240 – Tasting Honey

Leather, drag, porn, politics and a bit of daddy energy — this week, Hide and Seek gets a taste of Honey, and it was sweet!

Jon Kok and Joenas Galinato are joined by drag artist, DJ, activist, adult content creator and reigning International Mr. Leather 2026, Honey Davenport.

Honey made history earlier this year when they took home leather’s most iconic international title, becoming the first competitor from RuPaul’s Drag Race to be crowned International Mr. Leather. But Honey’s story is much bigger than a single sash.

In this episode, Honey talks about growing from the New York drag scene into the House of Davenport, how drag helped them understand their gender, and why performance, activism and community have always been part of the same deliciously sticky package.

We get into their journey through leather, from frozen margaritas near Rawhide to the New York City Eagle, Palm Springs Leather, Mr. Dick’s, and eventually IML itself. Honey reflects on finding their tribe, being a Black non-binary titleholder, and what it means to create belonging in leather and queer spaces rather than just saying the word “inclusive” and hoping for the best.

And because this is Hide and Seek, we do not stop at the safe-for-work version of leather. Honey talks openly about sexual liberation, kink, getting thrown out of leather bars, adult content creation, studio porn with Treasure Island and Nasty Daddy, fisting, leather as fetish, and why their gear is not really gear until it has been played in.

We also look at leather’s history of care, HIV activism and community education, including Honey’s involvement with the Stone That Remembers campaign at the National AIDS Memorial Grove, and why the dads, daddies, elders and mentors in our communities need to start dadding again.

From drag to daddy, from pageants to dick and social justice, Honey Davenport is not here to stay in one lane — and thank goodness for that.

Links and resources mentioned in this episode

• • Honey Davenport — official website
  • Honey Davenport — Linktree
  • Honey Davenport on Instagram
  • Honey Davenport on Facebook
  • Honey Davenport on YouTube
  • Honey Davenport on Bluesky
  • Honey Davenport on X / Twitter — SirHoneyXXX
  • International Mr. Leather / International Mr. Bootblack
  • Stone That Remembers — campaign link
  • National AIDS Memorial Grove
  • Dads and Daddies podcast episode with Honey Davenport
  • Hide and Seek — Ep 142: Kink Looks Better In Colour — Side A
  • Hide and Seek — Ep 142: Kink Looks Better In Colour — Side B
  • Hide and Seek — Ep 234: Get Off With JOY
  • JOY support services

Follow Jon instagram.com/barbarylion/

Follow Joenas instagram.com/thisisjoenas/

Follow Craig instagram.com/white.dragon.339/

Follow Tim instagram.com/beatzradio/

This episode was recorded on the lands of the Yalukut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung peoples. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.

Find other JOY podcasts at joy.org.au