Rex, a male erotic fetish artist whose work inspired many over the years, including those of us who enjoyed Drummer magazine, passed away earlier this year.
You can learn more about this talented artist by visiting this blog posting at Mitchmen, as well as visiting the artist’s official website.
Philip G. Zimbardo, the college professor who ran the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment back in 1971, passed away recently. Various news outlets ran obituaries:
For those who are not familiar, this was a study of prison life from a psychological perspective conducted at Stanford University. Young male college students agreed to take part, and they were randomly assigned roles as guards or prisoners. It was intended to go on for two weeks, but things got out of hand and the study was halted after just six days. It was all documented extensively in academic literature and in several films, including this one. Zimbardo’s official website is here.
As for me, I wish the Stanford Prison Experiment could be conducted again today, but I would suggest a number of modifications:
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of Joshua Ryan’s passing. Known for his remarkable storytelling, Josh was the creative force behind numerous long-form, multi-part male bondage narratives that take place in prison. Many of his captivating stories can be found in the Metalbond Prison Library, where they continue to resonate with readers.
Josh’s tales are not just stories; they are intricate worlds filled with rich character development and interwoven plot lines, often told from multiple perspectives. His unique ability to draw readers into his narratives set him apart in the genre.
The titles he graciously shared with Metalbond readers are:
Note that these are lengthy, multi-chapter stories that invite you to dive deep into their narratives.
Beyond his work as Joshua Ryan, he also wrote under an alias, Prison Process. He shared his stories across platforms like Tumblr and Bdsmblr, and before that, he was on Flickr and was also active in several Yahoo groups. His dedication to storytelling and connection with his audience was truly inspiring.
Though I never had the pleasure of meeting Josh in person, our correspondence revealed a kind and thoughtful man. He built lasting relationships with fellow authors, offering support, edits, and encouragement that helped nurture the creative community. His impact was profound, touching the lives of many, including my own.
As we mourn the loss of this immensely talented writer, let us also celebrate the stories he shared and the connections he fostered. Joshua Ryan will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on through his unforgettable narratives.
Gil Kessler, a longtime educator and a pillar of the leather community, passed away on June 5, 2022, at age 85. Gil was a kind-hearted man and a dear friend. He touched countless lives over the years.
Gil was born June 27, 1936. He was a longtime resident of the West Village of Manhattan, and he had a home in Port Jervis, N.Y. He also had lived in Brooklyn, N.Y. He worked as a math teacher in the New York City public schools, and in his retirement he co-authored a mathematics textbook. He was an avid reader of books, and he enjoyed movies, TV, theater, and the performing arts, all of which he could discuss at length and with great enthusiasm. For many years he was active in Times Squares, an LGBTQ+ square dancing club in New York City.
Gil is survived by a husband, Damani, as well as biological family members, many former students, and countless friends. He was predeceased by two life partners, Rick DiOrio, who died of AIDS in 1990, and Augie Kalin, who died of a major stroke in 2011.
As those of us who had the pleasure of knowing Gil will attest, he was an absolute joy to be with. He was friendly, charming, caring, and endearing. He was a gentle soul. He played the piano. He was known to smoke a little pot once in a while. He was also highly organized and efficient. He carried with him always a BIC 4-Color Retractable Ballpoint Pen and a small miniature notepad, which he would use to make notes to himself.
Gil, along with many others, was among the key officers and directors who served the gay male leather community via GMSMA (Gay Male S/M Activists), a trailblazing organization that disbanded in 2009. Gil was also a member of the Delta Brotherhood, the Eulenspiegel Society, and an honorary board member of the Leather Archives & Museum in Chicago. He served as a judge at IML (the International Mr. Leather contest) one year in Chicago.
It was through his work with GMSMA that Gil had the greatest impact. Among the organization’s many educational endeavors were SIGs (Special Interest Groups) designed for novices to learn about s/m play in a safe and supportive environment. The SIGs taught participants all about safety, technique, and the psychological aspects of engaging in such activities as flogging, whipping, rope bondage, chains, mummification, and many other activities — all without any hint of shame or embarrassment whatsoever.
As Gil himself reported for NewsLink, the GMSMA publication, his Novices group for the 1997-98 season had 22 participants with everyone taking part as both top and bottom. The 13-session course went from November to June, meeting every other Sunday afternoon, with four-hour sessions workshopping all the basic topics, plus others such as strapping, verbal abuse, body and head harnesses, and temperature torture. By the third session, Gil said, the group was like a family, and by the last session, no one wanted it to end.
Gil led dozens of these SIGs over the years for hundreds upon hundreds of participants. It’s impossible to overstate the impact of Gil’s work over the years.
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While these words are heartfelt and sincere, they are incomplete and do not do justice to Gil’s memory. I am saddened that there has not been a celebration of life for Gil, or even an online memorial where people can post memories. If someone who is reading this is interested in organizing a gathering, perhaps something at the Center at some point, I do hope that they will step forward.
I learned yesterday with great sadness that Master Jack passed away a few months ago, in November 2021, of a heart attack. Over more than two decades, Master Jack hosted countless men from all over the world for heavy, multi-day bondage scenes at his home dungeons in California and then in Arizona.
Master Jack was also a trailblazer on the Internet with his very own subscription-based website — Bondagezine — which dated all the way back to the 1990s and had tons of hot stories, photographs and lots of original videos.
Although it was a bit clunky, the Bondagezine site was a vast resource. Sadly, it is no longer available. This is a shame because the site had so much irreplaceable content. Master Jack also had a second site called Bondagemaster, which is still online although I suspect it too might be coming down soon.
Master Jack didn’t share many pictures of himself, but here are a few pictures of some of the many prisoners he hosted over the years, taken from his website:
Master Jack also encouraged and inspired countless other men over the years, including Mark Bind, PFC Pflege — and myself! If anyone would like to share any memories of Master Jack, I invite you to post a comment in the comments section below, or you can send me an email.
I think the brilliant fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who died yesterday, was at home at gay leather bars. Here’s a great picture of him that I stole from the internet:
Among many other accomplishments, Mugler designed the dresses worn by internationally renowned fashion models for George Michael’s video for his song “Too Funky.” These dresses were part of a recent exhibit at the art museum in Montreal.
Today is the anniversary of Paul’s passing. He was a loving, compassionate and FUN person. The photo is from Master Mike, Paul’s companion.
