INDIANAPOLIS — On behalf of Indiana Leather (INL, LLC.) and the Mr. Indiana Leather contest, Mr. Indiana Leather 2018, we would like to announce a change in our contestant qualifications starting immediately.
We believe that the ultimate goal of the Mr. Indiana Leather titleholder is to bring awareness and support to the leather community in Indiana.
Currently, in the state of Indiana, it is difficult for members of the transgender community to obtain a state issued ID because their birth certificate or other official documents do not agree with their gender identity. In previous years, we have always held the policy that a contestant must identify as male and present a government ID reflecting that identity. We realize that this policy disqualifies members of the transgender community that cannot obtain a government ID. If we align ourselves up with our goal, as stated above, then a policy change must occur in order to become more inclusive to all individuals wishing to enter the contest and be a voice in the state of Indiana.
Therefore, we have changed our policy to state that an individual competing for Mr. Indiana Leather 1) must be an Indiana resident and 2) must identify and present as male during the contest and title year. We are hopeful that this will bring a sense of hope for the future as we continue to open our hearts and minds to all individuals.
via press release
