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These last few years have been pretty difficult for most of us. For this reason, it is especially important that we celebrate Pride… as much as possible! To celebrate Pride 2022, Mister B has gone and done another round of B PROUD! This photo and video project celebrates the fact that we are all different, and that in fact, our uniqueness connects us. And being connected is what makes us powerful. B PROUD 2022 features a variety of unique folks from the local LGBTQ+ community who, like you, have a special point of view that they can share with the rest of us. They each have a special message to remind us of the value of Pride. Unlike last year, we had the opportunity to venture out to multiple spots and find locals to represent our community. Besides our home base in Amsterdam, we went to Antwerp and Berlin. We went to iconic landmarks and scenes that capture the essence of that city, as part of each person’s Pride experience. These three cities are home to our three Brand Stores, so it was an extra pleasure getting to know the folks who are familiar with our shops and local staff. 

In Antwerp, we photographed Gael at the Harborfront, right by the Waagnatie, the location of Darklands Festival, a huge, European fetish festival. We were with Amanda at the Grote Markt square, located down the road from Fetish Café (the place where you can usually find her). And, we took photos with Marciano in Central Station as it is the artery of the city and the place where he and his husband come almost every weekend. 

In Berlin, we shot with Mr Leather Berlin 2018, Jens, in front of the famous Reichstag Building. Tyrone, the producer of Folsom’s ‘Classic Meets Fetish’ concert, was photographed at the Brandenburger Gate, a very memorable landmark for him and his husband. And we shot with the sexy porn actor and sex work advocate Billy Vega by the metro stop Nollendorfplatz in Schöneberg, Berlin’s famously queer neighbourhood – where you can also find our brand store. 

In Amsterdam, we captured Drag Race contestant Keta Minaj by the canals, fabulous diva D’andre Maxwell by Central Station, and beefy bear Pasquale by the museums. It was a wonderful experience to spend time with such a variety of folks and get to know each and every one of them.  

We hope you will enjoy it as much as we did, and that you feel as proud as we do. 

With love, 

The B PROUD team! 

GAEL

 @Belgianleather

HE / HIM

What’s your plan for Pride this year?

Winning International Mister Leather past weekend in Chicago,
showed me that even fusion deserves space to feel safe, welcome and free.
So I’m pleased to show up at prides and to celebrate and welcome Diversity.

What is your favourite Pride memory?

My first Pride memory was in August 2019,
standing and dancing on the MisterB Antwerp float.
It was a sunny and beautiful day,
and I will always remember the joy that came out of Mister B.
I will always remember how Diverse we were, with Max,
Suus and the ladies of the Fetish café, we all had a good time together.

What is your first Pride experience?

  Every Pride has its own character.
In my opinion, there is no Pride better than another. But as a Belgian,
I have the most fun at the Belgian Prides,
because they’re so close to where I live and all my friend’s party along…s.

B PROUD

#pride2022

 

 

LADY AMANDA

SHE / HER

“Pride means being able to express how you feel on the inside and on the outside.
You can show who you really are.”

B PROUD

#pride2022

 

 

MARCIANO

HE / HIM

What’s your plan for Pride this year?

I am going to enjoy it, with my husband. Meeting new people,
my friends. Celebrating, disi na mi (this is me), my proud and pride.

What is your favourite Pride memory?

My favourite pride memory is from 2014, Pride Amsterdam
when I stood up to a bully at the pride
when I made him apologize after he spat on a friend of mine.

What is your first Pride experience?

My first pride memory is from 2012,
when I went to the Pride Amsterdam without planning,
got from work, took a train to Amsterdam,
bought clothes, got dressed in front of everyone,
and made a lot of friends.

B PROUD

#pride2022

 

KETA MINAJ

@KETA.MINAJ

SHE/HER (WHEN HE’S IN DRAG)

Do what you love. Love what you do.
Wees truts op jezelf!

B PROUD

#pride2022

 

D’ANDRE MAXWELL

@DJJMCASTILLO

HE/HIM

What’s your plan for Pride this year?

Is to finally experience for the first time
what it is to party on a massive scale with my community.
Also secretly find a beautiful guy and close the night like a true king,
if you know what I mean. THE FULL PRIDE EXPERIENCE.

What is your favourite Pride memory?

I haven’t had a pride experience yet,
but I’m looking forward to being part of the canal parade.

What is your first Pride experience?

I don’t have any, but if I would I think it would be:
being able to kiss in the middle of the street in front of every single person
and the type of kissing that ends up in us being naked. 😂

B PROUD

#pride2022

 

 

PASQUALE

@IAMIPASQU

HE/HIM

What’s your plan for Pride this year?

My sister is coming over from London last minute,
we will be all around the city to celebrate and will be her first Amsterdam Pride!

What is your favourite Pride memory?

Euro Pride in 2011 at Circo Massimo in Rome wow that was amazing!

What is your first Pride experience?

Rome World Pride 2000, Sylvia Rivera was there, was an amazing 1st experience.

B PROUD

#pride2022

 

 

BILLY VEGA

@BILLYVEGAX

HE / HIM

Remember your roots,
commercial pride ain’t it.

B PROUD

#pride2022

TYRONE

@GERMANMRLEATHER13

HE/HIM

What’s your plan for Pride this year?

Like every year, my plan for Pride is to celebrate love, freedom and diversity,
and to spend the day with my partner, family and friends. In fact, everyone in our circle is invited to join us, as long as they want to simply be themselves and allow others to do the same,
without judgment. This is our Pride, for all of us!

What is your favourite Pride memory?

My favourite memory of Pride is the first one I spent with my partner.
We’d basically only just met and were still fresh in love. We’re still fresh in love today too, but that was a time when we were still getting to know each other and finding out
what we shared in common – including what we both liked to wear in public to gay events.
We drank so much champagne straight from the bottle en route that we only managed to make it from Wittenbergplatz to Nollendorfplatz before we basically had to stagger home again.
But we remember enough of it to still talk and laugh about it today.

What is your first Pride experience?

I’m in my mid-50s now, so we’re talking about a whole lot of Prides
since my very first one in London in about 1988 or so! Many of them, of course, has since become a blur so I’m not sure which thing I remember first nor at which Pride.
Instead, I’d like to say that I treat every Pride somehow like the first Pride. It’s always the first for something, whatever that is, and you need to appreciate it even if you might never remember it again. I think we all have more important things and people to remember than what we did at Pride, and sometimes it’s better to forget! That’s exactly what keeps it every time so exciting!

B PROUD

#pride2022

 

 

JENS

@GEARUPBERLIN

HE / HIM

Pride is not a gray, family-friendly
circus to please the majority,
but to show yourself in your
true colours and not to be
ashamed of who you are.

B PROUD

#pride2022

 

 

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