20 April 2011 11:51
Seattle, WA – Recent medical research has raised hope of a possible new HIV prevention tool: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). The CDC has issued guidance telling doctors how to prescribe HIV antiretroviral medication to negative gay men. On Wednesday, April 27th, Aleksa Manila and I will be co-hosting a community forum presented by Gay City Health Project examining this issue. Our featured panelists will include: Dr Jared Baeten from the University of Washington School of Public Health; Jim Pickett from the AIDS Foundation of Chicago; Michael Weinstein of AIDS Healthcare Foundation; Austin Anderson from the Center for Multicultural Health; Fred Swanson representing Gay City Health Project; and Darren Augenstein from SeattleMeds Pharmacy. The forum starts at 7pm in the Erickson Theater off Broadway (1524 Harvard Ave) and is free to attend. You can get more information at the Gay City website, watch a promotional clip and participate in an online survey of attitudes surrounding this issue. This will undoubtedly be a lively and informative forum. I do hope you’ll join us if you’re in Seattle.
Tags: Gay City, HIV, Service
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25 May 2010 17:31
Seattle, WA – Three years ago this month, I flew down to Palm Springs CA and performed in my first adult feature, Soldiers of Misfortune, directed by Daddy Zeus (pictured right) for Zeus Studios. Daddy Zeus became a legend in my mind when he began capturing authentic BDSM and fetish on video in the mid ’90s. In features like Brute Force, Daddy Zeus paired accomplished and respected tops with hot bottoms in real scenes that depicted authentic play with a spirit and an edge that still speak to me as a player. Before Zeus, there was Christopher Rage, who masterfully captured this raw, animalistic sexuality on the fringe in the ’80s; and of course, the great grand-daddy of BDSM art films who first caught the essence of the urban ‘leatherman’ in the ’70s with LA Plays Itself, Fred Halsted. With my first film, I was excited to be making my contribution to the genre with my boy at the time, Derek da Silva, and we delivered a kick-ass-scene. A lot has happened since then.
By the end of my second shoot, this time with Titan Media for a Folsom/TitanMen co-branded feature called Fear, I was sold on the idea of partnering with the talent and quality that a major studio could offer in order to capture this thing of ours on screen. Before principle production had wrapped on my third project, I agreed to partner as an exclusive and become ‘the face of fetish’ for Titan. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Art Films, BDSM, Christopher Rage, Community, Daddy Zeus, Fear, Folsom Prison, Fred Halsted, Rough, Service, Titan Media
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10 April 2010 9:38
Detroit, MI – My boy Derek da Silva and I are in Detroit, MI this weekend for the Leather Leadership Conference (LLC). The Leather Leadership Conference is an organization dedicated to strengthening the BDSM/Leather/Fetish/Kink community by providing the stepping stones of learning and knowledge to assist in the development of the leadership skills of community members. Their goal is to aid in the growth and success of organizations and community groups through the development of these skills by providing access to leadership information and topics. By strengthening the leaders in our community they hope to facilitate a greater sense of connection between and within community groups. Derek and I are here this year to facilitate a presentation and guided discussion entitled Building Communities that Feed Your Soul. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: BDSM, Boys, Building Communities that Feed Your Soul, Community, Dragon Clan, Leather Leadership Conference, Service
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29 March 2010 20:04
Seattle, WA – Today is a day of rest and recovery from Washington State Leather Pride Week for me. It was a busy, fatiguing week culminating with the Washington State Mr & Ms Leather Contest Saturday night and our Annual Victory Brunch, Memorial & Awards Ceremony yesterday. But it was also highly enjoyable and rewarding. As Doug and Angie stepped down from their title years as Washington State Mr and Ms Leather, we had two contestants for each of the 2010 titles. Jim and Herrmeister D competed for the Mr title and Boi Di and Panda Girl (pictured left to right in the image right, courtesy of Malixe) competed for the Ms. Our congratulations go out to all four contestants, and we welcome our new Washington State Ms Leather, Boi Di, and Washington State Mr Leather 2010, Herrmeister D to the Washington State Leather title family. Each of the four contestants is a fine representative of the richness of Washington’s leather community and an excellent example of the Washington State Mr|Ms Leather Organization (WSMLO)‘s efforts to identify, recruit and mentor our next class of community leaders.
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Tags: ACT, BDSM, Boys, Cuff Complex, Dog House Leathers, FUK|!T, GLPW, Service, SML, WA St Mr|Ms Leather, WSMLO
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3 March 2010 0:26
Palm Springs, CA – A very interesting thread hit my inbox a couple weeks ago from the GLPW mailing list. What apparently began as a question regarding Sashes became a discussion about titleholders, and I was called out by my brother Gene Romaine (pictured right on the left at the most recent Gear Night at the Cuff courtesy of Graves). Yes, it’s true, I am a Leather titleholder. I served my local community as Washington State Mr Leather in 2002. And yes, I wore the Sash that came with that title on exactly three occasions; the night of the contest when I stepped up, the day I marched in the Seattle Pride parade with the Leather contingent, and, finally at the contest a year later when I stepped down. Truth is I don’t really like sashes; I find them so pretentious. My title vest, however, I have worn with pride on countless occasions. Even now, eight years later, around this time in March, my title vest comes off the heavy plastic hanger in the closet and put back on my back. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Dragon Clan, Drummer, Gear Night, GLPW, ILSb, IML, IMsL, Leadership, Leather Titles, Service, SML, Wetspot, WSMLO
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11 February 2010 22:22
30,000 ft – This past weekend I was down in San Diego, California to serve as the head judge for the Mr San Diego Eagle contest. As you can gather from the title, this is neither a big regional event nor a huge audience draw. Rather, it is a local bar title that draws a dedicated mix of individuals from the local community. Nevertheless, I came away from the experience with some very strong impressions regarding what community means and just how powerful an impact effective leadership can have on a community. David, the new Mr San Diego Eagle, and his first runner-up, Stephen (pictured above on my right and left, respectively) are both excellent representatives of a vibrant community, and here’s why I think so… Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Boys, Community, Mr San Diego Eagle, Service
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4 February 2010 18:46
Seattle, WA – With just over twenty-four hours in Seattle I’m already about to head back to the airport. This evening’s destination is San Diego, California where I’ll be staying the weekend while serving as head judge for the Mr San Diego Eagle contest. I’m quite excited about returning to San Diego and the opportunity to build new connections within the community of fetish/Sm players in the region. Even better, I get to share the weekend with my boy Derek Da Silva, who will be flying in from Chicago to be with me for the weekend. Tomorrow evening we’re slated to present an impact play demonstration during the Mr San Diego Eagle Meet & Greet and I’m planning a very special post to the blog tomorrow that relates directly to our demo. So, if you live or are going to be in San Diego this weekend… Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Community Building, Impact Play, Mr San Diego Eagle, Service
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18 November 2009 12:54
Seattle, WA – Yesterday I sat down with Dr Dick for a podcast interview as part of his Sex Advice with an Edge series. You’ll recall my boy Chris Yosef did an interview with the Doc a few months ago and I was called out to add my take on this thing of ours. In this first part of our interview we discuss: the need for a body double, or at least a cock double; the Pacific Northwest as a hotbed of perversion; my on-screen persona being the same as my off-screen persona; how I got my start in the ‘art film’ industry; workshops Derek da Silva and I present together; my mentors; my collaboration with Titan Media and the new Rough line; the challenges, opportunities and future of porn; the bareback phenomenon; and my essay A More Nuanced Position. As the summary of the podcast from Dr Dick states… Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Art Films, BDSM, Boys, Community, Dr Dick, Rigging, Rough, Service, Titan Media
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14 November 2009 12:30
Chicago, IL – In just a few weeks, I’ll be in Vancouver BC to judge the 2010 Mr Leatherman Vancouver contest. This year’s contest marks the official return of Leather to Vancouver, and I feel especially honored to have been asked by Stéphane Donaldson to be a part of the event and thrilled to help select the next leather titleholder for Vancouver. The other members of the judging panel include: Head Judge, Nikitas Chondroyannos from Vancouver BC; Western Canadian Leather boy 2009, David from Calgary AB; Western Canadian Leather Sir 2009, Jonathan from Calgary AB; Rubbout Vancouver’s Mitch Kenyon from Vancouver BC; Mr. Rubber Vancouver 2010, Paul Wood from Vancouver BC; and Mike Zuhl from Pittsburgh PA. My boy Chris Yosef and Priape’s Michael Schelt from Vancouver BC will serve as Tally Masters for the contest. While in town, I’ll also be presenting a Shibari Bondage Workshop Saturday afternoon and a Fisting Demo with my boy Chris Yosef later that night. There is no doubt in my mind that this will be a fun-filled weekend of events and community building. Now, for all the details… Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: BDSM, Boys, Community, Rigging, Service
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8 November 2009 12:12
Seattle, WA – A few months ago, International Mr. Leather founder and current president, Chuck Renslow, sent a message to IML Leather Market vendors and the members of our leather community. The letter announced a policy adopted by the Executive Committee of IML regarding the promotion or advocacy of barebacking – the practice of unprotected anal sex among men who have sex with men. This new policy specifically disallows entities that distribute and sell merchandise tending to promote or advocate barebacking from participation in the IML vendor market. Personally, I have myself questioned the level of acceptance bareback studios enjoy at leather community events. I have been troubled by the growing perception that barebacking (especially the marketing of unsafe sex with multiple, anonymous partners) is somehow an acceptable practice among responsible fetish/Sm players. Given our tribe’s long tradition of taking care of each other and teaching each other how to play more safely, I am amazed our response has not been stronger or come more quickly. But, I get ahead of myself… Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Art Films, Community, Family, IML, Safer Sex, Service
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Seattle, WA – Recent medical research has raised hope of a possible new HIV prevention tool: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). The CDC has issued guidance telling doctors how to prescribe HIV antiretroviral medication to negative gay men. On Wednesday, April 27th, Aleksa Manila and I will be co-hosting a community forum presented by Gay City Health Project examining this issue. Our featured panelists will include: Dr Jared Baeten from the University of Washington School of Public Health; Jim Pickett from the AIDS Foundation of Chicago; Michael Weinstein of AIDS Healthcare Foundation; Austin Anderson from the Center for Multicultural Health; Fred Swanson representing Gay City Health Project; and Darren Augenstein from SeattleMeds Pharmacy. The forum starts at 7pm in the Erickson Theater off Broadway (1524 Harvard Ave) and is free to attend. You can get more information at the Gay City website, watch a promotional clip and participate in an online survey of attitudes surrounding this issue. This will undoubtedly be a lively and informative forum. I do hope you’ll join us if you’re in Seattle. 
