Category Archives: History

Is Leather Dead? Leathermens Discussion Group asks some Tough Questions.

Tom...of Finland

That’s the big question. Lots of whispering in the scene. So…is Leather dead? What IS Leather? Is it a kink? A material? A lifestyle? A sexuality?  A philosophy? Yes…and. But the young guys are mostly into “gear.” So…what’s that? Back in the day, tough guys who rode motorcycles wore leather. Some still do. Those of us who were kids fixated of these masculine guys in black leather on bikes in boots. And cowboys in Westerns. And other outlaws. Tom of Finland and The Hun. But kids these days? They grew up with different images, materials and memes. Kevlar. Manga. Boards. Kicks. Thugs. Different kinks, but still kinky, and still into POWER. The more things change…

On Wednesday, July 27th in San Francisco, a stellar cast of Leather Community stars will discuss the future of Leather. This historic conversation is being sponsored by the Leathermens Discussion Group. Panel participants are leatherman, author, activist and pioneering psychotherapist Guy Baldwin, organizer, educator, commentator, and nontraditional sex activist Race Bannon, Instigator editor-in-chief Michael Thorn and Leather historian and scholar Gayle Rubin. Come join the conversation. Get there early. This one will be especially popular!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011   7:30 pm – 9:30 pm @ Andrew Spencer Ceremonial Room, 4th floor, SF LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco.

Beatitude and Beat in NorCal: Saratoga Springs Nishikigoi Pond

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California’s Saratoga Springs  used to be a stagecoach stop. That was way back in the 19th century day. Now it is a “retreat and conference center.” Yoga retreats, raves and weddings are part of the draw, but they also host Leather and S/m Club Runs. The 15 Association does the annual Boot Camp run every June. Leather Levi Weekend does a mixed ‘Twisted Summer Camp’ run in August, and this year, a new mens’ run called Gear Up premieres in late July.

All that hard play can be hard work, and the deeper it gets, the realer it becomes. From degradation to grace and back again, turning forever on itself like a mobius strip. Beat, Beat-Up, Beatitude: words to fly by from the jam-sweet lips of angel-headed hipsters.  Top or bottom, sometimes retreat is a good option. For those times, just outside the dungeon (aka The Heart Lodge) mildly hidden in the landscaping, a small magical nishikigoi (koi) pond waits. A rock ledge provides enough room for a semi-lotus, and a fine venue for adventures in ego dissolution. Flash of Orange. Take me…OM…country roads…splash sky water…gone.

Running The Gauntlet – Jim Ward Book Event at Mr. S Leather

Jim Ward at LDG, May 2011. Photo: Gay Highwaymen

Friend of this site Jim Ward founded The Gauntlet, and is widely regarded as the grand-daddy of the modern body piercing phenomenon. Now he has published a history. In May, he spoke to a packed room at The Leathermen’s Disscussion Group in San Francisco. Running the Gauntlet—An Intimate History of the Modern Body Piercing Movement tells the detailed story of “how Jim discovered his own fascination with body piercing and went on to found the industry.” Full of wonderful and terrible stories and amazing photographs, it includes details of his friendship with the heavily pierced and very gay Louis Rove – the adoptive father of the notorious Carl Rove. Other interesting bits include how the color purple came to signify piercing in the hanky code, and how he was collared to his long-term partner and Master, Drew Ward.

On Saturday, July 16th, 2011, from 1 to 5 pm, Jim will be at Mr. S Leather , signing books and chatting. Mr. S is at 385 8th St at Harrison in San Francisco, four blocks south of the Civic Center BART Station. If you can’t make it to the book event, and you want a copy, you can order one at the Running The Gauntlet website, here. Jim will even sign it for you.

It’s about DADT Time! 9th Court orders gay military service ban lifted…

Lt. Choi - Media Magnet

A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that “the Obama administration must stop enforcing the ban that prevents gay men and women from serving openly in the U.S. military.” Is this the end of DADT? Read the Reuters story here. Poster-vet Lt. Choi, pictured here, was among 13,000 members of the military discharged under the ban.

Colonialism as an excuse for Homophobia? India’s Health Minister calls being Gay a Western “Disease”

Mumbai Gay Rights Parade - Photograph: Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images

We hear this over and over and over again from our gay friends in and from countries and regions that were once under colonial occupation. Homosexuality is cast as a disease brought in by European conquerers, foisted upon an unsuspecting population that had never know of such evils before. Sort of like smallpox-infected blankets.

As a Ugandan pal (not named here – for his protection) pointed out, in the case of sub-Saharan Africa, this nefarious discourse has the effect of making being gay not only a crime, not only a sin, but worse, a sort of Pan-African treason, a wholesale capitulation to the white man and his evil ways. In Uganda, the Anglican Church (which IS a Western import!) is the main vehicle for this evil propaganda.

This thinking is in full effect in India, too. Ghulam Nabi Azad, India’s minister of Health, addressed a conference on HIV/AIDS in New Delhi on Monday, saying: “Unfortunately this disease has come to our country too … where a man has sex with another man, which is completely unnatural and should not happen but does.” For the article published by The Guardian UK, click here.

Gay Biker Buddy Riders from WAY Back in the Day: Koalas Club 1967

Ride like a sleeping bag! The Koalas were a Gay Motorcycle Buddy Club from the 1960s. The Koalas would hop on behind the gay club bikers and independents. Always on the back, hugging the biker like a koala hugs a eucalyptus tree. And so the name! Peter Fiske is kneeling in the front row, on the right. More on Peter here and here. Photo by Henri Leleu. Koalas Motorcycle Buddy Club, 1967. Via Ron Williams.

Nabbed “Departed” Mob Boss Bulger = surprisingly HOT as a Young Thug…

1953 Boston Police - James "Whitey" Bulger

His early mug shots attest to a certain brooding criminal sexiness. Whitey Bulger, the inspiration for Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, was arrested in Santa Monica earlier this month. The 82 year-old mobster ran Boston’s south side for decades and was responsible for dozens of gangland killings. Jack Nicholson portrayed him in the movie.

Endangered Leather Species Alert: SF Eagle gone, NYC Eagle threatened…

Gay marriage passes in NYC. On the same night, the Eagle NYC is raided. Some insiders think this is the beginning of the end for the bar. Will this be the latest Leather institution lost to the forces of gentrification? Jeremiah from Vanishing New York seem to think so.  Unicorn Booty reports from Gotham. For the death throes of the SF Eagle, click here, here, and  here. For the graffiti that sprouted after the doors shut, here.

Glitter Emergency and More at Frameline’s 35th SF LGBT Film Fest

It is the middle of the SF LGBT Film Festival, high holy days are underway in the City by the Bay, Pride is coming,  and outside the festival’s host venues, gay film buffs are rubbing their bleary eyes after marathon sessions in the dark. The cinematic apparatus, not that other dark! There is something for everyone at this annual festival, now in its 35th year. The shorts programs are some of the best, and for those with short attention spans, are just the ticket. One film is not doing it for you? Wait 5 minutes. The next one could be all that.

“All that glitters is indeed gold in this wonderful collection of shorts featuring several gems from our very own Bay Area filmmakers… Take a look at disgusting alien bodies and eavesdrop on the deaf relay system. Follow a camera off a bridge in a memorial for lives lost. A dispute on the high seas can only be settled by a dance off (of course), and we’ll see just how campy an AIDS camp can be. Rounding out the program is a silent comedy set to Tchaikovsky and starring Peggy the Peg-leg Ballerina.” via festival director Jennifer Morris

“Glitter Emergency” shows at the Victoria Theatre, 9:30 pm on Tuesday, June 21st, 2011. The Victoria is located at 2961 16th Street in the  Mission district. Built in 1908 as a Vaudeville House, it is the oldest operating theatre in San Francisco.

Ubij pederima! (Kill the Fags!) Fascists attack Split Croatia Pride Celebration

“It was scary so forgive the camera shaking.” Friend of this site Anna Kirey, who was there and shot the video posted here, reports that 5 people were taken to the hospital with injuries sustained during attacks by fascists and ultra-nationalists during the 1st ever pride celebration in Split, Croatia on June 11, 2011. Attackers chanted “Ubij pederima!” and “Ubij srbina!” – “Kill the Fags!” and “Kill the Serbs!” According to first hand reports, many police stood back, laughing, and the Mayor of Split, wearing Croat fascist black, watched the action from a nearby outdoor cafe.

Kontra reports from Split: “Public gathering ended in violence. Rute of the march was not secured. Attackers were allowed to throw explosive objects, thorches, big rocks, ashtrays and other objects during the whole time of the march and on Riva where programe was supposed to be held. Facists were allowed to hold hands in facist salute and shout «Kill faggots» and «You must die» almost on the entire length of the rute. Before exit from Marmontova street to Riva it was allowed for big number of violent attackers to completely narrow down the passage for the march. They were also throwing explosives and other objects and participants of the march had to go back twice and then finally go through narrow passage. During all of this police officers were telling to participants to go through the passage, although they were constantly hit by explosives, rocks and other objects.”

Lepa Mladjenovic provides political analysis of the situation: “Croatia and Serbia are states after the long wars, and militaristic & fundamentalist religious politics vastly present .. on top of this there is a special role of the football fans in making of soldiers in the Balkan wars, they are now as well ones who are ultra nationalists, the same militarism continues with them precisely, supported with political nationalist parties and church!! thats all to understand.”

More video: From Balkan artist Rakijamala, click here and for uploads from Queer Zagreb, click here. Interested in the situation around the world? Check out ILGA: The International Lesbian and Gay Association. Kind of like the Queer United Nations.