The fourth annual Philadelphia Leather Pride Night (PLPN) and Weekend, from November 9 to 11, 2012, featured an embarrassment of riches, including an auction, as its centerpiece, at Voyeur Nightclub, on the 10th, , raising more than $10,000 for the beneficiaries; entertainment; a panel discussion; and other pertinent presentations. Mid Atlantic Leatherwoman 2009 Cowboi Jen, Passion, Tina, boy chris of the Keystone Boys of Leather, and all others who assisted once again pulled off a benefit, worthy indeed of the Pantheon of Leather Small Event of the Year award for 2012, presented by Leather Journal Publisher and Editor David Rhodes, who also gave the Pantheon Small Club of the Year award to the Keystone Boys. To celebrate the Leather Journal’s 25 years of publication, a ‘roasting’ of David took place, at the William Way LGBT Community Center on November 9, coordinated by Sydney and featuring impertinent commentary by Leather Leadership Conference’s (LLC) CC, the Carter/Johnson Leather Library’s Vi Johnson, the Leather Archives and Museum’s (LA&M) Rick Storer, this writer, Mr. Sanctuary Leather Mitch, and Cowboi Jen. LA&M gave its President’s Award to Jen and Master Taino, of Masters & slaves Together (MAsT) and Master Taino’s Training Academy, Inc. (MTTA), presented donations from his organizations to LA&M and to Carter/Johnson.
Hosting Pride Night were Mid Atlantic Bootblack 2005 and Ms. New Jersey Leather 2007 boy robi and Leatherman of Color 2011 Rod McCoy, of ONYX. Conducting the auction, with flair, was barker extraordinaire Jo Arnone, who has presided over leather benefit auctions for almost 30 years, and notable auction items were: a gift package from the Bike Stop, Philadelphia’s venerable leather bar, including a camera, an iPad, and a private party for 20, which went for $800; a magical Apache pottery medicine bear, donated by International Ms. Leather 1987—the first—Judy Tallwing McCarthy; Philadelphia Bondage Club paraphernalia, including iron cuffs and collar, restraints, a bondage belt and cuffs, and a branding iron, shown to the audience by leather titleholders who were present; the right, by author Laura Antoniou, to name and describe a character who will be included in her next work, for which burlesque entertainer Desire De La Hoz paid $1,200; a platter of Zebrianna’s homemade brownies; Philadelphia Opera Company tickets; “Jake on a cross,” Larry Woods’ etching on metal, presented by Jake and netting $1,000, followed by a weekend of Jake’s services, as a top or a bottom, which went for $425; and a leather teddy bear with the PLPN logo, the Liberty Bell in leather pride flag colors, which brought in $155. Beneficiaries were LA&M, the Carter/Johnson Leather Library, the Way Center, LLC, and By Grace of George, founded by Jo to help feed the pets of the homebound and terminally ill, who are otherwise unable to care for them. On November 9, the Philadelphians Motorcycle Club offered a Kinky Karnival, at the Bike Stop, where flogging and hot wax play were featured, for the benefit of the Mazzoni Center Food Bank.
Entertainment at PLPN was provided by this baritone, singing “I Am What I Am” to open the proceedings; by drag kings Rasta Boi Punany, Dino Fontaine (“The Masochism Tango”), and Gringo Starr; and by Asbury Park’s Lady Marisa (“Last Dance”). Don served as DJ. Earlier, at iCandy, Jo spoke of co-founding the Lesbian Sex Mafia, rebelling against “women oppressing other women’s sexuality,” in 1981; and David, Judy, Mary Elizabeth Boyd, Mistress Mir, the writer, and Sir Nagrom Morgan Monceaux, whose awesome artwork was on display in an exhibit billed as “A Black Leatherman’s Journal,” participated in a panel entitled “Back in the Day—Up Close & Personal,” moderated by Vi and looking at our years of experience in the Leather Community.
There were parades of current leather titleholders and of the colors of participating clubs. The Bucks Motorcycle Club’s JR (John) Ramos, the first Mr. NJ Leather, who is scheduled to be a host of PLPN 2013, was introduced.