The Politics of BDSM Play

Abstract

“The Politics of BDSM: Racial Dynamics and Critical Consent” examines how historically marginalized groups with limited social power (e.g., racial and sexual minorities) communicate their needs and boundaries within the power-laden practice of BDSM. In this study, 13 Black BDSM practitioners were interviewed to examine how racial identity plays a role in BDSM practice. Racial identity is a non-negotiable marker that has created a structural dynamic in power relationships since the time of chattel slavery in the Americas, and racial dynamics continue to influence status and personal agency in the modern era. It is argued that the disavowal of systemic objectification and racial domination impedes consent and agency in BDSM settings. The findings of this study include the narratives of Black practitioners who provide insight into how role enactment, fetishism, and negotiation must be approached from a culturally responsive lens to enhance safety in BDSM.

Shining a light in the dungeon: A content analysis of sexual and gender minority representation in the kink literature.

“…In a recent dissertation study of Black BDSM practitioners, Norman (2020) highlights the psychological complexities associated with managing multiple marginalized identities in spaces that emphasize power dynamics. This may, in part, account for the reluctance of BIPOC participants to discuss their kink identities with White researchers (Sheff & Hammers, 2011).…”

“…BDSM community collaborations serve the added benefit of recruiting diverse and historically marginalized populations. For instance, Norman (2020) recruited 13 Black BDSM practitioners at local BDSM dungeons to study the relationship between power and marginalized identity statuses. Jackson (2017) recruited 10 gay Black men through online community sites such as fetlife.com and recon.com to study participants’ experiences as African American men in the BDSM community.…”