Author: David Hyman

Kink Is My Superpower, a multi-media project from Divine Deviance, highlights the honesty, freedom, and strength of kinksters who have found our way out of the shadows and live proudly and openly.

They exist to help others tell their stories, share their experiences, and celebrate the superpowers they have discovered in kink, through films, books, calendars, and social media.

They are now developing an exciting book and documentary project about kink called Kink Is My Superpower.

These folks are inviting kinksters, whether of the 24/7 or occasional bedroom antics variety, to complete a very brief survey to help inform their project.

Click on “Take Survey” on their site, or go directly to the survey.

The San Francisco Leathermen’s Discussion Group has now finished accepting applications for its Mentoring Program.

Pups, kinksters, leather folks, gearheads, fetishists and others have explored and deepened their spicy side in a safe and trusted way with the Leathermen’s Discussion Group since 1996.

The mentoring program is for male-identified people to explore kink/fetish sexuality, community, and relationships, at any stage of their journey.

The mentoring program began with an orientation meeting in late January, will complete the matching process by mid-February, and will continue through September.

Learn more here.  You can also contact the Mentoring Program Director, Richard Sprott, if you have any particular questions.

The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District is launching the second cohort of its Entrepreneur Training Program, a 9-week program to help leather community folk start and build their businesses.

The program is led by Eddie Tang of Above Consulting, a seasoned San Francisco business consultant, and features Zoom-based group sessions and one-on-one consultations.  At the end of the 9 weeks, participants will present their business plan to a panel of local business leaders, experts, and potential funders.  Those who complete the program will each receive a $500 grant to help with their startup costs.

Our first cohort of this program graduated in September of 2022; the second cohort began on Thursday, January 26.

If you wish to apply for the Fall program, which starts on August 10, 2023, please complete this application form.   Click here for full info!

Here are a few important dates to mark in your 2023 calendar:

• LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Board Meetings:  2/15, 3/15, 4/19, 5/17, 6/21, 7/19, 8/16, 9/20, 10/18, etc.
• SOMA Second Saturdays:  2/11, 3/11, 4/8, 5/13, 6/10, 7/8, 8/12, 9/9, etc.
• Golden Dildeaux Award Nominations Open:  February 11 through March 14
• Golden Dildeaux Nomination Beer Bust:  March 12
• Golden Dildeaux Award Voting Open:  March 17 through April 18
• San Francisco Bay Area Leather Alliance Weekend:  March 16-19
• Golden Dildeaux Award Ceremony:  April 22
• LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Anniversary Party:  May 6
• Membership Deadline to vote in Cultural District Elections:  May 11
• Up Your Alley Street Fair:  July 30
• LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Annual Meeting:  August 16
• LeatherWalk 2023:  September 17
• Folsom Street Fair:  September 24
• Bearrison Street Fair:  October 14

All dates are subject to change.

We send out a newsletter each month, right before our Board Meeting.  Do you get it?
If not, view a recent newsletter here, then sign up to get it monthly here.

The LetSync Study of the UC San Francisco Center for Aids Preventions Studies (CAPS) is a project being done to evaluate a mobile health intervention for couples living with HIV. They are looking for 110 couples throughout the U.S. where:

• At least one person is HIV+ and identifies as a racial/ethnic minority
• Both persons are 18+ y/o, assigned male at birth*,
• Both persons have a smartphone and valid phone #, and a valid U.S. mailing address.

* They are looking for cis men, trans women, and/or non-binary folks

The study goes for 8 months, and study visits are every 2 months over Zoom. Each member of the couple can earn up to $430 in incentives for completing online surveys, doing take-home dried blood spot (DBS) tests and urine dipstick test to measure ARV or PrEP adherence. There is also an Exit Interview when the study is complete.

If you are interested, please click here or scan the QR code above to take 2-min. screener!