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