All 63 International Mr. Leather 2017 contestants wave to the crowd. Soon after, the IML Top 20 Finalists were named. All photos by Dave Rhodes
International Mr. Leather 2017 is Ralph Bruneau who came in as Mr. GNI Leather 2016; his first runner-up is Mr. San Francisco Leather 2017 Geoff Millard, second runner-up is Mr. Leather Europe 2016 Joe King; International Mr. Bootblack 2017 is Ryan "Pawlish" Garner-Carpenter and first runner-up is Rhys.
Revised June 6, 2017 to include all contestants' photos. The Leather Journal has three International Bootblack 2017 and63 International Mr. Leather 2017 contestants photos and bios for your enjoyment. This is the first year that the IMBB contestants have been included. Undoubtedly the contestant count in both contests will increase between now and IML. See you in Chicago.
Meet the 13 Individuals who will compete in San Jose Enjoy!
Stela D. Love
San Francisco, California
Ms San Francisco
Queer Sphere
Russian River Women's Weekend
My leather motor cycle Jacket from 1996.
Is your run in April sponsored by an Event, bar, club, organization? Ms San Francisco Leather and Queers Sphere are my sponsors.
I work and produce events for both organizations.
Tell me about your favorite charity. The SF Emergency Breast Cancer Fund- http://bcef.org/about-us/bcef-story/
This is an organization that helps people who are in financial crises while suffering the hardship of breast cancer. They help with every thing from child care for parents while receiving chemo to keeping the utilities on. I have helped produce "Benefit for the Boob" for several years, for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. All proceeds from the event go to the BCEF. This organization is close to my heart because both of my sisters are survivors of Breast Cancer. I have also lost two good friends to the disease.
Tell me in your own words how you feel about community service. It is vital to the health and well being of our communities. It is important for those of us that have the privilege and ability to help the at risk or disadvantaged. The more we contribute the stronger our community is.
What makes you a Leather Woman and/or Bootblack? Leather is in my heart and feeds my soul. BDSM is the fabric of my life weaved into every inch of my world. The smell of it does it for me in all the ways. My leather is a second skin, my armor. My leather family is my chosen family and I would not be who I am today with out them, we work hard and play harder.
Who is your favorite Leather Woman…Why? Christy Ford- She is my mentor and family. I owe her a great deal and love the influence she has on my life. Her commitment to community and truth with integrity is unwavering. She can smell bullshit a mile away and is not afraid to call it out. She is a force.
Alaina
Ms. Philadelphia Leather 2016
Philadelphia, PA
I produce a monthly gear event called Clutch at The Bike Stop
My favorite piece of leather is my harness boots.
Is your run in April sponsored by an Event, bar, club, organization? If so Please tell me about all your Sponsors (feel free to include a copy of their logos and a urls to their websites) and your involvement with them in 100 words or less. The Bike Stop owns the Mr. and Ms. Philadelphia titles. Their owners and staff are like family to me. Thebikestop.com
Philadelphians MC produce the Philadelphia Leather contest and I am an associate of the club. Philadelphiansmc.org
The Leather Man creates custom pieces for me. Theleatherman.com
Tell me about your favorite charity. Youth charities have long been my focus, but there’s a new organization that I have been focusing on lately, the LGBTQ Home for Hope, that has really galvanized the community. The only LGBTQ homeless shelter in Philadelphia, it is a 37-bed facility that also aids those in recovery and is funded exclusively from private donations.
Tell me in your own words how you feel about community service. I feel that community service is an integral part of the leather community, especially as a title holder, and it is enriching to me to be a part of a group that I believe is like-minded. Community service is the most rewarding aspect of being a titleholder.
What makes you a Leather Woman and/or Bootblack? Leather and kink have been a part of my entire adult life. Forgive me for being trite, but I think that I was born this way. Being able to participate in the community has allowed me to be a teacher, a leader and resource which is truly what's at the heart of being a leather woman.
Who is your favorite Leather Woman…Why? My favorite Leather Woman (excluding my Philadelphia predecessors, of course) is Christy Lee, Ms. New Jersey Leather 2016. From the moment I met her she has been nothing but welcoming, kind, and generous and has the biggest heart of anyone I know. She is currently undergoing treatment for cancer and the overwhelming support she is receiving is reflective of how much she means to so many.
Name: Bootblack Nona
Title: SA Bootblack 2017
City/Country: Cape Town - South Africa
Assist with organising SA Leather social events and the annual leather contest.
Favourite Leather item: My favourite piece of leather is my SA Bootblack South Africa Stole! (Sponsored by Shane Hutchinson of Abraided Leather) The first of its kind to be in South Africa.
Is your run in April sponsored by an Event, bar, club, organization? If so Please tell me about your Sponsor (feel free to include a copy of their logo and a url to their website) and your involvement with them in 100 words or less. I am sponsored by SA Leather South Africa. We are small but powerful group of leather people who are dedicated to the continuous growth in our diversity. We regularly hold workshops so we can educate each other and believe in supporting each other completely. We uphold our constitution with the highest regard and we do our best to give back to the NPOs we support.
My involvement in SA Leather is being part of the committee, to assist with the organising of our contest and being the first bootblack for SA Leather it will be important for me to build a solid foundation for future bootblacks within SA Leather South Africa.
Tell me about your favorite charity. My favourite charity is Childhood Cancer Foundation SA - CHOC which supports children who have cancer. My connection with this organisation is from when my sister was diagnosed with a rare tumour; CHOC stepped in to assist us. They were there if we needed emotional support or guidance in any way. During the two years that my sister had treatment I saw how CHOC was there for many families at time when things seemed uncertain.
Annually there is a tattoo-a-thon that I participate in and this fundraising effort helps to keep Childhood Cancer Foundation SA going so that they can continue to help families. They also see it as a chance to also break the stereotypical view about people with tattoos.
Tell me in your own words how you feel about community service. Community service is important because giving back to your community without expecting something back in return helps you grow as a person. I find it up lifting knowing that I have done the right thing by assisting at an event or people in need. I truly believe that the more you give to the community; the more you will get back in ways that you don’t expect.
What makes you a Leather Woman and/or Bootblack? It’s not only the love of wearing leather, playing in leather and looking after leather that makes me a bootblack but it’s my dedication to the community, being involved in a fundraiser for a charity and to strive to be supportive of the people within community that makes me a bootblack.
Janet
Oklahoma Ms. Leather 2016,
Tulsa, OK
Leather and Rhinestones, Kink Weekend OKC.
My favorite item I have is my rhinestone corset.
Is your run in April sponsored by an Event, bar, club, organization? Rose Rock girls of Leather- They the producers of Oklahoma Ms. Leather. I have been active in the activities that RRgoL puts on. https://rrgol.org
Tell me about your favorite charity. My favorite charity is Team Friendly because of all the education they share to help remove the stigma of HIV testing and the stigma related to those living with HIV and/or their loved ones.
Tell me in your own words how you feel about community service. Community service makes me feel like I am doing something for someone or something greater than myself. It's a way for me to keep myself centered.
What makes you a Leather Woman and/or Bootblack? My heart is what makes me a Leather Woman. I have a desire to help support women in realizing there is a place for them and to trust in themselves in that place.
Who is your favorite Leather Woman…Why? Sandy "Mama" Reinhardt- Because she is and has been so supportive and involved with individuals in the community suffering from HIV/AIDS. Everything she does for her community is done out of love and comes from her heart.
What do you feel is the most dangerous mis-information passed through traditional & social media affecting our community today, and how would you combat it should the opportunity arise? Traditional and social media allow bullying of children, teenagers and anyone "different" with very little consequence. When leaders are allowed to bully, everyone else believes it's ok. According to The Southern Poverty Law Center, 867 hate incidents occurred between the period of November 9th through November 18th 2016. Education and stricter laws is the only way that this can be decreased. I would educate and lobby for stricter punishments.
Thomas
Oakland
California
Events where you'll find me:
IMsL every year forever!
Folsom Street Fair & Dore
Society of Janus events
My Vest is my best leather buddy! We go everywhere together. I recrafted it myself from a thrift store find and have loved it real hard over the years. It was my first and might always be my favorite leather.
Is your run in April sponsored by an Event, bar, club, organization? My run is sponsored by three amazing groups: Since I announced my intention to start a online sexuality forum, LeatherLand, I have had the pleasure of intercoursing with Rubber Women of San Francisco, Rough Cut Leather, and Wicked Grounds, all of whom provide our community with safe spaces to celebrate our sexuality and express our kinks freely. They each do this while improving leather awareness and providing instruction in skill sets to help kinksters cope in the world. I'm elated to work with them for years to come.
Tell me about your favorite charity. My favorite charity would have to be The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom which started in 1997 and helps members of sexual minorities with legal problems. As a law student, I know the importance of organizations which provide assistance on a judicial level. If you need help contact them at ncsfreedom.org
Tell me in your own words how you feel about community service. Volunteering for the community is how I got my start in leather. Believe it or not, I get freaked out in a crowd at times. Service is where I find peace. Knowing that I have a purpose has always been the cure for my anxiety. How do I feel about community service? I feel like it is vital for socialphobes and it makes the leather world go round!
What makes you a Leather Woman and/or Bootblack? Holding leather womanhood and bootblacking labels are ways I care for my self-esteem. I hold these labels dear because they make me feel pride and pride in oneself is key to my mental self-care.
Who is your favorite Leather Woman…Why? Joan Jett is my favorite leather woman. She has supported our community since entering the scene in her early career. Her music provided me with a feeling of inclusion in the most lonely parts of my leatherwalk, like her I don't give a damn about my reputation. That song's video is a re-enactment of 23 record labels rejecting her first solo album and her subsequent rise to the top, similar to the many rejections I faced in my early leatherwalk and my subsequent inclusion into the leather scene through IMsL.
The Leather Journal was founded in May, 1987. The Leather community was hungry for news magazine that covered clubs, organizations and events. TLJ has successfully met that need for 34 years. We have adapted to change more than once and when the Internet came about we were there by adding www.TheLeatherJournal.com
