Not that I needed a refresher, but...

[elfs]

ABC News (with Peter Jennings!) has decided that BDSM is so mainstream these days that it's no longer an "Oooh, look at those kinky people" kind of thing to report about. Instead, they've given us a how-to primer to finding all things leathery. It's lightweight but, really, isn't this the kind of thing we were all reading 15 years ago in SandMutopia Garden?

They only give one paragraph to a detractor, and they quote, well, acquaintances and friends of mine. Huzzah! Oh, and ABC quietly reminds us that "floggers and whips take some mastering, according to experts." Well, DUH.

It's a shame they quoted SSC, though.

Comments

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[mothball-07.livejournal.com]

I don't think the intended message is "It's ok to be queer because we're really just like you"

Sorry.. I wasn't very clear. I'm queer too, and in the queer community there are large groups who intend exactly that. They tend not to be tolerant of BDSM, poly, or sometimes even "obviously queer" people, for that matter! In fact, I've had *very* negative reactions from some queers (including a counselor) to these other aspects of me because *THESE* things are sick and unnatural. Unlike being queer which is just like hets, but for the gender. Seriously.

I was expressing concern that the bdsm community could go the same way. That if we get too caught up in proving we're not scary to the fearful folks (love your characterization, btw), that we could find ourselves with an ever greater criticism of "edge players" where that would become increasingly defined by "what might freak society out".

[acelightning.livejournal.com]