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Jun 25, 2023

Leather scene, here are 5 tips to know before getting kinky

Earlier this month, I had the honor of being named Mr. Cachondo Leather 2024, a title that represents Latinx folks in kink and leather spaces. It’s an accomplishment that I have strived to win for

Earlier this month, I had the honor of being named Mr. Cachondo Leather 2024, a title that represents Latinx folks in kink and leather spaces.

It’s an accomplishment that I have strived to win for several years, since the first time I saw a leather competition held at Eagle 562 in 2017.

During that time, I have learned a lot about kinks and the leather scene and have even had the opportunity to help Orlando Bedolla with his upcoming documentary, “Encuerados.”

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“Encuerados” will spotlight stories from the Latino leather and kink scenes, which have long existed in the closet.

“In general, we as Latinos come from a very conservative culture where religion casts a big shadow in how we live our lives,” Bedolla says. “It’s important to highlight the stories of Latinos who are embracing a lifestyle that, for many, is hard to understand.

“The film pulls away the stereotype that these spaces are all about sex, and reveals the honest and inspiring true stories of people who build community, who make safe places for those who have been unsafe, and who give to and celebrate life,” he says.

Since Leo Iriarte became the first Latino to win the title of Mr. LA Leather in 2011, Latinos have had more representation in the kink and leather spaces, such as the Eagle LA, Bullet Bar, and Sanctuary, where workshops provide training to practice safer play.

Kink and leather are often lumped together, but actually they are very different. In fact, leather is itself its own kink.

People that are into leather tend to use the feeling of leather, whether by wearing it, buying sex toys made of it, or using oils that have leather scents, to enhance their sexual experiences.

When we talk about kink, we talk about different things people bring into their sex lives to help arouse them.

For instance, someone may have a bondage kink. This means they like to get tied up, or perhaps their fetish is foot worship, meaning they like to look at feet, maybe massage or even lick feet.

All of these things have their own communities of folks who enjoy them, and the tools of the trade are often passed by word of mouth. These tools of the trade often revolve around how to do things safely, how to best educate folks on this information, and what consent looks like for these particular fetishes and kinks.

Unfortunately, it’s kind of an information desert on the kink and leather scenes. But we are here to help everyone entering these spaces for the first time, or just looking for a refresher course. Speaking of helpful tip, previously, we mentioned tips for sexual health during Pride season and beyond.

Here are five tips to know about the kink and leather scenes.

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