By Tim McCanless

Now some of you may know my sorted past. It is true, at one time I was a premiere entertainer in Chicago and the mid-west. However, before that I was into the leather scene. It is another form of self expression. From sequins and feathers to riding crops and leathers, it's the ability to use props and costumes to celebrate who we are. Whether it's International Mr. Leather or Miss Continental USA it is all a costume party.

I came out in small town USA, where there wasn't a choice of bars or clubs, everybody mixed and mingled. Lesbians, drag queens, new wavers, leather men, pretty boys and even straight people, we all danced to the same music under the same roof. Now you have bars that cater specifically to the individual taste of the discriminating homosexual of today.

Chicago as in other large cities has the clientele to offer club goers anything that will blow their skirt up. Specialty clubs, sub specialty clubs, gay night, straight night and anything goes freaky deaky week night clubs. In the vast array of places to choose from, where do you start?

You see, for some folks it is not enough to oil up our abs, pump up our pecs and hit the clubs. Some of find it easier to wear some form of mask. We all wear masks metaphorically speaking. It's all about your comfort zone.

Experimentation is the best way to find out what you are into. Leather is not a cheap fetish. But, you can borrow a leather vest put on a white tee shirt and a pair of comfy Levi's and probably fit right in at a leather bar. You should give it some time, look around and watch people. The leather scene isn't about pain, it's about trust.

Let's say you might have a yen for the frilly side of life. Of course there's always Halloween (our high holy day), but the same rules apply. Experiment, there is a large number of people, probably someone you know, who has done or is currently doing drag. Try it out! This again is not a cheap fetish either. Just because you wear women's clothes does not mean you want to be a woman either.

There are a thousand different reasons men wear women's clothes, so what is yours? What about leather what is that thing inside you that makes you want to experience something different? Life is a series of decisions some of them we go with and some of them we don't.

So the next time you see someone wearing their "mask", maybe this is their way to get into their comfort zone. Like I said, it's sometimes not easy to mix and mingle, so we do what we have to do, hopefully it's all glamorous!