A note from the founder and organizer:

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Today here in San Francisco we celebrate PRIDE.  I’m all for it.  I’m lucky there have been a lot of men and women from the “community” who fought many years before I realized I was gay.  I’ve never really had obstacles like generations before me.  

But, still I realize there are people around the world – and even here in the United States -- who face challenges being who they are every day. 

And, I feel, some choose challenges.  Some choose not to be who they are and live in fear that someone will found out they are gay. It’s rather sad to me.  If we don’t all come out and be who we are – when will it be “ok”? 

One common excuse I hear from closeted people is they could never be “out” at work.  I’m not out…I am who I am.  Did I come “out”?  Sort of.  Really, I just realized who I was.  And along the way I realized that I am a leatherman, that I am into BDSM.   

But being “out” for me is a funny term.  Right?  I mean, I do tell people I realized I was gay…then realized I was into leather/bdsm, etc.  I do tell people I “came out” to my parents…then just recently “came out” and told them I was into leather/bdsm.  But, why not just be who you are? 

People tell me they could never tell a co-worker they are gay.  Well, do you have to tell someone?  What about when your co-worker talks about going on a date, about thinking someone is hot or good looking, or that they are taking their spouse to meet the parents.  Should anyone – gay or straight – feel they can’t talk about their lives – especially if someone else is telling them their life story?  Is a gay person “imposing” upon a straight person because they are telling them about their life? 

No. 

And when you start thinking you can’t tell people about yourself…who you are, who you are dating, fucking, sucking, kissing – then you are fucked.  Period.  Sad, this day and time, after Ellen came out on TV years ago, George Michael is cruising restrooms around the world, gay characters on TV and in the movies, in everyone’s daily life…and you don’t feel you can be yourself? 

Ok, I’m on a boat cruise in Egypt…I don’t think I can wear a pink boa and sing disco hits.  But I am here in the United States.   And while there are a lot of people that don’t care who I am dating, fucking, sucking, kissing – there are some that do.  And I’d only be hurting myself by not being who I am.  I am fine with it.  It’s “them” who need to adjust…who need to get over it and let you live your life. 

So, just yesterday I was thinking about “PRIDE”.  Shouldn’t it be “PROUD”?  Isn’t it time to change the thought of PRIDE to PROUD?  Shouldn’t we all be proud enough to just be whoever the fuck we are and whoever doesn’t like it – eat shit and die.  Period. 

david

 

Tuesday February 13, 2007

Horned up?  Ready for some cruising?  Get your ass to a MEN IN GEAR gathering.  Can’t even begin to tell you about the stories I’ve been told from men that gear up and head out to a MEN IN GEAR night…and what happens after.  Fuck yeah!

And – two things on my soap box:

ONE -- “I was afraid that I wouldn’t know anybody so I didn’t go to the last MEN IN GEAR gathering…”  What?  You need me to hold your fucking hand?  Sounds like a little pussy to me.  That’s the whole point – get out of your fucking house and meet some men face to face.  I moved back home to San Francisco a year and a half ago and I knew NOBODY in the leather/bdsm/kink community.  I started heading out to the Eagle for Sunday beer bust, Powerhouse here and there, attending some meetings, contests…fuck, I’ve met a few good people.  Men, women, play buddies…you ain’t going to meet a fucking buddy online, that’s a bunch of shit.  And, I am more shy than your ass – and some assholes have emailed me and said that I “ignored” them or was too stuck up to say hello to them at a MEN IN GEAR gathering.  Fuck, if you see me, come up and introduce yourself, how the fuck do I know who you are?  I do this for US – to get us all out and in the bars face to face.  If I know you – I will say hello, or nod.  Period.  I know you, I  know you.  Just because you’ve emailed me online, that doesn’t mean I know who the hell you are when you are standing at a bar.  In fact, I hardly ever recognize a face online when I see them live and in person.  Plus, I don’t go around at a MEN IN GEAR gathering passing cookies and shaking hands.  But, I do try to talk to everyone I can, and thank everyone for coming. 

TWO – “I don’t know what to wear at a MEN IN GEAR gathering…”.  Listen, if you need ME to tell YOU what the hell to gear up in…whoooo…head over to Mr. S and get some ideas.  MEN IN GEAR is about, men in gear…right?  I hear a lot of shit from rubber men that there aren’t enough rubber men attending.  Hell, then wear some fucking rubber!  And, if you don’t have a lot of gear, who the fuck cares!  Are you horny?  Does your dick get hard when you see other men geared up?  Then get your ass to a MEN IN GEAR gathering.  See, back in the 70’s everyone went to a leather bar to find their kink.  And today, you don’t need to gear up in leather to find rubber dues, cigar buddies, boot pigs, uniform men, bdsm kinky fucks…you can go out and be who you are and gear up in whatever makes your pecker tremble.  Myself, WOOF…leather does it for me, in public and playing in private.  But, I still dig seeing men in uniforms, guys in wrestler’s gear, rubber, bears, muscles, cocks…hell, whatever!  And for the “newer” men in the community…if you don’t have a lot of gear or are just starting…nothing like showing up and seeing what all the men are wearing.  You get ideas, you see things you like…especially before you plop down some major cash for your own gear.

That’s it.  Get geared up.  Get ready to meet some men.  Get ready to cruise.  Get ready to drink a few beers.  Please introduce yourself at the next gathering.

david