Stonewalling kinky students (36)

Live your life according to a glib cliche that you read in someone's signature.

When I was at uni only two years ago, I was encouraged by my tutors to do research into my interest in BDSM. I did a public performance -sorry, two performances a day for a whole week- that was pure and simply, japanese rope bondage and suspension of live fellow students. Plus me in a rubber catsuit. No-one batted an eyelid because it was art, and when it's not art, like in your case, it's "material for reasearch". In both cases, it means that it's an interesting topic to muse and ponder and to study, but by God, we are academics/intelectuals/artists and we use it as a vehicle to get our ideas through, to convey our message; we are not personally implicated in it. Like studying insects or dinosarus, really.

"There is a big secret about sex: most people don't like it."
Leo Bersani.

It is exactly because there is no body to take up a cause such as this in a meaningful manner that the proposed ELLCA is being created.

If any one has the personal e-mail addresses of the Vice-Chancellor, Student Welfare Manager etc, then I would be very happy to e-mail them.

It would be useful if someone with access to the University intranet could supply the e-mail addresses for the Vice Chancellor (Prof. David Melville) and the pro-Vice Chancellor (Dr. Robin Baker).

The address of Sir Robert Worcester (Chancellor) is Allington Castle, Maidstone ME16 0NB and the only other contacts appear to be via media-office@kent.ac.uk and postmaster@kent.ac.uk

Kind regards Lord Elpus

Not overly surprising Tanos - Kent has a fairly good psychology department which offers a solid Clinical Psychology option.

It's not rocket science to work out that they are coming from the clinical definition of the subject and probably have well justified fears that if they are seen to be 'condoning' sadistic practice it may compromise their departments credibility in the eyes of prospective employers of their graduates.

As I have said before - wider society does not see past the S label and KinkSoc perhaps needs to take account of that in its challenge to the Uni authorities.

Laurence

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Now look what you've done!

You've bent the needle on my bullshit detector...

Or perhaps you'd care to explain just how an outfit that has (or hasn't) been formed, or has (or hasn't) been created, but which may (or may not) have been set up, and which (though as yet barely in existence) claims to represent clubs all over Europe, would or could have any effect at all on the prejudices of the Principal, Vice-Principal and/or the Deans of a unversity?

Or will you merely parrot out your usual piffle?

I'd also be quite delighted if you did that, for I expect they might resent such unsolicited, unwanted and unwelcome contact; they might even do something other than using an email filter to stop it.

< Paul > Timeo sapientiae et picturae ferentes
(Any resemblence to any person living, dead or otherwise having existed is purely coincidental. May contain nuts or other allergens. Contents may be hot when boiled. Laughing can result in coffee up one's nose or over the keyboard.)

If you look at the University of Kent website you will see references in many areas to Gay and Lesbian rights etc. No Chancellor, Vice Chancellor or pro-Vice Chancellor would dare to ignore the gay and lesbian community today.

My reading is that mbarrass is saying that ELLCA is being formed so that in the future the BDSM community can have the same profile as the gay and lesbian community now possesses.

Having studied the correspondence closely, it would appear you have something against ELLCA, or mbarrass (who for a number of years lived near yourself, I think) or the concept of progress in general.

So what? Have you really not noticed how homosexualism has become accepted over the years, whereas BDSM has not? Or do you really believe that was entirely due to the antics of groups such as Stonewall?

If that really is your reading of their proposed activities, you might do better in future to restrict your reading to tea-leaves.

No, I have nothing whatever 'against' the concept of progress, though I do note that nostalgia isn't what it used to be...

As for ELLCA, one might be inclined to be somewhat suspicious of a group that either has or hasn't been created, set up or formed, yet which is proclaimed as being a veritable panacea for any and all problems concerning BDSM across the whole of Europe.

And as for the person who seems to have appointed themselves to be the ELLCA spokesperson, one might care to reflect on how difficult it has been for people (and not just myself) to elicit straight answers to the questions posed, just as one might also reflect on the level of success achieved by NOPLA which Brian Sheridan apparently set up over three years ago. Yet if one googles for "Nightclub Owners, Promoters and Licensees Association", one will find that it seems to have vanished up its own existence without even the customary puff of purple smoke.

So what would stop ELLCA going much the same way?

< Paul > Timeo sapientiae et picturae ferentes
(Any resemblence to any person living, dead or otherwise having existed is purely coincidental. May contain nuts or other allergens. Contents may be hot when boiled. Laughing can result in coffee up one's nose or over the keyboard.)

So what? Have you really not noticed how homosexualism has become accepted over the years, whereas BDSM has not? Or do you really believe that was entirely due to the antics of groups such as Stonewall?

When my Grandfather went to prison for homosexual activities he was fighting for the rights which the Gay and Lesbian Community now enjoy.

Only if the BDSM community fight with such vigour will they ever enjoy the profile which the G&L community now enjoy.

It is not looking by into tea-leaves, it is by getting up off your backside and doing something which will eventually attain what is being sought by those who are enlightened enough to see an objective, however distant, and to begin the journey towards that goal.

On your other points, my understanding is that mbarrass sees ELLCA as one way of moving forward.....a concept which can be developed and grown into what is necessary to promote bdsm as an acceptable lifestyle within the wider community.

Ellca has just been created. It has not yet had a meeting of the interested parties and members. It has a long way to go. But do not denounce it or those involved if you are not prepared to positively contribute yourself.