Return to Rosemont Manor: Look, Ma! I’m a Zoning Violation!

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #320, August 31, 2007)

For those narrow-minded types wondering how to deal with GLBT folk, leather folk, kinky folk and other undesirables who are ruining neighborhoods across this great nation, a judge in Hancock County, West Virginia, has a solution: zone them into oblivion.

When we last discussed (in Lavender issue 308) the continuing saga of Rosemont Manor, a bed-and-breakfast in Weirton, W. Va., things were not looking good. The city of Weirton had refused to renew owner Rose Susko’s business license and had revoked the property’s zoning variance allowing commercial use of the mansion. This effectively put Susko out of business. It also threw out on the street the various alternative-lifestyle groups that had made the mansion a popular venue for a variety of events.

The city took this action after a local TV station, WTOV9 (the NBC affiliate in Steubenville, Ohio and Wheeling, W. Va.), heard about a leather event being held at the mansion and broadcast a series of inflammatory “investigative” reports. (“One day it’s a place for weddings, the next day it can transform into a place for alternative living—including a place for nudists!”)

Susko appealed to the circuit court of Hancock County, W. Va. over the loss of her zoning variance and business license. On July 16, 2007, Judge Arthur M. Recht issued an Order in which the court stated it needed more information before it could make a final determination in the matter. Until then, the Court decided the most equitable thing for all concerned was to return to the status quo “as of the time petitioner [Susko] received her zoning permit.”

Unfortunately, the Court went along with the City of Weirton’s opinion that Susko was approved to operate a “Bed and Breakfast and Wedding/Reception Center.” In the opinion of the city, and the interim opinion of the court, those are the only functions for which the mansion may be used. The alternative-lifestyle events that had been held at the mansion somehow fell outside those parameters and were consequently forbidden. Neither the city nor the judge explained why receptions, i.e. parties after a wedding, are permitted but other kinds of parties are not.

The Court ordered the city to restore Susko’s zoning variance and to re-issue her business license. But the Court handed Susko a lengthy and discriminatory list of events, activities and people she was forbidden to host. The list puts many, if not most, of Lavender’s readers in the “prohibited” category.

Susko had promoted the mansion to the alternative-lifestyle community using a separate website called “OurHouseOnTheHill.com” (now inactive). The Court compiled its list of prohibitions simply by forbidding anything mentioned on that site. Thus, “Petitioner [Susko] shall not carry on, allow, invite, or advertise for others to carry on [at the property] activities known as ‘BDSM, Fetish, Master/Slave, Lesbian/Gay Trans-gender, Fem-Dom, Leather, Swingers, Nudists, CFNM [clothed female-nude male], Barbeques, Munches, Parties, Meet-and-Greets, Play Space, Lectures, Seminars, Demonstrations, School, CFNM Parties’ or any other activity referred to in any version of any of the internet websites advertising any aspect of ‘Our House on the Hill.’ ”

Nosiree, none of that “alternative-living” carrying-on stuff here! Put out that grill—you’re not zoned for barbequeing. Tell that guest to take off that leather jacket—it’s against the rules. No gays, lesbians or transgender customers allowed—you could lose your license. All guests must remain fully clothed at all times—and that goes double for the men. Women may not act in a dominant fashion. And when anyone is eating they may chew but may not munch.

The Court also directed that websites promoting any of the above-mentioned activities at the mansion “shall be withdrawn and removed from the internet forthwith and shall not appear on the internet again unless authorized by this Court.” Never mind the freedom of speech, prior restraint and censorship issues—just take the site down.

Susko wonders why she is being singled out while every other lodging facility in the area is able to operate without such restrictions on clientele and activities. She also wonders how, if someone were to ask to rent a room for the night, she would be able to determine who they were and what they were going to do once they were in the room, so as not to violate this court order and her zoning.

After a summer of not being able to conduct business, Susko is once again open for bed-and-breakfast guests. The story isn’t over yet, and she soldiers on. She has visited area munches and lifestyle groups to tell her story and drum up support, saying “We can’t let them do this to us.”

You can show your support, if you’re in the Pittsburgh/eastern Ohio/northern West Virginia area, by stopping and spending some time at Rosemont Manor (<www.rosemontmanor.com>). I’ll bet the view from the hill is lovely this time of year.

MinKY: The Young and the Kinky

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #319, August 17, 2007)

In last issue’s column I suggested a partial answer to questions asked by many members of the leather/BDSM/fetish community: “Where are the young people in the leather community? Where’s the new blood? Where’s the next generation?” In that column I made the point that “new blood” is not necessarily limited to “young blood.”

In this column I’ll suggest another answer to those questions: MinKY, which stands for Minnesota Kinky Youth. (“Youth” in this instance means people between the ages of 18 and 35.)

Founded in 2003, MinKY builds community among younger kinky folk by maintaining an e-mail list/Yahoo group (currently with about 300 members) and by hosting monthly munches and parties. MinKY also hosts demos and social events such as game nights. The largest share of attendees at MinKY events are drawn from a core group of 50-60 people, of whom approximately one-third are “Friends of MinKY,” about which more in a moment.

MinKY is a prime example of what is known in leather circles as a TNG (“The Next Generation”) group. Those who like to play devil’s advocate might ask: Why is a group for young kinky folks necessary? Isn’t that age discrimination? Why would the young folks want to isolate themselves from more mature and experienced community members?

Why is a group like MinKY necessary? For starters, minors aren’t allowed in bars or at many typical kink events. And even for those over legal age, sometimes it’s more comfortable to hang with people who share a common generational culture—issues ranging from being at the same stage in life (and perhaps at the same general income level) to preferring the same style of music.

Some younger kinky folks may not mind always being the youngest, or one of the youngest, people at a munch or other event. But others might find it uncomfortable to talk about BDSM or sexual issues with people the same age as their parents. The discomfort sometimes goes the other way, too, with older community members feeling uncomfortable talking about kink with people who are young enough to be their children.

For someone who’s young and just discovering their kinky side, being one of the younger people at a kinky social function can be worse than uncomfortable—it can be intimidating and unsettling. For a moment, imagine yourself in their position experiencing either or both of two opposing attitudes: a) you are young, therefore you will be repeatedly hit on by “chicken hawks” (older people who prefer younger play partners), or b) you are young, therefore no one will take you seriously. Some people will be overly eager to play with you, while others won’t want to play with you because they think you’re young and inexperienced.

Experiences like that can be enough to make a young person forsake the organized community. In the words of Jae Januze, Ms World Leather 2006 and a crusader for outreach to younger kinky folks, “You get somebody who’s younger who shows up to a meeting, freaks out because most of the people there are older, and they don’t show up again. Instead they go hang out at the goth nightclub, or go to some fetish event where they’re not learning anything, it’s just about the look. And they’re still doing dangerous practices at home.”

For younger folks, it can be a relief to have a group like MinKY. It can be less intimidating for those new to kink to ask questions of someone closer to their age, and it can be easier for more experienced folks to mentor someone closer to their own age as well. Another advantage to groups like MinKY is that younger people who wouldn’t feel comfortable going to mainstream events by themselves might feel more comfortable attending such events as part of their TNG group.

MinKY goes to great lengths not to be isolationist. Many MinKY members are involved in other area leather/BDSM/fetish organizations. They’re visible at many mainstream munches and parties. Actually, they often have helped to plan, organize and staff these events. Another way MinKY integrates itself into the local community is by allowing people over 35 (or members who have “aged out” of regular MinKY membership) to apply for “Friends of MinKY” status, equivalent to some other area club’s associate memberships.

In the relatively short time MinKY has been in existence its members have demonstrated again and again the contributions younger kinky folks can make. They are happy to share their energy, enthusiasm and intelligence with the larger community. They have demonstrated that they are eager to learn and willing to be involved, lend a hand and help out. With MinKY on the local scene, the future of Minnesota’s leather/BDSM/fetish community looks bright indeed.

Leather’s Next Generation

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #318, August 3, 2007)

“Where are the young people in the leather community? Where’s the new blood? Where’s the next generation?” Over the last few years I’ve participated in many discussions centering around these questions, and I’ve written at least a few columns that touched on them. I thought they were good and worthwhile questions to ponder, and ponder them I did. But did I have an answer? Nope.

Now I think I might, at least partially. But the answer I think I’ve discovered isn’t what I would have expected.

The series of questions above are presented as three aspects of the same question, But they really aren’t as related as they seem. If we as a community assume they are, we will not be doing ourselves any favors.

Since the beginning of the year I have been quite pleased to see several new faces at leather events. I have talked to many of these individuals, asking who they are and what brought them to that particular event. After hearing several similar stories I have come to realize a few things about the future of our community.

I’m happy to report I don’t think leather is in danger of dying out anytime soon, any more than the GLBT community will be disappearing. In both instances, every day more community members discover and claim their membership. The process has been going on for some time now in both communities, and I believe it will continue.

But while the age at which people identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender seems to be getting younger, it appears to me this is not what’s happening with leather. If anything, judging solely from the new faces I’ve seen in leather recently, many people are finding leather later in life. That’s not what I personally would have expected, but that seems to be what I’m encountering.

Now that I’ve noticed this, I guess it stands to reason. Major life changes offer people opportunities for reassessing their personal history—where they’ve been, what they’ve done, where it’s gotten them—and perhaps making some course corrections. The kids are grown; a job disappears; a relationship ends; suddenly there’s a freedom and an opportunity to explore parts of oneself that formerly, for one reason or another, couldn’t be explored. The start of my leather journey was triggered by just such a major life change, and I’ve talked to many others who can say the same thing.

But these kinds of life changes don’t—can’t—happen to people in their twenties. People in their twenties can’t be empty-nesters. They can’t end a decades-long relationship because they haven’t lived long enough to have one.

Many, many years ago, your humble columnist came out as a gay man at age 19. I didn’t get into leather until I was 37. Getting into leather took me almost twice as long as coming to terms with my gayness.

People discover leather when they’re ready to discover it. Some people do it early, others do it later. Fortunately, there’s no rush—leather is one of the few communities where “sexy” is not necessarily linked to “young.”

But even though our community prides itself on not being age-discriminatory, when we expect and assume our community’s “new blood” and “next generation” will be young people—isn’t that being a bit ageist? While we’re busy wondering where the younger folks are, and worrying about reaching them and bringing them into the fold, we might be overlooking many, many people who may not be young but are certainly interested and enthusiastic.

Perhaps it’s time we realized that “new blood” can be any age, and started to think a bit differently about the future of the community and how we reach out to leather’s next generation.

For many years, one of the guiding principles of twelve-step recovery programs has been “attraction, not promotion.” Noted leather author and speaker Guy Baldwin has suggested that this same principle be applied to leather, and I second the motion. Rather than trying to figure out how to get a younger crowd interested in leather, wouldn’t our community be better served by simply 1) being who we are, and 2) being visible? If we do those two things, we will attract people—of all ages—who like what they see in us and want to join us.

At that point it doesn’t really matter what mileage is on someone’s odometer. Once they realize they’re interested in leather—when they’re 20 years old, 40, 60, whatever—what they need and want is someone willing to welcome them, show them the ropes and explain how leather works. If they are provided with that, they will be part of the future of leather.

If Everybody’s Kinky . . . Nobody’s Kinky

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #317, July 20, 2007)

“Your Kink Is OK/My Kink Is OK” is nothing less than the beginning of world peace.

Someone, somewhere thinks you’re kinky. And they think you’re evil because of it.

They think Your Kink Is Not OK. They even have an acronym for it: YKINOK.

They may be a right-wing conservative extremist. They may be a “vanilla” member of the GLBT community. They even may be a member of the leather/BDSM/fetish community playing the MKIOK/YKINOK game (“My Kink Is OK/Your Kink Is Not OK”).

You may think their judgment of you is not fair, and you’d be right. But are you doing the same thing?

What exactly does “kinky” mean, anyway? Who gets to define what’s kinky and what’s not?

Everybody does. That’s the problem.

“Kinky” is a relative term. Many people define as “kinky” what they don’t like, don’t identify with, don’t feel comfortable with, or don’t understand. Kinky is the opposite of “normal,” whatever that is.

Many members of the leather/BDSM/fetish community self-identify as kinky individuals. They are the opposite of what they call “vanilla,” which to them means conventional, “usual” sex—not that there’s necessarily anything wrong with that. Sometimes even self-proclaimed kinky people are in the mood for vanilla sex.

At its most extreme, though, “vanilla” is fundamentalist: one man, one woman, missionary position, for the purpose of procreation. Anything outside that small, supposedly moral, scope is fair game for the disapproving “kinky” designation. (Of course, some of the fundamentalist types who berate these “unnatural” sexualities are speaking most loudly to themselves, trying first and foremost to convince themselves of the evil nature of these practices.)

In this context, there are people who classify all kinds of things as kinky: gay or lesbian sex, bisexuality, anything connected with transgender issues, polyamory, swinging, vibrators and other sex toys, and even sexually suggestive clothing. So if you’ve ever been associated with anything of these, someone thinks you’re kinky.

But there’s good, clean, morally approved “vanilla,” and then there’s reality. And the reality tent is a lot bigger than the fundamentalists like to admit.

When I am introduced to people as a leather columnist, I often wind up finding out a lot about them. Often they tell me, “Well, I’m not kinky, but . . .” and then they name their predilection: “I like to be spanked.” “I like to get tied up sometimes.” “I like to have my nipples played with.”

Who’s kinky? Almost everybody, in some way or other. But if everybody’s kinky, nobody’s kinky. The concept of “kink” loses its meaning when the normality of many and varied forms of human sexual expression is recognized and even celebrated.

One man, one woman and the missionary position is not the one true way. Other societies have organized things differently: ancient matriarchies; multiple wives (in the Bible throughout the Old Testament, in many Middle-Eastern societies today and historically among otherwise-conservative Mormons); the “walking marriages” of the Mosuo people in central China, a matrilineal society in which families of biological brothers and sisters raise the sisters’ children, often without knowing or caring who their father was.

So could we all just lighten up a bit? Could we cut each other some slack? If I don’t get off on something but you do, why should I deny you your right to the pursuit of happiness? Wouldn’t it be better if I respected your rights and preferences, and in return you respected mine? There’s an acronym for that, too: YKIOK/MKIOK (“Your Kink Is OK/My Kink Is OK”).

That is nothing less than the beginning of world peace. Maybe if we can agree on that, we can agree on some other things as well. And, to paraphrase what an IML contestant a few years ago proclaimed during his speech: “World peace has to come from somewhere. What better place than this community?”

Leaders of the GLBT community have been saying for a long time that discrimination based on affectional preference or gender expression makes no sense. And it doesn’t, any more than discrimination based on skin color, race or ethnicity. And discrimination on the basis of kink preference or disapproval also makes no more sense than, say, discrimination over ice cream preference:

“Well, I’ve often dreamed of trying the triple-mocha caramel, but I never actually would. What would people say if they found out? It’s just not respectable. (But, oh, I bet it’s delicious!)”

Or how about, “Watch out for that one—I hear he goes for tutti-frutti.”

Or maybe, “She’s so staid—she only ever eats vanilla.” To which she answers, “Yes, I prefer vanilla—but only REALLY GOOD vanilla!”

As I sit here at the completely homosexual end of the sexual-preference bell curve, I clearly see the artificial and limiting nature of our society’s current “vanilla” sexual paradigm. But what would a less enforced, less rigid, less vanilla world look like? Would kinksters lose that outlaw thrill? Would we be just like everyone else? Could we stand it?

No, we wouldn’t be like everyone else, because our preferences are not everyone’s. But we’d be like everyone else as far as human rights and human dignity were concerned. Wouldn’t that be a good change?

We crusade for sexual freedom as a fundamental human right for everyone. That means freedom to consensually enjoy any sexual flavor du jour. Yes, even the freedom to be monogamously vanilla—which some of us think is the ultimate kink.

All Together Now: “Thank You, Hilton, for Not Discriminating!”

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #316, July 6, 2007)

The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), and this columnist, want you to write a short note of support to the Palmer House Hilton, host hotel for the International Mr. Leather contest weekend. In your note, thank them for not discriminating against any guests or groups. According to NCSF, “The Palmer House Hilton has been a staunch supporter of the Fair Accommodations Act in working with alternative lifestyle groups, particularly IML.”

Please email your note of appreciation to:

• Stephen Bollenback, CEO, Hilton Hotels Corporation (stephen_bollenbach@hilton.com)

• Trina Owens, Hilton Hotels Corporation (trina_owens@hilton.com), and

• Peter Lynn, General Manager, Palmer House Hilton (peter_lynn@hilton.com).

Why is this necessary? Because an anti-gay group called Americans for Truth has posted an action alert calling for people to protest the “homosexual orgies” that take place at the “sadistic sexual perversion-fest known as International Mr. Leather.” You can view the Americans for Truth article about IML, complete with pictures, at <http://tinyurl.com/3atcsg>.

“Americans for Truth About Homosexuality” (AFTAH) was founded by Peter LaBarbera in 1996, but was dormant for many years. Previously LaBarbera was involved with other right-wing organizations including Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America. He recently resigned from his position with the Illinois Family Institute to work full-time at re-launching AFTAH (now listed in the organization’s web site masthead as simply “Americans for Truth”) as a group devoted solely to countering what LaBarbera calls “the homosexual activist agenda.” Obviously LaBarbera feels a lot of passion for this issue and sees it as worthy of his full devotion.

One of LaBarbera’s stated goals for the organization is to “send reporters to ‘gay’ events and publish first-hand information about the lifestyle and radical ‘gay’ activism that the media routinely ignore or cover up.” To that end, LaBarbera himself has attended IML repeatedly and has taken many photographs to catalog the goings-on at the event he describes as “one of the most purely evil perversion-fests ever invented by mankind.”

His organization’s web site recently published seventeen photos taken at the 2006 and 2007 IML Leather Markets. They were prefaced with “WARNING: ***NOT FOR CHILDREN***/Graphic photos below with offensive depictions of real-life homosexual depravities.” (Interestingly, however, the web page is not protected by NetNanny or any other service or technology to ensure that minors cannot see the images.)

The photos cover many bases: bondage, slavery, water sports, tattoos, rubber hoods, electrical play, paddles, jockstraps and kilts, bathhouses, and even fisting (well, actually it was just a photo of a St. Andrew’s cross, but he managed to work an explanation of fisting into the caption below it). Referring to the photos, LaBarbera breathlessly noted “there are others that we could not publish” (leaving one to wonder if the rest of that sentence is, “so we’ll just save them for our private collection”).

On another page of the website LaBarbera calls Chicago “Sodom-by-the-Lake” and says the city is having a “moral meltdown.” As an example, he discusses Chicago’s Leather Archives & Museum: “I visited this ‘museum’ last year and was stunned by its audacious chronicling of the most repulsive perversions, e.g. ‘fisting.’ The sheer horror and weirdness of the place makes it difficult to describe to a normal audience.” Americans for Truth is headquartered in Naperville, Ill., making it convenient for LaBarbera to get to both the Leather Archives & Museum and The Palmer House for research purposes.

LaBarbera encourages visitors to his organization’s web site to take contact Hilton Hotels CEO Stephen Bollenback and “politely express your dismay” that Hilton is associated with International Mr. Leather. “If you feel so led, tell them that you will certainly never stay at the Palmer House Hilton—who would knowing that disgusting homosexual orgies have gone on in their rooms?—and you also will not be staying at other Hilton hotels while this deviant association continues.”

LaBarbera’s second step: Contact Palmer House Hilton General Manager Peter Lynn to “ask him how they sterilize their rooms after the perverse IML orgies” and express outrage over The Palmer House’s hosting of IML. Step 3 is, in the future, to book hotel rooms through a website offering “porn-free” hotels “so you can rest easy knowing that you are not rewarding the pornography industry through your stay.”

There has been much speculation, in the blogosphere and elsewhere, about whether or not Mr. LaBarbera is himself a closeted gay man. But while such gossip may be tantalizing in the short run, ultimately the question of what motivates and drives anti-gay activists such as LaBarbera is a red herring and a distraction. The real issue is that voices like his are out there, and they must be countered strongly, eloquently and in great numbers. So let’s get those e-mails going, okay? Thanks!

Mr. Los Angeles Leather wins International Mr. Leather 2007

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #315, June 22, 2007)

In 1979, about 400 gay leathermen gathered in Chicago for the first International Mr. Leather (IML) contest. Last year, the IML weekend attracted an estimated 15,000 visitors to Chicago, and this year’s weekend was even bigger.

Now in its 29th year, IML has become more than a contest. It also is a family reunion, a tribal council, and a shopping trip to the Leather Mall. The many different activities packed into one weekend, and the number of people who show up for those activities, make IML a rich and intense experience.

Host hotel for the weekend was Chicago’s famous Palmer House Hilton. The Palmer House currently is undergoing an extensive and meticulous refurbishing, but the construction barriers didn’t seem to impinge too much on the weekend’s festivities. In prior years the carpeting in the Palmer House’s grand lobby has been covered with plastic sheeting as the area was turned into the world’s largest leather bar. This year the carpeting had been removed, revealing the very nice terrazzo underneath. But the lack of carpeting and other sound-deadening materials in the lobby mixed with the booming voices of thousands of leathermen resulted in a low roar echoing throughout the lobby the entire weekend.

Official contest events started with the IML Opening Ceremonies on Thursday evening, May 24, at which this year’s 52 contestants were introduced. Contestants this year came from Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy and the United States.

The weekend’s nine judges spent Friday and Saturday conducting private interviews with the contestants. The array of other Friday and Saturday activities was overwhelming. There were gatherings for leatherwomen, leatherboys, neo-pagans, kink-friendly mental-health professionals, and members of the Leather Archives & Museum. Receptions included International Bootblacks, Ms/Mr. World Leather, Chicago Hellfire Club, Chicago Dragons rugby team and a People of Color Leather Leadership Forum. Leather 12-step recovery meetings were held throughout the weekend.

Evening events included the San Francisco, Michigan, Kentucky, Onyx, and Jocks, Boots & Booty parties. A gathering for pups and handlers was advertised as B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bowl).

And there was shopping at the IML Leather Market, celebrating its 20th year. Over 100 leather and fetish vendors, clubs and organizations were spread over four ballrooms and exhibition halls on two floors of the hotel. One area of the Leather Market was devoted to the five bootblacks competing in the International Mr. Bootblack contest, this year celebrating its 15th anniversary.

By Saturday evening the judges had finished their contestant interviews and it was time for the official IML Physique Prejudging, affectionately known as “Pecs and Personality.” Each contestant was asked a question based on his contestant application and had the opportunity to demonstrate by his answer that he could be witty while wearing as little as possible. A grand time was had by all.

The high point of the weekend, the IML contest and show, took place Sunday afternoon at the legendary Chicago Theater, on State Street just a few blocks north of the hotel. All 52 contestants were introduced, and then “Mr. Marcus” Hernandez (leather columnist for the Bay Area Reporter in San Francisco) announced the top 20 finalists. Each of the finalists made a 90-second speech and participated in another round of physique and leather-image judging.

While the tallymasters figured out the winner, the audience was entertained by actor and comedian Hal Sparks, who played Michael on Showtime’s “Queer as Folk”—although at times it almost seemed that Sparks was being entertained by the audience. (Mention must also be made of the evening’s earlier entertainment: Veniamin, the Human Slinky, direct from “The Late Show with David Letterman.” I’m not sure what it had to do with leather, but it was breathtaking nonetheless.)

The new International Mr. Bootblack 2007 is sponsored by Great Lakes Leather Alliance. International Mr. Leather second runner-up is Bill Hoeppner, Mr. Ramrod 2006, from Florida; first runner-up is Rob Grant, Mr. Washington State Leather 2006; and the new International Mr. Leather 2007 is Mr. Los Angeles Leather 2007, Mikel Gerle.

IML will reach a milestone in 2008 as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Host hotel will again be The Palmer House, which by then will be completely refurbished. Get all the details on this year’s contest, and plans for next year’s, at IML’s official website: <www.imrl.com>.

PHOTO: IML 2007 winners (from left): First Runner-up Rob Grant, International Mr. Leather 2007 Mikel Gerle, and Second Runner-up Bill Hoeppner.

MN Leather Pride: Welcome to “The Hot Zone”

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #314, June 1, 2007)

GRAPHIC: “Hot Zone” art

June will be extra hot this year. The theme of Minnesota Leather Pride 2007 is “The Hot Zone,” and there’s a full schedule of events starting June 9 and leading up to the Twin Cities GLBT Pride Festival on June 23 and 24. This year’s Pride Parade will be a milestone: the tenth time the giant Rainbow and Leather Pride Flags have made their way up Hennepin Avenue.

This year’s collectible “Hot Zone” Leather Pride dog tag gets you discounts at some 2007 Minnesota Leather Pride events. Get yours for $5 (before June 23) at Cockpit Project, Gray’s Leather, Rainbow Road or Smitten Kitten (ask them about 2007 Minnesota Leather Pride discounts). Or buy your dog tag from members of the Minnesota Leather Pride committee at upcoming club meetings and munches and at all 2007 Minnesota Leather Pride events. (After June 23, dog tags will be available for $7 at the Minnesota Leather Pride booth in Loring Park during the Pride Festival.)

Organizational sponsors for this year’s Minnesota Leather Pride celebration are Athenor, Atons of Minneapolis, Erotic Deviance, Knights of Leather, Masters And slaves Together (MAsT)-Twin Cities, MinKY (Minnesota Kinky Youth), MN Bondage, Minnesota Storm Patrol, MPX (Minnesota Power Exchange), MSDB (Minnesota Stocks, Debentures & Bonds) and Wicked Vixen.

Information listed below is subject to change—updates will be posted at <www.MNLeatherPride.org>.

Saturday, June 9

• Kick off Leather Pride at the Minnesota Storm Patrol Beer Bust at The Minneapolis Eagle, 5-8 P.M. Free admission, $5 for beer/soda bust. All tips benefit Camp Heartland.

Friday, June 15

• Leather Roundtable Discussion: Fanning the Leather Fire. Leather Leadership Conference XI. The Mayhem Party. The MAUL Party. Three landmark events in one watershed weekend. What’s next? How do we build on the experience and take it to the next level? Come join the discussion at Pi Bar and Restaurant, 2532 25th Ave. S. in Minneapolis, 7-9 P.M. Free admission. Great food, spectacular desserts and full bar service will be available.

Saturday, June 16

• A full day of Minnesota Leather Pride events starts with the Leather Smorgasbord, an afternoon of workshops on fireplay, electrical play and the joys of wax. Patrick’s Cabaret, 3010 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis, 12:30-4:30 P.M. $10 admission (or $7 with your 2007 Minnesota Leather Pride dog tag).

• After the Smorgasbord, the monthly Atons Leather/Levi Dinner is located conveniently around the corner from Patrick’s Cabaret at the Town Talk Diner, 2707 E. Lake St., Minneapolis. Seating is at 5:15 P.M. Reservations strongly encouraged—reserve online at <http://www.atons.net> or call the Atons Hotline and leave a message.

• After dinner, head to the patio of The Minneapolis Eagle for the Dog and Pony Show (human division), where you can meet the human animals and their trainers. Come find out who wins Best of Show. 10 P.M.-midnight and beyond. Free admission.

Sunday, June 17

• Workshop: Household Hot Zones. Learn about the sensual and erotic uses of spices from the kitchen, deep-heating rubs from the medicine cabinet and even, or especially, raw ginger from the vegetable crisper. Patrick’s Cabaret, 2-5 P.M. $7 admission (or $5 with your 2007 Minnesota Leather Pride dog tag).

Monday, June 18

• Kinky Poetry Reading. A retrospective of the best of five years of the Minnesota Kinky Poetry Anthology. Smitten Kitten, 3010 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis. 7-9 P.M. Free admission, but space is limited and only those on the guest list will be admitted. RSVP by calling.

Thursday, June 21

• Leather/Fetish Smokeout. A smokin’ cigar/pipe social on the patio of The Minneapolis Eagle, 9 P.M.-midnight. Free admission. Smoke ’em if ya got ’em.

Friday, June 22

• Floggapalooza. It’s back, and better than ever. Bolt Underground, 8-10 P.M. Free admission. Then stick around as the Eagle presents live music by “Mythology” 11 P.M.-close.

Saturday, June 23

• GLBT Pride Festival in Loring Park. Visit, or hang out at, the Leather Pride booth (the one with the giant cage). 10 A.M.-6 P.M. Free admission. Buy your dog tag at the booth if you don’t have one yet ($7).

Sunday, June 24

• Pride Parade. Help carry the giant Leather Pride flag on its tenth appearance in the parade! Meet at 2nd St. and Hennepin Ave. at 10 A.M.—parade steps off at 11 A.M. Then spend the day in Loring Park, and be sure to drop by the Leather Pride booth. Free admission.

Also during Pride Weekend, The Minneapolis Eagle will be presenting Scorch Fireball VIII. Saturday night is Bear Night 7-10 P.M., and Chi-Chi LaRue will be appearing with porn stars Tyler Riggs and Tommy Blade, 10 P.M.-close. Sunday evening there’s live music by Boogie Wonderland 6-8 P.M.

And after Pride . . .

• June 29-July 1: North Star Gay Rodeo at Dead Broke Arena in Hugo, Minn. <www.nsgra.org>.

• July 20-22: Atons Campout, a laid-back weekend in the woods. <www.atons.net>