Saturday, June 22, 2013

Facebook's War Against BDSM



First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Socialist.

 
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

 
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Jew.

 
Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.
 
Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller (14 January 1892 – 6 March 1984)

A group called Women, Action & the Media have started a campaign to combat violence against women.  This is outstanding in theory.  In practice, however, it is nothing less than a colossal clusterfuck.  To date, more than 90, yes 90+, pages started by members of the BDSM community have been taken down.  This does not count those taken down and then restored. 

In the interest of full disclosure, I have no doubt that the campaign has brought down some purveyors of hate speech directed at women, and that is a very good thing.  However, that same campaign has run amok and must be reined in and limits set. It has gone from a well-intentioned movement to outright censorship and violation of the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

On June 18th at approximately 4:30 p.m. an individual who shall remain nameless placed a post on WAM's Facebook wall (it is still there as of this writing) stating that women in abusive situations were there consensually because they were too scared to escape and seek help.  I could not believe that anyone educated enough to be able to type coherent words on a keyboard could be that stupid. 

WAM's little campaign and Facebook playing right into their hands is nothing new.  "Feminists" have been at war with the BDSM community for years.  While I haven't remained silent, I haven't stood up and stated unequivocally that I won't tolerate this BS any longer. 

To use Niemöller's poem as an analogy:  I am a woman, a collared submissive and very proud member of the BDSM community.  I'll be damned if I'm going to stand in the background any longer while others in the community are censored by the largest social network in the world in what amounts to discrimination and infringement on freedom of speech. 

I said to someone recently that this campaign reminded me of the temperance movement back in the late teens, early twenties last century.  I was wrong.  It's the late 1930s all over again.

They are coming for the BDSM community.  Are you going to sit silent until they come for you?

2 comments:

  1. I signed the petition that was going around. I defend BDSM routinely. I have never felt abused in any situation that I have been in that involved BDSM play. If anything I've felt freer than I have ever felt in my life. Thank you, Ekaterina for your awesome words.

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  2. AMEN!

    And good news, the DSM5 finally depathologizes consensual BDSM and other kinky pursuits. http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Paraphilic%20Disorders%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

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