Keynote Speaker:
Hardy Haberman
Hardy is an Internationally known Leatherman, Speaker, and Educator at BDSM/Leather/Kink events.
Hardy Haberman is an American author, filmmaker, educator, designer living in Dallas, Texas. He is a prominent figure in the leather/fetish/ BDSM community, and a frequent speaker at leather events and contests.
In the mid-1970s, Haberman become involved in LGBT activism as part of the Dallas Gay Political Caucus (later known as the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance), the city’s first LGBT advocacy group. In late 1976, he became interested in the leather subculture. In 1980, Haberman co-produced the first Cedar Springs Carnival, held during Gay Pride Week in Dallas. The Carnival coincided with the Dallas Gay Pride Parade, an event organized by a committee of Oak Lawn merchants and the first in Dallas since 1972. In 1984 Haberman joined the board of the Dallas chapter of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD). By the late 1990s, Haberman was a well-known educator in leather circles, teaching classes at events such as Texas Leather Pride in Austin, GWNN (The Group with No Name) in Austin, Spring Iniquity in Houston, Southeast Leatherfest in Atlanta, Kinky Kollege in Chicago, Leathermans Discussion Group in San Francisco, and in many other events in the United States and Canada. In 1999, Haberman and Bill Schmeling received the Steve Maidhof Award for National or International Work from the National Leather Association International. In 2007, the NLAI presented Haberman with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2010, he received the President’s Award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards. In January 2014, he became a columnist for Leatherati. In addition to his regular columns he has written for many print and online publications. In 2017, Haberman received the South Central Regional Award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards, and joined the Jeffrey Payne 2018 Texas gubernatorial campaign as media director. In 2019, Haberman received the Mr. Marcus Hernandez Lifetime Achievement Award (Man) as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards.
Haberman is an active member of the Cathedral of Hope Church in Dallas, TX, known for having the largest predominately gay and lesbian congregation in the world. He is currently the Chairperson on the Board of Directors of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance. He also writes a column called Flagging Left for Dallas Voice, a Dallas LGBT newspaper.
Classes and keynote:
Hardy will be teaching:
KEYNOTE:
CLASS 1
Putting the Sex Back into S&M
How many times have you heard someone say that “BDSM isn’t about sex”. That’s because they are doing it wrong. To miss the erotic aspects of SM is to lose the full impact of the experience. The class will discuss ways to create a more erotic experience from SM play and ways to enhance the sexual aspects of the scene. Additionally, the class will explore why sex doesn’t have to be “Part A” into “Part B” to be enjoyable!
Not for the shy or easily embarrassed.
CLASS 2
Owning your kink – living with authenticity in a Vanilla world
Should you keep your kink in the closet? Should you come out? To who and when and what are the benefits? More importantly, what are the hazards? Exploring these questions and more lead to living authentically. Authenticity does not mean parading your kink down Main Street, but it does mean thoughtful self examination and coming to terms with it.
Part lecture and part discussion, this workshop will help kinky folk better decide how to negotiate their path in a predominately Vanilla world.
Playing with Pain
Some call it pain, others intense sensation, either way it is something that can be integral to a scene. Physiology as well as practical information for using pain in a scene to bring about the desired results, Based on Hardy’s book of the same name.
A special demonstration will be included, and participation will be encouraged.