One of the things I noticed throughout Folsom week was that the array and breadth of erotic interests and fetishes and how they present in the LGBTQ kink communities are continuing to grow and solidify into distinct groupings.

Leather and kinkfans and fanatics enjoyed the annual Folsom Street Fair, the popular South of Market celebration of sexy kinky fun, held Sept. 30.

The Bay Area tends to be awash in far more leather and kink happenings than most metro areas. The month of September each year, especially the week leading up to Folsom Street Fair, is when the number of events for the LGBTQ kinky crowd skyrockets.

This week I want to talk about fun; sheer, unadulterated fun. When you mention to those outside of the leather and kink worlds that the object of what we do and who we are is supposed to be fun, they nod and say, "of course!"

Every vibrant culture has its literature. The kink world is no different. While a smattering of kink erotica has existed for a long time, it's only during the relatively recent past that a plethora of quality kink-themed books for the popular market.

Right after the bucket-load of events leading up to the iconic Up Your Alley street fair, I knew what I wanted to write about this week. The second a certain pivotal inspiring moment occurred at the fair.

Buckle up kids. As this column hits the streets and online, the busy weekend of leather and kink happenings punctuated by the Up Your Alley Street Fair is underway. This year's schedule is packed to the rafters with stuff to do.

In 1997, to help these gear-centric men connect, a man who goes only by Leon founded an international organization called BLUF, a community for men who have an interest in leather, uniforms and breeches. It now has thousands of members around the world.

As the American political landscape collapses around us into a heap of hateful dung, I wonder if all my efforts should be focused on saving what's left of our country rather than telling you how to have awesome sex or meet fellow kinksters.

This year's recent International Mr. Leather (IML) weekend was its 40th anniversary. 40 years since Chuck Renslow decided to have a leather contest, a contest and weekend that in large part helped form the foundation of the modern leather experience.

But as I prepare to attend what is the biggest men's leather and kink event of its kind in the world, I'm reflecting on some of the events I've been attending this past week here locally in San Francisco.

Throughout the years one of the most common questions I've been asked has come from people who don't consider themselves kinky but have discovered they're interested in or dating someone who has such interests.

Every so often I'm reminded of how vibrant our San Francisco Bay Area leather and kink scene is and how lucky those of us who live here are to so easily be our true erotic selves. This past week was a clear reminder that our local scene is most definitely

On April 29 the SF Eagle, one of South of Market's most popular and iconic gay bars, will celebrate its fifth anniversary under the ownership of Lex Montiel and Mike Leon with what promises to be a huge birthday bash.