Indigenous Leather

Think of a Leatherperson – what image comes to mind? Most likely it’s a male figure, muscled, wearing a Muir cap and vest, and probably white. That’s the image our culture, mainstream and Leather, has pushed as the ultimate expression of what it means to be Leather. Now imagine you’re a newcomer to the Leather scene and Indigenous. How do you express your Leather identity without losing yourself to an unattainable image? How do you find a place in a subculture that appropriates the concept of “tribe” without having a clue what it actually means?

This discussion will illustrate the experiences of Ivarr B., a proud member of the Osage Nation and dedicated Leatherman, and offer gathered wisdom about what it means to be Native and Leather. The idea for this class started with a question from Ivarr’s title run, “How does your Native identity inform your Leather identity?” At the time, he said it didn’t but after reflecting on the question, it seems there was a lot more to say. Bring your questions and check any fragile egos at the door while we consider Native visibility and identity in kink and Leather. Indigenous folx of all nations and identities are encouraged to join in and offer their insight.