Essays: International Mr. Leather

International Mr. Leather (IML) is, among other things, a beauty pageant, one that features masculinity and a leather lifestyle. IML, which annually draws thousands of people from around the world, to the city of Chicago, Illinois, has fairly humble roots. It began as a small contest at the Gold Coast Leather Bar, but quickly outgrew the small bar settling, and in 1979, moved to a larger venue.

This year, the competition, the Leather Market and all the accompanying parties and events, were held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. There were enough competitors and attendees to sell out all the rooms in the Hyatt. The participants came from several countries and many states. While the competition draws thousands, the number of competitors is around 50-60 each year. In order to win, each man is judged on an interview, a physique segment, and the Pecs and Personality segment. They are also judged on the appearance of their leather and their general stage presence. The winner of the 2008 International Mr. Leather title was Gary Iriza, from Palm Springs, California.