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Kinktionary

More like guidelines and a lot less like definitions.

Leatherboy

A leatherboy is someone who identifies with the gay leather subculture while usually holding a bottom role within the relationship dynamic. While usually younger and more submissive, a leatherboy can be of any age and more often embodies a personality type and hierarchy, rather than pure submission.

The counterpart to them is Sir, with the dynamic generally being known as Sir/boy. They may also be known as Daddy/boy, though because of the implied incestuous overtones, many people do not identify as much with the term Daddy and prefer Sir.

Origins of the Term

The term leatherboy emerged from the post-WWII gay leather scene, which was heavily influenced by biker and military aesthetics, like leather jackets, discipline, and brotherhood. But it also embraced varying roles and power dynamics within BDSM culture. By the 1960s–70s, as leather rituals became more formalized in clubs and bars, the designation “boy” began to signify a younger or submissive partner who didn’t identify as a slave, contrasting with the more authoritative Leather Daddy.

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