Santa Clara County Leather Contest
Contestant Information

Contents:

General Information

The Santa Clara County Leather Contest is open to all men and women regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or sexual orientation. The goal of this contest is to find those who will best represent Santa Clara County and the general leather community as a whole. The man and woman chosen to carry these titles must promote a positive leather image, foster unity within the leather culture and raise the consciousness of the general public about alternative lifestyles and cultures. Overall judging will be based on Attitude, Personality, Leather Image, Stage presence, Ability to do the "Job," Public Speaking and Community Awareness. Each contestant will be interviewed individually by the panel of judges (pre-judging) and make several stage appearances in the course of the contest.

The winners (Mr. and Ms. Santa Clara County Leather) will receive prize packages including:

• A travel allowance to be applied towards a portion of the cost of transportation to and expenses at a national or international leather contest. Any entry fees for said contest will be paid by Santa Clara County Leather
   
• A leather patch bearing their title and year, suitable for application to a vest or jacket.
   
• A medallion bearing their title and year.
   
• Custody of the Mr. or Ms. Santa Clara County Leather sash for the year of their title. The sash remains the property of Santa Clara County Leather and must be returned when the title is passed on or should the winner otherwise relinquish the title.
   
• Other prizes to be determined.

Rules and Requirements

Rules

To compete for the title of Mr. Santa Clara County or Ms. Santa Clara County, you:

1. must be at least 21 years of age.
2. must be a resident of Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Alameda County north to Fremont, or San Mateo County north to San Mateo. Note: residency is less important than the attitude that the South Bay Area is the center of your personal Leather community.
3. must participate in all levels of the judging and pre-judging for the contest and to appear on time at all related events during the contest weekend. Contestant events include:
• Friday Night: Contestant meeting and "Kick-off Party" (non-judged -- this is a social event with the SCCLA)
• Saturday afternoon and evening: Prejudging, Stage rehearsal and Contest.
• Sunday brunch
4. must own the leathers and costuming you plan to wear in the contest.
5. must sign a release allowing your photos and images to appear in the media and any video which may be produced from a SCCL event.
6. must sign a pledge agreeing to abide by the "SCCL Guidelines" (the Requirements below) should you win the title.
7. All appearances must comply with federal, state and local decency and nudity laws or you will be disqualified. Similarly, actual sex acts (penetration) violate obscenity codes and may not be performed in public.
   Note that many of the leather "jocks" or "g-strings" on sale may not meet these legal requirements. If you have any questions regarding these matters, ask the producers well in advance. The producers encourage you to be imaginative in creating your "erotic image" and fantasy while staying within the legal guidelines... remember that "most sexy/erotic" is not the same as "most naked"!

Requirements: The SCCL Guidelines

The Santa Clara County Leather Association expects a certain level of committment from it's titleholders. These guidelines spell out those expectations in terms of behavior, activity, and accountability.

Behavior: During their title year, the winners (Mr. & Ms. Santa Clara County Leather) are expected to:

• maintain a positive attitude
• be active in the Santa Clara County Leather Community
• demonstrate the desire and willingness to bring/keep the Women's and Men's Leather Communities closer/together
• maintain an openness, respect, and willingness to work with all aspects of the Community (Lesbian, Gay, Straight, Bi, Drag, and others)
• have the committment and support of your personal communities to help you achieve success in your role of SCCL titleholder 
  during your title year.

• attend the monthly Leather community gathering (Leatherschmooze), normally held the first Thursday of each month at the Billy DeFrank Center.
  On those occasions when titleholders are unable to attend, make arrangements to stay informed of the proceedings of the meeting
• participate in the local gay pride celebration.
• initiate and execute a minimum of four local BDSM/Leather related events as a team (one per quarter).
• appear and participate at the next Santa Clara County Leather Contest to pass on the title and sash

Accountability: Titleholders are placed in a position of peculiar trust and responsibility, and so must remain accountable for their actions as titleholders to the community.

• All Titleholders must exercise a standard of care. This includes, but is not limited to:
• not appearing in public intoxicated, or under the influence of drugs, while acting in an official capacity,
• treating all persons with reasonable courtesy and respect,
• being responsible and accountable for all commitments to appear and schedules to be met, and
• refraining from slander or ridicule regarding individuals, organizations, or the Leather community as a whole.
• Mr. & Ms. SCCL must follow the "SCCL Money Handling Guidelines" for all events they produce, and see that those or equivalent procedures are followed for any events to which they lend their name and/or title.
• never use the title for personal gain without the written permission of Santa Clara County Leather or its agents.
• If for any reason one of the titleholders is unable/unwilling to complete their title year, he/she will surrender
1. the duties of the title
2. the SCCL title sash
3. the SCCL titleholders guideline book
4. any prizes won at the contest
5. any outstanding travel fund money
to the first runner up. In the case that there was no first runner up, and should the previous year's titleholder abstain from assuming the duties, that title shall become inactive for the remainder of the title year.

Remember that what we are looking for is NOT necessarily the prettiest face, best body or the most expensive outfits, but rather someone whose self-assurance, demeanor and whose very presence is imbued with that special quality we recognize as Leather.

Judging Criteria:

These will be the categories you will be judged under: 100 points possible from each judge.**

• PERSONAL INTERVIEW: Dress Casual Leather/Levi/Fetish - Any type of leather outfit or combination of leather, levi, or fetish wear you choose that best expresses your personal style and tastes. This will be the first look the judges will get at you. The interview with the judges will last approximately 20 min. (25 points possible). This can also be the outfit that you will be introduced in during the opening of the contest.
• SPEECH: Dress to be Formal / Dressy - 2 minute prepared speech on any subject you feel is appropriate. (20 points possible).
• EROTIC IMAGE AND FANTASY: (35 points total possible)
• FANTASY: Short performance (5 min. MAX.) Depict a leather, S/M, or other fetish fantasy. It can be erotic, political or funny. You may use music, dance, spoken word, movement and mime as well as costumes and manageable props. Your fantasy does not have to be sexual. Any imaginative scenario with a leather or leather/fetish lifestyle theme is appropriate. If your fantasy is sexual/erotic, please exercise good judgment and remember nudity and decency laws must be obeyed at all times. Creativity and originality really count in this category. Provide your own music, props, etc. Two (2) copies of music are needed, either on cassette (cued up to start) OR burned to CD (preferred).
• EROTIC IMAGE: A separate stage appearance may be included in the contest for you to present yourself in a more intimate, erotic look. In some contests this is referred to as the physique appearance, but the judges are more interested in seeing a positive erotic image rather than the most skin or the best body. Again, please exercise good judgment and remember that nudity and decency laws must be obeyed at all times.
• ATTITUDE: Judged for the entire contest (10 points possible)
• IMAGE: Judged for the entire contest (10 points possible)

**Should there be only one contestant for a title, that contestant must score a minimum of 75% of the possible maximum total points from the panel of judges.

SCCL Contestant Application and Deadlines

If you cannot download or print the application, email to have an application mailed to you. Please be sure to include your Name and Mailing Address.

NOTIFICATION: You must notify SCCLA of your intent to enter the contest no later than one (1) week before the contest. Please notify by email

APPLICATION: Your signed, completed application must be received by/at the Friday Meet & Greet.

Please keep checking our calendar for Leather Weekend dates.