| A BDSM/Leather History Of South C arolina �Where Did We Come From? Where Have We Been?� Part II, As Recorded By Master Regi- Columbia, SC |
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| 1996
March 30, 1996, the same 3 clubs came together once more to hold the 1st �Mr., Ms. SC Leather & boy� Contest at �The Arcade�, in Charleston, SC. The winners: Mr. was Michael B, of the �Spartans�, Ms. Went to boy dana, of "Brigade� and boy was boy chris of the �Trident Knights�. This weekend also hosted the initial meeting of the �South East Conference of Clubs�, (SECC). www.secclubs.org Jerry, a former �Brigade member, had moved to New Mexico for several years. Several years later, he moved back to the South, to Savannah, GA. After attending �Palmetto Adventure I�, he was inspired to try, and did, become one of the founders of �Coastal Empire Sentinels� of Savannah, Ga. March 14, 1996, a letter from �Leather Community Productions�, owned by Clifford Hooks, requested of me, Master Regi-, (then President of �Brigade�), to be a judge for the South East �96 Drummer Competition being held over the SouthEast LeatherFest* weekend, June 12 - 16, �96. It was a great honor to be asked, and of course I accepted. It was the year boy bob, of the Tarheels Leather Club (TLC), won the title of Mr. Southeast Drummer �96. Sadly, boy bob died March 29, 2002. (boy bob also held the titles of Prowl boy �95, Mr. NC Leather �96, and received the Pantheon of Leather Reader's Choice Award �99.) Also that weekend was the 16th International Master & slave Contest, won by Mistress Morganna and boy, michael. * - SouthEast LeatherFest is held in Atlanta, GA. It was the 1st truly pansexual, major event to take place in the South, and still continues annually in June. Financial support, especially for the 1st year was sorely needed. The L/L Brigade, along with many other clubs, leather bars, and related businesses, both big and small, around the South, were contributing sponsors for the 1st few years of this event. Without these initial sponsors this event may not exist today. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SouthEast_LeatherFest/ September 20-22, 1996, �Palmetto Adventure II�, �Boot Camp II� was held. The folks at �Metropolis�, a disco in Columbia, were our host bar and very accommodating. The Holiday Inn-Holidome, on Two Notch Rd, was our host Hotel and was able to place all our guests in a separate building, on a floor away from the general public. The demos, at the bar, were put on behind chain link fence in the backroom. There were demos of Hot Candle Waxing, Flogging, Latex Body Painting and Bondage. They did catch more than a few people off guard and managed to keep their interest. They couldn�t tear themselves away from it. Everyone had a good time, and again, the queens talked for weeks. It was a very big success! * - It�s important to note that all throughout the years, �Brigade� held dozens of club nights, demos at bars, runs, play parties, etc, as well as being participants or supporters for events around the South. They ranged from bondage & flogging to hot wax & violet wand, and most things in between. |
| 1997
Sept. 12-14, 1997, Brigade participated in the 3rd �Palmetto Adventure�, �Games III�, which took place in Spartanburg, SC, along with the �Spartans�. The host bar was the �Cheyenne Cattleman�s Club�, the host hotel, Holiday Inn Express, both in Spartanburg, SC. Again, it was well attended, but unfortunately it would be the last run that the �Spartans� would have. Not long after this run, their group, disband. |
| 1998
Between, February 2 & Fall of 1998, members of �Brigade�, facilitated monthly �S/M 101�, sessions, at the Gay & Lesbian Pride Center, in Columbia. There were, overall approximately 50 participants, and for most it was the first time getting to see live demos, ask questions and learn from real people, about the things, that they had been afraid to speak about, even to their partners, family or closest friends. April 21, 1998, owners of the �Parliament House�, Augusta, GA, a gay owned & operated motel/resort, contact �Brigade� asking for help designing a BDSM/Leather friendly, play space within their complex. During the next year member�s travel to �P House�, holding many workshops, demos & theme events, as well as creating 2 play spaces, �The Tower�, a second floor, 2-room area, and �The Dog Pen�, an outdoor space. www.p-house.com September 19 & 20, 1998, �Brigade� holds �Palmetto Adventure IV�, �Boot Camp III�, at Augusta�s, �P House�, also our host motel. The host bar was �B & D�s� Wet Spot. It was, attended by various club�s members from all around the south. This was the first Leather event there, but since has become a common place for, primarily, gay male, BDSM/Leather and Bear groups around the south to hold their events. |
| 2000
On February 26, 2000, Master Regi-, a member of �Brigade�, was asked to, and did, facilitate a �BDSM Lifestyle� workshop for the 9th Annual Southeastern Conference for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Students, at USC, Columbia. This event was hosted by the Bisexual Gay Lesbian Alliance of USC. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BGLSA/ In November of 2000, the Levi/Leather Brigade, due to dwindling membership, disbands. |
| 2001
February 15, 2001, T3WD voted in the first elected board, kept Geoff, Regi- & Fred and added, Jan as Secretary and Elizabeth as Treasurer, and Steve was our 1st Member at large. |
| This Page Currently Under Construction |
| 1996 - 2007 |
| 1999
August 13, 1999, T3WD, �This Thing That We Do�, held its first meeting with folks from Columbia, Greenville and Charleston. Actually, I don�t know when the name came about, but when I first heard of it, it was just referred to as the �Munch� group. It was later, going online; I heard the name �T3WD�. The idea of Munch is that monthly, the group discreetly meets at local area restaurants for dinner as a group. Afterwards, there is a discussion on a pre-notified topic for the remainder of the evening, usually till the restaurant is closing. The group is pansexual, although primarily heterosexual, but is open and welcoming to any sexual or gender, identity or orientation. (As of Mar 2007, the group�s membership, online group was at 400+/-.) www.t3wd.org November 1999, T3WD Founder, Geoff, became the President of the interim board, with Master Regi-, as his VP, Sergeant at arms was Fred, Secretary was pam and Member at Large was Susan. Having no funds at the time, a Treasurer was not needed. The group became formalized January 19th 2001, with the adoption of their By-Laws. |
| June 30, 2001. SouthEast Eat-N-Beat, (SEEB), at The Sanctuary of the Dark Angel in Atlanta, GA. This event is Co-Hosted by two South Carolina groups, SC-LOCK (Founded 1998) & T3WD. |
| August 15, 2001 T3WD elected it�s 1st Full-Term Board with Sir Michael as President, quietvixen as VP, Geoff as Secretary, Karen as Treasurer, Regi- as Sgt-at-Arms, and 2 Members at Large, Merlin & Big Bill. |
| September 20, 2001, T3WD held its first Non-Munch presentation, a "Show & Tell" where some of the more experienced brought their bags and toys to show off �some of their favorite things�. It was well attended and was a learning experience for some who were there. |
| October 13, 2001, T3WD held its first speaker/demonstration event. Jeremiah Parsons from �The Tribe�, Atlanta, GA, presented an "Electrical Play On A Budget" demonstration. Jeremiah returned on September 6, 2003.
October 27, 2001, T3WD holds it�s first �Lockdown� at The Sanctuary, Atlanta, GA. November 10, 2001, T3WD hosts Fred with a demo and speaking on Fire Play and Cupping. Also, Vala is present with a demo on Knife/Edge Play. Fred returns April 2, 2005. |
| 2002
January 12, 2002, has T3WD hosting the well-known Catherine Gross, a national educator who has taught at NYU, Black Rose, IMsL, LIL, LeatherFest, Leather University, TES, and many more, speaking on Sensuous Caning. Catherine returns several times, July 6, 2002, May 3, 2003 and October 2, 2004 (Rope Bondage using T3WD�s Wilenda as the bondage doll). February 9, 2002, T3WD hosts Rick & Miria from AIRS, (Augusta Iron Rose Society), speaking and with a demo on Rope Bondage. March 2, 2002, T3WD hosts Petal from AIRS with a demo and speaking on Using Hot Wax. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AIRS_Augusta/ April 6, 2002, T3WD hosted Master Doug Harris in Columbia, speaking about the video, �BDSM, a Documentary Film of Alternative Loving�, filmed at the Sanctuary during S.E.L.F. 2001. |
| May 18th, 2002, First Family Day In The Park, a vanilla event where members could bring their families to an open setting and just have some outdoors fun-in-the-sun.
July 6, 2002, T3WD hosts dinner at Sanctuary. Boomer of �The Tribe� presents a demo and hands-on workshop on single-tails. Catherine Gross also hosts a round table discussion on �Family and Hierarchy�. August 3, 2002, brings Steven Hagan, the 1st runner up of the 2002 Int�l Mr. Leather (IML) Boot Blacking contest, to Columbia to speak to T3WD on that subject. August 3, 2002 also brings back Rick & Miria of AIRS, presenting a demo on �Temporary Branding�. September 7, 2002, T3WD gets a lesson on the legalities of a BDSM lifestyle in SC from its own kinky lawyer, George. |
| 2003
February 1, 2003. Laura Antoniou, author of The Marketplace series, kicked off her "Southern Comfortable" release tour in Columbia, SC, hosted by T3WD. January 4, 2003, Lady D of PEP, Atlanta, GA, comes to T3WD speaking on spanking. April 5, 2003, T3WD saw Miss Kat of SC-LOCK with a presentation on needles. November 15th 2003, the First Meet & Greet is held by T3WD. This is a vanilla, social, adult, non BDSM Bar Night, held at a local Columbia tavern, just to give similar lifestyle folks a casual night-out with familiar faces. |
| 2004
March 6, 2004, Boomer, of �The Tribe�, gives T3WD members a demo on how to use a single tail and explain the various types April 25, 2004, brings National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) board member, Anita Wagner, to speak to T3WD about BDSM lifestyle concerns. (NCSF focuses on the rights of consenting adults in SM-leather-fetish, swing, and polyamory communities. www.ncsfreedom.org May 1, 2004, members of T3WD traveled to a play party at the �Outback� in Augusta, GA. September 4, 2004, events bring Miss Kat and Justin of SC-Lock, in for �Myth busters�. Oct 2, 2004, brings an opportunity to see Catherine Gross demonstrate her rope and bondage talents. November 6, 2004, brought about T3WD�s First Annual Carolina Vendors Fair, where vendors and others with sellable BDSM related items, could display their wares. This was well received and for many it was a first opportunity to see some of the items that were brought in. |
| 2005
April 2, 2005, T3WD�s own Fred presents his hot & sizzling demonstration � FIREPLAY! May 7, 2005, T3WD brings Mara and phoenix in for a dual presentation of �Processing Pain and the Sadistic Side of needles�. August 6, 2005, brings the first M/s Retreat with Lady Beth of SC-Lock and returns with another M/s Retreat on August 5, 2006. November 5, 2005, T3WD�s 1st �Official� road trip to the 1763 Dungeon in Atlanta, GA. Several members caravanned to Atlanta and reported back about the fun they had. Members still attended 1763 at the time of documenting this. |
| 2006
February 4, 2006, NCSF board member, John Sokol, speaks to T3WD about BDSM lifestyle concerns. March 4, 2006, has two of T3WD�s own, Wilenda and Denise with a presentation on �May We Serve�. April 1, 2006, has T3WD�s founder, Geoff with a presentation on Flogging. May 6, 2006, Lady D of PEP, Atlanta, GA, returns to T3WD with Hypnosis and Age Play. June 4, 2006. KEY SC, (Keep Everyone Yearning of South Carolina), in Greenville, is started on YahooGroups by Cassie. KEY, which was formed to cater to those who were shy or new to the lifestyle, had its very first meeting with four members, including Jennifer, Cassie, Dan and Liese. Soon after, they added Toys, and they formed the board. By the end of the first year, the e-mail list had over 100 members and parties typically had 15-25 in attendance. KEY was the first group in the Greenville area (to their knowledge) to allow those 18+ to join. Other board members have included: Chris, Charlene, Jesse, Master Ian and Rhonda, Shell, Sir Bruce, and Precious (April). June 9-11, 2006, SouthEast LeatherFest in Atlanta, GA. T3WD is a sponsor for one of the biggest Southeast BDSM events. Several members attend and T3WD is given an appreciation plaque, (for sponsorship), which was then given to the T3WD founder, Geoff, at the July Munch. August 5, 2006, Miss Kat of SC-LOCK comes back to T3WD with the 2nd M/s Retreat with a discussion on �Mimicry Vs Mindfulness�. October 28, 2006. Master Regi- along with Denise, of T3WD, go �On The Air� with Susan Johnson�s (an original T3WD member), Radio Show, �Sex After Midnight�. Heard locally on WOIC 1230 AM as well as anywhere else online via streaming audio. The 2 of them answer and address questions about the BDSM lifestyle and get a chance to promote T3WD. www.strnetwork.com November 4, 2006, Boomer of �The Tribe�, returns again to talk about �Consensual/Non-Consensuality�. |
| I hope that this information will enlighten some, educate others, and will be passed on so that the roles and contributions that our local community has made to the general public may not be forgotten.
In this same light I wish to dedicate this history to those, I know of, who have passed on through various causes and who shall not be reading these words, so that they too, may not be forgotten. |
| DEDICATED TO |
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| Sammi Schulz; TNT M/C, Member; 1988 Mid-Atlantic Drummer boy
Ken Wilson; TNT M/C and L/L Brigade, Member; 2nd place Mr. S.E.L. 1988; Mr. Dixie Leather 1990 K. Scott Leider; Menamore, NC, Member; L/L Brigade Member Ayres; L/L Brigade, Affiliate Member; Mr. Leather Charlotte 1991 Ken Fagan; L/L Brigade, Member Buck; L/L Brigade, Member Dallas Jackson; L/L Brigade, Member Randy; TNT L/L, Member Leslie �Butch� Lester; TNT MC, Member Keith; TNT MC, Member Bob Youngman; Owner of Affairs; Columbia; SC boy bob (Jacobs); Tarheels Leather Club, NC, Member; Prowl boy �95; Mr. NC Leather �96; Mr. Southeast Drummer �96; Pantheon of Leather Reader's Choice Award �99 Bill Brewer; Menamore, NC, Member Jack Stice; International Master 1995, Producer of 1st SouthEast Least Fest (SELF 1996) Lord Scorpion; Member and/or contributor to T3WD, MBK, CAPEX, and CLOAK Tim; AIRS, Augusta, GA, Founding Member; Augusta Formal Protocol Group, Founding Member |
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| 2007
January 6, 2007, T3WD Road Trip to Atlanta�s dungeon/play-space, 1763, for some fun and fellowship! February 3, 2007, Rorie, of C.A.P.E.X. (Charlotte Area Power Exchange), comes to town �Seeing Red�, a presentation on playing with needles, staples & knives. www.capex.info/capexhome.htm March 22, 2007. Midlands Power Exchange, (MP Exchange), is formed by Master Bigun, (former board member of T3WD). A pansexual B.D.S.M. group based in Columbia and surrounding areas of South Carolina. This group was formed to provide education, support, and a safe social venue for people in this area who are interested in learning more about the B.D.S.M., Leather and alternative lifestyles. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MPExchange/ June 8-10. Former BGLSA, (USC), president, 1999-2001, Angela �Q� wins the title of SouthEast BootBlack at S.E.L.F. in Atlanta, GA. �Q� was also active with SC GLPM from 1999-2000 as Student Liaison and then as a member of the Speaker�s Bureau till 2004. �Q� qualifies to go on to the International BootBlack contest in San Francisco, May 2-4, 2008. August 4. Mr. S.E.L.F. 2006, Matthew Carey comes to T3WD with a history presentation on the infamous Gay Leather, NY bar, �The Mineshaft�. Lady Beth also is present with the 2nd M/s retreat. September 22. Several members of T3WD and The Renegaydes, of Greenville, SC, revive the tradition of �Leather folk� being the Color Guard for the annual Gay & Lesbian Pride March, Columbia, SC. |
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