History of Leather Wear as a Gay Subculture

There are a wide variety of trends in LGBT culture. However, one of the things most easily associated with gay culture is that of leather wear. Leather is one of the most identified items with gay culture and continues to this day as a significant subculture within the LGBT community. How did leather become prevalent within the gay community? Let’s take a look.

Beginning of Leather Subculture

When you think about leather, what comes to mind? For many people, it’s either gay culture or biker culture. This is no surprise as the two are somewhat linked. In fact, most people who have studied gay men’s leather subculture attribute its development as arising from biker culture.

In the years immediately following the Second World War, leather became a hallmark of many motorcycle clubs, particularly ones in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. The clubs themselves grew out of a general unhappiness with mainstream America.

It was this culture that was embodied by Marlon Brando’s character in the 1953 movie The Wild One. Here, Brando sported a leather jacket, leather boots, and a Muir cap. This character symbolized masculinity, independence, and an opposition to traditional culture. It was also this character that some gay men began to emulate in their style, leading to the first association between leather and gay culture.

Growth of Leather within the Gay Community

The leather subculture expanded quickly in the gay community due to the establishment of leather bars. While the first was opened in Chicago in 1958, the center for the leather subculture was San Francisco. Here, the two cultures often merged as many clubs were popular for both bikers and gay men.

Leather culture was associated with a number of similar trends for gay men. It was a way to symbolize a pushback against mainstream society as somewhat of a counterculture statement. It was also a way to take pride in masculinity.

Until the early 1970s, leather was largely a small segment of gay subculture. However, in the 1970s, it quickly became adopted by the broader gay community as well. It was at this time that it also began being seen more frequently in popular culture.

While leather grew in popularity, it also became associated with the BDSM community. While currently mainstream, BDSM was quite taboo at the time. This served as another outcropping of leather and grew into its own subculture within the gay community, later spreading to the lesbian community and to cis-het culture as well.

An Evolution of Leather Subculture

Traditional leather subculture in the gay community found itself falling out of favor in the 1980s. This largely stemmed from pushback and fear as a result of the AIDS epidemic, with gay men being used as a scapegoat.

However, a new type of leather subculture grew in its place. The new subculture was seen as more open and democratic. The new leather community was much more open to persons of color and trans men as well. This shift sees itself largely as an outcropping of the gay liberation movement and a broader focus on inclusivity in the community.

This new shift in leather subculture is referred to as the New Guard. Conversely, the former more exclusive leather subculture is referred to as Old Guard. Leather in the New Guard can still be identified with notions such as masculinity and strength; however, it is not solely limited to these depictions. Thus, the leather subculture has greatly expanded in terms of its audience within the gay community.

Today, leather subculture is still alive and well in the gay community. In fact, leather as a wardrobe choice has become even more commonplace than ever within the gay community. In fact, you can check out many exciting and fashionable leather options at MyHotUndies.com from harnesses and singlets to jockstraps and thongs.