We all think we share a language when we talk about BDSM, but when you pry apart the abbreviation you’ll often hear people mumble their way through a definition of “discipline”. Bondage, D/s and SM seem straightforward, but what do we mean when we use the D-word? BEFORE WE USED “BDSM” Let’s blame it (at…
Tag: old guard
Clique Schisms
The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born Antonio Gramsci – Selections from the Prison Notebooks i’ve been clicking around recently looking for a sense of subcultural belonging. One of my favourite podcasts is nosafeword, and i stumbled across an episode called “Clique Schisms”. Sparky…
Being Old Guard Leather in a Modern World – The Constructivist Approach
We’re often prompted to label everything, even thinks that resist labeling. So, how do i categorise my own BDSM dynamic? Is it old guard or new guard? The way i see it is as a constructivist approach in practicing M/s dynamics. Does actual BDSM fantasy – like the one described by Gengoroh Tagame comics, or…
The Mysterious Old Guard
I self-identify as a kinkster and, like many others, I have spent a long time reflecting on and questioning my own characteristics and personality, and the desire and longing for a life that (for me) is geographically nearly impossible to achieve. I live in Malaysia, where you don’t see anyone wearing collars or use any…
Where Did Old School BDSM Go?
I watched a video this morning of how a book was produced. The lead type being set, then pressed. The trimming and folding and binding, and how the leather cover was attached. The comment by the person who posted the video was “Your Kindle can’t do this”. And, of course, it can’t. But that doesn’t…
Is it OK for Me to Call Myself “Master”?
So, you’ve got this title, “Master”. What are the origins? How did it come to be part of the BDSM language? “Master” might refer to: someone with a high level of skill in something (a Master Swordsman or Master Electrician, for example). To be recognised as this type of Master by your community you may…
Old School BDSM versus New School BDSM
Laura Antoniou (author of The Marketplace series of books), wrote in an article called “Leather traditions”, “houses” and other myths people try to sell you on: There are no “old leather traditions.” There are behaviors that individuals and small, isolated groups developed as customs (Bob has a new bike! Let’s all pee on it!) and…
Being a Leatherboy is a Lifestyle and a State of Mind
by boydon freeman We all know about Masters and slaves, Tops and bottoms, Doms and subs, but what exactly is a leatherboy? All around the US, leatherboys are participating in clubs, competing in contests, and volunteering for fund-raisers. The boy presence is very much in evidence at leather events. Maybe it would be helpful to…