“The Recruit”
After finishing the list of portraits of leather men…
The next model, Trevor, has been waiting patiently. After I finished “The Brightest Boy,” I messaged him soon after to schedule the interview, and we decided on a weekend in October. Now, for everyone reading this: Trevor is new to the leather scene. He’s been trying to join this community for a while now, and I believe we should not gatekeep him from joining. He’s just like many of us. However, I do feel that he needs to attend more events to socialize and establish a presence in our community.
The Interview
Regarding gatekeeping, it's important to note that our community is slowly changing and, in some ways, dying. Why should it be up to us to keep people out of our scene? If anything, we need to start growing our numbers. Our members are aging, and we need “new blood” to fill the gaps. This will help keep our traditions alive as leather men and as gay/queer people.
When I arrived at Trevor’s apartment complex, we began discussing his attempts to join different houses. I got the impression that many people see the disability instead of the leather man himself. Granted, he is new and doesn’t yet know all the unspoken rules of our community, but I believe that with a bit of guidance and perseverance, he could become a valuable member.
The Source
We talked about various topics I had prepared for him, and eventually, I brought up the subject of the hankies. He didn’t have many options, so I suggested using the autism logo in the background, along with a purple paisley hanky. I felt this would fill the gaps and blend well with the rest of the portraits.
The Process
The process of drawing was enjoyable, as it always is. I worked on his eyes and face, and while I initially struggled with the leather vest, it has now come together nicely. Trevor didn’t have as much leather gear as the other models, but I wanted to showcase that. For everyone reading, you do not need a full leather outfit. If you can only afford to buy one piece of leather at a time, that’s perfectly fine. Just make sure it fits and that you have a vision for your leather look.
The Finished Portrait “The Recruit”
Trevor was an amazing model and a wonderful person to work with. He was such a joy, and I hope many people reach out to him, talk to him, and help him feel accepted by us. He is genuinely nice and simply wants friends outside the disability community.
As for the next model, let’s just say we flipped the coin to the other side: someone who holds a “Master” title.
