wheelieterp | The rubberwilly saga continues...

But, at least for this blog, ENDS

Steve:

Again thanks for your comments. As I stated before, this topic will be brought up as we move forward into our debriefing session to plan next year.

I do accept responsibility for the posting of the rules as the weekend coordinator and the listed contact individual on the website. However, you will notice that on the Who's Who page there is a contest owner listed as well. If thing had worked out the way I wanted, you would find my name in the owner position, but I was not given that opportunity. If I was in that position, rule 2 would be changed immediately. But again I am not the person who can make that decision. This is not passing the buck but rather a stament of fact.

I am but one person. I am trying to change the gay male world to make it more rubbery through this contest, and this is why I competed in the contest in 2002. I was tired of being the only guy in rubber in the bar, and labeled as the freak in rubber. But as one person I can only control so much. I will continue my efforts to make the gay male world more rubbery into next year as well, re-examining the rules, and rule #2 specifically.

With the new owner, I am beginning to have the resources to look at the weekend from a larger and more diverse perspective. I have had several heated arguements with the owner about the direction I believe the contest should move and I imagine this will be another arguement in that direction. I have already reached out to several of my colleagues who coordinate other weekend and fetish clubs around the globe to ask how they have addressed this issue . I spoke with one at length yesterday during the event to see how their contest approached this topic in the last two years, and they have now had transgendered contestants compete and place highly in the top 20th percentile of therr event.

In that discussion I verfied that the rule is one that was created over 9 years ago by loking at other contests of the time and cramming them into a new situation. If my knowledge of the gay festish community is correct, this particular rule originated in the Mr. Drummer contest, a fetish title that was specifically about sex. Mr. Drummer no longer exists, but this rule was very common at the time. Prior to this weekend, I am unaware of anyone every questioning this rule. This is not an excuse for it's existance but rather a statement of fact. Am I proud of this rule now that it has been brought to my attention, no. It has never been my intention to hurt or marginalize anyone with this contest. MIR is an ambassador of the rubber community to the world, and as such should be accepting of all peoples. As a contestant said this weekend in his interview, we are citizens of the world first and foremost, in all it's amazing diversity. I agree.

The rule is not MY rule, but is a contest rule. It is not MY contest (though I would have liked the opportunity to make it so that) but unfortunately I AM the face of the contest. This is both a great joy and a great burden. Again, I will bring this to the owner as part of his review and will strongly reccomend that it be changed. I hope that next year I can be proud of having changed rule #2 and it can move from the burden side to the joy side of my involvement with MIR.

If you were to meet me I think you would find that I am a man of my word. You could ask 99.9% of our weekend participants and they would state the same. Rubber is my passion, Mr. International Rubber is my outlet to ensure that I am not alone in my passion. It is not my life, it is a volunteer activity that consumes a great portion of my time as the sole behind the scenes individual who is focused on it's survival and growth. The issue of transgendered people is core to that both of those goals.

Regards,

William "Rubberwilli" Schendel
MIR2003 and Weekend Coordinator MIR2006

MY REPLY

William,

Thanks again for the reply. I believe in your sincerity. I believe that you will go to the mat with this issue. I know you have other people to fight; that is it is not up to you ultimately. Let me reiterate: you chose to go ahead and lend your name and email address to an organization that has a rule that you disagree with. You did so because you believe in the cause and I applaud you for that, but all of our actions have consequences. Dealing with me being pissed off is the consequence of you, for all intents and purposes, saying "Well, I have weighed it, and I believe in the rubber cause enough that I will go ahead and lend my name and contact info even though I disagree with the discrimination of rule #2." I am sorry that that is true. I would not want to deal with me pissed off either. And I know you are not the owner, but yours IS the email contact listed, so I passed the buck to you. I understand that it does not stop with you and I understand that it is painful for you to have to be the brunt of me ranting at the contest.

But enough of that. Let's move on and be constructive. Now that I have yelled and screamed, and you have replied with well thought out and heartfelt replies, how can I help you get this rule changed? Consider me, and what people I can reach and influence, at your disposal in this fight to change rule #2 that you will undertake.

Oh, and as I am involved with and attend several national and international Leather/BDSM events around the country, I think we have met before. You look familiar anyway.

Sincerely,

Steve Nail.

TO WHICH HE REPLIED

Thank you again. I believe we now are both aware of each other positions and were our paths diverge. I also believe that beneath our difference there is mutual respect for each other and for that I am grateful.

It is my intent that the website and information regarding MIR2007 will be published the weekend of IML. You may find the result of my efforts at that point in time.

Please do say hello if our paths should cross at a future event.

Best wishes,

William "Rubberwilli" Schendel
MIR2003 and Weekend Coordinator MIR2006

AND

Steve:

I forgot to thank you for your offer of assistance. (Please forgive me as I have had 4 hours of sleep in the past 3 days.)

Again, thank you and I will let you know if there is anyway that you can be of assistance in this effort.

Continued best wishes,

William "Rubberwilli" Schendel
MIR2003 and Weekend Coordinator MIR2006