Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend 2018 Mr. MAL 2018 Contest Judges

Martel Brown Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather 2017

Continuing the Pittsburgh legacy, Martel became the 5th Mr. Pittsburgh Leather Fetish to win the title of Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather. As a proud member of The Three Rivers Leather Club he has made it his mission to bridge the gap between the sometimes-distant subcultures within the gay community. In this way, he embraces his individuality in such a way that others are encouraged to find their own truth in their kinkster identities. Leading by example, your reigning Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather has called out to the leather community to recognize how their umbrella extends to all marginalized kinksters that we all belong under an umbrella of leather and fetish as a community of sex-positive persons that embrace diversity while building a mosaic of micro communities within it that honor our differences, yet recognize our best traditions. Once you see his smile, you'll feel the weight of his sincerity and his promise to break down stereotypes, breakthrough barriers of prejudice, and to support the mentoring and creation of tomorrow's kinkster leaders that follow in all our courageous past leader's footsteps.

Ralph Bruneau International Mr. Leather 2017

Ralph Bruneau competed at IML as Mr. GNI Leather 2016 representing Gay Naturists International, the largest naturist organization in the world. He began his leather journey in 1974 at the legendary Mineshaft in NYC. In his first career, he was an actor on Broadway and on television creating the role of Mike Doonesbury in the Broadway musical Doonesbury and appearing on TV in shows from soaps to Seinfeld.

In the 80’s at the height of the AIDS crisis be became a volunteer for the Shanti Foundation as a hospice worker and emotional support volunteer. He then went on to get a Masters and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Bruneau has a sex-positive, kink-positive practice in Los Angeles and has been nationally recognized for his contributions to the field of Marriage and Family Therapy in California. He has taught and lectured about intimacy and sexual expression for over two decades. He is actively involved in the campaign to end Conversion Therapy working with NCLR and the #BornPerfect campaign.

He is on the founding Board of the Los Angeles Gender Center and a co-team leader for Team Friendly SoCal. He is a proud member of Avatar Club Los Angeles and the Southern California Bondage Club. He flags black, grey and hounds-tooth on the left.

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Lenny Broberg International Mr. Leather 1992

Lenny Broberg is a proud, openly Gay San Francisco Police Officer, internationally recognized Leather personality, competitive Gay Softball League player, highly sought after emcee and auctioneer, and friend and supporter to many segments of the LGBT and larger non- profit community. Lenny was born in Chicago; moved at an early age to Salem, Wisconsin; attended Iowa State University; and then settled in San Francisco 30 years ago, where he held executive positions at Pacific Bell and the Portman Hotel. In 1995, he fulfilled a life-long dream of enrolling in the San Francisco Police Academy, quickly finding his calling with troubled youth and criminal street gangs. In 2002, he joined the Gang Task Force and in 2010 was promoted to Inspector. He is widely respected as an expert in African-American gang activities, often called upon for expert testimony and conflict resolution.

In 1991, Lenny pursued one of his extracurricular passions, playing softball and becoming a Commissioner of the SF Gay Softball League. He has participated in over 10 Gay Softball World Series and holds a solid reputation as a charismatic coach, star pitcher, and mentor to upcoming talent.

In 1992, another of Lenny's interests came to the forefront as he competed and won the titles of Mr. SF Eagle Leather, Mr. SF Leather, and International Mr. Leather, all in the same year. He remains a prominent figure in the Leather Community, offering guidance to potential title- holders, judging and emceeing contests all over the world, and presenting a positive and intelligent image of the Leather Community.

Over the past 20 years, Lenny has been honored by mayors, the board of supervisors, and state legislators. For his tireless efforts in the non-profit world, he has received significant recognition from the AIDS Emergency, Shanti, Positive Resource Center, STOP AIDS, Pets Are Wonderful Support, Transgender SF, Imperial Court, Ducal Court, SF Gay Men's Chorus, Pride Alliance ( SF police officers' LGBT organization ), Golden Gate Guards Motorcycle Club, and Alameda County Leather Corps. He has been named Officer of the Month by the SF Police Department, Most Valuable Player by the Gay Softball League, and Man of the Year by the Pantheon of Leather.

More recently, Lenny has broadened his volunteer efforts, masterfully emceeing and auctioning for the Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ), Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD ), Wild Aid, Friends of Alameda Animal Shelter, Rotary Club, and urban community service agencies. He has co-anchored the live television coverage of the SF Pride Parade for several years. Lenny is thrilled and excited to be back as your weekend MC this year.

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Darkqwolf Mr. Eagle NYC 2016

Native New Yorker, proud Leatherman, IML 2016 Top 20 finalist, #38Special and Mr. Eagle NYC 2016. Super-passionate about HIV/AIDS education, particularly the HIV Smart campaign (www.hivsmart.org). Q’s a member of Team Eagle, working to support the NYC LGBT Center's HIV/AIDS Services. Together with C-IN2 underwear he hosts Jockstrap Happy Hour, a monthly rotating fundraiser to benefit emerging LGBTQ community organizations. Q also hosts the bimonthly fetish party and kink event Rough Sex at the Eagle NYC. He believes in #loveandservice—to be a resource and of use to those around is the greatest gift to self and others. Alpha wolf and Sir to Boy Scorpius Red as well as protector of his pack, The Jungle Book. Loving husband, best guncle ever, at home on the dance floor, loves to travel. And never met a jockstrap he didn't like-- they're kinda his thing.

Keep tabs on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter: @Darkqwolf

Doc Ms. Pittsburgh Leather/Fetish 2012, American Leatherwoman 2012

Doc is a Pixie Butch Leatherdyke Sensation Junkie who has been out and about in the greater kink and leather communities for a decade, noting she knew she was kinky before she realized she loved women. She runs Pittsburgh's Queer Munch, teaches classes on sensation play and consent, is the MC for Pittsburgh Leather Pride Weekend, continues to educate and advocate for survivors of rape and sexual assault, and she worries...have you eaten??? This Neurotic Jewish Mother hurts the elderly (consensually) by day, and, by night, is a devoted, collared wifeyboy to her Sir Wifeybabymama. She is proud to have held the titles of Ms. Pittsburgh Leather/Fetish 2012 and American Leatherwoman 2012 and is honored and humbled to be a part of the judging panel for MAL.

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Joe King Mr. Leather Europe

Based in the north of England near Manchester, Joe is the current Mr Leather Europe and the 2nd runner up at IML2017. A Trustee and Director of Manchester Leathermen, Joe deeply believes in making the leather community as inclusive and proactive as possible in welcoming everyone no matter their background, gender identity, sexuality, race or economic background.

Joe has judged many titleholder contests across Europe, including, France, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Spain, Finland, numerous Pup contests and will be judging Mr Amsterdam and in the coming months.

Over his title years, he has attended over 30 community events in 10 countries and has actively supported community initiatives such as the creation of the UK Leather Archive, and the establishment of the European Leather Archive.

Joe has led the European campaign against the persecution of gay men in Chechnya (#Chechnya100) through demonstrations outside Russian embassies and in cities throughout Europe and social media campaigning resulting in strong international political pressure and widespread condemnation of the barbaric activities of the Chechnyan government. Joe is now leading the European drive to raise funds to help evacuate men in danger via the NGO Rainbow Railroads, with fundraising activities taking place over the coming year.

An openly HIV+ man, Joe believes deeply in being vocal about his status, helping to break down the stigma that poz people still face today through using his voice to share his story, keeping the discussion alive and by being a point of contact for those who may be struggling to come to terms with their own status.

Joe is also leading a working group he created to improve equality and tackle misogyny, transphobia and ableism in the European leather scene with the aim of creating better spaces for all flavors of our community through confronting and changing prehistoric mindsets, by working with event organizers to improve provisions for everyone where possible and encouraging our community to be mindful and inclusive.

Joe doesn’t believe in labeling himself or others, ‘Once you put yourself in a box, you tend to be defined and contained by it…’ and he believes your identity should always grow, explore and be open to new experiences.

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Sister Tiny Bubbles

Sister Tiny Bubbles is much more than just the delicate and dainty flower you see before you. She serves the LGBT community with a lightheartedness and a sense of humor that will make you smile. She has been spotted at community events such as Scarlet's Bake Sale, Capital Pride, the Gay Games DC 2022 bid, the Walk to End HIV, and can be more regularly seen in the last stall of the DC Eagle.

While Tiny is still carving out her path in life, her secular counterpart, Marc, is well versed with the leather community. Marc had the privilege and honor of holding the Mr. PW’s Leather title in 2012 and the first runner up to Mr. Mid Atlantic Leather 2012. Additionally, he was part of the DC Boys of Leather from 2006- 2011, holding executive offices and earning the Bryan “pup” Mullikan Leatherboy of the Year award for 2009.

Both leather and drag have pushed Tiny to become an advocate of mental health. By promulgating universal joy and expiating stigmatic guilt we can ourselves free from judgement. This leads us to a more genuine and sincere interaction with our world.

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Tally’s

Mark Branson

Mark’s leather journey began in San Francisco in 2010, when a friend suggested they visit Mr. S. Although he didn’t buy anything that day (as an impoverished graduate student), the seeds of leather were planted. Those seeds sprung into life in 2014, when Mark was exposed to the notoriously fecund leather community of Baltimore. He found a home in COMMAND MC, joining in 2015.

Despite his relatively short tenure in the leather community, Mark has become deeply involved. In addition to serving as the treasurer of COMMAND MC, he is a member of Mama’s Family (Mama’s Cunty Bitch), and an associate member of Onyx Mid-Atlantic. As an officer in COMMAND MC, Mark has been a part of organizing the annual Maryland Leather Weekend as well as numerous club fundraisers, including the annual LUST fundraiser for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore and the club’s participation in the Baltimore AIDS Walk. Mark has participated twice as an ensemble member of the COMMAND MC Players during the group’s annual performance at Hooker & Boys Twelve Days fundraiser. Mark is the founder of Naked Yoga Baltimore, and runs a weekly nude male yoga class to raise money for the Holistic Life Foundation, an organization that teaches meditation & mindfulness to at-risk youth. He’s also a committed rubberman and is working to build the rubber community in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.

Mark flags dark blue on the left and right, light blue on the right, red on the left, grey on the right, gold on the left, hunter green on the left and right, beige on the left, charcoal on the left and right, mosquito netting on the left and right, and lavender on the right when the mood strikes him. He believes (enthusiastically) that leather is a caricature of the hyper-masculinity of 1950s American culture, (more enthusiastically) that gender is a social construct, and (even more enthusiastically) that the leather community is strongest when we welcome everyone rather than manufacturing artificial barriers to exclude others.

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Conor Vaughan-Buggy Mr. GEARED Ireland 2015

Conor Vaughan-Buggy is one of the three-man team that organises GEARED Ireland and the annual Leather Pride Dublin weekend. Conor has been involved at GEARED Ireland from its first event in 2013 starting as a volunteer and then as part of the small organising team. He has organised a range of bondage workshops in Dublin for the community since 2013. Conor was Mr. GEARED Ireland 2015 and represented Ireland at International Mister Leather 2015 and is a proud brother from the 38 Specials class of that year. Conor volunteered for the Irish Marriage Equality Campaign and has raised awareness of LGBTI rights issues at home in Ireland and abroad in developing nations. He regularly raises money for LGBTI and animal rescue charities through running events… when he is not injured. Professionally Conor is a professor in Dublin where he works to ensure that his university is the best place for LGBTI students and staff to study, live and work.

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