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Personal Meets
Political
By Vivienne Kramer, Chairperson
of the Board of Directors and Leigha Fleming, Director
of Constituency Services of
the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF)
*First published in the National Coalition for
Sexual Freedom Notes Newsletter
http://www.ncsfreedom.org/
"I don't want to stand up and be counted. I am not an activist.
I just want to play."
We know. And we applaud you BECAUSE you want to play. Unfortunately, in
this climate of extreme prejudice and restriction, where a handful of
religious and political extremists can use the media to influence the
uneducated public and alter the rights of private citizens to assemble,
peacefully and privately, just playing is considered an act of radical
politics.
We know that going to Black Rose or Fetish in the Fall or any other
social event is about your interest in playing! It is about learning new
techniques, practicing your skills and perfecting your style.
Perhaps you'd like to meet a new play partner, significant other,
lifetime companion, or simply play out a fantasy. Our community needs to
be educated about what we do and how we do it. So many of us feel
marginalized, weird, different, strange about our own needs and desires.
These events provide one of the very few places where we can feel good
about ourselves and "at home."
The people vehemently opposed to our freedoms and rights don't make any
distinction between you and those who happen to write letters, send
emails, protest prohibitive legislation, and work as activists and
advocates. In the minds of the religious right, we are ALL perverts and
none of us deserve the right to assemble freely, without risk of
persecution and shame.
These are tough times and there are often tough choices to make when the
personal meets the political. Some say there is never any difference.
Others feel quite strongly that what they do with their own bodies is
their own business and they should be left alone. Regardless of your
personal beliefs, interests and energies, whether playing in the privacy
of your own bedroom or play party, protesting your local liquor laws,
forming a political action committee, or educating law enforcement
officers on the difference between SM and abuse, we must all be willing
to talk to one another, share ideas and support each other in our
efforts to make the world a safer place for our community.
It is only by recognizing each other's strengths and talents that we
will be able to meet each other's needs. In order to make safe places to
play - free from puritanical regulations and absurd, antiquated notions
of decency and sexual pleasure - the terms activist and player must not
be mutually exclusive. You can embrace either or both titles and be
proud. And no matter what role you play, by choice or by necessity,
*you* should pick the freedom to bound or be bound. Otherwise, make no
mistake, others will pick it for you.
The people UNITED will never be defeated.
~~~
Read the SCENEprofiles Interview with
Susan Wright,
Founder of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF)
Read Sadie's Article: Think Globally, Spank Locally –
also known as our Community is more than one big Spank-a-Thon
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom
822 Guilford Ave #127
Baltimore, MD 21202
Office: (410) 539-4824
Fax: (410) 385-2827
www.ncsfreedom.org
Copyright 2003
This article is reprinted here with the explicit permission of the
author. If you would like to share it with others, please link directly
to this page or contact the author for permission. It is a violation of
copyright law to distribute or reprint this piece without that
permission, however you may include a short quote from it, not more than
20% of the total text. Please respect the integrity of this work.
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