Every year, the Minnesota Leather Pride dog tag does something remarkable: it takes the pulse of our community and renders it in metal. What began over 30 years ago as a simple stamped aluminum keepsake has evolved into something far more significant — a wearable record of who we are, what we value, and what we’ve been through together.
The tradition itself traces back even further, to the Atons of Minneapolis, whose collectible dog tags at Eros and Halloween parties planted the seed for what MNLP would grow into a defining annual ritual. Over the years, those tags transformed from simple keepsakes into symbols that encapsulate MNLP’s identity, history, and unity. Each year’s tag is a chapter: themes like “United Colors of Leather,” “RESIST,” “See Me,” and “Fuck Yeah” mark not just design eras but cultural moments.
The 2026 tag, “Come Together,” carries that tradition forward — and takes it somewhere new. Where past tags have commemorated milestones and reflected the community back at itself, this one was built the way it asks us to live: through genuine collaboration across individuals, organizations, and perspectives. It is, in many ways, the most fitting tag yet for a community whose greatest strength has always been each other.
About the 2026 Tag
The “Come Together” tag was a true community effort from concept to finished product, with many hands involved at every stage.
The central concept — many varied hands coming together from all parts of kink, leather, and community — originated with Karri Joe Plowman, co-owner of Twin Cities Leather and co-producer of the Twin Cities Leather & Fetish Weekend. Initial artwork was created by Rev Dominic Trix, with a focus on design that reflects the full diversity and breadth of the Leather Pride and local kink communities. Tag graphics and text layout were further refined by Andrew Bertke and Liz Lustig. The physical tags were produced by Kink on the Scene.
About the Design
The front of the tag weaves together multiple dimensions of representation:
- Kink community diversity — imagery spanning leather, rubber, and pet/critter play
- Skin tone variety — honoring the significant and often uncredited contributions of people of color
- Gender diversity — representation across the gender spectrum
- Disability inclusion — a hand signing “love” in ASL, a prosthetic hand, and a tattooed arm featuring symbols for neurodivergence, mental health and recovery, and marriage equality
On the back, the phrase “Come Together” is translated into the top languages spoken by the Twin Cities queer community: Dakota, Anishinaabe, Spanish, Somali, Swahili, Russian, Hmong, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Arabic.
A Note from Our Community
This tag reflects the spirit our MNLP President captured when Minnesota Leather Pride unveiled the world’s largest leather pride flag last June:
“This flag, like our community, is too large for any one group to carry alone. We can carry it only by coming together.”
That’s what this tag is — not just a collectible, but a statement of values and an invitation.
We hope to see you at the flag on Sunday, June 28th as we march together in Pride. Pick up your 2026 tag at any MNLP event this year!
One Response
Can’t wait to get mine!