I thought this to myself in February and early March of this last year; today I look back at the thought and wonder who that fool was. It's not that being a Title Holder isn't glamorous understand, it is just that there is SO much more to being pretty and appreciated. It's a full time job, folks; and it's one you know you're accepting but you don't really understand how much you're committing to until about August - after Pride season is well and fully over with.
Being a Title Holder is hard work - some of the most fulfilling I've ever experienced - but it is a full time job you give a year of your life to without thought or hesitation, you donate your free time and your personal time and you give up your privacy for a year. You are a figurehead for your community, you are a leader and an example; you are a voice of strength and reason, it's your duty to give feedback and answer questions, to educate and to empower and unify.
There's a whole lot of work involved with being a Title Holder.
And each organization's Title has a slightly different take on how they do this, what the requirements of each Title Holder are, even what events are the highest priority in their club/city/state/district.
Don't let that scare you away from the idea of competing to be a Title Holder though; there's so much more in addition to the work! There's the people you meet and the stories you hear, the lessons you learn from past Title Holders, the connections you make with your Sash-brothers and -sisters; there's the events you get to attend, the amazing growth you witness, the impact you can make. Being a Title Holder puts you in the spotlight next to amazing people and gives you the chance to shine just as bright as you dare. (And honeys, you sure better dare!)
8 months into my Title year and I'm so happy to be here now : so proud of what I've accomplished, excited about what I've yet to do.
We have fund raisers planned for January and February through-out Washington state and possibly even something in Boise. In April, International Ms Leather (IMsL) 2013 takes place and I'll be there to compete. Sir also is preparing for IML (International Mr. Leather) in the summer of 2013.
It's not always been easy and giving up all our personal time has been hard - it's always hard to be the partner of a Title Holder but try sharing a Title year with your partner while He too is a Title Holder. The house gets a little crazy.
Sometimes you just want to have a private night but you're seen by folks you know, or you've committed to an event and you just wish you could go home and make dirty noisy sex all over the house. Well... that's part of being a title holder and the upside is, as long as you save a little energy for it - you still can when you get home. Just not as noisy so you don't wake up the housemates.
We've learned a lot this year; each about ourselves, and about each other. We've also learned a great deal about our community and what we can do to help and support. We've met so many wonderful people, grown so much, and risen to so many challenges.
We also learned the importance of a good calendar and communication; we were able to set aside personal time for each of us, and for us to have time to ourselves. We discovered our family is so much larger than we two and we have found love in all the right (and unexpected) places.
There's so much you are asked to give as a Title Holder; what can't be defined or even predicted is what you will get from it.
