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Douglas Connors -- Bio |
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 Name: Douglas Camille Connors Age: 34 Height: 5'6" Weight: 136 lbs. Piercings: 2 (not incl. ears) Tattoos: 0 Carvings/Etchings: 1 Favourite Colours: Emerald Green, Red, Black You'll often hear me say...: "Seriously?", "Stellar!", "Bitchin'!", "Kickass!" Books I've recently enjoyed: Banker to the Poor by Nobel Peace Prize Winner and founder of the Grameen Bank Muhammad Yunus; In the Land of Second Chances by George Shaffne; French Kiss: Le rendez-vous de Stephen Harper avec le Québec by Chantal Hébert, and; the Tales from the City series by Amistead Maupin. Good Things on the Horizon: Going to Edmonton for my friend Scott's 50th, the impending return of tennis season, my sister's wedding! Current Guilty Pleasure: America's Most Smartest Model What really turns my crank these days (in no particular order): Leslie Feist, Canadian music (go Junos!), learning about the Delvin Vriend Supreme Court case which read sexual orientation into the Alberta Human Rights Act, the city of Edmonton. Achievements: Member of 1992 National Debating and Public Speaking teams; Multiple medalist (swimming) at Gay Games IV (NYC 1994) and IGLA 1995 - 1997 (Montreal; Washington, D.C.; San Diego); Awarded scholarship to present a poster and workshop at the 2000 International AIDS Conference (Durban, South Africa); Finalist at IML 25 (Chicago 2003) as Mr Leather Ottawa-Outaouais 2003; Awarded the Pantheon of Leather XIV Canadian Award for community service. Quote: "You must first love the skin you're in before the second skin will fit. Leather is not something behind which one can hide, for it reveals the true self." Photo credit: Eileen Murphy Douglas Connors was born in Montreal and raised in Ottawa.
His journey into Leather started at 16 years old. For the longest time, simply wearing Leather and hanging out where Leatherfolk gathered was enough. In 1999 he attended his first ever Mr. Leather Ottawa-Hull contest. In November 2000, he attended his first Mr Leatherman Toronto weekend where he made a fortuitous meeting which led him to his first IML in 2001.
Douglas was sashed Mr. Leather Ottawa-Outaouais (MLO) 2003 and went on to place 8th at the 25th anniversary of IML.
He was the Founder and Editor of Northern Sash!, founder of Positive Body Image Productions, the Ms Leather Ottawa contest and the Leather Luau. He also serves as an interviewer for the CLAW/Leather Archives & Museum's The Leather Studio oral history initiative. His writings have been featured on Leatherpage.com and Mamasfamily.org, in ToBe and Être magazines, and the Northern Arizona Two-Spirited Newsletter among others. His original column entitled Living Leather ended in September of 2005 (archives can be accessed here). His newest creation is From the Mind of LeatherTigger.
Recently, to his great pleasure and excitement, he has become a regular columnist for Instigator Magazine
Douglas has judged: Hillside Leather SIR/boy 2003, Mr Atlantic Canada Leather 2004, Mr Leather Ottawa 2005 (Chief Judge), Mr & Ms Atlantic Canada Leather 2006, Mr and Ms Olympus Ontario 2006, Mr Leather Ottawa 2007, Mr Leatherman Toronto 2008.
He has also recently started presenting workshops geared to the Leather Community, his first being at the Detroit Leather Institute for Education's annual Dark Weekend.
Outside of Leather, Douglas has studied contemporary dance for 13 years, and has used his artistic experience to present well-received works at Ms Ottawa Continental 2003 & 2004, CLAW 2004, 2005 & 2007, as well as at Mr & Ms Atlantic Canada Leather 2006. Of particular note was his winning choreography for the Ms Canada World 2004 Pageant.
He holds certificates and a degree in Communications from the University of Ottawa as well as two certificates in Social Communications from Saint-Paul University. He has also been heavily involved in HIV/AIDS awareness initiatives, both locally and internationally, having served on the boards of GNP+ and Bruce House. He has in addition presented workshops at the Canadian AIDS Society's Skills Building Symposium and the Durban International AIDS conference.
Douglas is a very proud recipient of the Pantheon of Leather XIV Canadian Award for community service.
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