Leather vixxens are ready to meet you
It seems we’ve been in the pandemic for so long it’s hard to remember a time “before.” A time when we didn’t give a thought to going to parties in tight quarters, trying out new places to eat, dance, or play. All of these places have suffered due to mandates, CDC guidelines, and “fear of the unknown.” Opening a new leather club, designed for women and non-binary folks, during this period had its own set of concerns but the drive to make it work wasn’t one of them.
Vixxens Leather Club was formed in 2021, to provide a place exclusively for women and non-binary individuals to meet, socialize and play. “We were about a year or so in the making. Speaking back and forth about what a club would look like,” says Jen Gaynor, AKA Jersey Devil, one of the founding members. “We felt there was a strong need for a club that provided women and non-binary folks a safe space, not just at a local or regional level, but at a national level. We are a national organization, with members of our founding class from Maryland, Iowa, Georgia, and of course, New Jersey.”
The Club may have opened in the middle of a pandemic, but the timing was on their side when they launched in July 2021, it allowed for outdoor events. “We kicked things off with a kayaking trip and then a Levi & Leather event at the Clifton Pleasure club, a local queer space here in Baltimore, which has a masking policy firmly in place. The interior of the club is open only for bar service and bathrooms, with all eating, drinking, and socializing taking place outside. We’ve primarily held events there since a lot of us are local to Baltimore or in New Jersey, which is within fairly easy reach.”
Being safe is nothing new to the Leather community, so following CDC guidelines for indoor play was expected. “We had a weekend retreat back in November for the full members of the founding class and all confirmed vaccination status. We follow CDC guidelines as well as the guidelines set locally and by the venue, we are using. With the weather warming up, we’re getting ready for hosting events, putting plans together for our first anniversary weekend, and doing ‘take-overs’, where we meet up as a group at a space in our gear.”
Although currently based out of the Baltimore area, they plan to hold events in other places, such as Philadelphia and New Jersey, as well as branching out to states where their members are based, specifically Des Moines, Iowa, and Atlanta, Georgia. “We have also talked about possibly doing joint events with the Virginia Leather Women United, a sibling club based in Norfolk, VA. Right now, those plans are on hold while we all limit contact, mask up, and wait for this surge to pass.” Additionally, they are keeping the future in mind, and how virtual spaces and events can satisfy the Club’s goals in the winter months when people generally stay indoors.
Since its launch, Vixxens Leather Club has held successful events and club fundraisers. “We’ve managed to reach a lot of people across the country since our inception and it shows us just how much of a need there was for an organization like ours. We hope to continue this momentum up to and beyond our first anniversary in July. Grow responsibly, get out to more cities and venues, and provide a space for leather women and non-binary leather folks to gather both in person and virtually.”
If you are interested in becoming a member of Vixxens, go to their website and fill out the membership form. They will then reach out and start the vetting process. A sponsor isn’t required, but it helps with vetting.
