This is a short round up of threads from the Ms. Magazine message boards dealing with [[wp:BDSM]] – it’s here as reference for a post on another list dealing with S/M and feminism to show the extreme feminist POV.
I urge you to go read the threads yourself, it is an interesting look into the extreme feminist movement at the moment and the sense of alienation, anger and betrayal that fosters the antagonism and vitriol that comes out of that camp at times. Particularly about BDSM and this in the BDSM lifestyle.
The Ms. Boards Sexual Sadism and the Practice of Medicine – follow along on this, among other things sexual reassignment surgery is “medical sadism” and the fear that a kinky doctor would inflict pain on a patient “for fun”. There are 24 pages of this stuff in this thread alone. The quotes here are just to give you a sample. You really have to go check it all out to believe it.
“I sure want to know what my health care providers are into when it comes to gross kink. There’s a big connection between sexual sadism and the implements of medicine, and yeah there’s no way that I can know, but it scares the hell out of me that one of my doctors, nurses, or dentists might be a freak.” – quote in context
“Don’t laugh, Risotto. KAP actually has obstetricians listed among their membership. Seriously. Just think of the implications. … I think this is being used like sports medicine. Get those slaves and masochists healed and get ’em back out on the playing field! ” – quote in context
“OK, S/M is something you do, like reading a book, if that will make you happier. I expected your response to beating and robbing. By definition, sadism is the deriving of pleasure from inflicting pain on another and masochism is the deriving of pleasure from having pain inflicted on one, so these are not largely positive proclivities. I would not want to have a doctor who enjoyed sadism (or masochism for that matter).” – quote in context
“In the meantime, WTF is up with all the “S&M is a private consensual act between people who in no way value non-consensuality” schtick? Have you seen the rest of the internet? It’s rape fantasy this and nonconsensual torture that. Given that the central fantasy that seems to be being flogged (pardon the pun) all over the internet is that the “slave” or whatever doesn’t consent, how can you say that doesn’t play any role in S&M stuff, or that it’s not a major part of the lifestyle, or distance it in any way from run-of-the-mill BDSM stuff? Who is consuming all this fantasy-of-non-consensual-BDSM “product,” then?” – quote in context
“It is very unlikely that one could completely cut off one’s sexual self from the rest of one’s life (job performance, etc). Possible, I guess, but not probable. A doctor with a sadistic side could easily enjoy a patient’s pain and inflict a bit more pain than is necessary, even if only unconsciously. This is not a leap by any means. One does not have to be an uncontrollable monster whipping everyone at random. Even a fraction more pain than is necessary in a medical procedure is too much for me.” – quote incontext
The Ms. Boards Secretary, the Movie – as I mentioned in a previous post, there are a wide range of things that extreme feminists don’t like. BDSM is obviously one of those things. So imagine that a movie on the topic isn’t going to go over well.
“Oh, but she *likes* it. Why, of course she does! In patriarchy, *all* women like it! Isn’t that the rumor that’s going around?” – quote in context
“I cannot see how it’s OKAY to spank a woman, especially a woman who was sexually abused, and institutionalized because of that abuse. Add to this mix the fact that the man who controls her paycheck is administering this pain to her. I don’t believe for a second that “she wants it”. ” – quote in context
“Edited to add: What a bunch of LOSERS. What fucking elitist, privileged, provincial existences these assholes lead that they have conversations like this with no regard whatsoever for the rest of the world. For human beings who don’t get to enjoy enough peace in their day where they can wax on an internet BB about the fun and titillation of bondage. They have to actually live it. Fuckers.” – quote in context
“Idiot. There’s this term, “equal partnership.” Next time you’re unzipped from your leather mask, look it up, okay ?” – quote in context
“Choosing S&M, choosing to listen to Eminem, choosing to like porn, choosing to support patriarchy over women, choosing patriarchal values instead of feminist ones–Hey! It’s a matter of *choice*!” – quote in context