It’s been an interesting month. My prediction of turbulence has panned out to be correct, 2015 is indeed being a troublesome year. But with each low comes a high and I’m hopeful that things will pan out.

Firstly I’d like to take the time to thank Darren Tracey for his hard work and time put into BootCo. He stepped down from the role of committee member recently and I know there are many people in the community for whom he has been the person who introduced them to BootCo and the Leather scene, and I know he will continue in this role.

Over the last month I have been both praised for “Bringing BootCo. into the 21st century” then soon after “Endangering the club… [to] becoming a non entity in the gay community”. As the adage says – you cannot please everyone.

As the 2015 AGM is not far away, and as at the moment I’m planning to run for the role of president for another year, I’d like to lay out some points.

  • Under my watch BootCo. will remain strictly a men’s only club. However it is open to gay, bi, heterosexual and transmen, of whom we have active members. No one member is any more valuable than another.
  • BootCo. currently has more paid members active in the club than it has in a long time (if ever), as well as reaching more people and being heavily visible in the community. This is due to the hard work of the last few committees.
  • Under my watch the club with not engage in discrimination. I would wager men who are in this club have either faced homophobia or discrimination of our fetish or kink lifestyles, and it boggles my mind that some are unable to show similar acceptance for people in our own community.
  • This current committee is sending TWO delegates to compete in IML in Chicago. With active and hard work from the committee over the last few years BootCo. has donated a large chunk of money back into the community – $15,000.00 in the 3 years back into our community that includes projects for all aspects of our community, indigenous members, HIV related supportive projects,  transgender projects, men affected by sexual abuse and projects to ensure our elder members had hampers for Christmas.

BootCo. must stay with the times and continue to be relevant in the community in order to future proof the organisation. Active conversations must be had about how the organisation works and exists.

Am I pushing my own agendas? Yes of course I am, it’s part of the role of the president to have an agenda for the future of the club, without it the club would never grow or develop. Yes I see BDSM being an important part of BootCo. and yes I see inclusivity and tolerance being paramount.

If this doesn’t fit in with your ethos then I urge you to get involved, attend meetings or join the committee. You, like myself, are one voice that has the ability to shape the future.

Be safe and well Brothers!

Anthony Smith
President of BootCo.