This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2008) |
SouthEast LeatherFest (SELF) is an annual adult fetish event for the BDSM, leather, and kink communities based in the United States' Southeast and centered in Georgia with regional and smaller related events held throughout the year.
History
editSouthEast LeatherFest (SELF) was started in 1995 by Jack Stice, International Master 1995. It was concepted as a BDSM, Master/slave event to welcome all sections of the SM communities, highlighting on the Leather. Modeled after International Mister Leather and Drummer SELF added classes to this model. It began as a 2.5 day event with a bar crawl Friday evening and classes hosted on Saturday. Since 1995 has been one of the largest sex education and BDSM education events in the southeast region of the United States openly supporting underground kink, fetish, BDSM, sex-positive, Master/slave, and Dominant/submission communities.
This event for the first time in Atlanta history brought together the straight and LGBTQIA+ communities. They worked together which had not previously happened at BDSM and Master/slave events in the area. While there had been events in the region for gay men, this was the first event to have all communities present. SELF is a charitable event that has donated approximately $290,000+ to charities and scholarships over the years. Some of these charities are the Leather Archives & Museum, National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Carter/Johnson Library, and many more. Jack Stice was the founder of this event and the "Jack Stice Memorial Community Service Award" was given in his honor annually.
SouthEast LeatherFest (SELF) holds classes given by nationally known educators from across the country, holds a multiple spokesperson contests, and has various other activities for that promote community and pride. SELF is held in June in Atlanta. SELF spokesperson titles are referred to as Mr. SouthEast LeatherFest, Ms. SouthEast LeatherFest, SouthEast LeatherFest boy, Southeast Bootblack, Southeast Person of Leather, and SouthEast Master/slave, and in the past it was the home of the International Master and slave contest until 2001 and a number of titles. For all titles produced at SELF historically, please see: https://secure.seleatherfest.com/contests/titleholder-history
Lady Catherine G. has worked in various capacities on the event since the 90's and produced SELF since 2004. She has led the organization to expand its educational and social offerings. SELF, as of 2023, offers 200+ educational and social opportunities over four days. SELF is attended by 850+ persons a year and growing.
SELF started mini-grant program in 2007 which is a new program to invest regional money into local groups by funding speakers and educators to be brought to local communities that might not be able to afford it otherwise. This program was closed in 2011.
SELF has been nominated for "Pantheon of Leather Large Event of the Year" in (2005 - 2007) which means that this event has stood out from the other 100 events though independent peer review to be noted as one of five events that has been providing outstanding community service.
In 2014, SELF was the first leather contest in the country where a portion of each title contest was digital voting by the weekend participants. This continues to this day.
SELF has been reviewed and has supported the Leather Archives and Museum, a library/museum/archives pertaining to Leather sub culture, fetishism, Sadomasochism, and alternative sexual practices. The geographic collection scope is worldwide and includes all sexual orientations and genders. SouthEast LeatherFest is owned and produced by Catherine Gross. It is administered by a board of volunteers annually.
Current Titleholders : 2024
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Sir Andrew
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Sabrina Hypnotica
- SouthEast BootBlack -- Keriis
- SouthEast Master/slave -- Master Aaron and slave jennie
Past Titleholders
edit2023
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- MaxInLeather
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Scarlett Rose
- SouthEast BootBlack -- Apollo
- SouthEast Person of Leather -- Mara
- SouthEast Master/slave -- Master Varii and slave neill
2022
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- MaxInLeather
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Ms. Mia Rose
- SouthEast BootBlack -- Apollo
- SouthEast Master/slave -- Master Varii and slave neill
2019-2021
edit- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Choc Trei [stepped down on December 31, 2020]
- Southeast BootBlack -- Mycalyne
- SouthEast Person of Color -- Idris Dior
- SouthEast Leather Fest boy -- Quazi
- SouthEast Master/slave -- Sir Luke and His victor
2018
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Sir Bradford
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Choc Trei
- SouthEast BootBlack -- Tidbit
- SouthEast Person of Leather -- Iamar Kinhawk
- SouthEast Leather boy -- Quazi
- SouthEast Master/slave -- Master Blue and slave Sheri
2017
edit- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Tig
- SouthEast BootBlack -- Coco
- SouthEast Person of Leather -- ABizzy
- SouthEast Master/slave -- Master IceDog and slave Ravyn
2016
edit- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Tig
- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Timothy Lee
- Southeast BootBlack -- Ms Tori
- SouthEast Person of Leather -- ABizzy
- SouthEast Master/slave -- Master Bella and slave Rooks
2015
edit- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Jennifer Deese
- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Timothy Lee
- Southeast BootBlack -- Friday
- SouthEast Person of Leather -- Autumn East
2014
edit- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- slave Pat
- Southeast Master/slave -- Kevin & slave Feyrie
2013
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Optimus
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Flossie
- SE BootBlack -- Madeline Sparkles
- SouthEast Leather Fest boy- boy River
2012
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- OB
- SouthEast Leather Fest boy -- boy Andy
2011
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Ejay
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Angel Propps
- SE BootBlack -- boy Dave
- SE Master/slave -- Master Dan and slave Melissa Archived 2013-12-30 at the Wayback Machine
2010
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Phantom Blue
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Amber
- SE BootBlack -- Margaret
- SE Master/slave -- Master Rick and slave Gypsie
2009
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Nefarious
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Miss Rae
- SE BootBlack -- Margaret
- SE Master/slave -- Master Tom and slave Linda
2008
edit- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Henry Loyd
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Miss Bettie
- SE BootBlack -- Girl Commando/boy Andy
2007
edit- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Solitaire
- SouthEast BootBlack - Q
- SouthEast Master/slave -- Sir Top and slave Bonnie
2006
edit- International Master/slave -- Mistress Suzan and slave Ziggy
- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Solitaire
- Mr SouthEast Leather Fest -- Matthew Cary
2005
edit- SouthEast Master/slave -- Master Tom and slave Linda
- SouthEast LeatherFest Boy -- Boy Tala
2004
edit- Ms SouthEast Leather Fest -- Girl Kim
- SouthEast Leather Fest Boy -- Grant Lam
2003
edit- SouthEast Leather Sir -- Richard Gray
- SouthEast Leatherboy -- Michael Waugh
- Ms Leather Pride -- JD
2002
edit- International Master/slave -- Master Scott and Slavette
- Ms Leather Pride -- Chance
- SouthEast Leather Sir -- John Derrek
- SouthEast Leatherboy -- John Mark
2001
edit- International Master/slave -- Master Jim and slave Marshal
- SouthEast Mr Drummer -- Daryl Fox
- SouthEast Drummer Boy -- Paul Ferreira
- Ms Leather Pride -- Chance
2000
edit- International Master/slave -- Steve Sampson and Kirk
- SouthEast Mr Drummer -- Larry Cottrill
- SouthEast Drummer Boy -- Bruce Tidwell
- Ms Leather Pride -- Samantha Claar
1999
edit- International Master/slave -- Khiki Cavannarro and Samantha
- Ms Leather Pride -- Paula Smith
- SouthEast Mr Drummer -- Shawn Couch
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Boy Chris
1998
edit- Ms Leather Pride -- Sybil King
- SouthEast Mr Drummer -- Tom Stice
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Gregory Kornman
1997
edit- SouthEast Mr Drummer-- Martin Ellis
- Ms Leather Pride -- Victoria Gayton (Ameritus Award)
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Boy Von Sumrall
- Mr. Georgia Leather -- Joseph Blair
- Ms. Georgia Leather -- Miss Patt
1996
edit- SouthEast Mr Drummer -- Bob Jacobs Harris
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Rory Teasdale
- Mr. Georgia Leather -- Leonard Sewell
- Ms. Georgia Leather -- Khiki Cavannarro
1995
edit- SouthEast Mr Drummer -- Ricardo A M Ware
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Patrick Langone
1994
edit- SouthEast Mr Drummer -- Kevin Drewery
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Dale Calloway
1993
edit- Mr. SouthEast Leather -- Darryl Flick
- Mr. SouthEast Drummer -- Barry Bishop
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Owen Griswold
1992
edit- Mr. SouthEast Leather -- Kevin Drewery
- Mr. SouthEast Drummer -- Bart Girton
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Eric Hayes
1991
edit- Mr. SouthEast Leather -- Wes Decker
- Ms. SouthEast Leather -- MP Breslin
- Mr. SouthEast Drummer -- Vance Reger
1990
edit- Mr. SouthEast Leather -- Chuck Higgins
- Ms. SouthEast Leather -- Diane Suissa
- Mr. SouthEast Drummer -- Bernhard Zinkgraf
- SouthEast Drummer boy -- Michael Feinstein
References
editThis article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (April 2009) |
External links
edit- Southeast Leatherfest
- Verboten Magazine
- Interview with Producer Catherine Gross SELF 2014 Leatherati.com reporting
- Catherine Gross on KinkyCast.com for SouthEast LeatherFest Special Edition
- Southeast conference of clubs origin of Southeast Leatherfest
- Article on the ground breaking changes at SELF 2014
- 2014 Judges Announced
- Post-Contest 2012 in Leatherati.com
- SouthEast LeatherFest 2012
- Leather Archives and Museum Review
- Damron Calendar Archived 2007-05-21 at the Wayback Machine of events
- 2007 list of judges Archived 2007-05-19 at the Wayback Machine
- Leatherati Article 2012 event
- The GAVoice