uear lLSb lrlends and lamlly,

1he 8oard of ulrecLors of lLSb-lC88, lnc. would llke Lo Lake Lhls opporLunlLy Lo provlde greaLer deLall Lo
Lhe lnformaLlon regardlng our leLLer of SepLember 20, 2013. We hope LhaL Lhls leLLer provldes lmporLanL
conLexL regardlng our undersLandlng and Lhe deLalls used Lo reach our declslons and Lo provlde some
clarlflcaLlons and new updaLes Lo Lhose declslons. AddlLlonally, we hope Lo dlspel Lhe lnaccuracles LhaL
were reporLed on boLh soclal medla and ln [ournallsLlc medlums.
1he lLSb-lC88, lnc. 8oard of ulrecLors recognlzes LhaL every lndlvldual has a rlghL Lo Lhelr own oplnlon
and LhaL every organlzaLlon, club, bar, conLesL, eLc. has Lhe lnherenL rlghL Lo formulaLe Lhelr own
oplnlons, esLabllsh Lhelr own nlche, produce Lhelr own guldellnes, prerequlslLes, buslness pracLlces and
Lo deLermlne who Lhelr focus cllenLele ls. no enLlLy can be everyLhlng Lo everyone. We are ln a world
LhaL comes wlLh many labels, nlches, afflnlLles, preferences and feLlshes. Llkewlse, we all come from
very dlfferenL places LhaL have a vasL degree of undersLandlng and dlfferences. We come from llberal
and conservaLlve places, we come from places of governmenLal and law dlfferences, we come from
varled famlly, soclo-economlc and falLh backgrounds. We are as dlverse of a communlLy as can be
aLLalned.
!"#$%&'(
1he 8oard of lLSb-lC88, lnc. wanLed Lo address some commenLs made regardlng Lhe hlsLory and
LradlLlons of urummer and lLSb and lC88. 1he vasL ma[orlLy of our LradlLlons and hlsLory ls passed down
by word of mouLh." 1here ls very llLLle wrlLLen and vlrLually no prlnLed or wrlLLen noLes, mlnuLes,
archlves or hlsLorlcal documenLs LhaL have been physlcally handed down from owner Lo owner
beglnnlng 34 years ago Lhrough Lhe presenL Llme. We relled on LrusLed sources and frlends Lo provlde us
Lhe hlsLory regardlng Lhe pasL and LradlLlons. We do noL belleve anyone has purposely or lnLenLlonally
provlded us lnaccuraLe lnformaLlon - we do belleve LhaL some of Lhe sLorles, hlsLorlcal facLs and deLalls
mlghL have been remembered dlfferenLly or lnLerpreLed dlfferenLly. 1hus, our currenL pracLlce has
proven noL Lo serve us well. ln llghL of Lhls, Lhe lLSb-lC88, lnc. 8oard of ulrecLors wlll place lnLo moLlon
Lhe followlng:
CreaLe a rogram CoordlnaLor of PlsLory Lo ensure Lhe accuracy of our hlsLory by compleLlng a
comprehenslve hlsLory pro[ecL. 1he rogram CoordlnaLor and Lhelr Leam wlll bulld and record
our hlsLory ln plcLures and prlnLed word. 1hey wlll reach ouL Lo key lndlvlduals, elders and oLher
resources Lo compleLe Lhls pro[ecL. 1hey wlll safely secure our hlsLorlcal documenLs and wlll
make Lhem avallable on Lhe lLSb-lC88 web slLe. ln a llke manner we wlll annually add Lo Lhe on-
golng hlsLory.
LsLabllsh an Advlsory Councll comprlsed of duly quallfled communlLy members and Lo reflecL
Lhe dlverse specLrum of Lhe lLSb-lC88 famlly. 1hls Councll wlll serve as a valuable resource
provldlng hlsLorlcal conLexL and advlce for Lhe fuLure. We have spoken wlLh Mlke Zuhl, founder
of lLSb-lC88, and he has agreed Lo be Lhe flrsL member of Lhls Advlsory Councll. As we reach ouL
Lo oLher lndlvlduals Lo serve on Lhe Advlsory Councll, we wlll keep Lhe communlLy posLed.

lLSb-lC88, lnc. announced Lhree changes ln Lhelr SepLember 20, 2013 leLLer. We wlll Lake each change,
one aL a Llme, and provlde greaLer deLall.
&)*"%+#(
8eglons were never ellmlnaLed. 1he currenL 8eglons sLlll exlsL.
8eglonal roducer conLracLs were never volded. 1he exlsLlng annual conLracLs explred on
SepLember 1, 2013, as Lhey have always explred each year when Lhe lnLernaLlonal conLesL has
been compleLed.
lLSb-lC88, lnc. does noL own Lhe names of Lhe 8eglons. 1he names belong Lo Lhe 8eglons
Lhemselves. We encourage 8eglons Lo secure Lhelr names as approprlaLe Lo Lhe buslness laws ln
your area. (lLSb-lC88, lnc. owns Lhe names of Lhe lnLernaLlonal LlLles and Lhe lLSb & lC88 logos
are reglsLered Lrademarks of Lhe company.)
We are noL slgnlng new conLracLs wlLh 8eglonal roducers golng forward for legal, llablllLy and
flnanclal conslderaLlons as explalned ln our leLLer of SepLember 20, 2013.
ln Lhe pasL 13 monLhs of research and recelvlng conLlnuous feedback from 8eglons, communlLy
members, bars and oLher conLesLs, abouL Lhe currenL sysLem, we are maklng some changes Lo Lhe
sLrucLures of our conLesL and our 8eglons. 1he changes are ln hopes Lo respond Lo Lhe needs of our
currenL communlLy and Lo ease and free up our 8eglons Lo produce conLesLs ln a manner LhaL besL flLs
Lhelr needs. 8elow are some polnLs of lnformaLlon on and some deLalls of Lhose changes:
Some 8eglons feel Lhelr geographlcal area ls Loo large Lo coordlnaLe.
lL ls our undersLandlng LhaL Lhe number of 8eglons we have had ln place was ln con[uncLlon Lo
how many cenLerfold pages Lhe LradlLlonal !"#$$%" Magazlne had. (1hls ls Lhe lnformaLlon LhaL
was passed down by word of mouLh" Lo us.) 1hls ls no longer a prerequlslLe for deLermlnlng
Lhe number of 8eglons we need ln Lhls day and age.
Pavlng such large 8eglons has proven Lo be cosL prohlblLlve for some roducers Lo Lravel,
neLwork wlLhln, and garner Lhe approprlaLe supporL ln order Lo secure conLesLanLs, promoLe
Lhelr conLesL and successfully markeL lLSb-lC88.
1rylng Lo brlng ma[or/mlnor meLropollLan areas and rural areas LogeLher over a large has proven
Lo be dlfflculL.
Pavlng Lhe exlsLlng large reglonal geographlc areas many Llmes leaves smaller areas/clLles Lo be
underserved.
Many roducers would prefer Lo work more closely Lo Lhelr acLual geographlc vlclnlLy and Lo
bulld up Lhose relaLlons and communlLles raLher Lhan a geographlc boundary LhaL lncludes
mulLlple sLaLes.
lL ls clear LhaL roducers need Lo have Lhe freedom Lo neLwork and sLrengLhen Lhelr evenL by
focuslng on Lhe geographlc boundarles LhaL Lhey choose.
We need Lo prepare Lhe way for more 8eglons Lo be esLabllshed ln norLh Amerlca and
lnLernaLlonally so LhaL we can expand our lnLernaLlonal aspecL.
Cur goal ls Lo llberaLe Lhe 8eglons Lo acL ln Lhe manner LhaL besL flLs Lhelr needs and Lo sLrengLhen
Lhemselves Lo produce Lhe besL evenL and besL conLesLanLs as posslble. ln order Lo help Lhls process Lhe
8oard would llke Lo announce Lhe followlng deLalls:
ln our leLLer on SepLember 20, 2013 we announced LhaL conLesLanLs may enLer Lhe lLS8-lC88 conLesLs
dlrecLly by wlnnlng a conLesL aL Lhe 8eglonal, SLaLe, ClLy, 8ar or LvenL level. We would llke Lo announce a
change from our orlglnal leLLer.
,-./&.012324.: lf Lhere ls a reglonal conLesL ln your area you musL acLlvely parLlclpaLe ln Lhe
reglonal conLesL Lo be accepLed as a conLesLanL for Lhe lnLernaLlonal LeaLherSlr, lnLernaLlonal
LeaLherboy or Lhe lnLernaLlonal CommunlLy 8ooLblack conLesLs, unless, Lhere ls no reglonal
conLesL ln your area.
We feel Lhls pre-requlslLe helps ln dlrecLlng people Lo Lhe reglonal level Lo galn addlLlonal experlence ln
compeLlng ln a conLesL and lL feeds Lhe reglonal conLesL Lo have more conLesLanLs and greaLer exposure.
Llkewlse, lL allows Lhose LhaL do noL have a reglonal conLesL ln Lhelr area Lo sLlll parLlclpaLe ln Lhe
lnLernaLlonal ConLesLs.
AddlLlonally, we would llke Lo address geographlc boundarles and reglons. ln response Lo Lhe above
lnformaLlon regardlng Lhe dlfflculLles of coordlnaLlng such large reglons, we are exclLed Lo announce
LhaL roducers may apply Lo alLer or change Lhelr geographlc boundarles, names, eLc. Lo besL sulL Lhelr
needs. 1hls may mean you do noL wanL Lo make any changes or you mlghL wanL Lo focus your 8eglon
around a speclflc greaLer meLropollLan area. 1he slzlng and vlclnlLy LhaL you feel wlll besL sulL your needs
and make your evenL successful ls Lhe roducer's cholce, and Lhe flnal approval of all 8eglons wlll lle
wlLh Lhe 8oard of ulrecLors. Llkewlse, we wlll accepL new appllcaLlons Lo creaLe new 8eglons, however,
aL no polnL may 8eglons overlap, whlch ls why Lhe 8oard of ulrecLors wlll monlLor reglonal boundarles.
1he 8oard ls currenLly creaLlng Lhe parameLers and appllcaLlon process, whlch wlll be communlcaLed ln
Lhe nexL few weeks. 8efore we accepL appllcaLlons from new roducers, Lhe 8oard of ulrecLors wlll flrsL
accepL appllcaLlons from Lhe currenL and recognlzed roducers of LSb and C88 conLesLs sLlll acLlve as of
Loday, SepLember 27, 2013.
AlLhough we sLaLed ln our prevlous leLLer Lhe reasons why we would noL slgn conLracLs wlLh Lhe
8eglons, as was done ln Lhe pasL, we have meL wlLh our aLLorney and lLSb-lC88, lnc. wlll slgn llcenslng
agreemenLs wlLh Lhe 8eglonal roducers, whlch wlll proLecL Lhelr reglonal boundarles, as well as provlde
Lhem wlLh Lhe use of Lhe lLSb-lC88 reglsLered names and approprlaLe Lrademarks.
ln addlLlon, each 8eglon wlll no longer need Lo sell 12 (Lwelve) ads for Lhe program book, as ln years
pasL. ConLesLanLs who move on Lo Lhe lnLernaLlonal conLesL wlll pay a flaL conLesLanL enLry fee. 1hls
fee has noL been seL aL Lhls Llme, however, lL wlll be less Lhan Lhe currenL $373 each conLesLanL used Lo
have Lo garner wlLh ad sales.


5,,%"+$)6($"$7)#(
1he 8oard of ulrecLors sLrongly belleves LhaL conLesLanLs need Lo acLually go Lhrough Lhe process of
compeLlng ln a conLesL ln order Lo advance Lo Lhe lnLernaLlonal level. 1he conLesL/compeLlLlon
experlence ls lnLegral Lo proLecL and preserve Lhe lnLegrlLy of Lhe conLesL and ensure LhaL Lhe besL
represenLaLlves of Lhe players and booLblack communlLles are chosen. Also, by golng Lhrough Lhe
conLesL process lL provldes beLLer publlclLy of Lhe reglonal and lnLernaLlonal conLesLs. 1hls declslon was
based on Lhe followlng facLors:
numerous emalls from Lhe communlLy quesLlonlng Lhe selecLlon process of appolnLed
LlLleholders, of whlch Lhere was noL one.
numerous emalls from Lhe communlLy quesLlonlng Lhe lnLegrlLy of Lhe conLesL when
appolnLmenLs are belng vlewed as backroom pollLlcs."
1he lack of Lransparency ln Lhe selecLlon process of Lhe appolnLed represenLaLlves of Lhe
communlLy's LlLle.
8%+$)#$5+$#(
"94.-9:42;9:<(8;==1924>(?;;4@<:AB - Lhere were no changes made Lo who may be a conLesLanL
ln Lhe lC88 conLesL.
"94.-9:42;9:<(7.:4C.-#2-(:9D(7.:4C.-@;> - we would llke Lo provlde some lnformaLlon regardlng
why we lssued our sLaLemenL of re-afflrmaLlon on conLesLanLs and Lhen provlde you new
updaLes Lo LhaL declslon.
We made our declslons based on Lhe hlsLory of Lhe evenL as we knew lL - as was passed
down Lo us by word-of-mouLh by Lhose lndlvlduals wlLhln Lhe communlLy who we
belleved, aL Lhe Llme, were knowledgeable of Lhe hlsLory.
We made our declslons based on Lhe conLlnuous requesLs Lo reLurn Lo lLSb's LradlLlons
and hlsLory: commenLs LhaL were sLrongly made known Lo us verbally durlng Lhls lasL
lLSb-lC88 weekend.
We made our declslon based on collecLlve lnformaLlon, lncludlng well-known leaders
who had recenLly glven speeches or provlded wrlLLen oplnlons abouL Lhe need Lo re-
clalm our gay ldenLlLy, our gay evenLs, our gay clubs and our gay prlde and how we had
become Loo lncluslve ln our quesL Lo be pollLlcally correcL.
We based our declslon on advlce and supporL from well-LrusLed communlLy members.
We based our declslon as we Look over an evenL LhaL was ln decllne. 8y Lhe suggesLlons
and lnformaLlon glven Lo us by Lhe vocal communlLy, lL seemed clear LhaL you wanLed
Lhls evenL Lo reLurn Lo lLs LradlLlons.
never, never, never was any dlscusslon Lo purposefully exclude any segmenL of our
communlLy Lo be percelved as negaLlve, blgoLed or harmful.
We falled Lo recognlze Lhe balance beLween advlce and Lhe communlLy lLself.
ln Lhls world (cerLalnly ln Lhe u.S.) where everyLhlng ln our gay communlLy (churches,
nelghborhoods, clubs, organlzaLlons, eLc.) ls belng homogenlzed - we have felL Lhe ever-
lncreaslng loss of our gay ldenLlLy. We LhoughL our declslon was one LhaL would reclalm
and celebraLe our LradlLlonal evenL.
lL ls clear LhaL Lhe lnLernaLlonal LeaLherSlr and LeaLherboy LlLles are gay male LlLles. 1haL
has never changed and we do noL anLlclpaLe LhaL Lo change - lL ls parL of our rlch, gay
culLure.
AfLer a week of raLlonal dlscusslon wlLh Lhe communlLy and wlLhln Lhe 8oard of ulrecLors, we would llke
Lo sLaLe Lhe followlng:
WhaL has changed ls our communlLy. Some have changed aL a fasLer pace Lhan oLhers. CerLalnly,
ln our (8oard) geographlc area Lhlngs have progressed slower Lhan ln oLher areas.
We, as a 8oard, do noL clalm or preLend Lo know everyLhlng abouL our 1ransgendered
communlLy or Lhe process Lo LranslLlon from female Lo male. ln reallLy Lhe only lndlvlduals LhaL
can Lruly know exacLly whaL Lhe experlence ls llke belongs only Lo Lhose LhaL have made Lhe
LranslLlon. WhaL we do know ls LhaL we genulnely confess our love, accepLance and respecL for
Lhe Lransgender communlLy [usL as any oLher lndlvlduals LhaL come Lo our famlly.
We wanL Lo relLeraLe LhaL never, never, never was our dlscusslon and declslon meanL Lo be
harmful, Lo purposely exclude ln a manner of haLe or Lo be percelved as an acLlon of blgoLry. We
wholly sLand flrm ln our resolve LhaL our lnLenL was noL Lo cause or creaLe dlvlslon ln our
communlLy. lor anyone LhaL percelved our declslon ln Lhls manner, felL hurL or dlsenfranchlsed,
we offer you our slnceresL apology.
Cur communlLy has changed and so musL we. 1herefore, Lhe 8oard of ulrecLors has unanlmously
-.3A29D.D Lhe porLlon of our conLesL requlremenLs sLaLlng LhaL conLesLanLs for Lhe lLSb LlLles musL be
blo-born males" (a.k.a. cls-gender.) As lL has been sLaLed ln Lhe conLracLs slnce 2007, conLesLanLs for
Lhe lnLernaLlonal LeaLherSlr and lnLernaLlonal LeaLherboy LlLles musL ldenLlfy as gay males and be of
same-sex orlenLaLlon".
ln concluslon, we hope LhaL Lhls experlence has LaughL us lmporLanL lessons. CommunlcaLlon ls
paramounL and Lhe way ln whlch we communlcaLe ls [usL as lmporLanL. We (Lhe 8oard) musL send ouL
clear and deLalled lnformaLlon and Lhen we musL all enLer lnLo respecLful dlalogue and robusL debaLe
when we do noL agree. LeL us Lhlnk Lwlce before lssulng LhreaLs of deaLh or physlcal harm Lo one
anoLher and words LhaL harm and demean one anoLher. lease noLe LhaL our declslons announced
Loday were noL made wlLh concerns of or welghL glven Lo Lhe deaLh LhreaLs, LhreaLs of physlcal vlolence
and corporaLe exLorLlon - we sLand flrm ln our responslblllLy Lo proLecL ourselves as lndlvlduals and Lo
Lake approprlaLe acLlons Lo reporL Lhese lllegal haLe crlmes.
We call for Lhe communlLy Lo [oln wlLh us ln Lhe splrlL of goodwlll Lo conLlnue Lhe longsLandlng LradlLlons
of Lhe urummer/lLSb/lC88 movemenL and celebraLe loud and clear abouL who we are as Lhe klnky,
eroLlc, fun, vlbranL and dlverse LeaLher CommunlLy LhaL we are. We hope LhaL our deLalls wlLhln Lhls
leLLer and our updaLed declslons wlll serve as a condulL for heallng, unlLy and peace.
We look forward Lo honorlng our pasL, sLrengLhenlng our fuLure one conLesL aL a Llme and Lhen
gaLherlng LogeLher Labor uay Weekend 2014 for Lhe lnLernaLlonal LeaLher Slr, lnLernaLlonal LeaLherboy
and lnLernaLlonal CommunlLy 8ooLblack conLesL weekend.
Slncerely,
!effrey ayne
LxecuLlve ulrecLor and 1reasurer
8andal klnnear
resldenL
uavld 8oy
vlce-resldenL

Wayne uavls
SecreLary

Adam Lynn
ulrecLor