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>

“Why Not Be Into Leather?” Leather Life Interviews Dan Beach, Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2007

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #313, May 25, 2007)

PHOTO: Dan Beach

As Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2007, Dan Beach will be representing The Minneapolis Eagle and Minnesota’s leather community in this year’s International Mr. Leather (IML) Contest in Chicago May 24-28 (<www.imrl.com>). I interviewed him recently in the living room of his townhouse, while his dog Turner kept watch.

Why are you into leather?

Part of me wants to say, well, why not be into leather? It’s the image, it’s the look. Obviously there’s a certain feel, certain smell, certain look. But there’s the fellowship of people who are into leather, too, and that’s a very attractive part of it. People tend, I think, to perhaps respect others a little bit more.

How long have you been into leather, and how did you get into it?

I discovered leather in college. The way it happened, actually, was the Internet. The Internet was pretty young at that point, and the web hadn’t even been born yet. But just looking at different postings, the discussions, photographs—when I saw men in leather, it was like, yep, that’s what attracted me right away.

Why did you enter the Mr. Minneapolis Eagle contest?

I’d had friends who did it before, and I saw how much fun they had. And I thought it would be fun, and it was. But more importantly, I wanted to increase my involvement in the leather community, both locally and nationally/internationally. I saw entering the contest as a way of getting that experience—you know, jumping into the pool deep end first.

How far in advance of the contest did you decide to enter?

I decided in December, or perhaps even earlier. I’d been thinking about it for quite some time.

How did you prepare?

I did a lot of reading on people in the community, the various groups, some leather history. I’ve also been hitting the gym more often.

In your reading, was there anyone who really stood out and impressed you?

One person who impressed me, based on his writing and what other people have written about him, was John Pendal, IML 2003. I read some of Larry Townsend’s materials, as well, which I thought were really well written.

What further preparation are you doing for IML now?

I’m familiarizing myself more with politics, actually. There are a lot of political activists on the IML judging panel this year. I’m working on knowing current stances in politics, being aware of my own opinions on various issues, and being able to articulate them. Again, still hitting the gym. And then trying to stay calm and not to be nervous.

What political issues are you passionate about? What causes do you see as really important for leather right now?

There are a lot of issues. One of the issues, not necessarily political but one that I see as very important, is renewing people’s understanding and concern about AIDS and HIV—along with decriminalizing BDSM activities when they’re done consensually. Those are not necessarily political hot buttons, but those are two issues that I’m passionate about. And I’m following the whole gay marriage/civil union track, as well as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

What do you want to do with the Mr. Minneapolis Eagle title?

I’d like to help raise awareness on various issues. I had that same question from someone else, like what events would I organize, or things like that. But Minnesota has a lot of events—groups are holding events all the time—and I don’t feel that I have to try and compete with them. What I would rather do is work with the groups that already exist, with the events, and use my title to bring more people to those events.

If you win IML, what do you want to do with that title?

Again, much the same as what I want to do here locally, I’d want to do on more of an international or national level. Working with groups that already exist, whether it’s the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, or the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, or other leather groups and organizations.

What can you do to affect the issues you’ve talked about?

At this point I see myself working more on a personal level with people. I’ve been talking with friends, essentially getting the word out, trying to educate people whenever I can, whether that’s in the bar, in a car pool, at work, or at the gym—strike up a conversation and you can usually work one of those topics in somehow. Besides that I’ve been volunteering with different organizations like the Aliveness Project and Minnesota AIDS Project.

What are you into—what flags do you wear?

The two that I would say I wear most often are a white and black check, for safe sex, and gray for bondage.

And which pockets would you wear them in?

I could wear them in either.

What don’t most people know about you?

Hmm. That’s a hard one. Because generally I’m a very open book to most people.

Twittering About Leather Leadership Conference XI

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #312, May 11, 2007)

Leatherfolk tend also to be high-tech folk, so the recent Leather Leadership Conference (LLC) in Minneapolis inspired a number of Internet blog entries. At least one conference attendee was posting micro-blog entries using Twitter, a web-based service that asks users “What are you doing?” and allows them to post short responses of up to 140 characters. These responses are called “tweets.”

If I were technologically sophisticated enough to have been posting tweets during the conference, they would have gone something like this:

4/19 (Thursday), 5:00 PM After almost three years of planning, the conference is finally happening. Registration is open. The adventure begins.

6:58 PM Arrive at Loring Park Pavilion, site of welcome reception for early arrivals. (Over half of registrants are arriving early.)

7:32 PM Desserts (from Wuollet’s) ready to serve, coffee brewing, guests arriving. Beautiful evening weather.

8:17 PM Minneapolis city council member Gary Schiff makes the perfect welcome speech to the crowd.

9:03 PM People are asking us to post the recipe for the punch we’re serving. (Secret ingredient: orange sherbet.)

9:37 PM Back to Hyatt (host hotel). Not many leftover desserts to carry.

4/20 (Friday), 1:30 PM Three extra-length preconference sessions this afternoon. I attend one for titleholders and those aspiring to hold a title.

3:30 PM Chicago Leather Kennel Club, titleholder mentoring organization, stages mock contest as teaching tool. Brilliant!

6:34 PM Crowd starts to gather for opening ceremonies/Cabaret. Appetizer buffet is gorgeous.

7:30 PM I kick off opening ceremonies by introducing Patrick Scully as evening’s Master of Ceremonies.

7:48 PM Patrick is the perfect Cabaret host. He tells entertaining and inspiring stories illuminating the conference theme, “The Art of Sharing Power.”

7:55 PM Robert Dante does a bullwhip number. Mesmerizing. He makes it look so easy.

8:10 PM Several burlesque numbers by Sweet Lilly Bee (goth) and Felix Sweatburger, the battery-operated boy (geek). Hilarious!

8:48 PM Heidi Arneson: “I’m a b-a-a-a-d girl!” A coming-of-age story from New Brighton. Sweet, touching and funny.

9:05 PM Dante and more bullwhips, this time under black light. Hypnotic.

9:10 PM Comedian Matthew Gilman tries out new material for a more sexually sophisticated audience. Goes over well.

9:20 PM Opening keynote with photographer and “reluctant activist” Barbara Nitke. Shows slides of her work. Hits all the right notes. Will make a fabulous podcast.

9:55 PM Nitke: “I hope many of you here tonight will conceive your own projects that will help us to advance equal rights for consenting adults who practice forms of alternative sexual expression.”

4/21 (Saturday), 8:38 AM Breakfast speaker Laura Antoniou divides leather community into “ho’s, schmoes and pros.” Phrase will echo throughout weekend. Insightful.

8:53 AM Antoniou: “Sooner or later your organization, your group, your dream is gonna need a pro. Get used to it, it’s part of the growing pains. It’s coming.”

9:33 AM Session 1 choices include Working with the Media, When Consent Doesn’t Count, Research on Kinky Sexuality, and Creating Equitable Educational Events.

11:20 AM Working in the art gallery I miss sessions on Leadership vs. Management, Diversity, Leather Youth Leadership and Submissives in Leadership.

12:47 PM Lunch. John Pendal tells our table about the Spanner Trust in the UK. Frightening what government can do to folks it doesn’t agree with.

1:39 PM Everyone crowds into the Art gallery/poster session room. It’s mobbed. That’s a good thing.

2:34 PM Session 3 includes Accessing Our Alt-Sex Past, Gender-Safe Kinky Organizations, and Putting Sex Back Into Leather.

2:36 PM I stay in art gallery and talk with Nagrom Monceaux, artist and leatherman.

4:02 PM Still talking with Monceaux. Video of his “Crack Baby” performance art piece moves me to tears.

4:46 PM I sample sessions on Mentoring, Fundraising, Leather Politics and Leather History. All great quality, all passionately presented.

6:30 PM Happy hour at hotel hosted by National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) and Woodhull Freedom Foundation (WFF). Good conversation.

4/22 (Sunday), 7:55 AM Up early to meet with great group of folks from San Francisco, host city for next year’s LLC. Mentoring in action.

9:02 AM Session on podcasts and new media presented by Graydancer and Minx. Minx is posting tweets from LLC. Idea for my LLC column? Yes!

10:15 AM Good session. Hear it at <http://polyweekly.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=207400>. More podcasts of keynotes and sessions to come at <llc.podshow.com>.

10:20 AM Other sessions this morning: Managing Organizational Growth, Understanding Sexual Freedom, Support Young Adults, and seminar budgeting for leather events.

11:33 AM We’ve had brunch, now time for John Pendal’s closing keynote. Brilliant and funny. Love his sly British humor. Good motivational send-off.

12:18 PM Pendal: “Do you care more about seeing things done your way, or do you care more about the future of the organization?”

12:49 PM Caucus discussions on next actions. I attend roundtable on Decriminalizing BDSM.

1:55 PM Roundtable impressive. Not just talk, either. Action steps compiled, committees formed, responsibilities delegated. You’ll be hearing more about this.

2:10 PM It’s over! To paraphrase Sally Field: “They liked it! They really liked it!”

2:12 PM You’re invited to share the knowledge by reading transcripts at <www.leatherleadership.org> and listening to podcasts at <llc.podshow.com>.

No More Toxic Toys

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #311, April 27, 2007)

The Coalition Against Toxic Toys (CATT) wants you to know that toys can be hazardous to your health.

And they aren’t talking about the kind of toy that comes in a Happy Meal.

Based in Minneapolis, CATT is a nonprofit consumer advocacy and education organization dedicated to ending the manufacture, distribution and retail sale of toxic sex toys. The coalition is allied with Smitten Kitten, a retailer of sex-related goods that prides itself on not selling toys that are toxic to people or to the environment.

Far from being the small, fringe industry of yesteryear, adult sex toys today are a $500,000 industry in the United States alone. The biggest market for them are middle-class couples, 35 and older, in a committed relationship.

But this huge market is for the most part unregulated. Medical devices, teething rings for baby, even your dog’s chew toy are regulated by the US Consumer Products Safety Commission. These products can be made only from materials that are certified as safe and pose no health threats.

But dildos, vibrators, cock rings and other adult sexual paraphernalia receive almost no regulation or oversight at all. No government agency is responsible for ensuring that the toys in the drawer of your bedside table are safe and don’t contain hazardous materials. Adult toys avoid regulation by being labeled “for novelty use only.” (Translation: these are gag gifts to be giggled at, not to be put to any actual use. You want to do what with it? Oh, we won’t take any responsibility if you do that.)

What kind of hazards are we talking about? Independent testing has revealed that many toys contain a variety of toxic compounds including cadmium, lead and toluene. On a personal level, some toys (and some lubes as well) contain ingredients that can irritate sensitive tissue. Some plastics leak hazardous compounds. Toys made of porous materials can never be adequately cleaned or sterilized. And then there’s the more global issue of environmental consequences from the manufacture of certain materials.

One of the plastics often used for adult toys is PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a material that is cheap and easy to work with but that has long been decried as unfriendly to the environment during both manufacture and disposal.

PVC used in sex toys is often laced (or loaded) with phthalates, which can create an invitingly soft and flesh-like surface. Some toys are flesh-colored, while “jelly” toys are often brightly colored and stretchy.

The PVC/phthalate combination is not chemically stable, which means the phthalates leach out of the plastic over time. When that happens the toys change color, texture and smell. Some users of these products have reported irritation after using them.

But even if no contact irritation occurs, there might be more serious problems down the road. Phthalate exposure studies in mice and rats have linked the chemicals to reproductive organ damage, liver damage and liver cancer. Four studies have linked high phthalate exposure to a variety of human health problems. However, most of the research on humans and phthalates has involved skin or oral exposure to the chemicals. Very little, if any, research has been done concerning phthalate exposure through sensitive human genital or rectal tissues.

Based on the research that has been done, the United States, Japan, Canada and the European Union restrict the use of certain phthalates in children’s toys. But no such restrictions exist for adult toys. In this instance, at least, our sex-negative government is staying out of our bedrooms—with unhealthy and hazardous results. Right now users of adult toys are, in effect, the government’s guinea pigs. If problems develop and a negative public-health trend emerges, maybe then the government will take action—as it finally did with asbestos and PCBs, substances once thought safe.

In addition to containing toxic chemicals, the plastic used for cheap toys is porous and can never be adequately cleaned or sanitized. Because the pores in the plastic can harbor bacteria, viruses and fungi, toys made with porous plastic can spread disease if shared.

The good news is that you can buy toys that are safe. Toys made out of materials like high-quality glass, medical-grade silicone, high-quality stainless steel, hard acrylic plastics and polished non-porous stone will last almost indefinitely and can be cleaned and sterilized. The bad news is that good toys will probably cost more than cheap, inferior toys.

Not all plastic toys are toxic (although they still may be porous, and thus impossible to clean). Responding to market pressures, many toys are now being marketed as phthalate-free. But remember, this is for all intents and purposes an unregulated industry, and no watchdog is making sure that the claims on product packages are truthful. So don’t blindly trust packaging claims.

When shopping for toys, CATT recommends using the “smell test”: If an item smells perfumey, or like a new shower curtain, it’s giving off chemicals. (Medical-grade silicone, glass, stainless steel, and stone have no odor because they are not emitting chemicals.) A toy should also be considered suspect if it looks shiny or feels greasy.

You can find much more about this subject at CATT’s website, <www.badvibes.org>.

Leather Lens: Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2007

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #310, April 13, 2007)

Dan Beach captured the Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2007 title and sash Saturday evening, March 30. First runner-up was Rick Burgess, second runner-up was Eric Jensen, and third runner-up was Mark G. The contest was held in The Bolt Bar, next door to the Eagle, and the place was packed.

The evening’s contestants were introduced during the traditional Keg Walk, in which each contestant grabbed a beer keg on stage and paraded it through the crowd. Contestants also did an onstage Q&A session and performed some original and scintillating erotic readings. (The private interview portion of the contest had taken place earlier Saturday evening.)

Longtime friend of The Minneapolis Eagle and Bolt Brian Anderson was back for another entertaining year as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies. Judges were Mark Beckler, Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2006; Gregg White, Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2003; Sam Carlisle, representing The Atons of Minneapolis; and your humble columnist.

Beach will represent The Minneapolis Eagle and contest co-sponsor 1-800-GAY-LIVE in the 2007 International Mr. Leather contest (<www.imrl.com>), Memorial Day weekend in Chicago.

During the Keg Walk: Eric Jensen, Dan Beach, Rick Burgess.

At the microphone: Eric Jensen.

At the microphone: Dan Beach.

At the microphone: Rick Burgess.

At the microphone: Mark G.

Mr. Minneapolis Eagles 2007 Dan Beach and 2006 Mark Beckler.

Mr. Minneapolis Eagle 2007 Dan Beach.

Leather Leaders to Gather in Minneapolis

(Article published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #310, April 13, 2007)

A Sneak Peek at Leather Leadership Conference XI

PHOTOS: Barbara Nitke (photo credit: Mike Ralph), John Pendal (photo credit: Steve Lenius)

Minneapolis hosts more than 250 conventions and meetings each year. But the city has never hosted a Leather Leadership Conference. Until now.

After three years of working, planning and dreaming, Minneapolis will host the eleventh annual Leather Leadership Conference (LLC XI) April 20-22. Over 200 members of the leather/BDSM/fetish community are already registered for the conference, being held at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. They will be coming to Minnesota from across the United States, Canada and even the UK.

The theme of LLC XI is “The Art of Sharing Power . . . a work in progress.” The theme is appropriate, according to LLC spokesperson Stephanie Lynn, because “it acknowledges the cultural foundations of Minnesota’s leather community and its reliance on shared power. We’re a diverse collection of people, clubs and organizations that, rather than competing—or even fighting—with one another, are able to share power and support each other.” The theme also has allowed organizers to tap into the Minneapolis/St. Paul area’s artistic and cultural resources and use them to convey, in a new and novel way, the traditional content of a Leather Leadership Conference.

The plans and arrangements for the conference have now been finalized, and Minnesota is ready to host the leaders and soon-to-be-leaders of the leather/BDSM/fetish world. Here’s a day-by-day rundown of what will be happening at LLC XI:

Even though LLC XI doesn’t officially start until Friday evening (April 20), a Starving Artist dessert/coffee reception on Thursday evening (April 19) will welcome more than 100 conference attendees who have arrived early.

Why so many early arrivals? Because on Friday afternoon, three afternoon-long Pre-conference Institute seminars will be offered. “Event Management” will be discussed by Master Z of Chicago, the man responsible for Chicago’s Kinky Kollege and Sinsations in Leather events. “So you want to be a titleholder!” will be presented by members of the Chicago Leather Kennel Club, an organization dedicated to grooming contestants for leather title competition and supporting them as they hold their title. The third Pre-conference Institute seminar is actually a combination presentation for leather businesses and artists: Master Fred explains “The Draw of Vending,” and noted fetish diva Midori will present “Painted Into A Corner: Freaks Make Art.”

The conference officially starts Friday evening with opening ceremonies incorporated into a Cabaret. Master of ceremonies for the evening will be Patrick Scully, the original creative spirit and driving force behind Patrick’s Cabaret. Featured entertainers will be whipmaster Robert Dante, comedian Matthew Gilman, and performance artist Heidi Arneson.

Also part of the Cabaret will be the opening keynote speech by Barbara Nitke, a noted New York artist, photographer and activist. Nitke was a joint plaintiff with the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom in a landmark court case (Nitke et. al. v. Ashcroft, later Nitke v. Gonzales)challenging the Communications Decency Act, a law limiting freedom of speech on the internet.

Saturday morning (April 21) starts with a breakfast featuring speaker Laura Antoniou, noted author of the “Marketplace” series of erotic novels and editor of the “Leatherwomen” anthologies. Then comes a full day of workshop sessions and panel discussions covering topics such as “When Consent Doesn’t Count,” “Research on Kinky Sexuality,” “You Say Dungeon, I Say Play Space” and “Putting Sex Back Into Leather.” A total of thirty sessions, arranged in six topic areas, will be presented, with conference participants being able to attend up to five different presentations.

A special LLC XI art gallery at the host hotel will be open during conference hours, with a “meet the artists” reception in the gallery after lunch on Saturday. Artists whose work will be on display include Barbara Nitke, Midori and Morgan Monceaux (profiled in last issue’s “Leather Life” column). Also in the gallery will be a show of film clips from the CineKink film festival, courtesy of Lisa Vandever, organizer of CineKink.

No official conference activities are scheduled for Saturday evening, but conference attendees will have many non-conference social activities from which to choose. Among them will be a reading presented by Laura Antoniou at 7 p.m. at Dreamhaven Books.

On Sunday morning (April 22), another round of workshop sessions will be followed by brunch and closing ceremonies. Included in the brunch will be the closing keynote speech by John Pendal, International Mr. Leather 2003. Pendal is a trustee of the UK’s Spanner Trust, an organization lobbying to change a UK law making consensual SM illegal.

After Sunday’s brunch, the conference will conclude with a caucus session. Participants can attend one of six concurrent topic-driven discussions about what they’ve learned at LLC XI and what next steps they can take.

Admission packages to LLC XI, either for the full three-day conference or for single days, are still available. For details visit <www.leatherleadership.org/llc11>.

(Editor’s Note: Lavender Magazine is a Media Sponsor of LLC XI.)