INTERVIEW: The Melbourne Rubbermen
from
Recon News
25 February 2018
What are your Recon usernames?
JasperPup, SirWolfe and RubberPiss
What inspired you guys to come together to form the group?
JP: The success of Manchester Rubbermen and seeing that in person during travel to Europe in late 2016 was a great inspiration for me personally to want to become involved in Melbourne Rubbermen.
SW: The group itself was formed by Martin (RubberPiss) & Liam, both Melbourne based rubber boys. It was after a trip to Folsom in Berlin and a week in Manchester hanging with the rubber boys out there that we decided that we need a similar approach and vibe back home in Australia.
RP: Having recently spent two years living in the UK, I was inspired to try and start something similar to what was going on in Manchester and in London on my return to Melbourne. After some discussion, an old friend of mine, Liam, and I decided to start up Melbourne Rubbermen. At the same time as this, Jasper (JasperPup) & Dave (SirWolfe) reached out to us. They happened to be moving to Melbourne from Perth, and wanted to build the same thing we did, so they offered to get on board.
What's the fetish scene like in Melbourne
JP: The fetish scene in Melbourne is one that I'm really quite proud of. For such a small fetish community we really do have a large footprint on the international fetish scene, which can be clearly seen by our consistent performance in both the Mr. International Rubber and Mr. International Bootblack - coming runner up a total of three times. It's really something we should be proud of.
SW: The fetish scene in Melbourne is truly something worth seeing for yourself. From sold out leather parties at The Laird to mixed events at Club80 to Slick - Melbourne Rubber Week, there's always something going on to quench your filthiest desires.
RP: On top of the Melbourne Rubbermen monthly events, we have lots of long running regular parties; like Spit n' Polish, Code Black, Gold Edition, Extra Dirty and Trough-X. We also have big one off yearly events like Northside Bizzare (Melbourne's little Folsom), Fantastic and Oz-Kink Fest. Mr Bootblack, Laird Leatherman, Slick - Melbourne Rubberman, and Australia Pup & Handler Competition are just a few of the fetish titles held in Melbourne each year.
The fetish scene gets a lot of support from our local community too. Everyone really helps each other out. We wouldn't be where we are so quickly without the support of our local fetish venues, businesses and charities; specifically, in our case, The Laird, our local venue; Eagle Leather, our local shop; and Down an' Dirty, our local charity partner.
How popular is rubber amongst the men of the city?
JP: With Melbourne Rubbermen hitting the one-year mark we have all noted a very sharp increase of popularity in the local fetish community. People are trying rubber, asking about it and talking about it in general. People who have never even entertained the idea of rubber are now regulars at our multiple socials/events and now identify as 'rubberists' which for us is something special.
SW: Rubber is gaining huge momentum amongst the men of Melbourne, from occasionally seeing one or two rubberists hanging out at The Laird on their weekly Spit n' Polish event on Thursday nights to seeing the place full of latex making full use of all the services on offer at The Laird.
RP: Rubber in Melbourne is growing as quickly as it is in the rest of the world. It really is the perfect material for our climate, as you can really customise it and get the right cut for each season. The growth of our group I think is a perfect example of how big rubber is in Melbourne, I just don't think it has really been brought together properly before.
What should a guy expect at a Melbourne Rubbermen social?
JP: A social, friendly and, most importantly, inclusive group of people enjoying their fetish to whatever extent that they wish to indulge in, depending on which venue we're in, of course.
SW: At a Melbourne Rubbermen social a guy should expect to be surrounded by friendly and like-minded men who all share the same interest in rubber. Whether it's someone who's been wearing rubber for countless years, someone wearing rubber for their first time or a visiting MIR title holder, there's a spot at the table for everyone. Socials can range from a Sunday brunch to a pervy Saturday night at VICE with a dark room, and everything in between.
RP: You will see a lot of guys, and sometimes girls, in amazing gear; and we sometimes even have a silicone shine station set up to keep you looking your best. A drama and judgement free atmosphere.
What have you got planned for the future with the group?
JP: More events to show rubber to the greater community. The aim is to have 3-4 social events per month - pub nights, pub crawls, rubber trivia and demo/try out nights - inspired by our friends over in Chicago. We also have future plans for a rubber focused dance party too, watch this space!!
SW: The aim is to have something for shiny visitors to do with us the year round, coz let's be honest, holidays are made better by rubbery experiences!
RP: We are going into 2018 ambitious! This year, on top of keeping our normal regular events, we are hoping to throw our first massive dance event, looking into starting up bondage and latex demonstrations and info sessions, march in pride parades behind our banner, and even branch out internationally, (I am planning on hosting a non-official pre-drinks before Rage at Belgium Leatherpride this year). We also plan to work more closely with the community, and really grow ourselves as a community organisation.
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