Mike Gerle Mikel Gerle

When I was 20 years old I moved to San Diego California to pursue a professional career in dance. Ballet to be specific. After auditioning for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1985 (and being accepted), I decided it would be more fun to live in Southern CA than it would be to live in the cold city of Winnipeg Canada, getting paid $600 a month.

In 1991 a relationship brought me to Los Angeles CA.

I now live in West Hollywood CA and work for the City in the City Manager's office as a Management Specialist. In 2007 I won the title of International Mister Leather. Which is a huge deal in the gay leather community.

Yep. I'm gay. I knew it since junior high, so as you might imagine, I was living in a quiet hell for a lot of my teens. Luckily, I did not kill myself as many kids have in that situation. That is what got me to move to California and for that I am grateful. I really love it here and I think I have grown a lot as a person because of the challenges I had to face.

On the summer between my Sophomore and Junior high school years I went to Hawaii to pick pineapples. While I was over there, I got a letter from my parents telling me they had moved to Pocatello ID. So I actually didn't graduate from East High, but I always wish that I had. I never stopped missing my friends in Cheyenne and the quality of my band colleagues. Performing in the band were some of the happiest moments of my high school life.