September 4, 2016
Dear Friends, I’m imagining a word or two by way of
explanation might be useful. A few weeks ago I attended the GNI yearly
“Gathering” in the Poconos. GNI stands for Gay Naturists International. GNI is,
as yet, not that well known in California but very well known in the mid-west,
east, and internationally. It’s a large organization of gay men participating,
supporting, and protecting social nudity. We have a yearly event called
"The Gathering" at a large retreat center (summer camp) in the Poconos. This year we had about five
hundred gay men in attendance - tons of activities, workshops, dancing, and
entertainment in a truly beautiful environment. Every year the Gathering holds
a competition for Mr. GNI Leather to compete at IML. IML is International Mister
Leather. It takes place in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend with about 60
finalists from all over the US and abroad competing. I will be among them.
Some/many of you might be thinking, “Ralph? Naturism?
Leather?” These are lifestyle choices/expressions that, for me, are decades
old. Posting about them on social media is new. I only ventured on to Facebook
a couple of years ago. As a psychotherapist, I had been trained to try to limit
my personal exposure to keep myself as blank a slate as possible for client
interaction. As a postmodern psychotherapist, however, who got into this field
through the Shanti Foundation and AIDS activism, there are times when I feel
personal expression is important. In my twenty years as a clinician I have been
a founding member of California Therapists for Marriage Equality, creator of
AAMFT-CA certification for LGBT-Affirmative Psychotherapy, a vocal advocate
against Conversion/Reparative therapy, educator, supervisor and
sex-positive/kink positive therapist. My work and my life are inextricably
bound.
Next week, in Indiana, the American
Association for Marriage and Family Therapy is honoring me for my contribution
to the field of marriage and family therapy in the state of California. The
following week I will attend my first event as Mr. GNI Leather, taking the
stage with other titleholders at Folsom in San Francisco. I am excited, honored
and humbled by both opportunities – different threads of my life being knit
together. Having the courage to be seen for all I am has long been in the
making. I’ll be 64 in a few weeks. Many friends and lovers of my age cohort are
decades gone. I’m not ready to wind down and become invisible and irrelevant. I
wanted you, my friends, to know more of who I am and what I’m up to. Looking
forward! |
| Ralph B. selected as Mr. GNI Leather 2016. Photo Credit Paul H. |
