CHICAGO—Appalled by the reported increase in new HIV infections, International Mr. Leather has taken a stand it hopes will help to curtail the spread of the disease. The leather-fetish organization no longer will allow vendors to promote so-called “bareback”—or condom-less—adult content at the events and competitions it hosts.
“…[A]fter considerable discussion, the executive committee of International Mr. Leather has decided that it will no longer allow participation in the IML Leather Market by any entity which promotes barebacking or distributes/sells any merchandise tending to promote or advocate barebacking,” IML President Chuck Renslow told vendors in a letter the organization emailed last week. “This restriction will also apply to distribution of gifts, postcards or any other information via our facilities. This policy takes effect immediately.”
IML Coordinator RJ clarified the new rule in a follow-up email to GAYVN.
“This applies only to barebacking videos,” he wrote. “We have a few companies who sell both. They will be welcome to sell their safe-sex videos. [The rule] applies more to the video than the company. The promotion of barebacking videos is what is prohibited.”
When and whether to take a stand about safer sex was not an easy decision to make, Renslow indicated in his rule-change notice. IML’s executive committee relied on community input, scientific data and members’ own consciences during consideration, he noted.
“Though we are now three decades into the HIV/AIDS epidemic, no cure has been found,” Renslow wrote. “The [U.S. Centers for Disease Control] and local health officials inform us that new infections are on the rise. And, while we have had some success developing medications that might make infection more manageable, that accomplishment comes at a price. Not having experienced the deaths—the loss of loved ones—which preceded these medications, we have an entire generation who may not fully appreciate or comprehend the severity of the situation.
“Too many in our community believe HIV-AIDS is curable or manageable. Too few understand that HIV-AIDS infections dominate life. We believe that it is our duty to inform and educate. Several years ago when “Meth” was the scourge of our community, IML drew a line in the sand and raised awareness and used all our influence to try and stop this addictive madness. As is the case with HIV-AIDS, we believe it is our further obligation to do everything in our power to prevent future infections.”
Will Clark, a retired gay adult performer and founder of New York’s Porno Bingo—a weekly event that raises funds for a variety of HIV-AIDS-related charities—said IML’s stand against barebacking should carry weight in the gay community. However, he noted, the underlying issues are complex and not at all easily addressed.
“The leather community was very safer-sex-oriented at the start of the AIDS epidemic, but by the late ’90s, because of ‘the cocktail’ [a group of drugs used to treat HIV-AIDS] and hard-on-inducing drugs—not to mention the popularization, and virtual decriminalization, of crystal meth, which allows guys to fuck all night long—safer sex went out the window and barebacking became the new fetish,” Clark told GAYVN. “Unfortunately, I could tell you stories that would curl your hair about things people have said to me over the last decade on both sides of the issue. It is a complicated issue, because sex and desire—along with safer-sex fatigue, peer pressure, drugs and a half dozen other factors—are not so clear-cut. But honest to God, there are some things that are pretty clear and ‘condoms reduce the potential of infection’ is one of them.”
Titan Media Vice President Keith Webb said IML’s decision should not be seen as anything more than one commercial operation exercising its right to free speech and free association.
“This is about the commercial exploitation of high-risk sex, not about personal and private behavior,” he told GAYVN. “No one’s freedom of speech is being taken away. You can still do whatever you want personally, and you can still make and sell all the bareback content you want … you just can’t sell it at IML anymore. It’s a matter of principle for Chuck and he’s standing up and saying what he believes. And guess what: It’s his event so he gets to make the decisions.”
