Just because you can make something out of leather doesn't mean you should
I didn't think anything of the fact that 14th Street reeked all weekend of urine, lube and saline solution - which is why I didn't think anything of wearing a leather jacket to JR.'s on Saturday. And then, as I passed man after bearded man dressed incongruously in tight leather pants that surely did little to suppress the freezing cold, it dawned on me that - duh! - it was Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend.
I'm not going to comment on this particular subculture of gay society because I don't really know anything about it. But I do know that my friend went to the MAL expo last year and was shocked to the point of literally having a panic attack. On the other hand, another friend visited the host hotel on Friday for an extended "funch." Gross, but to be honest, I'm a notorious prude, so whatever.
Anyway, lesson learned: Don't wear a leather jacket on MAL Weekend. Unless, of course, you're into that sort of thing. Which I'm not. To hammer home the point, I shaved off almost all of my leg hair on Monday using my boyfriend's trimmer. I do not want to be a hairy scary leather bear. Smooth muscle stretch-cotton boy is more like it.
Comments
id be interested in learning what brought on the panic attack...how bad can these people (can we call them people?) be?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 22, 2008 11:20 PM
Yes, we can call them people. And I suspect it wasn't because they're "bad people" but that some people are into some... odd/extreme things. Stuff you really, really don't want to see (I'm thinking sounding, cock and ball torture, driving hooks into our body, electroshock, stuff like that, at least for me). But, you know what? Whatever floats your boat, I say. I admit to being more than a little fascinated and titillated by the whole leather subculture, but I think it's definitely a voyeuristic thing. My ass would look like hell in chaps.
And don't knock the "scary leather bears," Toby! Their bark is worse than their bite. Plus, they can probably give you all kinds of workout and bulking tips!
Posted by: Bourgeois Nerd | January 23, 2008 12:10 AM
Only women shave their legs. Or men who want to be women. Or men with a very small penis. Or very small men who are very insecure with their body image. Or fags.
Posted by: Lezzie Borden | January 23, 2008 01:10 AM
I was walking down 14th Street on Sunday afternoon and noticed a man walking down the street in a full on deer costume. At first I thought he was a mascot for some sports team, but then was told he was probably into "furries", yet another subculture of the bears that I don't understand. I just wish I had my camera.
Posted by: RJ | January 23, 2008 08:50 AM
I'm not one to judge. I'm not into leather and I know some people don't exactly look like something I want to see in leather or assless chaps, but I don't see any reason to talk about how gross people look or how disgusting someone is because they have hair. Everybody is different. I do have three things to add:
1) I have some friends who are bears and they are some of the best friends I've ever had, they are VERY protective of each other and their friends.
2) Leather organizations are constantly (at least in Phoenix) doing fundraisers for non-profit organizations. If I have to look at a cottage cheese ass (that isn't killing me) for two hours so that little kids with AIDS can go to summer camp, I'll jam a $20 in those cheeks becuase they're doing some good.
3) A notorious prude?......has she forgotten about her single life so quickly?
Posted by: Alfonzo | January 23, 2008 07:08 PM
Wait a sec.. let me get this straight: hairy guys in leather who gather to dance to disco music are "scary", but shaving your legs while listening to Mandy Moore is, what... not scary? Newsflash: men are hairy. Try to fight it, and you will not only lose, you'll look ridiculous in the process. But hey, don't let that stop you from goin nuts with your Gillette Venus every week, girl.
Posted by: John D'Oh | January 26, 2008 12:22 PM