# International Ms. Leather

International Ms. Leather (IMsL) is an annual leather subculture fetish convention and competition, originally focused on women but now inclusive of all genders. Since 1999, the convention has also included a Ms. Bootblack (IMsBB) contest.
After Ms. Leather events had been held in San Francisco since 1981, the first formal International Ms. Leather convention took place in 1987. The first International Ms. Leather was Judy Tallwing McCarthey.
In 1988, International Ms. Leather received the Large Club of the Year award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards. In 2009, International Ms. Leather received the Chuck Renslow President's Award from the Leather Archives & Museum. In 2009, 2013, and 2017, International Ms. Leather received the Large Event of the Year award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards, and in 2018 International Ms Leather Bootblack received that award.
International Ms. Leather moved in 2014 from the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco to San Jose.
The Leather Archives & Museum’s photos, videos, and oral histories chronicling International Ms. Leather (and International Mr. Leather) were featured in a 2015 documentary by Christina Court, titled High Shine: 15 Years of International Ms Bootblack.
The International Ms Leather (IMsL) Foundation began its work in 2015. The foundation’s website states, “We are committed to fostering healthy environments for Women to succeed in Leather and Kink spaces by providing education, programming, and financial support.” In 2016 that foundation received the Nonprofit Organization of the Year award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards.
International Ms. Leather has had a focus on community leadership from the start. The contestants must meet objectives and deadlines set before the convention, and at the event are judged on costuming, speech, a fantasy performance, knowledge of the leather scene as demonstrated in a quiz and an interview, and also organizing skills as demonstrated in having two others set up an auction table for them at the convention.
Producers of the event have included Audrey Joseph and 1993's International Ms. Leather winner Amy Marie Meek (later Amy Meek-DeJarlais). "Amy Marie Meek – International Ms. Leather" received the International Deaf Leather Recognition Award in 2001.
Judges have included Kitty Tsui.

## International Ms. Leather Winners

| Year and contest location | IMsL winner | Winner's preliminary title or sponsor | Winner's city | Field of contestants |
| 1987 - San Francisco, CA | Judy Tallwing McCarthey | | Fort Apache Indian Reservation, Arizona | 15 contestants |
| 1988 - San Francisco, CA | Shann Carr | Sponsored by Portland Power and Trust | Portland, Oregon | 10 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 1989 - San Francisco, CA | Susie Shepherd | Ms. Portland Leatherwoman 1989 | Portland, Oregon | 11 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 1990 - San Francisco, CA | Gabrielle Antolovich | Ms. Southern California Leatherwoman 1989 | Los Angeles, California | 12 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 1991 - San Francisco, CA | Kay Hallinger | North Halsted Ms. Leather 1991 | Bloomington, Indiana | 12 contestants |
| 1992 - San Francisco, CA | Blair Kituhwa | Ms. San Francisco Leather 1992 | San Francisco, California | 10 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 1993 - San Francisco, CA | Amy Marie Meek | Ms. Leather Nebraska 1992 | Omaha, Nebraska | 9 contestants |
| 1994 - San Francisco, CA | Anne C.S. Bergstedt, later known as Spencer Bergstedt (Resigned on September 13, 1994, giving the title to Cindy Bookout; Bergstedt’s resignation was not related to his being transgender) | Washington State Ms. Leather 1993 | Seattle, Washington | 11 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 1994 - San Francisco, CA | Cindy Bookout | Ms. Oklahoma Leather 1993 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 11 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 1995 - Chicago, IL | Pat Ballie | Ms. LeatherMaster 1995 | Phoenix, Arizona | 19 contestants |
| 1996 - Philadelphia, PA | Jill Carter (the first black International Ms. Leather) | TULSA (Tulsa Uniform Leather Seekers Assoc.) | Willow Grove, Pennsylvania | 20 contestants |
| 1997 - San Diego, CA | Genelle Moore (her brother Ron Moore had become the first black International Mr. Leather in 1984, and her win as International Ms. Leather in 1997 made them the first siblings to hold international leather titles.) | Sponsored by the Female Leather Exchange (FLEX) | Lincoln, Nebraska | 11 contestants |
| 1998 - Atlanta, GA | Megan (DeJarlais) Martin | Ms. Baltimore Eagle 1993 | Baltimore, Maryland | 18 contestants |
| 1999 - Las Vegas, NV | Pam Meyer | Ms. San Francisco Leather 1999 | San Francisco, California | 14 contestants |
| 2000 - Toronto, Canada | Jo Blas | Sponsored by Kim Wolf of Leatherwoman Productions | San Diego, California | 10 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 2001 - Dallas, TX | Joni Perry | Ms. International Olympus Leather 2000 | Springfield, Virginia | 9 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 2002 - Omaha, NE | Russ Cosgrove | Sponsored by 3SM | Calgary, Alberta, Canada | 6 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 2003 - Omaha, NE | Tammie Nelson | Sponsored by Kendra McClain & the Great Lakes Leather Alliance | Greenwood, Indiana | 5 contestants, from the U.S. and Canada |
| 2004 - Omaha, NE | Lori Ellison | Sponsored by HPL Productions of Colorado | Rio Rancho, New Mexico | 5 contestants |
| 2005 - Omaha, NE | Jessi Holman Ahart | Ms. Baltimore Eagle 2005 | Baltimore, Maryland | 4 contestants |
| 2006 - Omaha, NE | Lady Faye Falconeer | Sponsored by Flesh and Fantasy & the Dallas Eagle | Dallas, Texas | 2 contestants |
| 2007 - San Francisco, CA | Lauren Ide | Southwest Ms. Leather 2006 | Phoenix, Arizona | 6 contestants |
| 2008 - San Francisco, CA | Hobbit | Washington State Ms. Leather 1996 | Seattle, Washington | 4 contestants |
| 2009 - San Francisco, CA | Lamalani Siverts | Washington State Ms. Leather 2008 | Seattle, Washington | 3 contestants |
| 2010 - San Francisco, CA | Mollena Williams | Ms. San Francisco Leather 2009 | San Francisco, California | 8 contestants |
| 2011 - San Francisco, CA | Sara Vibes | | New York, New York | 4 contestants |
| 2012 - San Francisco, CA | Synn | Ms. Texas Leather 2012 | Dallas, Texas | ? |
| 2013 - San Francisco, CA | Sarha Shaubach | Ms. Alaska Leather 2011/2012 | Meadow Lakes, Alaska | ? |
| 2014 - San Jose, CA | Patty | Ms. Leather Toronto 2014 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ? |
| 2015 - San Jose, CA | Sarge | Ms. San Diego Leather 2015 | San Diego, California | 9 contestants |
| 2016 - San Jose, CA | Lascivious Jane | Ms. Philadelphia Leather 2015 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 4 contestants |
| 2017 - San Jose, CA | Girl Complex | Ms. Alameda County Leather 2016 | Oakland, California | 7 contestants |
| 2018 - San Jose, CA | Girl Ang | Sponsored by Lucrezia and De Sade | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | 6 contestants |
| 2019 - San Jose, CA | Haley | Ms. San Francisco Leather 2018 | San Francisco, California | 2 contestants |
| 2020 | Contest cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Contest cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Contest cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Contest cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest |
| 2022 | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest |
| 2023 - Piscataway, NJ | Liquid | Northeast Leatherperson 2020/2021 | New York, New York | 4 contestants |
| 2024 - Piscataway, NJ | Goddess Indigo | Ms. Texas Leather 2023 | Austin, Texas | 2 contestants |

## International Ms. Bootblack Winners

| Year | IMsBB winner | Winner's preliminary title or sponsor | Winner's city | Field of contestants |
| 1999 | Leslie Anderson | American Leatherwoman 1997 | Bosque Farms, New Mexico | 4 contestants |
| 2000 | michael ann | Sponsored by High Plains Leather | Colorado Springs, Colorado | 2 contestants |
| 2001 | Charlie Flake | Sponsored by The Denver Triangle | Denver, Colorado | 2 contestants |
| 2002 | Kari | Sponsored by Centaur Motorcycle Club | Washington, D.C. | 2 contestants |
| 2003 | Slaveboi Eddie (Donna Moran) | Sponsored by the Los Angeles boys of Leather & Bill Mitchell, American Leatherman 2003 | Los Angeles, California | 4 contestants |
| 2004 | izzy | Sponsored by the Great Lakes Leather Association | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 3 contestants |
| 2005 | Suka | Sponsored by Cellblock Chicago & the Lesbian Community Cancer Project | Chicago, Illinois | 1 contestant |
| 2006 | Alex Bettencourt | Sponsored by the Great Lakes Leather Alliance & Ramrod | Medford, Massachusetts | 2 contestants |
| 2007 | Miss V | Sponsored by the San Francisco Boot Black Studio | Alameda, California | 4 contestants |
| 2008 | Q | SouthEast LeatherFest Bootblack 2007 | Atlanta, Georgia | 2 contestants |
| 2009 | Pony | Leather Rose's House Bootblack | Chicago, Illinois | 3 contestants |
| 2010 | Jayson DaBoi | Ms. Rio Grande Leather 2010 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 2 contestants |
| 2011 | kd | ? | Portland, Maine | 4 contestants |
| 2012 | Tarna | Bootblack Toronto 2012 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | 2 contestants |
| 2013 | bella | Great Lakes Bootblack 2012 | Louisville, Kentucky | ? |
| 2014 | Dara | Oregon State Bootblack 2013 | Portland, Oregon | ? |
| 2015 | slave tabitha | Southwest Bootblack 2009 | Phoenix, Arizona | 5 contestants |
| 2016 | Meghan | Great Lakes Bootblack 2015 | Louisville, Kentucky | 3 contestants |
| 2017 | Elisa | Great Lakes Bootblack 2016 | Detroit, Michigan | 6 contestants |
| 2018 | Teagan | Southwest Bootblack 2017 | Oakland, California | 5 contestants |
| 2019 | Gretchen | Alaska State Bootblack 2018 | Anchorage, Alaska | 3 contestants |
| 2020 | Contest cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Contest cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Contest cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Contest cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest |
| 2022 | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest | Virtual event held with no contest |
| 2023 | [vacant] | N/A | N/A | 1 contestant |
| 2024 | SpankCake | S.A.K.E. (SoCal Asian Kink Events) | Los Angeles, California | 4 contestants |