The leather community is all about traditions. Even in my personal life, I have many traditions that I look forward to each year. I moved to Baltimore in 1984 and never miss the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. I always go downtown to celebrate on Oriole’s Opening Day. Even if I don’t have a ticket for the game, I love the festive block parties, live bands, and crowded bars. If it is MLK weekend in DC, it is time for the huge Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend (MAL), Memorial Day weekend means the International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago and the […]
A King Without A Kingdom
On February 28th I was on vacation in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It was a beautiful Friday evening and the bars in Wilton Manors, the popular gayborhood, were hopping. I had enjoyed happy hour at Hunter’s and was having dinner at the Garden Café across the street next to the Eagle Wilton Manors, when I saw Mr. DC Eagle 2020 Justin Sawyers walk by the window. I had been to the Mr. and Ms. DC Eagle 2020 Contest in November and had seen Justin at other events since then. After dinner, I was happy to greet him and several other leather […]
Is It Over?
As I’m sure you have heard by now, the big Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend produced by the Centaur MC and scheduled for January 2021 in Washington, DC has been canceled. MAL joins an endless line of leather events that have been canceled in the last seven months due to the coronavirus outbreak. Add to that the closing of such long-running an iconic leather establishments as the DC Eagle ( after 49 years) and Sigma DC ( “ DC’s only all male BDSM play space for over 25 years”) and it is starting to look like 2020 is the end of the […]
Fearless and Fabulous!
Anyone who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community has been bullied at some time in their lives. It usually happens in grade school. We like to think that as we grow older, we become more mature. The last few years have shown that bullies do not have to be school children. They can even hold the highest office in the land. I have been friends with Savage-Onyx for several years now. His smile can brighten up any room and his playful energetic spirt can quickly cheer up anyone who meets him. He does not fit the stereotype of the […]
Sir Eli’s Second Act
Over the years, I’ve interviewed many leather titleholders. Usually we sit down shortly after they have been sashed and I write about their life up to that point. I’ve haven’t done a follow-up interview after the titleholder has stepped down. I’ve never liked the term “wasey.” It usually means a has-been, someone who used to be someone important, but isn’t anymore. I’ve known a few leather titleholders who are a wasey. One even sold his leather after he stepped down. I once overheard a leather titleholder at IML remark, “I can’t wait until my year is over and I can […]
Where Are We Now?
A few months ago, when everything started to close and leather events were being canceled or postponed for months, I titled my column: “Where Do We Go from Here?” It is now early September and we are still waiting for the coronavirus to “magically disappear.” Major events that were postponed are now having to rethink their decision. Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend (CLAW) traditionally held in April was rescheduled for November. CLAW now will not happen in November and will be held April 20th – 25th, 2021. The Westin and Hampton hotels are offering full refunds and event package holders may […]
My Date with Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather
I always enjoying interviewing leather titleholders. We meet for lunch, dinner, or over drinks at a bar. A few have even come over to my home to be interviewed. Who wouldn’t thill at the opportunity to spend time with a charming and prominent member of the leather community? In late January, Mr. Pittsburgh Leather Fetish 2020 David Spivey was sashed Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather 2020 during the spectacular Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington. Having judged MAL the previous year, Sir Steve took a break from wintering in Florida and flew up to attend. We had […]
Meet MX Virginia Leather 2019 / 2020
Mid-Atlantic Leather Woman Bootblack 2018 Bumper met lots of people while attending leather events in 2018. Many wanted to run for a leather title but only found Mr. titles and Ms. titles. What does one do if you are non-binary genderqueer? Bumper saw a problem with inclusivity in the leather community and in 2019 along with Ma’am Karen produced the first ever MX Virginia Leather Contest. It is not easy being a leather titleholder. It is harder being the first one to hold a new leather title. It is even more difficult if that title is a new type […]
Meet the President of the Centaur MC
Two leather club presidents walk into a bar … No, this isn’t the start of one of my comedy routines, this is what happened on Saturday, July 11th when I had the pleasure to sit down with the president of the Centaur MC Todd White at the Baltimore Eagle. As the president of the ShipMates, I was looking for 2020 to be another big year for our club. For Todd, this year marked the 50th anniversary of the Centaur MC, which planned to follow the incredible success of the club’s Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend (MAL) in January with a big anniversary […]
Looking for the Light
The last few months have not been easy for anyone. Humans are social by nature. For me, living a virtual life on my phone or computer just doesn’t bring me joy. I have been praying and searching for some bright spot in these dark times. In Maryland many places are slowly starting to reopen. There are very few people in the bars, but it is safer that way. For me, having a beer out with a friend or two is a million times better than having one at home. I feel like I am slowly starting to come back to […]