This year’s International Mr. Leather (IML)—the gay community’s largest annual leather event in the world—is seeing a healthy uptick in attendees for 2010, according to IML coordinator RJ Chaffin, thanks to a rebounding economy. (Yes, even tough leathermen feel the sting of escalating travel costs.) Now in its 32nd year, IML has evolved from the “Mr. Gold Coast” bar contest held at Chicago’s Gold Coast leather bar in the ‘70s, to an international conference and competition for leather men and women, although an overwhelming majority of attendees are gay men. Held annually in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend since 1979, IML attracts everyone from the casual voyeur to the seasoned fetishist. more ›

Who’s your daddy? Gary Iriza, Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2008, is your daddy, sir. Iriza took the leather sash at the XXX International Mr. Leather (IML) Competition Sunday night. (The XXX stands for 30th anniversary, people.) IML is a beauty pageant of sorts, celebrating masculinity and a lifestyle of leather. IML has its roots in the Mr. Gold Coast contest, held in the historic Gold Coast Leather Bar. It expanded to a larger venue in 1979, and with the larger venue came the expanded “international” title. more ›