Writer Kathy Kulig asks here, “BDSM and Feminism – Can They Coexist?”
In a recent interview, I was asked whether I thought the BDSM lifestyle and feminism conflicted. I thought it would be an interesting topic for discussion. I think there are a lot of misconceptions about the BDSM, Discipline and Submissive lifestyle that people might jump to a conclusion that those two—BDSM and Feminism—can’t coexist. But I completely disagree.
The BDSM relationship is about CHOICE. When a woman can choose what they want for themselves whether for work, family, life or sexually they are empowered, they take control. So yes, I see BDSM and feminism does work both ways.
Read the full post here (adult-content warning from Blogger, but the post is SFW).
As for me, I have always been bored by policing-the-boundaries-of-feminism analyses. Assuming we are talking about consensual, legal activities, then if you are a feminist and enjoy ___, then feminism and _____ can and do co-exist. Other people, some of whom are feminists, may not also enjoy _____, but that doesn’t make you less of a person or less of a feminist. Feminism is not a club. It’s a tool; a way of looking at the world; a mode of legal, economic, social analysis.
-Bridget Crawford
