Author/Activist Larry Townsend Dies

Curious as always, I was searching the Internet for information on Old Guard/Old School BDSM and discovered that there is, in fact, a handbook. Maybe I knew about it earlier but never paid it any mind because (a) I assumed it had nothing to do with straight people and (b) I wasn't involved with or looking for an Old School dominant at the time. Anyway, upon finding out that such a book does exist and might not be entirely irrelevant, I was shocked to learn that the author had only recently passed away.

http://http://miamiherald.typepad.co...ractivist.html

Curiouser and curiouser, I searched the forums here and at collarme as well as mydungeonspace for news of the author's passing. To my surprise, 2 weeks after this supposedly renowned author's death, there was no mention of it anywhere in the forums. I stumbled across the news quite by accident, but the absence of an obituary at 3 BDSM sites I frequently visit made me wonder what happened to the Leather Community, also known as the Lifestyle.

I'm beginning to think that Old School has gone the way of the dodo. I've been trying to learn about this wonderful Lifestyle for over 2 years, and it seems as if no one can agree on anything except doing whatever you want. If everyone is New School, I'm wondering who taught them? Where are their roots? Is that why terminology and collars appear to have so little meaning, now? If everyone is free to make it up as they go along and never come together, I suppose that's why it became a Lifestyle rather than a Community.

how ironic, i was just speaking with dru about this. i saw the term "Old Guard" on the internet and for some reason i became curious about it. as i see now that i wasnt the only one, im going to look into this alittle more.

Zesty~

The information you get on the Old Guard , old School or Leatherman will reallty depend on who you talk with. My understanding is the origions came from Men who served in the military. The learn to accpet the discipline and structured life the military offered and instiled in men. Those he found a strong bound in this background found ways to carry that discipline and structure into civilian life. As the gay community in CA began to open up a bit and reach out for like minded individualks they found a bond in this 'lifestyle'. Over the years things became more formal and structured as the people involved natually gravitated to such an orderly structure. Their was a semi formal system of apprentacing once you entered the lifestyle to learn what was expected of you. I am unsure as to names ot titles used at this point. I have never really gotten a consistant answer on that.

The biggest changes came about when the lifestyle started having non gay people wishing to join the lifestyle. Much of the foundation for the gay, quasi military leatherman just did not apply to the straight singles or couples who began joining. The teaches they had come to accpet had to be re invented and re applied to popele not really into the same mindset they were. It cuased a bit of friction isnde the lifestlye. The newer straights were seen as day trippers into the lifestyle but many long involved in it.

With the advent of the Net and the amazing ability to disperse infor,mation the changes came much quicker and with much more confusion. The standers of the older order were quickly rewritten. Often just to suit the taste and interest of those recently joining. So whats was brand new and really differnt today quickly becomes right and accepted online. So the correct history of customs and manners in the older order can be hard to find. Especially if they feel no real desire to share with the newer lifestylers.

thanks FRH sis, i sure wouldnt have ever heard of him and thanks for the link, the early pioneers of our way of life are too often forgotten

i dont have much knowledge of the gay movements "leather" origns myself alltough i had heard some of that which Daumon speaks of

its sad our communitys origins are not better documented

but i was briefly exposed to some of the more formal old school style of bdsm in south carolina by a very old dom, though from all i could tell it was pretty much the same only way more strict in some regards expecially conserning matters of ettiqite etc

there is a historical richeness to be explored here, i think its main difficulty is before the advent of computers most all things bdsm related that were written for public consumption had to be vanillaed or toned down and or were often banned or ostrisized without publication

perhaps some of the older people in the community remember or know more about these things and will see this thread and share with us youngins

i for one would be very appreciative

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daumon

The biggest changes came about when the lifestyle started having non gay people wishing to join the lifestyle. Much of the foundation for the gay, quasi military leatherman just did not apply to the straight singles or couples who began joining. The teaches they had come to accpet had to be re invented and re applied to popele not really into the same mindset they were. It cuased a bit of friction isnde the lifestlye. The newer straights were seen as day trippers into the lifestyle but many long involved in it.

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It still does cause friction. There are a number of people on various boards who occasionally pop up and disparge anyone who wasn't there it the foundation of it all for not being 'real'...