Leather: Moving In It and Moving On

I am summarizing this two-week series of postings about leather and the leather life with some of my own personal reflections. Tomorrow I will move on to other topics. I hope you have enjoyed the commentary and pieces lifted from my Complete Guide to Leather Gear.

What possessed me to write that Leather Gear Guide and this series? Primarily, I wanted to share knowledge I had gained over the 30 years or so in which I have been enjoying leather. Several email messages related to that Guide and this blog series have said something on the order of, "I wish I had that information when I was getting into leather...."

Those messages, along with some others, have indicated to me that there are fewer younger guys who are getting into leather. And that's rather obvious by what I have seen in attendance at major leather events such as IML and MAL: we're mostly all middle-aged and older men. There are few young men filling the ranks when us older guys move on. Go to a leather bar in a major U.S. city these days (except, perhaps, San Francisco) and you seldom see anyone in leather, except for perhaps a leather vest. Not even boots. So many shorts, sneakers, and sandals... sigh. Since bar business has declined, many leather bars have closed. Some have morphed into general gay bars, expanding the clientele into "y'all come". I understand that they need to do different things to stay in business. I don't begrudge them for those changes. So I shouldn't complain about a lack of leather when the attendance is from a broad gay population, many of whom aren't into leather. That's fine, I'm not into what they're into.

I know that as I have aged and have settled into a permanent, monogamous relationship with my partner, I just don't have the interest in going out any more, even to major leather events. Most of those events are "model and pose" weekends for the once-a-year leather set anyway. Man, you wouldn't believe how one once-a-year queen raised a ruckus last year during Mid-Atlantic Leather when he was "caught" in public space on a short video clip I took. (It's sad that so many guys have to live in the closet and aren't "out" in their leather gear.)

When I was younger, I generally didn't go out much to leather bars anyway. When I was first getting into leather, we were just learning about AIDS and HIV. It was very scary to think that you might be exposed to a disease that would kill you rather painfully. And at the time, the authorities weren't really sure what was causing the disease or how it was spread. Studying microbiology at the time, I knew enough about the subject to be appropriately frightened.

Another reason why I didn't go out that much was/is that I have always been a morning person, and fade quickly when the sun goes down. Even with a "disco nap," I still can't manage to stay awake much past 10pm, and that's "early" for the bars. (Frankly, I have never understood why leathermen don't go out until 11pm or later.)

The final reason, most relevant today, is that I am not interested in meeting other guys for sex; I get all I want at home, thanks. I don't need a venue to meet the next trick. My partner isn't social, and doesn't want to make friends. I don't go anywhere without him, so if he doesn't want to go out, I don't go. I haven't really missed much, anyway. No biggie.

HOWEVER, that does not mean that I do not enjoy my leather gear! Heck, I have put a lot of money into buying it, having it custom tailored to fit me, and getting certain changes made to accommodate interests. These changes include pockets on chaps and reflective stripes on breeches for motorcycle riding, and certain other adjustments which I won't describe, but make the gear more enjoyable for certain activities with my partner.

I wear my leather often in autumn, winter, and spring. I don't wear it as much in summer, just because it is warm and makes me sweat. It goes without saying, though, that I wear boots all year 'round. I wear my leather when riding my Harley. I wear it when I go out grocery shopping, visiting family and friends, and to meetings. I go to A LOT of meetings in my community, and it is quite common that I may have on a pair of leather jeans, a vest, and boots. That's my "signature."

On nights after work or weekends when I am not going anywhere, I may choose to wear one of my uniforms. Just because. I like uniforms, they are comfortable, look good, and may "encourage" some spontaneous encounters with my partner. (smile.)

In summary, leather is great gear: it lasts forever if you take care of it. It is forgiving for those of us whose builds have changed over time. It has a great utilitarian purpose, in providing protection for motorcyclists and against the elements. And it's just fun!

Life is short: enjoy your boots and leather!