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 …
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 An outdated term for this is algolagnia …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 …
On social media, we are increasingly taking part in the lives of many people, some of whom we only know briefly or not at all. We are confronted with an abundance of ideas, lifestyles and activities that can sometimes stress us out and make us unhappy. The more you participate in social networks, the more …
What is right and what is wrong when it comes to fetish and BDSM? The question “Did we do everything right?” recently posed to me in this connection was on my mind for quite some time. Can there be a clear answer to that? “As long as we enjoyed it, everything was right” was my …