Golden Gate XPress
About 100 students broadened their knowledge on a different kind of pleasure in the Rosa Parks Conference room in the Cesar Chavez Student Center.
In a delicate, yet open manner, Jen Day, Pepper Mint and Ari, who declined to give his last name—all whom are in polyamorous relationships with each other—educated a group of students about the practice of BDSM, which stands for bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, masochism.
“Often people don’t like any of these things, and that’s OK, that’s great,” Mint said.
In a presentation, three “Kink!” participants covered topics of consent, fetishes, myths, media, role playing, toys and a brief history all surrounding the topic of BDSM with safety being an overriding theme.
“BDSM is not abuse, and abuse is not BDSM,” Day said.
The presenters discussed that having consent, using safe words and not engaging in drug use are important rules to follow when it comes to kink play. “Safe, sane and sober” is a general motto in kink communities.
Using places designated for kink play was among one recommendation for enhanced safety.
“Often play is semi-public in these places. This is relatively safe compared to bringing someone home that you don’t know very well,” Pepper said.
Various toys were passed around for students to feel and look at up close, including paddles, whips and leather straps — even one with heart-shaped cut-outs that leaves heart imprints on skin.
Students attended the presentation to receive credit for one of Ivy Chen’s classes, while others attended for their own interests. …