Inclusive Kink
My introduction to the queer leather community.
A couple of weeks ago I attended my first leather event: the 2020 Kentucky Leather Pride Competition. I went in a virgin (figuratively speaking), and left with a newfound appreciation and respect for the leather community.
By the time I arrived, the bar was filled all the way up with queers in leather harnesses, pup play gear, and other kink attire. I was definitely the odd man out in my button-down and jeans. But I didn’t feel out of place. In fact, one of the first things I noticed was how friendly and welcoming the crowd was. The majority of the audience appeared to be cis gay men, but there was also a good showing of trans men, non-binary folks, cis and trans women, and sober folk — some in leather, some not — all comfortably intermixing: a refreshing change from the segregation I usually witness at LGBTQ+ events.
But the inclusive vibes didn’t end there. The competitors were just as diverse as the audience, with two trans man, a non-binary person, a cisgender lesbian, and several people of color competing for titles. In front of a panel of judges and a packed bar, the competitors enacted their sexual fantasies, auctioned off gift baskets they had personally curated, and gave speeches in which they shared their personal experiences with family rejection, police violence, and other hardships. The common thread…
