(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #87, September 25, 1998)
As you read in this space last issue, Joshua Smith became the new Mr. Minnesota Leather on Sept. 6 at Club Metro Underground in St. Paul. Recent frictions between Club Metro and the leather community seemed to have been put to rest, and the contest (and all the rest of the weekend’s events) drew a healthy crowd and got generally good reviews from those attending.
Smith’s competitors for the evening were first runner-up Scott Kelley and second runner-up Karl Keturi. The judges came from as far east as Philadelphia (Dan Clougherty, Mr. Philadelphia Leather ’98) and as far west as Australia (Andrew Lennox, Mr. Australia Leather ’98 and International Mr. Leather ’98 first runner-up). Other judges were International Mr. Leather ’97 and Mr. Minnesota Leather ’97 Kevin Cwayna; current Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Renee Indehar; current Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather B.D. Chambers; current Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Ken Flanagan; and outgoing Mr. Minnesota Leather Roger Gregg.
Smith’s speech, delivered with revival-preacher fervor, addressed a standard leather-contest theme (uniting the community) in an unusual manner. He summoned representatives of every subset of the leather/SM community—men’s leather clubs, women’s leather clubs, pansexual clubs, rodeo, bears, even the Metropolitan Community Church—in a graphic demonstration and reminder of how important it is to work together. Smith’s elaborate and dreamily surreal cop-fantasy presentation started with a dancing male silhouette on a windowshade; the focus then shifted to a hot scene between a prowler and the cop who apprehends him. Suddenly there was a blinding flash onstage as the proceedings were interrupted by local drag queen Eva, looking stunning and lip-synching to “Barbie Girl.” (That was the surreal part.)
Leather Community Charity Donations
The evening also saw various leather-related individuals and organizations distribute fund-raising proceeds to an array of charitable organizations. First, the Black Guard handed checks ($500 each) to representatives from The Aliveness Project, District 202, and Every Penny Counts. Camp Heartland received a total of three checks, one of which represented the money that was tossed onto the giant rainbow and leather pride flags that were carried in this year’s Twin Cities Pride Parade. The amount of that check (approximately $250) was matched both by the Black Guard and by Minnesota Leather Productions, producer of the evening’s contest.
Later in the evening, outgoing Mr. Minnesota leather Roger Gregg handed another check to Kevin Cwayna, representing District 202. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from the contest weekend benefited the Sexual Violence Center (an organization that, a few years ago, would not take donations from the leather community).
All these donations continue a long tradition of charitable giving by the leather/SM community. This tradition didn’t necessarily start with the onset of the AIDS crisis in the early 1980s, but AIDS certainly brought about a greater awareness of the needs to raise funds. The leather community was one of the hardest-hit by the epidemic and leather clubs, titleholders and the leather community in general responded by taking care of their own in the days before government and the general public were aware of the problem. Today, while AIDS charities are still very much supported by the leather community, the focus has widened to include organizations, such as District 202 and the Sexual Violence Center, that are addressing other problems of concern to the community.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Leather/Levi Dinner
Saturday, Sept. 12, 7:30 pm, The Monte Carlo (219 3rd Ave. N, Mpls.)
All members of the leather/SM community are welcome. Call the Atons HotLine to make reservations.
Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest Weekend
A committee of nine women have been working on this weekend’s events for months, and it should be good. Even though it’s a women’s contest, leathermen are welcomed and encouraged to come and party. Prices have been reduced! Weekend Package is now $25 with Survivor’s Brunch or $15 without; events (except the brunch) are also available separately. Call Deb or Renee for further event or contestant information. Winner receives a prize of $250 and competes in the International Ms. Leather Contest in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 1999. Here are the event-by-event details:
Meet & Greet/Bare As You Dare
Friday, Sept. 18, 6:30-9:30 pm, The Saloon
“Bare As You Dare” returns, complete with trophies and finger food. It’s also “Bat Night” with the first 10 in the door getting a complimentary slapper. Plans call for a Vendor Fair and live-action digital-camera photos available for pose and purchase. $3 in advance or $5 at the door.
Pre- and Post-Contest Parties
Saturday, Sept. 19, Minnesota Bar & Grill. Cocktails and full menu dinner at 5:30 pm, shuttle bus to contest/show starts at 7 pm.
Why hassle with U of M traffic and parking? Park your car at the MN Bar, have drinks and/or dinner, then catch the shuttle bus to the contest. Shuttle returns to the MN Bar for the Post-Contest Party. $5 in advance or $7 at the door.
1999 Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest and Show
Saturday, Sept. 19, 8 pm, Bell Museum Auditorium, 17th & University Ave. SE, U of M Campus
Perennial favorite, former International Ms. Leather and soon-to-be-parent (you read it here first!) Kay Hallanger will emcee—in my book, that alone is worth the price of admission. Head judge will be current International Ms. Leather Megan DeJarlais. $11 in advance or $13 at the door (Co-sponsored by U Film Society’s LGBT Film Festival, Oct. 2-15.)
Survivor’s Brunch
Sunday, Sept. 20, location and details when you register
Open only to the first 50 people registering for the weekend package, so get your reservation in now.
Wind-Down Party
Sunday, Sept. 20, 9 pm-1 am, The Tank @ The Saloon
An informal wind-down party for the weekend. No admission charge.
Atons Bar Night at the Eagle
Friday, Oct. 2, 9 pm-midnight, The Minneapolis Eagle
$2 donation at the door benefits District 202. Your first drink is half-price and there will be door prizes.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
October 1: Deadline for nominations for the Leather Community Awards. If you haven’t submitted your form yet, fill it out and send it in before this date. Don’t have a form? You’ll find one at the Atons’ website (www.starbase21.com/atons) which you can fill out, print and mail to the address shown on the form.
October 16-18: Pantheon of Leather presents the Mr. & Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest, “your local pansexual fetish contest.” The weekend will also include the above-mentioned Leather Community Awards. Call for event or contestant information.
Friday, September 25, 1998
Friday, September 11, 1998
New Leather Titleholders Announced
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #86, September 11, 1998)
Contest Winners, plus The Mpls. Eagle Has Landed
International Mr. Fantasy ’98
PHOTO A: Tim Kernan, International Mr. Fantasy ’98
PHOTO B: From left: Terry Brown, International Mr. Fantasy ’98 second runner-up; Tim Kernan, International Mr. Fantasy ’98; and Joshua Conrad, International Mr. Fantasy ’98 first runner-up.
Hometown boy Tim Kernan of Omaha captured the title of International Mr. Fantasy ’98 on August 22 in Omaha, Nebraska. Joshua Conrad (also known as Scooby) of Missouri was first runner-up and Terry Brown of Kansas was 2nd runner-up. Minnesota was represented by Ken Flanagan, whose fantasy about “how to stuff a chicken” was a big hit with the audience. (The “chicken” in question was a cute twenty-something boy—your imagination can take it from there.)
Great Lakes Drummer ’98
PHOTO C: Shown with trophies in hand are, left, Kirk Wood (Great Lakes Drummerboy ’98) and, right, Johann Villar (Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98).
PHOTO D: Steve Eue, Minnesota Mr. Drummer ’98 and Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98 first runner-up.
PHOTO E: Foreground: Kirk Wood, Great Lakes Drummerboy ’98. Background, from left: Steve Eue, Minnesota Mr. Drummer ’98 and Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98 first runner-up; Johann Villar, Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98; and Jim Ellison, Indiana Mr. Drummer ’98 and Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98 second runner-up.
Johann Villar, an invitation contestant from Michigan, was awarded the title of Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98 on August 29 in Columbus, Ohio. Steve Eue, who recently became Minnesota Mr. Drummer ’98, was first runner-up; Indiana Mr. Drummer ’98 Jim Ellison was 2nd runner-up. In the Great Lakes Drummerboy competition the title went to Kirk Wood, who had been first runner-up in the Ohio Drummerboy contest. Minnesota was represented in the Drummerboy competition by Minnesota Drummerboy ’98 David McCammon, and Minnesota was also represented on the judging panel by your humble columnist.
Mr. Minnesota Leather ’99
PHOTO F: Joshua Smith, Mr. Minnesota Leather ’99
The 1999 Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest was held at Club Metro Underground on Sept. 6. Joshua Smith emerged as the new Mr. Minnesota Leather in a tightly-packed evening that turned out to be more than just a leather titleholder changing-of-the-guard. Moments before Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 Roger Gregg passed the sash to Smith, contest organizer Colin Spriestersbach passed the responsibility for the contest (and the Minnesota Drummer contest as well) to Gregg.
The evening also saw various leather-related individuals and organizations distribute fund-raising proceeds to District 202, Every Penny Counts, Camp Heartland, and the Aliveness Project in what can only be described as an orgy of charitable giving. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from the contest weekend benefitted the Sexual Violence Center. (More details on the contest weekend, and on the leather community’s efforts to raise funds for charitable organizations, will appear in the next edition of this column.)
Minneapolis Eagle starts serving leather community
After months of planning (and rumors), the Minneapolis Eagle has finally opened its doors to the Twin Cities leather community on September 8. Owner Ed Hopkins says he has been impressed both with the caliber of bartenders and other staff who have applied for employment and with the level of interest from the leather community.
The Minneapolis Eagle, located at 515 Washington Avenue South and formerly known as the Mill Inn, also incorporates a grill; plans call for continuing and improving the menu, and perhaps eventually expanding the space. A parking lot is conveniently located next door (although parking in the lot isn’t free).
A grand-opening celebration is tentatively slated for September 26, but they’re open for business right now if you want to check them out. Friday and Saturday nights a strict dress code will be enforced; if you want to see what’s acceptable and what’s not, visit their website at www.mplseagle.com.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Leather/Levi Dinner
Saturday, Sept. 12, 7:30 pm, The Monte Carlo (219 3rd Ave. N, Mpls.)
All members of the leather/SM community are welcome. Call the Atons HotLine to make reservations.
Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest Weekend
A committee of nine women have been working on this weekend’s events for months, and it should be good. Even though it’s a women’s contest, leathermen are welcomed and encouraged to come and party. Prices have been reduced! Weekend Package is now $25 with Survivor’s Brunch or $15 without; events (except the brunch) are also available separately. Call Deb or Renee for further event or contestant information. Winner receives a prize of $250 and competes in the International Ms. Leather Contest in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 1999. Here are the event-by-event details:
Meet & Greet/Bare As You Dare
Friday, Sept. 18, 6:30-9:30 pm, The Saloon
“Bare As You Dare” returns, complete with trophies and finger food. It’s also “Bat Night” with the first 10 in the door getting a complimentary slapper. Plans call for a Vendor Fair and live-action digital-camera photos available for pose and purchase. $3 in advance or $5 at the door.
Pre- and Post-Contest Parties
Saturday, Sept. 19, Minnesota Bar & Grill. Cocktails and full menu dinner at 5:30 pm, shuttle bus to contest/show starts at 7 pm.
Why hassle with U of M traffic and parking? Park your car at the MN Bar, have drinks and/or dinner, then catch the shuttle bus to the contest. Shuttle returns to the MN Bar for the Post-Contest Party. $5 in advance or $7 at the door.
1999 Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest and Show
Saturday, Sept. 19, 8 pm, Bell Museum Auditorium, 17th & University Ave. SE, U of M Campus
Perennial favorite, former International Ms. Leather and soon-to-be-parent (you read it here first!) Kay Hallanger will emcee—in my book, that alone is worth the price of admission. Head judge will be current International Ms. Leather Megan DeJarlais. $11 in advance or $13 at the door (Co-sponsored by U Film Society’s LGBT Film Festival, Oct. 2-15.)
Survivor’s Brunch
Sunday, Sept. 20, location and details when you register
Open only to the first 50 people registering for the weekend package, so get your reservation in now.
Wind-Down Party
Sunday, Sept. 20, 9 pm-1 am, The Tank @ The Saloon
An informal wind-down party for the weekend. No admission charge.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
October 1: Deadline for nominations for the Leather Community Awards. If you haven’t submitted your form yet, fill it out and send it in before this date. Don’t have a form? You’ll find one at the Atons’ website (www.starbase21.com/atons) which you can fill out, print and mail to the address shown on the form.
October 16-18: Pantheon of Leather presents the Mr. & Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest, “your local pansexual fetish contest.” The weekend will also include the above-mentioned Leather Community Awards. Call for event or contestant information.
Contest Winners, plus The Mpls. Eagle Has Landed
International Mr. Fantasy ’98
PHOTO A: Tim Kernan, International Mr. Fantasy ’98
PHOTO B: From left: Terry Brown, International Mr. Fantasy ’98 second runner-up; Tim Kernan, International Mr. Fantasy ’98; and Joshua Conrad, International Mr. Fantasy ’98 first runner-up.
Hometown boy Tim Kernan of Omaha captured the title of International Mr. Fantasy ’98 on August 22 in Omaha, Nebraska. Joshua Conrad (also known as Scooby) of Missouri was first runner-up and Terry Brown of Kansas was 2nd runner-up. Minnesota was represented by Ken Flanagan, whose fantasy about “how to stuff a chicken” was a big hit with the audience. (The “chicken” in question was a cute twenty-something boy—your imagination can take it from there.)
Great Lakes Drummer ’98
PHOTO C: Shown with trophies in hand are, left, Kirk Wood (Great Lakes Drummerboy ’98) and, right, Johann Villar (Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98).
PHOTO D: Steve Eue, Minnesota Mr. Drummer ’98 and Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98 first runner-up.
PHOTO E: Foreground: Kirk Wood, Great Lakes Drummerboy ’98. Background, from left: Steve Eue, Minnesota Mr. Drummer ’98 and Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98 first runner-up; Johann Villar, Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98; and Jim Ellison, Indiana Mr. Drummer ’98 and Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98 second runner-up.
Johann Villar, an invitation contestant from Michigan, was awarded the title of Great Lakes Mr. Drummer ’98 on August 29 in Columbus, Ohio. Steve Eue, who recently became Minnesota Mr. Drummer ’98, was first runner-up; Indiana Mr. Drummer ’98 Jim Ellison was 2nd runner-up. In the Great Lakes Drummerboy competition the title went to Kirk Wood, who had been first runner-up in the Ohio Drummerboy contest. Minnesota was represented in the Drummerboy competition by Minnesota Drummerboy ’98 David McCammon, and Minnesota was also represented on the judging panel by your humble columnist.
Mr. Minnesota Leather ’99
PHOTO F: Joshua Smith, Mr. Minnesota Leather ’99
The 1999 Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest was held at Club Metro Underground on Sept. 6. Joshua Smith emerged as the new Mr. Minnesota Leather in a tightly-packed evening that turned out to be more than just a leather titleholder changing-of-the-guard. Moments before Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 Roger Gregg passed the sash to Smith, contest organizer Colin Spriestersbach passed the responsibility for the contest (and the Minnesota Drummer contest as well) to Gregg.
The evening also saw various leather-related individuals and organizations distribute fund-raising proceeds to District 202, Every Penny Counts, Camp Heartland, and the Aliveness Project in what can only be described as an orgy of charitable giving. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from the contest weekend benefitted the Sexual Violence Center. (More details on the contest weekend, and on the leather community’s efforts to raise funds for charitable organizations, will appear in the next edition of this column.)
Minneapolis Eagle starts serving leather community
After months of planning (and rumors), the Minneapolis Eagle has finally opened its doors to the Twin Cities leather community on September 8. Owner Ed Hopkins says he has been impressed both with the caliber of bartenders and other staff who have applied for employment and with the level of interest from the leather community.
The Minneapolis Eagle, located at 515 Washington Avenue South and formerly known as the Mill Inn, also incorporates a grill; plans call for continuing and improving the menu, and perhaps eventually expanding the space. A parking lot is conveniently located next door (although parking in the lot isn’t free).
A grand-opening celebration is tentatively slated for September 26, but they’re open for business right now if you want to check them out. Friday and Saturday nights a strict dress code will be enforced; if you want to see what’s acceptable and what’s not, visit their website at www.mplseagle.com.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Leather/Levi Dinner
Saturday, Sept. 12, 7:30 pm, The Monte Carlo (219 3rd Ave. N, Mpls.)
All members of the leather/SM community are welcome. Call the Atons HotLine to make reservations.
Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest Weekend
A committee of nine women have been working on this weekend’s events for months, and it should be good. Even though it’s a women’s contest, leathermen are welcomed and encouraged to come and party. Prices have been reduced! Weekend Package is now $25 with Survivor’s Brunch or $15 without; events (except the brunch) are also available separately. Call Deb or Renee for further event or contestant information. Winner receives a prize of $250 and competes in the International Ms. Leather Contest in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 1999. Here are the event-by-event details:
Meet & Greet/Bare As You Dare
Friday, Sept. 18, 6:30-9:30 pm, The Saloon
“Bare As You Dare” returns, complete with trophies and finger food. It’s also “Bat Night” with the first 10 in the door getting a complimentary slapper. Plans call for a Vendor Fair and live-action digital-camera photos available for pose and purchase. $3 in advance or $5 at the door.
Pre- and Post-Contest Parties
Saturday, Sept. 19, Minnesota Bar & Grill. Cocktails and full menu dinner at 5:30 pm, shuttle bus to contest/show starts at 7 pm.
Why hassle with U of M traffic and parking? Park your car at the MN Bar, have drinks and/or dinner, then catch the shuttle bus to the contest. Shuttle returns to the MN Bar for the Post-Contest Party. $5 in advance or $7 at the door.
1999 Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest and Show
Saturday, Sept. 19, 8 pm, Bell Museum Auditorium, 17th & University Ave. SE, U of M Campus
Perennial favorite, former International Ms. Leather and soon-to-be-parent (you read it here first!) Kay Hallanger will emcee—in my book, that alone is worth the price of admission. Head judge will be current International Ms. Leather Megan DeJarlais. $11 in advance or $13 at the door (Co-sponsored by U Film Society’s LGBT Film Festival, Oct. 2-15.)
Survivor’s Brunch
Sunday, Sept. 20, location and details when you register
Open only to the first 50 people registering for the weekend package, so get your reservation in now.
Wind-Down Party
Sunday, Sept. 20, 9 pm-1 am, The Tank @ The Saloon
An informal wind-down party for the weekend. No admission charge.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
October 1: Deadline for nominations for the Leather Community Awards. If you haven’t submitted your form yet, fill it out and send it in before this date. Don’t have a form? You’ll find one at the Atons’ website (www.starbase21.com/atons) which you can fill out, print and mail to the address shown on the form.
October 16-18: Pantheon of Leather presents the Mr. & Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest, “your local pansexual fetish contest.” The weekend will also include the above-mentioned Leather Community Awards. Call for event or contestant information.
Friday, August 28, 1998
Steve Eue is New MN Mr. Drummer
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #85, August 28, 1998)
Mike Vintean Relinquishes Title
Mike Vintean, who won the 1998 Mr. Minnesota Drummer title in April, relinquished the title during the recent Mr. MN Drummer/Drummerboy Weekend. Vintean would not have been able to fulfill the requirements of the title due to a recent, unforeseen change in employment.
In a Friday night ceremony at The Town House Vintean passed the sash to Steve Eue, first runner-up in last April’s contest, who became the new Minnesota Mr. Drummer 1998. He and 1998 Minnesota Drummerboy david will be representing Minnesota’s leather/SM community at this weekend’s Great Lakes Drummer Contest in Columbus, Ohio.
PHOTO CAPTION #1: Mike Vintean, left, prepares to turn the 1998 Minnesota Mr. Drummer title over to Steve Eue, right.
PHOTO CAPTION #2: Good luck and best wishes to newly-designated Minnesota Mr. Drummer 1998 Steve Eue (back) and Minnesota Drummerboy 1998 david (front) as they compete in the Great Lakes Mr. Drummer/Drummerboy contest this weekend in Columbus, Ohio.
Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest Returns to Club Metro
Remember last year’s Tom of Finland bash at the Gay 90s? The advice from this column at the time was “Yes, it’s at the 90s—go anyway.” Here we go again.
After several tense encounters between Club Metro and various leather event organizers (most notably the unpleasantness connected with the recent Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest), many in the community are asking why anyone would hold another leather contest there. Here’s why, according to Mr. Minnesota Leather contest producer Colin Spriestersbach: An abundance of upcoming leather contests, combined with a shortage of suitable venues for those contests, required schedules to be adjusted and compromises to be made. (These same circumstances have also persuaded Spriestersbach to put his proposed American Leathermaster contest on hold.) In the opinion of the contest’s organizers and other interested members of the community, the reasons to hold it at Club Metro outweighed the reasons not to hold it there.
Spriestersbach emphasized several points when I talked with him recently:
• The management of Club Metro is cooperating with contest organizers and is eager to have us back. According to Spriestersbach, leather functions were never banned at Club Metro, and any rumors to that effect are false. (Personally, I never heard any of those rumors.)
• In the aftermath of the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest debacle, both contest organizers and Club Metro management agreed that the problem happened because of miscommunication. All those involved with this contest will, I’m sure, take great pains to make sure such miscommunications don’t happen again.
• These contests include a charity fundraising component, as do many other leather community events; at this contest Spriestersbach expects to present checks for over $3,000 to various charities, representing money raised at some of this summer’s events.
This is an instance in which you get to vote with your feet, folks, but it’s not just a referendum on what you think of Club Metro. If you’re uncomfortable going to Club Metro, ask yourself if your discomfort is great enough to keep you from supporting the contest, the contestants, the new titleholder who will be selected and the charities for which money will be raised. That’s what you’re really voting on.
No Sex, Please, It’s An Election Year
Part of the Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest weekend is the “Trash III” party on Friday night at the Metro. Those attending will be free to drink, dance and be trashy—up to a point, of course, after which the nice bouncer will ask you to kindly re-button your fly. Don’t blame him, and don’t blame the bar management. Blame it on election year politics.
The Twin Towns are a nice place to live and are reasonably accepting of “people like us.” But laws and public policy in both Minneapolis and St. Paul are extremely hostile to sex and/or nudity in public spaces, and the fact that this is an election year means efforts at enforcing such bans are redoubled. X-rated videos are no longer allowed to be shown in leather bars. There’s a greater police presence at the Mississippi river flats in both Minneapolis and St. Paul and at Twin Lake in Minneapolis. Backroom-type activity in bars is not tolerated. (It’s not just the Twin Cities, by the way—it’s even affecting places like New York City, where mayor Rudy Giuliani recently closed down many sex-related businesses or forced them to move.)
Hypermoralistic politicans love to decry the scandalous, evil activities which are going on RIGHT IN OUR VERY MIDST. If we give them incidents to publicly fume about we’re playing into their hands. So—at least until the election is over and things settle down again—dance, party, have fun, meet people, but try to maintain some sense of decorum (at least in public, anyway).
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest Weekend
Four days of Labor-Day-weekend party brought to you by Minnesota Leather Productions in partnership with The Black Guard, Sober Leather, and ISCIC. Weekend package is $40 and includes a souvenir T-shirt as well as admission to all the weekend’s events—available at Rainbow Road and at Friday’s event. Portion of proceeds goes to Sexual Violence Center. (If you want to compete call for information and an application.)
“Trash III” Meet & Greet Dance Party
Friday, Sept. 4, 9 pm-close, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
$7 at the door includes first drink free.
Decadent Bus Bar Tour
Saturday, Sept. 5, Minnesota Bar & Grill. Cocktails at 7 pm, bus departs at 8 pm.
$15 at the door includes drink tickets for all bars visited and admission to Champagne Party (below).
Champagne Party
Saturday, Sept. 5, 11 pm-close, Minnesota Bar & Grill (2nd level)
$5 at the door includes champagne toast at midnight.
Daddy’s Tea Dance
Sunday, Sept. 6, 4-8 pm, The Town House, St. Paul
Special surprises and shuttle bus service to the contest for those who bought weekend packages. No admission charge.
1999 Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest and Show
Sunday, Sept. 6, Doors open 8 pm, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
This is what it’s all been building up to. $18 at the door.
Victory Brunch
Monday, Sept. 7, 2-6 pm, Brass Rail
Brunch and drink specials, no cover.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Sept. 18-20: Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest Weekend. Friday is the return of “Bare As You Dare” at The Saloon from 6:30-9:30 pm; it’s “Bat Night” with the first 10 in the door getting a complimentary slapper. On Saturday there will be pre- and post-contest parties at times and locations to be announced; the contest will be at the University Film Society at Bell Museum Auditorium on the U of M Campus. Bus service between venues will be available. A Survivor’s Brunch on Sunday (hosted by Gary and Michael, catered by Joy, and with limited attendance of 50 people) will lead into an informal wind-down at The Tank that evening. Weekend Package is $30 with brunch or $20 without; events (except the brunch) are also available separately. Call Deb or Renee for further event or contestant information. Winner competes in International Ms. Leather Contest in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 1999.
October 16-18: Pantheon of Leather presents the Mr. & Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest, “your local pansexual fetish contest.” Call for event or contestant information.
Mike Vintean Relinquishes Title
Mike Vintean, who won the 1998 Mr. Minnesota Drummer title in April, relinquished the title during the recent Mr. MN Drummer/Drummerboy Weekend. Vintean would not have been able to fulfill the requirements of the title due to a recent, unforeseen change in employment.
In a Friday night ceremony at The Town House Vintean passed the sash to Steve Eue, first runner-up in last April’s contest, who became the new Minnesota Mr. Drummer 1998. He and 1998 Minnesota Drummerboy david will be representing Minnesota’s leather/SM community at this weekend’s Great Lakes Drummer Contest in Columbus, Ohio.
PHOTO CAPTION #1: Mike Vintean, left, prepares to turn the 1998 Minnesota Mr. Drummer title over to Steve Eue, right.
PHOTO CAPTION #2: Good luck and best wishes to newly-designated Minnesota Mr. Drummer 1998 Steve Eue (back) and Minnesota Drummerboy 1998 david (front) as they compete in the Great Lakes Mr. Drummer/Drummerboy contest this weekend in Columbus, Ohio.
Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest Returns to Club Metro
Remember last year’s Tom of Finland bash at the Gay 90s? The advice from this column at the time was “Yes, it’s at the 90s—go anyway.” Here we go again.
After several tense encounters between Club Metro and various leather event organizers (most notably the unpleasantness connected with the recent Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest), many in the community are asking why anyone would hold another leather contest there. Here’s why, according to Mr. Minnesota Leather contest producer Colin Spriestersbach: An abundance of upcoming leather contests, combined with a shortage of suitable venues for those contests, required schedules to be adjusted and compromises to be made. (These same circumstances have also persuaded Spriestersbach to put his proposed American Leathermaster contest on hold.) In the opinion of the contest’s organizers and other interested members of the community, the reasons to hold it at Club Metro outweighed the reasons not to hold it there.
Spriestersbach emphasized several points when I talked with him recently:
• The management of Club Metro is cooperating with contest organizers and is eager to have us back. According to Spriestersbach, leather functions were never banned at Club Metro, and any rumors to that effect are false. (Personally, I never heard any of those rumors.)
• In the aftermath of the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest debacle, both contest organizers and Club Metro management agreed that the problem happened because of miscommunication. All those involved with this contest will, I’m sure, take great pains to make sure such miscommunications don’t happen again.
• These contests include a charity fundraising component, as do many other leather community events; at this contest Spriestersbach expects to present checks for over $3,000 to various charities, representing money raised at some of this summer’s events.
This is an instance in which you get to vote with your feet, folks, but it’s not just a referendum on what you think of Club Metro. If you’re uncomfortable going to Club Metro, ask yourself if your discomfort is great enough to keep you from supporting the contest, the contestants, the new titleholder who will be selected and the charities for which money will be raised. That’s what you’re really voting on.
No Sex, Please, It’s An Election Year
Part of the Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest weekend is the “Trash III” party on Friday night at the Metro. Those attending will be free to drink, dance and be trashy—up to a point, of course, after which the nice bouncer will ask you to kindly re-button your fly. Don’t blame him, and don’t blame the bar management. Blame it on election year politics.
The Twin Towns are a nice place to live and are reasonably accepting of “people like us.” But laws and public policy in both Minneapolis and St. Paul are extremely hostile to sex and/or nudity in public spaces, and the fact that this is an election year means efforts at enforcing such bans are redoubled. X-rated videos are no longer allowed to be shown in leather bars. There’s a greater police presence at the Mississippi river flats in both Minneapolis and St. Paul and at Twin Lake in Minneapolis. Backroom-type activity in bars is not tolerated. (It’s not just the Twin Cities, by the way—it’s even affecting places like New York City, where mayor Rudy Giuliani recently closed down many sex-related businesses or forced them to move.)
Hypermoralistic politicans love to decry the scandalous, evil activities which are going on RIGHT IN OUR VERY MIDST. If we give them incidents to publicly fume about we’re playing into their hands. So—at least until the election is over and things settle down again—dance, party, have fun, meet people, but try to maintain some sense of decorum (at least in public, anyway).
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest Weekend
Four days of Labor-Day-weekend party brought to you by Minnesota Leather Productions in partnership with The Black Guard, Sober Leather, and ISCIC. Weekend package is $40 and includes a souvenir T-shirt as well as admission to all the weekend’s events—available at Rainbow Road and at Friday’s event. Portion of proceeds goes to Sexual Violence Center. (If you want to compete call for information and an application.)
“Trash III” Meet & Greet Dance Party
Friday, Sept. 4, 9 pm-close, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
$7 at the door includes first drink free.
Decadent Bus Bar Tour
Saturday, Sept. 5, Minnesota Bar & Grill. Cocktails at 7 pm, bus departs at 8 pm.
$15 at the door includes drink tickets for all bars visited and admission to Champagne Party (below).
Champagne Party
Saturday, Sept. 5, 11 pm-close, Minnesota Bar & Grill (2nd level)
$5 at the door includes champagne toast at midnight.
Daddy’s Tea Dance
Sunday, Sept. 6, 4-8 pm, The Town House, St. Paul
Special surprises and shuttle bus service to the contest for those who bought weekend packages. No admission charge.
1999 Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest and Show
Sunday, Sept. 6, Doors open 8 pm, Club Metro Underground, St. Paul
This is what it’s all been building up to. $18 at the door.
Victory Brunch
Monday, Sept. 7, 2-6 pm, Brass Rail
Brunch and drink specials, no cover.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Sept. 18-20: Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest Weekend. Friday is the return of “Bare As You Dare” at The Saloon from 6:30-9:30 pm; it’s “Bat Night” with the first 10 in the door getting a complimentary slapper. On Saturday there will be pre- and post-contest parties at times and locations to be announced; the contest will be at the University Film Society at Bell Museum Auditorium on the U of M Campus. Bus service between venues will be available. A Survivor’s Brunch on Sunday (hosted by Gary and Michael, catered by Joy, and with limited attendance of 50 people) will lead into an informal wind-down at The Tank that evening. Weekend Package is $30 with brunch or $20 without; events (except the brunch) are also available separately. Call Deb or Renee for further event or contestant information. Winner competes in International Ms. Leather Contest in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 1999.
October 16-18: Pantheon of Leather presents the Mr. & Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest, “your local pansexual fetish contest.” Call for event or contestant information.
Friday, August 14, 1998
Fred Phelps Hates SM, Too
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #84, August 14, 1998)
In the recent cable-TV presentation of “More Tales of the City,” the inclusion of film clips of Anita Bryant discussing homosexuals took me back to my younger days. It was either 1978 or 1979 and Ms. Bryant, who at the time was still a spokesperson for Florida oranges, visited the Twin Cities for the opening of a fruit warehouse on Kasota Avenue. I was among the many people who picketed her appearance there—and who made sure we drank only California orange juice and lemonade that summer.
How times have changed. Anita Bryant, whose supposed attitude about homosexuals was “Love the sinner, hate the sin,” has become Fred Phelps, a hatemonger (and proud of it) whose message is summarized in the title of his website: www.godhatesfags.com.
Fags, however, aren’t all that God hates, according to Phelps. Bryant’s public personna was too demure and polite to allow her to discuss some of the grittier topics that are included on Phelps’ website, such as his ostensibly documented claims that 33% of gay men are into fisting, 29% are into golden showers and 17% are into scat. (By the way, those numbers seem a bit inflated when compared to the actual number of red, yellow and brown hankies I see in peoples’ pockets.) All of these activities are considered totally depraved by God aka Phelps. God also hates exhibitionism, fetishism, all forms of sadomasochism, bondage, crossdressing, voyeurism—and the list goes on. God evidently hates anyone who does any of these things, even if they happen to be straight. And God certainly hates baby-killers (the majority of whom, I’m sure, are straight). Apparently, to paraphrase Bryant’s orange juice commercials: “Hatred—it’s not just for homosexuals anymore.”
How does one respond to such hatred? Is it better to not dignify it with a response, to dismiss it rather than gratify the ego of the hatemonger by responding? Will ignoring it make it go away? Perhaps a case could be made for this viewpoint, but a case can also be made for the famous quotation that “All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” The GLBT community, the leather/SM community, and humanity in general all need to be aware of what the Fred Phelpses of the world are saying and doing. As I read Phelps’ website, the thought occurred to me that if one changed every occurrence of the word “fag” to the word “Jew,” that’s probably what Hitler’s website would have looked like if he’d had one. Phelps supposedly disavows the use of physical violence, but his words could certainly incite hate crimes to be committed by others who have no such inhibitions.
I had another thought about Phelps’ website: A lot has been written about pornography on the World Wide Web and its effect on children, but a hate-filled website like this one seems to me truly obscene.
It was recently brought to my attention that I have been a bit lax in a matter of protocol. A recent edition of this column referred to “Mr. Minnesota Drummerboy,” which is an oxymoron. A boy is never addressed as “Mr.” My apologies for the error. Now, for the record, here’s how it works: We have Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 Roger Gregg and his boy, david (note that a boy’s name is not capitalized), whose title is Minnesota Drummerboy 1998. (The “D” on Drummerboy is capitalized, because “Drummer” is the proper name of a magazine.)
Congratulations to new International Ms. Leather 1998 Megan DeJarlais of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She won the title July 18 in Atlanta. For the full story, check out www.theleatherjournal.com/sashbash.htm.
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr. Minnesota Drummer Fundraiser Weekend
Friday Fundraiser and Beer Bash
Friday, August 14, 9 pm-close, The Town House, St. Paul
If you haven’t experienced a Friday night leather event at The Town House, you’re missing out—come to this one. There will be door prizes. There won’t be a cover charge.
Saturday, August 15: Event to be announced—watch for it!
Sunday: Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Minnesota Drummerboy Send-Off
Sunday, August 16, 6-9:30 pm, The Saloon
Come wish Mr. Minnesota Drummer and Minnesota Drummerboy good luck as they represent us at the Great Lakes Mr. Drummer Contest in Columbus, Ohio August 28-30 (see below). Special guests to be announced. $5 at the door.
International Mr. Fantasy Weekend
August 21-23, Omaha, Nebraska
The ultimate Field Trip: a Fantasy Bus will be traveling from Minneapolis to Omaha for Fantasy Weekend. Roundtrip fare is $45 and seating is limited, so call right away if you’re interested. And you’ll need hotel and weekend package reservations. FFI write Fantasy Productions, Boystown, NE. The Radisson Redick is the host hotel; call to reserve your room.
Ms. Minnesota Leather 24-hour “Run”
Saturday, August 22, 11 am to Sunday, August 23, 11 am, Taylor’s Falls area
This fundraiser for the Ms. Minnesota Leather contest promises “24 hours of midsummer’s night fun.” Prepayment of $15 to $25 (sliding scale) includes food. Camp on the grounds, or just come for the day. Open to men and women. Info: call or write for registration form.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
August 28-30: Great Lakes Mr. Drummer/Drummerboy Contest, Columbus, Ohio. Be there to support Mr. Minnesota Drummer 1998 Mike Vintean and Minnesota Drummerboy 1998 david as they represent our community. A full weekend of events is planned, including a Black Toga party and a Tough Customer party. For further information contact Boy Toy Productions at boytoyprod@iwaynet.net, or Columbus, OH. Host hotel is the Courtyard Marriott–Downtown (special rates when you mention Great Lakes Drummer).
In the recent cable-TV presentation of “More Tales of the City,” the inclusion of film clips of Anita Bryant discussing homosexuals took me back to my younger days. It was either 1978 or 1979 and Ms. Bryant, who at the time was still a spokesperson for Florida oranges, visited the Twin Cities for the opening of a fruit warehouse on Kasota Avenue. I was among the many people who picketed her appearance there—and who made sure we drank only California orange juice and lemonade that summer.
How times have changed. Anita Bryant, whose supposed attitude about homosexuals was “Love the sinner, hate the sin,” has become Fred Phelps, a hatemonger (and proud of it) whose message is summarized in the title of his website: www.godhatesfags.com.
Fags, however, aren’t all that God hates, according to Phelps. Bryant’s public personna was too demure and polite to allow her to discuss some of the grittier topics that are included on Phelps’ website, such as his ostensibly documented claims that 33% of gay men are into fisting, 29% are into golden showers and 17% are into scat. (By the way, those numbers seem a bit inflated when compared to the actual number of red, yellow and brown hankies I see in peoples’ pockets.) All of these activities are considered totally depraved by God aka Phelps. God also hates exhibitionism, fetishism, all forms of sadomasochism, bondage, crossdressing, voyeurism—and the list goes on. God evidently hates anyone who does any of these things, even if they happen to be straight. And God certainly hates baby-killers (the majority of whom, I’m sure, are straight). Apparently, to paraphrase Bryant’s orange juice commercials: “Hatred—it’s not just for homosexuals anymore.”
How does one respond to such hatred? Is it better to not dignify it with a response, to dismiss it rather than gratify the ego of the hatemonger by responding? Will ignoring it make it go away? Perhaps a case could be made for this viewpoint, but a case can also be made for the famous quotation that “All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” The GLBT community, the leather/SM community, and humanity in general all need to be aware of what the Fred Phelpses of the world are saying and doing. As I read Phelps’ website, the thought occurred to me that if one changed every occurrence of the word “fag” to the word “Jew,” that’s probably what Hitler’s website would have looked like if he’d had one. Phelps supposedly disavows the use of physical violence, but his words could certainly incite hate crimes to be committed by others who have no such inhibitions.
I had another thought about Phelps’ website: A lot has been written about pornography on the World Wide Web and its effect on children, but a hate-filled website like this one seems to me truly obscene.
-----
It was recently brought to my attention that I have been a bit lax in a matter of protocol. A recent edition of this column referred to “Mr. Minnesota Drummerboy,” which is an oxymoron. A boy is never addressed as “Mr.” My apologies for the error. Now, for the record, here’s how it works: We have Mr. Minnesota Leather 1998 Roger Gregg and his boy, david (note that a boy’s name is not capitalized), whose title is Minnesota Drummerboy 1998. (The “D” on Drummerboy is capitalized, because “Drummer” is the proper name of a magazine.)
-----
Congratulations to new International Ms. Leather 1998 Megan DeJarlais of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She won the title July 18 in Atlanta. For the full story, check out www.theleatherjournal.com/sashbash.htm.
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr. Minnesota Drummer Fundraiser Weekend
Friday Fundraiser and Beer Bash
Friday, August 14, 9 pm-close, The Town House, St. Paul
If you haven’t experienced a Friday night leather event at The Town House, you’re missing out—come to this one. There will be door prizes. There won’t be a cover charge.
Saturday, August 15: Event to be announced—watch for it!
Sunday: Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Minnesota Drummerboy Send-Off
Sunday, August 16, 6-9:30 pm, The Saloon
Come wish Mr. Minnesota Drummer and Minnesota Drummerboy good luck as they represent us at the Great Lakes Mr. Drummer Contest in Columbus, Ohio August 28-30 (see below). Special guests to be announced. $5 at the door.
International Mr. Fantasy Weekend
August 21-23, Omaha, Nebraska
The ultimate Field Trip: a Fantasy Bus will be traveling from Minneapolis to Omaha for Fantasy Weekend. Roundtrip fare is $45 and seating is limited, so call right away if you’re interested. And you’ll need hotel and weekend package reservations. FFI write Fantasy Productions, Boystown, NE. The Radisson Redick is the host hotel; call to reserve your room.
Ms. Minnesota Leather 24-hour “Run”
Saturday, August 22, 11 am to Sunday, August 23, 11 am, Taylor’s Falls area
This fundraiser for the Ms. Minnesota Leather contest promises “24 hours of midsummer’s night fun.” Prepayment of $15 to $25 (sliding scale) includes food. Camp on the grounds, or just come for the day. Open to men and women. Info: call or write for registration form.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
August 28-30: Great Lakes Mr. Drummer/Drummerboy Contest, Columbus, Ohio. Be there to support Mr. Minnesota Drummer 1998 Mike Vintean and Minnesota Drummerboy 1998 david as they represent our community. A full weekend of events is planned, including a Black Toga party and a Tough Customer party. For further information contact Boy Toy Productions at boytoyprod@iwaynet.net, or Columbus, OH. Host hotel is the Courtyard Marriott–Downtown (special rates when you mention Great Lakes Drummer).
Friday, July 31, 1998
Viagra + Poppers = “Potent”ially fatal
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #83, July 31, 1998)
Have you experimented with Viagra yet, or are you thinking about it? Do you use poppers? Be aware: mixing the two can kill you. The mainstream media doesn’t seem to be mentioning this fact, so I will.
I first read about Viagra in USA Today, in an article that was written from a totally heterosexist point of view. Men were interviewed, along with their wives, and everyone agreed that Viagra was a far better method for dealing with impotence than shots, splints, and urethral pellets. Gay men, and the thought that they too might want to experience this miracle, were not even mentioned in the article. Nevertheless, I know at least one gentleman who experimented with Viagra at this year’s International Mr. Leather contest in Chicago. He was favorably impressed (and that’s putting it mildly).
Shortly thereafter the warnings started appearing in the media. Yes, Viagra was miraculous, BUT . . . it could have some side-effects, such as headache, flushing, and a bizarre vision problem in which everything appears blue. (Ironically, the Viagra pill is colored blue—one wonders if this is coincidence or macabre humor on the part of the drug manufacturer.)
Then came the REALLY bad news: To date there have been at least sixteen deaths attributed to Viagra, three of them caused by the interaction of Viagra with nitroglycerine heart pills. Media reports cautioned that mixing Viagra with certain heart medications containing nitrates could lead to a potentially fatal drop in blood pressure. So, the reports said, if you’re an older gentleman on heart medication, Viagra is not for you. The news reports did not mention that older gentlemen on heart medication are not the only men exposed to nitrates these days, and therefore potentially at risk. Informational inserts packaged with Viagra also warn against taking the drug in combination with nitrates.
Poppers are nitrates, folks. Real poppers are amyl nitrate; butyl nitrate is another chemical that many gay men inhale to enhance sexual pleasure. They’re called poppers because amyl nitrate for medical purposes used to be supplied in glass capsules which were held under the nose and crushed (or “popped”), thus allowing the vapors to be released and inhaled. Popper use as a sexual stimulant has been ubiquitous in the men’s leather community and in other areas of the gay male community for many years.
Some of us who have been around awhile may have found that age has taken a toll on certain of our abilities, sexually speaking. Even men who don’t have erectile function problems may be tempted to use Viagra by anecdotal reports that the pill enhances performance for all men. (Medical science says this is not so—that if you don’t have a problem for Viagra to fix, you won’t notice any difference with or without the pill. But that’s not what I keep hearing through the grapevine.) Viagra and poppers may seem like a natural combo—Viagra to get things rolling, and poppers to enhance things once the action has started. In reality, such a combination could be deadly. So, if you decide to try Viagra, lock up the poppers. If you just can’t have sex without poppers, don’t experiment with Viagra.
There’s been another development on the Viagra front: currently appearing in the gay press (but again, not in mainstream media that I’ve seen) are questions about interactions between Viagra and frequently-prescribed AIDS medications. There are concerns that one class of AIDS drug could increase the concentration of Viagra in the bloodstream, potentially leading to toxicity, while another class of AIDS drug may decrease the concentration in the bloodstream, rendering the Viagra ineffective. If you’re on the AIDS cocktail, that means you have another reason to approach Viagra with caution.
Remember, Viagra is a prescription drug. If you think it’s for you, talk to your doctor about it first.
Upcoming Leather Events
Pantheon of Leather Fundraiser and Beer Bust
Friday, July 31, 8 pm-close, The Town House
Presented by Renee Indehar, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather, and B.D. Chambers, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather. Bootblacking will be available and entertainment will include “Top 10 Things You Don’t Do in a Dungeon.” Change from last issue’s listing: There is now no cover charge at the door for this event.
Beer Bust and Bondage Bingo
Friday, August 7, 8 pm-close, The Town House
What’s “bondage bingo”? You’ll have to come find out. A fundraiser for the Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest—call for more information.
Ms. Minnesota Leather Brunch
Sunday, August 9, Legends Café (825 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis)
An informational and social breakfast event. Contest representatives will be at Legends for most of the morning starting at, say, 9 am. Come have breakfast, ask questions about the contest or other topics, or just hang out.
Mr. Minnesota Drummer Fundraiser Weekend
Friday Fundraiser and Beer Bash
Friday, August 14, 9 pm-close, The Town House, St. Paul
If you haven’t experienced a Friday night leather event at The Town House, you’re missing out—come to this one. There will be door prizes. There won’t be a cover charge.
Saturday, August 15: Event to be announced—watch for it!
Sunday: Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Minnesota Drummerboy Send-Off
Sunday, August 16, 6-9:30 pm, The Saloon
Come wish Mr. Minnesota Drummer and Minnesota Drummerboy good luck as they represent us at the Great Lakes Mr. Drummer Contest in Columbus, Ohio August 28-30. Special guests to be announced. $5 at the door.
International Mr. Fantasy Weekend
August 21-23, Omaha, Nebraska
The ultimate Field Trip: a Fantasy Bus will be traveling from Minneapolis to Omaha for Fantasy Weekend. Roundtrip fare is $45 and seating is limited, so call right away if you’re interested. And you’ll need hotel and weekend package reservations. FFI write Fantasy Productions, Boystown, NE. The Radisson Redick is the host hotel; call to reserve your room.
Ms. Minnesota Leather 24-hour “Run”
Saturday, August 22, 11 am to Sunday, August 23, 11 am, Taylor’s Falls area
This fundraiser for the Ms. Minnesota Leather contest promises “24 hours of midsummer’s night fun.” Prepayment of $15 to $25 (sliding scale) includes food. Camp on the grounds, or just come for the day. Open to men and women. Info: call or write for registration form.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
October 16-18: Mr./Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Contest Weekend. In addition to the contest there will be workshops, parties, and a Leather Community Service Awards ceremony, nominations for which are now being sought. The awards are given for commendable service to the leather/SM/fetish community. If you didn’t get a nomination form in the mail, or call if you want a contestant application.
Have you experimented with Viagra yet, or are you thinking about it? Do you use poppers? Be aware: mixing the two can kill you. The mainstream media doesn’t seem to be mentioning this fact, so I will.
I first read about Viagra in USA Today, in an article that was written from a totally heterosexist point of view. Men were interviewed, along with their wives, and everyone agreed that Viagra was a far better method for dealing with impotence than shots, splints, and urethral pellets. Gay men, and the thought that they too might want to experience this miracle, were not even mentioned in the article. Nevertheless, I know at least one gentleman who experimented with Viagra at this year’s International Mr. Leather contest in Chicago. He was favorably impressed (and that’s putting it mildly).
Shortly thereafter the warnings started appearing in the media. Yes, Viagra was miraculous, BUT . . . it could have some side-effects, such as headache, flushing, and a bizarre vision problem in which everything appears blue. (Ironically, the Viagra pill is colored blue—one wonders if this is coincidence or macabre humor on the part of the drug manufacturer.)
Then came the REALLY bad news: To date there have been at least sixteen deaths attributed to Viagra, three of them caused by the interaction of Viagra with nitroglycerine heart pills. Media reports cautioned that mixing Viagra with certain heart medications containing nitrates could lead to a potentially fatal drop in blood pressure. So, the reports said, if you’re an older gentleman on heart medication, Viagra is not for you. The news reports did not mention that older gentlemen on heart medication are not the only men exposed to nitrates these days, and therefore potentially at risk. Informational inserts packaged with Viagra also warn against taking the drug in combination with nitrates.
Poppers are nitrates, folks. Real poppers are amyl nitrate; butyl nitrate is another chemical that many gay men inhale to enhance sexual pleasure. They’re called poppers because amyl nitrate for medical purposes used to be supplied in glass capsules which were held under the nose and crushed (or “popped”), thus allowing the vapors to be released and inhaled. Popper use as a sexual stimulant has been ubiquitous in the men’s leather community and in other areas of the gay male community for many years.
Some of us who have been around awhile may have found that age has taken a toll on certain of our abilities, sexually speaking. Even men who don’t have erectile function problems may be tempted to use Viagra by anecdotal reports that the pill enhances performance for all men. (Medical science says this is not so—that if you don’t have a problem for Viagra to fix, you won’t notice any difference with or without the pill. But that’s not what I keep hearing through the grapevine.) Viagra and poppers may seem like a natural combo—Viagra to get things rolling, and poppers to enhance things once the action has started. In reality, such a combination could be deadly. So, if you decide to try Viagra, lock up the poppers. If you just can’t have sex without poppers, don’t experiment with Viagra.
There’s been another development on the Viagra front: currently appearing in the gay press (but again, not in mainstream media that I’ve seen) are questions about interactions between Viagra and frequently-prescribed AIDS medications. There are concerns that one class of AIDS drug could increase the concentration of Viagra in the bloodstream, potentially leading to toxicity, while another class of AIDS drug may decrease the concentration in the bloodstream, rendering the Viagra ineffective. If you’re on the AIDS cocktail, that means you have another reason to approach Viagra with caution.
Remember, Viagra is a prescription drug. If you think it’s for you, talk to your doctor about it first.
Upcoming Leather Events
Pantheon of Leather Fundraiser and Beer Bust
Friday, July 31, 8 pm-close, The Town House
Presented by Renee Indehar, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather, and B.D. Chambers, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather. Bootblacking will be available and entertainment will include “Top 10 Things You Don’t Do in a Dungeon.” Change from last issue’s listing: There is now no cover charge at the door for this event.
Beer Bust and Bondage Bingo
Friday, August 7, 8 pm-close, The Town House
What’s “bondage bingo”? You’ll have to come find out. A fundraiser for the Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest—call for more information.
Ms. Minnesota Leather Brunch
Sunday, August 9, Legends Café (825 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis)
An informational and social breakfast event. Contest representatives will be at Legends for most of the morning starting at, say, 9 am. Come have breakfast, ask questions about the contest or other topics, or just hang out.
Mr. Minnesota Drummer Fundraiser Weekend
Friday Fundraiser and Beer Bash
Friday, August 14, 9 pm-close, The Town House, St. Paul
If you haven’t experienced a Friday night leather event at The Town House, you’re missing out—come to this one. There will be door prizes. There won’t be a cover charge.
Saturday, August 15: Event to be announced—watch for it!
Sunday: Mr. Minnesota Drummer/Minnesota Drummerboy Send-Off
Sunday, August 16, 6-9:30 pm, The Saloon
Come wish Mr. Minnesota Drummer and Minnesota Drummerboy good luck as they represent us at the Great Lakes Mr. Drummer Contest in Columbus, Ohio August 28-30. Special guests to be announced. $5 at the door.
International Mr. Fantasy Weekend
August 21-23, Omaha, Nebraska
The ultimate Field Trip: a Fantasy Bus will be traveling from Minneapolis to Omaha for Fantasy Weekend. Roundtrip fare is $45 and seating is limited, so call right away if you’re interested. And you’ll need hotel and weekend package reservations. FFI write Fantasy Productions, Boystown, NE. The Radisson Redick is the host hotel; call to reserve your room.
Ms. Minnesota Leather 24-hour “Run”
Saturday, August 22, 11 am to Sunday, August 23, 11 am, Taylor’s Falls area
This fundraiser for the Ms. Minnesota Leather contest promises “24 hours of midsummer’s night fun.” Prepayment of $15 to $25 (sliding scale) includes food. Camp on the grounds, or just come for the day. Open to men and women. Info: call or write for registration form.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
October 16-18: Mr./Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Contest Weekend. In addition to the contest there will be workshops, parties, and a Leather Community Service Awards ceremony, nominations for which are now being sought. The awards are given for commendable service to the leather/SM/fetish community. If you didn’t get a nomination form in the mail, or call if you want a contestant application.
Friday, July 17, 1998
Minnesota Leather Pride 1998 in review
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #82, July 17, 1998)
PHOTO: Street flags
PHOTO CREDIT: Sherman Ford
The 1998 Minnesota Leather Pride celebration, held on the same weekend as the Twin Cities Festival of Pride, was expanded from the single Sunday event of previous years. This year’s celebration covered the entire weekend with events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and all events drew a good crowd in spite of some major storms moving through the Twin Cities area.
Friday evening’s drenching rains didn’t dampen the spirits of those at The Town House for the Leather Pride Kickoff. The dance floor was active, inspired by DJ Jim’s mix of swing, disco and country/western music. The people-watching was great, the air was festive, and folks seems to be enjoying the party. The TH is becoming a popular venue for leather events, with more scheduled there in the coming months.
Saturday evening’s event at the Minnesota Bar & Grill was supposed to be a cookout/picnic on the rooftop deck, but tornado warnings and rain forced the party to move indoors to the MNBar’s second-story pool-table room. This caused some confusion initially because moving the event indoors meant the food had to be cooked in the downstairs kitchen and shuttled upstairs. With the cooperation of the MNBar’s kitchen staff and the help of several mem bers of Sober Leather, the details finally were worked out and everyone had a good time. (And the view of the Minneapolis skyline was impressive, whether from the deck or indoors.) The community should try an event like this again—maybe next time the weather will cooperate.
Sunday’s weather, unlike that of the two preceding days, was glorious—plenty of sun and moderate temperatures. It was perfect weather for the Twin Cities Festival of Pride Parade. For the first time, the leather contingent was toward the front of the parade in one group. Community members helped carry two huge flags (one rainbow, one leather pride) that measured 50’x75’ each and looked mightily impressive moving down Hennepin Avenue toward Loring Park. This was followed by an impressive two-part leather float. DJ Bubba, on the first trailer, mixed a pulsing, throbbing soundtrack for the leather segment of the parade. Leather titleholders and club officers were on the second part of the float, manning a mortar that shot leather-flag-colored streamers into the air at strategic points along the parade route.
The crowd watching the parade was quite impressed—especially one little four-year-old girl I heard about who was greatly amused by the fact she could see peoples’ butts, in this case the leather-framed bare butts that certain folks on the leather float displayed. (Her mother was taking it all in stride: “Yes, dear, those are butts.”)
When it was all over, and the parade reached the park, the two huge flags had collected many pounds of change, thrown there by spectators along the parade route. (That’s pounds as in weight, not as in British currency.) I heard several people voicing the same thing I was feeling: “This was fun—let’s go back and do it again!”
After marching in the parade (and stopping by the leather community booth at the Pride Festival in the park) community members headed for Sunday’s leather pride event at Tropix. I stopped to check out the Rock The Avenue block party on my way to the Tropix event, and I saw many other leathermen there as well. Later in the evening the party moved to the 19 Bar’s back patio. There must have been some budding interior designers in the group, because the patio furniture was promptly rearranged so that it was more to the crowd’s liking, with the umbrellas over the patio tables softening the harsh light from the single bare lightbulb. Thus, in a dimly-lit blaze of glory, ended another year’s Leather Pride celebration.
Welcome to everyone attending the Atons’ Gopher Broke, Lucky 13 run this weekend, and a special welcome to you if you’re from out of town. Have a great and safe weekend. Here’s wishing you need lots of lube and almost no insect repellent.
Upcoming Leather Events
S.L.A.M. Presents “Come Roast Your Meat” Barbecue
Saturday, July 25, 4 pm-whenever, 1865 Englewood Ave., St. Paul
Mr. Minnesota Leather Roger and Mr. Minnesota Drummerboy David present a fundraiser for S.L.A.M. (Sober Leather Association of Minnesota). Featured will be demonstrations, play spaces, and refreshments. S.L.A.M.’s motto in connection with this event: “Drug and alcohol free, but we still know how to party.” Tickets $10, available from Sober Leather members or e-mail Soberlthr@aol.com.
Mr. Minnesota Fantasy: “Off To International” Fundraiser
Sunday, July 26, 6-9 pm, The Saloon
Presented by Mr. Minnesota Fantasy 1998 Ken Flanagan, who will be competing in the International Mr. Fantasy Competition in Omaha (August 21-23). Come wish him luck as he represents Minnesota (and, we hope, wows the crowd in Omaha). Food, drink specials, raffles, auction, special entertainment “and a whole lot of party.” $5 donation at the door.
Olympus Leather Minnesota Fundraiser and Beer Bust
Friday, July 31, 8 pm-close, The Town House
Presented by Renee Indehar, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather, and B.D. Chambers, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather. Bootblacking will be available and entertainment will include “Top 10 Things You Don’t Do in a Dungeon.” $5 at the door.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Saturday, August 8: Emperor & Empress Ball (Imperial Court)
August 14-16: Minnesota Mr. Drummer/Drummerboy Fundraiser Weekend and Send-Off. Details next issue—it will be BIG.
August 21-23: International Mr. Fantasy Weekend, Omaha, Nebraska. It’s not too early to make those hotel and weekend package reservations. FFI write Fantasy Productions, Boystown, NE. The Radisson Redick is the host hotel; call to reserve your room.
PHOTO: Street flags
PHOTO CREDIT: Sherman Ford
The 1998 Minnesota Leather Pride celebration, held on the same weekend as the Twin Cities Festival of Pride, was expanded from the single Sunday event of previous years. This year’s celebration covered the entire weekend with events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and all events drew a good crowd in spite of some major storms moving through the Twin Cities area.
Friday evening’s drenching rains didn’t dampen the spirits of those at The Town House for the Leather Pride Kickoff. The dance floor was active, inspired by DJ Jim’s mix of swing, disco and country/western music. The people-watching was great, the air was festive, and folks seems to be enjoying the party. The TH is becoming a popular venue for leather events, with more scheduled there in the coming months.
Saturday evening’s event at the Minnesota Bar & Grill was supposed to be a cookout/picnic on the rooftop deck, but tornado warnings and rain forced the party to move indoors to the MNBar’s second-story pool-table room. This caused some confusion initially because moving the event indoors meant the food had to be cooked in the downstairs kitchen and shuttled upstairs. With the cooperation of the MNBar’s kitchen staff and the help of several mem bers of Sober Leather, the details finally were worked out and everyone had a good time. (And the view of the Minneapolis skyline was impressive, whether from the deck or indoors.) The community should try an event like this again—maybe next time the weather will cooperate.
Sunday’s weather, unlike that of the two preceding days, was glorious—plenty of sun and moderate temperatures. It was perfect weather for the Twin Cities Festival of Pride Parade. For the first time, the leather contingent was toward the front of the parade in one group. Community members helped carry two huge flags (one rainbow, one leather pride) that measured 50’x75’ each and looked mightily impressive moving down Hennepin Avenue toward Loring Park. This was followed by an impressive two-part leather float. DJ Bubba, on the first trailer, mixed a pulsing, throbbing soundtrack for the leather segment of the parade. Leather titleholders and club officers were on the second part of the float, manning a mortar that shot leather-flag-colored streamers into the air at strategic points along the parade route.
The crowd watching the parade was quite impressed—especially one little four-year-old girl I heard about who was greatly amused by the fact she could see peoples’ butts, in this case the leather-framed bare butts that certain folks on the leather float displayed. (Her mother was taking it all in stride: “Yes, dear, those are butts.”)
When it was all over, and the parade reached the park, the two huge flags had collected many pounds of change, thrown there by spectators along the parade route. (That’s pounds as in weight, not as in British currency.) I heard several people voicing the same thing I was feeling: “This was fun—let’s go back and do it again!”
After marching in the parade (and stopping by the leather community booth at the Pride Festival in the park) community members headed for Sunday’s leather pride event at Tropix. I stopped to check out the Rock The Avenue block party on my way to the Tropix event, and I saw many other leathermen there as well. Later in the evening the party moved to the 19 Bar’s back patio. There must have been some budding interior designers in the group, because the patio furniture was promptly rearranged so that it was more to the crowd’s liking, with the umbrellas over the patio tables softening the harsh light from the single bare lightbulb. Thus, in a dimly-lit blaze of glory, ended another year’s Leather Pride celebration.
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Welcome to everyone attending the Atons’ Gopher Broke, Lucky 13 run this weekend, and a special welcome to you if you’re from out of town. Have a great and safe weekend. Here’s wishing you need lots of lube and almost no insect repellent.
Upcoming Leather Events
S.L.A.M. Presents “Come Roast Your Meat” Barbecue
Saturday, July 25, 4 pm-whenever, 1865 Englewood Ave., St. Paul
Mr. Minnesota Leather Roger and Mr. Minnesota Drummerboy David present a fundraiser for S.L.A.M. (Sober Leather Association of Minnesota). Featured will be demonstrations, play spaces, and refreshments. S.L.A.M.’s motto in connection with this event: “Drug and alcohol free, but we still know how to party.” Tickets $10, available from Sober Leather members or e-mail Soberlthr@aol.com.
Mr. Minnesota Fantasy: “Off To International” Fundraiser
Sunday, July 26, 6-9 pm, The Saloon
Presented by Mr. Minnesota Fantasy 1998 Ken Flanagan, who will be competing in the International Mr. Fantasy Competition in Omaha (August 21-23). Come wish him luck as he represents Minnesota (and, we hope, wows the crowd in Omaha). Food, drink specials, raffles, auction, special entertainment “and a whole lot of party.” $5 donation at the door.
Olympus Leather Minnesota Fundraiser and Beer Bust
Friday, July 31, 8 pm-close, The Town House
Presented by Renee Indehar, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather, and B.D. Chambers, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather. Bootblacking will be available and entertainment will include “Top 10 Things You Don’t Do in a Dungeon.” $5 at the door.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
Saturday, August 8: Emperor & Empress Ball (Imperial Court)
August 14-16: Minnesota Mr. Drummer/Drummerboy Fundraiser Weekend and Send-Off. Details next issue—it will be BIG.
August 21-23: International Mr. Fantasy Weekend, Omaha, Nebraska. It’s not too early to make those hotel and weekend package reservations. FFI write Fantasy Productions, Boystown, NE. The Radisson Redick is the host hotel; call to reserve your room.
Friday, July 3, 1998
Interview: Leather singer/songwriter (and St. Paul native) Rick Beech
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