Thursday, May 31, 2007

My big hypocrisy

I am a big environmentalist. I mean really big (at least convincingly enough in my head). I am traumatized with the potential consequences of climate change due to human influence and try to read and discuss as much as I can on the issue.

I am completely obsessed with Peak Oil and the seemingly endless list of Chicken Little prognostications about the dire future soon ahead due to the finity of oil, the consequences of our addiction to it, our overpopulated world's consumption rate and how intrinsically our world economy's structure depends on it. I am completely amazed by how dependent our lives are on all of the products and activity generated by oil and its byproducts.

I also try to restrict my personal usage of it as much as I can. I feel that even though some one is using more than their fair share to balance out my restrictions, it is something that I need to do.

**although sometimes I feel that the quicker we all do our share to burn it all up as quickly as possible, the sooner the consequences hit us and force us to make big changes to our lifestyles**

And there's my big hypocrisy I'm dealing with. Here I am outside of my rubber skin touting all that is bad about oil, yet behind closed doors at home, I slick up and slip on my skintight hydrocarbon by-product skin and remove myself from the world. How fucked up is that? In addition to the removal from my environment, I wonder if I'm projecting some pent-up anguish of our oil addiction? I've been thinking of this more and more as I find out more about the oil situation. It certainly solidifies my ideas about how we all do our fair share to contribute to the problem, despite our best intentions and physical attempts in our lives to make a difference.

This all means that fetish rubber is destined to become much, much more expensive than it already is. Will rubber fetishism end up being an indulgence only of the extremely rich? In many ways, it already is.

Natural rubber. I might feel better buying natural rubber. Is fetish rubbergear even made from natural rubber anymore? Based on the information in the article on natural rubber shortages below, I highly doubt it. If anyone knows actual manufacturers, I'd appreciate some information.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Latest videos

I had another fun session in my Latexa fullsuit. Here are the two latest videos.

I really get a kick out of seeing myself on camera. I am the biggest exhibitionist. Even though I was never comtemporary porn material (I can't believe I'm calling gay porn comtemporary!), I guess I could still always get into fetish porn and fulfill a few fantasies in this area. In this backwater area of the world I'm not sure where to begin - the industry options are few. There is a budding videographer on Vancouver Island I would like to talk to more about doing some videos together this fall.

I like seeing myself in different materials and in different environments. I think I'm going to try to get a lot more outdoor video done this summer. Obviously the outdoor light - our good ol' friend Mr. Sun - makes for the best lighting to enhance the shininess and slickness of, and the body contours hidden under skintight rubber. That means packing up the rubber and harnesses for a trip or two out to rural Canada over the summer. I should start thinking about investing in a real video camera as opposed to the video feature of my still camera. I've already got some really good, remote locations scoped out.

I'm really excited to get some outdoor video with the future transparent latex suit all polished up. A true body condom look - a rubber fantasy that has haunted me since my childhood!

Monday, May 28, 2007

Wish List

The gang including the boyfriend and I are heading to San Francisco for Pride weekend from June 21 - 28. I am quite excited to check out Mr. S Leather Company's retail store to see what turns my crank. I would love to get the following Moulded Rubber Hood with Open Gag. It looks so hot -- to completely turn the wearer into a helpless rubber fuck tube! All those straps on the back would ensure the wearer can't do anything but submit to his master's whims!

I've been in touch with the owners of InRubber.com recently as well, as they just revamped their website and I found out that they are now selling catsuits. I have talked about getting a custom-sized transparent fullbody catsuit from them. I'll have to figure out what I'm going to do there.


I'd like to get a simple transparent suit with attached socks, gloves and hood/mask, with only nostril holes for breathing. No extra zippers around the crotch, only a simple zipper in the back. I would be forced to sit in that suit for hours until the boyfriend lets me out!

How hot is that?

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Queer Skins

In my hunt for some new boots to complement my rubber gear, I've become fascinated by Queerskin culture. It wouldn't be a big leap for me to experiment in this sub-culture. The men are so hot!

"There He goes walking down the street, Boots and Braces, he looks so sweet!"


Ok, so I changed the gender in this line from a song called "Heart like a Lion" by an Oi! Punk band called Pressure Point. Over in Europe these days (especially in England and Germany), those into boots and braces seem to be growing in numbers. What, you may ask, am I referring to? Well, the Queer Skin movement seems to be attracting more and more young gay men, and melding with the leather and rubber crowd.

Queer Skin you ask? Yes I mean gay skinheads. The word skinhead for many gays in North America evokes thoughts of Neo-Nazis and fag bashers. Many wonder why then gay men would dress, and identify as a skinhead. Well, I hope by the end of this article that you may have a better insight about what skinheads are and aren't, and where Queer Skins fit in the leather world.

The history of skinheads starts in England some time in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It actually started as a melding of working class English culture and the culture of newly arriving Jamaicans. This is why that for many skinheads, Ska (which is a derivative of Reggae) is the music of choice. Jamaican you say? If you thought all skinheads were racist, well not quite. The "Nazi" skinheads came some time later. In the late 1970s and1980s especially, a political party called the National Front started in the UK. These guys make the Alliance Party look left wing, if that were possible. Their motto was pretty simple, "England for the English". They went to many working class neighborhoods and "recruited" young disaffected men, who also happened to be skinheads. They used them do to their dirty work beating up immigrants, and general bad deeds to those not quite English enough. This type of activity was also used by various Neo-Nazi organizations in Europe and America. In response to this, a movement called SHARP (Skin Heads Against Racial Prejudice) started up. Those who identify as SHARPs like to remind people that skin culture started as a melding of two different racial groups, and isn't about the whole white power thing.So where do queer skins fall into all of this? Like many gay male sub-cultures have done before, this is an adoption of a traditional masculine look. For some gay men, who don't feel like they fit into a sometimes materialistic, and narcissistic gay world, the harder edge of skin culture is attractive. The birth of skinhead culture is forever tied to the working class. This is perhaps the appeal to some gay men, to whom the masculinity inherent in the blue collar world is thought of as sexy. In fact, so popular the skinhead look is with gay men in England, that "straight" skins I know who have been over the pond in the last few years say that skinhead culture there is now pretty much gay culture. If you see a skin walking down the street there is a good chance he is gay.

So what makes a Queer Skin? Well skinhead culture is more than just the close and buzzed off hair. There is a certain amount of macho bravado involved. I know more than one queer skin that thought the movie "Fight Club" was more a soft porno flick than Hollywood movie. Also there is this love of being anti-politically correct. In my many travels I have met skinheads who range from SHARPs to guys verging on being Neo-Nazis. The one thing they all have in common is that they don't mince words. They never seem to worry about offending people with their socio-political view, which ever way they lean. This bluntness and living life with no apologies may be what attracts gay men in the first place. Skins just are what they are. There is no need to apologize for it, including being gay.
One can't talk about Skinhead or punk culture and not talk about music. Oi!, Punk, Ska, PsychoBilly, as well as "Alternative" Rock and Metal, are all part of the listening selections for many skins. In mainstream gay culture, dance, show tunes, folk, and R & B reign supreme. Not that I have anything against any of those types of music, but I like a little variety in life. Vaseline night, which is a rock/punk themed gay dance night in Toronto, and the Black Eagle on its "Skinhead Nights", plays punk and Oi in an effort to diversify the music scene for gay men and women. There are even gay punks bands like Pansy Division around who write great little tunes with a totally gay point of view.

The clothes, boots, braces (suspenders), buzzed hair and tattoos are also all part of the culture. Standard clothes are jeans or bleachers (which are bleached out jeans), rolled short with a shirt or polo shirt. Yes skins can be label whores in the sense that British brands like Fred Perry, Lonsdale, and Ben Sherman are popular. Trad-skins wear British boots, often 10 or 14 hole. Gay skins have seemed to get into the 20 hole and higher as well. Doc Martens are one brand favored. I tend to like Gripfasts and Undergrounds myself since they have screwed in soles. The suspenders are part of legacy of working class England. Also popular are gig shirts of your favorite punk band (I am quite proud of my Dropkick Murphy's and Flogging Molly Ts!). Then you add the tattoos. Most skinheads I know, gay or straight, are addicted to the tattoo needle. Often skin tattoos have to do with the wearer's ethnic background. Most skins are proud of their heritage, be it Irish, English, Scottish, German, French, Japanese, African, or what ever. Remember not all skins are racist, and not all skins are white either. There are also tattoos that are specific to skinhead culture (the crucified skinhead is one), tattoos of favorite bands, tribal designs, you name it.

In the end, the reason for this article is to further describe aspects and the diversity of the leather community. Skinheads tend to end up bunched up with the leather crowd on many levels. Sexually most Queer Skins are on the kinky side of things. If you go on WorldSkins.Com, you will find more than a few guys into "agro", which is the term for very rough sex. Many skins also view themselves as leather folk, though many will say Skin first. Skinheads tend to live the life 24/7. The music they listen to, the clothes they wear, what they drink, eat, do, and think, and what they do for work, are all often tied to being a skin, and the blue collar culture it was based on. Also, there are many skins that cross over into rubber culture. There are even rubber/latex clothing makers that make latex fetish wear based on traditional skin wear.

Just one other note; there are women skins as well, who are usually referred to as Chelseas. I have met more than a few Chelseas in my time who are either lesbians outright or bi. I think the attraction for gay women to the whole Skinhead/Chelsea look and lifestyle is that it is unapologetic and the "don't mess with me attitude".

In the end the whole skinhead thing can be wrapped up in being proud of who you are, which is not a bad thing. At times, this can be taken a little too far, but too many of us in gay land are ashamed of who we are. As I mentioned before, being a skinhead is about being proud of who you are, and never apologizing for it. So OI! (which kind of means a "shout out") to my skin brothers and sisters.On a side note, I was pleased to attend and represent Edmonton at Mr. Leather Toronto (MLT) on November 30. My partner Dan and I had a great time. Congratulations to all the contestants, any one of them would have made a good Mr. Leather Toronto. The winner this year, and now Mr. Leather Toronto 2003 is Paul Ciantar. He will be representing Toronto in the International Mr. Leather competition this May in Chicago. The folks at MLT also hand out a sort of Mr. Congeniality award each year, which is voted on by all the contestants. This year the Mr. Leather Fellowship award went to Steven Penticost. I think both these men will do a great job.

Anyone considering running for Mr. Edmonton Leather, the contest will be June. Keep your eyes peeled, as this year Northern Chaps is hoping that contestant sponsors will all hold individual preliminary contests.

Mike is a former Mr. Edmonton Leather.

Queers in Sports and the "Games"


By Kevin Alderson, Ph.D., R. Psych.

"All women in sport are asked to prove their hetero­sexuality, and lesbians are asked to stay in the closet for the good of the game."

After seeing previews of the movie 300, I knew I needed to see it, and apparently so did millions of others. Hollywood knows what sells -- straight women and gay men love to see (generalizing here) hot-bodied men running around in capes and Speedos while straight men love battle scenes that ulti­mately portray hyper masculinity. Perhaps Sigmund Freud wasn't wrong about us humans: perhaps our drives are mostly about sex and aggression. How sad that many soci­eties emphasize and legitimize the latter over the former.

In sport, the normative social pecking order that plac­es heterosexual masculinity at the top of the pyramid abounds, and the psychological literature is full of reference to it. Much of the "playful" behaviour in sports, frequently-heard antigay epithets in locker rooms, and derogatory ref­erences made about women and lesbian athletes in sporting contexts are testimonials of this hierarchy. [2, 3]

Media itself usually buys into the code of silence, focus­ing on the heterosexuality of athletes and rendering those who are queer as invisible, trivial, laughable, or worse: as inferior, pathological, or sinful. The movie 300 does the same in its portrayal of Greek warriors who are bold, vio­lent, masculine men who appear to be nonsexual with each other (which is historically inaccurate).

Needless to say, queer athletes face a host of issues. Like all queer individuals, athletes must (a) decide whether to conceal their sexuality, (b) decide who they can trust, (c) cope with pressures to change their sexual orientation, (d) resolve religious conflicts, and (e) deal with other people assuming they are heterosexual. In addition, however, queer athletes also deal with additional pressures, such as (a) avoiding success for fear that the media will "out" them; and (b) facing pressure, either subtly or overtly, to leave the team or their sport. Queer athletes, queer coaches, and some who "look like" they belong to our community have also not been recruited because of the way they are per­ceived. [4]

Homophobia and heterosexism is rampant within profes­sional sports, and this remains true in liberal countries like the Netherlands as well. [5] Perhaps largely because there is greater homophobia directed at gay men compared to lesbian women, we find that, given their prevalence in the population, proportionately fewer gay men but proportion­ately more lesbian women participate in team sports. [6, 7]

I suspect that queer sports teams emerged for a myriad of reasons, and partly to deal with the difficulty of giving one's best when feeling diminished or ostracized for being queer. Being part of a team provides a sense of camaraderie.

The most famous of queer sports competitions is the International Gay Games, founded by Olympic gay athlete Dr. Tom Waddell. It was initially named the Gay Olympic Games, but the United States Olympic Committee successfully won their in­junction in court to prevent the word "Olympics" from being used. Since then, there have been a total of seven Games, the next to be held in Cologne, Germany, in 2010 (i.e., Gay Games VIII).

The seventh Gay Games were meant to be held in Mon­treal in 2006, but disagreements between organizing bodies led these games to be held in Chicago instead. The Montreal committee, however, did not let the dream disappear, and from their conflict emerged the first World Outgames. These Games, with over 12,000 participants, were held in Mon­treal from July 26 to August 5, 2006. Unfortunately, these Games lost a significant amount of money (to the tune of 5.3 million). Nonetheless, Copenhagen has agreed to host the second World Outgames in 2009.

Following on the heels of these other major queer sports competitions, Calgary will be hosting the first North Ameri­can Outgames during the first week of this month. An In­ternet source from 2006 predicted that about 2,500 people are expected to visit the city for the event, which is really a series of events as it offers a human rights conference, cul­tural festivities, and the athletic competitions themselves.

Such events as queer Games have the potential to do enormous good for queer individuals and for society at large. Psychologically, they enhance our sense of com­munity by creating the feeling of belonging to something larger than ourselves: people working and playing together with a common purpose and a common vision. There are demonstrable improvements in self-esteem for the athletes and others who become involved in some way. [9] Theorists have also suggested that such Games have the potential to improve society's tolerance and/or acceptance of the queer community and its diverse individuals. [10]

Let me extend a special thank you to the organizers of the North American Outgames. You have collectively provided an outstanding contribution to the queer community, and ultimately to the betterment of all. Now let's show the world a side of Calgary that ought to make us all proud'

Dr Alderson is an assistant professor of counseling psychology at the University of Calgary who specializes in gay and lesbian studies He also Maintains a private practice He can be contacted by confidential email at alderson@ucalgaryca or by confidential voice mail at (403) 605 5234

References:

1) Plymire, D. C., & Forman, P. J. (2000). Breaking the silence: Lesbian fans, the Internet, and the sexual politics of women's sport. International Journal of Sexual­ity & Gender Studies, 5(2), 141-153. [quote from p. 142[.

2) Cogan, K. D., & Petrie, T. A. (2002). Diversity in sport. In J. L. Van Raalte & B. W. Brewer (Eds.), Exploring sport and exercise psychology (2nd ed). (pp. 417-436). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

3) Plymire & Forman (2000).

4) Cogan & Petrie (2002).

5) Hekma, G. (1998). "As long as they don't make an issue of it: Gay men and lesbians in organized sports in the Netherlands. Journal of Homosexuality, 35(1), 1-2 3.

6) Elling, A., De Knop, P., & Knoppers, A. (2001). The social integrative meaning of sport: A critical and comparative analysis of policy and practice in the Neth­erlands. Sociology of Sport Journal, 18(4), 414-434.

7) Cogan & Petrie (2002).

8) Price, M., & Parker, A. (2003). Sport, sexuality, and the gender order: Amateur rugby union, gay men, and social exclusion. Sociology of Sport Journal, 20(2), 108- 126.

9) Krane, V., Barber, H., & McCung, L. R. (2002). Socia~ ps~cho~ogica~ ben­efits of gay games participation: A social identity theory explanation. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 14(1), 27-42.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

All I need is the badge and handcuffs...


...but I think a flogger and some better boots would be more appropriate. More of a RubberMaster than RubberCop look, I think?

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

To cum or breathe


Here's the always hot Todd in his bondage bag, his head covered in a rubber glove, gasping for air. Here's the hottest video of Breath Control sexiness I've ever seen, thanks to hot Todd....

There's some crazy shit going down on Male to Male Breath Control!

Rethinking the timing of your rubber purchases?

Yes, the cost of fetish rubber is already expensive now, but you may want to consider buying that catsuit now rather than later when the rising cost of input oil into synthetic rubber is passed onto the secondary manufacturers, and the fetishists as a result.

I need to go environmental for a moment.....


Published on 16 Apr 2005 by Kootenay green. Archived on 17 Apr 2005.

Rubber is Critical, and Vulnerable
by Dan Crawford

World oil production is running flat out, leaving very little room for any errors. If a disruption were to occur a shortage would very likely follow. Probability theory states that the longer we go without a problem, the more likely it becomes. When a shortage does occur conservation measures will be needed.

The single largest consumer of conventional oil in the 30 rich nations of the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development) is the transportation sector. In 1973, this sector accounted for 42% of oil consumed, growing to a whopping 58% of consumption by 2004. Any attempts to conserve oil in a supply crisis will need to target this sector first. Historical records back up this point, as seen by the rationing measures taken during both World Wars and the 1970s energy crisis.

There are other types of supply disruptions that would have the same effect. One that is rarely mentioned is what would happen if there were to be a disruption in rubber supplies. Not only does rubber give vehicles their tires, it is also a key component in all essential vehicle systems. Rubber is used in the hoses, engine mounts, bushings and gaskets. While it is encouraging to note that rubber is one of the only materials used throughout the automotive industry that can be supplied from a renewable resource, it turns out there are some very significant problems to notice here.

The world's rubber needs are met through both natural and synthetic sources, each supplying nearly equal amounts. Synthetic rubber requires petrochemicals as a feedstock for its manufacture, using roughly 3.5 times more oil than what is required for a rubber tree plantation. This dependence on oil has led to a dramatic price increase in synthetic rubber over the last few years. Not surprisingly, this has fuelled an increased demand for natural rubber.


Nearly 90% of the world?s natural rubber is supplied by plantations in South East Asia. The millions of rubber trees there are all clones coming from only a handful of seeds originating from the Amazon, and descendents are taken as cuttings from these trees. A huge population of species supporting an extremely small genetic base causes any weaknesses to be greatly amplified. These trees are all known to be very susceptible to the fungal disease known as leaf blight. If one were to become infected, the risk of it spreading is very high.

South America's rubber trees have encountered numerous problems with leaf blight during the history of the industry there. On the other hand, South East Asia has only encountered a few cases, all from different, less damaging, varieties of leaf blight. To date, no epidemics of the South American version have occurred in South East Asia. However, there is speculation that this could happen at any time and cause a major disruption in the world rubber supply.

From the book 'One River' author Wade Davis states "To this day a single act of biological terrorism, the systematic introduction of fungal spores so small as to be readily concealed in a shoe, could wipe out the plantations, shutting down production of natural rubber for at least a decade. It is difficult to think of any other raw material that is as vital and vulnerable."

More recently, the 2000 report from the International Rubber Research and Development Board in reference to the Leaf Blight made the following comment "This pathogen could eliminate the entire natural rubber industry if accidentally introduced into Africa or Asia there is clearly a need for pathologists to be keenly alert to its symptoms."

Considering the forecasted problems stemming from the finite supply of oil, the outlook for synthetic rubber does not look well. Also, in many cases, synthetics do not have the strength required. The fuel-efficient radial tire requires a significant amount of natural rubber for added strength. Industrial and military tires are made from nearly 100% natural rubber for this very same reason.

The current problem facing every government in the world is how to deal with their energy demands given the current supply limits and the future outlook. We can be sure that the obvious is apparent to them all - conservation is the only way to reduce consumption of oil.

Introducing conservation policies is very difficult for governments to do because of the negative impacts on economic growth. This is exasperated by the fact that the policies would have to be adopted on a global scale simultaneously. This is also the catch-22 of conservation, if only a few countries conserve the remaining countries could take advantage of the new found excesses for their own gain.

To voluntarily introduce world wide energy conservation, without causing alarm over the remaining energy supplies is not considered a realistic possibility. Especially, if it is to implemented (read mandated) within a very short immediate time frame.

A more realistic approach would be for a disruption in world rubber supply to occur. This could force a quick, dramatic reduction in oil consumption globally. Another consideration is if the world's two largest oil consumers, US and China, were to collide over securing energy supplies. China could then try to control rubber supplies in South East Asia to cause shortages in North America, inducing oil conservation by the worlds number one oil consumer.

This is by no means an in-depth look at the connections between rubber and oil. There are many other considerations to make for a complete analysis. Regardless, the underlying fact remains, vehicles account for the largest consumption of oil, vehicles need rubber to work.

It would be very fitting for the world's first wide-spread conservation efforts to be forced upon us by the tire. Effectively, bringing societies wheels of motion to a halt. Maybe then we would take notice at how fragile our way of life has become and abruptly change directions.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Fetish night revisited

In Canada, the weekend coming up is the Victoria Day Long Weekend (May '2-4' -- which incidentally is the Canadian slang word for a case of beer). It is unofficially the start of the Canuck summer, which means most people will be escaping the city to sit in lineups and traffic jams out in the wilderness instead...

I am getting my gang of friends together to go to Fetish Night at the Calgary Eagle on Saturday night. If you recall, my friend DB and I went to a hetero fetish night a few months ago which was disappointing, as far as participation is concerned. I will certainly give the organizers an 'A' for effort, but the people in this city are simply creative and expressive deadwood. If it doesn't have a high-power engine under the hood, a hockey stick, or 2500 square feet wrapped in monochromatic beige, people in this city simply aren't interested enough to hold their attention for more than 3 microseconds. Either that or they go into full-blown judgment-mode.

Regardless, I have eight people that are all keen on going. Some will dress up in leather (which is the only fetish in the Calgary gay community, apparently), and the others are encouraged to dress in black. I am going to dress up in the full rubber club outfit again. I'm a little concerned that the boyfriend might find this all a little hard to take, but as I've said to him many times before, the reason I want to do this is to show off and have the opportunity to wear rubber in public, not to get picked up. I think he might have a hard time dealing with the prying eyes if he comes, but I hope he will understand I'm not doing it to play mindgames with him. It's simply a big thrill for me to have these men leering at me in my skintight rubber!

I'm planning on getting some pics of us all prepped before we go out. I'll certainly post what I get here!

Have a great long weekend, wherever you are!

Monday, May 7, 2007

Hot jerkoff

Here is a hot scene from a German guy. I can't believe how tight that suit is!
gummiaktivität >;o)