EDGE Los Angeles

The leather community is dead and well.

Within our fabulous and diverse kink community, we are often fractured, damaged and divided by judgment from within. This state seems particularly ironic (if not cruel); given our own peculiarities, it would seem that we’re ideally situated to be each others’ greatest allies. And yet sometimes we are the first to try to bring each other down, judging our own kinks superior to others, judging our own play safer or more morally grounded than others.

One of the best things about being a sexual deviant is the freedom it affords you to self-identify.

Although I tend to make New Year’s resolutions each year, usually keeping them, if for no reason other than I’m stubborn and don’t like to fail at anything, I’m going to make this year’s resolution more of a goal.

There are few debates that recycle in leather/k ink/Dom-sub circles as much as whether the mythical Old Guard actually existed and, if so, whether the social structure of these gay sexual outlaws inherently made for building a better leather community or community of players.

When the weather starts cooling down in Philadelphia, the leather scene tends to heat up with lots of activity. This year will be no exception.

I’ve been hearing lots of discussion lately about roles and responsibilities within the context of power exchange, and I’ve found it very heartening. I’m thrilled whenever there’s discussion (or even debate) about these things because it shows that people are putting real thought into their words and actions and relationships.

Just when you knew it wasn’t 100% safe to fuck without condoms...

It’s not surprising that lots of leather folk enjoy gay pride month. After all, like Halloween, it’s one of those few occasions where we can put on our gear in public spaces and be applauded for it (instead of getting funny looks or threatening gestures).

I was recently asked by a human sexuality student to provide a kind of assessment on current health and state of the local leather/kink community (in general) and how I felt I was doing (personally) integrating being a leather man within the gay community at large. The first part was easy.