Joanna writes:
> There's a real issue as to whether consensual
sex can occur between "teachers" and "students"
. . . but then there's a question as to whether
consensual sex can occur between any two people
related by a power relation.
With respect, for whom is this a real issue? Maybe for vanillas, but certainly not among kinksters. I will respond to other posts this evening or tomorrow, but I want to mention one point that I believe important and that needs to be considered: some people are not sexually aroused without a power exchange/differential.
Among sexual progressives, being Dom or sub is considered as much a sexual orientation as gay or straight is. If a person wants there to be equality between herself and the person(s) she has sex with -- fine. But how can consent be questioned when it is the actual power difference that is part of the arousal? People have the right to sexual self-expression, don't they?
> I'm just saying that the category of "teacher" and
"student" only partly define men and women, and that
there are circumstances in which their humanity and
sexuality should rightfully trump these other,
insitutionally-defined categories.
Now we seem to be in agreement. It may be placement in one of these categories that initiates desire and is the basis for the further exploration and experiencing of the Dominant/submissive matrix.
Also, (just to raise one last point): is flogging someone to the point of ecstacy sex? If I have a boi on a St. Andrew's cross, clothed except for being shirtless, and flog him while fully clothed myself; if there is absolutely no genital contact or even exposure; if I were his teacher and he approached me and said he wanted to be flogged; if I said fine, but that he would have no say over the length or nature of the flogging and that I would disregard anything and everything he said during the flogging, even if he pled with me to stop: a) have we had sex?; and b) would what we have enaged in be thought consensual?
Brian Dauth Queer Buddhist Resister