In the realm of LGBTQ and civil rights politics, there are few people more experienced than the rightfully esteemed Cleve Jones. We’ve interviewed Cleve before, but in light of the upcoming election and the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation and sentiment coming from the conservative side of the political spectrum, we wanted to have Cleve back on our show to give us his thoughts on how we as queer, kinky, and otherwise marginalized people can rally the vote in November and maintain our...

In the realm of LGBTQ and civil rights politics, there are few people more experienced than the rightfully esteemed Cleve Jones. We’ve interviewed Cleve before, but in light of the upcoming election and the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation and sentiment coming from the conservative side of the political spectrum, we wanted to have Cleve back on our show to give us his thoughts on how we as queer, kinky, and otherwise marginalized people can rally the vote in November and maintain our...

Gay leather and drag cultures have been intertwined for decades. Within gay communities, leather and drag have often formed strong alliances and been considered outsiders, mavericks, and rebels. Leather and drag community members have also often been part of the vanguard of LGBTQ activism. That's why On Guard wanted to interview Brigitte Bandit an activists from the drag community to discuss our shared commonalities as well as the recent anti-drag sentiment that echoes the anti-LGBTQ and...

Music is such an important part of our culture and that includes queer, leather, and kink culture. The On Guard crew has had their gay and kinkster journeys influenced by music throughout the years. In this episode, each of us talks about the music that has had the most impact on us and why.

Bootblacks. What do they do, and why? What are some of the ins and outs of bootblacking itself? How do bootblacks fit into the fabric of kink and leather culture. These are just some of the questions we asked one of the country's preeminent bootblacks, Buck Harder. You'll find Buck teaching or practicing his craft on his social media channels, at leather events, or on most Sundays at the Barracks bar in Palm Springs.

For 40 years the Tom of Finland Foundation has been dedicated to protecting, preserving, and promoting the erotic arts. The On Guard crew was lucky enough to interview Durk Dehner, Co-Founder of the TOF Foundation, while we were in Palm Springs Live at the Tool Shed bar during Palm Springs Leather Pride weekend. Durk tells us stories about Tom, his art, and other erotic artists that you'll only hear about on this episode.

Folsom Street Fair is the world's biggest fetish and kink fair of its kind. People from all over the globe descend on San Francisco every year to revel with other like-minded kinksters at the Fair itself plus an ever-growing assortment of surrounding parties and events catering to those who live and play on the outskirts of conventional sexuality. As the fair has gotten bigger, the community has gotten wider and misconception and judgements have become common.

We're living in a time when trans issues are front and center in the social discussion, both within kink communities and elsewhere. But what is being kinky and trans really like? What was it like to transition decades ago and how does it differ today? How does a trans man best navigate within gay men's spaces? How can event producers, groups, and individuals within the kink scene be useful allies and inclusive of trans men? Huge thank you to our sponsors: http://LeatherDaddySkin.com Use...

The On Guard Cigar Salon crew delves into the topic of play parties and weekend events in front of a live GearUp Weekend audience. What are some tips on how to navigate such events? What are some of the common rules and guidelines that most play party environments enforce? In what ways are men's kink play and erotic spaces different today than in the past? The On Guard crew offers their insights as they answer these and other great questions from the audience comprised of both newcomers and...

In honor of Pride Month, the On Guard crew discusses their coming out experiences. We came out gay. We came out kinky. We came out poly. We have stories. It's by queer and kinky people telling their coming out stories that we empower those who might be struggling with that process. Smokeout is unique. It attracts certain types of maverick and rebel gay men who often differ from the leathermen or kinksters you might see at other events. That is why the On Guard crew was especially interested...

Every year a growing group of gay men with an interest in cigars gather in Las Vegas to socialize and play. The event is called Smokeout and our crew was honored that the Smokeout organizers invited us to record an episode live during this year's event. Smokeout is unique. It attracts certain types of maverick and rebel gay men who often differ from the leathermen or kinksters you might see at other events. That is why the On Guard crew was especially interested in the questions they might...

Because the kink and leather communities are founded upon the people who volunteer to keep those communities vibrant and active, we ask Sister Roma for her insights about why people volunteer, the benefits to them and the community they serve, and why volunteering is so vital to ensuring that our kink and LGBTQ communities continue to thrive. Stephan Ferris Twitter: http://Twitter.com/BlueBaileySF IG: http://instagram.com/BlueBaileySF Get the book : BLUE...

We take a look at Leather Contests and Titleholders. Are they fairly judged and are they necessary for our community today? WHO WINS HERE? Stephan Ferris Twitter: http://Twitter.com/BlueBaileySF IG: http://instagram.com/BlueBaileySF Get the book : BLUE MOVIE https://www.unboundedition.com/product/blue-movie-stephan-ferris-literary-nonfiction/ Reading is Fundamental Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@ReadingIsFundamentalPodcast Resources for Help: Alcoholic's Anonymous. Find a meeting...

Drugs! How prevalent are they in our queer community and should we tolerate or just cope with them? What do we do when we see someone struggling with addiction or wanting to play while high? Our guest Stephan Ferris (AKA: Blue Bailey) talks with us about his own personal struggles and the book he wrote about them: BLUE MOVIE Stephan Ferris Twitter: http://Twitter.com/BlueBaileySF IG: http://instagram.com/BlueBaileySF Get the book : BLUE...

Since our Gear Up Q&A went so well - we thought we would answer some more this month. We took questions from our viewers and answered them the only way we knew how. Hilarity ensues... Huge thank you to our sponsor Mr. S Leather and http://LeatherDaddySkin.com Use offer code: ONGUARD for 10% OFF Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xrAJLd7UrGAlfyew1p6gg Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-guard-cigar-salon/id1613817167 -------- Socials ------- Twitter:...

Uniformally, I'm surprised we didn't talk about this sooner. Today's talk titularly teeters on all things Uniform. From costumes to leather cops to our tenacious guest Thib, it's a convo that gets deep into leather roots, while asking what leather uniforms mean and can look like in today's scene. Huge thank you to our sponsor: http://LeatherDaddySkin.com Use offer code: ONGUARD for 10% OFF WARDROBE: http://SafewordShop.com Huge thank you to our sponsor Mr. S Leather and...

These Old gay Kinksters in San Francisco sit around smoking cigars and reminiscence about their experiences in the BDSM culture and how it has changed. We talk about bathhouses and how vital they were for creating a safe space and feeling of community at a time we had none. We also explore how this evolving for the next generation. Can we keep up? WARDROBE: http://OnGuardGear.com Huge thank you to our sponsor: http://LeatherDaddySkin.com Use offer code: ONGUARD for 10% OFF --------...

Cleve Jones is an LGBT+ activist who initiated the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, an endeavor that brought attention to the AIDS epidemic in the 80s through 90s. This history is not taught in our schools so we are very honored to talk about it with the man who was a true pioneer in bringing us all together. We remember the Aids Memorial Quilt and the impact it still has on our community as we weather the AIDS crises.

Donna Sachet has been applauded for her fun-loving spirit, quick wit, hosting abilities, and musical talent. As co-anchor of the SF PRIDE PARADE she has seen more than her fair share or PRIDE so what better person to talk to about PRIDE - what it means, where it came from and do Kinksters belong?

This week Pup Amp tests our panelists knowledge on kink and BDSM terms to see if the older guard peeps are able to keep up with new terminology.

What is toxic masculinity and why is the older generation accused of it so much? Let's take a look at our Leather history to find out and see what needs to change for today. SOURCES: More in depth look from Race Bannon published on Recon: https://www.recon.com/en/Blog/Article/race-bannon-fake-it-till-you-make-it/2841 Huge thank you to our sponsor: http://LeatherDaddySkin.com Use offer code: ONGUARD for 10% OFF WARDROBE: http://OnGuardGear.com -------- Socials ------- Twitter:...