competition would be changed to the International Mr. Bootblack Competition and that a separate competition solely for women would be held at International Ms. Leather. This change was made largely because it was commonly held that women had a significant disadvantage competing for ballots from the mostly gay male IML attendees, who often base their bootblack selection at least partly on their sexual attraction to the bootblack. Since 1999, competitors for IMrBB are restricted to persons over the age of 21 who can provide a valid government-issued form of identification that identifies them as male. In 1995, “Chuck Renslow – IML” was one of the recipients of the International Deaf Leather Recognition Award. In 1999 IML received the Business of the Year award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards. In 2007 and 2012 IML received the Large Event of the Year award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards. In May 2009 it was announced that IML proceeds would be placed in a trust to benefit the Leather Archives and Museum. The Leather Archives and Museum holds the records of the IML. IML established in July 2009 the policy that IML Leather Market participation would exclude "any entity which promotes barebacking or distributes/sells any merchandise tending to promote or advocate barebacking." In 2010 IML was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. Also in 2010, Tyler McCormick became the first openly transgender man, the first wheelchair user, and the first person from New Mexico to win International Mr. Leather. Starting in 2013, the International Mr. Bootblack (IMrBB) contest in the IML program has implemented a judging system to select the winner. Contestants are evaluated by a panel of judges on the basis of their technical bootblacking skills, how they present themselves on stage and in public and what they say in an interview with the judges. Ballot voting still makes up a percentage of the contestant's total score. In 2018, IML was inducted into the Leather Hall of Fame during Cleveland Leather Annual Weekend 2018. In 2019, Jack Thompson became the first openly transgender person of color to win International Mr. Leather. His win also made it the first time black men won consecutive International Mr. Leather titles. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant shutdowns and cancellations of large gatherings throughout the world, in-person IML events in 2020 and 2021