How did you get involved in the leather community?
I entered into the leather community because I have always thought that leather and the leather lifestyle was hot and sexy. I knew this at a very early age. However it was not until about six years ago that I took my first steps into the leather world. In doing this, I simply entered the Rawhide (New Orleans bar) and started my journey. By meeting people along the way, I found many mentors that were able to guide me through my journey so I could discover the leatherman that I was and desired to be.
What was winning International Mr. Leather like?
It was totally unexpected. I competed with a stellar group of men and anyone on that stage could have walked away as IML and done a superb job at representing the community. Don’t get me wrong, I went there with every intention of bringing the title home; however, so did 53 other contestants. The actual winning moment was very surreal and one that I do not remember much of. I’ve had to mostly rely on others to tell me what I did and photos to show me how I reacted. Since winning the title, it has been a whirlwind of international travel, meeting people inside and outside of our community, building bridges within different segments of our society and creating projects to raise awareness and money for various charities that support our community.
When did you identify with the bear community?
As to the exact time, I’m not sure. Somewhere along my leather journey, I realized that the bear community was also intertwined with the leather community. The two groups share common journeys and many individuals fall into both the bear community and the leather community.
What have you been working on since winning the title?
My husband and I began the Sharon St. Cyr Fund, Inc. It is a charity organization with the vision of supporting the Leather Archives & Museum, National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), and “Hearing from The Heart” (a program designed by the SSC Fund to assist persons within our community with hearing impairments). The SSC Fund also serves as a Program to help other organizations and charities raise funds by offering national, and in some cases international exposure. The SSC Fund will have a national presence through the web and through regular media and speaking engagements of its founder. The mission of the SSC Fund is that together, with the community, the SSC Fund will create different programs to raise money solely to assist organizations that are in need of higher profiles and working capital to accomplish missions for sexual freedom, sexual equality, and for organizations that serve sexual minority communities.
What has been you biggest success?
It depends on the topic at hand; career, education, outreach, etc. In each of these categories and many others, I have had successes. But if I had to pick one that stands above all others, I’d say my biggest success has been with my family. I have a wonderful husband that shares in my journey and I in his; as well as our boy, who is a wonderful young man. And we have four adorable dogs. It has been (and continues to be) a wonderful experience and incredible journey with my family.
If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be?
Well, with all my travel around the world lately and with not being at home, a drink with my husband and our boy would be nice!
How can the bear and leather communities work together?
Enhanced communication between the two communities would ensure a more productive and united bond. One advantage is these two communities share some of the same individuals. It’s actually a huge advantage because with individuals representing both communities, these two groups are able to grow together toward a common cause because they have this resource available to them. By having shared resources, in this case shared individuals within the two communities, this potentially sets the stage for more effective communication and greater successes.
Have you made a video?
No, I have not made a video. There is a porn star with the same name as me; however, he spells his name Geoffrey Paine. I’ll let him do the videos for now.
What are some upcoming events for you?
Between now and Christmas, I’ll be in Baltimore, San Francisco, Toronto, Ottawa, Key West, Los Angeles, and Detroit. After the New Year, I’ll be all over the States, as well as London, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Sydney. All in all, I will be attending 47 events over my 53 weeks as International Mr. Leather. The events center on judging feeder contests into International Mr. Leather 2010 contest and/or fundraisers for various charities.
Why are titles important?
Titles are important to the community if the titleholder sees themselves as an ambassador and leader for the community. My belief is that a successful titleholder must also possess the qualities of an ambassador and a leader. These elements are essential to having a successful title year. A person can have a title and not be a leader or an ambassador; that scenario is unfortunate, but at times it happens. And we must acknowledge and appreciate that we have leaders and ambassadors within our community that have never held a title. So it is possible for each of the elements to exist without the other; however, if a person is honored with a title, it is imperative that they also be a leader and an ambassador. A titleholder who is not a leader or an ambassador is just a person with a sash and one has to ask what kind of difference that person is making within our community. As to why titles are important, the titles will usually open doors for the titleholder that may not be opened to others or not as readily opened to others and with that event comes a great responsibility. A choice must be made by the titleholder as to how they will step through that door and represent and lead our community.
2009 Best of the Bears
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