Excerpts from an interview with the outgoing Mr. LA Leather 2023 Colin MacDougall
BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY ZIV SADE
Looking back on this past year as Mr. LA Leather 2023—what moments stand out for you as the highlights of your reign as a titleholder?
“During my title year, I hosted/co-hosted/or produced over 60 events for the leather and kink communities. I helped found Sing Bitch Karaoke! at Bullet Bar in North Hollywood and have passed the mic on to make sure there’s a spotlight to step into every Monday night. I founded and co-produced FUZZ, LA’s first monthly Furry play party. My dedication to representing LA’s leather community spanned many cities, states, and back alleys. Participating in International Mr. Leather was a highlight of my year, and I will always be thankful for the brothers I have made throughout the title circuit… I co-produced the inaugural California Day of Leather Advocacy which brought 70+ leather people to Sacramento to stand behind 3 bills and ask for $71 million to promote STI testing/treatment and the desensitization and implementation of harm reduction projects throughout the state. I am humbly proud to say that the FULL budget ask was granted and 2 of the 3 bills passed. I had the opportunity to be a co-conspirator and got the LALC I am the current Communication Officer of the LA Band of Brothers, the Team Captain of his AIDS Life Cycle team—Team Beefcake, and a founding member of Los Angeles Service Pups. As you can see from all this… I was a very busy handler, and I want to divulge my admittance to a voluntary 72-hour psychiatric hold during this past summer. I have focused heavily, since, on promoting the necessity to advocate for one’s own self-care.”
When did you first start being active in the leather/kink community?
“I fell into the community around two years ago… both heads first, and want to thank everyone who helped my entrance into the community be a rocket ship’s assent. Every step was a lesson, and I am who I am today because of them. I want to specifically thank Ricky Fung for being the first leatherman to tell me I should not listen to anyone but myself and do leather my way. That stuck and I surely did and will continue to do this kink thang my way. If you’re reading this and see me ‘round, let me know how you do it your way.”
Do you have any loving but constructive criticism of the Los Angeles Leather community?
“Becoming a support beam for the community has given me the opportunity to create my own family. My pack. Connection to brothers and sisters. The path to those gifts was not always sunbeams and rainbows. But it could be a lot easier to find each other if we took some time to practice the simplicity of kindness. Patience. Understanding. The ‘Old Guard’ survived the greatest historic threat to our community, hopefully ever. I see their staunch hold of rules and regulations and guidelines not as gatekeeping, but as keeping their friends and partners and lovers alive within them. We are a lucky generation to learn from the leather people who stood up and fought and marched and fucked for us to even have a color to flag or space to spank in…”
“Note to the ‘Old Guard’—people want in. I have read tons of articles about how leather was dead. I need you to know it is not. It is evolving. Puppies, furries, chasers, piss, ABDL, piercing, fisting… every color in the rainbow and skin tone and depravity—we’re in this now. The battle for access that Trans and Non-Binary people find themselves amidst right now is EXACTLY what you fought in your youth. It might look different to you, but it is the same. Please be better to this generation than the government, churches, your family, or anyone who pushed you down was to you. I stand by this tagline—Evolution or Revolution. It’s the only two choices if we are to survive and stay kinky together.”
