Madeline Sparkles, Bootblack Technical Judge
Madeline has been a kinkster since her late teens, but got more involved with the kink community in her late 20s at places like the SF Citadel and Power Exchange. She became interested in rope and kinbaku while living in the DC area and in her search for something more, found herself among a great many mentors that led her to the leather community. After joining the dark side, she's never looked back and became entrenched in quiet ways in the DMV (DC/MD/VA) community. After attending Frolicon 2013 and falling in love with the Southeast Community, she went on to represent the Southeast leather community as Southeast Bootblack 2013. After a short hiatus from the community due to getting adjusted to a new job, she is excited to see her southeast family at SELF's 20th anniversary. As a lover of rope and self care, she's also looking forward to seeing old friends and new faces at An Introverts Guide to Big Cons and Rope 101.
Judge's Girl
Melissa is the smart, sarcastic, and slightly silly property of the owner unit, Master Dan. Mel hates writing bios, but enjoys white water rafting, snorkeling, hiking through the Mayan Jungle, throwing dinner parties, and drinking beer on the beach. Slave Melissa can most often be found a step behind the owner unit, on his left holding 2 low carb monsters or in the dungeon being used as a glow in the dark pin cushion. Melissa is an associate member of the Charlotte Tradesmen Leather Levi Club, judge’s coordinator for the Women’s International Leather Legacy contest, chair person for the North Carolina Leather Contest and is honored to hold the titles of International Slave 2012 and Southeast Slave 2011.
Chrissie and Melissa - Tally Mistresses
Chrissie (the blond) and Melissa (the brunette) met about 14 years ago, and it's been an adventure in friendship ever since! Starting through the local kink communities in North Carolina, both were education coordinators for their local groups in Charlotte and Greensboro. Fantasm brought them south to the Atlanta region assisting with the Kink Track, and confirming their roles as the girls on the go. The establishment of Frolicon happened around 2005, where both got their feet wet in directing a large scale event. Chrissie has been with the convention for nine years now. Melissa took a break, but has finally come back into the fold. They love to shop, be silly, and find trouble wherever they can of the kinky or non-kinky variety. (Warning: Do not get into a glass elevator with them!)
Dick Gray
Dick Gray
I’m Dick, Richard to some. Some know me as a queer, perv, sexual deviant, who loves men, furry men, shaved men, bears, beards, tall men, short men, men of color, and did I say men. I’m a man, leatherman, living with AIDS, a lover, brother, son, friend, activist, a seducer, and who knows what else. I’m an image on Recon, Facebook, Manhunt, Fetlife, and many other sites. As you see, I am still evolving.
I’m from Greenville, NC. Grew up the odd kid in catholic school with nuns that had originally taught my mom as a girl in PA. Guess that’s where the kink began. From shooting arrows at each like St. Sebastian to the corporal punishment of the nuns, I had a good start on the road to kink. I’ve known I was attracted to men since around 4 yrs old, gave my first bj at 8, and was knew I was queer in my early teens (or so my classmates liked to remind me).
When I found my first Drummer Magazine at a newsstand in Chapel Hill in 1979, I knew I had found other men with the same likes, desires, and erotic visions that i had and continue to have. I moved to Greensboro, NC in 1984. Worked at a queer dance bar and met the guys that would begin Tarheel Leather Club. Our club officially came into existence on April 1, 1990. I am still an active member of the Tarheel’s after 25 years. Takes a lot of love of our members and what we are doing to stay that long.
I was Southeast Leather Sir in 2003. The last SELeather Sir from SELF. Competed in International Leather Sir/boy 2003 in Tampa. I’ve continued to be active in leather in NC, supporting clubs and their events. Have focused the last few years on Tarheel Leather Club and expanding our membership and friends and leather family in my life. I’m on a journey to discover my paths into my future and find my vision. Care to share? Dick
Theatrical Toy, Technical Bootblack Judge
TheatricalToy is a leather girl, a queer organizer, a dedicated bootblack,a major domo, a heavy masochist, a teacher, a sadistic giggling bouncy top, a spontaneous singer of songs,a student, and overall, just a complex girl. She is the originator and co-organizer of the DC/Baltimore Area Queer Munch and cohosts HotHouse, the hottest Queer Party in the Mid-Atlantic. She is one of the founders of the new Mid-Atlantic girls of Leather. She has presented for Black Rose, Lesbian Sex Mafia, Dark Odyssey, Camp Crucible, F.I.S.T., the Playhouse, BESS, and Brimstone. When not teaching she can be found bootblacking, getting her *$$ kicked, or taking meat tenderizers to well informed consenting friends. Tt is VERY excited to return to SELF as a bootblack technical judge and is thrilled to be part of the education tracks. There truly is no place like home.
Sarah Humble
Sarah Humble, a fun loving sports fan and Leatherdyke, began her leather journey over 20 years ago in Baltimore. In 1994, Sarah won Ms Baltimore Eagle and then three weeks later won the first American Leatherwoman title.
Baltimore was an amazing place to be a Leatherdyke! In 1992, Sarah co-founded FIST (Females Investigating Sexual Terrain) and the group celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2012. Sarah was one of the first two female associate members of COMMAND MC, winner of three Pantheon of Leather awards including Woman of the Year (1996) and Reader's Choice (1997), and served as the Leather Editor for the Baltimore Gay Paper for fiver years. While in the Mid-Atlantic area, she co-founded Play House Studios & Gallery, the first full time public play spaces in the area.
After 17 years in Baltimore, Sarah "retired" to her porch swing in Colorado. In between Bronco games and playing ball with her Kerry Blue terrier, Berkley, Sarah joined with Catherine Gross, and L. Fleming to co-found the Women's Leather History Project and serves on the board of Leather Archives and Museum. The WLHP was created by a desire to hear the stories and document the journeys of Leatherwomen. Sarah hopes to see a thousand interviews conducted and archived in WLHP by 2020.
"I judged the first SouthEast LeatherFest. I am so happy to return for SELF's 20th Anniversary. This is amazing!"
Nick Elliott
After Nick left the US Military in 2004, he spent his formative leather years in Houston, Texas, developing his bootblacking style. He spent three years on the Board of The Erotic Rose Society (EROS), a long standing pansexual group, and was an active member of National Leather Association (NLA)-Houston. Nick currently lives in Portland, OR with his lovely wife, and has a boyfriend in Edinburgh, who he sees when he can.
Nick is one of the founding members of the PDX (Portland) bootblacks and a current Portland Leather Alliance (PLA) member. He is proudly the Oregon State Bootblack 2011, and International Mr. Bootblack 2012. He has done boots all over the country at different events and bars, and helped raise over $7,000 for charity. He believes by taking care of your leather, he's taking care of you.
Nick describes himself as a bi-poly-pagan-kinky-gamer-geek or slut for short. He enjoys switching for impact and rough body play and loves to bite. He is also turned on by bears, armpits, gloves, and cigars.
slave bren
slave bren - is first a dedicated slave in service to Master George. SW Leather slave 2011, the Threshold Society (www.threshold.org ) Coordinator Emeritus, from 2012-2013 she is the first female slave to ever hold this position in its 31st year. She is the humble founder of the Los Angeles sisters in submission (LAsis) support group founded in 2003 till present, co-founder, hostess of the MAsT North Hollywood chapter and founder of the Girl of Leather chapter in LA. She served as the Southwest Leather M/s Contest Coordinator 2013 Host the Gear it up & cruise parties for the Los Angeles women's community, is an executive producer of the Leather H.E.A.T conference in Los Angeles and producer of the SoCal M/s contest. She along with her master travel around the nation presenting classes on the Master/slave dynamic, slave bren has been awarded the Southland honors Chairman's award 2012 for her service to her local leather community. Southwest Leather Conference Volunteer of the Year Award in January 2013. slave bren was honored to be nominated Pantheon woman of the year 2013 and Pantheon Community Choice woman for 2013.