December 2007
Part Three
12/21/2007 WVQN LEATHERBEAR ARTICLE 22:
12/21/2007 WVQN LEATHERBEAR ARTICLE 22:
INTERVIEW WITH SIR JOEE ARTEAGA
This week, Sir Joee Arteaga from Chicago would like to wish all of us a Merry Christmas. As far as his titles, he has proudly represented the leather community as Mr. Chicago Leather 2004, Illinois LeatherSir 2006, and Great Lakes LeatherSir 2007.
Let the interview begin:
WVQN LeatherBear: Sir JoeE, what are your plans for Christmas?
Sir JoeE: Work, work, and more work. Leather doesn’t pay for itself. New Year’s is a different story. My Ms. Lady Justice, her hubby, my boy doug, my brother, Capt Ahab, and two other friends from Ohio will be in the Chi to party with me and scandalize Chicago.
WVQN LeatherBear: Do you have a New Year’s resolution?
Sir JoeE: NO MORE BOYS
WVQN LeatherBear: Please tell us little about yourself and where you live? What is your nationality? Have you always resided in the United States?
Sir JoeE: I was born in the Chi. I’ve lived in New York, Texas, Hawaii and South Carolina. I have always been American and always will be. My mother was from Spain and my father from Italy.
WVQN LeatherBear: How old are you and are you in a relationship?
Sir JoeE: I am 33, married, and have 3 boys (but do not miss the two boys who have been dismissed). My beloved and most revered boy would be boy Doug. We have been together for 1 year 4 months. He lives in Columbus Ohio and I’m glad he does. I would kill him if he lived in the Chi.
WVQN LeatherBear: Do you speak any other languages besides English? If so, what are they?
Sir JoeE: I speak English, Spanish and I can Sign (not well, but I can hold my own).
WVQN LeatherBear: Do you have any nicknames? If so, who and how did you get the name?
Sir JoeE: “Rogue” because I suck energy from others. My brother gave it to me when I was 15. My other brother called me the ”Brat Prince Lestat,” but I think it was for the same reason. I was 14 the first time I heard that name. They still call me that even today.
WVQN LeatherBear: Tell us about your relationship with your family.
Sir JoeE: We are Spanish and Italian so we are really loud. My husband always thinks we’re fighting, and I have to explain that we are just talking. We are nuts and we think things are funny that really aren’t. I have 1 mother, 2 fathers, 4 grandparents, 5 sisters, 4 brothers (one that passed), a million cousins, 12 nephews, 1 niece and 14 uncles and aunts.
WVQN LeatherBear: Do you tell your family about your Leather lifestyle? Does your employer know? Do others know you’re a leather titleholder? If so, how was that perceived?
Sir JoeE: Yes they are very supportive and I tell them all kind of stories. When I was Mr. Chicago Leather, my entire firehouse showed up at the Congress Hotel to watch me compete. Straight men can be so loud. I don’t care what others think and I think they get that I don’t care - so they don’t care.
WVQN LeatherBear: Tell us about your wildest leather fantasy.
Sir JoeE: A round room - 4 boys, my boy Doug as my assistant. My husband as DM. 2 suspension tables, a lot of poppers, 1 whip, 7 paddles that don’t hurt, 300 feet of purple and orange rope, 3 super balls, 2 power drills, a box of rubber bands, 1 stick of bubble yum watermelon and a green arrow frog. Now that’s a fantasy.
WVQN LeatherBear: Please tell more about your boy. What do you love the most about him? What makes your relationship work the most?
Sir JoeE: I love that he has the balls to stand at my side. He also has the balls to stand up to me. He gets in my face every time I want a smoke. Other than that, we just work well together. I get his stupid jokes and he gets mine. We fit. I like that WE FIT.
WVQN LeatherBear: What qualities about yourself do you like the most? The least?
Sir JoeE: My ambition is the best. My ambition is the worst. Sometimes, I bite off more than I can chew and then I have to take big swallows.
WVQN LeatherBear: Do you travel outside of the United States? How often?
Sir JoeE: Yes, I do. I have been to England, France, Greece, Spain and all of the Caribbean.
WVQN LeatherBear: Why and how long have you been involved in the leather community?
Sir JoeE: 15 long, hard, and uncut years.
WVQN LeatherBear: Do you have a dungeon or play space? If you do, tell us about it. If you don’t, tell us how you would design your dungeon?
Sir JoeE: Unfortunately, I do not have one. I live in a condo on the lake in Chicago, so space is limited. If I could, I would have one though - and I have been promised one by my husband when we buy a house. It would have the standard stuff - cross, sling, high ceilings, lots of lube, Crisco and a rack for paddles (my boy doug and I are on a search for the paddle that doesn’t hurt). it would also need 2 tables and eye hooks in the ceiling for my infusions, a suspension rack and lots of clean up rags.
WVQN LeatherBear: Tell us about the leather events you have attended. Where were they?
Sir JoeE: There are so many - it depends on the schedule and whom I promised first. This year CLAW is always first on the calendar because the guys and I are great friends. They ask me at the end of the CLAW weekend for the next year. IML is a staple, as is Mr. Chicago Leather, Illinois leather Sir, OLA , GLLA and ILSB. This year, I plan to go to Folsom Europe with boy doug.
WVQN LeatherBear: Tell us about the International Leather Sir/boy competition. Where was it held? Give us details. What web sites is this event promoted?
Sir JoeE: Wow!!!!!!!!!!! Boy Doug and I got to compete and we had great time. I ended up 2nd runner up and my boy ended up 1st runner up. It was held in Dallas. Contests are contests but what I got out of ILSB was my boy doug. We both chose to tell each other that we loved one another and that we wanted each other in our lives forever. We are great friends. We work well as Sir and boy. We each get each other’s stupid jokes. We laugh way too much. Along with that, I cemented a relationship with Lady Justice. Mike Zuhl and I became closer and I love him. I’ve collected father figures since I was a child. Mike’s a great guy.
WVQN LeatherBear: Have you been involved in any special events that have helped to foster the leather experience or promote the leather community?
Sir JoeE: I’ve been a member of ONYX to get Men of Color into the Leather scene. I am a member of The Chicago Leather Kennel Club to help people prepare in many ways for IML. I am starting a club with 3 of my Leather Brothers called the Leather Brotherhood. It’s for networking. Between of us, we know just about everyone in the leather community in the world. If we don’t know them, someone we know knows them.
WVQN LeatherBear: In closing, Sir JoeE, what is your favorite quote?
Sir JoeE: “You laugh at me cause I’m different; I laugh at you cause you’re all the same.”
I would like to thank Sir JoeE for taking the time to speak to all of the Readers of West Virginia Queer News. Merry Christmas to everyone!
In Leather Bear Pride,
Steven Tompa
bravenet.com