[lbo-talk] Pleasure, Pain and All That Jazz

[John Thornton]

> On Jan 9, 2007, at 11:03 PM, John Thornton wrote:
>> The idea that BDSM is somehow a sexual straight-jacket when compared 
>> to other sex practices strikes me as very odd as does the idea that 
>> the consent involved is anything like the coerced consent of wage 
>> laborers.
>
> I do think consent is a thornier issue than I've seen pro-bdsm people 
> acknowledge in this discussion. I don't think that means bdsm is wrong 
> per se, just that saying "it's consensual" isn't necessarily the end 
> of the story.
>
> All the best,
>
>     John A

So what am I missing? Why is BDSM consent a thornier issue than consent 
for straight sex? How could it be any different? This seems like a red 
herring. If we're throwing out red herrings how about worrying about a 
link between BDSM practitioners and child abuse too?  Maybe BDSM and 
tax  evasion as well?

Also has anyone ever demonstrated a link between BDSM and criminal abuse 
of individuals? I don't know of any such link and no one has posted one 
here during this discussion as far as I know. That makes fear of some 
tenuous connection between the two seem unrealistic too.

I'll debate the idea that kinky sex is politically radicalizing, I doubt 
it but I'm open to research to show I'm wrong. It would hardly be the 
first time.

I did read Woj correctly, he doesn't denounce BDSM practices but he 
doesn't condone them either. The reason we on the left need to condone 
them is that currently people are discriminated against because of them. 
That demands our support doesn't it?

John Thornton