This program will examine three pillars of San Francisco’s leather culture of yesterday: Jim Kane, Drummer magazine and Tony DeBlase. While the terms “old guard”, “leather history” and “traditions” are ambiguously tossed into conversations about our past, Kane, DeBlase and Drummer each made a defined and documented contribution toward building the San Francisco leather scene of today. The Leather Archives & Museum's executive director Rick Storer, coming to LDG from Chicago, will use evidence-based collections of the LA&M in to frame a discussion about legendary leatherman Jim Kane, the iconic and über-pornographic Drummer magazine, and Leather Pride flag creator Tony DeBlase.
On Saturday, October 25th, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., LDG and the SF Eagle will host a beer bust benefiting the LA&M. Please join us at the Eagle!
Since its founding in 1991, the Leather Archives & Museum has become a national treasure for the leather and BDSM communities, housing thousands of records, artifacts, artwork, photographs, scholarly publications, electronic resources, and films chronicling our leather history and culture.
Notable library resources include the writings of the Marquis de Sade, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, Laura Antoniou, John Preston, and Larry Townsend. Complete sets of Drummer magazine, Bound & Gagged, SandMutopia Guardian and other periodicals are also available. Notable museum artifacts include original works by Tom of Finland, the largest collection of original Etienne works in the world, historic sadomasochism and sexual devices, and colors ("backpatches") from hundreds of existing and former gay and lesbian motorcycle clubs, leather clubs and sex clubs. Notable archival collections include the papers of Tony DeBlase, Joseph Bean, Jim Kane, Leonard Dworkin and the records of The National Leather Association, International Mr. Leather, and The Mineshaft.
RICK STORER was named Executive Director of the Leather Archives & Museum in 2002, after serving as a volunteer for several years. He has been presented with awards including Pantheon of Leather Man of the Year, Pantheon of Leather President's Award, SouthWest Leather Conference Leatherman's Heart Award and the Peter Thomas award from Rodeo Riders Chicago. He is a certified public accountant and holds a Masters of Library Science degree from Dominican University in River Forest, IL. He lives in the Chicago area with his husband, Jeffrey Storer.