Mainstreaming Kink

Weiss, Margot

doi:10.1300/j082v50n02_06

Cited by 83 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Weiss (2006), however, cautions against assuming the proliferation of BDSM imagery itself automatically leads to acceptance. She sees BDSM often represented as “an abnormal, damaged type” (p. 111) and of more normative representations (what she calls “acceptance via normalization”) she questions whether something need be common to be acceptable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

BDSM Disclosure and Stigma Management: Identifying Opportunities for Sex Education

Bezreh

Weinberg

Edgar

2012

American Journal of Sexuality Education

104

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While participation in the activities like bondage, domination, submission/sadism, masochism that fall under the umbrella term BDSM is widespread, stigma surrounding BDSM poses risks to practitioners who wish to disclose their interest. We examined risk factors involved with disclosure to posit how sex education might diffuse stigma and warn of risks. Semi-structured interviews asked 20 adults reporting an interest in BDSM about their disclosure experiences. Most respondents reported their BDSM interests starting before age 15, sometimes creating a phase of anxiety and shame in the absence of reassuring information. As adults, respondents often considered BDSM central to their sexuality, thus disclosure was integral to dating. Disclosure decisions in nondating situations were often complex considerations balancing desire for appropriateness with a desire for connection and honesty. Some respondents wondered whether their interests being found out would jeopardize their jobs. Experiences with stigma varied widely.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

BDSM Disclosure and Stigma Management: Identifying Opportunities for Sex Education

Bezreh

Weinberg

Edgar

2012

American Journal of Sexuality Education

104

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“…The ongoing de-stigmatization of BDSM/kink is beneficial for people engaged in these sexual practices (Taylor & Ussher, 2001). However, it may also set a new benchmark for normative (hetero)sexual practice and place additional expectations and pressures onto heterosexual couples (Barker, 2013b;Weiss, 2006). Indeed, engagement in adventurous and exciting sex acts was treated as an accepted marker of 'good' sex in the stories.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sexualized imagery in advertising and popular media is common place (Gill & Scharff, 2011). Pornography has become readily available online (Attwood, 2006;Mulholland, 2015) and previously marginalized sexual practices such as bondage/discipline, dominance/ submission, and sadism/masochism (BDSM) are more visible in the wider heteronormative culture (Barker, 2013a;Weiss, 2006); a culture that privileges and normalizes heterosexuality and conventional binary gender roles. Thus, people are not only bombarded with messages that they should be willing and able to engage in sex at all times (Barker, 2013a;Kleinplatz, 2012), the Internet is enabling participation in increasingly diverse sexual practices, and sexual products and services are widely available online and offline (Attwood, 2009;Frith, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Therapists’ and non‐therapists’ constructions of heterosex: A qualitative story completion study

2018

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Objectives. Little research has examined the discourses that shape therapists' sense-making around heterosex. This paper explores the discourses of sexuality and gender underpinning therapists' and non-therapists' responses to a sexual experimentation scenario in a heterosexual relationship. It also considers the value of the novel technique of story completion (SC), in which participants are asked to write a story in response to a hypothetical scenario, for qualitative psychology and psychotherapy research.Design. This research used a comparative SC design (Kitzinger & Powell, 1995). Participants were sequentially presented with and invited to complete two story stems: one in which a male character suggested 'trying something new' to his female partner and one in which the female character made the suggestion. The stems were otherwise identical. Methods.A total of 100 SCs were written by 49 (28 female; 21 male) therapists and 51 (29 female; 22 male) non-therapists. Participants were recruited mainly via UK-based email lists and Facebook groups, and therapeutic training organizations, and the data were analysed using a feminist post-structuralist thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006).Results. Both groups of participants drew on heteronormative discourses of sexuality and gender to make sense of the stem. Engaging in sexual experimentation was often depicted as a demonstration of being normal. In some stories written by women, sex was framed as a site for negotiating 'equality' and reciprocity in relationships. Therapists were more likely than non-therapists to frame 'difficulties' within relationships as opportunities for personal growth and increased emotional depth, and their stories included greater emotional complexity.Conclusion. These findings raise questions about practitioner training and whether it results in therapists drawing on narrow and restrictive discourses of heterosex in clinical practice. Practitioner pointsTraining on sexual issues is largely absent from non-specialist practitioner training courses, which potentially means therapists are ill-equipped to respond to clients' anxiety about sexual issues. Evidence from this and other research indicates that therapists' sense-making around heterosexual

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“…Though these components provide a description, they certainly do not provide an explanation, nor create an accurate picture of those who participate in any facet of BDSM. Because BDSM is much more prevalent in mass media and society today than in the past, it is important to further explore and understand it (Weiss, 2006).…”

Section: What Is Kink and Bdsm? Definition Of Termsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Weiss (2006) illustrates the different ways in which BDSM has entered the mainstream through the use of survey, focus groups, and interviews. She studied non-BDSM practitioners' reactions to two television ads by Ikea and Dannon yoghurt that show a slice of BDSM practice and to the film secretary, which features an intense but ultimately fulfilling relationship depicting power exchange, sexual discipline, and control.…”

Section: Introduction: Mainstreaming Kinkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Becoming kink-aware – a necessity for sexuality professionals

Pillai‐Friedman

Pollitt

Castaldo

2014

Sexual and Relationship Therapy

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Bondage and discipline (B/D), dominance and submission (D/s), and sadism and masochism (S/M), also known as BDSM/kink, is becoming an increasingly popular topic in both mainstream media and people's sexual lives. As such, it is vital for sexuality professionals to have an understanding of BDSM and training in working with clients, over and above the current requirements. We present a three part training program which utilizes Sexual Attitude Reassessments (SARS), independent reading, and skills development through supervision, which will ensure that sexuality professionals are more than simply "kink-friendly" but are highly trained and able to help clients navigate concerns with kink and BDSM relationships.

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Mainstreaming Kink

Cited by 83 publications

References 6 publications

BDSM Disclosure and Stigma Management: Identifying Opportunities for Sex Education

BDSM Disclosure and Stigma Management: Identifying Opportunities for Sex Education

Therapists’ and non‐therapists’ constructions of heterosex: A qualitative story completion study

Becoming kink-aware – a necessity for sexuality professionals

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