs, or even tall boots laced up tight) and experience a combination of both feelings.
Safe, sane and consensual applies to bondage just as much as to SM. In SM sex the giving and receiving of pain is a major source of pleasure. Pain in bondage, however, is often a sign that something’s wrong. For instance, ropes or handcuffs that are too tight can cut off circulation; uncomfortable positions maintained for long periods of time can lead to tissue or nerve damage. Duct tape-and-Saran-Wrap devotees can cause all kinds of problems by staying wrapped too long. Being bound in whatever fashion should not mean being in physical discomfort or danger.
Another safety point: Just as a good SM scene has a “safeword” which instantly stops the action, a good bondage scene has the Houdini-like escape provisions necessary to ensure safety in an emergency. Some examples: a knife or scissors to cut rope (use them carefully!); extra handcuff or padlock keys; quick-release buckles on restraints.
If bondage sounds interesting to you, explore it. Start slowly, and take the time to learn to do it safely. There are many excellent books available on various bondage techniques and at least one magazine, “Bound and Gagged,” devoted to the subject. Finally, the Twin Cities Bondage Association is a good learning and networking resource: TCBA, St. Paul, MN.
STEVE KELSO is coming to the Twin Cities!
Are you a Steve Kelso fan? If so, then Friday, December 13 is your lucky day. You’ll be able to meet the legend himself at an Aliveness Project fundraiser to be held at Town House Country in St. Paul. Buy a calendar or poster and Steve will autograph it for you on the spot. (Talk about pleasurable Christmas shopping! And for a good cause, too.) The event starts at 9 pm. $5.00 at the door, net proceeds benefit The Aliveness Project.
If you just can’t wait that long, check out the official Kelso web site, coyly called “Hairway to Steven” at www.daboy.com//kelso.html. After thorough exploration of that site, you can link to an incredible universe of other leather/bear/fur sites that could keep you busy for hours!
Upcoming and Ongoing Leather Events
For quite a while now, the Men’s Room Bar at the Gay 90’s has been the one place locally that catered specifically to the leather community. Recently several other Twin Cities clubs, listed below, have started vying for our patronage.
Thrust
Last Friday of the month (this month: November 29), 9 pm to close, Club Metro Underground
Leather/levi/latex/uniform dress code enforced, so the dance floor is all leather all evening. Come say hello to former 90’s bartenders Vern and Lawrence. $5 cover, free beer 9 pm-midnight.
NEW! Leather Knights
Wednesdays in December, 8 pm to close, Town House Country
Leather/levi/uniform attire encouraged. $5 cover includes free beer or $1.50 for other drinks.
Hard Mondays
Every Monday, 10 pm to close, The Saloon
Leather/levi/fetish wear. Amazing scenes and demonstrations. No cover.
True or false: a leatherman displaying a gray hankie in his right pocket thinks it would be fun to be tied up and beaten.
Answer: False. Although “tied up” and “beaten” may seem like a natural kinky sex combination, bondage and domination or B&D (gray hankie) are not the same as SM sex (black hankie). B&D covers a wide range of activities, some of which overlap with SM but many of which don’t. The gentleman in the above example may indeed want to be tied up or otherwise dominated, but that gray hankie says nothing about wanting to be beaten.
Being tied up or otherwise restrained may be followed by a flogging session, tit clamps, and hot wax. But it could as easily be followed by a long, slow blow job, full-body massage session, or a tongue bath—things even non-kinky types might find pleasurable. If you think of bondage only in connection with SM activities, think again; you may be missing something very enjoyable.
The theme of bondage runs through modern society, although most people don’t consciously think of it that way. A wedding ring is a symbol of being bound to another person, and the fact that one needn’t get pierced to wear one doesn’t change that fact. And a necktie can symbolize submission to a multinational corporation just as much as a dog collar can symbolize submission to a master. Many people turn to bondage and domination play as a way of understanding dynamics that the rest of society often would rather not discuss.
For a person playing the “bottom” role part of the thrill of bondage may come from being, literally, “out of control”—having turned control over to the top. The top, in turn, gets a thrill from being in total control of (and responsible for) another person. Some people even practice self-bondage (harnesses, corsets, cock-and-ball toys, butt plugs, or even tall boots laced up tight) and experience a combination of both feelings.
Safe, sane and consensual applies to bondage just as much as to SM. In SM sex the giving and receiving of pain is a major source of pleasure. Pain in bondage, however, is often a sign that something’s wrong. For instance, ropes or handcuffs that are too tight can cut off circulation; uncomfortable positions maintained for long periods of time can lead to tissue or nerve damage. Duct tape-and-Saran-Wrap devotees can cause all kinds of problems by staying wrapped too long. Being bound in whatever fashion should not mean being in physical discomfort or danger.
Another safety point: Just as a good SM scene has a “safeword” which instantly stops the action, a good bondage scene has the Houdini-like escape provisions necessary to ensure safety in an emergency. Some examples: a knife or scissors to cut rope (use them carefully!); extra handcuff or padlock keys; quick-release buckles on restraints.
If bondage sounds interesting to you, explore it. Start slowly, and take the time to learn to do it safely. There are many excellent books available on various bondage techniques and at least one magazine, “Bound and Gagged,” devoted to the subject. Finally, the Twin Cities Bondage Association is a good learning and networking resource: TCBA, St. Paul, MN.
STEVE KELSO is coming to the Twin Cities!
Are you a Steve Kelso fan? If so, then Friday, December 13 is your lucky day. You’ll be able to meet the legend himself at an Aliveness Project fundraiser to be held at Town House Country in St. Paul. Buy a calendar or poster and Steve will autograph it for you on the spot. (Talk about pleasurable Christmas shopping! And for a good cause, too.) The event starts at 9 pm. $5.00 at the door, net proceeds benefit The Aliveness Project.
If you just can’t wait that long, check out the official Kelso web site, coyly called “Hairway to Steven” at www.daboy.com//kelso.html. After thorough exploration of that site, you can link to an incredible universe of other leather/bear/fur sites that could keep you busy for hours!
Upcoming and Ongoing Leather Events
For quite a while now, the Men’s Room Bar at the Gay 90’s has been the one place locally that catered specifically to the leather community. Recently several other Twin Cities clubs, listed below, have started vying for our patronage.
Thrust
Last Friday of the month (this month: November 29), 9 pm to close, Club Metro Underground
Leather/levi/latex/uniform dress code enforced, so the dance floor is all leather all evening. Come say hello to former 90’s bartenders Vern and Lawrence. $5 cover, free beer 9 pm-midnight.
NEW! Leather Knights
Wednesdays in December, 8 pm to close, Town House Country
Leather/levi/uniform attire encouraged. $5 cover includes free beer or $1.50 for other drinks.
Hard Mondays
Every Monday, 10 pm to close, The Saloon
Leather/levi/fetish wear. Amazing scenes and demonstrations. No cover.
Friday, November 8, 1996
Gay Marriage (and other forms of bondage)
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #38, November 8, 1996)
The legalization of gay marriage seems to have become a “hot-button” topic for the entire gay community, and members of the leather community are no exception. This year’s outgoing International Mr. Fantasy J.D. Buchert and his lover David Gillis renewed their vows onstage at the contest. And at this year’s International Mr. Drummer Contest, Mr. Southern California Drummer Kyle Brandon (who went on to win the International Mr. Drummer title) performed a “fantasy” which was not a fantasy at all, but rather a real-life marriage ceremony between him and his lover. In addition, many of the speeches at all three of this year’s international leather contests contained references to the issue of gay marriage.
Fighting for the legalization of gay marriage is a good and noble cause; it will be a great day when society no longer tells us our love is second-class love. But gay marriage is really just the tip of the iceberg.
In one sense, relationships in the leather community run the same gamut as in the rest of the gay community, which run the same gamut as in straight society (where, by the way, currently half of all marriages end in divorce). Leather relationships run for varying lengths of time, from hours to years, and none of them come with a guarantee. But because they’re not “normal,” people tend to give a lot more thought before entering into them, and that tends to make them healthier and more stable.
Relationships in the gay community in general and the leather/SM community in particular come in a rainbow of flavors the general straight public doesn’t usually consider. The leather community, in addition to woman/woman or man/man (and even, on occasion, woman/man) spousal relationships, offers such esoteric relationship choices as daddy/boy (neither of which is necessarily male, by the way) and master/slave. Adding to the richness of choices (or confusion, depending on your viewpoint) is the fact that one person may engage in multiple concurrent relationships; one person could theoretically be someone’s boy, someone else’s daddy, someone else’s master or slave, and someone else’s spouse all at the same time.
Certain elements of straight society find relationships like these threatening and subversive. They are so frightened by the form of these relationships they never get around to investigating the content; if they did they’d see the same kind of “traditional family values” they spend so much time talking about. The negotiations preceding an SM scene, and the trust necessary to bring it off properly, bespeak a respect for ourselves and the other person or people involved. The same can be said for a healthy and affirming daddy/boy or master/slave relationship.
These relationships don’t just happen—they require work and care and nurturing. But the work and care and nurturing pay off in learning what makes a healthy relationship and what doesn’t. And generally, the good that’s gained from these leather/SM relationships spills over into all the other relationships in which a person is involved, from work to family to casual acquaintances to people on the street.
If we let someone else’s disapproval dampen our enjoyment of our culture and our relationships we have only ourselves to blame. No one can oppress another without the other’s consent. To the extent we are secretive about the nature of our relationships we reinforce to ourselves, and to the general public, the idea that those relationships aren’t acceptable.
The Stonewall rebellion was about gays and lesbians questioning their oppression by straight society. It spawned a viewpoint that said, “We’re tired of not having the same rights as straights. When is it going to be our turn?”
The answer to that question is simple. It’s our turn whenever we take it.
But if we don’t take it, no one will ever give it to us.
More and more gay people, both leather and non-leather, aren’t waiting for society to legalize gay marriage, to “give us our turn.” They’re taking their turn right now. The leather/SM and non-leather GLBT communities have taken society’s rulebook (in which marriage is defined as a lifelong monogamous union of a submissive wife and a dominant husband for the purpose of producing offspring) and thrown it away. We no longer constrained by those rules—we are free to invent new kinds of relationships that meet our needs and the needs of those we love. If two people of whatever sex and/or gender decide that a traditional monogamous marriage framework (with or without children) is what they want, fine. If another framework better meets their needs, that’s fine too.
Legalized gay marriage will offer certain benefits (and will also entail certain responsibilities). But legislation won’t change peoples’ hearts and minds—hearts and minds will have to change in order for the legislation to be enacted. And hearts and minds will be changed, one heart and one mind at a time, by enough of us being open and proud of our culture and our relationships—woman/woman, man/man, daddy/boy, master/slave, whatever.
Leather pride—or any other pride, for that matter—is when we can be open, honest, genuine about ourselves and our relationships, and not feel a need to apologize. And it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy—over time society will get used to the idea that our relationships can be healthy, positive and satisfying. Finally, in a stunning example of anticlimax, gay marriage will be legalized.
But we don’t really have to wait for that to happen. Remember, it’s our turn whenever we take it. It’s our turn right now.
Upcoming Leather Events
Ms. Minnesota Leather Competition 1997
Friday, November 15, 9-11 pm, Club Metro Underground “Maximum X” Bar
$5.00 at the door includes free beer, food, door prizes and free parking. Don’t forget the “trashy pants” contest! (See the previous issue of Lavender for more details.)
Black Guard 20th Anniversary Chili Feed
Sunday, November 17, 4-9 pm, Gay 90’s Dance Annex
A leather community tradition. Free beer, soft drinks, food, prizes. (You can also get your link in the “Get Linked” chain if you haven’t already done so.) $5 at the door.
The legalization of gay marriage seems to have become a “hot-button” topic for the entire gay community, and members of the leather community are no exception. This year’s outgoing International Mr. Fantasy J.D. Buchert and his lover David Gillis renewed their vows onstage at the contest. And at this year’s International Mr. Drummer Contest, Mr. Southern California Drummer Kyle Brandon (who went on to win the International Mr. Drummer title) performed a “fantasy” which was not a fantasy at all, but rather a real-life marriage ceremony between him and his lover. In addition, many of the speeches at all three of this year’s international leather contests contained references to the issue of gay marriage.
Fighting for the legalization of gay marriage is a good and noble cause; it will be a great day when society no longer tells us our love is second-class love. But gay marriage is really just the tip of the iceberg.
In one sense, relationships in the leather community run the same gamut as in the rest of the gay community, which run the same gamut as in straight society (where, by the way, currently half of all marriages end in divorce). Leather relationships run for varying lengths of time, from hours to years, and none of them come with a guarantee. But because they’re not “normal,” people tend to give a lot more thought before entering into them, and that tends to make them healthier and more stable.
Relationships in the gay community in general and the leather/SM community in particular come in a rainbow of flavors the general straight public doesn’t usually consider. The leather community, in addition to woman/woman or man/man (and even, on occasion, woman/man) spousal relationships, offers such esoteric relationship choices as daddy/boy (neither of which is necessarily male, by the way) and master/slave. Adding to the richness of choices (or confusion, depending on your viewpoint) is the fact that one person may engage in multiple concurrent relationships; one person could theoretically be someone’s boy, someone else’s daddy, someone else’s master or slave, and someone else’s spouse all at the same time.
Certain elements of straight society find relationships like these threatening and subversive. They are so frightened by the form of these relationships they never get around to investigating the content; if they did they’d see the same kind of “traditional family values” they spend so much time talking about. The negotiations preceding an SM scene, and the trust necessary to bring it off properly, bespeak a respect for ourselves and the other person or people involved. The same can be said for a healthy and affirming daddy/boy or master/slave relationship.
These relationships don’t just happen—they require work and care and nurturing. But the work and care and nurturing pay off in learning what makes a healthy relationship and what doesn’t. And generally, the good that’s gained from these leather/SM relationships spills over into all the other relationships in which a person is involved, from work to family to casual acquaintances to people on the street.
If we let someone else’s disapproval dampen our enjoyment of our culture and our relationships we have only ourselves to blame. No one can oppress another without the other’s consent. To the extent we are secretive about the nature of our relationships we reinforce to ourselves, and to the general public, the idea that those relationships aren’t acceptable.
The Stonewall rebellion was about gays and lesbians questioning their oppression by straight society. It spawned a viewpoint that said, “We’re tired of not having the same rights as straights. When is it going to be our turn?”
The answer to that question is simple. It’s our turn whenever we take it.
But if we don’t take it, no one will ever give it to us.
More and more gay people, both leather and non-leather, aren’t waiting for society to legalize gay marriage, to “give us our turn.” They’re taking their turn right now. The leather/SM and non-leather GLBT communities have taken society’s rulebook (in which marriage is defined as a lifelong monogamous union of a submissive wife and a dominant husband for the purpose of producing offspring) and thrown it away. We no longer constrained by those rules—we are free to invent new kinds of relationships that meet our needs and the needs of those we love. If two people of whatever sex and/or gender decide that a traditional monogamous marriage framework (with or without children) is what they want, fine. If another framework better meets their needs, that’s fine too.
Legalized gay marriage will offer certain benefits (and will also entail certain responsibilities). But legislation won’t change peoples’ hearts and minds—hearts and minds will have to change in order for the legislation to be enacted. And hearts and minds will be changed, one heart and one mind at a time, by enough of us being open and proud of our culture and our relationships—woman/woman, man/man, daddy/boy, master/slave, whatever.
Leather pride—or any other pride, for that matter—is when we can be open, honest, genuine about ourselves and our relationships, and not feel a need to apologize. And it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy—over time society will get used to the idea that our relationships can be healthy, positive and satisfying. Finally, in a stunning example of anticlimax, gay marriage will be legalized.
But we don’t really have to wait for that to happen. Remember, it’s our turn whenever we take it. It’s our turn right now.
Upcoming Leather Events
Ms. Minnesota Leather Competition 1997
Friday, November 15, 9-11 pm, Club Metro Underground “Maximum X” Bar
$5.00 at the door includes free beer, food, door prizes and free parking. Don’t forget the “trashy pants” contest! (See the previous issue of Lavender for more details.)
Black Guard 20th Anniversary Chili Feed
Sunday, November 17, 4-9 pm, Gay 90’s Dance Annex
A leather community tradition. Free beer, soft drinks, food, prizes. (You can also get your link in the “Get Linked” chain if you haven’t already done so.) $5 at the door.
Friday, October 25, 1996
Are Leather Dress Codes Discriminatory?
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #37, October 25, 1996)
Lavender recently received a letter that asked:
“When I go into the LeFemme Show Lounge, I don’t have to wear drag. When I go into the Triangle Corral, I don’t have to wear a cowboy hat. When I go into the Dance Annex, I don’t have to wear dancing shoes.
“Why is it that when I am invited to PAY for admission to the Men’s Room for a Leather Community event, I am told that a dress code will be enforced. Does this mean that the Leather Community is excluding other factions of the total Gay Community? I’m especially interested because several times you have given the advice that if a person thinks he may be interested in the Leather Community he should attend a couple of events. That means I have to buy the leather BEFORE I make my decision.”
Mention the words “leather dress code” and a heated discussion will probably ensue. Some people feel they’re discriminatory; others wonder why the Twin Cities doesn’t have a leather bar with a dress code enforced seven nights a week, not just on special occasions.
New York City is large enough to support a leather bar with a dress code that’s always enforced. It’s called LURE; the name is an acronym for “Leather, Uniform, Rubber, Etc.,” and that’s the dress code that is very concisely spelled out at the entrance. No tennis shoes, no polo shirts, no chinos, no cologne or aftershave.
This is not the Fashion Police at work. This is a business that is trying to please its customers; the dress code is there in response to, and with the support of, LURE’s primary clientele. This is no different than an upscale restaurant requesting that gentlemen wear neckties.
Leather events in the Twin Cities use the leather dress code for the same reason: to get more people to attend. The leather clubs and other organizers of these events don’t want to exclude those who may be curious about the community but haven’t yet acquired any leather; on the contrary, they want to encourage these people to investigate the scene. This is why the dress code at most events includes “Levi/Shirtless.” The combination of jeans and a bare chest is a masculine look appropriate to the event, and just about everyone already owns a pair of jeans.
A drag show is just that: a show. The performers are on stage to be slightly outrageous, to titillate and to entertain the public. (To paraphrase Liberace, they don’t dress that way to be ignored!) Leather dress codes do aim to exclude people who don’t understand or respect leather and its ethos — who think leather is just another form of drag show and who want to be scandalized by these “brutes who are fruits.” These “tourists” are pretty easy to spot in a leather bar, and they are not appreciated. The patrons at a leather bar are there to enjoy the atmosphere and each other’s company, not to be part of a floor show.
TCBA Party Simulcast on World Wide Web
The Twin Cities Bondage Association (TCBA) recently held its “Camera Night” play party and perhaps made history at the same time. As far as anyone has been able to determine, this marked the first time that images of a play party have been simulcast over the World Wide Web. (Earlier this year the International Mr. Leather contest in Chicago was the first leather contest to be simulcast in this fashion.)
The TCBA was formed to provide a safe place for bondage play, networking, and education. For further information, write to TCBA, St. Paul MN.
Upcoming Leather Events
Ms. Minnesota Leather Competition 1997
Friday, November 15, 9-11 pm, Club Metro Underground “Maximum X” Bar
In addition to the contest there will be entertainment (including the Rainbow Cloggers), vendors, a barber, and a “trashy pants” contest with a cash prize (now you know what to wear to the event). $5.00 at the door includes free beer, food, door prizes and free parking.
Women in and of leather are encouraged to compete. Contestant applications are available at Club Metro, or see Darlette Knox in the DJ booth at the Gay 90’s. Vendor space is still available for groups, clubs or businesses; for vendor forms, sponsor sheets, and further information contact Darlette.
Lavender recently received a letter that asked:
“When I go into the LeFemme Show Lounge, I don’t have to wear drag. When I go into the Triangle Corral, I don’t have to wear a cowboy hat. When I go into the Dance Annex, I don’t have to wear dancing shoes.
“Why is it that when I am invited to PAY for admission to the Men’s Room for a Leather Community event, I am told that a dress code will be enforced. Does this mean that the Leather Community is excluding other factions of the total Gay Community? I’m especially interested because several times you have given the advice that if a person thinks he may be interested in the Leather Community he should attend a couple of events. That means I have to buy the leather BEFORE I make my decision.”
Mention the words “leather dress code” and a heated discussion will probably ensue. Some people feel they’re discriminatory; others wonder why the Twin Cities doesn’t have a leather bar with a dress code enforced seven nights a week, not just on special occasions.
New York City is large enough to support a leather bar with a dress code that’s always enforced. It’s called LURE; the name is an acronym for “Leather, Uniform, Rubber, Etc.,” and that’s the dress code that is very concisely spelled out at the entrance. No tennis shoes, no polo shirts, no chinos, no cologne or aftershave.
This is not the Fashion Police at work. This is a business that is trying to please its customers; the dress code is there in response to, and with the support of, LURE’s primary clientele. This is no different than an upscale restaurant requesting that gentlemen wear neckties.
Leather events in the Twin Cities use the leather dress code for the same reason: to get more people to attend. The leather clubs and other organizers of these events don’t want to exclude those who may be curious about the community but haven’t yet acquired any leather; on the contrary, they want to encourage these people to investigate the scene. This is why the dress code at most events includes “Levi/Shirtless.” The combination of jeans and a bare chest is a masculine look appropriate to the event, and just about everyone already owns a pair of jeans.
A drag show is just that: a show. The performers are on stage to be slightly outrageous, to titillate and to entertain the public. (To paraphrase Liberace, they don’t dress that way to be ignored!) Leather dress codes do aim to exclude people who don’t understand or respect leather and its ethos — who think leather is just another form of drag show and who want to be scandalized by these “brutes who are fruits.” These “tourists” are pretty easy to spot in a leather bar, and they are not appreciated. The patrons at a leather bar are there to enjoy the atmosphere and each other’s company, not to be part of a floor show.
TCBA Party Simulcast on World Wide Web
The Twin Cities Bondage Association (TCBA) recently held its “Camera Night” play party and perhaps made history at the same time. As far as anyone has been able to determine, this marked the first time that images of a play party have been simulcast over the World Wide Web. (Earlier this year the International Mr. Leather contest in Chicago was the first leather contest to be simulcast in this fashion.)
The TCBA was formed to provide a safe place for bondage play, networking, and education. For further information, write to TCBA, St. Paul MN.
Upcoming Leather Events
Ms. Minnesota Leather Competition 1997
Friday, November 15, 9-11 pm, Club Metro Underground “Maximum X” Bar
In addition to the contest there will be entertainment (including the Rainbow Cloggers), vendors, a barber, and a “trashy pants” contest with a cash prize (now you know what to wear to the event). $5.00 at the door includes free beer, food, door prizes and free parking.
Women in and of leather are encouraged to compete. Contestant applications are available at Club Metro, or see Darlette Knox in the DJ booth at the Gay 90’s. Vendor space is still available for groups, clubs or businesses; for vendor forms, sponsor sheets, and further information contact Darlette.
Friday, October 11, 1996
SF Leather Pride Week A Winner
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #36, October 11, 1996)
The leather community of San Francisco recently threw their annual party known as Leather Pride Week, which culminated in the International Mr. Drummer Contest and the 13th annual Folsom Street Fair. While Mr. Southern California Drummer Kyle Brandon captured the sash in the International Mr. Drummer contest, the leather community in general and San Francisco’s leather community in particular were the real winners.
After a full week of warm-up activities, the International Mr. Drummer contest was held Saturday afternoon, September 28. This contest almost didn’t happen, but several key individuals stepped in at the last minute to make sure it took place. Many of the behind-the-scenes personnel were new to the business of putting on a leather contest, but everyone appeared to be intensely focused on what they were doing; the result was a briskly paced contest with no awkward production moments.
No paid entertainers were on the program. The focus was solely on the contestants, who more than rose to the challenge and presented uniformly well-executed fantasies. Some highlights:
• “The Wizard of Oz” was re-interpreted by Rick Noss, Mr. Desert Plains Drummer. The Tin Woodsman’s new use for his oil can and fashioning a condom out of aluminum foil gave new meaning to the term “beer-can cock.”
• Great Lakes Mr. Drummer Jerry Leigh appeared as a bottom being worked on by three different tops while the audience enthusiastically cheered him on. (When the fantasy ended he had worn out all three tops and was begging for more.)
• Mr. Gulf Coast Drummer Don Woods presented a surreal (and inspiredly silly) fantasy reminiscent of 50’s kiddie TV show “Kukla, Fran & Ollie.” It was a hot barnyard SM scene being watched by a horse puppet (who also sang) peeking out the barn door.
• Mr. Florida Drummer Bill Masters appeared as a leather Forrest Gump. This fantasy also featured the unique symbolism of a sculpture of the state of Florida becoming an erection and finally exploding in a shower of ping-pong balls.
• The final fantasy of the evening was Kyle Brandon’s. It turned out not to be a fantasy at all, but rather a real gay marriage ceremony between Brandon and his partner, who an hour later became an instant sash widow. Brandon’s fantasy included cameo appearances by leather notables Brian Dawson (International Mr. Drummer 1989), Mikal Bales of Zeus Productions, and Pup (the outgoing International Drummerboy).
The winners: The Golden Whip Award (a.k.a. Miss Congeniality) went to “Ky” Fitzgerald, Mr. Mid-Atlantic Drummer; second runner-up was Jerry Leigh, Great Lakes Mr. Drummer; first runner-up was Ken Rosetti, Mr. Northeast Drummer; and the winner and new International Mr. Drummer is Southern California’s Kyle Brandon. The new International Drummerboy is Rocky Mountain Drummerboy Mike de Nisco.
Sunday brought beautiful weather and beautiful bodies to the Folsom Street Fair. In addition to people-watching and musical entertainment, there was shopping at the many booths selling everything a leather devotee could desire. This year’s lucky-thirteenth Folsom Street Fair was a great climax and a fitting finale to Leather Pride Week, and San Francisco’s leather community has every right to be proud of the way they hosted the worldwide leather community.
PHOTO: Winners of the 1996 International Mr. Drummer competition. Kneeling: International Drummerboy Mike de Nisco. Standing, left to right: Ken Rosetti, 1st runner-up; Kyle Brandon, International Mr. Drummer 1996; and Jerry Leigh, 2nd runner-up.
Mr. Minnesota Leather ’97 Crowned
(Note): The original headline I wrote for this item was “Cwayna is Mr. MN Leather ’97”.)
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1997 Kevin Cwayna
Kevin Cwayna won the sash at the Mr. Minnesota Leather ’97 contest held Oct. 5 at the Gay 90’s. Runner-up was Andy Tracy and second runner-up was Todd Leek. Also competing were Mat Veo and Mr. Minnesota Fantasy ’96 Robert Riley.
Judging the contest were current International Mr. Leather Joe Gallagher, outgoing Mr. Minnesota Leather Michael deLeon, current Ms. Minnesota Leather Darlette Knox, Mr. Rod’s ’96 Stacy DeSotel from Wisconsin, and Mr. Chicago Leather ’96 Jeff Affolter.
Entertainment included the Rainbow Cloggers (including Dean Preston, Mr. Minnesota Leather ’90-’91), Borderline, the Portfolio Men and the perfect leather contest music of Savage Aural Hotbed, who just may be the opening act for the 1997 International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago.
Upcoming Leather Events
The Atons present “Inquisition”
Sunday, October 13, 6-10 pm, The Saloon
Featuring demos by Matt Hopping of The Saloon’s “Hard Mondays.” $3 at the door.
Atons Halloween Party ’96
Saturday, October 26 — ORDER TICKETS NOW
Featuring DJ Black Sheep and dog tags to the first 250. Limited attendance; tickets ($17) must be ordered in advance. If you didn’t get an order form in the mail, download one from the Atons’ Web site (www.starbase21.com/ATONS). Tickets will be mailed the week of the event.
The leather community of San Francisco recently threw their annual party known as Leather Pride Week, which culminated in the International Mr. Drummer Contest and the 13th annual Folsom Street Fair. While Mr. Southern California Drummer Kyle Brandon captured the sash in the International Mr. Drummer contest, the leather community in general and San Francisco’s leather community in particular were the real winners.
After a full week of warm-up activities, the International Mr. Drummer contest was held Saturday afternoon, September 28. This contest almost didn’t happen, but several key individuals stepped in at the last minute to make sure it took place. Many of the behind-the-scenes personnel were new to the business of putting on a leather contest, but everyone appeared to be intensely focused on what they were doing; the result was a briskly paced contest with no awkward production moments.
No paid entertainers were on the program. The focus was solely on the contestants, who more than rose to the challenge and presented uniformly well-executed fantasies. Some highlights:
• “The Wizard of Oz” was re-interpreted by Rick Noss, Mr. Desert Plains Drummer. The Tin Woodsman’s new use for his oil can and fashioning a condom out of aluminum foil gave new meaning to the term “beer-can cock.”
• Great Lakes Mr. Drummer Jerry Leigh appeared as a bottom being worked on by three different tops while the audience enthusiastically cheered him on. (When the fantasy ended he had worn out all three tops and was begging for more.)
• Mr. Gulf Coast Drummer Don Woods presented a surreal (and inspiredly silly) fantasy reminiscent of 50’s kiddie TV show “Kukla, Fran & Ollie.” It was a hot barnyard SM scene being watched by a horse puppet (who also sang) peeking out the barn door.
• Mr. Florida Drummer Bill Masters appeared as a leather Forrest Gump. This fantasy also featured the unique symbolism of a sculpture of the state of Florida becoming an erection and finally exploding in a shower of ping-pong balls.
• The final fantasy of the evening was Kyle Brandon’s. It turned out not to be a fantasy at all, but rather a real gay marriage ceremony between Brandon and his partner, who an hour later became an instant sash widow. Brandon’s fantasy included cameo appearances by leather notables Brian Dawson (International Mr. Drummer 1989), Mikal Bales of Zeus Productions, and Pup (the outgoing International Drummerboy).
The winners: The Golden Whip Award (a.k.a. Miss Congeniality) went to “Ky” Fitzgerald, Mr. Mid-Atlantic Drummer; second runner-up was Jerry Leigh, Great Lakes Mr. Drummer; first runner-up was Ken Rosetti, Mr. Northeast Drummer; and the winner and new International Mr. Drummer is Southern California’s Kyle Brandon. The new International Drummerboy is Rocky Mountain Drummerboy Mike de Nisco.
Sunday brought beautiful weather and beautiful bodies to the Folsom Street Fair. In addition to people-watching and musical entertainment, there was shopping at the many booths selling everything a leather devotee could desire. This year’s lucky-thirteenth Folsom Street Fair was a great climax and a fitting finale to Leather Pride Week, and San Francisco’s leather community has every right to be proud of the way they hosted the worldwide leather community.
PHOTO: Winners of the 1996 International Mr. Drummer competition. Kneeling: International Drummerboy Mike de Nisco. Standing, left to right: Ken Rosetti, 1st runner-up; Kyle Brandon, International Mr. Drummer 1996; and Jerry Leigh, 2nd runner-up.
Mr. Minnesota Leather ’97 Crowned
(Note): The original headline I wrote for this item was “Cwayna is Mr. MN Leather ’97”.)
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1997 Kevin Cwayna
Kevin Cwayna won the sash at the Mr. Minnesota Leather ’97 contest held Oct. 5 at the Gay 90’s. Runner-up was Andy Tracy and second runner-up was Todd Leek. Also competing were Mat Veo and Mr. Minnesota Fantasy ’96 Robert Riley.
Judging the contest were current International Mr. Leather Joe Gallagher, outgoing Mr. Minnesota Leather Michael deLeon, current Ms. Minnesota Leather Darlette Knox, Mr. Rod’s ’96 Stacy DeSotel from Wisconsin, and Mr. Chicago Leather ’96 Jeff Affolter.
Entertainment included the Rainbow Cloggers (including Dean Preston, Mr. Minnesota Leather ’90-’91), Borderline, the Portfolio Men and the perfect leather contest music of Savage Aural Hotbed, who just may be the opening act for the 1997 International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago.
Upcoming Leather Events
The Atons present “Inquisition”
Sunday, October 13, 6-10 pm, The Saloon
Featuring demos by Matt Hopping of The Saloon’s “Hard Mondays.” $3 at the door.
Atons Halloween Party ’96
Saturday, October 26 — ORDER TICKETS NOW
Featuring DJ Black Sheep and dog tags to the first 250. Limited attendance; tickets ($17) must be ordered in advance. If you didn’t get an order form in the mail, download one from the Atons’ Web site (www.starbase21.com/ATONS). Tickets will be mailed the week of the event.
Friday, September 27, 1996
Leather Contests Explained
(Published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #35, September 27, 1996)
The new International Mr. Fantasy was recently chosen in Omaha . In San Francisco this weekend the International Mr. Drummer contest takes place. Next weekend brings the Mr. Minnesota Leather ’97 contest here in Minneapolis (details in the gray box), the winner of which goes on to the International Mr. Leather (IML) contest in Chicago next May.
Where did all these contests (and all these titleholders) come from? What purpose do they serve for the leather community? And what difference do they make for anyone who’s not into the leather scene?
Where’d they come from? The same impulse that in straight society finds expression in the Miss America pageant find expression among members of the leather community in leather contests and titleholders. Interestingly, the drag/transgender community has evolved the Imperial Court system of royalty in response to the same impulses. As a psychologist would say: gay,straight or whatever, we’re all socialized the same. If the Imperial Court system produces emperors, empresses, and ladies-in-waiting, perhaps leather contests produce the leather community’s “knights.”
Both IML and Drummer started in 1979. “Beauty pageants” at first, the job of titleholder was transformed by the AIDS crisis — leather titleholders were among the first people to raise funds both for research and to benefit people living with AIDS, simply because they saw the need and were in a position to do something about it.
What purpose do they serve? A good leather contest is a challenge for the contestants and entertainment for the community. Watching a parade of beautiful bodies parading in full (or skimpy) leather and performing leather fantasies (erotic skits) makes for a pleasant evening for the audience. For the contestants and judges, of course, much more is involved.
The judges are as interested in the minds of the contestants as in their physical presence, which is why most contests include a private interview with the judges and a public speech before the audience. The judges are looking for the contestant who will be the community’s best representative, both at local functions and in more advanced levels of competition.
Why would someone want to compete? There are many reasons. Some contestants don’t care if they win or not; they compete for the chance to be in the spotlight for a few minutes. Others compete because they have something to prove, either to themselves or to others. At least a few international titleholders have entered a local contest on a dare. Then there are those contestants who earnestly want to win the contest and to have the experience of holding a leather title.
What’s involved in being a leather titleholder? A certain amount of glamour and a lot of work — and the good feeling that comes from being able to give something back to the community. Besides going on to further levels of competition, titleholders raise funds for charities, educate, entertain, raise consciousness, and are community ambassadors — all things that make the leather community stronger.
How do leather contests and titleholders benefit the non-leather/SM community? The most obvious benefit is fundraising: children’s charities are a favorite benefactor, as are AIDS charities (such as AmFAR, who sponsored Joe Gallagher, IML ‘96, and Andy Borden, 3rd runner-up for IML ‘95). But leather contests and titleholders serve another, perhaps less-obvious, purpose both for the leather community and for the GLBT community at large. The contests, and especially the fantasies, are positive, affirming celebrations of alternative sexuality. Leather titleholders promote that same sex-positive message to society at large — the idea that enjoyable, life-affirming, healthy sexuality isn’t limited to the heterosexual missionary-position flavor. They are sexual freedom-fighters working not just for the rights of the leather/SM community but for all sexual minorities.
Upcoming Leather Events
PHOTO: Mr. Minnesota Leather 1996 Michael deLeon
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1997 Reception
Friday, October 4, 9 pm-1 am, Gay 90’s Men’s Room Bar
This reception honors Michael deLeon, Mr. Minnesota Leather 1996; it’s also your chance to meet this year’s contestants and judges, including Joe Gallagher, IML ’96.Dress code will be in effect for the evening. Admission is $5 and there will be free beer, soft drinks and food for those attending.
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1997 Contest and Show
Saturday, October 5, 4-9 pm, Gay 90’s Dance Annex
Entertainment by The Portfolio Men, Borderline, Rainbow Cloggers and featuring the music of Savage Aural Hotbed (if you missed them at Michael deLeon’s IML send-off this spring, you’ll want to hear them now!) Contestants, having been interviewed earlier by the judges, will be judged on their speeches, leather image, fantasy presentation and on their stage and physical presence. Be there when IML ’96 deLeon sashes his successor. $10 admission. (Individuals wishing to enter the contest should call Colin Spriestersbach for additional information and contest application forms.)
The new International Mr. Fantasy was recently chosen in Omaha . In San Francisco this weekend the International Mr. Drummer contest takes place. Next weekend brings the Mr. Minnesota Leather ’97 contest here in Minneapolis (details in the gray box), the winner of which goes on to the International Mr. Leather (IML) contest in Chicago next May.
Where did all these contests (and all these titleholders) come from? What purpose do they serve for the leather community? And what difference do they make for anyone who’s not into the leather scene?
Where’d they come from? The same impulse that in straight society finds expression in the Miss America pageant find expression among members of the leather community in leather contests and titleholders. Interestingly, the drag/transgender community has evolved the Imperial Court system of royalty in response to the same impulses. As a psychologist would say: gay,straight or whatever, we’re all socialized the same. If the Imperial Court system produces emperors, empresses, and ladies-in-waiting, perhaps leather contests produce the leather community’s “knights.”
Both IML and Drummer started in 1979. “Beauty pageants” at first, the job of titleholder was transformed by the AIDS crisis — leather titleholders were among the first people to raise funds both for research and to benefit people living with AIDS, simply because they saw the need and were in a position to do something about it.
What purpose do they serve? A good leather contest is a challenge for the contestants and entertainment for the community. Watching a parade of beautiful bodies parading in full (or skimpy) leather and performing leather fantasies (erotic skits) makes for a pleasant evening for the audience. For the contestants and judges, of course, much more is involved.
The judges are as interested in the minds of the contestants as in their physical presence, which is why most contests include a private interview with the judges and a public speech before the audience. The judges are looking for the contestant who will be the community’s best representative, both at local functions and in more advanced levels of competition.
Why would someone want to compete? There are many reasons. Some contestants don’t care if they win or not; they compete for the chance to be in the spotlight for a few minutes. Others compete because they have something to prove, either to themselves or to others. At least a few international titleholders have entered a local contest on a dare. Then there are those contestants who earnestly want to win the contest and to have the experience of holding a leather title.
What’s involved in being a leather titleholder? A certain amount of glamour and a lot of work — and the good feeling that comes from being able to give something back to the community. Besides going on to further levels of competition, titleholders raise funds for charities, educate, entertain, raise consciousness, and are community ambassadors — all things that make the leather community stronger.
How do leather contests and titleholders benefit the non-leather/SM community? The most obvious benefit is fundraising: children’s charities are a favorite benefactor, as are AIDS charities (such as AmFAR, who sponsored Joe Gallagher, IML ‘96, and Andy Borden, 3rd runner-up for IML ‘95). But leather contests and titleholders serve another, perhaps less-obvious, purpose both for the leather community and for the GLBT community at large. The contests, and especially the fantasies, are positive, affirming celebrations of alternative sexuality. Leather titleholders promote that same sex-positive message to society at large — the idea that enjoyable, life-affirming, healthy sexuality isn’t limited to the heterosexual missionary-position flavor. They are sexual freedom-fighters working not just for the rights of the leather/SM community but for all sexual minorities.
Upcoming Leather Events
PHOTO: Mr. Minnesota Leather 1996 Michael deLeon
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1997 Reception
Friday, October 4, 9 pm-1 am, Gay 90’s Men’s Room Bar
This reception honors Michael deLeon, Mr. Minnesota Leather 1996; it’s also your chance to meet this year’s contestants and judges, including Joe Gallagher, IML ’96.Dress code will be in effect for the evening. Admission is $5 and there will be free beer, soft drinks and food for those attending.
Mr. Minnesota Leather 1997 Contest and Show
Saturday, October 5, 4-9 pm, Gay 90’s Dance Annex
Entertainment by The Portfolio Men, Borderline, Rainbow Cloggers and featuring the music of Savage Aural Hotbed (if you missed them at Michael deLeon’s IML send-off this spring, you’ll want to hear them now!) Contestants, having been interviewed earlier by the judges, will be judged on their speeches, leather image, fantasy presentation and on their stage and physical presence. Be there when IML ’96 deLeon sashes his successor. $10 admission. (Individuals wishing to enter the contest should call Colin Spriestersbach for additional information and contest application forms.)
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