As I mentioned last week, I'm off to Chicago tomorrow for the Law and Society Annual Conference. Really looking forward to it although I have no idea how I'm going to fit my paper into the time allowed. My full paper is linked to on this post should you be interested.My mind keeps turning to the events that will be taking place at a nearby hotel (literally a few doors away). The Hyatt Regency will be hosting International Mr Leather 2010 and this is a major event in the international kink diary. I originally stated that it is an 'exclusively male environment' but it's pointed out in an anonymous comment that there is a female judge - which indeed there is, so it's perhaps fairer to say a male dominated environment. Happy to be corrected.
The event gained a lot of publicity last year for banning bareback vendors from 2010. There are an extensive number of vendors attending this year according to the IML site - including the cruising website Squirt, hook up site Manhunt along with all sorts of other stores. It's open to the public so I might pop along myself over the weekend and have a look myself. The Leather Archives and Museum is also based in Chicago so (assuming I can figure out how on earth to get there on the 'L') I'll hopefully also pop my head in and take a look.
I previously blogged on the bareback ban at IML here and I can't help wondering whether regular attendees will find the ban changes the character of the event. Will people still be fucking in corridors - if so, will they be wearing condoms? Will the tone of the event change? Less sleazy, more 'respectable' and will that have a positive/negative effect on proceedings. I would have guessed they would - at the very least, you'd think some people would be disappointed to miss out on the prospect of a random shag with Jessy Karson et al. I'm curious to hear any thoughts - please do post them as a comments.
Actually it is not an exclusive male environment. If you were actually to look at their website www.imrl.com, you would see that there are female judges, fundraisers and parties for women and thousands of pictures of women intermixing with men. Also, the MC of the contest is a woman.
You should definitely check out the museum. It's a major respected resource in the academic community.
Thanks Anonymous - I did check out the website so your assumption that I didn't was as ill placed as my original comment. Let's try and say things in a constructive and pleasant way.
Post revised. Cheers.
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