(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #100, March 26, 1999)
Tenth Anniversary of Leather Pride Flag to be celebrated at International Mr. Leather ’99
GRAPHIC: Leather Pride Flag Blueprint
Believe it or not, the Leather Pride flag is 10 years old. This milestone in the community will be celebrated at this year’s International Mr. Leather contest, May 28-31 in Chicago. (Visit www.imrl.com or call 1-800-545-6753 for more information about IML ’99.)
The flag was designed in 1989 by Tony DeBlase, a.k.a. Fledermaus, who at the time was the publisher of Drummer Magazine. Here, reprinted with permission, is an excerpt from an “Off The Top” editorial written by DeBlase. It appeared on page 4 of Drummer #131 (July 1989).
A Leather Pride Flag
The rainbow flag has become the symbol of Gay and Lesbian pride and I have been proud to wear it on my clothing, march behind it in parades, and hang it from my balcony. I was thrilled by the rainbow colored balloons used in the opening and closing ceremonies of Gay Games II and the spectacular rainbow of balloons that arched over the main stage at the G&L pride rally here in San Francisco a couple of years ago.
For the 20th anniversary of Stonewall I felt that the time was right for the Leather men and women who have been participating in these same parades and events more and more visibly in recent years, to have a similar simple, elegant banner that would serve as a symbol of their own identity and interests. I decided that calling a committee meeting to design it would be counterproductive, so I just did it. I consulted with most of the staff here at Drummer and some of their suggestions were incorporated. I do not expect this design to be the final form, but the basis from which a widely accepted banner will evolve.
A prototype was constructed and displayed at the International Mr. Leather contest in Chicago on May 28 [1989]. It seemed to be enthusiastically welcomed. I am having a few more flags manufactured. Drummer will be presenting one each to the Leather men and women of New York City and San Francisco. I have asked GMSMA to be the custodian of the former and The Society of Janus and The Outcasts to be the custodians of the latter. With luck both flags will be ready in time to be carried by the Leather contingents in each of these two major pride parades. Drummer will also donate flags to the National Leather Association and to Chicago Hellfire Club. Both of these are groups with which I have been intimately involved for quite some time and both host major events for the Leather and/or SM community.
The flag is composed of nine horizontal stripes of equal width. From the top, and from the bottom, the stripes alternate black and royal blue. The central stripe is white. In the upper left quadrant of the flag is a large red heart. I will leave it to the viewer to interpret the colors and symbols.
Desmodus Inc. [the publishers of Drummer] has a copyright on the design and anyone wishing to use it for purely commercial purposes must receive our written approval. However, we welcome members of the Leather/SM community to use the design for flags, banners, pins, T-shirts, printed material, etc. to be distributed free or sold at cost, or to be used for fund raising for not-for-profit causes that benefit leather men and women. No permission is required for these uses but we do ask that you inform us of the use and, where possible, send us samples.
We have had cloisonné pins made. These are about 1” wide and are available for $5 (plus $1.50 S&H) from the Sandmutopia Supply Co ... Photos of the flag at IML, and hopefully in the parades as well will be in Drummer 132.
Ten years later, writing in the Winter 98/99 edition of the Leather Archives & Museum’s newsletter, Tony DeBlase continues the story of the Leather Pride Flag. (The following is reprinted with permission from DeBlase and from Joseph Bean of the Leather Archives & Museum.)
“Initial reaction to the Leather Pride flag was mixed. Some, particularly on the east coast, reacted positively to the concept, but were quite concerned, some even offended, that I had not involved the community in helping to create the design. I emphatically did not want to have a design competition, in which each and every losing entry, and all of his/her friends, would oppose the winning entry. Nor did I want to have a design committee. Just selecting the members of such a committee was an invitation to the guillotine. Instead I decided to just go ahead with my design.
“I asked one of the staff members at Desmodus to translate my ideas into a drawing, which he did, with many alternatives. He did not like the design and thought that the heart was particularly trite. I did incorporate one of his recommendations, because he managed to convince me that it was an improvement on my original design, and I still agree that he was right on this. I originally had the central stripe red. But he pointed out that the tip of the red heart, bleeding into the red stripe, would not ‘read.’ I agreed and told him to change the central stripe to white. Though he recommended many others, that is the only change to my original concept that I accepted.
“Elsewhere the reactions were more positive. Susie Shepherd, who was International Ms Leather when I made my presentation in Chicago, phoned me shortly after I got back home and asked permission to make a flag for the Portland OR gay pride parade. Naturally I gave her permission and sent her a copy of the above editorial, along with the blueprint-like drawing of the flag that was included with it, and she had a flag made and it was carried in the Portland OR Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade a week before those similar celebrations in New York City and San Francisco.
“On the East Coast, the flag I donated to GMSMA was on the back of the Jeep carrying Guy Baldwin, the reigning IML, for much of the parade. I received a letter from Barry Douglas, the newly elected Chairman of GMSMA, dated June 27, 1989, thanking me for the gift, and telling me of the various conflicted reactions it had drawn. But he concludes by saying “We will keep the flag safe and bring it out for the appropriate events . . . .” The prototype is not seen on display in New York, but the acceptance of the design in NYC has yielded one of my favorite adaptations . . . described below.
“On the West Coast the flag was carried in the Pride day parade in San Francisco and then was prominently displayed in the Shotwell meeting space used both by the Society of Janus and the Outcasts. The Shotwell meeting house closed several years ago and the Outcasts disbanded a few years ago, so I was greatly relieved when a recent inquiry to the Society of Janus indicated that they still have the original flag I donated ten years ago. I agreed that the next time I am in San Francisco I will autograph the flag for them and they will enter it into their organizational archives.
“At Chicago Hellfire Club, the man in charge of Inferno refused to fly the flag in 1989 because it was “too controversial,” however, in 1990 it was flying in spite of his objections. And it has been visible there and at the CHC clubhouse ever since. NLA has displayed the flag proudly at every Living-In-Leather conference.
“The first adaptation of the flag to come to my attention was in December of 1989 when I found Christmas tree ornaments for sale at Worn Out West on Castro St. that were clear glass balls to which someone had applied strips of cloth in the flags’ colors around the diameter of the ornament, and added a tiny red heart on one side. Chuck Higgins, who was then Mr. SE Leather, was the first to wear the flag in any form other than a pin. He had it made as the back panel of his leather vest.
“In 1990 Laurie Lane of Leatherworld in Melbourne, Australia applied the southern cross constellation from the Australian flag to the Leather Pride flag to create a uniquely Australian version. And in 1991 the Melbourne Leathermen became the first organization to incorporate the leather pride flag design elements into their club colors. A few years later, TLFMC of Anchorage was the first of many organizations to use the flag’s stripes to fill in a state outline and use the heart as the marker for their city’s position in the state.
“In May of 1991, I was quite surprised, & pleased, to see that the International Mr. Leather sash had been made in the image of the flag. In October of that year a group of men from Toronto exhibited a huge Leather Pride Flag with a row of red maple leaves running through the white stripe. I am told that that flag still exists and is seen occasionally at events in Toronto, but apparently it is the only one ever made. I have also seen a version with the heart replaced by a red maple leaf.
“In the first few years following development of the flag a few people applied for a license to produce it commercially. One of the first was Chuck Higgins, who made bumper stickers. Lambda Rising requested rights to make decals. We sent them a contract and offered our usual licensing fee: $1 per year. They never bothered to respond, but did start producing a line of decals, pins, stickers and other leather pride flag items. John Ponce was one of the first to incorporate the design into fine jewelry. Some day I hope I can afford one of his beautiful rings with the ruby heart!
“Many people, particularly titleholders, began to use the flag on their business cards, on brochures, newsletters, web sites, and in other ways. Leathermakers sewed colored leather into back patches and back panels. And western style shirt makers created designs in fabric to truly wear the flag. I have seen the flag with the heart replaced by a red computer console used as the logo for a leather computer club and I have seen the heart replaced by a red roast turkey for a Thanksgiving invitation.
“I have seen the Flag crocheted into an afghan and knitted into Cock and Ball warmers (by IML [1994] Jeff Tucker’s mother!). I have seen it worked in rubber as a door mat, in chain, and in beads for all kinds of jewelry, and in colored ropes for bondage and in colored plastic tapes for a full-body mummification. I have seen it worked in leaded glass, candle wax, pebble mosaics, and cloisonné. I have seen it painted on a spare wheel cover on the back of a Jeep, as a hex symbol on the side of a Pennsylvania barn, and on a woman’s fingernails. I have seen it painted on human bodies, and I have seen it tattooed onto them as well.
“Other than the Christmas tree ornament, one of the first interpretations of the flag I saw was a huge flag composed of appropriately colored bandannas filling the window of a leather shop in San Francisco during Leather Pride week. One of my favorites is a T-shirt design suggesting the flag by depicting bandannas tied to the clothes line by one corner and hanging as stripes, with the red one knotted around a blue one. I love my Jeanette Heartwood buffalo flogger with its leather pride handle (Thank you Jeanette and Dale!) And the interpretation that still ranks very close to the top of my list of favorites is the logo used for the Leather Celebration during Stonewall 25 in New York City: the Manhattan skyline superimposed on the flag. I am delighted by each new interpretation I see.
“I thank you for your acceptance of the flag. I remain glad that I never have explained my reasons for the design elements. As I said in my original presentation, ‘I will leave it to the viewer to interpret the colors and symbols.‘ I have heard many wonderful interpretations over the past ten years. And all of them are much better than my original reasons! I am looking forward to celebrating the 10th anniversary of the leather pride flag at International Mr. Leather, May 30, 1999, in Chicago.”
Mark Your Calendar
For events in the next two weeks, see the Out & About Calendar. Here are some other events planned for the weeks ahead:
April 11: Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Leather (Joshua Smith and Mario) present “Family Reunion,” a fundraiser for a variety of good causes. You’ll be hearing a lot more about this, so get it on your calendar now.
April 23-24: Minnesota Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy Contest weekend.
April 24: Atons Road Trip to the Cell Block in Chicago.
May 21-23: Knights of Leather present their Tournament 11 run. Watch your mail for a brochure or e-mail ontundra@mindspring.com for more information. (Act quickly—you’ll save $20 if your registration is paid in full by April 10, 1999.)
Upcoming Leather Events (for Calendar section)
Friday, March 26
Mr./Ms. Minnesota Fantasy Party Bus Bar Cruise
Leaves from The Minneapolis Eagle at 7 pm, returns around 11 pm
Space is limited but may still be available, so it may be worth a trip to the Eagle to check it out if you’re interested. $20 (included in weekend package).
Mr./Ms. Minnesota Fantasy Dance Party
10 pm-closing, The Minneapolis Eagle (in the Big Top)
Dance to music by Savage Aural Hotbed and meet the weekend’s contestants and judges. $10 at the door (included in weekend package).
Saturday, March 27
Mr./Ms. Minnesota Fantasy Contest and Show
The Minneapolis Eagle—Big Top opens at 8 pm, contest starts at 9 pm
You won’t want to miss this one—the staging will be spectacular and fast-paced. In addition to contestant fantasies, entertainment will include Savage Aural Hotbed and Ballet of the Dolls. The contest will be followed by the Fantasy Victory Party until closing. $15 at the door (included in weekend package). Call for more information about any Fantasy Weekend event.
Sunday, March 28
Mr./Ms. Minnesota Fantasy Tea Dance
5-9 pm, The Minneapolis Eagle Big Top
$7 at the door (included in weekend package).
Sunday, March 28
Mr./Ms. Minnesota Fantasy “End-Up” Party
9 pm-1 am, The Tank @ The Saloon
Saturday, April 3
Black Guard Fantasy Fling ’99
The Main Club, Superior, Wisconsin, 9 pm-close
Join titleholders and other leather community members as they journey to the Twin Ports to visit our northern friends.
Friday, March 26, 1999
Friday, March 12, 1999
Circuit Boys and Girls in Rented Leathers
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #99, March 12, 1999)
Is leather a fashion statement or a way of life? Warning: This is a trick question.
Leather is not one OR the other. Wearing leather or other fetish wear is always a fashion statement, and a pretty strong one. The real question is whether, for a given individual, it’s only a fashion statement, or if it goes further and reflects a way of life. But even for the most hard-core and dedicated member of the leather community, the act of dressing in leather and other fetish wear makes a fashion statement.
What is the primary goal of fashion? At minimum, it’s to look attractive. But those models strutting down the runway in Milan or Paris aren’t stopping at attractive—they’re going for sexy, seductive, alluring. Fashion is about sex appeal, and it’s also about the power over others which comes with being sexually appealing. But, of course, nobody ever talks about it in such blatant terms—that wouldn’t be polite. No, we spend huge sums of money on clothing because “we just want to look nice.”
Leather and other fetish wear is about sex appeal and power, too, but it’s not hidden behind a veil of politeness. When I wear leather or other fetish wear I am sending a very distinct message about myself and my sexuality—what I have to offer and what I’m looking for. This is epitomized by the unashamed convenience of the hanky code, an invention that has yet to catch on in “polite” society.
For some people, wearing leather goes further. It becomes a reflection of a way of life, a set of values, a world view, a type of spirituality. Other people use it as a fashion statement and nothing more. I’ve been at many large leather gatherings where at some point I’ve heard some of the former people trashing the latter. The old-guard, heavy-duty SM player will smugly and disrespectfully refer to the “circuit boys in their rented leathers.” To be truthful, at one time some of you may have heard ME refer to someone that way.
“Circuit boys in rented leathers” is the cliché, but it undoubtedly happens in women’s, het, and pansexual situations as well. Sometimes it’s obvious that a person doesn’t know how to wear the apparel properly; I once saw someone wearing their harness backwards, which many people in the bar that evening found amusing. Other times there are more subtle clues that a person isn’t used to wearing leather—things just don’t look right. Another giveaway: Everything they’re wearing looks brand new and straight off the rack. To paraphrase the Saloon ads: “Your leather will betray you.” And when it does, reactions from “real” leatherfolk may range from mild amusement to an indignant tirade.
Lately I’ve tried to be less judgmental. Hey, everyone has to start someplace. The first piece of leather I ever wore was a borrowed harness, and I was totally unprepared for the feeling I got when I put it on. I felt transformed. At the risk of being politically incorrect, it was like Cinderella must have felt as her rags were changed into a ball gown. Wearing that harness to the leather bar that evening (Rod’s in Madison, Wisconsin) I got cruised like I had never been cruised before. It was heady stuff. (Yes, I was wearing the harness correctly, smart aleck—see below.) Shortly thereafter I bought my very own first piece of leather. Now I’ve got a whole closetful.
Some of the people being ridiculed for their “rented leathers” are having experiences just like that. Some of them are in the process of their leather coming-out and will become tomorrow’s leather community stalwarts.
And some of them aren’t interested in discovering a deeper part of themselves—they’re wearing leather because they know they look hot in it and they want to get laid. They may not fully realize the statement they’re making by wearing leather, or they may not care. But just because they may appear clueless today doesn’t mean they’ll always be that way. If they aren’t ostracized, they might eventually come to a fuller understanding and appreciation of leather as a culture and a way of life.
Rather than criticizing or ridiculing, how about mentoring? When I wore that borrowed harness, I wore it correctly because its owner showed me how to put it on properly. When a harness is worn backwards it shows a need for education, not ridicule.
Big Plans for Fantasy Weekend
Big news about the Minnesota Fantasy 1999 Contest: it’s expanding to include the first-ever Ms. Minnesota Fantasy title. More big news: This year’s International Mr. Fantasy contest, usually held in Omaha, Nebraska, will instead be held right here in the Twin Cities the weekend of August 20-22. The Fantasy contest distinguishes itself from other contests by being fun, erotic, and non-political.
Both Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Fantasy 1999 will be chosen during what is shaping up to be a huge weekend:
Friday, March 26: The Fantasy Party Bus Bar Cruise leaves The Minneapolis Eagle at 7 pm, and stops at five destinations. The Fantasy Dance Party starts at The Minneapolis Eagle at 10 pm (the Party Bus returns at 11 pm) with music by Savage Aural Hotbed and a chance to meet the contestants and judges. Space on the bus tour is limited, but the Fantasy Dance Party at The Minneapolis Eagle has room for everybody—the bar is being expanded for the weekend with a heated Big Top tent in the parking lot!
Saturday, March 27: The Big Top opens for the pre-show cocktail party at 8 pm, and the Contest and Show action gets underway at 9 pm. You won’t want to miss this one—the staging will be spectacular and fast-paced. In addition to contestant fantasies, entertainment will include Savage Aural Hotbed and Ballet of the Dolls, both of whom have given knockout performances at past leather events. The contest will be followed by the Fantasy Victory Party until closing.
Sunday, March 28: The weekend closes with two big parties: the Fantasy Tea Dance at The Minneapolis Eagle Big Top 5-9 pm and the “End-Up” party at The Tank @ The Saloon 9 pm-1 am.
Weekend packages ($45) including all events and a souvenir T-shirt are available at The Minneapolis Eagle or by mail; single-event admissions are also available. Call Wolf Productions for more information or an order form. If you’re interested in competing for either the Mr. or Ms. Minnesota Fantasy title, contact Dale Willman.
Mark Your Calendar
For events in the next two weeks, see the Out & About Calendar. Here are some other events planned for the weeks ahead:
April 3: Black Guard Fantasy Fling ’99: Titleholders and other leather community members will pay a visit to The Main Club in Superior, Wisconsin, 9 pm-close.
April 11: Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Leather (Joshua Smith and Mario) present “Family Reunion,” a fundraiser for a variety of good causes. You’ll be hearing a lot more about this, so get it on your calendar now.
April 23-24: Minnesota Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy Contest weekend.
April 24: Atons Road Trip to the Cell Block in Chicago.
Memorial Day Weekend: International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago. Make your travel plans now, the host hotels are already filling up. Visit www.imrl.com for more information.
Upcoming Leather Events (for Calendar section)
Saturday, March 13
Atons Leather/Levi Night
Patrick McGovern’s Pub, 225 W. 7th St., St. Paul. Cocktails at 7 pm, dinner at 7:30 pm
Presented by the Atons, but attendance is open to all. To make reservations call the Atons Hotline. Certain people, you may recall, consider the layout of downtown St. Paul’s streets confusing—so if you need further directions to Patrick McGovern’s Pub, call them.
Sunday, March 14
Atons General Meeting
The public is invited. Call Atons President Sam Carlisle for details.
Sunday, March 21
Leather Tea Dance
Saloon, 6-10 pm
Featuring 60’s/70’s/Disco music and a live appearance by porn star Jackson Phillips (who also will be appearing Saturday night, March 20.)
Is leather a fashion statement or a way of life? Warning: This is a trick question.
Leather is not one OR the other. Wearing leather or other fetish wear is always a fashion statement, and a pretty strong one. The real question is whether, for a given individual, it’s only a fashion statement, or if it goes further and reflects a way of life. But even for the most hard-core and dedicated member of the leather community, the act of dressing in leather and other fetish wear makes a fashion statement.
What is the primary goal of fashion? At minimum, it’s to look attractive. But those models strutting down the runway in Milan or Paris aren’t stopping at attractive—they’re going for sexy, seductive, alluring. Fashion is about sex appeal, and it’s also about the power over others which comes with being sexually appealing. But, of course, nobody ever talks about it in such blatant terms—that wouldn’t be polite. No, we spend huge sums of money on clothing because “we just want to look nice.”
Leather and other fetish wear is about sex appeal and power, too, but it’s not hidden behind a veil of politeness. When I wear leather or other fetish wear I am sending a very distinct message about myself and my sexuality—what I have to offer and what I’m looking for. This is epitomized by the unashamed convenience of the hanky code, an invention that has yet to catch on in “polite” society.
For some people, wearing leather goes further. It becomes a reflection of a way of life, a set of values, a world view, a type of spirituality. Other people use it as a fashion statement and nothing more. I’ve been at many large leather gatherings where at some point I’ve heard some of the former people trashing the latter. The old-guard, heavy-duty SM player will smugly and disrespectfully refer to the “circuit boys in their rented leathers.” To be truthful, at one time some of you may have heard ME refer to someone that way.
“Circuit boys in rented leathers” is the cliché, but it undoubtedly happens in women’s, het, and pansexual situations as well. Sometimes it’s obvious that a person doesn’t know how to wear the apparel properly; I once saw someone wearing their harness backwards, which many people in the bar that evening found amusing. Other times there are more subtle clues that a person isn’t used to wearing leather—things just don’t look right. Another giveaway: Everything they’re wearing looks brand new and straight off the rack. To paraphrase the Saloon ads: “Your leather will betray you.” And when it does, reactions from “real” leatherfolk may range from mild amusement to an indignant tirade.
Lately I’ve tried to be less judgmental. Hey, everyone has to start someplace. The first piece of leather I ever wore was a borrowed harness, and I was totally unprepared for the feeling I got when I put it on. I felt transformed. At the risk of being politically incorrect, it was like Cinderella must have felt as her rags were changed into a ball gown. Wearing that harness to the leather bar that evening (Rod’s in Madison, Wisconsin) I got cruised like I had never been cruised before. It was heady stuff. (Yes, I was wearing the harness correctly, smart aleck—see below.) Shortly thereafter I bought my very own first piece of leather. Now I’ve got a whole closetful.
Some of the people being ridiculed for their “rented leathers” are having experiences just like that. Some of them are in the process of their leather coming-out and will become tomorrow’s leather community stalwarts.
And some of them aren’t interested in discovering a deeper part of themselves—they’re wearing leather because they know they look hot in it and they want to get laid. They may not fully realize the statement they’re making by wearing leather, or they may not care. But just because they may appear clueless today doesn’t mean they’ll always be that way. If they aren’t ostracized, they might eventually come to a fuller understanding and appreciation of leather as a culture and a way of life.
Rather than criticizing or ridiculing, how about mentoring? When I wore that borrowed harness, I wore it correctly because its owner showed me how to put it on properly. When a harness is worn backwards it shows a need for education, not ridicule.
Big Plans for Fantasy Weekend
Big news about the Minnesota Fantasy 1999 Contest: it’s expanding to include the first-ever Ms. Minnesota Fantasy title. More big news: This year’s International Mr. Fantasy contest, usually held in Omaha, Nebraska, will instead be held right here in the Twin Cities the weekend of August 20-22. The Fantasy contest distinguishes itself from other contests by being fun, erotic, and non-political.
Both Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Fantasy 1999 will be chosen during what is shaping up to be a huge weekend:
Friday, March 26: The Fantasy Party Bus Bar Cruise leaves The Minneapolis Eagle at 7 pm, and stops at five destinations. The Fantasy Dance Party starts at The Minneapolis Eagle at 10 pm (the Party Bus returns at 11 pm) with music by Savage Aural Hotbed and a chance to meet the contestants and judges. Space on the bus tour is limited, but the Fantasy Dance Party at The Minneapolis Eagle has room for everybody—the bar is being expanded for the weekend with a heated Big Top tent in the parking lot!
Saturday, March 27: The Big Top opens for the pre-show cocktail party at 8 pm, and the Contest and Show action gets underway at 9 pm. You won’t want to miss this one—the staging will be spectacular and fast-paced. In addition to contestant fantasies, entertainment will include Savage Aural Hotbed and Ballet of the Dolls, both of whom have given knockout performances at past leather events. The contest will be followed by the Fantasy Victory Party until closing.
Sunday, March 28: The weekend closes with two big parties: the Fantasy Tea Dance at The Minneapolis Eagle Big Top 5-9 pm and the “End-Up” party at The Tank @ The Saloon 9 pm-1 am.
Weekend packages ($45) including all events and a souvenir T-shirt are available at The Minneapolis Eagle or by mail; single-event admissions are also available. Call Wolf Productions for more information or an order form. If you’re interested in competing for either the Mr. or Ms. Minnesota Fantasy title, contact Dale Willman.
Mark Your Calendar
For events in the next two weeks, see the Out & About Calendar. Here are some other events planned for the weeks ahead:
April 3: Black Guard Fantasy Fling ’99: Titleholders and other leather community members will pay a visit to The Main Club in Superior, Wisconsin, 9 pm-close.
April 11: Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Leather (Joshua Smith and Mario) present “Family Reunion,” a fundraiser for a variety of good causes. You’ll be hearing a lot more about this, so get it on your calendar now.
April 23-24: Minnesota Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy Contest weekend.
April 24: Atons Road Trip to the Cell Block in Chicago.
Memorial Day Weekend: International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago. Make your travel plans now, the host hotels are already filling up. Visit www.imrl.com for more information.
Upcoming Leather Events (for Calendar section)
Saturday, March 13
Atons Leather/Levi Night
Patrick McGovern’s Pub, 225 W. 7th St., St. Paul. Cocktails at 7 pm, dinner at 7:30 pm
Presented by the Atons, but attendance is open to all. To make reservations call the Atons Hotline. Certain people, you may recall, consider the layout of downtown St. Paul’s streets confusing—so if you need further directions to Patrick McGovern’s Pub, call them.
Sunday, March 14
Atons General Meeting
The public is invited. Call Atons President Sam Carlisle for details.
Sunday, March 21
Leather Tea Dance
Saloon, 6-10 pm
Featuring 60’s/70’s/Disco music and a live appearance by porn star Jackson Phillips (who also will be appearing Saturday night, March 20.)
Friday, February 26, 1999
Cori Ander Wins National Ms. OIympus Leather Title
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #98, February 26, 1999)
Pantheon of Leather IX/Olympus Leather Contest
Pantheon of Leather IX, the Leather Community Service Awards, was held February 5-7 in New Orleans. Sharing the weekend was the Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather 1999 Contest. Space permits me only to share a few highlights of the weekend.
The biggest news for Minnesota is that Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999, brought the national Ms. Olympus Leather title home to Minnesota. More good news: Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999, took second runner-up honors nationally. (The new Mr. Olympus Leather 1999 is little erick Lundgren from Louisiana).
Saturday night’s contest was beautifully produced in a wonderful old theater in the French Quarter. It was an entertaining evening that drew enthusiastic approval from the audience, which included a large contingent from Minnesota supporting Cori and Greg.
The community service awards were handed out Sunday afternoon at the same theater. The program opened with a salute to veterans in the leather community. Thirteen audience members took the stage and stated their name, rank and the branch of the armed forces in which they served. Then, while they stood at attention, a recording of Kate Smith singing “God Bless America” was played. I was prepared for it to be trite; instead it was incredibly moving.
The biggest disappointment of the weekend (for me, anyway) was that so few of the award winners were present to pick up their awards. That was a symptom of a larger problem with the weekend: Pantheon IX was an inspiring event that drew a crowd of great people, but it deserves a larger attendance than it had. The board of directors of Pantheon are aware that it needs and deserves more and better promotion, and they plan to work on this issue in the coming year.
For more coverage of the weekend visit www.theleatherjournal.com/Pantheon.htm. Then make plans to visit Pantheon X in New Orleans next year.
Black Frost ’99: The Land of Oz
The Black Guard didn’t just top themselves with their latest run—they took the whole concept of a run banquet and show to a new level of sophistication. Again, space permits me to share only a few details, so I will focus on Saturday evening’s run banquet, show, and Red Heart Party.
Although you might think the Mall of America would not be the most leather-friendly place to hold an event, the staff at the Camp Snoopy Playhouse was friendly and accommodating. Dinner was quite enjoyable; the food was prepared well and presented attractively. (One point of etiquette that needs to be mentioned, however: fisting doesn’t really qualify as pleasant dinner-table conversation.)
The Playhouse itself is an impressive venue with good stage, lighting and sound facilities, and the Black Guard put them to very good use. They pulled out ALL the stops for this show, a retelling of the Wizard of Oz story. The soundtrack drew from many versions of the tale, including the 1939 film with Judy Garland and the Broadway musical The Wiz. At one point we even heard Eartha Kitt as the Wicked Witch of the West.
The costumes were absolutely amazing and must have taken hours and hours to make. An example of the witty and irreverent staging: Dorothy (perfectly played by Allison Brooks, aka Carl Gscheidmeier, who also directed) carried her little dog Toto in her basket. But Toto had nine different identities throughout the evening, among them a brown dog, a pink dog, a leather teddy bear, and a rubber chicken.
This show was unlike most run shows in that professional talent was brought in for the evening. Dancers Frit and Frat Fuller and the Kin International Dance Company added immeasurably to the presentation as Munchkins and Flying Monkeys, and the tornado sequence was breathtaking. Black Guard cast members Bruce Gohr (Scarecrow), Colin Spriestersbach (Tin Woodsman), Karl Keturi (Lion), Steve Katz (Auntie Em, also production designer and event producer), Mike Delorme (Glinda), and Ralph Schmidt (Evilene, the Wicked Witch of the West) held their own against the professional dancers.
Another professional, Donn Simione, brought the house down as the Wizard. His first appearance, dressed in leather and tap boots, was hot; his second appearance was even hotter as he tap-danced in impossibly high heels, a cape, a fishnet shirt and a studded leather jockstrap. If ever oh ever a Wiz there wuz, there never before wuz a Wiz like this! WOOF!
After the Land of Oz presentation came the Red Heart Party, presented in cooperation with Because We Care. It was emceed by Jm J. Bullock and featuring performances by singer Margaret Wakely Harris, pianist/comedian Dale Gonyea, and singer Kelly Britt. But by then a large segment of the crowd had either gone back to the host hotel or to the Minneapolis Eagle. That was too bad, because there was a huge amount of talent onstage that evening, and their choice of material was impeccable. If you want to see what you missed, ask a Black Guard member about getting a videotape of the evening.
Atons and Black Guard announce new officers
At the conclusion of Black Frost ’99 the Black Guard installed their new club officers: President Michael Delorme, Vice-President Steve Katz, Secretary Colin Spriestersbach, and Treasurer Carl Gscheidmeier.
New Atons club officers are President Sam Carlisle, Vice-President Jim Courtney, Secretary Keith Cheetham and Treasurer Paul Rozendaal. Their installation ceremony on March 7 will be part of the Atons “March Into Spring” weekend (see below).
Mark Your Calendar
The Atons present the “March Into Spring” weekend March 5-7, featuring Recruitment, Induction, and Installation. See this issue’s Out & About Calendar for full details.
The Mr. Minnesota Fantasy 1999 Contest Weekend happens March 26-28. Friday night is the return of the Party Bus Bar Cruise, followed by a meet-and-greet dance party featuring the music of Savage Aural Hotbed. Saturday evening’s Mr. Minnesota Fantasy 1999 contest features entertainment by Ballet of the Dolls with Savage Aural Hotbed. The weekend closes with two parties, a Fantasy Tea Dance from 6-9 pm and an “End Up” party from 9 pm to 1 am. Check next issue’s Out & About calendar for complete details. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman. (Correction: Last issue I mistakenly referred to this event as the “Mr. Minnesota Olympus contest.” But you knew I really meant to write “Fantasy” instead of “Olympus,” didn’t you?)
Upcoming Leather Events (for Calendar section)
Friday, March 5
March Into Spring: Recruitment
8-11 pm, The Minneapolis Eagle
Presented by the Atons and cosponsored by Clinic 42, this event will feature hot safe-sex videos and educational presentations as well as “recruitment” for the AIDS vaccine study at Clinic 42. Pay $5 for a glass and they’ll keep it filled with keg beer. All proceeds go to the Atons safe-sex supply fund.
Saturday, March 6
March Into Spring: Induction
6-10 pm, The Saloon
Presented by The Atons. There will be a brief pre-induction physical at the door. New recruits can get a buzz cut from leather barber Vince and a bootblack will get those boots shined up and ready for inspection. Drink and beer specials, free food from 7-9 pm. $5 donation at the door.
Sunday, March 7
March Into Spring: Installation
Cocktails at 11 am, brunch at noon
The Atons will install new club officers and honor a Friend of the Atons. Admission is limited and by reservation only; call for location information and to RSVP. $10 at the door.
Pantheon of Leather IX/Olympus Leather Contest
Pantheon of Leather IX, the Leather Community Service Awards, was held February 5-7 in New Orleans. Sharing the weekend was the Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather 1999 Contest. Space permits me only to share a few highlights of the weekend.
The biggest news for Minnesota is that Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999, brought the national Ms. Olympus Leather title home to Minnesota. More good news: Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999, took second runner-up honors nationally. (The new Mr. Olympus Leather 1999 is little erick Lundgren from Louisiana).
Saturday night’s contest was beautifully produced in a wonderful old theater in the French Quarter. It was an entertaining evening that drew enthusiastic approval from the audience, which included a large contingent from Minnesota supporting Cori and Greg.
The community service awards were handed out Sunday afternoon at the same theater. The program opened with a salute to veterans in the leather community. Thirteen audience members took the stage and stated their name, rank and the branch of the armed forces in which they served. Then, while they stood at attention, a recording of Kate Smith singing “God Bless America” was played. I was prepared for it to be trite; instead it was incredibly moving.
The biggest disappointment of the weekend (for me, anyway) was that so few of the award winners were present to pick up their awards. That was a symptom of a larger problem with the weekend: Pantheon IX was an inspiring event that drew a crowd of great people, but it deserves a larger attendance than it had. The board of directors of Pantheon are aware that it needs and deserves more and better promotion, and they plan to work on this issue in the coming year.
For more coverage of the weekend visit www.theleatherjournal.com/Pantheon.htm. Then make plans to visit Pantheon X in New Orleans next year.
Black Frost ’99: The Land of Oz
The Black Guard didn’t just top themselves with their latest run—they took the whole concept of a run banquet and show to a new level of sophistication. Again, space permits me to share only a few details, so I will focus on Saturday evening’s run banquet, show, and Red Heart Party.
Although you might think the Mall of America would not be the most leather-friendly place to hold an event, the staff at the Camp Snoopy Playhouse was friendly and accommodating. Dinner was quite enjoyable; the food was prepared well and presented attractively. (One point of etiquette that needs to be mentioned, however: fisting doesn’t really qualify as pleasant dinner-table conversation.)
The Playhouse itself is an impressive venue with good stage, lighting and sound facilities, and the Black Guard put them to very good use. They pulled out ALL the stops for this show, a retelling of the Wizard of Oz story. The soundtrack drew from many versions of the tale, including the 1939 film with Judy Garland and the Broadway musical The Wiz. At one point we even heard Eartha Kitt as the Wicked Witch of the West.
The costumes were absolutely amazing and must have taken hours and hours to make. An example of the witty and irreverent staging: Dorothy (perfectly played by Allison Brooks, aka Carl Gscheidmeier, who also directed) carried her little dog Toto in her basket. But Toto had nine different identities throughout the evening, among them a brown dog, a pink dog, a leather teddy bear, and a rubber chicken.
This show was unlike most run shows in that professional talent was brought in for the evening. Dancers Frit and Frat Fuller and the Kin International Dance Company added immeasurably to the presentation as Munchkins and Flying Monkeys, and the tornado sequence was breathtaking. Black Guard cast members Bruce Gohr (Scarecrow), Colin Spriestersbach (Tin Woodsman), Karl Keturi (Lion), Steve Katz (Auntie Em, also production designer and event producer), Mike Delorme (Glinda), and Ralph Schmidt (Evilene, the Wicked Witch of the West) held their own against the professional dancers.
Another professional, Donn Simione, brought the house down as the Wizard. His first appearance, dressed in leather and tap boots, was hot; his second appearance was even hotter as he tap-danced in impossibly high heels, a cape, a fishnet shirt and a studded leather jockstrap. If ever oh ever a Wiz there wuz, there never before wuz a Wiz like this! WOOF!
After the Land of Oz presentation came the Red Heart Party, presented in cooperation with Because We Care. It was emceed by Jm J. Bullock and featuring performances by singer Margaret Wakely Harris, pianist/comedian Dale Gonyea, and singer Kelly Britt. But by then a large segment of the crowd had either gone back to the host hotel or to the Minneapolis Eagle. That was too bad, because there was a huge amount of talent onstage that evening, and their choice of material was impeccable. If you want to see what you missed, ask a Black Guard member about getting a videotape of the evening.
Atons and Black Guard announce new officers
At the conclusion of Black Frost ’99 the Black Guard installed their new club officers: President Michael Delorme, Vice-President Steve Katz, Secretary Colin Spriestersbach, and Treasurer Carl Gscheidmeier.
New Atons club officers are President Sam Carlisle, Vice-President Jim Courtney, Secretary Keith Cheetham and Treasurer Paul Rozendaal. Their installation ceremony on March 7 will be part of the Atons “March Into Spring” weekend (see below).
Mark Your Calendar
The Atons present the “March Into Spring” weekend March 5-7, featuring Recruitment, Induction, and Installation. See this issue’s Out & About Calendar for full details.
The Mr. Minnesota Fantasy 1999 Contest Weekend happens March 26-28. Friday night is the return of the Party Bus Bar Cruise, followed by a meet-and-greet dance party featuring the music of Savage Aural Hotbed. Saturday evening’s Mr. Minnesota Fantasy 1999 contest features entertainment by Ballet of the Dolls with Savage Aural Hotbed. The weekend closes with two parties, a Fantasy Tea Dance from 6-9 pm and an “End Up” party from 9 pm to 1 am. Check next issue’s Out & About calendar for complete details. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman. (Correction: Last issue I mistakenly referred to this event as the “Mr. Minnesota Olympus contest.” But you knew I really meant to write “Fantasy” instead of “Olympus,” didn’t you?)
Upcoming Leather Events (for Calendar section)
Friday, March 5
March Into Spring: Recruitment
8-11 pm, The Minneapolis Eagle
Presented by the Atons and cosponsored by Clinic 42, this event will feature hot safe-sex videos and educational presentations as well as “recruitment” for the AIDS vaccine study at Clinic 42. Pay $5 for a glass and they’ll keep it filled with keg beer. All proceeds go to the Atons safe-sex supply fund.
Saturday, March 6
March Into Spring: Induction
6-10 pm, The Saloon
Presented by The Atons. There will be a brief pre-induction physical at the door. New recruits can get a buzz cut from leather barber Vince and a bootblack will get those boots shined up and ready for inspection. Drink and beer specials, free food from 7-9 pm. $5 donation at the door.
Sunday, March 7
March Into Spring: Installation
Cocktails at 11 am, brunch at noon
The Atons will install new club officers and honor a Friend of the Atons. Admission is limited and by reservation only; call for location information and to RSVP. $10 at the door.
Friday, February 12, 1999
History of The Black Guard
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #97, February 12, 1999)
Welcome to all our out-of-town visitors who are in the Twin Cities this weekend for Black Frost ’99 and The Red Heart Party. To all run participants, both local and visiting, make it a great weekend (and a safe one)! Here, reprinted from the Black Frost ’99 run book, is a short history of your host club for this weekend, The Black Guard of Minneapolis:
The leather scene that started flourishing in America after World War II has seen many leather clubs appear and disappear, but The Black Guard of Minneapolis is still here 22 years after they started. In that 22 years they’ve garnered their fair share of accolades and notoriety, and they’ve learned a thing or two about how to party. Black Frost ’99 should prove that 22 years of practice makes perfect (or at least comes pretty close).
The Black Guard signed its charter in 1977. The club was started with six members, three of whom are still living in Minneapolis. The club worked in conjunction with the Atons of Minneapolis to produce the Gopher III run.
The fledgling club decided it needed to have friendship pins produced. To raise the money to cover pin production, members of the club performed in a show at the old Sun Bar and Disco, which used to be across Hennepin Avenue from the Gay 90’s. That was the start of a long line of show performances that continues to this day.
In 1980 the club held an Anniversary Banquet at a restaurant called Richard’s. Fifteen people attended (including a female member named Nancy). After the banquet the club received many responses from members of the community who wished they had been able to attend. The next year an even larger banquet was held at Richard’s, and this banquet even included a leather fashion show presented by a local leather shop called Goliath’s Leather Emporium.
Members of the Black Guard traveled to a run in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they met and formed a lasting friendship with another new club that was just starting out: the Argonauts of Wisconsin.
The Black Guard presented its first-ever Black Frost in 1982. That first run and show was enthusiastically received by the community, leading the club to make it an annual event. The club and the run quickly developed a national reputation. The Black Guard was recently called “the premiere show club in the U.S.” by Drummer Magazine, and their Black Frost run was selected by Drummer as one of the nation’s top four runs.
Another annual event on the Black Guard calendar is the Chili Feed, which is always scheduled in the latter part of November and is always a fun evening.
But it’s not all just fun and games. According to club historian Ralph Schmidt, “The Black Guard has always been willing to extend a friendly and helpful hand to everyone, and our members have traveled to many states and made many long and lasting friendships that continue to this day.” As an example, he notes that “when the Knights of Leather (a local women’s leather group) first organized, the Black Guard lent them the use of our club house for their meetings.”
Over the years Black Guard members have been generous in volunteering their time, often providing staffing assistance for local leather contests. The Black Guard has also lent their assistance and financial support to many organizations for start-up and ongoing help. A partial list of such organizations would include the Minnesota AIDS Project, The Aliveness Project, Every Penny Counts, Agape House, District 202, and All God’s Children Metropolitan Community Church. Most of these donations were done anonymously, and the Black Guard carries on the tradition of charitable giving today. According to a recent Black Guard press release, “The Black Guard of Minneapolis over the last years has dispersed over $80,000 to various Twin Cities and Minnesota GLBT-related charities through their fundraising efforts. They have also worked with, or teamed with, other organizations to raise another $50,000 in that same time period.”
According to historian Schmidt, “Raising funds for charity has always been a part of our philosophy.” But while the philosophy may stay the same, the methods of raising those funds are becoming increasingly sophisticated as The Black Guard teams with corporations and other groups in sponsorship arrangements. This year, sponsors of Black Frost ’99 and the Red Heart Party include U S West, Lavender Magazine, United Airlines, Coors, National Car Rental and, according to the Black Guard, “many others.”
What does the future hold for The Black Guard? Well, to find out, you’ll just have to come back to next year’s Black Frost, and the year after that, and the year after that. . . Seriously, though, members of the club are looking forward to their 25th anniversary celebration in 2002 and are already making plans—BIG plans. Here’s a hint from The Black Guard: “You may just want to have a tux at the ready!”
Mr. Minnesota Olympus contest postponed
The Mr. Minnesota Olympus contest, which was scheduled for the weekend of February 26-28, has been rescheduled for the weekend of March 26-28. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. There’s still room for more contestants, so if you’re interested in competing contact Dale Willman.
“Upcoming Leather Events” moved to Calender section
Part of the new look of Lavender Magazine involves dividing the magazine into six sections, each with its own calendar of coming events. This column appears in the “Out & About” section, which means you will now find leather events listed in the “Out & About” calendar. So turn right now to the calendar page and find out what’s going on in the next two weeks.
Upcoming Leather Events (for Calendar section)
Black Frost ’99 Banquet, Show, and Red Heart Party
Saturday, February 13, Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theatre at Mall of America
Even if you’re not attending the whole run, you can be there for the banquet, show and Red Heart Party. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”). After the banquet and show is the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community. Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
The First Annual Mr. Minneapolis Eagle Contest (Finals)
Sunday, February 21, 8:00 pm, The Minneapolis Eagle
After the Eagle’s usual Sunday-afternoon beer bust (4-8 pm), stay and watch some hot men take the stage. The Eagle is looking for someone who is the embodiment of their clientele: fun, hot, no attitude. Judging will be by customer and staff ballots.
Welcome to all our out-of-town visitors who are in the Twin Cities this weekend for Black Frost ’99 and The Red Heart Party. To all run participants, both local and visiting, make it a great weekend (and a safe one)! Here, reprinted from the Black Frost ’99 run book, is a short history of your host club for this weekend, The Black Guard of Minneapolis:
The leather scene that started flourishing in America after World War II has seen many leather clubs appear and disappear, but The Black Guard of Minneapolis is still here 22 years after they started. In that 22 years they’ve garnered their fair share of accolades and notoriety, and they’ve learned a thing or two about how to party. Black Frost ’99 should prove that 22 years of practice makes perfect (or at least comes pretty close).
The Black Guard signed its charter in 1977. The club was started with six members, three of whom are still living in Minneapolis. The club worked in conjunction with the Atons of Minneapolis to produce the Gopher III run.
The fledgling club decided it needed to have friendship pins produced. To raise the money to cover pin production, members of the club performed in a show at the old Sun Bar and Disco, which used to be across Hennepin Avenue from the Gay 90’s. That was the start of a long line of show performances that continues to this day.
In 1980 the club held an Anniversary Banquet at a restaurant called Richard’s. Fifteen people attended (including a female member named Nancy). After the banquet the club received many responses from members of the community who wished they had been able to attend. The next year an even larger banquet was held at Richard’s, and this banquet even included a leather fashion show presented by a local leather shop called Goliath’s Leather Emporium.
Members of the Black Guard traveled to a run in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they met and formed a lasting friendship with another new club that was just starting out: the Argonauts of Wisconsin.
The Black Guard presented its first-ever Black Frost in 1982. That first run and show was enthusiastically received by the community, leading the club to make it an annual event. The club and the run quickly developed a national reputation. The Black Guard was recently called “the premiere show club in the U.S.” by Drummer Magazine, and their Black Frost run was selected by Drummer as one of the nation’s top four runs.
Another annual event on the Black Guard calendar is the Chili Feed, which is always scheduled in the latter part of November and is always a fun evening.
But it’s not all just fun and games. According to club historian Ralph Schmidt, “The Black Guard has always been willing to extend a friendly and helpful hand to everyone, and our members have traveled to many states and made many long and lasting friendships that continue to this day.” As an example, he notes that “when the Knights of Leather (a local women’s leather group) first organized, the Black Guard lent them the use of our club house for their meetings.”
Over the years Black Guard members have been generous in volunteering their time, often providing staffing assistance for local leather contests. The Black Guard has also lent their assistance and financial support to many organizations for start-up and ongoing help. A partial list of such organizations would include the Minnesota AIDS Project, The Aliveness Project, Every Penny Counts, Agape House, District 202, and All God’s Children Metropolitan Community Church. Most of these donations were done anonymously, and the Black Guard carries on the tradition of charitable giving today. According to a recent Black Guard press release, “The Black Guard of Minneapolis over the last years has dispersed over $80,000 to various Twin Cities and Minnesota GLBT-related charities through their fundraising efforts. They have also worked with, or teamed with, other organizations to raise another $50,000 in that same time period.”
According to historian Schmidt, “Raising funds for charity has always been a part of our philosophy.” But while the philosophy may stay the same, the methods of raising those funds are becoming increasingly sophisticated as The Black Guard teams with corporations and other groups in sponsorship arrangements. This year, sponsors of Black Frost ’99 and the Red Heart Party include U S West, Lavender Magazine, United Airlines, Coors, National Car Rental and, according to the Black Guard, “many others.”
What does the future hold for The Black Guard? Well, to find out, you’ll just have to come back to next year’s Black Frost, and the year after that, and the year after that. . . Seriously, though, members of the club are looking forward to their 25th anniversary celebration in 2002 and are already making plans—BIG plans. Here’s a hint from The Black Guard: “You may just want to have a tux at the ready!”
Mr. Minnesota Olympus contest postponed
The Mr. Minnesota Olympus contest, which was scheduled for the weekend of February 26-28, has been rescheduled for the weekend of March 26-28. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. There’s still room for more contestants, so if you’re interested in competing contact Dale Willman.
“Upcoming Leather Events” moved to Calender section
Part of the new look of Lavender Magazine involves dividing the magazine into six sections, each with its own calendar of coming events. This column appears in the “Out & About” section, which means you will now find leather events listed in the “Out & About” calendar. So turn right now to the calendar page and find out what’s going on in the next two weeks.
Upcoming Leather Events (for Calendar section)
Black Frost ’99 Banquet, Show, and Red Heart Party
Saturday, February 13, Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theatre at Mall of America
Even if you’re not attending the whole run, you can be there for the banquet, show and Red Heart Party. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”). After the banquet and show is the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community. Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
The First Annual Mr. Minneapolis Eagle Contest (Finals)
Sunday, February 21, 8:00 pm, The Minneapolis Eagle
After the Eagle’s usual Sunday-afternoon beer bust (4-8 pm), stay and watch some hot men take the stage. The Eagle is looking for someone who is the embodiment of their clientele: fun, hot, no attitude. Judging will be by customer and staff ballots.
Friday, January 29, 1999
New Queers On The Block: Heterosexuals ( . . . and don’t call them “straight”)
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #96, January 29, 1999)
“Queer” seems to be the new umbrella term that’s been chosen to be inclusive of all sexual minorities, such as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Is that umbrella big enough to cover kinky heterosexuals as well? Historically the gay (predominantly men’s) leather/SM community and the community of kinky heterosexual folk have been parallel worlds, with little interaction between them. Some folks might like to keep it that way, but increasingly there are powerful forces inspiring a convergence of the GLBT and heterosexual kink communities.
I first heard about the concept of “het queers” from Jonathan Krall, senior congressional advocate for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. He was in the Twin Cities this summer to address a meeting of TIES, a local pansexual group of kinky people which bills itself as “GLBTH” (you can guess what the “H” stands for). He finished his talk with this admonition to the audience: “Don’t let anyone ever call you ‘straight’.”
It’s not easy for kinky heterosexuals in today’s society. They are in a no-win situation: They may look “straight,” but they aren’t, because according to society’s rules straight people don’t engage in kinky activities. They therefore have a choice: By being “straight acting and appearing” they can avoid the oppression and disdain that society reserves for the queer community—but they will be ignoring an important part of themselves in the process. Or they can be open and honest about their kinkiness, and society will reward them with the same disapproval it gives queers.
Actually, the disapproval may even be greater than that reserved for obvious queers, as if society were saying “Well, we KNEW they were queer, so we wrote them off a long time ago. But we had such high hopes for you. You have a lovely spouse, 2.2 children, a stable job, a house in the suburbs. How can you be such a traitor to our ideals?” Marriages may break up over the revelation of one spouse’s kinky proclivities; even if both partners are kinky, there’s always the question of what to tell the children—and how to keep the rest of society from finding out, lest the children be taken away.
As a response to these types of oppression, the national heterosexual and GLBT leather/SM communities have joined forces to form The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), a lobbying group that is “working to reduce the discrimination faced by adults who engage in, write about, study, or describe alternative sexual practices in the United States.” The NCSF includes gays, lesbians, bisexuals, heterosexuals, the transgendered, and individuals who self-identify as “none of the above.” According to Executive Director Susan Wright, “It’s time that Americans realized that one of our First Amendment rights is freedom of sexual expression. No one should ever have to suffer violence or discrimination because of their sexuality.” (Contact them at NCSFreedom@aol.com or visit their website at www.ncsfreedom.org.)
In most places the infrastructure of the heterosexual kink community is not yet as well-developed as that of the gay leather/SM community; there are few equivalents to gay leather bars where they can meet like-minded individuals. In the Twin Cities there are several organized groups for kinky heterosexuals, but TIES (an acronym for “Tremendously Intense Erotic Situations”) is the only one that is public enough for me to mention in print; the rest of the groups are composed of people who, for various reasons, need to keep their private lives private.
TIES hosts a monthly gathering (called a “munch”) for members and non-members; attendance at December’s munch was somewhere around 150 people over the course of the evening. There are monthly discussion groups for dominants, submissives, and switches. There is also a TIES quarterly play party with attendance by invitation only. And there is an e-mail listserv featuring interesting discussions about topics ranging from serious (how do I tell my husband/wife that I want to experiment with SM?) to lighter subjects (BDSM shopping at Ax-Man). For more information, visit the TIES website at www.visi.com/~ties.
It was through that e-mail listserv that I first got to know some of the members of TIES—a varied group of interesting people of all ages, genders, orientations and interests. Having followed the list for many months, and having attended two monthly munches, I am finding I have a lot more in common with them than I might have expected. If I had just assumed that we would have nothing in common because they’re het and I’m gay, I would have missed meeting some very nice people.
I know some male members of the GLBT leather community who are not happy about the coming of pansexuality to the leather/SM scene. For them leather is about gay men relating to other gay men, and they are allowed to make that choice. I’m sure there are lesbian feminist leatherwomen for whom leather is a woman-to-woman scene. And there are probably heterosexuals who don’t feel comfortable with the label “queer.” To all of these people, I have said it before and I’ll say it again: The leather/SM community is pansexual, crossing all gender and orientation boundaries. The people who make up that community, however, are not necessarily pansexual, and that’s okay too.
That’s an important distinction to keep in mind. If a group hosts a play space and wishes to designate it as exclusively for lesbian activity, for instance, that’s not politically incorrect. That’s their perogative, and it would seem to me rude for a group of men to crash the party. On the other hand, no one group or faction “owns” the leather community; in order to thrive it must be open and accessible to anyone who wants to identify with it and with its traditions and values, regardless of their sexual orientation, identity or expression.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Leather/Levi Dinner at Nicky’s Cafe
Saturday, February 6, 7:30 pm. Nicky’s Café is located at 107 3rd Ave. N. in the Mpls. Warehouse district.
The public is invited—call to make reservations.
The First Annual Mr. Minneapolis Eagle Contest (Preliminaries)
Sunday, February 7, 8:00 pm. Nicky’s Café is located at 107 3rd Ave. N. in the Mpls. Warehouse district.
Get a $10 bar tab and one free hour on Manline just for entering—how can you beat that? The Eagle is looking for someone who is the embodiment of their clientele: fun, hot, no attitude. Judging will be by customer and staff ballots. If you make it to the finals (Sunday, February 21, 8 pm) you’ll get an additional $15 bar tab, and there will be a fabulous prize package for the first and second runners-up and the winner. The winner represents the bar for the year and participates in the Pride Parade this summer. See any Minneapolis Eagle bartender for an entry form.
Pantheon of Leather IX and Olympus Leather Contest
February 5-7, New Orleans
Good luck to Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Greg Hausler and Cori Ander as they represent Minnesota in the Olympus Leather contest on Saturday night, Feb. 6. Community service awards for Pantheon of Leather will be announced Sunday afternoon, Feb. 7, and seven of the awards nominees are from Minnesota:
• Atons, Club of the Year
• Atons, Club Event of the Year (25th Anniversary run)
• Black Guard, Club Event of the Year (Black Frost 21)
• Kevin Cwayna, Reader’s Choice (Men)
• Renee Indehar, Midwest Regional Award
• Michael deLeon, Midwest Regional Award
• Steve Lenius (your humble columnist), Midwest Regional Award
The Black Guard presents Black Frost ’99
Friday through Sunday, February 12-14, various locations
You can still save $20 by registering for Black Frost ’99 before February 1, so hurry! Call for information and a run registration form.
Friday: Registration check-in at The Town House in St. Paul. Serving as host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, also in St. Paul. There will be sixteen events and parties throughout the run sponsored and hosted by other clubs from across the country.
Saturday: Even if you’re not attending the whole run, you can be there for the banquet, show and Red Heart Party in the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America on Saturday night, February 13. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”). After the banquet and show is the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community. Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door; advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
Sunday: Awards ceremony, change of club officers, and wind-down party at The Brass Rail.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
February 26-28: The next leather contest on the horizon is the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman.
“Queer” seems to be the new umbrella term that’s been chosen to be inclusive of all sexual minorities, such as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Is that umbrella big enough to cover kinky heterosexuals as well? Historically the gay (predominantly men’s) leather/SM community and the community of kinky heterosexual folk have been parallel worlds, with little interaction between them. Some folks might like to keep it that way, but increasingly there are powerful forces inspiring a convergence of the GLBT and heterosexual kink communities.
I first heard about the concept of “het queers” from Jonathan Krall, senior congressional advocate for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. He was in the Twin Cities this summer to address a meeting of TIES, a local pansexual group of kinky people which bills itself as “GLBTH” (you can guess what the “H” stands for). He finished his talk with this admonition to the audience: “Don’t let anyone ever call you ‘straight’.”
It’s not easy for kinky heterosexuals in today’s society. They are in a no-win situation: They may look “straight,” but they aren’t, because according to society’s rules straight people don’t engage in kinky activities. They therefore have a choice: By being “straight acting and appearing” they can avoid the oppression and disdain that society reserves for the queer community—but they will be ignoring an important part of themselves in the process. Or they can be open and honest about their kinkiness, and society will reward them with the same disapproval it gives queers.
Actually, the disapproval may even be greater than that reserved for obvious queers, as if society were saying “Well, we KNEW they were queer, so we wrote them off a long time ago. But we had such high hopes for you. You have a lovely spouse, 2.2 children, a stable job, a house in the suburbs. How can you be such a traitor to our ideals?” Marriages may break up over the revelation of one spouse’s kinky proclivities; even if both partners are kinky, there’s always the question of what to tell the children—and how to keep the rest of society from finding out, lest the children be taken away.
As a response to these types of oppression, the national heterosexual and GLBT leather/SM communities have joined forces to form The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), a lobbying group that is “working to reduce the discrimination faced by adults who engage in, write about, study, or describe alternative sexual practices in the United States.” The NCSF includes gays, lesbians, bisexuals, heterosexuals, the transgendered, and individuals who self-identify as “none of the above.” According to Executive Director Susan Wright, “It’s time that Americans realized that one of our First Amendment rights is freedom of sexual expression. No one should ever have to suffer violence or discrimination because of their sexuality.” (Contact them at NCSFreedom@aol.com or visit their website at www.ncsfreedom.org.)
In most places the infrastructure of the heterosexual kink community is not yet as well-developed as that of the gay leather/SM community; there are few equivalents to gay leather bars where they can meet like-minded individuals. In the Twin Cities there are several organized groups for kinky heterosexuals, but TIES (an acronym for “Tremendously Intense Erotic Situations”) is the only one that is public enough for me to mention in print; the rest of the groups are composed of people who, for various reasons, need to keep their private lives private.
TIES hosts a monthly gathering (called a “munch”) for members and non-members; attendance at December’s munch was somewhere around 150 people over the course of the evening. There are monthly discussion groups for dominants, submissives, and switches. There is also a TIES quarterly play party with attendance by invitation only. And there is an e-mail listserv featuring interesting discussions about topics ranging from serious (how do I tell my husband/wife that I want to experiment with SM?) to lighter subjects (BDSM shopping at Ax-Man). For more information, visit the TIES website at www.visi.com/~ties.
It was through that e-mail listserv that I first got to know some of the members of TIES—a varied group of interesting people of all ages, genders, orientations and interests. Having followed the list for many months, and having attended two monthly munches, I am finding I have a lot more in common with them than I might have expected. If I had just assumed that we would have nothing in common because they’re het and I’m gay, I would have missed meeting some very nice people.
I know some male members of the GLBT leather community who are not happy about the coming of pansexuality to the leather/SM scene. For them leather is about gay men relating to other gay men, and they are allowed to make that choice. I’m sure there are lesbian feminist leatherwomen for whom leather is a woman-to-woman scene. And there are probably heterosexuals who don’t feel comfortable with the label “queer.” To all of these people, I have said it before and I’ll say it again: The leather/SM community is pansexual, crossing all gender and orientation boundaries. The people who make up that community, however, are not necessarily pansexual, and that’s okay too.
That’s an important distinction to keep in mind. If a group hosts a play space and wishes to designate it as exclusively for lesbian activity, for instance, that’s not politically incorrect. That’s their perogative, and it would seem to me rude for a group of men to crash the party. On the other hand, no one group or faction “owns” the leather community; in order to thrive it must be open and accessible to anyone who wants to identify with it and with its traditions and values, regardless of their sexual orientation, identity or expression.
Upcoming Leather Events
Atons Leather/Levi Dinner at Nicky’s Cafe
Saturday, February 6, 7:30 pm. Nicky’s Café is located at 107 3rd Ave. N. in the Mpls. Warehouse district.
The public is invited—call to make reservations.
The First Annual Mr. Minneapolis Eagle Contest (Preliminaries)
Sunday, February 7, 8:00 pm. Nicky’s Café is located at 107 3rd Ave. N. in the Mpls. Warehouse district.
Get a $10 bar tab and one free hour on Manline just for entering—how can you beat that? The Eagle is looking for someone who is the embodiment of their clientele: fun, hot, no attitude. Judging will be by customer and staff ballots. If you make it to the finals (Sunday, February 21, 8 pm) you’ll get an additional $15 bar tab, and there will be a fabulous prize package for the first and second runners-up and the winner. The winner represents the bar for the year and participates in the Pride Parade this summer. See any Minneapolis Eagle bartender for an entry form.
Pantheon of Leather IX and Olympus Leather Contest
February 5-7, New Orleans
Good luck to Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Greg Hausler and Cori Ander as they represent Minnesota in the Olympus Leather contest on Saturday night, Feb. 6. Community service awards for Pantheon of Leather will be announced Sunday afternoon, Feb. 7, and seven of the awards nominees are from Minnesota:
• Atons, Club of the Year
• Atons, Club Event of the Year (25th Anniversary run)
• Black Guard, Club Event of the Year (Black Frost 21)
• Kevin Cwayna, Reader’s Choice (Men)
• Renee Indehar, Midwest Regional Award
• Michael deLeon, Midwest Regional Award
• Steve Lenius (your humble columnist), Midwest Regional Award
The Black Guard presents Black Frost ’99
Friday through Sunday, February 12-14, various locations
You can still save $20 by registering for Black Frost ’99 before February 1, so hurry! Call for information and a run registration form.
Friday: Registration check-in at The Town House in St. Paul. Serving as host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, also in St. Paul. There will be sixteen events and parties throughout the run sponsored and hosted by other clubs from across the country.
Saturday: Even if you’re not attending the whole run, you can be there for the banquet, show and Red Heart Party in the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America on Saturday night, February 13. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”). After the banquet and show is the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community. Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door; advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
Sunday: Awards ceremony, change of club officers, and wind-down party at The Brass Rail.
Mark Your Calendar . . .
February 26-28: The next leather contest on the horizon is the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman.
Friday, January 15, 1999
Black Guard plans a star-studded Black Frost
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #95, January 15, 1999)
Minneapolis leather club The Black Guard was recently called “the premiere show club in the U.S.” by Drummer Magazine, and their Black Frost run was selected by Drummer as one of the nation’s top four runs. That’s nice recognition, but it also means The Black Guard now must live up to that reputation. How will they do it? Well, in planning Black Frost ’99, their 22nd annual run, they’ve thought BIG: for their banquet/show venue they’ve booked the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America, and they’re going to fill the theater with performers from show-biz places like Broadway, Hollywood and Las Vegas.
Black Frost ’99 is slated for Friday through Sunday, February 12-14, 1999. The action starts Friday night with registration check-in at The Town House in St. Paul. Serving as host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, also in St. Paul. There will be sixteen events and parties throughout the run sponsored and hosted by other clubs from across the country.
The highlight of the run will be the banquet, show and Red Heart Party in the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America on Saturday night, February 13. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”) featuring performances by Black Guard members and by Frit & Frat Fuller and The Kin International Dance Company from “The Wiz” touring company. The banquet and show will be followed by the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community presented in cooperation with Because We Care. Scheduled to appear are Jm J. Bullock (television: “Too Close For Comfort,” “Hollywood Squares”; also has appeared in Las Vegas); Wayne Moore and Brenda Silas Moore (stars of Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe); and Kelly Britt (who has appeared on Broadway, television and film). Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door; advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
Sunday afternoon is the Awards ceremony, change of club officers, and wind-down party at The Brass Rail.
Sponsors of the Red Heart Party and Black Frost ’99 include U S West, Lavender Magazine, United Airlines, Coors, National Car Rental and, according to a Black Guard press release, “many others.” According to that same press release, “The Black Guard of Minneapolis over the last years has dispersed over $80,000 to various Twin Cities and Minnesota GLBT-related charities through their fundraising efforts. They have also worked with, or teamed with, other organizations to raise another $50,000 in that same time period.”
You can save $20 by registering for Black Frost ’99 before February 1. Call for information and a run registration form.
Stars to entertain at local leather contests
The next leather contest on the horizon is the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest, which takes place February 26-28. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman.
Local leather contest producer Minnesota Leather Productions recently announced that Drummer Magazine has awarded them the privilege of producing the Great Plains Regional Drummer/Drummerboy Contest. This regional contest, scheduled for June, includes the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Winners of each individual state Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy contest will compete in this regional contest, and the winning Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy will go on to compete in the International Mr. Drummer contest in San Francisco.
Planning has commenced for a full weekend of events, called “Drummer of the Northern Star,” which will be held in conjunction with this regional Drummer contest. Scheduled to appear at the main contest will be Mercury Records recording artists Men Out Loud. Watch this column for further details.
Minnesota Leather Productions will also be presenting the Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy contest April 16-17, and the Mr. Minnesota Leather contest September 3-6 (Labor Day weekend). Both of these contests will feature generous prize packages and will send their winners to the next level of competition. The Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy contest will feature Jason Stewart, who has been seen on HBO and in the television series “Charmed” and “The Drew Carey Show.” HBO star Michelle Balland has been scheduled to appear at the Mr. Minnesota Leather contest.
Gay leathermen interested in competing for the Mr. Minnesota Drummer, Minnesota Drummerboy or Mr. Minnesota Leather titles should contact Colin Spriestersbach at Minnesota Leather Productions.
Minnesota Leather Productions is partnered for the Minnesota state contests with The Black Guard of Minneapolis and The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle.
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Send-Off Party
Sunday, January 17, 7 pm-close (show 9:30-11 pm), The Brass Rail
Come and support Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Cori Ander and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather Greg Hausler as they head for New Orleans to compete in the national Olympus Leather contest. Kendra Blake has hostess duties, and there will be hors d’oeuvres, special prizes and auctions all evening. The live show from 9:30 to 11 pm will include fantasy performances by the two Minnesota Olympus Leather titleholders. $5 at the door.
Pantheon of Leather IX and Olympus Leather Contest
February 5-7, New Orleans
Pantheon of Leather is the Leather Nation’s equivalent of Hollywood’s Academy Awards, and this year’s leather community service awards show includes seven nominations from Minnesota. Also part of the festivities will be the national Olympus Leather contest with Cori Ander and Greg Hausler representing Minnesota. If you want to go, act now! For air, hotel, and registration information and a registration form point your browser to www.theleatherjournal.com/Pantheon.htm.
Minneapolis leather club The Black Guard was recently called “the premiere show club in the U.S.” by Drummer Magazine, and their Black Frost run was selected by Drummer as one of the nation’s top four runs. That’s nice recognition, but it also means The Black Guard now must live up to that reputation. How will they do it? Well, in planning Black Frost ’99, their 22nd annual run, they’ve thought BIG: for their banquet/show venue they’ve booked the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America, and they’re going to fill the theater with performers from show-biz places like Broadway, Hollywood and Las Vegas.
Black Frost ’99 is slated for Friday through Sunday, February 12-14, 1999. The action starts Friday night with registration check-in at The Town House in St. Paul. Serving as host hotel is the Midway Days Inn, also in St. Paul. There will be sixteen events and parties throughout the run sponsored and hosted by other clubs from across the country.
The highlight of the run will be the banquet, show and Red Heart Party in the Camp Snoopy Playhouse Theater at the Mall of America on Saturday night, February 13. The run banquet starts at 5 pm and will be followed by The Black Guard’s usual wild and high-energy show (this year’s theme: “The Land Of Oz”) featuring performances by Black Guard members and by Frit & Frat Fuller and The Kin International Dance Company from “The Wiz” touring company. The banquet and show will be followed by the Red Heart Party, a fundraiser for the GLBT community presented in cooperation with Because We Care. Scheduled to appear are Jm J. Bullock (television: “Too Close For Comfort,” “Hollywood Squares”; also has appeared in Las Vegas); Wayne Moore and Brenda Silas Moore (stars of Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe); and Kelly Britt (who has appeared on Broadway, television and film). Admission for the Red Heart Party only is $25 in advance, $30 at the door; advance tickets are available at The Brass Rail or through Black Guard members. Call for banquet admission information.
Sunday afternoon is the Awards ceremony, change of club officers, and wind-down party at The Brass Rail.
Sponsors of the Red Heart Party and Black Frost ’99 include U S West, Lavender Magazine, United Airlines, Coors, National Car Rental and, according to a Black Guard press release, “many others.” According to that same press release, “The Black Guard of Minneapolis over the last years has dispersed over $80,000 to various Twin Cities and Minnesota GLBT-related charities through their fundraising efforts. They have also worked with, or teamed with, other organizations to raise another $50,000 in that same time period.”
You can save $20 by registering for Black Frost ’99 before February 1. Call for information and a run registration form.
Stars to entertain at local leather contests
The next leather contest on the horizon is the Mr. Minnesota Fantasy contest, which takes place February 26-28. The winner of this contest goes on to compete in the International Mr. Fantasy contest in Omaha in mid-August. If you’re interested in competing, contact Dale Willman.
Local leather contest producer Minnesota Leather Productions recently announced that Drummer Magazine has awarded them the privilege of producing the Great Plains Regional Drummer/Drummerboy Contest. This regional contest, scheduled for June, includes the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Winners of each individual state Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy contest will compete in this regional contest, and the winning Mr. Drummer and Drummerboy will go on to compete in the International Mr. Drummer contest in San Francisco.
Planning has commenced for a full weekend of events, called “Drummer of the Northern Star,” which will be held in conjunction with this regional Drummer contest. Scheduled to appear at the main contest will be Mercury Records recording artists Men Out Loud. Watch this column for further details.
Minnesota Leather Productions will also be presenting the Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy contest April 16-17, and the Mr. Minnesota Leather contest September 3-6 (Labor Day weekend). Both of these contests will feature generous prize packages and will send their winners to the next level of competition. The Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy contest will feature Jason Stewart, who has been seen on HBO and in the television series “Charmed” and “The Drew Carey Show.” HBO star Michelle Balland has been scheduled to appear at the Mr. Minnesota Leather contest.
Gay leathermen interested in competing for the Mr. Minnesota Drummer, Minnesota Drummerboy or Mr. Minnesota Leather titles should contact Colin Spriestersbach at Minnesota Leather Productions.
Minnesota Leather Productions is partnered for the Minnesota state contests with The Black Guard of Minneapolis and The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle.
Upcoming Leather Events
Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Send-Off Party
Sunday, January 17, 7 pm-close (show 9:30-11 pm), The Brass Rail
Come and support Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather Cori Ander and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather Greg Hausler as they head for New Orleans to compete in the national Olympus Leather contest. Kendra Blake has hostess duties, and there will be hors d’oeuvres, special prizes and auctions all evening. The live show from 9:30 to 11 pm will include fantasy performances by the two Minnesota Olympus Leather titleholders. $5 at the door.
Pantheon of Leather IX and Olympus Leather Contest
February 5-7, New Orleans
Pantheon of Leather is the Leather Nation’s equivalent of Hollywood’s Academy Awards, and this year’s leather community service awards show includes seven nominations from Minnesota. Also part of the festivities will be the national Olympus Leather contest with Cori Ander and Greg Hausler representing Minnesota. If you want to go, act now! For air, hotel, and registration information and a registration form point your browser to www.theleatherjournal.com/Pantheon.htm.
Friday, January 1, 1999
Cori Ander, Greg Hausler win MN Olympus Leather
(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #94, January 1, 1999)
Plus: Ms. MN Leather’s Year-End Message & 1999 Event Calendar
PHOTOS: (Please use A and B, or C, or D. Also please use E. In other words, it’s important that all three people get their pictures in the column.)
Photo A: Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photo B: Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photos C and D: Left, Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999; Right, Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photo E: Holly Wheland, recipient of the first-ever Minnesota Olympus Leather Community Service Award.
The 1999 Mr./Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest took place on December 13, 1998 at The Saloon. First-time contest promoters Joshua Smith (the current Mr. Minnesota Leather) and Thomas Smith (the current International Mr. Rubber) put together a tightly-paced, entertaining evening that drew quite a respectable crowd. The evening’s beneficiaries were The Aliveness Project and The Leather Archives and Museum.
The show opened with a fantasy performance by current Mr. Minnesota Drummer Steve Eue. After the five contestants had been put through their paces, outgoing Ms. and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather Renee Indehar and B.D. Chambers, who helped judge the contest, gave heartfelt step-down speeches before sashing their successors: Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999 Cori Ander and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999 Greg Hausler. First runner-up honors for the women’s title went to Pamela Keesey, and for the men’s title to Leowyn. Also competing for the women’s title was Ruth Berger, who was also in the recent Ms. Minnesota Leather contest.
Other judges for the evening were Gary O’Neill of Wolf Productions, current Ms. Minnesota Leather Mario, and Holly Wheland of The Brass Rail. Wheland was also the recipient of the first-ever Minnesota Olympus Leather Community Service Award; she was honored for her willingness to help the leather community and the entire GLBT community by hosting events and assisting with fundraising. According to Joshua Smith, Wheland is “usually one of the first to offer her help.”
Ms. Minnesota Leather’s Year-End Message
Your humble columnist will now turn over the soapbox to Mario, Ms. Minnesota Leather 1999, who has this year-end message to the community:
“1998 brought huge accomplishments to the Minnesota leather community. Two of our leather clubs, The Black Guard and The Atons, are nominated in this year’s Pantheon of Leather for the “Club Event of the Year” award, and The Atons are also nominated for “Club of the Year.” These are very large honors.
“Since Kevin Cwayna took International Mr. Leather, it seems to have really helped boost our morale. This year marks the return of Ms. Minnesota Leather, an achievement due solely to the hard work of Renee Indehar (along with the help of many others). And after almost being lost, the Minnesota Olympus Leather contest and crown was sweetly restored and recovered thanks to Thomas Smith and Joshua Smith. I’d like to extend special thanks and praise to people who lead in the community such as “Mr. Fantasy” Michael deLeon, Steve Lenius, Renee Indehar, Kevin Cwayna, P.J. Knight, Colin Spriestersbach, B.D. Chambers, Ken Flanagan, Steve Eue, Dan and babalon of TIES, Empress C.C. Sakowitz and Emperor Bill Ganzer of the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle . . . and that’s just to name a few.
“This year has seen the beginning, with the help of Joshua Smith, of a leather roundtable forum which meets monthly and which invites anyone to come and participate. Thanks to this forum we have a calendar of events to the year 2000, which will ensure that future events and fundraisers won’t compete with each other for the same dates.
“I’d like to say ‘Good Job’ to The Minneapolis Eagle for its Wednesday-night Women Night. This is truly a way to unite both the men’s and women’s leather communities. And with that, I would like to proclaim the New Year’s resolutions of Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Leather: “We will no longer refer to the men’s or women’s leather community as such. We will only refer to it as our leather community.”
“Congratulations to the new Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather. They will be great representation for us in New Orleans at Pantheon of Leather in 1999. In closing, please remember that the fundraisers in the coming year are of paramount importance in producing another international titleholder for Minnesota, so please show all of your support in 1999.”
Mario, Ms. Minnesota Leather 1999
Upcoming Leather Events
Here it is: a list of Minnesota and selected worldwide leather events until the year 2000. Mark your calendar now, but remember that these dates are subject to change.
January 23, 1999: Atons Installation Banquet
January 29-31: ISCIC Coronation
February 5-7: International Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Contest and Pantheon of Leather, New Orleans
February 12-14: Black Guard presents Black Frost ’99
February 26-28: Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Contest
April 16-17: Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Contest
May 21-23: Knights of Leather Tournament XI (run)
May 28-31 (Memorial Day Weekend): International Mr. Leather (IML) Contest, Chicago
May 30: Atons IML Widow Party
June: Regional Drummer Contest
June 25-27: Minnesota Leather Pride, Twin Cities Festival of Pride
July 16-18: International Ms. Leather (IMsL) Contest, Las Vegas
Mid-August: International Mr. Fantasy Contest, Omaha
September 3-6 (Labor Day Weekend): Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest
September 24-25: Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest; International Mr. Drummer Contest/Folsom Street Fair, San Francisco
October 16-17: Rainbow Expo Minnesota
December 5: Atons Holiday Fundraiser
Plus: Ms. MN Leather’s Year-End Message & 1999 Event Calendar
PHOTOS: (Please use A and B, or C, or D. Also please use E. In other words, it’s important that all three people get their pictures in the column.)
Photo A: Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photo B: Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photos C and D: Left, Greg Hausler, Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999; Right, Cori Ander, Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999.
Photo E: Holly Wheland, recipient of the first-ever Minnesota Olympus Leather Community Service Award.
The 1999 Mr./Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather contest took place on December 13, 1998 at The Saloon. First-time contest promoters Joshua Smith (the current Mr. Minnesota Leather) and Thomas Smith (the current International Mr. Rubber) put together a tightly-paced, entertaining evening that drew quite a respectable crowd. The evening’s beneficiaries were The Aliveness Project and The Leather Archives and Museum.
The show opened with a fantasy performance by current Mr. Minnesota Drummer Steve Eue. After the five contestants had been put through their paces, outgoing Ms. and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather Renee Indehar and B.D. Chambers, who helped judge the contest, gave heartfelt step-down speeches before sashing their successors: Ms. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999 Cori Ander and Mr. Minnesota Olympus Leather 1999 Greg Hausler. First runner-up honors for the women’s title went to Pamela Keesey, and for the men’s title to Leowyn. Also competing for the women’s title was Ruth Berger, who was also in the recent Ms. Minnesota Leather contest.
Other judges for the evening were Gary O’Neill of Wolf Productions, current Ms. Minnesota Leather Mario, and Holly Wheland of The Brass Rail. Wheland was also the recipient of the first-ever Minnesota Olympus Leather Community Service Award; she was honored for her willingness to help the leather community and the entire GLBT community by hosting events and assisting with fundraising. According to Joshua Smith, Wheland is “usually one of the first to offer her help.”
Ms. Minnesota Leather’s Year-End Message
Your humble columnist will now turn over the soapbox to Mario, Ms. Minnesota Leather 1999, who has this year-end message to the community:
“1998 brought huge accomplishments to the Minnesota leather community. Two of our leather clubs, The Black Guard and The Atons, are nominated in this year’s Pantheon of Leather for the “Club Event of the Year” award, and The Atons are also nominated for “Club of the Year.” These are very large honors.
“Since Kevin Cwayna took International Mr. Leather, it seems to have really helped boost our morale. This year marks the return of Ms. Minnesota Leather, an achievement due solely to the hard work of Renee Indehar (along with the help of many others). And after almost being lost, the Minnesota Olympus Leather contest and crown was sweetly restored and recovered thanks to Thomas Smith and Joshua Smith. I’d like to extend special thanks and praise to people who lead in the community such as “Mr. Fantasy” Michael deLeon, Steve Lenius, Renee Indehar, Kevin Cwayna, P.J. Knight, Colin Spriestersbach, B.D. Chambers, Ken Flanagan, Steve Eue, Dan and babalon of TIES, Empress C.C. Sakowitz and Emperor Bill Ganzer of the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Ice Castle . . . and that’s just to name a few.
“This year has seen the beginning, with the help of Joshua Smith, of a leather roundtable forum which meets monthly and which invites anyone to come and participate. Thanks to this forum we have a calendar of events to the year 2000, which will ensure that future events and fundraisers won’t compete with each other for the same dates.
“I’d like to say ‘Good Job’ to The Minneapolis Eagle for its Wednesday-night Women Night. This is truly a way to unite both the men’s and women’s leather communities. And with that, I would like to proclaim the New Year’s resolutions of Mr. and Ms. Minnesota Leather: “We will no longer refer to the men’s or women’s leather community as such. We will only refer to it as our leather community.”
“Congratulations to the new Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather. They will be great representation for us in New Orleans at Pantheon of Leather in 1999. In closing, please remember that the fundraisers in the coming year are of paramount importance in producing another international titleholder for Minnesota, so please show all of your support in 1999.”
Mario, Ms. Minnesota Leather 1999
Upcoming Leather Events
Here it is: a list of Minnesota and selected worldwide leather events until the year 2000. Mark your calendar now, but remember that these dates are subject to change.
January 23, 1999: Atons Installation Banquet
January 29-31: ISCIC Coronation
February 5-7: International Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather Contest and Pantheon of Leather, New Orleans
February 12-14: Black Guard presents Black Frost ’99
February 26-28: Mr. Minnesota Fantasy Contest
April 16-17: Minnesota Drummer/Drummerboy Contest
May 21-23: Knights of Leather Tournament XI (run)
May 28-31 (Memorial Day Weekend): International Mr. Leather (IML) Contest, Chicago
May 30: Atons IML Widow Party
June: Regional Drummer Contest
June 25-27: Minnesota Leather Pride, Twin Cities Festival of Pride
July 16-18: International Ms. Leather (IMsL) Contest, Las Vegas
Mid-August: International Mr. Fantasy Contest, Omaha
September 3-6 (Labor Day Weekend): Mr. Minnesota Leather Contest
September 24-25: Ms. Minnesota Leather Contest; International Mr. Drummer Contest/Folsom Street Fair, San Francisco
October 16-17: Rainbow Expo Minnesota
December 5: Atons Holiday Fundraiser
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