Did you know? Great Plains Olympus Leather (GPOL)

Sir Tender and Maverick

Great Plains Olympus Leather (GPOL) is an annual contest founded in 1996, hosted at the Dallas Eagle, and produced by Master TC and slave Audra.  Their mission is “to promote a positive image of the Leather/BDSM/Fetish lifestyle, and to promote representatives of the entire leather community regardless of race, religion, political beliefs, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, size, handicap, or health condition.” A panel of judges selects their title-holders from all facets of our community, “ranging from the motorcycle and Leather/Levi clubs to the heaviest SM edge player and all of the Leatherfolk in between.” 

Up to three representatives (Mr., Ms., and Mx.) are chosen each year from a group of hopeful candidates to be champions of the mission of Great Plains Olympus Leather, and often go on to compete for the title of International Olympus Leather.

Currently, the title-holders for Great Plains Olympus Leather are Sir Tender, as Ms. Great Plains Olympus Leather, and Maverick, the first ever Mx. Great Plains Olympus Leather. Here’s what they had to say about Great Plains, and its impact on them, and their hopes for impacting the community:

“Great Plains Olympus Leather provides a welcome space for anyone wishing to be a part of the Leather community, wherever your starting point. Everyone has the freedom to represent themselves as they are and find acceptance; it’s more about WHO you are! I find deeper connections, educational opportunities, a chance to have a voice, and the ability to truly be me. I was taught  to take care of myself, not depend on anyone and  ‘be strong,’ ‘be independent,’ ‘be a woman.’ While those words still ring true, I have learned the value of family and community within Leather. I am not alone, and I don’t have to be. I want to help others find that feeling of belonging, too. Being able to represent our region as Ms. Great Plains Olympus Leather 2019, and now 2020, makes it possible for me to have a wider reach both within the community and in the general public. GPOL provides a voice for those who want to make a difference and for those voices who may otherwise be too soft to be heard. Promulgating equity since 1996 is a platform I can get behind and support with my entire being. Be YOU, be FAMILY, and be proud of it!” – Sir Tender, Ms. Great Plains Olympus Leather 2019, 2020

“The Great Plains Olympus Leather contest and title-holders strive to bring the region’s Leather community to a place of equity. The times we live in are very segregated based on age, ability, race, gender, financial equity, and a vast many more qualifiers. To me, the work that GPOL does is give light and space to those who are shut out by the majority. I personally, as the first Mx (non-binary title) of Great Plains Olympus Leather, have gone to many events simply to be seen. By me being at events with the title, I have had so many meaningful conversations around gender. I want people who might be struggling with their gender identity to see me as a safe space to hash out their feelings and use me as a resource to further their gender journey. My main goal as a Mx. title-holder is visibility. I want people to see themselves in me and to feel validated in their existence. I want my presence to evoke feelings of acceptance and love. My secondary goal is to educate. I feel that, as a Mx. titleholder, it is my responsibility to correct people when they mis-gender me, someone else in my space, or attach a binary onto someone who does not identify this way. I encourage those who say they are trying to break themselves from binary language to commit to the emotional labor required to ensure inclusive language for all, as I have, and join me in confronting binary exclusiveness. Yes it’s hard work, but it’s necessary to move forward as a more diverse and accepting lifestyle.” –Maverick, Mx. Great Plains Olympus Leather 2019, 2020

Per the production staff, Great Plains Olympus Leather, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been postponed for the year of 2020, with plans to resume in 2021. Stay tuned for future updates and new date announcements! For more information, GPOL can be reached at greatplainsolympusleather.com, and on Facebook by searching “Great Plains Olympus Leather”.

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