Thou Shall Earn ALL Pieces of Leather!
I expect this might be a controversial column, so I’ll begin with a caveat. The sentiments expressed in this article are solely based on my experiences and my opinion and this column was not written to disrespect anyone’s current traditions, but as a commentary on what seems to be a current trend.
More and more often I note the question asked, “Do I have to earn all my items of leather?” Or proclamations similar to, “I cannot buy my own leather. It HAS to be gifted.”
The first question I say, no and to the second statement I say, absolutely not true.
Our leather fore bearers made the most of the WWII army surplus, granted they earned inherited surplus through service to the military, but they used what was available to lay the foundation of what most of us now live. There was no elaborate ritual before they donned their leather. What they wore and the bikes they rode were a mark of their bond to each other and identified their self designation as sexual outlaws.
There is much merit to earning a piece of leather from a Master, mentor, or your community. I believe the true gift to be the passing of knowledge or the acknowledgement of service and the earned leather is a simply a powerful symbol of achievement; much like a diploma after graduation.
When I began my journey, I wasn’t aware of connecting via internet. If a leather/kink cyber network existed at that time, I had no idea about it. Several years before, I had educated myself as to proper protocol (with a mush sought after copy of The Leatherman’s Handbook) but can’t remember exactly what I was attired in when I attended my very first leather bar night, a full moon party at Adams Street in Akron. The fact is to gain admittance to most leather bars, you have to be attired in at least one piece of major leather. Most people start out with a bar vest; which they buy themselves. And that’s ok, folks.
The latest fad of “all leather had to be earned or gifted leather” reminds me of a parallel in the Pagan community of how for awhile, many of the people I met new would introduce themselves as, for example “Lord Dark Mage” a long-lost nephew of Aleister Crowley.
In these communities of what is often looked upon as not the societal norm, there seems to be a quest for legitimacy and validity; as if we need a regal personal history (or history of your leathers) to be accepted as true and right. Like just being yourself, secure in your own hide, wasn’t good enough. I’ve been grilled in a contest interview by one judge who asked me if I earned my leathers and she scornfully tsk’ed me when I said I had not formally from one mentor as of yet. The ironic fact not lost on me, is neither had she.
You can wear leather just because you have a fetish and get off by wearing it.
You can wear leather because you like getting of in it.
You can wear leather you rightfully earned.
You can wear gifted leather.
You can wear borrowed leather.
You can wear leather you purchased yourself….it’s OK…really!
Personally, even though I think they look amazing and are hot as hell, I choose not wear a cover until I have earned the right to do so from an elder or Master. But, I do not fault those who choose to.
I believe one can earn the right to wear their leathers by service to the community-at-large and that one of the most potent visual symbols of “earning” is acceptance of each other as tribe and family. Photos that capture us hand-in-hand, or in each others arms silently display that absolute, unafraid, becoming of one’s leather self.
I hope to be found worthy of earning that leather in my future, but if I would have waited until I met the “magical mentor of my dreams” to own a piece of leather, the last eleven years of my life would have been massively different.
But, if I never would have bought my own bar vest or my first leather corset initially, I wouldn’t be writing this today and I might not have had the amazing leather family I have now.
The fact is everyone I know “Old” or “New”, has purchased their own leather as they can. Buying it yourself doesn’t make it any less precious.
After all, isn’t what you do in the leather what counts?
You Won’t Want To Miss This!
Buckeye State Leather Sir/ boy, eXile, and Trident International-Columbus are coming together to bring you a leather weekend of unrivaled decadence.
We, Brian “Captain” Mc Coy and Lady Justice, the Co-Producers of Buckeye State LeatherSir & Leatherboy contests, are pleased to announce an exciting upcoming leather weekend, June 12-13th, 2009, in Columbus , OH .
Buckeye Leather is combining our celebration with the grand opening weekend of the newly renovated eXile and the Trident International-Columbus bar night.
The exact details are still coming together as I type, but along with the grand opening festivities that Rob and Freddie from eXile have planned, on Friday night, for the first time in years Trident International-Columbus is bringing their monthly back-patch bar night to eXile.
Saturday night will find a “Full Moon Party” and Buckeye Leather howling at the moon in what promises to be a packed house. Sir Julian and boy Jay will be stepping down that night and along with celebrating their successful title years, we will be introducing our new Sir and boy. Keep your ears open for more details of this massive celebration weekend!
The winners of the Buckeye State LeatherSir & leatherboy contests will be the only qualifying and recognized contestants to advance to the next round of competition, representing all of Ohio, at Great Lakes Leather Alliance's regional contests on August 20th-23rd, 2009, in Indianapolis, IN. This year’s theme for the Great lakes region is “Domination”.
Additional information will be provided, as it becomes available, and can be found on:
www.myspace.com/olsbcontest .
In these rough economic times, in the spirit of leather and brotherhood, there is no cover charge on either night of this big weekend. Come as you are, or come as you want to be…in your favorite leathers, of course.
For those of you who haven’t stopped into the new eXile, I heartily encourage you to do so. We’ve all heard the rumors about the massive renovations to the bar, but you have to see it to believe it. The bar still retains its original dark mystique, but add the new private landscaped patio/bar, two pool tables, boot black chair, erotic red lighting and classic brick walls, St. Andrews Cross atop a stainless steel pedestal, and a live DJ.
Barnone, the new eXile is one of the finest leather bars I’ve ever stepped foot in.
The location of eXile is:
Neighborhood: Italian Village
893 N 4th St
Columbus , OH 43201
(614) 294-0069
The web address is: www.exilebar.com
Mark your calendars for June 12-13th, 2009 and make plans to come out and support Ohio 's leather community.
bravenet.com