Breakaway leather group forms

Breakaway leather group forms

A new Melbourne gay and lesbian leather association will be set up after concerns Melbourne Leather Pride (MLP) is not adequately representing the leather community and was unable to stage many of this year’s Leather Pride events.

Health promotion worker Nathan Niessen announced the new group — with the working name Melbourne Leather Community — was formed on July 11, after a group of 20 people, including leather businesses — met to discuss forming a breakaway leather group.

“I don’t want to play the blame game but we were concerned at the way [MLP] was being run. People felt that they weren’t being listened to in the community,” Niessen said.

“I’ve been speaking with a lot of people over the last six to eight weeks … and people have wanted to do something, but I have been able to get the key people together and receive the support I need.”

Niessen said the new group has set up a steering committee of around eight people which will come up with an official name for the group and start planning leather workshops and events.

A public meeting will be held in September where nominations for a more permanent board will be held. Niessen said those who own associated leather businesses will not be able to be part of the board, but will be consulted.

Niessen said Melbourne Leather Community already has the support of leather businesses Eagle Leather, Manhaus, and Lucrezia and De Sade, and the Laird Hotel.

He said he was confident the leather community would welcome the changes.

“There are a lot of people who want to get out there and show their leather with pride and unfortunately they feel they haven’t been able to,” he said.

“I know there is a lot of community support and enthusiasm for something new, something different.”

Niessen said moves to start a rival Mr Leather event — a key part of the MLP program — is not on the immediate agenda.

MLP new board spokesman Peter Leslie said he was pleased the new group was forming to represent a greater cross-section of the leather community.

“We hope we can work together to make the community a richer and more vibrant place,” he said. “Our aims are the same, so hopefully we shouldn’t be working at cross-purposes.”

MLP has already announced next year’s Leather Pride Festival will run from October 27 to November 11 with the Mr Leather Australia New Zealand competition on November 3.

“We remain committed to putting on the best events we can for the community and hope no one will put us at odds,” Leslie said.

Leslie also announced that current MLP director Alex Schoeffel will step down from his role as a new board is being appointed.

INFO: For details, email [email protected]

You May Also Like

6 responses to “Breakaway leather group forms”

  1. Thanks to everyone for their contributions.

    In the meeting held on the 11th of July, each person and business that attended that meeting, felt that there was a need to push forward with a new organisation that celebrates leather, supports the community and works with the leather businesses.

    The GLBTIQS community is a diverse one, and one that I am a part of, but I am not a member of every group that is out there and available – if I was I would have even less time for other things.

    For the last few years leather has been close to my heart (and ar5e cheeks), and I have felt that something needs to be done to have an organisation that is community run and focussed in Melbourne.

    We (Melbourne Leather Community) hope to have open and honest communication with MLP so that the leather community in Melbourne continues to keep its great reputation around Australia and around the world.

    Yours in Leather
    Nathan Niessen

  2. Oliver, “Gay is gay”? Well, what a relief to know that our sexuality deletes any other form of difference we may have. Including, for example, diverse expressions of sexuality.

    Its awesome to see part of the community putting in hard work, time and energy to celebrate themselves and make that thing they do more easily accessible to others that are interested.

  3. why? does there have to be a leather “community” at the end of the day “Gay is Gay”. Does a person who doesnt wear leather have the door closed in their face?

  4. Great news – in my opinion the previous group has always been a disappointment, over-promising and under-delivering, and lacking transparency.
    Fingers crossed this new group delivers to the leather community the kind of organisations it has sorely needed for so long …

  5. Interesting times. Good luck Nathan. Can Peter Leslie tell us who is on the Melbourne Leather Pride board and who appoints them? Is MLP incorporated and does it have a formal constitution after all these years? As the VAC, ALSO and the City of Yarra subsidised the last leather festival, can members of the community see the festival’s accounts?