Inside Leather History: A Fireside Chat is produced and hosted by Douglas O’Keeffe. The Chats seek to capture the memories, reflections, and experiences of leaders in the leather and/or LGBTQ+ communities. With deep and heartfelt regard for the importance of our history, the intent of the Chats is to collect, preserve, and appropriately share, the …
I identify as gay leatherman: I like to wear leather from head to toe – the more the better. I feel most comfortable in leather pants, leather shirt and boots – the so-called BLUF style. I like to combine this outfit with bracelets, leather caps, waistcoats or jackets, depending on the occasion and my mood. …
Self-doubts are human and accompany us through everyday life. To the right extent, they are useful for adjusting our self-image. However, when self-doubt gets out of control, it can make our lives difficult. During Folsom weekend in Berlin, I had a very personal conversation with someone who had doubts about belonging to this fetish event …
At the beginning of the traditional Pride month, rainbows sprout out of nowhere on flags in front of buildings and on public transport vehicles as well as on imprints on products we use every day. And just as quickly as they appear, the rainbows fade from our view at the end of June. Visibility and …
Not all legends reside in books about ancient history. Peter Fiske, Leatherman extraordinaire, is one such legend. Traveling through time from the world of Stonewall to the magic of San Francisco, Peter lived and experienced events that LGBT folk whisper to each other about in tones of wonder and occasional disbelief. Peter fought the battles, …
Mister Leather competitions have been held in the US since the 1970s, with Europe following shortly thereafter. From the point of view of both, a contestant, and a jury member, I can say with full confidence that neither role is easy. I am pleased and honoured to be asked to be a member of the …
BDSM (short for: Bondage & Discipline, Dominance & Submission, Sadism & Masochism) is based on the use of physical sensations to arouse pleasure. The dominant part (top) inflicts pain on the obedient submissive (bottom/sub) in mutual consent to fulfill the desires of both partners in a safe environment. An outdated term for this is algolagnia …
Fetish club life is slowly waking up and getting back to work after the long absence caused by the pandemic. The event calendars are filling up and we can finally plan and travel again to see friends and acquaintances and enjoy our long-awaited fetish comeback. Most of the European fetish events are primarily organized by …
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine – a country where people are still fighting for wider acceptance of LGBTQI+ people – many people have to flee their country. At times like this, it is vital to help support the work of those helping people get to safety. A part of peace and security is the …
The Hustler is set in Berlin in the “Golden Twenties” and describes the life of Günther, who ran away from his village at age fifteen and made his way to Berlin as a prostitute. At the same time, the bookseller Hermann Graff came to Berlin to work there; he falls in love with Günther. The …