Reflecting on his Chicago upbringing, military service and involvement in the leather community, gay activist Joey McDonald spoke candidly about his personal history during the latest edition of "Inside Leather History: A Fireside Chat."
More than 30 attendees gathered Jan. 29 at Center on Halsted for the evening Q&A session, where they attentively listened and even laughed as McDonald shared stories about his work with International Male Leather ( IML ) and escapades as a Navy servicemember in the 1970s. The Fireside Chats are a program of the Leather Archives and Museum, co-produced by Christina Court, Joanne Gaddy and Doug O'Keeffe, who also hosts each session.
At the start of the Jan. 29 chat, McDonald recalled the chaotic, racially tense environment in Chicago during the 1960s, having lived on the West Side when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
"My neighborhood went up in flames. We could see orange in the windows," he said. "My father's mother got stuck somewhere and called him up. ... It took him three hours for what was normally a 20-minute trip." Although some relatives attended King's marches, and despite McDonald's curiosity, he wasn't allowed to participate. The ensuing race riots in 1968 left his neighborhood largely isolated, as most professionals and immigrants moved away.
Years later, as he entered adulthood, McDonald's best friend expressed interest in joining the Armed Forces. In an attempt to discourage his friend from enlisting, McDonald suggested they visit a recruiter together to sign up. Although the strategy backfired, he persisted and joined the Navy in 1974, serving for six years.
His father wasn't so sure it was the best decision.
"His first question was, "Why?" Knowing that I was gay, he was just a little concerned," McDonald said, adding with a chuckle, "But it was actually a good experience for me. I needed a little structure ... and control."
During his tenure, an encounter with an open couple in Germany introduced McDondald to leather for the first time. Becoming more curious, he set out to frequent leather bars upon returning stateside, landing at The Gold Coast bar on what happened to be the first-ever night of IML in 1979.
Despite not owning a single piece of leather, McDonald eagerly jumped in to volunteer at the first IML. He's been a loyal attendee and volunteer each year since, now serving as IML's Den Daddy.
"They can't get rid of me," he said, while discussing his various IML volunteer posts. That first night was special, he said, because it was the first time he experienced the leather community at large.
"I didn't know any other leather folk other than the couple that I'd gone home with," he said. "People were very willing to talk to me about anything I was willing to ask them."
Now, as den daddy, McDonald said he's able to provide that same support to contestants each year.
"I answer questions, I give them direction, I make sure they're where they need to be and dressed the proper way," he said. "And just try to be a voice of calm and reason, because I can't imagine what it feels like to be in the position as a contestant."
Asked about how he feels about the future of IML and the competition, McDonald said he feels encouraged, as participants have increasingly stepped outside their own local activism to work on issues internationally, building on the legacy of their predecessors.
"It's showing that community activism is alive and well," he said, adding, "When I hear people ask "what does the leather community even do," it's a whole lot and I love being part of it."
With the Jan. 29 event, Inside Leather History, A Fireside Chat goes into its sixth year. The discussions began in 2008 when local activists identified a need to record oral histories for posterity.
"The leather community is very diverse. It's full of amazing history. Unfortunately, like so many other situations, that history is being lost as people age," said O'Keeffe, who facilitated the onstage discussion and Q&A.
Previous chats have featured community notables such as Marge Summit, Chuck Renslow, Guy Baldwin, Mama Sandy and various others. O'Keefe emphasized the importance of capturing various perspectives from all segments of the community, highlighting diversity as a key facet of the program.
"There's so many elements of the community ... and you have to talk to every part," O'Keeffe said. "You can't capture history if you're excluding anybody. You have to speak to everyone and {they] bring such amazing history to these chats."
Following the Q&A session with McDonald, organizers turned the cameras off to allow the audience an opportunity to pick his brain. Questions included how often he's correctly predicted an IML winner and his feelings about seeing more people of color engaging the leather community over the years.
The Fireside Chat series travels nationwide, usually at a variety of leather events such as the International Ms. Leather Convention and the Northwest Leather Celebration. Both gatherings are slated for two upcoming chats as part of the series. As for Chicago, the next event is scheduled in October, with a speaker to be determined.
To view the Jan. 29 Fireside Chat, along with other previous events, contact the Leather Archives and Museum ( www.leatherarchives.org ) for more information. The producers plan to offer online viewing of all past chats by the end of the year.
