Introduction (by Jonathan Krall): The SM community continues to debate its own nature. As the community becomes larger, more visible, and more connected, these debates seem to have gained significance for the individuals and for the social and political futures of the many components of "the SM community". Below, Jack Rinella's column provides a window into this ongoing discourse. Two Different Worlds by Jack Rinella (from Jack's weekly column, LeatherViews, Issue number 22 Sunday, May 19, 2002) The current inclusion/exclusion debate is well-reflected in two emails I received this past week. I'll begin by letting my two correspondents speak for themselves. The first is from Sensuous Sadie, editor of SCENEsubmissions newsletter and also founder and leader (1999-2001) of Rose & Thorn, Vermont's "First" BDSM group. "Jack," she began, "You wrote `Today's neophyte buys his or her leather, never thinking that a vest should be earned, bestowed upon them by those who would bring them into their sexy, sacred spaces.' I found this a very interesting and telling comment. Also beautifully said. "Speaking as a millennium kind of gal, I'd have to say that I prefer to choose and explore my own sexy, sacred spaces free of someone else's rules. The idea that someone is going to `bestow' anything on me because of how I do or don't practice the lifestyle seems just plain silly. Just my opinion however. That being said, I can see how it might be frustrating to the old guard to see that structure being ignored willy-nilly. Surely that is no more true than in places like Vermont where our community is only three years old! On the other hand, this freedom to practice your own way means that so many more people are free to be `in' the lifestyle." A different perspective came from Cameron in this email: "As a one of the remaining/surviving generation of leather/master/dom/daddy group (you could say we have an identity crisis -- just what are we?) I think a couple important chords have been struck in the discussions of where have we gone and what has happened. "I tend to view leather today with much the same disdain as I do the drag queens. It is all fluff and costume, not a `lifestyle.' I constantly have to tell myself that leather does not make the man or boy -- but it is the mind. I laugh every time I see most of the new leather generation or the new generation master parading around in the imported leather chaps, vest, and daddy caps bought off the net or at a `Castle Boutique' -- never knowing in the past you earned those . . . by achieving skill and prowess in the fine arts of pain, pleasure and attitude. "Every culture or tribe (which I view the different fetish groups in the gay community as) grows, matures and changes with the times -- `leather' is no exception. Culture is in many ways maintained through mentoring, story telling and tradition. The gay community suffered a catastrophic destruction of their historic culture due to impact and loss of so many men to AIDS. If you don't share mystery, the stories and pass the traditions on verbally father to son, master to slave/sub you loose the tradition. Many of today's `daddies' and `masters' know only what they have read in books, seen in videos or been exposed to on the net porn channels. Additionally, way too many of our more experienced gay men (and women) either have isolated themselves, been disenfranchised by the new generation of gay brats/circuit babies, or are so overwhelmed by latent PTSD issues they don't want to interface with our gay youth to share their insight and history. "The real issue is that as a collective culture we need to step up to the plate/challenge and address the issues facing the leather community as well as the gay community in general. We need to parent and shepherd the baby gay boys and girls who are hatching, so they understand the ways, the wonder of the mysterys of leather culture/community as well as the history of who and what proceeded them. I think it is necessary to begin a heartfelt discussion in all aspects of our tribes about the sharing of tradition, about mentoring our youth, about instilling respect for the older gays (males and females) who have a wealth of knowledge and insight. "With this maybe we can bring back the meaning and mystery of `leather' -- I hope this can bring some discussion and follow up." These two viewpoints spotlight the real issue we are facing, namely that each of us sees our "brand" of BDSM as normative and often fails to recognize that there are many histories and traditions alive and well in American kink. I am sure, for instance, that there's at least a few people who would be very hurt to think that there was no kink in Vermont before 1999. Sadie may not know of it, but it was and is certainly there, not just in her life experience. Likewise, Cameron makes faulty assumptions by limiting his view to the Gay scene. I read with a smile his remarks about Drag Queens. While he seems to be strongly advocating an "Old Guard" approach, I wonder if he knows that drag shows were a big event at the Old Guard's functions in the fifties and sixties. I would respond to Sadie by reminding her that the tradition and training bestowed before the vest was given were invaluable lessons. Cameron writes that “we” have an identity crisis, without clarifying who we might be. Many of us have no crisis in that area. I am a Leather man and I know what that means for me, precisely because I did have those lessons. On the other hand, there was no ceremony in the bestowal. For me it was recognition from numerous men whom I saw as being true to the lifestyle I wanted to join. Their affirmation of me and my play helped me to recognize myself as the person they saw, a real Leather man. Lolita's most recent column (you can find it at www.leatherpage.com, though by the time you do it may be archived) contained excellent commentary by Gil Kessler: "Back to the Old Guard? No thanks. Most of us (by far the majority of those reading this) would never even have been able to find out how to `apply' to the Old Guard, or never been accepted into that exclusive group anyway. So most would be wondering, craving, but not able to get involved. For the comparatively tiny number who like that set up, fine. For most of us, the Old Guard concepts sound intriguing, but the reality would be devastating. Has openness meant a certain loss of mystery? Absolutely. And given the choice, I'm proud that openness has helped thousands to bring their s/m dreams to reality." He finished his essay: "The past had it's time. It's gotten better ever since." I agree, obviously or I wouldn't be quoting him, with Gil's assessment but I also wonder if the criticism, like the praise, isn't based on nostalgia. I suspect that given the substantial differences our society has undergone since 1954, the Old Guards, if they were young today, would be more like us than we think. They would have quickly shed their secrecy, taken to the streets in joyous parades, and supported pro-freedom groups like the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. My use of the term Old Guard above is deliberately plural because I want to recognize the many heroes in our past who never met each other, much less played with each other, or possibly even knew the others existed. Kink, after all, is not exclusive to one sexual orientation, though "Leather" might indeed be thought to refer only to Gay BDSM. It is a milieu in which men and women enjoy for shorter or longer periods of time in a great variety of ways, kinky, dominant/submissive, and sadomasochistic erotic activity. I believe it's always been so. After all, there were always more than one club, more than one fetish, and more than one gender or orientation involved. What is most different is that now we know of the others and think they're changing what we have, while the truth is that they or their predecessors probably thought that about our predecessors. It's about time that Kinky History 101 become required study. Doing so will teach us a great deal about ourselves and the possibilities we can choose today. * * * * * * Copyright 2002 by Jack Rinella, all rights reserved. * * * * * * LeatherViews The free weekly column of serious leather sex information and advice. Feel free to pass this on to a friend, or better yet, ask them to subscribe. To get your own FREE subscription go to http://www.LeatherViews.com/myezine.htm. If this column was forwarded to you, please come to our website and subscribe.