Saturday, June 28, 2014

Review of "Restraints… Tie, Me Up, Tie Me Down and Restrain Me" Demo Night

From boy steve:

Wednesday, June 25th, 2014:


An evening of no-holds-barred restraint - Demo Night presented by Cobi sharing his extensive knowledge of and experience with bondage play.


Beginning with a clarification of what bondage can be and its variations (physical, emotional, mental) and combinations (control, mindfucking, etc.), the discussion moved on to what is needed to make it an erotic, pleasurable and safe experience for all participants, and specifically what the top needs to do and be aware of before, during, and after a bondage scene.


Prior to the discussion, several men, to help set the mood, volunteered their bodies to be wrapped in saran and tape, or rope, or stapled. When the devices came out of Cobi's case, eyes - and smiles - widened. Every part of the body can be restrained somehow - from head to foot, from a nose hook to a hog-tie, there were plenty of examples and suggestions to whet the appetite and stimulate curiosity and creativity...and without having to pull out the credit card.

Need a gag? Try a whiffle ball and string. Duct tape, along with old socks, now has yet another use. And body bags (sleeping sacks) can be found at many major retailers. When the presentation concluded, men tried those restraints which interested them most and practiced and shared different body rope harnesses.


And those men who had been restrained at the beginning of the evening? Well, as they were still bound, those helpless bodies proved too tempting to be left untouched….



Pre-Event Publicity


Wed June 25th 7-9pm Our Monthly Demo/Play Party featuring: “Tie me up…tie me down & restrain me!

Cobi, resident member of Club X and Southwest Bootblack 2010 will share his expertise and masterful knowledge of basic ropes & restraints in a “bondage” scene that contributes to states of arousal, stimulation and being brought to orgasm while being immobilized. This demo is hands-on interactive. In addition to the demo, cum and indulge in other “nasty pig” fetishes!



Other Reviews

Ron Brundige LeatherAlpha: great job last night at the demo. Thanks for all you do for FMSD and the community. As always, big hugs.

Jon LeatherBoy Somerville: Agreed! So much good information and lots of fun!

Louie Main: I got a lot of useful information, and cellophane and duct tape wrapping was fun

Jeffrey Hill: Great job! Thanks again.

Richard Cook: Definitely..... LOTS of Fun, Sir ! (lol !) Thank-you to all who participated in making it a very special experience for this boy! With an extra special thanx to Cobi and Steve !

Magnům Masterš: Finally made it back to SD. Thanks Cobi for stepping in to host and to my boy Steve to assist! I'm glad the demo was a success!

Review of Butchmanns Experience, June 2014



From Frank NewExplorer:

These are my reflections on the Butchmanns tenets as I understand them, as well as my experience at the intensive along with Sir Magnum whom I shared this weekend and journey.

This Butchmanns All Male Experience led us through a few basic SM practices designed to provide an opportunity for self-exploration. By identifying who we are we can learn how to be authentic. Happiness comes from being/living who we truly are.

When we identify as Leatherman and incorporate leather into our life doesn’t that make us happier? I think the answer is yes, however there may be times we are not able to express our leather self. This weekend intensive used SM intentions and rituals to assist us to live our leather life more consistently.

A lengthy discussion about SM role definitions was followed by choosing, for the weekend, to act as a Master or slave, understanding that growth would occur no matter which was selected.

Master or slave is the person we believe our selves to be. Unlike Top/Bottom, as Butchmanns expresses it, this is the visual queue of being the flogger or floggee. Unlike the Dom/Sub, again as expressed by Butchmann, this is a time limited agreement between each other and the roles we will play.

The Master needs to be on a path to authenticity (learning who they are) so they can give clear direction to the slave and it (the slave) can trust that the Master knows what they are doing. The slave needs to be authentic in its obedience, completing all they are asked to do trusting the Master will not mislead them. All can be authentic here and now to the degree they are able here and now.

Each Master was assigned a slave and then collared it for the weekend. A protocol of commands and responses was used and it was the job of the Master to teach those protocols and the slave to follow them. Using the protocols simple tasks were asked of the slave; serve the Master’s meals, request permission for any activity be that eating or peeing; coming or going. This really gave us a view of leadership and obedience through the lens of Master/slave dynamics.

Flogging at the Experience was used with the intent to inspire the slave to obey, because let’s face it flogging is what it (the slave) wants. Through a discipline of providing the slave with this regularly it makes them want to serve and obey. Additionally, the flogger itself is the implement to intentionally transfer power from Master to slave through intense…directed…strikes.

More about not being able to express our authentic selves; we need to figure out how to do this while maintaining the integrity of our life. Maintaining authenticity is not interchangeable with maintaining integrity. If you are authentically a Leatherman and if exposing yourself at your job could impact your livelihood then you need to maintain the integrity of your livelihood thereby maintaining your authentic life.

However, opportunities where you are able to express you authenticity they must be taken. We performed a ritual to give up things in our lives that prevent us from being authentic. Things like, self-doubt (I am not good enough); fear of rejection and being alone (if they find out they’ll leave me). Each of these things was offered up with a ritual temporary piercing. The needles were each then removed with the intent to bring something into your life; the truth about myself and true service to others for example. For someone like me that has never been pierced this was an intense ritual releasing unexpected emotions.

Transformational mummification or as instructor Master Z called it ‘shake and bake’ was the next ritual. After a heart full discussion about the prior discussions, rituals and the impacts to each of us we literally wrapped it up in clear plastic wrap to contemplate what the hell just happened. Each of us was wrapped from shoulder to ankles, blindfolded and ear plugged. We needed to work through the anxiety of being forcibly confined and restrained with the only thing free being our mind. And using our mind alone to settle down and allow us an experience….whatever that would be.

Lastly, the greatest gift of this Experience was that all of this was done amongst brothers that were gay, straight and transgendered; TRULY AMAZING!

I would recommend the Butchmanns Experience to anyone seeking confirmation of the path they are on or direction on a path they want to create.

Frank



From Sir Magnum: I'll be coordinating to bringing a Butchmanns Experience to San Diego in early 2015. Stay tuned for further developments and announcements.

Events as of June 28

This is the SHORT listing.  To see the LONG listing, click here.


Saturday, June 28 (fourth Saturday of each month), 10pm: Underwear Party and Contest @ the San Diego Eagle, at 3040 N Park Wayhosted by our own Mr. San Diego Eagle 2014 Paulo!



Wednesday, July 2, 7PM: Men's Discussion at Mission Gathering.




Wednesday, July 2, 9PM: Puppy Night @ San Diego Eagle, at 3040 North Park Way





Hosted by Jon LeatherBoy Somerville and Ron Brundige LeatherAlpha

Cigars, tobacco pipes, cigarettes, and dip welcome.
You don't have to be a tobacco enthusiast to enjoy the socializing!

$3 Well Drinks, $3 Domesic Bottled Beers, and Happy Hour Menu Specials until 6PM.

Bootwhite on site, so bring your leathers!

Open to all genders/sexualities (21 and over).

Bring your hankies to this event, so that there will be NO mistaking your intentions!




Saturday, July 5 (first Saturday of each month), 10PM: BearNight Dance @ Numbers Bar, at 3811 Park Blvd.




Sunday, July 6: Off Sunset Junction Festival in Silverlake.




Wednesday, July 9, 7PM: Men's Discussion at Mission Gathering



Friday, July 11 (second Friday of each month), 10PM:  Harness Party @ Numbers Bar, at 3811 Park Blvd.




July 11-13: Wet ’n Hot Weekend in Palm Springs. Over 500 sexy, attitude-free guys will descend upon an underground location in Palm Springs for a weekend filled with uninhibited pig play, brotherhood and fun. It’s the Biggest Piss Party on the Planet, and it’s unlike anything else that you’ve ever experienced




Wednesday, July 16, 7PM: Men's Discussion at Mission Gathering



The 2013 Leather Contingent. 2014's will be MUCH bigger!

July 18-20: San Diego Pride, with the parade on SATURDAY, July 19, and the Leather Realm on Saturday and Sunday.


Saturday, July 19, 9:30PM: LL Bear Dance Party @ Rich's, at 1051 University. Third Saturday of each month. Watch the video - You will be grrrratified!




Sunday, July 27: Up Your Alley Street Fair in San Francisco




July 30-Aug 4: Lazy Bear Weekend in Guerneville, California




Friday, August 8: Cirque Reinvente
Cirque Réinventé is just that for one night the San Diego LGBT Center will be transformed into a Circus unlike any other. Drawing on the Power of 6 and the build up to AIDS Walk San Diego, help raise money for this amazing cause!!

DOORS OPEN 6pm

******Guaranteed to be a night packed full of surprises! With acts including and not limited to stilt walking, Poi, Burlesque, Impersonations, shenanigans and excitement.
Tickets are 15$ on the night of the event in exchange you will receive 20 tickets that you can use to enjoy the nights festivities with more tickets available for purchase once under the big top for 1$ a piece.

Join together and enjoy the many Fantastic facets of the San Diego LGBT Community.
Circus theme Shot Boys and Candy Girls will be walking around all night along with a bar for even more indulging.

AND MUCH MUCH MORE!!!!

**I call upon as many members of the San Diego community to support and in the spirit ask if there are any talented performers that are interested in join the line up of performers. please message me.

Cant make the event?? Wanna donate?? No worries feel free to donate directly to the Power of 6 online! http://events.thecentersd.org/site/TR/Events/General?fr_id=1080&pg=teamlis




ROMP 2014 Schedule (San Diego Leather Pride)

Download an application to be the next Mr or Ms San Diego Leather

Friday, 8/22/13: located at the Victory Theater:

8 pm - 9:30pm: Meet and Greet
9:30 pm - 9:45 pm: Opening Ceremonies
9:45 pm - 11 pm: Celebrate Eli and Colt at the Cigar Social, with Hors d'oeuvres and drinks

Saturday, 8/23/13: all events located at the Victory Theater

10:00am - 4:00pm - Unofficial Gay Day at Sea World Learn more here
10 am - 3pm: Educational Classes
6 pm - 8:30 pm: Mr and Ms San Diego Leather Contest and Bootblack Contest
8: 30 pm - 9:30 pm: High Leather Cocktails with Tray Service and Cigar Social
9:30 pm: Announcement of Mr and Ms San Diego Leather 2013 winners
9:30pm-11:30pm: Cigar Social celebration with our new titleholders!
11:30pm: Afterparty at the San Diego Eagle

Sunday, 8/24/13

11 am - 1 pm - Victory Brunch Location TBD
Time To be announced: Leather Streetfair - Urban Mo's

Friday, June 20, 2014

Event Updates as of June 20

This is the SHORT version.  The LONG version can be found here.


From boy jon:

FINAL ORDER DATE FOR NEW FMSD SHIRT DESIGN IS WED, JUNE 25TH. We don't have enough orders for the $20 design yet and we need to get the order in soon so that they can be screen printed.
Please send an email to signmeupforevent @gmail.com with "T-Shirt" in the subject line. In the email message please include your first and last name, your requested shirt size, and the quantity of shirts that you would like to order.

FMSD T-Shirt Changes for SD Pride 2014:
Our website will now be included with the logo on the back of the tee and there will be a smaller FMSD emblem on the front of the shirt where a breast pocket would be located.
Because of the change in design and the related jump in price to $20 per shirt, we are starting from scratch with our order requests.
Thanks!





Friday, June 20, 10PM - 2am: LEATHER DADDY Party at Numbers Bar, at 3811 Park Blvd.

Join Us for a new Leather Party here in San Diego the 3rd Friday of June! It's about Leather and Daddies and Boys so if you're into those 3 things we promise you will have some fun!

Cigars on the Patio provided by www.HotCigarMen.com

A portion of the proceeds will be going to the Sunburst Youth Housing Project.




Friday June 20- 8:30 pm - 1:00 am -- Doors close at 10:30pm!

Friday Night Beat and Greet

Hosted by Bryan Teague - American Leatherboy 2010, Caryl, Mike Underwood, Minta, PuP and Frank

Downtown San Diego Dungeon - Email addresses below for information.

The Friday Beat and Greet is usually held on the 3rd and 5th Fridays each month - 3rd Fridays open to all, 5th Fridays for men only

** This event will NOT be held the 3rd Friday of December **

This event is open to people age 18 and above.

Soft drinks and water will be available at the dungeon, we are asking for $1.00 donation for each drink.

This social/ impact play event is for friendly people who would like to learn more about flogging, paddling and the like. We'll be demonstrating techniques on eager volunteers and curing the curiosities of those who have questions. Nothing too wild, just pleasantly kinky enough to bring a smile that lasts a while!

Please bring a flogger, paddle, cane or two with you, if you have one. This will help you learn with your own toys. If you do not have toys, we do have toys you may use.

Do not be intimidated by coming to a dungeon or being in the night life of Downtown San Diego, this event is open to all levels of experience, and beginners are particularly welcome. If you're new to this sort of thing, you can always trust that you'll end up with a positive experience. You'll be surrounded by very, very nice folks who have a lot of expertise and a deep level of trust with each other. We've been doing this a long time, and we like to share what we now.

This is not your typical BDSM event, it's not a fundraiser, a workshop, or a class really. Even though teaching and learning will be involved, Friday Night Beat and Greets are just a pleasant way to share some good times in a relaxed kinky setting. We all need to get the heck out of the house once in a while - why not hang out with some folks that enjoy doing what you enjoy doing?

There is no charge to attend the event, we just ask that you leave any Attitude outside the door, be playful and open-hearted!

Things to keep in mind for this event:

This event is held in a private space; however, you are responsible for your own actions at all times. Safety measures will be in place during the event. Please bring a valid ID and be prepared to sign a liability form. All information given will be kept confidential.

Because the dungeon resides within the confines of a residential and commercial building, we ask that you act and dress appropriately anywhere outside of the dungeon.

Anyone behaving in a manner that is considered inappropriate will be asked to leave the property and may not be allowed reentry for future events. The decisions of the Dungeon Servitus staff and hosts are final.

Please note a few things about the Beat and Greet:
1) The maximum capacity is 50 people. There is a chance you may be asked to wait until someone leaves before being permitted to enter.

2) In order to allow everyone a chance to try things, we ask that you limit your time on the play equipment to a short time. If there are people waiting, we may ask you to wrap up your time on the equipment after 10 minutes.

3) This is a community event that is hosted by members of the community. Membership in any club or organization is not required.

For more information about the Beat and Greets, please contact us at info @beatandgreet.com or Caryl at caryl-cx @earthlink.net http://www.beatandgreet.com



Saturday, June 21, 9:30PM: LL Bear Dance Party @ Rich's, at 1051 University. Third Saturday of each month. Watch the video - You will be grrrratified!




Saturday, June 21, 11:00am - 4:00pm: Southern California Leather Gathering (SCLG) 2014




Wed June 25th 7-9pm Our Monthly Demo/Play Party featuring: “Tie me up…tie me down & restrain me!

Cobi, resident member of Club X and Southwest Bootblack 2010 will share his expertise and masterful knowledge of basic ropes & restraints in a “bondage” scene that contributes to states of arousal, stimulation and being brought to orgasm while being immobilized. This demo is hands-on interactive. In addition to the demo, cum and indulge in other “nasty pig” fetishes!

Send an RSVP to SignMeUpForEvent @gmail.com for location.




June 28-29: San Francisco Pride, with the parade on SUNDAY, June 29.

http://www.sfpride.org/




Saturday, June 28 (fourth Saturday of each month), 10pm: Underwear Party and Contest @ the San Diego Eagle, at 3040 N Park Wayhosted by our own Mr. San Diego Eagle 2014 Paulo!




Sunday, July 6: Off Sunset Junction Festival in Silverlake.



Friday, July 11 (second Friday of each month), 10PM:  Harness Party @ Numbers Bar, at 3811 Park Blvd.




July 11-13: Wet ’n Hot Weekend in Palm Springs. Over 500 sexy, attitude-free guys will descend upon an underground location in Palm Springs for a weekend filled with uninhibited pig play, brotherhood and fun. It’s the Biggest Piss Party on the Planet, and it’s unlike anything else that you’ve ever experienced




The 2013 Leather Contingent. 2014's will be MUCH bigger!

July 18-20: San Diego Pride, with the parade on SATURDAY, July 19, and the Leather Realm on Saturday and Sunday.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Review of Movie Night, May 2014

Photos by Scott Smith, Mike, JP and Eric. Many thanks for all of the HARD WORK it took, to bring hundreds and hundreds of images together as a team. Scott has been slaving away, late into the night, and you can see the flawless results below. Mike is our newest photo-documentarian, and he is coming up fast in his technique!


Written by Papa Tony



Saturday, May 31, 2014:


We started gathering outside of the North Park Birch Theater at 9PM, greeting friends and getting our tickets. Many of us came directly from the Gear Invasion Dinner and Presentation Ceremony, so we didn't have time to change our outfits!


Acknowledgments

This Movie Night was a team-effort, with many folks contributing to its success. 


We must start out with the community-minded, noble folks at FilmOut San Diego, who brought us FOLSOM FOREVER, the excellent documentary about the Folsom Street Fair and its history. The relationship between FilmOut and FetishmenSanDiego runs deep, and will happily continue for many years to come!


We don't have nearly enough of our Tribal history to tell and re-tell, because so much of our verbal and handed-down history was lost during the bad years of AIDS. Director Mike Skiff has been doing heroic work to capture what remains of our history, while the folks who were there, still have a chance to tell their stories.

That's Mike with his video-camera, on the upper right...

Mike also spent all day video-capturing our Flog Swarm, Gear Invasion Dinner and Movie Night. He has PROMISED me that he will be providing a link to his new mini-documentary, sometime soon.

FOLSOM FOREVER was a well-made, wide-ranging documentary, portraying a huge, annual tradition that many of us know about, but only in terms of the final result.  It was fascinating to see what happens behind the scenes, in order to create a flawless outcome, year after year.

Demetri (front) and Phillip

That high-quality result wouldn't be happening without two of our honored guests for the weekend: Demetri Moshoyannis (Executive Director) and Phillip Babcock (Board President), from the Folsom Street Events Board of Directors. They came down for the movie's premiere SPECIFICALLY to see what San Diego's Tribe is all about. Demetri told me that San Diego sends more out-of-towners to the Folsom Street Fair, year after year, and than any other city on earth. They also wanted to see what makes us so special.  They got an eyeful!


I want to give a special shout-out to the fine folks from San Diego's pansexual kink/leather/fetish community (particularly from Club X San Diego), who showed up as our equals, and well-loved sisters and brothers. The movie's theme was all about everyone's history, and there was NO way that I was going to limit the crowd to just gay FetishMen.  Let's have many, many more shared experiences, where everyone goes home happy!


Photo Stand


Many folks stepped inside to the official photography stand, getting frisky and formal.




Group Photo

After a while, I started gathering folks together for the Group Photo. It's a tradition for our big Movie Nights, and it's a great excuse to get everybody together, in a unified crowd:

May 2014

June 2013

August 2012

November 2011


No matter what happened, (swapping camera-batteries in the dark, changing location, or that loudmouthed, bossy leather queen ordering everybody around), everybody was amiable, and ready to go along with the plans.


Here was the official image for this movie night. As I always say, you can't Photoshop "happy" into a picture. This picture really conveys the joyful, relaxed spirit of the evening.


Gear Contest

We have had Gear Contests as part of our Movie Night traditions before: August 2012, and June 2013. These contests don't have any PRIZES, mind you - they are just a great chance to shower folks with approval. I chase folks down in the crowd, and urge them to step up to the front.

Then, I call up our Celebrity Judges:


Mr. San Diego Eagle 2014 Paulo.


Here, I'm introducing our Judge Scottie, 
who ran for International Mr. Leather a week earlier, 
and came in Fifth Runner Up out of 46 contestants. 
Behind us, we have James, who won the title of 
Mr. Gay Pride San Diego 2013 last summer, and 
was SPECIFICALLY chosen as a judge, 
because of his impeccable eye for gear and style...

Jay, our Prince Royale of the Imperial Court de San Diego.


American Leatherman 2013 Aaron, whose work as an 
ambassador to other cities is an awesome legacy.


Finally, our Head Judge and Emcee, Mr. San Diego Leather 2013 Eli!

They lightened the mood RIGHT away!

Time to meet our contestants...









The judges confer...


Our first runner-up, Rob Scott, who makes the flawless kilts 
for our community.  If you see a man wearing a stylish
perfectly-cut-and-fitted kilt, it's a Rob Scott Original!
He can be reached at Rgscott41 @gmail.com


Our First Prize Winner, Pup Brian!


Judges and contestants, together.  
It's all silly, fun and light-hearted, and a 
great way to get ready for the rest of the evening!


Presentation Ceremony


After the contest, we headed into the theater, and started filling the seats.




I was called up on stage, to address the crowd.  To paraphrase myself, I said:
First of all, what's with the stick?
Earlier today, many people helped me to christen our new "Staff of Tribal History".  It is a symbol, not just of our past, and our wonderful present, but future generations as well. Anyone can carry it, with an air of dignity and authority.
Tonight's event is the last one that I will ever organize, in a direct way.  I have been a community leader since 1981, and have organized over 3,000 events.  It's time for the next generations to take over.
I am shifting into my new role as a Tribal Elder, which means that:
- I will now keep our Tribal history alive and share it freely,
- I will offer mentoring when requested,
- I will bless ceremonies that maintain vital traditions in our Tribe, and
- I will help to celebrate when someone in the local community reaches a new level of achievement:

So, I called up the men who had stood with me, earlier that day, as witnesses to our brother Travis, who had earned a new level of personal growth. These men have all earned our Tribe's respect, and deserve to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, so that our newest achievers can stand upon their strong, broad shoulders.



Travis had earned my respect on many levels, and had earned his first piece of leather from me, on his way toward earning his Master's Cap. He had earned a Tommy Tomcat the HARD WAY (and I will leave it up to your imagination as to what THAT means).


I then re-introduced JP, who is our newest Whipmaster,


David, who has earned a flogger and my deepest respect, 


And Sir Magnum, who had earned his Master's Cap, 
after nine months of hard work and careful study.

It's possible that the some of the folks in the crowd may have been slightly baffled, but they were undoubtedly entertained, and applauded wildly. Most folks don't have exposure to open, proud, powerful and majestic kinksters who don't just WEAR leather, we LIVE leather!


Movie Time!

We started with the short subject, GRIND:


(WEST COAST PREMIERE)
Grind (2014) - USA
Run Time: 32 min | Director: Zachary Halley. Producer: Steven Tylor O'Connor

In this darkly dramatic musical, Vincent (Anthony Rapp) is a guy uncomfortable in his own skin but witty on his favorite hook-up app. Thane (Pasha Pellosie) is his young, hot model roommate who can't seem to express himself intelligently. Devising a plan that Vincent will speak as Thane on his “grind” profile…they make the perfect combination for Thane to peruse the men of New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen. However, Vincent gets addicted to the attention…leading to a grim outcome neither had anticipated.

Grind won THREE awards at FilmOut San Diego's film festival - Best Overall Short Film, Best Cinematography (Blake Steigerwald) and Outstanding Artistic Achievement to director Zachary Halley!


On the left (jeans, black jacket) Joseph Rusin, Producer of GRIND. 
On the right, (black shirt and orange pants) Steven Tylor O'Connor, 
Producer and Casting Director of GRIND.

I liked it quite a bit, and commented during the Director Q&A after the movies were done, that groups like FMSD were created to protect ourselves from random "bad guys" who prey upon the innocent. Grind was NOT what anybody expected, but it entertained everyone immensely, and caused a lot of commentary in the days afterward.



Then, it was time for our main feature, FOLSOM FOREVER:


Trailer, and Panel Discussion after showing at the Roxie Theater.
If you thought San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair was just about leather and kink, FOLSOM FOREVER will give you a whole lot more to think about. This new documentary by Mike Skiff bares the social, political, charitable and cultural underpinnings of the world’s most notorious bacchanal.
In 1984, a scrappy little neighborhood in San Francisco—home to many low-income tenants and the heart of the gay male leather scene—faced destruction from the bulldozers of redevelopment and the AIDS crisis. The Folsom Street Fair was started to call attention to gentrification and raise money for AIDS charities. Incorporating interviews with organizers, scholars and politicians while utilizing archival footage (Harvey Milk! The Village People!) as well as of the 2012 festival, FOLSOM FOREVER tells the story of how this little street fair grew into the biggest outdoor kink and fetish event in the world, and managed to do a lot of good along the way.
At a time when the mainstream response to AIDS was to close bathhouses and sex clubs—described by Drummer magazine publisher Jack Fritscher as a “Puritan reaction to the pleasure houses”—BDSM was marketed as the ultimate safer sex and the Folsom Street Fair became a place for people of all persuasions to express their proclivities in a public forum. The annual Fair now draws 400,000 people from all over the world, supports indie bands, provides a big boost to business and tourism, and last year awarded $330,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizations.
For those just interested in the hot stuff, FOLSOM FOREVER provides plenty of full frontal nudity and a tantalizing array of kink. But learning about its history and contributions to the community will make you feel even better about getting off.
I loved this movie! I was part of the leather scene back in the old days, and I was keenly interested in the stories of the gray-haired folks who were my contemporaries. I'm astonished that somebody thought to ASK them the important questions, while they still had the ability to speak so eloquently. 

Mike Skiff has done us all an immense service, and I wish that we had hundreds more like him, scouring our Tribe for verbal histories before it is too late.


Controversy

Oddly, the Los Angeles Outfest crew aren't as kink-friendly as San Diego's FilmOut.

According to Mike:

Well, I didn't tell you but Outfest DID snub Folsom! The LA leather community is none too happy. Leatherati will be interviewing me for an investigational story. I welcome you to mention Outfest's rejection (they said they liked it but just didn't have enough room, but had room to screen two other documentaries a second time - meaning programmer Alonso Duralde's reason was bullshit). Yes, please go ahead and make major hay of this "leather shaming". BTW, Outfest has NO leather relevant films in their program.
Folsom Forever just won Best Doc, Audience Favorite Doc and the Freedom Award from last weekend's FilmOut SD screening!!! A trifecta of honor.

Kink Crusaders was snubbed because it was called racist and sexist for the inclusion of Christina and Vicky (both of Asian descent) commenting on the puppy play scene. So KC was snubbed for a BS excuse it was racist/sexist and FF was snubbed because "we didn't have enough room" while many films are screened twice, the second screening being a missed opportunity to screen a different film.
There are talks of doing a counter screening of FF by leather people during Outfest and inviting the press.
I think that is a good way to go. Somehow, a small number of people haven't yet figured out that Leatherfolk are TRENDY - We are now the coolest kids in town!


Conclusion

The best Movie Nights are the ones that show our community that we are all a valuable part of our ongoing history.  This one event was clearly something much, much more than just a simple "movie night", where everyone shows up, watches flickering images, and then goes home.

I'm pretty certain that we all created an event together, that everyone present will remember for the rest of our lives!