Published in the 1970s by Rough Trade, Leatherman comes out of the post-Stonewall moment when gay pulp stopped hiding and started documenting a culture that was suddenly visible, organized, and proud. This was the era when leather bars, motorcycle clubs, and fetish communities moved from coded subtext to named identity—and pulp fiction followed suit.
’70s gay pulp tied to leather culture was unapologetic and direct. Covers leaned into hypermasculinity, uniforms, gear, and ritual, reflecting a community that used leather not just as erotic shorthand but as structure, belonging, and resistance. These books weren’t trying to explain themselves to outsiders; they were speaking to readers who already knew the codes.
