Leather subculture

The Leather Pride flag, which has become a symbol of the BDSM and fetish subculture.

Start of the Leather Contingent at the 2004 San Francisco Gay Pride Parade

The leather culture typically includes both a style of dress and an affiliation with BDSM (Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/Submission, Sado/Masochism, also called "SM") practice. Both the style of dress and the kinds of BDSM activities characteristic of a community may differ between gay, lesbian, and straight communities, and between Old Guard and newer generations of players. While most people who engage in the leather culture style of dress are also affiliated with BDSM practice, not all BDSM practitioners wear leather culture apparel.

History

Gay male BDSM leather culture grew out of post-WWII biker culture. Some men returning from World War II with no desire to return to their hometowns received surplus motor cycles, leather jackets, and other military gear before setting out to re-establish their lives. For many gay men, the military had provided camaraderie and a closeness to other men that they sought to continue once they returned. The 1953 film The Wild One starring Marlon Brando wearing a jeans and a T-shirt with a leather jacket and leather cap riding a motorcycle created an iconic image that was adopted by the first gay leather people. The masculinity associated with military uniforms, both Nazi and the Allied forces, also influenced the aesthetic. The first gay motorcycle clubs evolved from the groups of men that bonded together. The first gay leather bars were the club houses of these early biker clubs that opened later to the public.

The early gay male leather subculture is epitomized by the Leatherman's Handbook by Larry Townsend, published in 1972, which essentially defined one specific order of the Old Guard leather culture. This code emphasized strict formality and fixed roles (i.e. no switching). There is another order of the Old Guard that emphasizes discipline, honor, brotherhood, and respect and promotes and even stricter lifestyle promoting education, knowledge, and privilege based on successive ranks or levels. Leather submissives start as novice trainees and systematically earn their leather while progressing through the levels of third class, second class, first class, and senior trainee. Once a submissive completes his training and earns the Senior title, he is ready to go into part time or full time service as a houseboy in an Old Guard Master's household. When gay leathermen cruised in the early 1970s, they began using the bandana code to indicate what kind of sex they were interested in having (some still use the code today).

A source of graphical illustrations of leathermen can be found in the books and work of Tom of Finland, and the pornographic films of one of his models Peter Berlin, such as his 1973 classic Nights in Black Leather. Very few lesbian women or heterosexuals were visible during the early emergence of gay male leather subculture. Pat Califia was inspired by the gay male leather culture and is credited for defining the emergence of lesbian leather culture. In 1978, Califia co-founded one of the first lesbian S/M support groups, Samois, and is best known for prolific contributions to the body of lesbian BDSM erotica and sex-guides.

Leather culture is also inspired by the chains and leather or denim and leather look espoused by heavy metal bands. (Although it is arguably more likely that these groups were more influenced by the gay and straight biker clubs themselves.) The first practitioner of this look in a heavy metal context was Rob Halford, the lead singer of the influential NWOBHM band Judas Priest, who wore a leather suit on stage as early as 1978. Halford, a gay man, picked up the image from leather-culture bars on tour. The rest of the band quickly joined in, and so did subsequent metal bands.

New Guard leather culture appeared in the 1990s, as a reaction to the restrictions of Old Guard style. New Guard, or new leather, embraced switching and often combined spirituality with their play. An increasing number of pansexual clubs evolved as well. In north America, with the possible exception of Quebec, leather continues to be associated with men above the age of 40. In Europe younger men have combined the aestheitic and exploration of sexual power with the skin head movement and social-fratenral organizations like BLUF. In this younger community the model is less biker, and more about sensuality and power, a more blurred line exists, where leather fetish can be combined with latex fetish, skin head or athletic gear.

The leather community has been considered a subset of BDSM culture rather than a direct descendant of gay culture as a whole, despite the fact that in years past much of the organized SM community was in fact homosexual. Today, while some may still use the term strictly in the old fashioned sense (confusing it with old guard, the "leather community" or "leather culture" includes all BDSM practitioners, gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual, or pansexual whether high or low protocol).

Controversy

There is small controversy among the BDSM community about the popularity of wearing leather. There are those who believe the wearing of leather and other popular BDSM apparel has come to represent something of a uniform for those practicing BDSM, discouraging personal creativity and variety in dress. Others note how expensive both leather clothing and leather BDSM equipment is. In the year 2005, a new pair of leather pants cost up to $400. The cost of participating in leather culture prevents many low-income people from participating in the ways that might be expected of BDSM practitioners, due to the popularity of leather apparel and equipment. Finally, there are those who are concerned for animal rights. Many animal rights activists within the BDSM community point to vinyl and latex as alternatives for the leather look.

Museums and exhibitions

The 10,000 square foot, two-storey Leather Archives and Museum, based in Chicago, has much information and details on the beginning of the BDSM community.

In addition to activities in Chicago, the LA&M serves the leather world by preserving material from all leather communities, sending “traveling” exhibits around the country, and providing email and telephone research assistance.

In 2005, a traveling exhibit was for the first time in Europe for an extended time, traveling the continent organized by Matthias "Leatherbound", European coordinator for the Leather Archives and Museum.

In 2005, Viola Johnson started traveling with her collection and telling stories from her 35 years of personal involvement in the leather subculture.

See also

• BDSM
• Daedalus Publishing
• Folsom Street Fair
• International Mister Leather
• International Miss Leather
• Southeast leatherfest
• Leather fetishism
• Leather Pride flag

External links

• AtomAge Magazine Appreciation Site, with images of all AtomAge magazine covers and a history of the magazine
• International Mr. Leather
• Colors of leather Website
• Southern Decadence Southern Decadence in New Orleans
• Leather Archives & Museum
  • Leather History Timeline from LA&M
• The Sydney Leather Pride Association (Australia)
• Breeches and Leather Uniform Fanclub