I’ve been writing and rewriting this in my head for the last couple of months. Now that I’ve found the time and energy to type it in, I hope something I write here makes you think, makes you curious, or even just pisses you off. No matter which it is, your response is welcome, as long as you’re civil and honest.
One other caveat; this is not intended to be a scholarly article, just an opinion piece. I would love to do a scholarly article on the history of Leather culture but it would require at least $1 a word more than I’m getting right now (the research alone would require it) or an appointment with a thesis committee when the editing was finished. With that said, if you want sources, citations, and “official” accounts, you are as capable of using Google (and email/telephones/your personal network) as I am.
Leather traditions were all invented. They did not exist before WWII.
Let that sink in a bit.
Every Leather tradition you have ever heard of was invented by someone. These traditions were not passed on to mere mortals by some grand Leather god from Toptopia. Dionysus didn’t get pissed one night with Odin and Cernunnos and decree to gay men, “Thou shalt be butch and wear expensive, processed cow hides!”