photo byJoseph R. Saporito
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Longtime LGBTI rights and Leather activist, Cherry Grove’s own Bruce-Michael Gelbert is being recognized by the Pantheon of Leather with a Community Service Award.  Bruce-Michael is part of a select group of community service activists in the nation who are receiving recognition by their peers.  Saluting his work in the Northeast Region, Bruce-Michael was in a strong field of activists, including Daddy Sal Susino, Bo Blaze, Ms. New Jersey Leather 2010 Morgaine and Sir Viktor. 

The Leather community is in the forefront among the most dedicated activists, raising money, interest and awareness for so many causes.  Bruce-Michael’s work is a great example, starting from the early days shortly after Stonewall.  Bruce-Michael worked on the Christopher Street Liberation Day Committee, the group that organized New York City’s early Gay Pride Marches in 1971 and 1972, bringing that experience to bear in Cherry Grove helping organize the growing Pride presence there in 2009 and 2010 for the parades, that this year was bigger than ever—and arguably the first Parade in New York State after legislation passed for marriage equality only the night before. 

Singing in community theatre productions in the Grove 1998 to the present, he also performed at Folsom Street East, New York’s Leather Pride Street Fair 2000 to 2002 and at Philadelphia Leather Pride Night in 2009 and 2010. 
Bruce-Michael is also a tireless supporter of the visual arts through not only his acclaimed writing for QonStage.com, NewYorkQNews.com, and this publication, but also via his photography, which has been featured in publications since the early 1970s, including the New York Native, Fire Island News, and the Leather Journal, as well his documenting of the Lords of Leather Ball, in 2010 in New Orleans, for Ambush Magazine.  His work is regularly featured as well in Island publications like the Violet Letter and Fire Island Sun.

Work in the Leather Community is where this award shines the spotlight and Bruce-Michael is accustomed to the limelight.  In addition to winning Mr. Fire Island Leather in the first contest ever, in 2001, he’s also been a runner-up in New Orlean’s Mr. Big Easy Bear contest, as well as in the Mr. Fire Island contest.  One of his Folsom Street East appearances was filmed for a segment about leather in an episode of “In The Life,” the acclaimed show about LGBTI people and issues and Bruce-Michael has also appeared in films like the late Phil Zwickler’s “Rights and Reactions,” about the passage of the lesbian and gay rights law in New York City, in German director Rosa von Praunheim’s “Neurosia,” and in several other films. 

Clearly the Pantheon of Leather judges had their work cut out for them, and we’re proud that their Northeast Regional Award for Activism recognizes our friend and brother, Bruce-Michael Gelbert.  While he doesn’t work the way he does for recognition, this celebration is long overdue.  Bruce-Michael will travel to Los Angeles with his partner Joe Saporito the first weekend in August to attend the Pantheon of Leather and International Mr. and Ms. Olympus Leather 2011 weekend and receive his award. 

Congratulations, Bruce-Michael!  Cherry Grove celebrates you!