xtyfr
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
Scroll To Top
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
24 Photos of Leatherwomen by Carmelle La Sirena
What started as a hobby became a fetish and a passion for this queer artist.
Carmelle La Sirena is a conceptual artist, painter and photographer whose wandering heart has her living in both New York and Los Angeles. She began photographing "Leatherwomen" over 20 years ago as a way to explore and understand her own sexuality. What started out as a hobby turned into a fetish, and that somehow turned into an actual documentary affectionately known as We are Leather Women.
La Sirena started out photographing gay men in Leather Bars at a young age. "I was drawn to the level of sexual charge, the tension and passion that gay men could display. It took me a long time to understand my own sexuality, because we as humans, we are so limited on conversations about what real sexuality and sex is. I understood the sexual drive the gay men had, and admired that. I wanted so badly to connect in that way and be part of that level of desire, so I would hang out at leather gay bars. Having so many gay men in my life, this gave me a safe place to explore that. I have been honored to photograph people of all genders, body sizes, and nationalities. I find beauty in everyone that I meet."
Find out more about Carmelle's work and life on Facebook and Instagram.
"Humans around the world have been so conditioned to look at ourselves, our bodies and our sexuality through the dominant male heterosexual perspective which is suffocating and restrictive. I didn't realize how much I wanted to change that ideal until a few years ago. Really in the beginning, I wanted to capture how amazing I felt with my own lovers, with my play partners, and friends. In 1988, when I read Patrick Califia's book, Macho Sluts, and began having more access to alternative lifestyles, I knew that there were other women that felt the same way as I did. I began to ask various people in my life if I could photograph them, often while we were playing. I was deep into living a lifestyle that allowed me the ability to explore sexual power and desires, and I wanted to capture that on film for myself."
"Although much of my photography training and background was in fashion, I didn't want to always photograph the perfect model that fits in a tiny little corset. I was attracted to masculine women on motorcycles, but I didn't see many images of them out there, so instead I started turning the camera on my own life. I had a small photography show in the '90s and a woman at the show said to me, 'I now realize I am not alone. These are my people and I feel like I can connect with others.' That statement literally changed my life. I had never thought of my photography as life changing for anyone. My focus was to capture moments where people connect in their desire to empower each other through sex, but from a female perspective, my perspective. In the long run, you can not stop yourself from doing things because you're scared or because others are not going to like you. If you don't do what your heart desires, you won't like yourself. If you don't see the art you want to, create it."
“Fire”
“Bootblacking”
“Boots”
“Play”
“Branding”
“Rope”
“LeatherDyke”
Carmelle La Sirena, © Wendi Kali
Latest Stories
BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! opens new Gallery Café in London
November 06 2024 4:45 PM
Escape to laid-back luxury at this elevated rainforest resort
October 23 2024 5:00 AM
Out and About with Sasheer Zamata
October 03 2024 3:08 PM
Thirsty pics from last URGE Miami 2023
August 28 2024 3:19 PM
Breckenridge, Colorado’s 10-Mile Pride is an unexpected haven of queer joy
June 30 2024 10:36 PM
11 of Sarah Paulson's Best Performances (So Far)
June 17 2024 3:21 PM
Pines Play lifestyle brand celebrates Fire Island just in time for Pride
June 16 2024 8:30 AM
35+ sizzling pics from Provincetown Pride 2024
June 11 2024 1:17 PM
Top 10 Pride destinations for Millennials
June 11 2024 11:41 AM
Check out these 5 ways to celebrate (and survive) Pride with the kids
June 05 2024 11:00 AM
LGBTQ+ Airbnb travelers rate their top 10 cities
June 05 2024 9:45 AM
Top 10 surprise Pride destinations
May 30 2024 11:30 AM
More Than 50 of Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Moms
May 12 2024 11:44 AM
Get ready for a sizzling summer at Fire Island Pines in 2024
May 03 2024 9:00 AM
Scarlet fever: exploring our fascination, revulsion with blood
March 28 2024 6:45 PM
Go green with envy with 70 pics from Sidetrack Chicago's St. Patrick's Day party
March 28 2024 6:06 PM
Unleash your Winter Party 2024 cravings with these 30+ pics from last year
February 15 2024 3:54 PM
21+ steamy photos of Scotland’s finest gay men in Elska Glasgow
February 01 2024 10:07 PM
Trending stories
Recommended Stories for You
Christopher Harrity
Christopher Harrity is the Manager of Online Production for Here Media, parent company to The Advocate and Out. He enjoys assembling online features on artists and photographers, and you can often find him poring over the mouldering archives of the magazines.
Christopher Harrity is the Manager of Online Production for Here Media, parent company to The Advocate and Out. He enjoys assembling online features on artists and photographers, and you can often find him poring over the mouldering archives of the magazines.