Some of my favourite pics of me bootblacking at local leather events over the past year 🖤❤️🔥⛓️
More pics on my instagram: @leatherbutch
freshly greased
#I know the original copy from my old blog is still floating around somewhere#you can appreciate my collection twice#new blog same great dyke#mine#leatherdyke#bootblack#pieces made by:#riverqueer leather#violetleatherco#wicked city leather#freakmutt leather#emma alamo#agate leather#boundaries leather#doghouse leather crafting room#meili carling#trailer park dog / fagdyke chainmail#adornedfemme.jpg
Something that has been irritating me to absolutely no end is how the Leather Community has embraced AI slop.
It's probably just because the leather community as a whole tends to be a microcosm of society at large nowadays, but I see people posting flyers for events full of AI garbage; for bars, clubs, and larger events alike. Or they're posting some Tom of Finland looking AI generated sex homunculus with two left feet to get off to
I just find it especially hypocritical, since there's been some (absolutely valid!) conversations about not stealing other leatherworkers designs for belts and harnesses and such, and asking other leatherworkers for permission before even taking heavy inspiration from one of their designs, just for these same people to turn around and use AI to generate ads and images for them to post. They literally don't bat an eye when it comes to using the Stealing People's Art Machine as long as it's a medium they don't respect
Imo it's extra frustrating because the community is full of artists of all kinds! They could be getting their fellow leatherfolk to work on these projects or commissioning them for erotic art, but instead they'd rather generate some stupid bullshit to pass around instead. Infuriating
Hi, you’ve mentioned trying to navigate the overlap between leather culture and tzinut and I’m interested in hearing more about leather and Judaism if you’re comfortable sharing 😊
yeah! in judaism leather is indicative of luxury and comfort—this is why we don't wear it on yom kippur (also prohibited is sex, so to me this feels like a pretty big arrow pointing to leathersex bc leather and sex are linked by being in this list of things we refrain from on yom kippur). more than that, though, some of the holiest things we have in judaism are leather! kosher klafs (scrolls) are a type of leather (tanned hide and all that) which includes the torah, what's in the mezuzah, and the scrolls in tefilin! and speaking of tefilin—black leather straps we bind ourselves with! more than that, traditionally the way to keep the leather moisturized and nice is to lay tefilin regularly and allow the oils from your skin to hydrate the leather. there's also ritualized leather care if it's damaged, you have like black dye and you say a little bracha before you use it to repair your tefilin
judaism imbues leather items with a sense of holiness, set-apart-ness that is similar to the more spiritual side of the leather community. leather spirituality often views leather as a material that it's important for helping us reach an altered state of mind, another 'self' if you want to put it that way. leathers have their own lives and they are treated with immense respect and reverence. for example, touching someone else's gear without permission is a HUGE no-no, it's a sign of disrespect to an extremely high degree. (this is why bootblacks are such an important and fascinating social role within the leather community; often they are the only person who will touch and handle a person's leather gear other than the leather's owner themself. to give your vest or harness or boots or whatever to a bootblack and walk away is such a huge action of trust, and as such bootblacks generally have a highly respected role in the community (i'd imagine kinda like book binders in communities who love really old books). see again the ritualized leather care with tefilin!)
in terms of tznius and leather, a lot of my studies (highly recommended the book reclaiming dignity, it's a really good collection of writings on what tznius actually means and how to teach it in a way that doesn't traumatize and disrespect women and girls (warning theres like two just random homophobic paragraphs in there??? but overall i still recommend)) discuss tznius as "fittingness" or "appropriateness" of what you're wearing for the situation you're in (when talking in terms of clothing at all). so it's tzanua to be naked in the shower bc that's what's appropriate for that moment. this is something i've been chewing on and batting around my brain in relation to what i wear when i go to pet moshes or leather bars. there is a certain aesthetic that comes with these spaces—only wearing a harness or an open leather vest and allowing your chest and stomach hair to be shown is a very common and appropriate thing to wear, for example. using the definition of tznius posed above, one may even call it tzanua!
bootblacking as an act of dominance.
Handler giving Her hounds pristinely polished combat boots, immaculate and fully cared for. a talisman for them to wear, to literally feel Her presence in each step it takes. no matter how blissed out, how feral it gets in combat, there is always a nagging note of care ingrained into it. every step it takes has intent behind it, the gravitational weight of Her behind the hound.
for every scuff, mark and blemish to represent a failure of looking after these boots. for it to wear its mistakes, to be forced to acknowledge that it fucked up, somehow, somewhere.
for it to be punished by having those boots scuffed, for it to lose just a little bit of that connection as the effort and energy She put into them is taken off. for it to feel Her presence just that little bit less. to have that taken away from it for its failings.
for it to be forgiven as it is presented with its boots in a fresh coat of polish. to step into the pair and feel Her, eternally present of course, but stronger, renewed, knowing that it bears the care She put into it. that it can be proud as these spotless boots represent Her hand, that it has done a good job- that it will keep this pair impeccable and spotless. for Her.
I created this banner as a love letter to leatherdykes 🖤⛓️🩸
Handcrafted from a solid piece of leather, metal O-rings and chain, the banner is designed to embody the leather armour worn by these fierce guardians who strengthen and protect our communities.
If you’re interested in seeing more of my work please check out my IG @leatherbutch