All over the country leather people are competing for local titles so that they may represent their communities at home and also at international contests next year. Producing a contest is an expensive and time consuming labor of love but the leather women of San Diego have found an ingenious way to raise funds and put a little camp into a community that sometimes takes itself way too seriously. Next Saturday, October 9th is the thirteenth annual Butch Revue which will benefit the charities of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and SD Leather Pride. Former Ms. World Leather and producer of Ms San Diego Leather, Annie Romano is the founder of the Butch Revue which was initially a fundraiser for her travel fund when she ran for IMsL in 1998 during her reign as Ms San Diego Leather. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to Annie about the Butch Revue and its role in the San Diego Leather Community.

GLT: Who are the people behind Butch Revue and how did you come up with the concept?

Annie: I came up with the concept because I wanted the opportunity to be able to see hot, sexy butches shaking their stuff! You can always find sexy femmes doing stripteases and such, but it’s harder to find the butches that will do it. The first year, I had 3 of my favorite butches agree to perform for me - BC Cliver, Jo Blas and Dionde (not a member of the leather community, but a very hot butch). The people behind the event have varied every year.

GLT: Why do you continue to produce Butch Revue?

Annie: I believe it’s important to hold events just for the fun of it, even though the Revue is a fundraiser. My goal is to give people a great night of entertainment. It’s really one of the only events of its kind in San Diego. I keep getting really good feed back, so as long as that’s happening, I’ll continue to put it on! Over the years, I’ve had Revues that haven’t made as much money as other years, but people keep having fun, so on it goes...!

GLT: Where does the money go and why?

Annie: For the first year, as noted above, it was for my IMsL travel fund. For the next 5 years, it was to raise production funds for the Ms San Diego Leather contests. Since then, I’ve used the funds to donate to the Lupus Foundation, IMsL, SD Leather Pride and the Imperial Court. This year, half of the funds raised will go to the Sister’s Charities and half will go to the SD Leather Pride Charities. Also, this year the Butch Revue will be a $100 sponsor of The Hard Edge.

GLT: What will make this Butch Revue special?

Annie: This is the 13th annual Butch Revue, so we’re gonna play up that “dark side”. Also, this is the first year it is being hosted by the San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Sister Hecate of the Bodacious Tatas and Sister Polly Sorbate 80 from the St. Louis House will be the emcees. All of the staff this year (except the DJ - Jon didn’t want glitter all over his sound booth!) will also be Sisters from the SD House. Plus, I have an amazing line-up again and they always make the event special.

The Butch Revue will take place on Saturday, October 9th at the Hole. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. but get there early as it fills up fast!.

Lately, it’s been all about the women in the wonderful world of leather. This past spring Ms. San Francisco Leather, Mo Williams and Ms San Diego Leather, Donna-Lady of Light went first and second at the International Ms. Leather contest. Both of these contests took a short hiatus but as we now know, nothing keeps a good woman down for long. Last weekend, Leo Peralta was named Ms. San Francisco Leather 2010 in a hotly contested title that also included Angel and Ms. Cat, two other highly qualified and skilled leather women. The Ms. SF Leather contest was emceed by Miranda, a leather woman I’ve known since our early leather years of the 90’s and was judged by Skeeter (from Mr. S), Cowboi Jen, Lance Holman, Ms Rhonda, and Gauge Strongarm! The beneficiaries of this year’s Ms. S. F. Leather contest are: The Lavender Youth Recreation & Information Center (LYRIC), and the Women’s Leather History Project of the Leather Archives and Museum. Each will receive at least $1,500!

When it was all over, Ms. Cat had earned the title of First Runner-Up, The Leather Heart award was given to Angel (the recipient of this award is chosen by a vote of the contestants) and Leo Peralta was named Ms. San Francisco Leather. Congratulations to all three contestants and leather women everywhere for an outstanding job!