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 | | International Mr. Leather | | | Inducted 2010 | | | | International Mr. Leather, for 31 years of drawing worldwide attention and attendance to Chicago by way of its annual weekend of events for the international leather community, significantly contributing to Chicago’s tourism revenue; it has also been a pioneer in support of LGBT rights and health issues. | |
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| Founded in 1979, International
Mr. Leather is one of the oldest LGBT institutions in Chicago
and the United States. For more than
three decades, IML has made farreaching
contributions in Chicago’s gay business, entertainment, health, and
tourism arenas. Named “the granddaddy of all leather events” by San
Francisco’s Bay Area Reporter, IML brings thousands of gay men to Chicago
annually on Memorial Day weekend. In recent years, the event has also been
attracting women and people of all sexual orientations to its festivities. This
homegrown contest has brought people from around the world to Chicago over
the years. | |
| IML was founded by Chuck Renslow and Dom Orejudos, both of whom are
previous inductees into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. The
organization’s history reflects that of the greater LGBT communities: Often led
by the commitment and passion of its titleholders, IML has, over the years,
confronted and publicly addressed issues such as AIDS, racism, sexism (and
other forms of discrimination), addiction and recovery, crystal meth, and
barebacking. The IML stage has been shared by various races, religions, and
nationalities, with contestants representing gay, non-gay, bisexual, and
transgender people. While women have not competed, IML was instrumental in
establishing and supporting the International Ms Leather competition and has
placed women on its own yearly panel of judges. | |
| As an event that brings sexually adventurous individuals together, IML has
enjoyed a unique opportunity to stress the importance of safe sex. In 2009, the
organization made a decision that took the importance of safe sex in the gay
leather community to a new level when it banned the sale or promotion of
barebacking films or parties at IML events. The group received a great deal of
negative publicity from erotic film companies and their supporters and may
have turned away some attendees, but the policy made IML’s commitment to
safe sex advocacy perfectly clear. | |
| Since the Leather Archives & Museum was founded in Chicago in 1991, IML
has been that institution’s largest financial supporter. The LA&M is the only
institution in the United States dedicated to the preservation of and access to
leather and fetish sexuality, with a collection of papers, records, artifacts, art,
and memorabilia that attracts both scholars and casual tourists from around the
world. Without the financial support of IML, the museum would not be where it
is today, as the only leather organization in the country to own its own building. | |
| International Mr. Leather is both a long-lived community institution and one of
the many reasons that Chicago is a great place for LGBT individuals to live,
work, and visit. | |
| This biography is as of the induction date. It has not been updated. |
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