Dark Connections Featured Member

Name: Blackkat

Age: 38

Orientation: Daddy to one; son to another; mutualist to the world at large

Marital status: Partnered to my boi

Occupation: Project director at a consulting firm

How does it feel to be the first African-American to ever hold the American Leatherman title in the contest's sixteen year history and what platform did you run on?
How does it feel (sung with my best D’Angelo imitation)? Hmmm…like I’m back in the days when Black folks were experiencing moment after moment of “first Black to” and it was all eyes on them! Whether it’s real or perceived…internal or external…when you are the first “anybody” to do “anything” you feel as if you have to give it 267% per cent; be the best their ever was; raise the bars four times higher. It’s extremely exhausting and nerve wrecking. I think to attempt something knowing you would be the first means that you are already driven; so succeeding puts you in overdrive!

To be Black and representing any mainstream title is an important responsibility because it is still a rarity. It is no secret that in mainstream America (even in 2005) when Blacks accomplish certain feats or excel in realms that are not normally attributed to our people, the reception from many is lukewarm at best. There has been backlash from a considerable amount of mainstream America towards people like Vanessa Williams, Tiger Woods, Venus and Serena, and others who have challenged what are “Black” things. As long as we make rap albums and play basketball shit is cool…but we are supposed to know our boundaries! The leather community is a microcosm of society, and whether people want to say it out loud (even though some do) there is a belief that this community is by and large constructed by and for white people. So, here I come as American Leatherman…that’s a bit much for certain individuals to absorb.

I was at an event doing my safer sex outreach and here I am on a poster as big as day with the text “American Leatherman 2005” printed on the thing. This guy comes up and talks and talks; takes the packets; looks at the poster; looks at me; reads the poster; and asks, “So, are you Mr. Black Leather?” Now, what the fuck is that about? Somewhere in this fool’s head he couldn’t connect the five hundred dots that say “Blackkat is American Leatherman 2005” because the Black negated the possibility of me being anything more than Black.

At the same time it is a powerful and exciting moment in my life. I never competed in a leather contest before, and had no idea I would win. In fact, I really thought I had lost the thing very early in the game; but I also knew I had to win (that’s that “driven” thing). So, to be the person representing the title is incredible!

American Brotherhood Weekend does not require its titleholders to run on platforms, but I have dedicated a lot of my time and energy to HIV prevention and care efforts.

You were instrumental in the New York Panthers Leather Club's "Safer, Saner, Always Consensual!" campaign, the first ever safer sex campaign aimed specifically at men of color within the leather community. Do you feel the black leather community is more at risk than the larger BDSM community in general? If we go by the statistics available, we know that communities of color are at higher risk for HIV infection. Now things become different for various sectors of those communities and I do not want to make this a statistics-based article, because those are easy to access. I think the important thing to say is that many sectors of our communities are not necessarily practicing more risky behavior than our white counterparts; we are just having sex in circles where there is a greater prevalence of HIV.

For example, a recent study released by the CDC reports that approximately 46% of Black gay men in five major cities are HIV positive, but reports also show that the incidents of reported unsafe anal sex among black gay men is no higher than their white or Latino counterparts. In fact, Asian men engage in a higher number of unsafe anal experiences. But the reason our rates are higher is because there are more men in the pond we are fishing in who are already positive; but then that would only be true for Black men who are into Black men, and that is not common in the leather community. Then there would need to be a study to show HIV prevalence in the leather community. I have no idea if more men into leather are HIV positive, but I do think we may be more open to disclosing our status. I couldn’t even begin to make an attempt at numbers for the hetero players; I have only met one hetero person in the lifestyle that has disclosed being HIV positive.

All that being said, all reports show the prevalence in our community is higher but that is only one variable. At the end of the day I was less concerned with whether we are the most at risk; my real issue is that we are at risk and nobody was doing shit about it! So, maybe I do think we are more at risk but not only because of unsafe behaviors; but also because we are the most over ignored and the most underserved!

What is "Safer Saner Sunday" all about?
SAFER + SANER is a safer sex project I founded (with the support of my partner) to create and distribute safer sex materials targeted to the leather community. Safer Saner Sunday is a monthly outreach party S + S hosts at the Eagle NYC. We also distribute safer sex materials at leather, BDSM, and fetish events. SAFER + SANER is proud to be the safer sex sponsor of International LeatherSIR/Leatherboy this month in Atlanta ; and Rio Grande Leather in Albuquerque , New Mexico .

How exactly did you end up on the cover of POZ magazine, and what exactly was the "piss in my mouth" comment that shocked so many people after your interview came out?
When I first worked on the health awareness projects with NYPLC a colleague said, “You should contact POZ, they are always looking for innovative prevention projects to profile.” I was like “whatever” and went on about my business. Well, after I won at ABW and started SAFER + SANER the same buddy came back with, “Look, just hit POZ up and let them know about what you are doing in the leather community.” She gave me the email address (again) of one of the assistant editors for the publication and really pushed me. I figured let me just hit this woman up…even if it’s just to make them aware that there is an active leather community.

I heard back in about a week and the response was basically, “That’s really cool; we will pass this on and maybe one day it will be something we would like to talk about more…or maybe not.” Okay, I figured it was a brush off, but at least it was polite! Well, less than a week I got a call from POZ asking if I would be interested in being profiled in the magazine and being a centerfold. Now, I grew up with four eyes and a size forty waist…so imagining being a centerfold was a little beyond my realm. But, I figured “why not”!

We did the profile and talked about the photo shoot, so I was just waiting for it to be scheduled. I got a call to arrange the shoot and at the end of the conversation I realized I was gonna be on the cover!

In the profile I made a comment to the effect that, “If you can tell someone you want them to piss in your mouth then you should be able to tell someone your HIV positive.” Unfortunately, some people got hung up on the concept that people are into water sports instead of realizing the comment is about how disclosure needs to become as easy as discussing your sexual desires.

Why were you ever conflicted about being on the cover, and what made it all worth while for you in the end?
When you are inside a magazine, someone has to actually pick it up and leaf through to see your face, but when you are on the cover everyone who walks by has the opportunity to see you in living color! It is just a different level of exposure and vulnerability. But I am glad I did it for many reasons, especially because of the number of people who have disclosed to me and said it made them feel good to see someone in the lifestyle come out with their status.

Has medical technology brought us to the point where HIV is a treatable disease, and is the leather community generally accepting of HIV positive lifestylers?
From a medical perspective, today HIV is manageable for most people. But unfortunately, I think so many people still have difficulty dealing with the disease from Spiritual and emotional perspectives.

In terms of “acceptance”, it depends on your definition. There are varying levels of acceptance about everything in the lifestyle because it is not a monolithic community. I do think gay men in the scene tend to be accepting because of how the epidemic has impacted gay community at large. Ironically, the gay men I encounter on the scene that have been really freaked have also been into barebacking. While I don’t get into preaching about safer sex, I do think you are a stark raving idiot to bareback and think you will not contract HIV simply because you tell people you want them to be negative…but I digress!

What safety precautions should we all be taking when scening with new partners? Is bloodplay just too damn risky all together?

The first and foremost safety precaution should be communicating with our perspective partners. Not just about our sexual history but also about our headspace, our emotional needs, our life desires…all the things we that help us connect; all the things that give us a deeper understanding of one another so we can have deeper connections when we play. Now don’t get me wrong, there are certain times when a hot, unexpected encounter can be just the ticket…but then we should still adhere to all the safety rules based on the respective activities of the engagement.

Most of the activities we engage in as lifestylers pose the threat of bodily harm if practiced incorrectly, so we take the time (hopefully0 to learn the “how to’s” of those activities; the “how to’s” of staying HIV negative are so much easier. By the way, depending on sexual proclivities and appetites you should not just take these precautions when its new partners!

As for bloodplay, there are different activities people include in bloodplay. If you are talking about cutting or piercing then the concern is less about HIV as it is about the sharpness (or dullness) or the knife; staying away from blood vessels; and not pushing dirt and germs under the skin. There are universal precautions utilized by those in the medical field (as well as piercing and tattoo artists) that can protect you (and your partner) from bloodborne diseases; I would recommend following those if you are going to engage in those activities. Again, it is easier to know the “how to’s” of staying HIV negative than it is to learning all the other “how to’s” of various types of bloodplay.

Tell us about your 6 member leather family. Is it a relationship similar to a poly household or more like a traditional family structure?
There are actually seven of us in total. The structure is a mix of several units. It is part traditional family, and part other things…it really depends on who is interacting. I am sexual with my Daddy, my boi, and my boi’s other Daddy…but not my sons. Then there are different relationships between the different members. The most important thing for me about my family is that most of the governing principles come from the Yoruba culture.

Who is Rashawn Brazell? Are gay men in the black bdsm community at risk for violence? Should we be running for cover or fighting back?
Rashawn Brazell was a young man found murdered and mutilated in Brooklyn this past February. Since his death, several black gay men in New York (including Jamal James, Kenmoore Thomas, and Marvin Paige) have been the victims of grisly murders.

I do not know if any of these men were involved in BDSM activities, but in November 2003 Nubian Knight (who managed a gay sex website) was found murdered; he had been bludgeoned to death, and then his throat was slash. Nubian Knight had an online profile with his interests including “wrestling, dominance, and submission”. Although it seems that his death was part of an insurance fraud one of his murderers was not found, and it has never been clear if there was any connection between his internet activities and his murder.

Black gay men in the BDSM community are at risk for violence. Black gay men are at risk for violence. BLACK MEN ARE AT RISK FOR VIOLENCE! Patrick Dorismond, Donovan Jackson, Ousmane Zongo, Rodney King, Amadou Diallo , James Byrd, Jr., and the list goes on! Black people are always at threat for violence…unfortunately most of us to run for cover under glass lids!

It's 1:58 am and you are walking your pet dog Domino (aka "leatherdog") down the street so he can take care of his business, when suddenly you stumble upon an underground leather party for people of color. There are over 200 men in there getting down but the bouncer says the doors will close in 2 minutes and there's not enough time to take leatherdog back home. You don't want to miss this party but you can't just leave leatherdog tied outside the door.
What do you do?
I hate dogs; remember, you are talking to the Blackkat!