History of New Mexico Leather
& Alternative Communities
Overview • Venues • Artisans • Groups • Events • Media
History is a foundation that helps us approach the future with more understanding. Awareness of history helps us realize not just what came before us, but also understand how things have changed, are changing, what was attempted, successes, struggles, and the great time had by many in alternative lifestyle communities. It reminds us that time passes by quickly and to be sure to be kind as you travel through your journey through these alternative communities.
Media
Many forms of media influenced the alternative community culture of New Mexico. This media consists of publications, magazines, newsletters, books, movies, and eventually the rise of social media. This started with Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) that allowed phone dial-up connections to other computer systems. These were eventually replaced with Internet Relay Chat (IRC), the World Wide Web, and social media apps. While many groups, venues, artisans, and events eventually had their own media presence through newsletters and websites, this page focuses upon cross-community unique websites that contributed to our alternative communities.
1971-
The Guild Cinema
The Guild Cinema is a small movie theater in Albuquerque's Nob Hill that is supportive of foreign films, alternative films, and alternative communities of New Mexico, located at 3405 Central Ave NE. This cinema has moved through a number of owners and was on the verge of closing when it was acquired by local Albuquerque residents in 1998. It was threatened by a national chain but survived. In 2003, the cinema was transferred to it's next set of owners. An extensive history is at guildcinema.com/history.
One key cross-alternative-community showing at The Guild is the international Hump Film Festival produced since 2005 by Dan Savage, which features pansexual explorations of 16-23 sexual, alternative community, leather, and BDSM shorts. Another showing across town is the Way OUT West Film Fest produced by CLOSET CINEMA, an Albuquerque-based nonprofit organization dedicated to showcasing queer cinema in an attempt to highlight the richness of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experience. Way OUT West tends to show at theaters across Albuquerque. This history lists The Guild both as MEDIA and on the VENUES page because it brings external movies to New Mexico, but is also a venue where our community interacts.
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Sources: qrd.org/qrd/www/usa/new_mexico/qnm-a-z-g.htm, guildcinema.com, humpfilmfest.com, filmfreeway.com/WayOUTWestFilmFest, wayoutwestfilmfest.com.
Guild Cinema, Albuquerque, in August 2022. Photographer: David Simpson.
A fun alternative community film festival shown at Guild Cinema, Albuquerque.
1991 (publish date of Trust, The Handbook)
Bert Herrman (author)
Bert Herrman, considered one of the world's most respected experts on handballing, resided in the area of Mountainair, New Mexico - in the town of Tajique with his partner Guy Seiler. He was the editor/publisher of "Trust/The Handballing Newsletter" and author of "Trust, The Handbook - A guide to the Sensual and Spiritual Art of Handballing," published in 1991. Bert earlier resided in the Castro district of San Francisco. Other works include "Being • Being Happy • Being Gay," a leading book on budling gay/lesbian self-esteem and "Mountainair, N.M., Centennial History, 1903-2003." He obtained a house in New Mexico for a fisting retreat.
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The author created a retreat in Tajique, NM, intending to create a fisting retreat there. After Bert passed away on a trip in Hawaii, Guy Seiler took ownership of this property and the copyright to the hand book. The property is now an Air B&B, Casa Manzano.
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Sources: Interent, Craig Dill (interview 25Aug2024), Guy Seiler (interviews, 27Sep24, ?).
1992-2020
Weekly Alibi
A long-time staple of information for our alternative and progressive communities of Albuquerque and New Mexico was Weekly Alibi, also known as The Alibi. It was a free weekly newspaper distributed free to many public locations such as grocery stores and entertainment venues. It appealed to the broader normative community with news, events calendar, commentary, film reviews, restaurant guide, venue awards "Best of Burque," and much more. But The Alibi was progressive, listing alternative community events and also hosting the Alibi Fetish Ball events. See the EVENTS page of this history for more about these activities in Albuquerque. This publication was originally called NuCity, but changed its name due to a similar Chicago newspaper entitled Newcity. The last edition of Weekly Alibi was published in August, 2020.
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Sources: Wikipedia, alibi.com.
1992-2005
The Adult Playpen
The Adult Playpen started out as an online Bulletin Board System (BBS) that transitioned to a website. Operated by Qaz, a Wiccan, the site had information on "Leather, S&M, Fetishes, Transvestites, Transsexuals, Gay, Latex, and Swinging." It was aligned with AEL (Alternative Erotic Lifestyles) group in Albuquerque. Qaz was 27 years old in 1999. The BBS apparently started about 1991 or 1992. It was advertised in AEL's newsletter in 1992. <a> Later it transitioned to a website in 2000. Qaz lived in Albuquerque working at Voicestream when he started this, eventually moving to the Seattle area then Las Vegas, Nevada. He intended to set up a swinger club there. While in Albuquerque, Qaz, participated in establishing AEL With Diva Marie.
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Sources: theadultplaypen.com on web.archive.org (1999-2005), Diva Marie (interview 22Sep24), <a> AEL Newsletter, Vol 1, Issue 2, 22Aug1992.
1995-1996
New Mexico NEWSLEATHER
New Mexico NEWSLEATHER was a short-lived community newsletter of five issues published in Albuquerque by Diva Marie and Leslie Anderson. It was driven by the great energy and success of Diva Marie and Leslie and intended to be published every two month, starting in September 1995 with the final volume dated May 1996. Diva made photocopies to distribute. It was short lived because the Internet was becoming a convenient place to publish news rather than in print. Leslie and Diva were very busy at this time and couldn't easily continue the effort. Leslie won the 1996 Ms. NM Leather title and became quite busy. Contributors over time included Casey Newkirk, C.J. Diamond, Steve Weardon, Jeff Tucker (IML), Lee Lambert, Cindy Bookout, James Peters, Eric Senff, Janet Ryan, and Viola Johnson.
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Click the issue list below or issue cover image to open a PDF of the issue.
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Sources: Diva Marie (interview 22Sep24), New Mexico NEWSLEATHER Issues 1-5 from LA&M Archives.
1998-2005
BDSM New Mexico
BDSM New Mexico (more later) was an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) discussion group for discussions about the BDSM lifestyle. IRC is an early text-based chat system for instant messaging that allows group communication. Moonvine and their dominant Barddas, from Clovis, NM maintained the chat channel and the webpage. They had an objective of starting a munch group in the Clovis area. This IRC seemed to have little forum traffic, with a little only in 1989-1999, but had other reference materials.
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Source: come.to/bdsmnewmexico on web.archive.net (1999-2005).
2005-2006
New Mexico Leathermen's Network
New Mexico Leathermen's Network was a short-lived online community set up by Boy Randy, aka PosLeather, that provided a means for gay leathermen of New Mexico to network and connect with each other. The site defined "leathermen" as a generic term to represent gay men who are into the extreme BDSM/fetish lifestyle. The website included a discussion forum, calendar, personalized photo profiles, and a links section. The site referenced other contemporary organizations (Leather Wolves, AEL, NM:TNG, Desert Pandemonium, Rio Grande Leather, Pride Gym).
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Sources: nmleathermen.net on web.archive.org (2005-15Aug2006).
2008-2014
New Mexico Fetlifers (NMFL)
New Mexico FetLifers (NMFL) was founded in November 2008 by Sera Miles. It coincided with the establishment and rise of the online "Fetlife" platform earlier in 2008. However, NMFL was more than an online meeting place, Sara, Brittany Vick, and Saint St. James created large, ambitious local events, so created in-person activities such as the “Evolution of the Revolution" (EvoRevo) conference which hosted national speakers including the founding representatives from of Fetlife. See the GROUPS page for more information about NMFL.
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Sources: Sera Miles (interview 19May24), Eldest Saint (interviews, online text), newmexicofetlifers.com on web.archive.net (2011-2014), New Mexico Secretary of State Corporate Business Search, Master Dennis (interview 7Jul24).
2017 (publish date of Solidarity Through Pride)
Dr. PJ Sedillo (author, community leader)
Dr. PJ Sedillo has been active in the Albuquerque alternative community as an out and positive role model and activist for human rights issues. He was the President and Co-President of Albuquerque Pride (1989-2010).
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As co-president of Albuquerque Pride with Pat Ballie, PJ interacted frequently with the Leather and alternative communities, to represent them in the New Mexico Pride Parade. PJ, Pat, and Pride eventually decided that The Sirens, a leatherdyke organization in Albuquerque, would lead the opening of Pride Parade, ensuring a more constant representation of Leather in that event.
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PJ is a native of Albuquerque, receiving his BA degree in Elementary Education from NM Highlands University, Masters in Special Education and Doctorate from the University of New Mexico in Education with an emphasis in gifted and counseling. He was an educator in Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) and is a professor at New Mexico Highlands University. He helped obtain job security for all APS employees with a non-discriminatory sexual orientation policy included in each employee contract. He married legally in Canada in 2003 to his husband Tony Ross and legally fought in court against APS to become the first same-sex couple in the USA to receive spousal benefits.
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Sources: Dr. PJ Selillo (interview 20Sep24), nmhu.edu, Internet.
Dr. PJ Sedillo, New Mexico Highlands University, former President and Co-President, Albuquerque Pride.
2022
The Whistle, PBS
The Whistle is a video produced by "what do we want films," about an hour long, aired on PBS and describes as, "The fascinating story of a secret code created by and shared among young lesbians in 1970s & 80s Albuquerque as a means of self-identification and finding community. The first-person film documents and reveals both humorous and heartbreaking stories, often told by participants in the same breath." <b> <c> It aired on PBS 21 April 2022. It describes many venues around Albuquerque used by the lesbian community. Director StormMiguel Florez is a queer Xicane trans man, who came out and identified as a dyke in 1987, during his freshman year at Del Norte High School in Albuquerque. <a>
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Sources: <b> pbs.org/video/the-whistle-6xaazf/, <a> press release, 30 Jun 2022 - newmexicopbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/co-brandable_press-release_THE-WHISTLE_6.2022.docx, <c> dykewhistle.com.
Other Media
TBD​
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Sources: TBD.​
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Note: The history compilation on this page is courtesy of and Copyright 2024, 2025, Domum Corium Cordis, House of Leather Heart. head@houseofleatherheart.org.