quote:

ORIGINAL: BoiJen

...There the LAM (Leather Archives and Museum) in Chicago as well.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sekhemet

Recommended reading - Any and all books from Dr. Iwan Bloch, as you read this material you will notice other books and authors mentioned such as "walter," Spencer, Berkeley, and Ashbee to name but a few.  Follow the trail ... They can be found; it takes work, but it can be done - (eBay loves you!)

There was also a group of 3 books written at the turn of the century which were the Bibliography of Prohibited Books (Pisanus Fraxi)- in there (assuming you can lay hands on it) is much fact and further researching direction.

*yes I know there is "something odd in that list of names" ... do you?  Bet not; so do the reseach ... figure it out.
-------------------------------
So gee guys everyone knows it all, I see - I bet NONE of you know where or HOW the label DEVIANT got slapped on our collective hineys ... And to the person who said "if it's not in the recent past WHO CARES!?!?!"  Some of US care and if you DO know when, where, why or HOW this "deviant and perverse" labels managed to get where they got; I'm sure you'd laugh and be disgusted both.
People have been pretending to know all about this world for a LONG time ... and the mentallity of spewing BS in an effort to look smart, and clued in is nowhere NEAR new.
I'm sure you "sense" the term is an insult , certainly feels like it when people say it ... but why, where, HOW did this happen and how did we get from "debauchery," to "deviant?"  If you knew I doubt you'd continue to call yourself a "deviant" or a "pervert" ... I know I no longer use the terms anyway, I have no need to pretend and fake knowledge of this, nor do I need to use terms which are INAPPROPRIATE in order to attempt to give Myself creedence, I know what is going on, I don't need to fabricate and create to look smart.  Someone else did - and you all continue to fall down at his feet and you dont even KNOW what you are doing, or who he is/was.
BUT everyone on this thread is so clever and has it nailed do they ... *laughs sadly*  Pathetic.

  Learn the history ... there is a LOT of it there, and YES it DOES matter. 
You do not decide to be a doctor but skip the classes on medicine.
You do not become a mechanic but skip out on learning and bringing tools.
You do not claim to have an interest in something you know nothing about - you learn it first and then claim an interest, and as your knowledge grows the interest should as well - Yuo do NOT become actively and avidly interested in something you just saw, you are curious about it (student), not greatly interested in it (teacher).  Or was everyone all into chess before they learned HOW to win?
Didn't think so.
So learn how to win - do some back book work, and yes ... THINK about it and put it all together but remember the context and era which people are writing from and about too ... its ALL relevant.

And what are you winning at this "game of chess?"
Your own pride, self-respect and "normalacy" ... it's worth the effort, isn't it?
XxoxX
PS - no I don't think I "know it all," but I do think most of you have hopped on a bandwagon without wheels and are trapped in a box you don't even know how it's built.  Repeating rhetoric is only worthwhile if you understand who said it first, and in what context.  And just because someone wrote a BOOK so WHAT - they're literate thats ALL it means.  DO - YOUR - RESEARCH!  And then do that back research and then when possible MEET the authors in question personally, get ALL your facts in place and take it from there, anyone can write a book, at any age and from any angle they desire, and that chosen angle will skewer the work written.  Think about that for a moment ...

quote:

ORIGINAL: briska

I was just wondering; after doing a bit of research (or trying to) I haven't been able to find a good site or book concerning the history of BDSM and how 'the scene' came about.  Is there anyone out there who could help me with either a reliable website or name of a book I could look into?

quote:

ORIGINAL: MadRabbit

quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterFireMaam

There are actually two US histories lines...the het one and the gay one.

Jack Rinella recknonized a third seperate line in his writings which was the Pro Dominatrixs.

quote:

ORIGINAL: missturbation

Theres always the Marquis de Sade in the 1700's. Despite popular belief there are notes of bdsm rather than just sadism in his life and works and also it wasnt all non-consensual.

quote:

ORIGINAL: obey1
The Jews to this day are still the masters of financial slavery and kinky sexual practices.

quote:

ORIGINAL: briska

how 'the scene' came about. 

quote:

ORIGINAL: obey1

quote:

ORIGINAL: thetammyjo
<snip>
As a historian I have serious issues with .......anything (that) can be construed at a precusor.

I personally find no evidence that what we define as BDSM exists in most cultures until there is a serious level of legal and economic equality where choice is truly possible.

I offer you the writings of KING Solomon, the "ORIGINAL" Homey of 'KINK' and a poly lifestyle with 700 wives and 300 concubines. His 700 wives had INSTANT economic and political equality. His guards were castrated but could still service the women, just not supposed to bear children. The Jews to this day are still the masters of financial slavery and kinky sexual practices.



Ecclesiastes 1:8
All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell {it.} The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.


That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.


Is there anything of which one might say, "See this, it is new"? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us.


There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later {still.}


I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.


And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. {It} is a grievous task {which} God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.


I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.


What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.


I said to myself, "Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge."


And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind.


Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge {results in} increasing pain.