Karri Plowman
Organizational Involvement: Creator of the Twin Cities Mr. Leather Contest, co-owned and ran Twin Cities Leather & Latte for seven years Karri Plowman is a prominent member of the local leather community. He created the Twin Cities Mr. Leather Contest and for seven years was co-owner and operator of Twin Cities Leather & Latte (TCLL), which served as a safe space for people from all walks of life. Plowman, who is gay and Native American, says being a visible Native and IPOC community member has always been important to him. “But, and perhaps it’s being in my mid-40s and having a lot of elders I learned from…it doesn’t define or limit me. I have worked very hard throughout my career to rise above the expectations and prejudices of others. In my most recent role as an advocate for sex positivity and the leather communities, being Native has not been in conflict so much as often overlooked,” Plowman says. “If by being visible I’ve inspired anyone to be positive about their sex life and feel free to be fully themselves as a person of color and kinky, that’s great. Because we are full humans, my advocacy and my tribal background don’t limit me; they inspire me.” When TCLL was open, it served as a safe and welcoming place for people to express themselves, meet others, and explore their desires, and its loss is felt deeply by many. “Ideas and people didn’t stop TCLL; money, energy, and increased costs stopped the café from continuing. Our community had moved, costs in the local neighborhood went up and people weren’t living there…I still believe sexpositive space is important. Space [where] all members of the community feel safe to be themselves,” Plowman adds. Though Plowman’s time with TCLL has come to an end, he says he plans for a future filled with advocacy, community, and, of course, leather. “I’ll continue to work and design leather goods, which is my passion, and eventually open a small retail store. But my larger passion will always be the need for a space for LGBTQ [folks]. A place where people feel safe to be their full selves,” Plowman says. “Some of this may involve challenging notions and laws that keep LGBTQ people relegated to a hidden population. We may have more uncomfortable conversations in the future…just as we did on the old TCLL patio. But from facing those difficult conversations, our lives become more enriched and healthy.”
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LAVENDER
DECEMBER 19, 2019-JANUARY 1, 2020