November 2007
Part Three
11/23/2007 LEATHERBEAR ARTICLE 18: INTERVIEW WITH KARL HORNBERGER, MR. DOUBLE L LEATHER 2007
This week let's meet Karl Hornberger who is Mr. Double L Leather 2007.
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WVQN LEATHERBEAR: To get started, please tell us little about yourself and your profession?
11/23/2007 LEATHERBEAR ARTICLE 18: INTERVIEW WITH KARL HORNBERGER, MR. DOUBLE L LEATHER 2007
This week let's meet Karl Hornberger who is Mr. Double L Leather 2007.
View full size
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: To get started, please tell us little about yourself and your profession?
KARL: I’ve worked in corporate America (most recently in the marketing department) at the same company for the last 31 years. I also have a part-time job at a wine shop, where I’ve learned quite a bit about the wine industry. I do enjoy a good bottle of wine! With retirement from corporate America in the not-too-distant future, I’m already thinking about my second career…that will probably be something in the wine industry. My part-time job has provided me with plenty of opportunities to network with people in that industry.
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: How old are you? What are your stats? What are your hobbies?
KARL: I’m 53. I’m 5’9” and weigh 170 lbs, and I enjoy country dancing on Friday and Sunday nights at Woody’s Bar in Philly.
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: Are you single? Do you date or have a Partner?
KARL: I am partnered with a wonderful man, named David, for the last 14 months. He very understanding and accepts and supports my leather lifestyle and interests. He, too, has dabbled in the leather scene in the past. He was there with me at the Double L Bar in Rehoboth, when I won the title of Mr. Double L Leather 2007.
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: Do you have children? How many? Grandchildren?
KARL: I have two wonderful children (a 30 year-old son, and a 28 year-old daughter). I also have two grandsons. And my kids are my biggest supporters in everything I do in life.
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?
KARL: I’m pretty much an open book with everybody in my life, including my kids, my siblings, my friends, and my coworkers -- in terms of my lifestyle(s) and interests. Fortunately, people who are accepting and non-judgmental surround me. My children, many of my friends (both gay and straight) and some of my coworkers are very much aware of my interest in the leather scene. I’m also sensitive to the fact that others in my life may not be as…how should I say…as understanding of the lifestyle. And when I say they may not be “understanding”, I don’t mean they would not be “accepting”. But, the bottom line is that most of the people in my life know about and have helped me celebrate my recent title win.
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: What qualities about yourself do you like the most? The least?
KARL: I’m glad I am the kind of person who has always been accepting of all kinds of people with all kinds of interests. My parents brought me up that way. And, I have spent a lifetime surrounding myself (somewhat unintentionally) with the same kind of people. I’m also glad I was born with a sense of adventure, which has translated over the years to a life that is full of diversity. For example, I am a father, grandfather, former husband, a “31-years-at-the-same-company” member of corporate America, former school board president (for 8 years), backcountry backpacker, cyclist, certified step-aerobics instructor, wine aficionado, country dancing, leatherman! And, how many of those do you know? J
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: Tell us about the country line dancing that you do.
KARL: I got in to country line dancing at Woody’s Bar in Philadelphia about 12 years ago. I just happened to be in Woody’s on a country night, at a time when I wasn’t really in to country music. I didn’t know any of the dances, but someone asked me to two step. I told him I didn’t know how to, but he told me he’d show me. I picked it up pretty quickly. I was hooked from that night on. Since then, I’ve learned some of the line dances, but I particularly like to two step, waltz, and shadow…you know – the dances where you get to wrap yourself around a cowboy and dance around the floor. I go dancing most weeks (either Friday or Sunday, and sometimes both nights in the same weekend). My fulltime job in corporate America over the years has taken me to most major cities in the U.S. and Canada. With each city I traveled to, I would call the gay and lesbian hotline. I’d say, “I’m in town on business, and I like to country dance. Where can I go?” That’s how I found most of the gay country bars throughout North America. I also do the gay rodeo circuit. Some of my favorite gay country bars include Woody’s (of course!), Charlie’s in Chicago, the former Stagecoach in Baltimore (now at the Hippo), the now closed Hoedowns in Atlanta, Remington’s in DC, among others. And my favorite gay rodeos: DC and Calgary! And, I’m looking forward to Philly’s first ever rodeo, Liberty Stampede in May 2008.
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: Why and how long have you been involved in the leather community?
KARL: My first glimpse into the leather community was about ten years ago, when I went to Chicago to visit a friend. (My visit coincided with IML.) Up until then, I was merely leather-curious. One night, my friend and his partner were going out for the evening, which left me on my own for the night. They suggested that maybe I’d want to go to one of the local bars that was hosting an IML event. They literally dressed me up in a few leather pieces that they had and sent me on my way. I remember being nervous (even scared a bit), yet very excited at the same time. I was clearly venturing into unknown territory for me. I walked into the bar very much a leather neophyte, but came out several hours later wanting more. My curiosity about the leather community grew into fantasy, and then my fantasy turned into discovery. It didn’t take me long to discover how comfortable I could be in the leather community. And today, being a member of the leather community is nothing short of a great adventure for me.
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?
KARL: I recently moved to an apartment in Chadds Ford, PA, from a hundred year-old city house that I owned in Wilmington, DE – where I lived for about 15 years. In that house, I did have what I called my “playroom”. The basement in that house, with its thick stone walls, was perfect for a dungeon-like playroom. I partitioned off a section of the basement, with a wall covered in black leather-like vinyl fabric and the other three walls were the stone walls of the basement. (For many years, I had a second job designing and building decks, so my carpentry skills came in handy!) My sling was the centerpiece of the room. I had a few hanging dungeon-like lanterns with candles, the overhead light had a blue light bulb in it, and I used blue rope lighting around the sling and ceiling. The heavy chains holding the sling and all that soft blue lighting went perfectly together to create a real darkened dungeon feel. I outfitted the room with a lot of accessories, too: I built a leather-covered flat bench and had a few low stools at both ends of the sling, TV and DVD player, a remnant of durable carpet covered the floor (with extra thick padding under it!!), a large mirror on the ceiling above the sling, I framed out an alcove with wrist restraints up high and ankle restraints down low for that stand-up spread-eagle position, a “toy box” with a variety of toys, a sink with hot and cold water, among many other amenities and features. I even had hooks for clothes and a changing area outside the playroom. I don’t think I missed anything! Can you tell I was pretty proud of that? In fact, when a few of my friends and/or “playmates” saw it, they suggested I go in to business designing playrooms. Perhaps that could be my second career! Nevertheless, it was built for fun. I miss it. My next house will definitely have a similar space.
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: Tell us about the Double L Leather club. Where is it? Why do you like it there? What kinds of people are there? Elaborate.
KARL: The Double L Bar is located in the resort town of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Rehoboth is one of the most popular east coast vacation spots for the gay community, and there is also a large number of gay people who are fulltime residents. While the Double L has declared itself a fulltime leather bar, it also draws (and welcomes) leather bears, the leather curious, and even members of the non-leather community. Regardless to which group the patrons belong, there is a true sense of camaraderie at the Double L. Most importantly, though, the Double L is a fun, comfortable, and safe place where the leather community can socialize and wear their favorite leather and the non-leather community can become more familiar with the leather experience and life style.
The Double L was the first local leather bar that I went to. I remember walking in there alone, feeling that anxiety that one feels when facing the unknown. Within minutes, I was in a conversation with another person, who was also dressed in full leather. It took just minutes to feel completely comfortable and safe. Ever since then, I look forward to going to the Double L whenever I visit Rehoboth. And, over the years, I’ve taken other neophytes to the Double L to introduce them to what used to be just a fantasy for me.
I enjoy the camaraderie that the Double L fosters among its leather-wearing community of customers as well as its leather-curious customers. And, to be quite frank, I am turned on by the level of masculinity that is evident as soon as you walk through the front door of the Double L.
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: Have you been involved in any special events that have helped to foster the leather experience or promote the leather community?
KARL: A couple of years ago, when I lived in Wilmington, DE, I hosted two leather nights at our local gay bar, Baxter’s. I approached the owner of the bar and asked her if she had ever considered a “theme” night at the bar. She asked me what I had in mind. When I suggested a leather night, she was very interested and asked me if I’d like to coordinate it. My intent was to attract members of the leather community as well as the leather curious. We advertised and used word-of-mouth to spread the word. I wasn’t sure how successful it would be, given that we had no leather bar in the Wilmington area and therefore probably not much of a leather community. Boy was I wrong! The bar was crowded. We had people from all around and wearing all levels of leather. Our promotion included, “Wear Leather; No Cover.” It worked! At any rate, after the first event, the owner of the bar asked me to do a second night. The second night, a few weeks later was very successful, too.
WVQN LEATHERBEAR: Where can we find you online? Do you have e-mail or a web site you’d like to share with us?
KARL: I have two email addresses: trekker730@aol.com and mrdoublel2007@yahoo.com. (And, no, I’m not a Star Trek fan, which a lot of people seem to think, when they see my aol address. I ride a Trek bike, model 730.)
A special thanks goes to Karl Hornberger who is Mr. Double Leather 2007 for taking the time to talk to all the Readers of West Virginia Queer News. We appreciate you Karl.
In Leather Bear Pride,
Steven Tompa
steventompa@yahoo.com
A special thanks goes to Karl Hornberger who is Mr. Double Leather 2007 for taking the time to talk to all the Readers of West Virginia Queer News. We appreciate you Karl.
In Leather Bear Pride,
Steven Tompa
steventompa@yahoo.com
bravenet.com