Contest Policy

Overview

Both the IMsL and IMsBB Contest are judged in the following manner. A majority of the components for each contest are judged by the title’s primary panel. The personal interview is also judged by the cross contest interview panel. We use Olympic Scoring on both sides. The highest and lowest scores for a category are dropped.Total points possible are calculated based on the three eligible scores. This results in 1800 total points possible for each contest.

Finally there is a community judging component to each contest. The community has a chance to voice their opinion by voting for their favorite teaching segment for the IMsLs and their favorite tech boot for the IMsBB contestants.

IMsL Contest Structure

Components judged by the IMsL Panel: (1500) points possible.

Personal Interview (100)

Public Image / Demeanor (100)
Speech (100)
Teaching (12 min pre recorded) - Judged (75)
Practical Skills - Demo (50)
Practical Skills - Fantasy (50)
Pop Question (25)

Components judged by the IMsBB Panel: (300) Points possible.

Personal Interview (100)

Components Judge by the community: (50)

Practical Skills - Pre Recorded Teaching Community Vote (50)

Total Points Possible: 1850 Points Possible

IMsBB Contest Structure

Components judged by the IMsBB Panel: (1500) points possible

Personal Interview - (100)
Public Image / Demeanor (100)
Speech - (100)
Teaching (12 min pre recorded) - (75)
Technical Skills - Tech Boot and Presentation (50)
Technical Skills - Stand Time (50)
Pop Question (25)

Components judged by the IMsL Panel: 300 points possible

Personal Interview (100)

Components Judge by the community: 50 points possible

Technical Skills - Community Boot Vote (50)

Total Points Possible: 1850 Points Possible

Judges Rubrics

Personal Interview (IMsL & IMsBB)

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
Eloquence & Content	60 Points	60%
Composure	30 Points	30%
Delivery & Appearance	10 Points	10%
Total	100 Points	100%

Public Image / Demeanor (IMsL & IMsBB)

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
On Site Demeanor / Public Image	10 Points	10%
Community Service/Involvement	20 Points	20%
Intersectional Competency	50 Points	50%
Activism	20 Points	20%
Total	100 Points	100%

Speech (IMsL & IMsBB)

Note: Judges will not deduct for going over the time, the tally master will make an automatic 10% deduction for going over.

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
Eloquence & Content	70 Points	70%
Delivery & Appearance	30 Points	30%
Total	100 Points	100%

Pre-Recorded Teaching (IMsL & IMsBB)

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
Content	50 Points	66%
Delivery	25 Points	33%
Total	75 Points	100%

Pop Question (IMsL & IMsBB)

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
On The Fly Thinking	25 Points	100%
Total	25 Points	100%

Tech Boot and Presentation (IMsBB)

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
Technical Skill & Approach	25 Points	50%
Presentation	25 Points	50%
Total	50 Points	100%

Stand Time (IMsBB)

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
Bedside Manner	25 Points	50%
Triage & Technical Skill	25 Points	50%
Total	50 Points	100%

Demo (IMsL)

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
Content	40 Points	80%
Question and Answer	10 Points	20%
Total	50 Points	100%

Fantasy (IMsL)

Component	Points Possible	% of Component
Content	25 Points	50%
Production Value	25 Points	50%
Total	50 Points	100%

2024 Contestant Scores

Investigation and Vetting

Since 2023, our policy states that all contestants must consent to a thorough investigation as part of the contestant run. This investigation, as an integral part of the vetting process, aims to maintain the integrity of our contests and promote an environment of trust among our participants and the community. As Gen 5 producers, we firmly believe that if we make the choice to reject someone, we impose our unilateral will on the composition of the contestant class. We acknowledge that our scope is limited. By allowing the community to crowdsource vetting we can overcome potential bias in the production team and overcome limited knowledge due to the fact that we live in our own communities and do not have a complete view of all leather communities. The investigation piece of the contest run is a major part of the vetting process.

We understand that this is not the approach that some of you are used to. We remain committed to providing the most fair and ethical contest experience to all contestants. It has been made clear in the past that ending our investigations before the announcement, and relying on too small of a scope, reduced our abilities to ethically ensure the level of excellence and integrity that we expect of our contest and our titleholders. It is worth mentioning that the exception to this rule is, of course, in cases where the law is involved and we are not relying on our own limited judgement to discern guilt.

Contest investigations will be conducted with the utmost professionalism and confidentiality. All results will be disclosed to the judges before the contest, allowing for a transparent evaluation process. This measure is implemented to guarantee that every contestant is held to the same standards, fostering a level playing field for all.

We have complete confidence in our esteemed panel of judges, trusting their commitment to upholding ethical values and community morals in their decision-making process. Their role is crucial in ensuring that the titleholders selected embody the principles our organization stands for.

This policy not only emphasizes accountability, but also reinforces our dedication to promoting fairness, integrity, and community spirit in all our endeavors. We appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to strive for excellence in our contests.

We welcome any evidence-supported feedback for this year or any year's contestant class. Please submit any concerns via email to imslbbgen5@gmail.com, using the subject line: "Contestant class". Thank you for being a valued part of the IMsLBB community.