women in leather
This site was built mainly by and for gay men, but leather and kink have never belonged only to men. Women, trans women, butches, femmes and gender-diverse people have been part of leather from the start, and run some of its most important titles, clubs and archives. If you've found your way here, welcome.
A starting point, not a full guide. Know a group, event or bit of history we should add? Tell us.
history
Lesbian and bisexual women formed their own leather and SM groups from the 1970s onwards, often while being shut out of both men's leather bars and parts of the feminist movement that saw kink as anti-women. The "sex wars" of the late 1970s and 1980s were fought partly over leatherdykes' right to exist. Those women helped write the language of consent, negotiation and safewords that the whole kink world now uses.
The Leather Archives & Museum holds major collections of women's leather history. More history is on our leather history page.
men-only, women-only & mixed spaces
Many leather bars and parties have door policies: men only, women and trans people only, or mixed. A men-only space isn't a judgement on anyone; it's a choice about who's in the room that night. Ask the organiser who the event is for, especially about trans and nonbinary guests, before you go. Good organisers answer clearly.
Pansexual kink events, munches and many rope groups welcome all genders. See our finding community page.
titles & events
- International Ms. Leather & Ms. Bootblack (IMsL)The international title for women and gender-diverse leather people, with a weekend of classes and community.
- Regional and club titles for leatherwomen, leatherdykes and pansexual leather people exist in many countries. Check our events calendar and local leather groups.
finding your people
- FetLife has groups for leatherdykes, women in leather and queer women's munches in many cities.
- LGBTQ+ centres often host or know of women's kink groups.
- Mixed leather clubs and education groups, such as those on our resources links, run classes open to all genders.
- Trans women: our trans & nonbinary page covers trans people in leather and kink spaces.
