My Gear Fetish are once again pleased to interview and get to know each of the contestants for the prestigious Melbourne Rubberman Contest – 2022.
Melbourne Rubber Week, SLICK, kicks off this Wednesday 31 August with welcome drinks and the contest is in two parts – Meet the contestants on Thursday 1 September at the Laird Hotel from 8pm, with the contest finale on Friday 2 September from 6pm at the Laird. (Tickets required for entry on Friday).
The full calendar of events and details is listed here: Calendar of events – Melbourne
Sergio Tovar Moreno (he/him)
Find Sergio on socials: Instagram:Â www.instagram.com/sergiosiente
Twitter: Â www.twitter.com/sarkistiyor
How would you describe your gear fetish?
I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed all types of gear. From sports gear piquing my interest in highschool swim carnivals, football and soccer games, to later in life finding leather, lycra, et al. However, my absolute favourite above all is rubber/latex. My gear fetish style would be anything that accentuates the body, bringing out the ‘real’ you, making sure all the while you feel 100% confident. With rubber you definitely feel this and more. Being so tight and hugging one’s figure so well, anyone and everyone looks incredibly sexy and attractive in it. The shine and the gloss, the zippers, the flexibility and stretch of the material, or being almost covered (as much as I love to show skin) head to toe, the latex itself becomes like a second skin, making you feel like the sexiest creature alive. Gear has always made me feel my most confident and like any garment, and who we are as queer people, there are no rules or binaries with what you can mix and match. I love bringing different pieces of gear together, making me feel complete as I ultimately don’t fit into one specific box. I feel I can talk to anyone, be anyone and achieve anything.
How did you discover your gear fetish?
I lived in Sydney for a few years when I was much younger and made a close friend who was into leather, and other fetishes, and this intrigued me greatly. There was a leather/fetish night happening and he proceeded to invite me, yet at the time I had no gear whatsoever. My friend then bequeathed me a leather harness, my first piece of gear. From putting it on for the first time, I felt so very empowered, I felt attractive, loving that person I saw in the mirror and that others could also see this beaming new-found confidence. From then I dabbled in other forms of gear and this led me to then move to Melbourne and fall madly in love with rubber. I discovered more of the rubber scene through networking and making new friends, which then led me to buy my first official piece. Some ‘short’ shorts, with a yellow trim. Still one of my favourites in my collection (they make my butt and legs look great). Inasmuch as my tangible experiences with gear came later in life, superhero films/shows have always left a lasting impact on me at every age. From heroes like The Power Rangers, Superman and The Flash, to villains and antiheroes, like Deadpool, The Scarlet Witch and Catwoman (Pfeiffer’s being the best interpretation ever), all in tight fitting lycra, neoprene, leather and/or latex.
Describe the feeling you get when you buy new gear!
If I didn’t have the need to eat and pay my bills, I’d use most of my income for gear! The rush and joy when purchasing a new piece is an incredible feeling. Knowing that after I’ve tried it on and found the perfect size, having it fit like a glove, I look in the mirror and see sex. I see confidence and feel the happiest I can be in my own skin. It’s as if rubber brings out what was already hiding inside. I always think too, before or when buying gear, what other accessories could make this outfit pop and stand out. Meaning that I love experimenting with different colours (flagging or not, all colours have a space to be noticed and just look good), other fabrics and materials, and adornments, like chains and jewellery. So all in all, that rush keeps going until I wear out and see everyone gasp and love what I’ve put together. It’s pure euphoria!
Who would love to see dressed up in any type of gear and why?
I have two people I’d love to see dressed up in rubber/latex (being the most sexy and expressive of all gear in my view), for different reasons. Henry Cavill, after seeing him interpret the role of Superman, forever left an imprint in my (and many others’) mind. It was a combination of his deep baritone voice and skin-tight, mesh and latex garb… Move forward to him playing Geralt in The Witcher, decked out from head to toe in leather and armour… need I say more? So just imagine him in perhaps a black rubber polo top, with tight a trim around those bulging arms, in any colour you’d like, accompanied with a matching pair of trousers, boots and suspenders; total British ‘dom’ look. I’d give complete and sound consent for him to explore all varieties of kink and fetish with me; he’ll speak and I’ll do. On the other hand, Bad Bunny, who’s done an incredible amount of work for the Latinx community, in breaking down cultural, gender and sexuality norms with his music, would absolutely be the most fun person to be out and about in rubber. We’d have a blast for sure, both of us in catsuits, with different/individual design details on each, but similar nonetheless. He’d be like the sexy, supportive, super fun rubber friend I could enjoy dancing the whole night with and making out.
Ross Savedge (he/him)
Find Ross on socials: Instagram
How would you describe your gear fetish?
I’m basically into anything tight and shiny: latex, lycra, etc. I love sports gear, particularly leggings and wrestling singlets, and the confidence and excitement (both sexual and non-) from wearing it. Whether it’s wearing leggings to the gym, lycra on my bike, a wetsuit for a swim or other gear to the club, I really enjoy both the feeling of the clothing and the exhibitionist element. It’s something I enjoy both wearing myself, and seeing on other guys. Latex has been a more recent discovery for me, encouraged by a few folks at Melbourne Rubber, and was a logical ‘next step’ and has opened up an entirely new realm of fun. In terms of style, I like varying amounts of coverage from the torso down–not particularly fond of sleeves or anything covering my head (which reflects my clothing style generally–I love singlets and generally dislike long sleeves or hats). I generally tend away from zippers or other sorts of ‘access’–the inaccessibility is sexy, in terms of feel, look, and confidence.
How did you discover your gear fetish?
I pretty much always remember having this fetish. The first memory would be trying on a friend’s dance class uniform at maybe age 4–and getting busted by her mother, who immediately told my mother, and caused great embarrassment. Throughout grade school and into university, I was a swimmer, so constantly surrounded by guys in speedos. Once I got my driver’s licence at 16, a favourite passtime was going to the sports supply stores to see what kind of hot gear they had–running tights, wrestling singlets, compression gear–anything I could get my hands on. I also loved watching the other guys at swim meets. Paradoxically, I didn’t realise that it wasn’t just the gear, but also they guys wearing it, that I was into until I was 19 years old–after my first year of university. When a friend took me to Eagle Leather (a year and a half ago now?) to look at gear, I was immediately drawn to the latex section. The first thing I picked up was a black latex wrestling singlet (although disappointingly, with zippers) which I immediately tried on, looked in the mirror, and realised I was buying right then and there.
Describe the feeling you get when you buy new gear!
As noted in the previous question, shopping for gear has been a passtime basically since I got my licence at 16 and was able to go to stores on my own. (There was no public transport where I grew up, and online shopping wasn’t really a thing yet, so it was pretty much impossible before that.) I spent way too much time shopping, was always very nervous, sweaty and shaky, and very ‘excited’. Sports supply stores were usually okay, barring harrassment by staff who wanted to help me (did they notice all I was looking at was the lycra??) but occasionally I’d really challenge myself and go into, say, a dancewear shop. When online shopping became a thing, this all became easier, although there just isn’t the same thrill or satisfaction. Plus I’m not exactly a patient person and waiting for things to arrive by mail is excrutiating. I also don’t have a ‘normal’ body shape (my calves and thighs are very large, legs short and torso long) and find that even sports leggings usually require trying them on in the store–I’ve probably sent back 50% of things I’ve bought online. Buying latex is actually much easier, because it’s fetish wear by definition and I’m not so worried about people questioning my motives.
Tell me about your journey to sharing your fetish with others.
Sharing my fetish with others. Until a few years ago, I would rarely admit any of my fetishes to anyone. Having grown up in the American South, sexuality was viewed as something to be ashamed of, not something to celebrate. Despite moving out of that environment as soon as I could at age 18 (I am now 41), it’s definitely been a weight that I’ve struggled to shed. I’ve never been particularly comfortable meeting people online (my relationship, at 16.5 years, predates smartphones and apps), and I always felt intimidated by in person fetish communities, which I perceived (perhaps incorrectly) to be much older and sexually aggressive. So I pretty much kept my fetishes to myself with the occasional public display, such as wearing leggings to the gym or a wrestling singlet or superhero outfit for Halloween–but I would not have dared admit there was anything sexual about it. Enter Melbourne, where people are open about their sexuality, kinks and fetishes and there’s a fantastic community of people to support you on your journey, and these things have gradually come out in the open. Entering the Melbourne Rubber Man competition is for me a huge challenge for being more open and honest about my sexuality, and the start of what will hopefully be a fun journey of learning–and sharing–more about myself.
Will Gauvin (he/him)
How would you describe your gear fetish?
For gear fetishes I love rubber, both latex and neoprene, as well as leather.  I definitely prefer latex though. For me I feel I’m more confident when I’m in fetish gear. When I’m out if I’m in normal clothes I feel I don’t stand out. With gear on you can wear something that people will notice.  While I don’t identify as a pup or a handler, I do find pups hot so I keep an eye out for them. Finally I prefer to play in gear; if the night starts with gear on, it ends with gear on.
How did you discover your gear fetish?
That’s going back a very long time. I think it was around 2001 just after I had moved to Atlanta in the USA that after being at the Eagle I felt that I wanted to explore the fetish scene. I think I would have been about 26 years old, so I’ve been in fetish for over 20 years now.  The first piece of gear I bought was a second hand leather harness and soon afterwards I bought a pair of leather boots that died about 6 years ago in a backroom in Munich, Germany. The first piece of latex would have been in about 10 years ago when my husband bought us a matching pair of rubber soccer outfits.
Describe the feeling you get when you buy new gear!
Given I have a very expensive wardrobe full of rubber and leather I can safely say that I love buying new gear. In fact I recently bought a new semi-transparent rubber top just in time for the Melbourne Rubber Men contest and Slick Week. There is nothing like being able to try it on before you buy, you also get to see the colour and can work out if it would be right for you. However, I’ve bought a fair bit of rubber online including a few bespoke pieces. No matter if I’ve bought it from a store or have bought it online, when I get home (or get it) I have to try it on, and then I want to plan to go out and show it off.
What do you like about the Melbourne rubber community?
For me it is a very open an inclusive community. While the community started off exclusively as gay male group it has become so much more and is very accepting of everyone not matter their gender or sexuality. When my partner and I moved from Auckland (I sure do get around), Melbourne Rubber was just starting off and we both felt right at home. It made moving here a whole lot easier (even though I had lived here twice before). During the height of pandemic they went out of their way to raise funds for the Laird to help keep them afloat. You can’t ask for a more friendly community and even past Mr International Rubber winners attest to coming over here and having fun.
Bryn Cullen (he/him)
Find Bryn on socials: Twitter
 
How would you describe your gear fetish?
My fetish interests are wide and deep, latex being one of the key ones. I particularly like the way it reveals and hides the body, and freedom of expression it gives to its wearers, its as close as you can get to being naked whilst having your clothes on!
Other fetish interests of mine are rope bondage, power exchange play, and I dabble in leather as well. Ultimately, my fetish is deep human connection and I’m on board with any vehicle that can help achieve that.
How did you discover your gear fetish?
I was lucky enough to grow up in Melbourne which hosts a variety of venues and community groups, through which I learned to be proud of my sexuality and positive about my fetishes. The Laird hotel has long been a home for various communities and it was there that I was first exposed to gear fetishes. I got into it  my mid-twenties because It gave me a sense of community and belonging, a sense of family, and it kept me in the company of men I found very very attractive! The first piece of fetish gear I actually bought was a leather harness (ground breaking!). It was a custom brown leather bulldog harness made by Laurie Lane, and I got it because I figured it would look nice with my slightly ginger beard.
My first piece of Rubber was from Eagle Leather, a black and red body suite that the notoriously lovely Jason Pierce helped pick out for me, I still wear it to this day.
 Describe the feeling you get when you buy new gear!
Buying gear is super fun! It’s an exercise in how I choose to express myself so it comes with a certain level of introspection and discovery. It’s how I choose to present myself to the world, and what I feel most comfortable and ‘correct’ in, figuring that out is a great time IMO.
In all areas of my life I am motivated by ‘the hunt’, whether it be in romance, career, sex and gear fetishes. I love the thrill of the chase, finding the right piece of gear definitely feeds into that.
What would you say to people new to the gear community?
Come on in, the door is open and all are welcome!
There is no right or wrong way to go about it, as long as it feels right for you and does no harm to others then you are on the right track. Come with an open mind, prepare to see stuff you like and some stuff you don’t, just be open minded and give yourself permissions to express yourself authentically.  You don’t need lots of gear, just a curious attitude.
Good luck to all four contestants!
Need some Latex for the contest? See what’s listed for sale here.
Got something to sell? Don’t forget there’s 20% off all listings in the Latex category until the end of Sunday 4 September 2022.
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