Michael “Dutch” Curtis was anointed as Mr. San Diego Leather 2005, but the title he is proudest to hold is that of “individual.” As Curtis steps down as the current Mr. San Diego Leather, he wants to get the message across that there is more to him than meets the eye.

Curtis is a biker first and foremost, he says. His idea of time well spent in leather is to straddle a Harley, the hog throbbing mightily between his legs. And, as he states, that’s his prerogative.

He also holds great reverence for his role as a member of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Being a father (he has a son) and not a daddy, Curtis understands the full scope of the saying “to each his own,” yet he knows what does and doesn’t work for him on a personal level.

The Gay & Lesbian Times spoke with Curtis as the clock was ticking down the last days of his reign. Below, Curtis talks about what it was like to be a titleholder, the duties that go along with the job, and misconceptions about the leather community.

Gay &Lesbian Times: What was it like to be crowned Mr. San Diego Leather?

Michael Curtis: Actually, it was really interesting at first, because I was never really in the gay community. I guess you could call me a little enigma of it – I’d pop in and pop out of it, and take what I wanted from it.

You know, I’ve never really been involved with it [the gay community]. Becoming Mr. San Diego Leather was kind of a big achievement in a way, I guess, for me. I’m a biker and that’s where I get leather from. I grew up on a cattle ranch; I grew up around cowboys. So my version of leather was a little bit different than a lot of mainstream leather guys and leather women. But I came from a totally different aspect [than] the guys I was competing against. I mean, for them it was very much a uniform, it was identification of who they were, and that wasn’t my case.

GLT: Are there any specific duties that go along with the title?

MC: One of the main specific title duties is you have to do two fund-raisers, [which] are required in my contract. I just did mine the weekend before last, my second one, at Pecs. You need to raise money for your IML tribal fund, that’s pretty much it – [and] actually just being a public figurehead for San Diego….

One of the other title duties, Pride, is a big one – building the float, getting a lot of different leather communities together from out-of-town, out-of-state. We had people from Arizona, Washington – you know, probably like six or seven states – last summer when I did it. It was a lot of fun. It was really a lot of fun. Everybody pitched in and everybody had a great old time.

GLT: What do you feel is the most common misconception about the leather community that an outsider might have?

MC: That we’re all freaky, mean people waiting to torture people. I’ve listened to people go, “Oh God, no! They’re into leather, and they do all this weird, crazy shit!” And, yeah, there are the guys that do do that, a lot of women. But the majority of us, I’d say 60 percent of us, are pretty down-to-earth guys and ladies.

I mean, everybody has their kinks, don’t get me wrong. Everybody has their kinks whether they’d like to admit it or not. The leather community, I can say honestly, is able to openly say, “Hey, this is my kink.”

There are misconceptions in every one of our little social groups…. I have friends in all walks of life in the gay and lesbian community, from drag queens to bears to muscle boys to twinkies, and they’ve always been my friends. And I don’t care what they wear, how they wear it, how they talk – you know, they’re people and they have souls, and they have aspirations for life.

One of my main goals, too, as Mr. San Diego Leather was to let people know, hey, we’re not all the freaky-ass type. Leather Pride Week events

As any leather aficionado knows, Leather Pride Week signifies a time to see and be seen. Here’s the lowdown on what’s happening around town…

All Club Night at 8:00 p.m. at Shooterz, featuring the Leather Olympics and a raffle for community judge. A donation of $3 is requested. Shooterz is located at 3815 30th St. in North Park. (619) 574-0744.

Titleholder Appreciation Night at 10:00 p.m. at The Eagle, along the Knight of Leather Contest, which begins at 8:00 p.m. The Eagle is located at 3040 North Park Way in North Park. (619) 295-8072.

Meet ’n’ Greet and Slave Auction at 7:00 p.m. at The Eagle. Meet the contestants and enjoy the barbecue and dessert orgy. The Slave Auction begins at 8:30 p.m. The Eagle is located at 3040 North Park Way in North Park. (619) 295-8072. Pecs will be celebrating San Diego Leather Pride Week starting with a happy hour mixer at 5:00 p.m. Pecs is located at 2046 University Avenue. (619) 296-0889.

The Mr. San Diego Leather Contest begins at 7:00 p.m. at Rich’s. A VIP reception and buffet starts at 5:00 p.m. The L.L. Bear dance night begins at 9:00 p.m., following the contest. Rich’s is located at located at 1051 University Ave. in Hillcrest. (619) 295-2195.

Victory Brunch at Baja Betty’s. Baja Betty’s is located at 1421 University Ave. in Hillcrest. (619) 269-8510. Then cruise on into Pecs, as they are hosting a leather barbecue from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. on their patio. Pecs is located at 2046 University Ave. (619) 296-0889.

All proceeds from San Diego Leather Pride Week benefit the Tom of Finland Foundation and Being Alive San Diego. For more information on Leather Pride Week, visit www.mrsandiegoleather.net.

And don’t forget that the 28th annual International Mr. Leather Contest (or IML, as it is most commonly known) is just around the corner. It will take place during Memorial Day weekend, May 25-29, at the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Ill. Comedian Bruce Vilanch is confirmed as the headline entertainer at this year’s contest. Visit www.imrl.com for all the details.