Historical Homos Leather: A Queer History (feat. Race Bannon)
Nov 27, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Race Bannon, a leather community activist known for his extensive involvement in kink culture, shares his insights on the vibrant history of leather in the queer community. He reveals how leather fosters playful self-expression while providing crucial support during the AIDS epidemic. The discussion highlights leather's radical roots, including its emergence as a form of protest, and its transformation from underground bars to major celebrations like the Folsom Street Fair. Dive into the intimate and empowering world of leather culture!
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Community Over Costume
- Leather provides a community where people can be their authentic erotic selves within consent boundaries.
- Race Bannon says the draw is acceptance of erotic identity more than just garments or sex.
First Night At The Gold Coast
- Race Bannon describes walking into the Gold Coast at 18 and immediately feeling at home amid leather and Levi aesthetics.
- He imprinted on a brown-leather-wearing bartender and felt a visceral, gut-level recognition of belonging.
Soft-To-Hard Aesthetic Shift
- Historians trace a shift from soft to hard materials as fetish aesthetics modernized into leather, rubber, and PVC.
- Race Bannon cites research linking uniform imitation and commercial production to this material shift.
