International Mr. Leather the world's oldest leather conference and competition has removed Durk Dehner, a cofounder of the Tom of Finland Foundation, as one of its judges.David Ronneberg, IML's executive director, announced the development in a Sunday Facebook post, following outcry after photographs of Dehner wearing Nazi regalia began circulating online."I've been trying to write a post that isn't angry but I am angry, very angry. New information that came to me this morning regarding one of the IML judges clearly indicates he is not fit to be part of our organization. Hate has no place at IML. Period, full stop," wrote Ronneberg, without naming Dehner by name."Anyone who wears hate-based imagery or symbols, whether Nazi regalia or a fucking MAGA hat has NO place at the table, NO voice in the conversation, and can fuck right off," he continued. "There is no gray area here. A most sincere thank you to everyone who brought this information to our attention. Thank you for holding us accountable and pushing us to do better. We must do better."Over 2,000 contestants from 27 countries compete annually in International Mr. Leather, which this year is set to begin in May in Chicago. Contestants win competitions in local gay bars or contests before vying for the top prize through pageant-like categories, which include evaluation of physical appearance, leather attire, and an oral presentation. As of Tuesday, Dehner was no longer listed among IML's judging panel.Ronneberg's decision to oust Dehner occurred one day after Pup Diego Onyx, who holds the title of Mr. Bullet Leather 2024, posted several images of Dehner wearing various Nazi symbols on different occasions, including what appeared to be a swastika pin and the parteiadler, also known as the Nazi Eagle, on a leather hat."I love that one of the judges this year for International Mr. Leather, Inc. enjoys wearing N*zi regalia. A huge part of the LA leather community has been keeping this under wraps for far too long and so have many others. Why would anyone feel safe running for a contest if he's a judge?" Onyx captioned."Please share if you find this problematic as well. Considering the amount of trans/poc/jewish/ essentially anything but white in our community who deserve respect, this is beyond f*cked up," Onyx added.J.L. Carter, Mr. Sister Leather 2024, also spoke out against Dehner last weekend online. "More than one person suggested I should run this year [in the IML competition]. I. Think. Not," Carter wrote on Facebook Saturday. "My only regret is not speaking up about this sooner, because it's the worst kept 'open secret' in the LA leather community. It's why I don't go to the Tom House anymore."The Tom House is the one-time L.A. home of Touko Laaksonen (more popularly known by his artist name Tom of Finland), where the Tom of Finland Foundation is based. Founded in 1984 by Dehner and Laaksonen, the foundation works to preserve the legacy and art of the late Finnish illustrator, whose drawings of hypermasculinity first begun during the rise of Nazi Germany have become staples of both gay bars and art galleries, and even fashion collaborations with Diesel. (The drawings predominantly featuring muscled white men, particularly Nazis and authority figures are no strangers to controversy, with ongoing debates over whether they glorify or attack abusive power systems.) In addition to being an archive, the Tom House also hosts artists' residencies and events.In a follow-up post, Carter alleges that Dehner also "made racist remarks" toward Black and Latino members of the leather community at a February 2024 event. "This man categorically should not be a judge at IML," stated Carter. "It's complicated and troubling that so much of our 'aesthetic' in the leather community comes from ToF drawings which glorify the Nazi uniforms."Edward Cella, CEO of ToFF, released a statement Tuesday on Instagram in response to the controversy. "Tom of Finland Foundation unequivocally condemns all racism and hatred, and all symbols that are used to convey such views," he stated. "As a Foundation, we hold ourselves to the highest standard of inclusivity, equity, and respect for all individuals, and we reject any content or behavior that runs counter to these principles."Cella added that "the harm caused by recent actions requires more than words it requires sustained effort and accountability" in order "to rebuild trust to ensure that our work supports and uplifts all members of our community including those who are marginalized." He encouraged concerned members to email administration@tomoffinland.org as part of the beginning of an "open dialogue." The statement did not specifically mention Dehner or the IML incident.In a statement to Out, Onyx expressed frustration that it took "international attention" for ToFF to say something about Dehner's donning of Nazi regalia: "Why is it always the job of younger trans POC people in the leather community to bring it to the attention of everyone when it was wildly known as the best not kept secret?""Everything I posted on my Facebook and my IG were all public photos easily found if you dig deep enough," Onyx stated. "As an organization as big as ToFF, one would think somebody would say something right? Guess not. And Durks['s] apology that he made but is [only] visible to friends on Facebook? You're not sorry, you're just sorry you got caught."Tom of Finland Foundation has not yet responded to a request for comment.