Latex vs. latex

It’s been a few days since I’ve written in this blog.  I had hoped to be more consistent.  I mean I have and ever growing list of topics I would like discuss in this blog, and most of them are not as heavy and deep as the Trans Feminism topic.  But life and the universe have a way of conspiring against even some of the most well intentioned plans and ideas.

Not that it is a bad thing.  I’ve actually been putting in the foundational work for a long term project I hope to eventually realize in Second Life.  But I will talk about that at some later date.

Today I want to talk about Latex with a capitol L.

If you have checked out my profile, you may have noticed that I list Leather as one of my interests.  The capitalization it, when I am so careful about the appropriate capitalization of other words, is no accident.



Leather Pride

 

Leather Girl Pride



To me, capitol “L” Leather is different from little “l” leather.  Little “l” leather is about the material and, in some cases, a fetish.  Whereas capitol “L” Leather is about so much more to me.  There is an aspect of community, or personal responsibility, of role, of how one presents oneself and how one relates to and treats others.  Being Leather is an important piece of my identity.

A few weeks, or maybe a month or so ago, if you had asked me if I felt there was capitol “L” Latex like there is a capitol “L” Leather, I would have likely have something about there being the possibility, but that I really could not say for certain.  I mean, I had noticed some very interesting things developing in Europe and in some of the larger cities in the United States, but it was not something I had had an opportunity to experience directly.

I mean, Denver is the largest city I have lived in at this point, and there is really not much of a fetish oriented community here.  BDSM and Leather?  Yes.  Goth?  Most definitely.  But not a lot of latex focused events, as far as I had seen.  Plus, latex is expensive, and quality latex that does not simply fall apart after the first or second wearing even more so.  So while I love the look, feel and style of latex, it has just not been something I have had the opportunity to explore as much as I would like to.

But, after participating in a couple of FetLife groups, visiting Latexia, talking with the Sisters there and looking at and contemplating the Obediences, and giving the concept a lot of deep though, I am beginning to believe there very much a Latex community out there, and not just through Second Live.

I brought up this idea of capitol “L” Latex to an offline friend of mine and he totally validated my observation.  It was really cute to see his eyes light up and nod in agreement.  He explained it is still very new and developing, and that in here in Denver there really is not much of a scene associated with it yet.

It is nice to hear really – that there is such a thing, not that the scene here in Denver is so small.  Hearing that yes, there is a capitol “L” Latex helps me feel like I am not totally off my rocker in aspects of exploration.  I am just not sure where I go now with that information.  I ain’t got no skills in the crafting department.  I is still a poor student.  And I still have the same issues with social awkwardness that I ever had.

Rubber Pride



But I did go on a little search for a Latex Pride Flag, much like there is the Leather Pride and Leather Girl Pride flags above.  And this is what I found.

Pretty classy I think.



Update: So so doing a little more research I have hom to find that the Rubber Pride Flag is more geared to Rubber Men.  Which is okay, I guess.  It would have been nice if it had been non-gendered or a gender neutral symbol.  I suppose when I get access to Photoshop again, I might just make a variant Rubber Girl (or Rubber Woman?) Pride flag.  I am thinking of replacing the red with pink and otherwise keeping the meaning and symbology and meanings the same.