A nudist BDSM fetishist and radical gay rights advocate has been teaching at an elementary school in San Antonio, Texas, prompting backlash from parents and concerned community members. Art Lesieur, also known as “Master Cat Artemis,” is also associated with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
Lesieur has been teaching music at Medio Creek Elementary, where he is listed both on the staff directory and has been featured in posts on the school’s Facebook. The information was first brought to light by Kelly Neidert on X (formerly Twitter).
Lesieur has seemingly made no effort to separate his sexual conduct from his identity as an elementary educator, and was described as being “a teacher in the San Antonio Community” in a post made by Austin Kink Weekend.
The post advertised him as one of the judges for the Lonestar Pup and Handler competition in Texas, a fetish event featuring men who dress and act like dogs.
According to a lengthy biography on the National Leather Association (NLA) website, Lesieur was part of the Bexar Men nudist group, for which he served on the board, before becoming a member of the San Antonio branch of the National Leather Association, a BDSM and fetish organization.
The NLA website describes his fetishes and sexual interests in graphic detail, including that he identifies as a “feline” and is a “dildo fxxxer” who educates on sex toys. It adds that he is an “anal top” and enjoys “fisting” other men’s anuses, commenting “his hands are on the larger size, so bottoms beware!”
Lesieur also identifies with “animal personas,” with the NLA site noting that “he won’t pass up a playtime if he is interested. As a cat in a community of pups, he has brought the awareness of other animal personas to the forefront of the pup community striving to eliminate the stigma that there are ‘only handlers or pups.'”
In addition to being a nudist and BDSM fetishist, Lesieur is also associated with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an anti-Christian drag organization. Earlier this year, one of the members of the group was arrested for possession of child pornography.
The drag group is known for mocking Catholicism, and has had members dress up as Jesus Christ and nuns.
According to his NLA biography, Lesieur “was also influenced by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence when they bestowed on him ‘one perpetual indulgence.’ His message to the community is in line with their message to eliminate guilt, stigma, and self-denial of who someone truly is.”
According to the site, Lesieur is also an LGBTQ activist and fought against the Defense of Marriage Act with his husband after leaving the woman he had been married to in order to pursue his sexuality.
“Cat … was on the forefront of the battle to bring an end to the Defense of Marriage Act. Both he and his husband, Stuart, fought to have that law repealed so that they and all other LGBTQ couples could live together happily and legally,” his NLA biography reads. “As a result, Stuart was able to immigrate to the U.S. from England and they were wed. They also stayed on the forefront by telling their story when the time came for the Supreme Court to make same-gender marriage legal in all states.”
Speaking to The Publica, an anonymous mother whose children attend a school in the Southwest ISD said the revelations of Lesieur’s extracurricular activities raised concerns about how the district was safeguarding minors.
“Parents should have more insight into who is teaching their kids,” she said, questioning whether Lesieur was vetted by the district prior to being hired. “I would assume that schools are looking for educators who meet certain standards of conduct … so they either didn’t know, or didn’t care. If they don’t know who they are hiring, and parents don’t know who is teaching their kids, that is a serious safeguarding issue.”
