Leatherati

The Buck Angel Effect

On Saturday January 28, 2012, from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM, the Stockroom University presents The Buck Angel Effect Empowerment by Buck Angel  Buck Angel shares his moving personal life story and the process of his gender transition from female to male, while challenging the audience’s notion of what makes someone a man or a woman. He describes how he changed from a desperately unhappy and uncomfortable individual, to a person who is proud of his body and sexually comfortable with his genitals (which have not been surgically altered). Buck has lead the way for transmen to have self-acceptance without surgery. In fact, his message of self-acceptance goes beyond gender and genitals: it is a universal concept of knowing, becoming, and loving yourself. 

The cost for the event is $20 and takes place at Stockroom University, located next to the Stockroom/Syren retail store at 2809½ W. Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA 90026

About the Facilitator: As an icon of popular culture, Buck Angel's message of empowerment through self-acceptance and being sexually comfortable in your own skin has struck a passionate chord with folks all over the world. As he demonstrated in his appearances at YALE University and IdeaCity 2010, Buck is not only inspiring people to think outside the box, he is re-defining gender and educating an entire generation on the fluidity of sexuality and identity politics. Since Buck coined the phrase " it's not what's between your legs that defines you!", the term has become an anthem for men and women everywhere who have been inspired by this message of self acceptance.

More info at stockroom.com

Gender Free Passports

I almost missed this one from the Los Angeles Times...

The Australian Passport Office this month rolled out a new passport option for transgender travelers in transition or  those who don't identify with either gender: the "X" passport. The passport adds X, or indeterminate, to "male" or "female" choices. Now Britain also may be mulling the idea of gender-free passports, the Associated Press reports.

The Australian Passport Office's website says the move aims to "remove discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or sex and gender identity."

But the Canberra Times credits the change to an appeal won by a transgender woman who was denied a passport as a female because her birth certificate said she was male. Previously the office required proof of a sex-change operation to change passport gender. Now only a letter from a doctor that documents treatment for gender change is required.

The U.S. State Department last year also eased its rules on passports for transgender travelers, dropping a requirement that transgender people have proof of surgery to obtain a passport in their desired gender. Now only a doctor's letter is required that "validates whether your gender transition is in process or complete." 

 

Kink at the Movies

by Mike Skiff - Third Rail Media

Summer’s here and the time is right for…relaxing in a cool, dark theater with friends and strangers while watching movies at a queer film festival - OR, in a steamy, dark playspace with friends and strangers.  Your choice.

This 2011 film festival season has a number of films and party events that kinksters can check out.

San Francisco’s Frameline celebrated it’s 35^th season in June, hosting a special program of shorts called, Please May I Have Another?  One was director Richard Kimmel’s Black Rose Tango, a visually stunning work of cinematic poetry, about a pathos-fueled dance between a gender-bending cabaret performer and her/his swarthy partner, set against the backdrop of New York’s annual Black Party.  Frameline also screened Jeffery McHale’s short documentary Crowned & Bound which gives audiences a front-row seat - and backstage pass – to the 2010 International Mr. Leather contest, and features interviews with IML winner Jason Hendrix and “den daddy” Joey McDonald.

“We've received lots of positive feedback from our audience members, filmmakers and Leather Community members about having a Kink shorts program at Frameline35,” said Desiree Buford of Frameline.  “It was wonderful to see a fantastic turn-out for the screening with lots of visible Leather folks and perhaps a few not-so-vanilla cardigan queers in the audience.”

Several major queer film festivals happen in July, including Outfest in Los Angeles (July 7-17) and Philadelphia QFest (July 7-18).

Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR/boy/Community Bootlack and Leather Woman

C.L.A.P.

The Chesapeake Leather Awareness Pride (C.L.A.P.) Weekend 2011 happens March 25th-27th, 2011.

The Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR / Leatherboy / Community Bootblack and Leather Woman 2010 Contests' weekend will take place Friday, March 25th through Sunday March 27th, 2011.

The afternoon contest and show which will take place at 1pm on Saturday, March 27th at The Club Hippo, 1 West Eager Street.  Admission is $20.00 per person.

The LeatherSir / Leatherboy / Leather Woman Contestants will vie for the Regional Titles, competing on stage in Formal Leather Image, Leathersex Fantasy scene, and Physique/Jockstrap/Hotwear segments. This year's contest theme is "Military" and Contestants must incorporate this theme into their Fantasy scene.

The Bootblack Contestants will be judged on Bootblack Leather Image, on stage Speech, Interview and Skill.

As always, there will be events all weekend long, sponsored by Leather / Levi Clubs from around the Mid-Atlantic Region, so there will definitely be more events and information to follow!  Stay tuned!! 

Tyler McCormick, International Mr. Leather 2010

Interview conducted by Steve Lenius, Leather Life columnist, Lavender Magazine

Tyler McCormick competed in the 2010 International Mr. Leather (IML) contest as Mr. Rio Grande Leather. When he won, he made history three ways: first transgender IML, first IML to use a wheelchair, and first IML from New Mexico.

You are a transman. Do you also consider yourself gay? The trans thing is sort of thrown in there, but if I have an identity it's as a gay man.

So you are both a G and a T in the GLBT equation. At one time I thought I was a lesbian. It was short-lived. I took a year out in the middle of college because I was not understanding whether I was a boy or a girl, and I was trying to figure out who to be. I contemplated it for a year and finally decided I'm really a guy. By the end of college I was on hormones and had had some surgery, and I was good.

When did leather and kink enter the picture? At 12 and 13 I remember fantasizing about things that were non-vanilla. And even younger than that I remember watching cartoons going, woo-hoo, the cowboy's tying up the Indian. I entered into my first contract when I was 19.

What is your disability? I have cerebral palsy. There's a disconnect between my brain and muscles, primarily in my legs. The muscles in my legs don't know when to turn themselves off, so they like to just stay on all the time, fighting with each other.

And is “disability” the word you prefer? As long as you’re not intending malice, I don’t really care what words you end up using. I personally choose the words “gimp” and “cripple.” I find that if I use those words with people, they get over it a lot faster. 

Leather Shorts

"His"tory was made in Pittsburgh

On November 6th at Cattivo several firsts for the Pittsburgh leather-fetish community were achieved. On the men's side the first African-American man, Doug "D" was the winner followed by first runner-up, Ron Koski and second runner-up, Brandon Mikal. In the Womens' contest the first transgendered Woman, Jessi Strucaly won the title. Sonja "Sugarbear" Kazan finished first-runner up. Doug "D" will compete in January at Mid-Atlantic Leather in Washington DC and Jessi will compete at IMsL.

The Master of Ceremonies was former Mr. Pittsburgh Eagle & President of Three Rivers Leather Club, David Dean followed by judges; Steve Kenney, President of Centaur MC, Matt Pavelich, 2008 Mr. Leather Toronto, Paula Smith, 2005 American Leatherwoman, Chris Gionta, Mr. Pittsburgh Leatherman 2001, Ed Mc Donough, Mr. Pittsburgh Eagle 2010 and Todd White, Mr. Gay USA 2005.

 

Southland Honors 2011

The Los Angeles Leather Coalition announced this week that Southland Honors nominations for 2011 are now open.  Nominations can be submitted at www.thesouthlandhonors.com

Southland Honors awards are presented to leather-identified businesses and community members in the Southern California region. 

Awardees for 2010 included:

• Jeff Burnam Community Service Award - Jeff Hyde
• TNG Award – (under 35) - Ernesto Provencio
• Club/Organization of the Year - PSLOD (Palm Springs Leather Order of the Desert)
• Business of the Year - Rough Trade
• Fundraiser of the Year - Garry Bowie (Long Beach AIDS Foundation)
• Event of the Year - DESIRE (Olga and Blu)
• Mentor of the Year - Mike Gerle
• Person of the Year - Will Hildreth
• Chairman's Award - Jeff Wacha

Southland Honors for 2011 will take place during the Los Angeles Leather weekend in March 2011  The awards will be presented at the Henry David Hwang Theatre, Friday March 25th in Little Tokyo at 120 Judge John Aiso Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

More information at www.mrlaleather.com

 

Leatherati Poll - Impact of a Transgender IML

Alex Lindsay, American Leatherman 2009

There has been a lot of discussion of late regarding the impact that the selection of Tyler McCormick, who is transgendered, as IML will have on the leather community.  The specific question we asked was: How will the selection of a disabled and transgendered man impact IML and the leather community? There have been articles and emails, conversations, and arguments.  We also expected that there would be a certain degree of ambivalence in this poll, and that was clearly the case.

The second and third most popular choices - statistically tied at (26.1% and 26.5%) are the perfect evidence of this bipolarity. On the one hand we have a quarter or respondents indicating that IML is now representative of the entire community, and on the other an equal number who state that IML no longer represents them.

In my opinion, this is a reflection of a philosophical rift that has been growing in intensity within the leather community—whether we should be working toward greater inclusiveness, or if we need to protect our individual identities. This is not to state that one or the other is the right direction for the community, simply that they appear to be beliefs held by comparably sized groups.  This is an area in which there is already ongoing discussion in various quarters.  I believe that we are seeing this reflected as well in events that are being produced - a quick look through the Facebook event calendar for the community will show a large number of events with a very broad target audience, not particularly geared toward men or women as an example.  It will also show a growing number of events with a very narrow target.  The number of events geared toward specific fetishes is increasing, and these are often targeted toward men only.  We are simultaneously becoming a melting pot and a federation of homogeneous focused interest groups.

Interview with Tyler McCormick, IML 2010

We caught up with the new International Mr Leather Tyler McCormick shortly after his win at IML.  During our two part interview we talked about his journey into leather, his history-making title win and the ensuing controversy

 

An IML DIssenter

Editor's note: We debated long and hard over publishing this submission and in the end we decided that censorship would be a dIsservice to our community, which is comprised of individuals from across the ideological spectrum.  We welcome all comments and submissions but reserve the right to edit or not publish items with extreme profanity or hate language.
 

By Stephen Lane, Ox Balls

What new doors have been opened by having a transexual win IML? None. How many trannies dream of winning a contest for and about leathermen? I guess the same right i have to win a trannie or lesbian contest? 

If i even thought i had a shot at winning such a contest, (I am, btw a 46 year old 6'2" hairy beast, always in leather), would i be allowed to enter? Would it be right for me to enter and take this honor from a deserving trannie or lesbian? 

No. Nor would i choose to enter because i know what i am, and i know the damage it would do if i did. 

Interview with author Steve Lenius

Life, Leather and the Pursuit of Happiness is the title of a new book just out from longtime Lavender Magazine columnist Steve Lenius.  

We caught up with Steve in Chicago at IML and had a chance to talk about the book, leather life in general and what we can expect now that a disabled transman is our new International Mr Leather.

Check it out