Early Leather Influences

Some leathermen are lucky enough to have had experienced leathermen bring them into the community as newbies, to serve as mentor or daddy or sir.  I’m not one of them.  I started taking my first steps into leather in 1991, and I mostly had to find my own way.  I had to learn now to navigate the leather bar and the leather scene largely by myself, gleaning info where I could from whom I could.

The internet was there in terms of newsgroups and mailing lists only.  alt.sex.bondage, soc.motss, and the Bears Mailing List were about the only resources I had.

Apparently I did a good enough job — I’m still here.  While I can name individuals who had an impact on me and how I turned out after my first few years — Don Thompson, Jeff Tucker, Mr. Marcus, Mark Dreier (of the Loading Dock), George Wong, Jeff Henness, Dave Rhodes — they were not mentors in the usual sense, nor were they early influences.

My earliest leather influences were actually fictional (or at least fictionalized) characters.

Society of Creative Anachronism

I got involved in the SCA in grad school, in 1988 or so, via friends who were also in the local Rocky Horror Picture Show cast.  For those not up on the concept, the SCA is a medieval recreation group, which includes both mock medieval fighting (even full out “wars”) and medieval arts (song, dance, food, handcrafts).

In particular, it is an attempt to celebrate the good parts of the Middle Ages.  Everyone is nobility (a lord or lady) unless they want to play other roles.  Issues of poverty, classism, serfdom, plague — those are pretty much side-stepped in favor of presenting positive re-creation.

Things I picked up from the SCA:

• Honor and chivalry
• Focus on the good things
• Be able to be heard across a room or a field (I did field heraldry — outdoor announcements)
• The idea that Sir and Master are titles which are earned by a person by exhibiting and passing on skills (whether at arms or in craft), and that a title is granted by others, not assumed by the individual just because they want it

The Desert Peach

The Desert Peach — Pfirsich Marie Rommel — is a comic book character (from the comic book of the same name) created by Donna Barr, the fictional brother of Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox.  He is a gay man in the World War II German army, stationed in northern Africa and overseeing a battalion of misfits which makes M*A*S*H look normal.

Who would think a comedy about a gay German officer could have depth and influence?  Donna Barr created a rich world and supporting cast for the character, who was presented as very competent, controlled, and principled individual.

Things I picked up from The Desert Peach:

• Again, honor and chivalry
• Being your own man even when those in power are against you
• Being a leader who inspires those who follow you
• That guys in uniform can be hot and sexy, yet with a tender side

Dr.  Frank N.  Furter

That’s right, I count the transvestite mad scientist from the Rocky Horror Picture Show among my most fundamental early leather influences.  It is easy to dismiss him, but there is a lot of depth to the character.

Think about it:

• He embraces who he is and what he likes
• He doesn’t let others dictate his behaviors or his fashion choices
• He wields a mean riding crop (so does the Desert Peach, actually!)
• He likes sex, and he likes to have it with a variety of partners
• He recognizes the value of an entrance and a well-done performance
• He has a vision for what he wants and he follows through on it
• He surrounds himself with people who will support him and help him see his vision through to the end

  — Okay, he failed on that one in the end, but he tried!