What a boy wants: IML 2011, Chicago, IL

I attended this year's International Mr. Leather Weekend in Chicago with two of my boys. Both very different men yet both united in the bond of Leather Family. During the weekend the boys seldom left my side. After greeting me, a friend exclaimed, “Sir, you are dripping boys!” Even while congratulating the new IML Eric Eric Guttierez, the boys were close at hand.

This year's IML was more than simply a celebration of Leathersex with like-minded men. With my two boys, I rushed from one event to another, building to a climactic play session each day back in the hotel room. On Monday, I played with one boy for almost 12 hours in an almost uninterrupted scene, punctuated by short breaks for meals. At midnight we finally both collapsed on the bed.

“Play makes me feel more alive,” the boy observed after the heavy session, his back welted and bleeding from another single tail session. A paradoxical statement, considering the exhaustion that was quickly setting in.

As a Sir, my role is to create an environment in which my boys can explore themselves and the bond we share together. Heavy play facilitates the creation of that environment. With the body bruised and the mind flooded with the body's chemicals, a boy drops the defenses his public mask affords. No longer able to think clearly, he relies totally on the Dominant to guide him out of pain's immediate darkness. And finally, after enduring an odyssey of heroic proportions, the boy finds his way home with his Sir by his side. The result, a greater understanding of one's strength beyond the social definitions of masculinity.

In spite of the paternal role that I often play in the lives of my boys, the environment of our play is far from nurturing. It is filled with spit, piss, blood, and cum. The emotions cycle from laughter to tears, from love to repulsion, from unity to loneliness, and from boldness to sheer terror. Uniting these emotions together is our shared sexual hunger, an integral component of every scene.

The trust necessary to play on this edge begins long before the scene. The Sir must demonstrate His dedication to the boy from day to day. Essentially, the Sir must condition the boy to trust him through a pattern of service. This tempers the bond between Sir and boy sufficiently to totally submit. The essential exchange that becomes the foundation of a boy's sexual identity.

In an interview with Joseph Bean, John Siracusa, International Drummerboy 1990-1991, states:

Being a Boy is an expression of my sexuality. It allows me to go within myself and nurture the child inside of me. I feel that due to the pressure from society to conform, that we lose track of our innocence and childlike behavior, the things that allow us to be free spirits. Being a Boy is growing up all over again. (Drummer Issue 150; Desmodus, Inc; San Francisco, CA; September 1991)

John does not say that he expects his Sir to nurture him. Instead, he recognizes the responsibility to nurture himself, acknowledging that a boy is still a man.

Indeed, I expect my boys to be men. In play each redefines himself and his body. Whether by a lash on the back, a boot in the groin, or my cock shoved deep inside his guts, the boy knows that I expect him to drop the social mask in order to expose his true self. This is the beginning of the honesty upon which our bond is built.

I am proud to be International LeatherSIR this year, representing the Sirs and boys in the players' Community. I am especially proud to spend the last two months of my Title year standing in service next to Eric Guttierez. Wishing him a great year as International Mr. Leather 2011.

The boys of Boise

On Saturday I sat and judged four boys all vying for the title of Idaho Leatherboy. Quite a showing for a small city in the conservative Rocky Mountain area of the United States. With broad smiles, the boys were introduced one by one. Any region in North America would have been proud to have such contestants.

Hours before, I spent time watching the bootblack contestant. With the fastidiousness of a more experienced black, he serviced the boots of anyone who sat in his chair: cowboy boots, short ankles zips, high heels, and the occasional military boots. And Scout, last year's Northwest Community Bootblack, critiqued his work after each client, pointing out details in a way that was not only instructive but nurturing.

The highlight of my weekend, the boot stomping demo with Scout. Rather than line up the attendees in rows, we shaped the space in a semi-circle. An active and very light-spirited scene!

Last year began the tradition of Ruff n ' Tumble, an annual run in May that promises to become one of the most exciting events in the Northwest. Bravo to Kevin, Laura, and the owners of The Lucky Dog Tavern for hosting it. And for those of you who like hot boys, Boise is your kind of town. They just don't come any hotter than this.

The Leather Proletariat

During the last few decades a dual class system has arisen in that loose network of men that the Leather intelligentsia calls “Community.” Like the greater society in which the Leather Community exists, these two classes have their leaders. One class self-identifies as the ruling class, the institutional leaders who often occupy their positions through financial advantage. The Leather bourgeoisie. The men in the other class seldom identify at all. The leaders of this horny mass of men arise organically. These leaders often go unnoticed, their influence felt by the ruling class only when a shift has occurred within the Community.

Since the early nineties, the institutional class has grown stronger in tandem with the financial strength of Leather organizations. This class claims a pedigree that hearkens back to the motorcycle clubs of the forties and fifties in spite of the fact that most are self-proclaimed experts and have little heritage. Many have arisen within the ranks of this class, their status directly tied to their ability to purchase and attend events organized by themselves. Those with a more jaundiced eye to the sexual praxis of the other class reinforce their position of privilege by creating books and workshops that elaborate their decisions.

What this institutional class seems to ignore is the fact that Gay Leathersex is directly aligned with a man's cock. And amplified by the greater social acceptance of man-to-man sex, the cock continues to be the ruling power in Leather. All the workshops and non-profits cannot negate the ruling force of a hard cock, the power of the masses.

Men who are leaders in the other class, the Leather proletariat, are men who love to play and are not afraid to align their play with their crotch. And they are men who profit from innovation and the violation of wooden traditions.

As International LeatherSIR this year, I recognize that the title I wear has little worth without the acceptance of the this class. It does not make me a leader. Nor does it automatically win me the respect of my peers. The sash simply gives me greater visibility in a crowd. In short, unless I am recognized as a leader by the proletarians within the Community, my title is meaningless.

In the mid-eighties I was attracted to rough, man-to-man sex because it turned me on. Leathermen both attracted and frightened me. In spite of my trepidation, my tumescent cock dictated my position within the greater Gay Community: Leatherman.

Years later I am repulsed by the overruling desire of a number in the ruling class to pimp out the Leather traditions that I have practiced for decades. The ruling class believes that documentation bestows authority for the establishment of fundamentalism in Leather. I see these claims of authority based on the institutional interpretation of history nothing more than Pharisaic. They have little relationship to the authenticity of Leathersex and the political incorrectness of a man's hard cock.

As a Sir, I grow concerned about the insulation enjoyed by the institutional class relative to the growth of Gay Leather and kink. Composed history and tradition have become an intractable chastity device that has been applied without an understanding of the fetishes and perversions of the rising generation.

Earlier this year a contestant for the Northwest Leatherboy title appeared for his interview in a perfectly tailored, three-piece suit and tie. He explained that this was his fetish . While he explained his penchant for argyle socks and his fetish for men's feet, I wondered if most Leathermen in full gear could have been as articulate. This boy's intelligence and subtle wit would have been lost if he had appeared in the classic garb of a boy. Instead, he remained true to himself.

After the boy departed, remarks were made about his lack of Leather. “If he at least had a Leather jock under his pants,” said one of the judges. This kind of myopia stems from artificially imposed standards within the Leather title system, another incarnation of institutional Leather.

Later, during the public portion of the Northwest contest, this same boy contestant appeared in his three-piece suit for the fantasy portion. I watched as a gang of “blue collar” workers literally tore the slacks from the boy, exposing his beautifully rounded ass cheeks and muscled legs through the shredded cloth. Then they proceeded to pummel him and feign fuck him on his desk. As head judge, I could not help but cheer while nursing a hard cock in my Leather breeches.

Those of us raised in an Older Tradition must keep an open mind relative to the rising generation of fetishists. We must avoid the cry “No new steps!” If we do not, the outcome of Baz Luhrman's film "Strictly Ballroom" may be mirrored in our own Community. We must not cling so much to the fundamentalism of documented history that we do not recognize the innovative perversions of the newest generation.

A weekend with the boys: The Aquila Clan

I am proud of the men that I mentor and protect. they form the core of my Leather. they are men who share a common direction with me in life. Together with my partner, they are my chosen family.

Each boy has his own totem, an animal that emerges during play. For a couple of the boys, this animal also defines how he interfaces with others in a social context. A guide in life. As their SIR, I acknowledge the totem of each. monkey, piggy, wolverine, and wolf.

My alpha boy gabe has been with me for almost three years. A boy of remarkable intelligence and wit, I value his opinion when making decisions in the Community. In seeming contradiction to his sly smile and constant laugh, he is one of the hardest playing boys that I have ever encountered, that rare breed that is not afraid of facing his darkest fears in the dungeon. he is the measure of a hard-playing boy. The robin to my Batman.

I met pj ten years ago through the Internet. I am proud to have played a small part in his initial steps into Leather. A submissive with a penchant for being literally underfoot, he harbors a serious boot fetish that meshes well with my own. he is not only a good boy but also a close friend. his steadfastness gives strength to the Clan. pj can often be found in a bar working my boots with his tongue. Or with his head firmly clamped between my legs. I am honored to be his Sir.

kent is a young dominant who wandered into a Seattle Men in Leather gathering eighteen months ago. “you remind Me of Myself many years ago,” I remarked to him. “If you ever need an older friend, I am here,” I added. Almost one year would pass until we decided to explore the Sir/boy option. Months after, I collared him. I am proud of kent's strength in approaching adversity, and I look forward to seeing him fulfill his potential as a sir in the future.

doug is the newest member of the Clan. We met online almost four years ago and have spent many evenings in conversation about Leather and play. More than one year ago he came to Seattle and spent the weekend collared to me. That weekend was the spark that ignited the passion that I have for him. More canine than boy, his wild nature in play suggested his totem, “wolf.” A fiercely loyal submissive.

I love my boys. they are the foundation of my Leather.

Two boys gone WILD! Providence, RI

What happens when two Leatherboys connive to produce the first annual Northeast Leather Weekend? A great fucking contest and a helluva good time!

Jim and Arne aimed high, promising more than a Leather contest. Instead, they planned the first annual Northeast Leather Weekend. “A historic event,” said Jim in his strong, optimistic tone upon my arrival. “You are going to have a great time.” And he was right.

These boys thought of everything down to the smallest detail. I would like to offer a list of those things that made this weekend a success, from my vantage point:

Although the Northeast LeatherSIR/Leatherboy/Community Bootblack contest was the locus of all activities, the overall spirit of the weekend was on building a strong Northeast Leather Community. And the events encouraged not only social interaction but play. In short, the weekend reflected the mission of the International LeatherSIR/Leatherboy/Community Bootblack organization.

1. The weekend had a primary location, the Providence's historic Biltimore Hotel. The hotel was easy walking distance to all venues. The hotel staff was respectful and friendly. When I arrived at the hotel, one of the producers went out of his way to introduce me to a supervisory member of the staff. “We are honored to serve you,” he said.


2. Great food! The formal dinner on Saturday night was truly a formal Leather event in the hotel's ballroom with a well-prepared and plentiful dinner served buffet style. And the victory brunch took place on the hotel's eighteenth floor. Both the dinner and the brunch venues were the perfect size for both events.


3. Good communication. As an International titleholder my schedule has constantly morphed this winter and spring. I appreciated the e-mails from the producers containing updates and details as the event drew closer. I cannot emphasize how important this was to me.


4. Great accommodations that included travel to and from the airport. Once again, communication was key. The producers told me months in advance about my lodging. After almost nine months, with most of those weekends on the road, knowing this in advance gives the Titleholder a sense of security.


5. A complete registration packet that included a T-shirt with a hot logo and a detailed map showing the location of all venues.


6. Although I was a guest, I could not help but appreciate the affordable price of the weekend package. A great value that included the formal dinner and the brunch.


7. An appropriate location for the contest with good sound facilities, an appropriate stage, good sight lines, and a hot bar staff. Fantasies could be seen by all in attendance without difficulty. And the speeches were all audible, with the sound system appropriately designed to overcome the din of the audience.


8. A good MC who kept the contest moving. This was a tough to do, especially because the contest was the first event held in the club. William, the MC, did not shy away from the task. Banter was humorous without being too personal or bitchy.


9. Sir Marco Rosato. What more can be said of this professional who shares his talent with the Leather Community? His participation always raises the bar of any event. Thank you, Marco. Your voice always communicates to my soul.


10. Contest judges who not only were players, but also understood the overall tradition of LeatherSIR/Leatherboy/Community Bootblack. It was a joy to sit with my peers and interview the contestants. Questions would build on those previously asked. In addition, the interviews were timed well.


11. The producers worked behind the scenes, allowing the focus to be on the outgoing and incoming Titleholders.


12. Finally, the total lack of local politics. I despise going to a region where local politics are rampant. I appreciate when producers keep them far away from their out-of-town guests. Not an easy task, at times. I acknowledge not only the Northeast producers but many others who have enabled me to side-step local intrigues. I hate politics in our Community, including the politics in my own region. No part of my Leather!

In the producers' meeting in July I listened with disbelief as Jim and Arne boldly announced that they would be doing a full weekend. As a Boston native, I knew that the Northeast has always posed challenges to contests, especially those that are player and fantasy-based. When I congratulated the producers on a great weekend at the Sunday brunch, they graciously shared the accolades with Hooker and with other ILSb/ICBB producers. Jim explained how Hooker had given them tips over the previous months. They also had gone the extra mile to attend other successful contests including the Southwest Region's event, a favorite with many of the International Titleholders over the years. (Bravo again to Phoenix!)

This year I have attended many great contests. What made this weekend stand out was the professional way that two Leatherboys made this event happen. They dreamed high and worked hard. Thank you, Jim and Arne!

boys, service, and LeatherSIRs: Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR/Leatherboy/Community Bootblack, Baltimore, MD

Assuming the title of Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR for the second time, Sir John is a conscientious Leatherman who wants to bring out the best in his boys. I see in him qualities that I try to groom in myself: patience, understanding, and a paternal sense of care for those men who wear his collar. A Leatherman who I am honored to call “brother.”

The mark of a LeatherSIR is not measured by contests or judge's remarks. Sir John demonstrated this well in how he treated his boys throughout the weekend. On Sunday, I entered a shared dungeon to hear Sir John comforting his newest boy. I listened as he explained about consensual Leathersex and the realization of each man's fantasies. With a clear and tender tone, he repeated his message until he felt the assurance that his boy understood.

I was also honored over the weekend to have my newest boy by my side. A paradigm of the traditional Leatherboy. Having been a Leatherboy decades ago, I understand what it feels like to wear a Sir's collar, to serve Him, to please Him, to succumb to His power during a scene.

My idea of the model Leatherboy is based on my own experience. Other sirs have their own ideas based on their training, background, and their different localities. Given this, I present a list of a few of the things that I was taught as a Leatherboy and that I value now as a LeatherSIR.

• a boy shows his respect for his Sir through good manners and protocols. he walks slightly behind his Sir out of respect. he opens doors for his Sir. he waits until his Sir is seated before dining together. he carries his Sir's bags. he kneels at his Sir's feet to put on His boots, the ultimate acknowledgment of his Sir's power. And he kneels to take them off. Protocols are only the beginning of a boy's devotion to his Sir.


• a boy is well-mannered with everyone he meets. he is never rude.


• a boy keeps himself well-groomed. This includes trimming away all hair on the torso and pubic area. I remember the first time that I shaved off my pubic hair. My cock looked larger than usual against my navel. A symbolic acknowledgment that I recognized my role as a boy, a man with less experience.


• a boy knows his Sir's body and is attentive to him during sex. he does not need to be told what to do to turn his Sir on. he knows what to do. he learns what his Sir likes and does not like. As a bottom, he craves his Sir deep inside him. Beyond submission, he hungers for sex with his Sir.


• a boy receives his Sir's piss out of service. he becomes proficient in taking his Sir's piss so that not a drop is wasted.


• a boy allows his playful nature to naturally emerge. he understands that this playfulness must never compromise the respect and the service that he gives to the Sir.


• a boy wears his Leather and fetish wear under the direction of the Sir. he never wears more Leather than his Sir. he does not wear Leather that is not given or that is not approved for his use by his Sir. Before every Leather event, he asks, “What would you like me to wear, Sir?”


• a boy treats Leather with respect. he cares for the Leather of his Sir when required. he pays special attention to boots and learns bootcare. Boots are the foundation of Leather.


• In terms of dress, Leather is never worn haphazardly. a boy never wears athletic shoes with his Leather coat. he does not wear underwear unless it is a jock strap. And he tucks in his T-shirt, worn with a black Leather belt. Jeans must fit properly and not be dirty.


• a boy understands that his collar belongs to his Sir. It is not his. The collar is off limits to others. No one must touch his collar. If someone tries to touch a boy's collar, he is to state in a firm but mannerly fashion, “Please do not touch my collar. It belongs to my Sir.”


• In a public dungeon space, a boy carries the toy bag. he is either naked or wears a jock strap and boots. he stands by the space to be used in play with his hands behind his back and bows his head until his Sir is ready. he does not speak to others without permission. And when the scene is over, he remains by his Sir's side.


• When at a Leather event, a boy does not wander off or carry on conversations with others unless he obtains his Sir's permission.


• a boy does not play outside of established protocols. All play with other sirs is done with the express permission of his Sir. his Sir negotiates this play directly with other sirs. he should not actively cruise or seek play other than with his Sir. If he wants to play with others, he asks his Sir's permission privately.


• a boy never speaks negatively about his Sir. All negotiations and issues are done directly with his Sir in private. Violation of this tenet puts the Sir/boy bond at risk and could be grounds for removing the collar. Of course, a boy should always assume responsibility for his own safety and seek help outside of the Sir/boy relationship if there is abuse. If this happens, the bond has already been compromised.


• a boy is always honest with his Sir. Dishonesty and deceit destroy trust and warrant removal of the collar.

As a Sir I have learned the reciprocal responsibilities that I have relative to each of these items.

Ultimately, a Sir is defined by how he treats his boy and a boy is defined by how he treats his Sir. My alpha and I joke that I am Batman to his Robin. Inseparable.

Good luck to Sir John as he serves as Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR for the second year. And to his new Title Family. Wishing them a great year of service to the Community.

Ritual and the Mid-Atantic Leather Weekend: Washington, D.C.

Early Friday morning I sat on the flight to Washington, D.C. and reflected on the last time that I found myself in the nation's capitol. The days no longer sunny and warm, I prepared myself for the brutal onslaught of the East Coast winter. I would be spending the next three days with the same handsome boy that I met in August. I anticipated a great weekend. Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend did not disappoint.The Centaurs know how to put on a run, with events spaced out to allow for plenty of play. In fact, play was the locus of my three days in DC, with the official events providing needed respite between rounds.

This weekend I once again realized that the SIR/boy paradigm is the root of my Leather. Specifically, that style of play that begins when a boy surrenders both his body and his will to his SIR. Reaching this point usually requires prolonged time spent together, play that exists outside of negotiation, where heart becomes the ruling factor beyond “RACK” and “Safe, Sane, and Consensual.” While vitally important in play as guidelines, these principles are but fingers pointing at he moon, as we say in Zen.

In the late 80s and 90s, many of us recognized ritual in our play. Some of us embraced it as an essential part of our spirituality, privatizing the sacred aspect of our Leather. We celebrated that part of our sexuality distinct from our more public SM. Geoffrey Mains openly discussed the ritual nature of Leather in his seminal work, “Urban Aboriginals.” It was one of the first books that I was encouraged to read when I was a Leatherboy. Shortly after, I became obsessed with the works of Mercea Eliade and Joseph Campbell. In tandem with my early study, I met the man who would make the most profound impact on my Leather, Al “D” Sowers.

Al's dungeon area in his home mirrored the present structure of my Leather. Friends had carved the dungeon out of the crawl space over a period of many months in 1992. The greater part of the space was for public play, with the requisite hardware and slings. Then there was the more intimate area, the ritual room. Al reserved this space for himself. It was filled with furs, bones, and First People's artifacts, that part of his heritage that he treasured most. And, at the end of his life, it was also where he slept. The public and the private.

More than ten years ago I bottomed for the last time in this ritual space. A double, nipple piercing scene. My partner stood next to me as I lay face up on the table. The final in a string of scenes over the years where I would be pierced or cut by Al. I had built total faith in him over the years. Al explained the importance of piercing “away from the heart” to reinforce an open energy and encouraged me to enter a meditative state. I felt my breath go in and out and heard him alter his breathing to match the tempo of my own. Suddenly a long breath in and, suspended between breaths, I felt both nipples skewered simultaneously. An exquisite pain that seemed to radiate throughout my entire body and to settle in my navel.

“Your body literally rose off the table,” my partner remarked immediately after the scene. “Different than I thought it would be,” he added. Indeed, we spoke later about the fact that private ritual scens are very different from Leather scenes in Gay porn.

Al's ritual tools were knives, scalpels, and piercing instruments. Mine are boots, masks, and whips. Each SIR has his method of marking the initiate's body. Unlike the feigned acts of most Western fraternal and religious orders, we inflict marks on our boys to encourage them to remember the scene. Every boy I know wears his marks with pride and feels a pang of regret as they fade with time.

Not all scenes are ritual in nature and not all boys open to offering themselves totally to a SIR. Sometimes play is simply fun, hot, sexy, painful, difficult, even ridiculous. But it is the surrendering act that qualifies a boy for my collar. His rite of passage. An entrance into the core of my Leather.

Leather runs can facilitate the essential juxtaposition of the private and the public. On Sunday as I sat next to the boy, I watched a very public ritual, the installation of new officers of a Leather club, the Centaurs. Candles were extinguished and relit as a large audience watched with approval. The public ritual opened the contest, the highlight of the run and another integral part of the Leather Community.

I suggest that public and private rituals both have an equal importance in the Gay Men's Leather Community. They have helped define it over the last quarter century.

Again, thanks to the Centaurs for all their hard work over the MAL weekend. A great run and one that I will attend again in the years ahead sans sash. And a special congratulations to the new Mid-Atlantic Mr. Leather, Doug Pamplin. Have a great year of service!

Removing the collar

Last week I removed the collar from one of the boys in my family prior to receiving medical treatment. As I turned the key to the lock and slid it from around his neck, I said, “Remember that the collar is still there, even if the chain is not.”

The collar was simply the outward sign of the bond between us, Sir and boy The remnant of continuing negotiations.

Physical attraction plays an integral role in identifying a potential boy. After acknowledging this attraction through sexual play, I allow the relationship to gestate for a period of months in order to learn what role I might occupy in the boy's life. I allow the relationship to grow naturally. The boy receives a collar when we both understand what role I will have in his life.

Even before a collar, the boy needs to show that he is committed to the Leather Family and to his Mentor. He must understand the boundaries for proper behavior, the protocols that define the relationship between himself and his Sir. And he must understand that this bond is not easily broken. The collar is simply the vestigial manifestation of the familial bond.

As I remind my boys often, “you are extensions of Myself.”

In Praise of Older Boys and Men

When I came out in the mid 80's I quickly discovered the beauty of experienced Men. The first man that I had sex with was twenty years my senior. I recall how He initiated me into kinky sex, introducing me to the art of nipple play and tit torture. Instructing me to take deep breaths he worked my tits first with His hands, then His mouth, finishing off the hour long session with hard biting and intense pulling.

Months later I dated another older Man. He took me under his wing, wetting my appetite for Leathersex. And He introduced me to Billy Jefferson, the first Seattle Mr. Leather. These Men became a composite HOT MAN that would remain part of my fantasy life until I came out as a Leatherman. More important, these Men instructed me in the ways of safer sexual practices at a time when people in the mainstream Gay community refused to acnowledge HIV, much like the nation's president at that time.

One of the strengths of the Leather Tribe at that time was the celebration of all men regardless of age, body shape, or ethnicity. I was drawn to this community because I loved men, ALL types of men. I also noticed that submissive men were respected and valued for their experience. I considered this one of the distinguishing features of the Tribe.

Today I am no longer a boy. I am a LeatherSir. And I still value the experience of older men. I love older boys. I love the emotional depth they demonstrate during play. I love the fact they celebrate each moment of submission. I love the fact that they understand it is their nature to be boys.

Some are submissive. Others want the protection of a LeatherDad. And others, of a Master. They are men who understand who they are and make no excuses for it. Their confidence is different from the exuberance of younger boys. A seasoned response to Leather.

There is no greater expression of manhood than being a boy over forty.

A Tribute: Baltimore, August 7th

It was an honor to attend a tribute hosted by Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR John and the Mid-Atlantic title family. In Leather and Love, a tribute to boy xody.

I did not know boy xody personally. I attended to support my title brother. I have great respect for Sir John because of a shared dedication to training boys in the traditions of Leather. Last night to pay homage to xody, he had arranged artwork and quotes of boy xody on tables in the back of the room. As I read this boy's words, I was moved. A great loss to this community.

I listened as Sir Kai bid good-bye to boy xody via telephone. And I listened as his sister thanked the Mid-Atlantic community for befriending her brother.

I reflected on the words of Master Mike Zuhl the day after the contest. "A boy is a rare gift," he said.

Far more than a scene partner, a Leatherboy accepts his SIR as Guide in a journey that will take years. This gradual journey contradicts the culture of immediacy prevalent in the North America, Europe, and many parts of Asia. A journey of self-discovery that defines the life we lead in Leather.

The SIR/boy bond is the paradigm of mentorship in our Tribe. It is the foundation of our play and our relationships. It is one of the primary features of the Gay Leather lifestyle.

In Leather and Love.