Kink Crusaders

By: Thom Cardwell
In-House Review - Dec 14 2011

Who hasn't heard of - and wasn't curious about - the legendary International Mr. Leather, (IML) Contest that has become a celebrated event among the nation's (and the world's) leather community?

Following the annual event over the past few years, this documentary provides rare interviews with its former contestants, winners, supporters and spectators. The title of the film is more tongue-in-cheek than serious, as one of the main messages of the documentary is that the participants of the IML contest as well as the increasingly diverse leather folk in general are as normal as anyone else. They're plumbers and insurance brokers, and their commonality lies in their fascination with and commitment to the leather community, the subculture, the lifestyle, and not just the fetish.

By: Amos Lassen

Many of us know that the International Mr. Leather contest is kinky but now it has moved to keep up with the times. Nowadays, eligibility to enter the contest includes straight men, disabled men, transgender men and of course, gay men. It is a competiton that reveres masculinity and honors it. The contest is some thirty years old and was begun by Chuck Renslow (his new biography by Tracy Baim and Owen Keehnen is now available and is wonderful). What we see in this documentary answers the question if there is a little kink in us all.

"Kink Crusaders" centers on from 2008-2010 and the International Mister Leather compititions and we get a look at what makes up the contests. The film seems to be made for the kinkier viewers and does not dwell on why or how people get involved. The film looks at the diversity of IML-we meet Terry Mills, Mr. IML of 1998 and an HIV positive doctor and Mikel Gerle, 2008 winner and from a Mormon family as well as Tyler McCormick, a transman who is confined to a wheel chair due to cerebral palsy.

Chuck Renslow who organized the event tells us about the history of the contest and we learn about the financial impact on the city of Chicago, the event's home. Director Michael Skiff shows that the community that supports the contest is not at all what it might appear and that the friendship and support rises above the sexual activities and proclivities we imagine occurring. The film is in no way explicit and in fact it may be classified as tame when we consider the subject. There are a lot of muscles on display but we can see that on any beach during the summer.

The movie has played at various festivals this summer and advance word of mouth has been very good. and now it is released on DVD.