Tag Archives: community
“The Art of Gay Friending”
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“You’d think it’d be easy to find your chosen family and feel like you belong in a community where everyone has struggled to come out, but side-eyes and thoughts of “these kweens” often times dominate over a friendly hello. Psychotherapist Matthew Dempsey along with his gay friends discuss why it can be hard to connect with other gay people and steps you can take to finally find and keep your tribe”
Chicago Rubbermen Dates for 2015
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!
April: Visit to LA&M followed by CRM Bar Night – 4/11 at Jackhammer
May: IML Rubber Meet and Greet with MIR- 5/20 at IML
June: Fullkit Gear followed by CRM Bar Night- 6/27 Sofo
July: Mr. Midwest Rubber – 7/17-7/19 at Touché
August: CRM 10th Anniversary – 8/22 at Cellblock
October: CRM Bar Night – 10/17 at Touché
November: Mr. International Rubber – 11/6-11/8 at Center on Halsted
“Don’t give hate a chance” by Max Samauth
Kinky Videoclip – Don’t Give Hate A Chance from Max Samauth on Vimeo.
Don’t Give Hate a Chance!
During GEARED Ireland weekend in Dublin we shot a funny video with a serious message for the world. For outside AND inside the gay fetish scene! It was awesome to edit this video. wink emoticon This videoclip premiered at Leatherpride Belgium. Which was a blast! Thanks to Tyrone Rontganger to get this idea and motivating the others. Thanks to Brett, Arnaud, Nordine, Daniel, Eamon, John, Kev & Darek for the footage!
Guyssss, feel free to share this anywhere!!! Spread the message!
CHICAGO: Rope Bondage Basics class
Thursday, February 19at 7:00pm – 9:00pm
ToucheChicago
6412 N Clark St, Chicago, Illinois 60626
Join us as Slade Boss Travis goes over Rope Bondage basics and the sexuality of Rope. This will be a great demo and discussion. This event is sure to inspire you – so feel free to brings rope and partners, if you like.
CLDG is a group of leather men who gather to share and teach each other and anyone who identifies as a man interested in learning about leather, BDSM and kink. We believe that face to face education and mentoring still has a place is this new world of tablets, phones and computers. We will have discussions or demos on the third Thursday of the month.
Here Are The Top Ten Kinkiest Cities In America. Sir, Yes, Sir!
Words of Wisdom
This is important.
When I first came around as a gay man, and leatherman, I had difficulties finding my tribe. Later when I was comfortable in my community I was confronted with the T in LGBTQ, and I was challenged to open my mind.
It was hard at first because, how do I ask without offending? How do I learn without being thought to stare? How do I feel about a transgender man being in an all male environment?
I am still not done learning, I don’t think I ever will, because everyone is unique. Whether L, G, B, T, Q, or else. What I do know though is that if you identify as male, you are male. Our transgender brothers and sisters should not have to be scrutinized by us, who are just beginning to feel the fruits of our fight for equality and acceptance. It wasn’t long ago were the G in LGBTQ was just as disregarded and looked down upon.
We are all one community. So when I hear of clubs refusing my dear friend boy tyler ABW titleholder and club member of 15 & Delta being refused by the Dallas Discipline Corps – I cringe. Yes a club has the authority to choose who can and can not join, but I wish that we open our eyes and learn to understand that what we do when exclude is nothing less than the discrimination we have fought.
I am not talking about giving up our male space and making everything open to all, but I am talking of accepting our sisters into female space, our brothers into male space, and if it is a mixed party – well there ‘ya go.
Would we exclude men that aren’t goldstar gays and may have slept with women before discovering their gay or bisexuality from a gay male party?? I think not.
Open your mind, open your hearts, open your legs – as ever you please. But do not turn from being the oppressed to being the oppressor.
– Mr LA Leather, Eric Paul Leue
CHICAGO- “A Look at Gay Pride and why it still matters”
Truvada and the Case for Condom Use
Here’s a fantastic article about Truvada and wearing condoms. Personally, I agree with the article. Together with Condom use, Truvada is your 2nd form of protection.
Here we go again: to PrEP or not to PrEP?
Truvada, the first FDA-approved antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV infection, splits people in fronts: those who are sure that Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) marks the end of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, those who swear the treatment in the long term will worsen HIV incidence in the community, those in between, those who know little to nothing about it and those who simply don’t care.
IOWA Leather Weekend- Tickets on sale now!
CHICAGO: This Friday
RUFF THOUGHTS: “Keep Em’ Guessing”
People are fascinating.
Last saturday night, I was making my way to the exit of Jackhammer bar where I ran into an old co-worker where we proceeded to catch up and leave the bar together. A very sexy built Ginger who we’ll call “Bubba”… just because when he reads this he’ll have a good laugh. “Bubba” is a very sweet man that I don’t see often because we run in different “circles” of friends and both have odd hours with jobs. A long while back, when we were co-workers, we had an incident happen where we saved a man’s life in a very crazy situation. So, needless to say, that was a bonding experience for us.
As we started to leave, we both keep getting stopped by friends. Mind you, the music in Jackhammer is L-O-U-D… but I can still hear his friends. “Who the hell is that guy you’re leaving with? Is he gonna tie your down and pound your Ass into oblivion?” was one of the many comments (and looks) I overheard in the bar along with “Bubba’s” giggle saying “That’s not the case“. As we walked out of the bar onto the sidewalk, another group started commenting to “Bubba” with “You are definitely not making it to Church tomorrow!“. He jokingly shouts “BYE NOW!!!“. He can see that I’ve overheard all of it.
So, I grabbed his hand and we proceeded to skip down the street in full leather and tall Wesco Boots with 15+ people just staring at is… their lusty fantasies of two masculine Men leaving the Leather bar totally ruined.
At times, people project how they want to see in people. The Leather Scene can be sooooo serrrrious at times. It doesn’t need to be. The laughter that followed our romp down Clark Street made my entire weekend.
“SCRUFF” invades SIDETRACK this Friday in Chicago
THIS FRIDAY in Chicago
IML 2014 Facebook Event Page
Click on the IML 2014 Poster for the Facebook Event Page
WATCH: How To Make a Male Polyamorous Relationship Work
Full Article from OUT Magazine
SCRUFF invades Chicago’s Sidetrack Bar
C.A.G.E. April Event
CHICAGO History Museum
Atlanta Eagle Anniversary Weekend
Rubber Meet & Greet at IML 2014
Friday May 23, 7pm -9pm
Chicago Marriott Hotel Downtown
The Chicago Rubbermen and MIR team up for this years Rubber Meet and Greet at International Mister Leather. Stop by and take in the dark and shiny side of IML. Get info on MIR18, and meet rubbermen from around the globe!
Location: Marriott, 6th Floor in the Northwestern – Ohio – Purdue – Wisconsin rooms (more room, more men, more shine, more fun!)
No admission fee, cash bar. Come one, come all.
Mr New England Leather Comes to MIT
This took a lot of balls. BIG HIGH FIVE to the super sexy Mr New England Leather, Steve Dupont, for representing the Leather Community in such a very public forum.
CHICAGO
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Mr. Fetish Jackhammer 2014 Preliminary Listing of Events
(Subject To Change)FRIDAY MAY 2, 2014
-Registration
-Closet/Gear Sale
-Meet and Greet
-Introduction of Contestants and Judges
-Dance PartySATURDAY MAY 3, 2014
-Registration
-Closet/Gear Sale
-Contestant Interviews
-Mr. Fetish Jackhammer Contest
-Victory DanceSUNDAY MAY 4, 2014
-Closet/Gear Sale
-Closing BBQ & Beer Blast
-Tea Dance
Volunteer Sign-Up for IML 2014 is now live via the IML website!!!
BREAKING:
Volunteer Sign-Up for IML 2014 is now live via the IML website!!!
Being a volunteer for IML is a lot of fun, you get to meet lots of amazing people from around the world and you also get free access to Official Weekend Events.
All we ask is for 3 work shifts, for a total of 12 hours throughout the entire weekend.
Remember. Shift sign-up is a first come, first served…so be sure to sign up early to get the time slots you want. Click on the link below to get started.
We can’t wait to see everyone in a few months!!!
http://apps.imrl.com/backoffice/people/volunteer_signup
LATEST UPDATES: Follow the latest information on Twitter and on Facebook.
Time to help a Community Member, Folks!
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) –
A 30-year-old Minneapolis man is recovering from what’s being described as a brutal attack that occurred after he left a bar and headed for a downtown bus stop by himself early Sunday morning.
The victim lost teeth and his shattered jaw is now wired shut, and the investigation is complicated because he can’t remember what happened after he left the eagleBOLTbar on Washington Avenue South.
“He is very sore, and of course, with his jaw wired shut, it is hard for him to eat,” Jason Little told Fox 9 News.
Little admits he is having a tough time coming to terms with what happened to his close friend, Jeremy, over the weekend.
“He doesn’t remember anything. Clearly, something came up from behind. It was very quick and extremely violent,” Little said.
The details of what occurred are few, and much of that is because the victim remembers nothing but a flash or two before he was abandoned in the cold street with a partially severed tongue that doctors at HCMC were able to reattach.
“Also [he] has bruises — some boot-shaped bruises — on his body,” Little said.
Fox 9 News will not divulge Jeremy’s last name, but he was willing to share photos from his hospital bed of the injuries that have been the best guide in determining what took place after he headed down Portland Avenue to catch a bus home.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of details right now,” Little said. “Hopefully, with the story on the news, we’ll get more information if someone saw something — but of course, there’s a lot of violence toward members of the LGBT community, and that’s something we’re thinking about. Could it be related?”
Police will only say that it’s an open investigation and that they are exploring all possibilities, but friends note that Jeremy was not robbed.
Now, Jeremy and his loved ones are beginning a long and expensive road to healing as they wait for answers. An online fund has been set up to help offset his medical costs, and more than $5,000 has already been raised.
“He is one of those people who spends so much time taking care of other people,” Little said. “I’m so glad he has a community around him to take care of him and his partner at this time.”
The LGBT advocacy group OutFront Minnesota told Fox 9 News they are closely monitoring the case to see if it turns into a possible hate crime.