photography by MIKE RUIZ

“The heaviness of the chaps compresses against thighs wrapped in denim.  Each leg stands tall; one rooted in history while the other walks towards the future. Boots that have stood in the seedy, the sleazy, the sexy, and subversive cultures long misunderstood, are buffed to a military polish.  The harness encompasses the heart that has struggled for identity and visibility, adorned with a vest shielding it from the elements and provide a canvas to mark its history.  Muir cap crowns the head and as worn hands slide into gloves, a man is transformed, the reckoning of a Leatherman.

To be a Leatherman is to be an individual within a collective.  While we hold traditions that are stemmed from a long history with struggles both within and outside the gay community at large, we know the future belongs to the youth, the pups, the kinks.  They will define the 21st century look, as leather evolves and blends with rubber and neoprene, each with their own story and their own journey.  It is a history with much strength in our virtues and have had to forge a new community from the ashes of the AIDS crisis, which decimated an entire generation.   It celebrates our collective affinity towards the use and wearing of leather, all the ways we use it, and how it defines us and who we become while wearing it.  Brotherhood is more than lip service, it is represented in actions towards acts of service, education, and inclusion.  There is honor to respect those who have paved the present we have now, and a duty to strive forward to assist men coming into their own.

Enter Mike Ruiz, with his professional background, Mike has an opportunity that many do not: help share and enlighten so many people with what it is to be a Leatherman. To be a voice for others who couldn’t.  Beyond the sex, beyond the roles, and show a side that hasn’t been photographed before.  Reflecting our diverse brothers within, people like Mike are showing the full colors of the leather community.  Visibility means everything.  He understands what it means to carry that namesake as a brother of leather, and the responsibility that comes with it.  The future is looking for history, for identity, and for belonging.  May you enjoy this project, and hope it promotes conversations, builds understanding, and echoes the belief that there is more that unites us than divides us.”

Introduction by MICK BURLINGTON, LEATHEMAN Since 1991.

MIKE RUIZ

Spirit & Flesh: What prompted you to embark on your LEATHERMEN PROJECT?

Mike Ruiz: I’m in a unique position to have a medium in which I can explore pretty much anything that I’m curious about, inspired by or afraid of. From the very first time that I picked up a camera, photography has been a powerful catharsis for a myriad of emotional and psychological issues. Through photography, I’ve been able to immerse myself in so many social and cultural situations that I can see, taste, touch, smell and hear. It’s given me such immediate access to so many incredible people, places and things. My fascination with the leather community is something that has been brewing beneath the surface all of my adult life. I finally decided to do something about it.

S&F: What is your intention behind this project?

MR: My intention initially was self-exploration and curiosity but the more that I learn about the history and protocol of the leather community, the more I become invested in documenting the generations of men who have contributed so much to the LGBTQ community.

S&F: A large component of the leather community is sexual freedom. Is this project partially a sexual exploration for you?

MR: Yes. For all of my adult life, I suffered from the toxic shame of being a gay man.Sixteen months of pandemic-induced celibacy gave me the opportunity get in touch with what it was that I really wanted out of sex. I came to the realization that I needed more than a simple “wham bam, thank you man”! I’ve been exploring that repressed side of myself ever since I got double vaxxed!

S&F: What other projects have given you the insight that you may not have had prior?

MR: From 2009-2011 I worked on a celebrity driven project called Transformations. That project was an effort to explore people’s alter egos. In 2012 I worked on a project called Pretty Masculine which was my effort to reconcile my masculinity with my softer, more sensitive side. That project foreshadowed this current project a little with a lot of the imagery being Tom of Finland inspired: lots of leather and military uniforms. In 2017 I worked on a project called Transmutation which was a metaphor for how he have to mutate in order to survive.

S&F: Where do you get your inexhaustible energy from?

MR: Fear of death! Actually, that’s not it. I’m not afraid of dying but I do know that my time on earth is finite, so I want to make sure that I cram as much in as humanly possible. I’ve had so many brushes with death that it has also contributed to the gratitude that I have for every minute that I’m alive. Sometimes I end up biting off more than I can chew which leads to mental and physical exhaustion, but I’d rather that than be filled with the regret of not having tried.

S&F: What’s next for you?

MR: Who the hell knows?! I keep getting thrown curve balls every other day, so I’ve learned to go with the flow and be open to every opportunity that comes my way.

VINCE
A Leatherman is not defined exclusively by the skins He wears. A Leatherman is defined by His relationships to the Men of Our tribe. A Leatherman reflects the history of those who came before Him – from the ports of San Francisco in the ‘50s, the biker clubs of the ‘60s, the dark, seedy spaces like the Altar and the LURE in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
I wear My leather as a tribute to those early icons. I wear My gear as a symbol of raw, unbridled masculinity and power to be shared exclusively with My Leather brothers. We release Our sexual desires, passions, and lusts without restriction, without shame. I proudly take My place among the brethren of the past – and forge a mold for those Leathermen to come.”

PABLO
“As somebody who was born in a conservative society, feeling the necessity of wearing leather was always an unfulfilled part of who I felt I was. After my first trip to Berlin, 7 years ago, I discovered people like me, men who went to work in leather, who walked their dogs in full leather gear. I realized I was not the freak friends told me I was. Today I am proud to have a closet full of my own gear, from harnesses to boots, from jackets to jockstraps. I wear something leather every day of my life. Leather is who I am”.

GEORGE
Being a gay man who’s now nearing 60yrs of age, and  who came out in NYC in the 80s, wearing leather always takes me back to my early years when I would go to the Saint At Large events at 105 Second Avenue and to underground spaces like the St Marks Baths and The Anvil. I was young and in awe of the “older“men in their 30s and 40s, so proudly wearing leather, so hot and sexy. So masculine. I wanted to be that. And now, I am.  Wearing leather makes me feel everything that I admired, honored, and respected so much as a young man. Thank you Mike Ruiz for the opportunity to express this in your work, to the world.

JOHN
When I dj in leather, I am granted the opportunity to express myself through my music and also represent the people that have come before me. People come up and say “You’re a leatherman”, and I always say “Thank you” but I never add “I’m just being me”. So I think being a leatherman means being humble to the core. It is always important to remember that there were people before me that paved the way to the acceptance of the leather community.

BRUIN
There’s a lot I love about leather. Obviously wearing it to a bar, a party or an event like IML, however that’s not my favorite part. My favorite part is one that no one really ever sees. To me its the pomp and circumstance behind wearing it. Before an event I’ll choose which harness I want to wear based on how I want to present myself. After that it’s picking the accessories to match. Does the harness have buckles or snaps? Is there a color I’m flagging that night?  I make sure to coordinate those small details to make the outfit complete. Once I have all of the pieces chosen its then treating the leather to make it look and feel its best. I put on music and pour myself a drink to get into the headspace for the occasion. These moments prior to the actual wearing the leather make the leather itself special. The harness is just an accessory, the boots are just shoes, my Muir cap it just a hat without the respect I give all of it before I go out. That is why I love leather.

TIM
“Leather is not only about community and power exchange, but for me it has some of the same properties as music, I put it on sometimes to reflect my mood, or I put it on sometimes to put me in a mood.”

STEPHEN
“Make Leather and Kink your individual interpretation.  Other than consent, there are no rules or correct ways to do leather.  If you see something you like about another’s expression or performance of kink, incorporate it into your repertoire, but don’t feel obligated to make your fetish match someone else’s.  You can be a bottom and dominant.  You can be a top and submissive.  You can switch between these roles in whatever way you desire.  Wear what makes you feel sexy and be the leatherman in the world you want to see.”

TYLER
“Being a leatherman has changed my life. There is such a freedom in being able to embrace all that makes me “me”. What was once a shameful secret is now a celebrated badge of honor. Finding the strength in my submission and my service has given me a sense of worth that i have never experienced. Protocol gives me guidance, it gives me purpose, and best of all, it fills me with pride. Feeling seen, understood and appreciated by a community is a gift i never knew i needed.”

JOE
Leather is a dynamic built on relationships and respect. It is one part of the gay community where age and experience are seen as strengths. Leathermen of age are welcoming to newer generations, passing on both their journey and what they’ve learned from those before them as well as the skins they wear, which is a sign of continuity and a vibrant and ongoing community. Leathermen of all generations learn from each other, as well as different communities in different areas of the country and the world. It is what makes being a leatherman special. I’m proud to be a leatherman, to have served as a titleholder and to have contributed to the community that has given me so much, And I’m honored with My slave to be included in this project with Mike Ruiz, showcasing the things that make us who we are.

PETE
Being a Leatherman is more than just the leather I wear, it is symbolic of the person within and for me its the submission i give as a leatherman.    From my first time being taken to The Hoist in London and being taught certain ‘Old Guard’ Leather traditions and protocols I knew that this ‘tribe’ was where I belonged.
Now, I’m often in service as a bootblack and I’m humbled that Leathermen I admire come to receive my service, it’s always with pride and devotion that I kneel and serve.     For me also being a leatherman is parallel with being a bdsm submissive.
To be part of this project gives me a huge pride to stand alongside incredible leathermen and be counted as one of them.
Thank you Mike Ruiz for clicking a lens on leathermen.
– and if he’s out there; I’m “still looking for Mr. Benson”

ROB
“My leather identity is an important part of who I am. I can trace my interest in leather all the way back to my kindergarten days. I can remember vividly being on the school bus and having strange feelings inside when an attractive high school boy got on the bus with a pair of black leather gloves on. Just as I did with my identity as a gay man and a bear, I did just about everything I could to avoid being open about it and kept that part of me stifled. When I decided to live an authentic life and live my truth, I decided it was important to be open and honest about all of the layers that make me who I am.  Now I feel a sense of pride, confidence, and gratitude for every opportunity that I get to be present and visible in my leather.  No more sacrifices or apologies. I am a Leather Daddy Bear and proud of it!” Rob (Papa Bear) Anderson Madison, WI

SYLUSS
I have always been drawn to the look of guys in leather, but it wasn’t until I started working as a tailor at The Leather Man in NYC that I really got to know the full leather world.  Meeting leather men and women from around the globe at the store and at leather runs around the country has helped me delve deeper and find so much love and camaraderie in this community.

BILL
I came out as a gay man when I was 25… and it has taken me this long to feel where I fit in the world. This very much includes leather. The Brotherhood of men that I have found, I have the highest respect for, and I have my closest friendships within the leather community. I have not found these types of friendships and relationships anywhere else. For the first time in my life I truly can be me. A lesson learned better late than never!

KENZO
Leather has taught me to be the change I wish to see. To many people leather is associated with being buff, masculine, a power hungry cis gendered white male. But me being here in this space reminds people that leather is everywhere, within everyone. It has allowed me to become a leader for the Fat, Fem, Queer, and kinky people who wish to belong in spaces, but feel that they can’t because they don’t fit to what society says is a leatherman.
I consider myself more of a Leatherman than I have ever been in my whole entire life. What leather has taught me is to be brave and stand out in the crowd and to always live my truth. Being a leatherman has helped shape me to become the person I always wanted to become. It has allowed me to be able to mentor others by putting their needs before myself and helping others transform their life through their journey.

TOM
My brother Mike has taken some amazing pictures over the course of his career, but this particular project really speaks to me. I understand the leather community. They are the most excepting men and women in the gay community. It wasn’t until I met my first leather man at the eagle in NY that I was hooked. I started to buy small pieces of leather and slowly added to my collection until it became pretty extensive. The leather community is where I fit in. I never feel self-conscious about the way I look not to mention that I love me a sexy, hairy bear in assless chaps, no shirt, and a leather arm band.

SLAVE MATTHEW
This slave has known its role in the community for as long as it can remember. But the worst thing for a slave is not having a Master to serve. Four years after losing its partner of 16 years, it found the Man it now permanently serves. To have a Master that makes it feel both loved and owned and of service completes it.

MICK BURLINGTON
Becoming a Leatherman in 1991 was a defining moment in my life.  It was the first time I was truly accepted for exactly who I was.  Not for what I should be, or could be, or owed to others; but for exactly who I was at that moment.  For a mixed race young gay man from a conservative background and religious upbringing, this acceptance was unprecedented.  I hope that by mentoring within the leather community, I continue to promote the pillars of Philanthropy, Education, and Inclusion, and make those who have worked so hard and gone before me, proud of what we have done.  Coming out of the shadows and into myself, I am proud of the leathers I wear, what it represents, and excited for where it will lead me.