San Diego Leather Pride has grown from the one-night San Diego Mr. Leather Contest to two weeks worth of events aimed at building awareness and educating the general population. Each year its success is measured by the number of attendees and the amount of charitable dollars raised. This past March the committee and community came together to honor the outgoing titleholders, Christi and Bryan, and to welcome the newest titleholders, tiger and Anthony. In the process over $12,000 was raised for the San Diego Leather Pride Charities to be distributed over the next year.

San Diego Leather Pride 2010 was dedicated to the memory of our friend Randy Vidal and a portion of the monies raised will be donated in his name. Each year the San Diego Leather Pride committee chooses the “Spirit of Leather Pride” award for the committee member / volunteer that goes above and beyond the call of duty. This year was the award went to Christi Campbell and PuP. San Diego Leather Pride 2011 will be held at numerous venues throughout San Diego March 10th – March 20th, 2011. Grab your balls, bats, sticks and get your goals ready, ‘cause the theme for 2011 is SPORTS! Please visit MrSanDiegoLeather.org for more information.

A few weeks ago the 2010 and 2011 California Leather Sir Leather boy and Community Bootblack was held in Palm Springs with a theme of “Movies” and the stage was set with a collage of movie scenes from the likes of Brokeback Mountain, Cruising, Mommie Dearest, Deliverance, and Sordid Lives, just to name a few. The contest was produced by Mike Russell and Ray Busby with a strong group of committee members and volunteers. The fantasy portion is always the best part of the Leather Sir Contest and boy contestant, shawn kinnear didn’t disappoint with his Mad Max inspired fantasy performed with Mr. San Diego Leather 2010, Anthony Rollar. Sir contestant and San Diegan, Miles Brooks used the movie Jarhead as his backdrop and they will represent California at the International Leather Sir Contest in San Francisco over Dore Alley Weekend.

Mark your calendars for June 4th when SDLOG presents Erotic Hypnosis with Ms Stephanie Locke at the Joyce Beers Center beginning at 7PM. Hypnosis is a growing fetish among the BDSM crowd and here’s an opportunity to explore it in a safe environment. It always best to learn from the pros instead of in a dark bar so thank you to SDLOG for making this happen. Stephanie Locke has practiced clinical hypnotherapy for 15 years. She enjoys studying and refining the many places hypnosis can take a willing slave through arousal counts, past life regressions, and most intensely of all, hypnosis that is enhanced by bondage. For more information on Stephanie please see her web site at http://www.stephani elocke.com/

Saturday, June 5th the San Diego leather community will congratulate the new California Leather and boy at the San Diego Eagle beginning at 9:30PM. Sir Miles and boy shawn will be on hand as money is raised to send them to the International Contest held in July. A silent auction, raffle and other great prizes will be given during the event.

If you are feeling bearish or want to sweat with horny hairy men drop by Bacchus House on June 5th. You get your “hide” and “fur” in the same night since its easy to go from the Eagle to Bacchus House. Bear Night with DJ Jon Williams happens the first Saturday of the month and $5 at the door gets you in.

International Mr. Leather will be happening in Chicago over Memorial Day Weekend and if you are going please have a safe trip but be sure to take advantage of the thousands of horned up leather men in the process! Good luck to all who are competing! Also, I want to thank Rich Stadtmiller for the use of his photo of Mo Williams in last week’s issue. Rich, you are the best and congrats on your award!