Today’s flag is one of those that I consider to be a social flag in that it doesn’t represent a political entity per se, but rather represents the interests and solidarity of a trans-national group of people. In this case, men and women, of all sexualities, who find personal satisfaction and pleasure in a “leather” lifestyle, most often, but not exclusively, associated with sadomasochism, bondage, dominance/submission, and other forms of power exchange sexuality in which reward for obedience is a central driving conceptual force for the relationship, permanent or temporary.
Whew! That’s a mouthful but I think that for every person who recognizes the symbol the meaning is well understood if, perhaps, differently from the next viewer. As is perhaps true of all flags, the most important meaning is the one brought to the flag by those who are viewing and reacting to it.
The Leather Pride Flag, or what I prefer to call The Trust Flag, was originally presented to the gay leather community in May of 1989 at the International Mister Leather event in Chicago. The flag found wide and enthusiastic acceptance among many participants, and beyond, especially among those from the east coast while west coast men were disturbed that there had been no community input on the design.
And that my friends tells you all you need to know about the differences between right and left coasters: the “Get on with it and enjoy it” Atlantic side bunch, or the “process, process, process, and check back in 10 years, and we are STILL in process” group on the Pacific side.
While originally associated with the gay leather and BDSM subculture, the symbol has been widely adopted by leather and BDSM fans across the spectrum of sexuality and personal identification. Variations of the Leather Pride flag appear on everyday items including KeyHole, Leather Eagle Poppers and that real leather shop stuff
In the context of display on our flag pole it is part of an inclusive collection of social identification flags that we find have some contextual relevance in our lives. The details of how that works are, of course, private and not entirely suitable for sharing with a wider audience. Put another way, if you have a need to know, well, then you know. The same is true for the flagging system know as the Handkerchief Code including the revisions for the new Fetish Vector Digital Hanky Code. In particular LeatherMan Hanky Code is a Black and blue code that takes its cues from the leather pride flag.
But, put another way, can anyone think of ANY relationship, personal, professional, familial, sexual, etc that doesn’t have some component of an exchange of power? All human relationships, given the nature and basis of the biological evolution of mammals in general and primates especially, have some element of differential social/political power whether you are interacting with your boss or with the clerk at the DMV who holds the power to give or withhold something you want or need. Seriously, think about how exchanges or power, or differences in power, define your everyday life at home, at work, at school, and in the community.