Sewing up the new Inquisition

Party calendar highlight Inquisition could be stripped back next year to focus on the real leather community, according to new Sydney Leather Pride chairman Greg Bloye.

Bloye took over the reins of SLP’s new all-male committee after five years’ work in the leather community. He told the Star it was time for the Inquisition and Karnal parties to get back to grassroots and look at the needs of Sydney Leather Pride members.

Inquisition has been the nice, friendly public face of Leather Pride for everyone out there. What we need to do is take it back to what the leather community wants, he said.

Leather people and fetishists know who they are and can identify others -“ real others. They know that there is a sexual essence behind it. It has an S&M quality to it. It’s more than just wearing leather.

Boyle denied recent rumours of rifts at Sydney Leather Pride had put the future of Inquisition in doubt.

Within any community organisation there’s always going to be factions, he said.

Because Inquisition has become such a big financial burden and also a big event -“ as in, it’s in the Hordern -“ it has stretched a lot of relationships be that individual relationships within a couple or relationships within Leather Pride. And that’s all because it’s such a huge financial risk.

No final details of next year’s parties have been released, but Boyle said plans for more than one Inquisition and more than one Karnal party were on the table.

The committee was also looking at ways of lifting the number of women members -“ currently about five percent -“ Boyle said.

We’re going to make certain that our social events aren’t so male-oriented. We’ll get them away from bars and nightclubs initially so that people can talk to each other.

To get involved in SLP or get information about the organisation, phone the group on 9331 8608 or email [email protected].