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ICcode for "Leather subculture"

The [b]leather culture[/b] typically includes both a style of dress and
an affiliation with [about=BDSM]BDSM[/about] (Bondage/Discipline,
Dominance/Submission, Sado/Masochism, also called "SM") practice. Both
the style of dress and the kinds of BDSM activities characteristic of a
community may differ between gay, lesbian, and straight communities, and
between [about=Old Guard leather]Old Guard[/about] and newer generations
of players. While most people who engage in the leather culture style of
dress are also affiliated with BDSM practice, not all BDSM practitioners
wear leather culture apparel. "Heavy leather" and "S&M" are often
regarded as synonyms. 

Leather attire is not strictly necessary to be part of the leather
subculture; a tattered denim look is always acceptable, as is "cowboy"
and more rarely encountered, "uniform". Those into
[about=fisting]fisting[/about], for example rarely wear leather, but are
distinctly within the S&M community. Similarly those into
[about=scat]scat[/about] and [about=golden showers]golden
showers[/about]] (which is not really S&M) also rarely wear leather.
What is discouraged at leather venues is drag, disco, preppy and tweedy
clothing. 

Demeanour in a male leather venue, as well as when having sex, is also
extremely important. Effeminacy, campiness or frivolous gossip is
strongly discouraged. One is expected behave in a very serious, very
[about=butch]butch[/about] manner, projecting a hyper-masculinity; while
recognized for the pose it is, it is consistently adhered to. 

[b]History[/b]

[about=Homosexuality]Gay[/about] male [about=BDSM]BDSM[/about] leather
culture grew out of post-World War II biker culture. Currernt leather
culture is also inspired by the "chains and leather" or "denim and
leather" look espoused by heavy metal bands "Rock leather"; the first
practitioner of this look in a heavy metal context was Rob Halford, the
lead singer of the influential NWOBHM band Judas Priest, who wore a
leather suit on stage as early as 1978. Halford, a gay man, picked up
the image from leather-culture bars on tour. The rest of the band
quickly joined in, and so did subsequent metal bands. Rock leather, as
well as "fashion leather", both worn by those outside the leather scene,
are generally disparaged by those in the leather scene, and the real
leather does not really mix with the other. 

The early gay male leather subculture is epitomized by the "Leatherman's
Handbook" by [about=Larry Townsend]Larry Townsend[/about], published in
1972, which essentially defined the [b]Old Guard leather culture[/b],
consisting of men born largely in the 'teens and 20s, who had
experienced the Depression and very often had served in World War II;
their mind-set was very different from those who came later. This code
emphasized strict formality and fixed roles (i.e. no
[about=switch]switch[/about]ing). This was reinforced by the fact this
group was dominated by war veterans, who had experience in the
do-what-you're-told, don't-whine military culture. The scene was rather
small, and essentially underground, with only a few discreet venues in
the largest of cities for men of such a persuasion to meet.

Very few [about=lesbian]lesbian[/about] women or
[about=heterosexual]heterosexual[/about]s were visible during the early
emergence of gay male leather subculture. Patrick Califia (formally
[about=Pat Califia]Pat Califia[/about]) was inspired by the gay male
leather culture and is credited for defining the emergence of lesbian
leather culture. In 1978, Califia co-founded one of the first lesbian
S/M support groups, [about=Samois]Samois[/about], and is best known for
prolific contributions to the body of lesbian BDSM erotica and sex-guides.

As the baby boom and sexual revolution impacted the leather scene, the
leather subculture became progressively less underground. Serious
changes began in the 70s, when the first boomers started exploring the
scene and with the development of anything-goes sex clubs where the
scene could be sampled in safety, the average age of men first getting
into the scene began to tumble. 

[b]New Guard leather culture[/b] evolved out of the changes in the
1980s. New Guard, or new leather, embraced switching and often combined
spirituality with their play. An increasing number of
[about=pansexual]pansexual[/about] clubs evolved as well.  

The leather community has been considered a subset of BDSM culture
rather than a direct descendent of gay culture as a whole, despite the
fact that in years past much of the organized SM community was in fact
homosexual. Today, while some may still use the term strictly in the old
fashioned sense (confusing it with [about=old guard]old guard[/about],
the "leather community" or "leather culture" includes all BDSM
practitioners, gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual, or pansexual whether
[about=List of BDSM terms]high or low protocol[/about]). 

[b]Controversy[/b]

There is small controversy among the BDSM community about the popularity
of wearing leather. There are those who believe the wearing of leather
and other popular BDSM apparel has come to represent something of a
uniform for those practicing BDSM, discouraging personal creativity and
variety in dress. Others note how expensive both leather clothing and
leather BDSM equipment is. In the year 2005, a new pair of leather pants
costs up to $400. The cost of participating in leather culture prevents
many low-income people from participating in the ways that might be
expected of BDSM practitioners, due to the popularity of leather apparel
and equipment. Finally, there are those who are concerned for animal
rights. Many animal rights activists within the BDSM community point to
vinyl and latex as alternatives for the leather look. 



[heading]See also


[item][about=Leather pride flag]Leather pride flag[/about]

[item][about=Leather fetishism]Leather fetishism[/about]

[item][about=BDSM]BDSM[/about]

[item][about=Folsom Street Fair]Folsom Street Fair[/about]

[item][about=Daedalus Publishing]Daedalus Publishing[/about]

[item]Urban Aboriginals: A Celebration of Leathersexuality ISBN 1881943186 

[item]Leatherfolk: Radical sex, people, and practice ISBN 1881943208 


[heading]External links 


[item] [url=http://www.io.com/~ambrosio/gen/stein.html]History of
Leather-S/M-Fetish Subculture and Communities[/url]

[item] [url=http://www.leatherpage.com/]leatherpage.com[/url]

[item] [url=http://www.leatherarchives.org/home.htm]Leather Archives &
Museum[/url]




(This entry in the BDSM Dictionary incorporates text from the
[url=http://www.londonfetishscene.com/wipi/index.php/Leather_subculture]Leather
subculture[/url] article in Wipipedia.)
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