True Tales Leather Journalism Awards 2005

Edited by Dusk Peterson

Photo by Andy Cloud, winner of two leather journalism awards this year. Courtesy of Primal Threshold.

The True Tales Leather Journalism Awards honor excellence in leather news, commentary, and information on current events. This year's awards commend well-crafted and useful leather news, commentary, and information about Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"Leather" is defined broadly to include leather/levi and pansexual BDSM journalism, as well as bear journalism where it relates to leather. Textual, and visual creations published between August 28 and October 6 were eligible for the awards. Both printed and online publications were eligible. This year, because of the special nature of the hurricane news, non-publication Websites and e-mail lists were also eligible in the information categories. Writings published in True Tales were not eligible.

Several of the categories have ties for winners. The purpose of the awards is not to produce a "We're Number One" attitude but rather to commend all those who made special contributions to leather journalism during the hurricane crisis.

Some of the Websites linked below have warning pages. If you have not visited a Website in the past, please check its home page (linked within parentheses) before visiting the item awarded.

Best News Coverage by a Leather Club Newsletter: No award given.

Best Hard News Article in a Leather Publication: "Leather Community Embraces National Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort," by Dave Rhodes (The Leather Journal).

Best Feature News Article in a Leather Publication: "Bootblack Sula in NOLA," by Tom Wray (Great Lakes Den).

Best Leather News Article in a Non-Leather Publication: "Local Gays Raising Funds for Hurricane Victims: Impressionist Alfred Lewis, Mr. IML Among Those Pitching In," by Phil LaPadula (Express Gay News).

Best Leather Commentary on Current Events: "Missing New Orleans," by Steve Lenius (Lavender Magazine); "New Orleans on My Mind," by Max Verga (BENT: A Journal of CripGay Voices); "Queer and Kinky New Orleans: The Impact of Tragedy," by Thomas S. Roche (Eros Zine).

Best Non-Leather Commentary by a Leather Author on Current Events: September 2005 edition of his ROAR! column, by Blakkat, American Leatherman 2005 (home page); "Do You Know What It Means to Lose New Orleans?" by Anne Rice (various publications).

Best Leather Art on Current Events: Leather Pride / Katrina Aid logo by Caro and by Stephen Bloom.

Best Leather Photography on Current Events: "'Leather Relief' Friday @ The Atlanta Eagle," by Andy Cloud (Primal Threshold).

Best Erotic Leather Work Related to Current Events: "'Leather Relief' Saturday @ The Atlanta Eagle," by Andy Cloud (Primal Threshold).

Most Timely Press Release by a Leather Individual or Group: National fundraiser, announced on August 31 by Michael Egdes, International Mr. Leather 2005, with James Sands and Todd Smith; national fundraiser, announced on August 31 by International LeatherSIR and Leatherboy; regional fundraiser, announced on August 31 by Krewe de Kinque; action alert, released on September 2 by the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom.

Best Information on Current Events by a Leather Website Outside the Gulf Coast: The Dominant's View; The Leather-Links Information Network; Midwest Bound; Primal Threshold; Rocky Mountaineers Motorcycle Club.

Best Information on Current Events by a Leather Website Inside the Gulf Coast: Cavaliers Motorcycle Club; Lords of Leather Mardi Gras Krewe; The Phoenix Bar; A True Rose.

Best Information on Current Events by a Leather E-mail List Outside the Gulf Coast: Leather Titleholders.

Best Information on Current Events by a Leather or Leather-Related E-mail List Inside the Gulf Coast: Cavaliers MC; Houston's Rainbow Cross; LA-NOBLE; Leather Nation Job Board; New Orleans Bears; NOLA Refugee.

Best Information on Current Events by a Leather Club Newsletter: October 2005 edition of the HPEP Newsletter (Houston PEP). (First link leads to a PDF file.)

Best Leather-Related Information on Current Events by a Non-Leather Publication: Ambush Mag.

Special Leather Communications Award (for outstanding efforts at communicating news and information to the leather community): To David Lester (Webmaster of the Cavaliers Motorcycle Club in New Orleans) and Todd Cole (president and Webmaster of the Lords of Leather Mardi Gras Krewe in New Orleans), for providing information to the rest of the world through their clubs' Websites within a short time after the hurricane crisis began, and to Tibby (lieutenant of the New Orleans Bear and Bear Trapper Social Club), for providing the most frequently updated list of survivors and missing persons.

Special Leather Community Service Award (for communication that provides outstanding service to the leather community): To Leo il Maestro of GWNN and Travis Wilson of Houston PEP, for posting an offer of housing to members of the New Orleans Bondage and Leather Enthusiasts on the very day that the evacuation began, August 28.

RELATED ARTICLE IN TRUE TALES

Leather Arts Awards. Links to other awards.

Suggestions for Improving News Coverage and the Spread of Information in the Leather Community.