IC :
BDSM Dictionary : Houses : ICcode
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This entry is part of the BDSM Dictionary hosted by Informed Consent.
This is the version from 31 Oct 06, 12:21 PM. The full history of this entry will show any more recent versions.
[b]House[/b] is used in several different ways within BDSM, but always to represent a group of individuals pursuing some common purpose and wishing to establish some form of identity together.
The construction "The House of X" is a very common way of titling such households.
[heading]Historical uses
Much of the imagery and symbolism in BDSM comes from historical holders of power, such as monarchs and feudal lords. Royal and noble dynasties often took a name of the form the "House of York" or the "House of Grimaldi" to identify themselves, either based on a geographical location ("York") or their founder ("Grimaldo Canella".)
Modern science fiction has used similar terminology when putting quasi-aristocratic households in a fantasy context. For example, the slave-dealing business run from the House of Cernus in John Norman's [about=Gor]Gor[/about] series; and the struggle between House Atreides and House Harkonnen for control of the planet Arrakis in Frank Herbert's "Dune". These fictional houses share the key features of historical houses: the idea of a common identity and name, a leader, and retainers or servants.
[heading]BDSM Publishing and Fashion Houses
Similar names are also uses by some BDSM publishers, such as the
[about=House of Milan]House of Milan[/about] and [about=House of Gord]House of Gord[/about], and fashion businesses, such as [about=House of Harlot]House of Harlot[/about]. This usage also overlaps the mainstream concept of a "publishing house" or a "fashion house", but has an added dimension within BDSM due to its historical and modern D/s associations.
[heading]D/s Households
A [b]House[/b] provides an alternative model to the [about=Leather Family]Leather Family[/about], for groups of people living together in a D/s structure. For some people who prefer more patriarchal styles of dominance, the idea of a hierarchical and even formal or ritualised household may sit more comfortably than a family.
There is some overlap with the concept of a [about=Head of Household]Head of Household[/about], which also applies to simpler monogamous relationships similar to traditional marriages.
Many D/s Households are prominent within their local BDSM scene, and may organise events or their local chapter of an organisation such as [about=MAsT]MAsT[/about]. Having a shared household identity is both convenient and affirming, in the same way that many married couples prefer to share a surname.
[heading]External Links
[item] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_House]Wikipedia article on Royal Houses[/url]
[heading]Links to Households
[item] [url=http://www.disciplineandservice.org/]The Order for Discipline and Service[/url] - a household in Virginia, US
[item] [url=http://www.restraining-order.com/]Sir Stephen's household[/url] - in New Jersey, US
[item] [url=http://www.householdk.org/]Household Keppeler[/url] - in Michigan, US
[item] [url=http://www.irontriangle.net/]The Iron Triangle Household[/url] - in Seattle, US
[item] [url=http://www.tanos.org.uk]House of Tanos[/url] - near Manchester, UK
[item] [url=http://www.houseofshaman.org/]House of Shaman[/url] - in Florida, US
(See also links on the [about=Leather Family]Leather Family[/about] article.)
(This entry in the BDSM Dictionary incorporates text from the [url=http://www.londonfetishscene.com/wipi/index.php/Houses]Houses[/url] article in Wipipedia.)
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