Introducing Mara

Hi everyone! I am Mara (they/them pronouns) and I am one of your contestants running for the  SouthEast Person of Leather title this year. I cannot tell you how excited (and nervous) I am to be able to do so. You see this isn’t my first go at this. I was Georgia and then International Ms Olympus Leather in 1998. I had the absolute honor and joy of spending a year of my life traveling throughout the country teaching and community building. Back then I was the young ingenue, breaking down walls and trying to make space for girls who were boys at heart, giving voices to people and the right side of the slash, and trying to get my elders to accept that I had things to say, and had earned a place to say them. So now I am back because I still have those things to say, but from a very different place in my journey and to a community that has grown larger than I ever thought was possible.

It is difficult to stand in front of people and say “Here I stand authentically before you, judge if I am worthy”. But it should be difficult. When you wear a sash you open yourself to being judged for what, and how you say things. And I have things to say. A lot of them. I am looking forward to the opportunity to show you the best of me. To share my platform and my passions. I want to engage in the fellowship of a contestant class that can lead to new and stronger friendships. SELF has been my home for a very long time. So while I may be incredibly nervous I know that this will be homecoming. SELF has always been my safe space to be the most authentic version of myself, and that it is in that space where I thrive and am seen. I cannot wait to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones. I cannot wait to try to get y’all to buy just a few more raffle tickets. But most of all I cannot wait to come home!