DEI Vision
NCSF’s goal is to better fulfill our mission through a better understanding of a diverse range of voices and experiences in our communities. We recognize the similarities and differences between people that make us all unique. We aim to be inclusive by creating opportunities for more people of various backgrounds to be represented and heard by NCSF.
Definitions
diversity speaks to the leadership’s representation within an organization or entity that is representative of the multitude of identities and lived experiences of our society. diversity is not about meeting a quota and it is about curating a collective of people that can give voice to the nuanced needs and perspectives of all.
equity is often confused with equality. To be equitable, an organization needs to provide policies and infrastructure that promotes access to the full range of opportunities, resources, representation, and decision-making power. An organization has to not only find ways to increase equality; but, also provide additional support to mitigate power differentials.
inclusion is an intentional action to listen, include, and institute the voices of all within an organization. It is a planned action to provide visibility, representation, and accessibility to empower those perspectives, voices, and experiences that have historically been disempowered.
DEI Expectations For The Board and Staff
Board Members
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- Model behavior at all times in a way that is consistent with the NCSF Mission Statement and Vision.
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- Every month, a Board Member will be tasked with providing additional educational opportunities at the Board meeting by discussing the info they have posted in the Board Forum that highlights a diversity issue (e.g., Ted Talks, books, interviews, resources, data).
- Be mindful of actively recruiting diverse volunteers at BDSM-Leather-Fetish, Swing, and Polyamory Community events.
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- Be actively involved in identifying and recruiting diverse Board Member candidates.
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- Educate and inform regarding diversity, equity and inclusion issues, as well as NCSF Mission Statement and resources, when opportunities to do so present themselves.
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- Be receptive to learning about being reeducated as needed, and being called-in when necessary. This is applicable to each board member. We promote self-reflection, lifelong learning, institutional accountability, and mitigation of power differentials.
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- Being proactive to issues or concerns involving diversity, equity and inclusion instead of reacting to them as they arise.
In regards to NCSF’s Coalition Partners, the BOD will:
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- Educate our Coalition Partners about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion issues, and to be aware that diversity refers to: race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, level of ability, and educational status.
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- Be actively involved in the recruitment of Coalition Partners for NCSF from the BDSM-Leather-Fetish, Swing, and Polyamory communities, in particular those serving more marginalized communities.
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- Educate and inform Coalition Partners regarding diversity, equity and inclusion issues, as well as NCSF Mission Statement and resources, when opportunities to do so present themselves.
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- Be proactive and preemptive to issues or concerns involving diversity and inclusion instead of reacting to them as they arise.
Volunteers, Staff, and Liaisons:
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- Model behavior at all times in a way that is consistent with the NCSF Mission Statement and Vision.
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- Be mindful of actively recruiting diverse volunteers at BDSM-Leather-Fetish, Swing, and Polyamory Community events.
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- Educate and inform regarding diversity and inclusion issues, as well as NCSF Mission and resources, when opportunities to do so present themselves.
DEI Committee
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee should be working diligently, almost daily and certainly with every interaction we have with each other and our stakeholders, to project a positive, consistent, and strong Organizational Culture that is consistent with our NCSF Mission Statement and our Diversity Equity and Inclusion Vision, including:
- Ensure that NCSF’s programs and projects are representative of our society; create and implement procedures and practices that optimize Accessibility of resources and education to our community; invite, encourage, and promote the Inclusion of all voices with intentional attention to those communities that have been excluded due to Oppression, discrimination, and Systemic Racism.
- Help ensure that NCSF research is meaningful and relevant to all, including historically Marginalized and Oppressed people.
- Institute ongoing data collection methods that solicit representative and Inclusive information data from the community to improve quality decision-making. We strive to maximize Accessibility for all to participate.
For more information, email ncsfreedom@ncsfreedom.org
DEI Culture
NCSF’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Culture originates from the Board Members, and we’ve agreed in principle that a change in NCSF culture must originate at the NCSF Board level.
DEI Expectations For Coalition Partners
Coalition Partners
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- Educate our Coalition Partners about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion issues, and to be aware that diversity refers to: race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, level of ability, and educational status.
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- Encourage our Coalition Partners to create their own Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vision.
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- Be actively involved in the recruitment of Coalition Partners for NCSF from the BDSM-Leather-Fetish, Swing, and Polyamory communities, in particular those serving more marginalized communities.
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- Educate and inform your members regarding diversity, equity and inclusion issues, as well as NCSF Mission and resources, when opportunities to do so present themselves.
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- Be proactive to issues or concerns involving diversity and inclusion instead of reacting to them as they arise.
- TO SUGGEST A RESOURCE, CLICK HERE
- Creating Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment
- DEIB Part 1: Why should your organization embrace Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging?
- DEIB Part 2: What is DEIB exactly?
- DEIB Part 3: Belonging. How your organization can step onto the road of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
- Bystander Intervention
Awareness Month Resources
Table of Contents
February: Black History Month
- Dr. James Wadley: Interview with Ruby B. Johnson, LCSWNCSF honors Black History Month with this interview with Dr. James Wadley, Professor and Chair of the Counseling and Human Services department at Lincoln University. As a scholar-practitioner, he is a licensed professional counselor and maintains a private practice in the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is the founding editor of the scholarly, ...
- NCSF Celebrates Black History MonthCheck out our interviews on our Amplify Voices page!
- NCSF Honors Black History MonthCheck out NCSF’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion resources under our Amplify Voice project!
- Viola Johnson: Interview with Ruby B. Johnson, LCSWNCSF honors Black History Month with this interview with Viola Johnson, a leatherwoman, activist, motivational speaker and author who has been active in the leather BDSM scene for almost five decades. Vi has served as a mentor to countless individuals, and was dubbed “Mom” by several generations of Leathermen and women. She is delighted to ...
March: Women of Polyamory
- NCSF honors Women of Polyamory Awareness Month in MarchCheck out NCSF’s Amplify Voices for spotlights with women who identify as polyamorous throughout the month of March.
- Spotlight on: Women of Polyamory Awareness MonthNCSF Asks Chaneé: What would you like to see the Leather, kink, and polyamory communities do to support polyamory awareness and polyamorous people? As a Black polyamorous educator and influencer who has been doing this work for almost a decade, I am ecstatic about the fact that Polyamory is gaining media representation, and starting to become ...
- Spotlight on: Women of Polyamory MonthNCSF Asks Mx Mollee: What would you like to see the Leather, kink, and polyamory communities do to support polyamory awareness and polyamorous people? There is no single definition of polyamory, but the consensus among people who study and/or practice it seems to be that polyamory is “honest, open, responsible non-monogamy” that involves being open to ...
April: Neurodiversity Awareness
- Celebrate Neurodiversity Awareness Month in AprilFor resources on accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion, check out NCSF’s Amplify Voices page! NCSF receives many different requests from people who self-identify as neurodiverse, including organizers needing assistance in setting up groups or individuals facing discrimination due to their interest in kink and/or nonmongamy. In addition, in the past year NCSF received 19 Incident Reporting ...
- Guest Blog: Consent and NeurodiversityThe Path In and Out: Unpushing the Panic Button By Turtle and Seq with Contributors: CSPC ND/DG, Seranine, and Teeebone During the Fall of 2022, The Center for Sex Positive Culture members decided to have a blunt facilitated conversation about our needs around consent and neurodiversity. Simply put, we want to know when we have consent and ...
- NCSF honors Neurodiversity Awareness Month in AprilCheck out NCSF’s Amplify Voices for information and resources on neurodiversity in April!
- NCSF Honors Neurodiversity Awareness Month in AprilName: John Pendal Pronouns: He/ him/ his Identities: Gay/ Autistic/ Kinky/ Cis-gender/ White European NCSF Asks: What would you like to see the Leather, kink and polyamory communities do to support Neurodiversity awareness and Neurodivergent people? The kink community is really attractive to neurodivergent people, so we aren’t talking about a minority issue. In one study (Wignall et al. 2023) roughly one half of ...
June: Pride Month
- Centerlink: Active Bystander Intervention and De-escalationActive Bystander Intervention and De-EscalationDownload
- Guest Blog: Why I Created the Latine Leather Pride Flagby Master Retro Bella (she/her) When I created the Latine Leather Pride Flag, I wanted something that reflected our neighborhoods first, then our nations. I wasn’t just thinking about borders. I was thinking about gardens. I was thinking about the colors that have grown around us all our lives. The ones on the walls of the ...
- Happy Pride Month!Activism within the BDSM, Kink, and Lifestyle communities has many heroes, trailblazers, and pioneers that have made grassroots contributions to uplift and empower its members. This month, NCSF celebrates them with Pride! Check out all of our Amplify Voices resources.
- Join in the Sexual Freedom Parades in Denver, New Orleans and Las Vegas!Join NCSF and your community as we march for Sexual Freedom in Denver, New Orleans and Las Vegas this year! If you have never marched in a Sexual Freedom Parade, it is a life-changing experience. You must register ASAP to march. Space is limited, and all registration proceeds benefit NCSF and local sex-positive charities. Our first ...
- NCSF Celebrates Pride Month in June!Visit the NCSF Booths at Capital Pride and NYC Pride! https://ncsfreedom.org/events/
- NCSF Celebrates Pride Month!Activism within the BDSM/Kink/Lifestyle communities has many heroes, trailblazers, and pioneers that have made grassroots contributions to uplift and empower its members. This month, NCSF celebrates them with Pride! https://ncsfreedom.org/amplifyvoices/#June_Pride_Month
- NCSF Celebrates Pride Month!Celebrate Pride Month with NCSF! Check out our calendar to see where NCSF will be exhibiting in June – https://ncsfreedom.org/events/month/
June: Junteenth
- Celebrate Juneteenth with NCSFFor free Bystander Intervention workshops and resources, check out Right to Be. “This is your call to power, to build a world free of harassment.”
- Guest Blog: Juneteenth Freedom DayBy Master “Daddy” Zulu For those who don’t know me, I’m known in the Leather culture as Master “Daddy” Zulu. I’ve been navigating in and around this culture since the early ’90s, and fully embraced Leather in the mid-’90s. I am grateful to NCSF for the opportunity to share my views about Juneteenth Freedom Day 2025. This ...
- Have a Proud and Happy Juneteenth!“Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.” “Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a ...
July: BIPOC Mental Health Month
- Guest Blog: BIPoC Mental Health Awareness Month in July!NCSF asks: What do you wish our communities knew about BIPoC mental health? By Sobia Saleem, LMFT, Intersectional Care Therapy, IntersectionalCareTherapy.com Intersectional Care is Crucial.Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw and an idea perhaps initially expressed by the Black queer socialist activist group the Combahee River Collective, refers to the ways in which the multiplicity of ...
- Guest Blog: Don’t Forget July is BIPoC Mental Health MonthAllow me to introduce myself: My name among most of the circles I navigate is Ron. There are some that refer to me as Uncle Ron, some call me Daddy Ron and some call me Boss. In my association with Onyx GL, I am Grio Onyx. I’m Black, Queer and some call me an Elder. ...
- JULY IS BEBE MOORE CAMPBELL NATIONAL MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH ALSO KNOWN AS BIPOC MENTAL HEALTH MONTHFormally recognized in June 2008 (and currently designated as), Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the US. Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health ...
August: Generational Leadership
- Guest Blog: Reflections On My Golden YearsBy Race Bannon As I write this, I’ve just turned 71 years of age. In my queer and kink circles I’m sometimes referred to as an elder. Yet others might just say I’m old, which is fine. None of us gets off this planet alive. I’m at peace with my age. Being older is simply an ...
- NCSF Celebrates Generational Leadership in an Interview with Kileyby Seq, NCSF Board Member and Chair of the DEI Committee Q. Please tell us a bit about yourself including any identities you hold Kiley is an ethically non monogamous, bisexual queer who identifies as she/her/any pronouns but in the sex trade identifies as she/her. Q. Please share some things about your history in alt-sex communities My partner and ...
September: Consent Month
- Celebrate Consent Month in September!Find out things you and your group can do to celebrate Consent Month with NCSF!
- Guest Blog: Power and ConsentBy Mrs. Delilah Duval I’m a queer Black woman, mother, and leatherwoman, self-styled The Consent Queen. This crown wasn’t handed to me; it was forged from the ore of mistakes, hard lessons, and deep community love. My identities shape how I navigate the world and how others perceive me, creating power dynamics in every room I ...
- Help For Kinky Abuse Victimsby Lisa P. While kinky abuse victims are welcome to seek help at all organizations that help survivors, they may not find understanding at all of them. Some anti-abuse organizations are unfamiliar with kink, and may have a difficult time telling the difference between consensual kink and abuse, and/or may shame victims for being kinky, suggest ...
- NCSF Celebrates Consent Month with an Interview with Aredviby Seq, NCSF Board Member and Chair of the DEI Committee Q. Please tell us a bit about yourself including any identities you hold I am Aredvi, hailing from the land of saffron, figs, and pomegranates, known as Iran. As an immigrant, I’ve spent half my life in the US, embracing an Irani-American identity. I navigate my ...
- NCSF Celebrates Consent Month with an Interview with Midoriby Seq, NCSF Board Member and Chair of the DEI Committee Q. Let’s discuss Consent as it’s this month’s theme. How do you define or frame Consent? As a culture, socially and legally, we’re still figuring this out. The same can be said for the various erotically social subcultures. At this time, I consider Consent in two broad ...
- September is Consent Month!Find out how you can join NCSF in celebrating Consent Month in September!
September: Hispanic Heritage
- Guest Blog: Why I Created the Latine Leather Pride Flagby Master Retro Bella (she/her) When I created the Latine Leather Pride Flag, I wanted something that reflected our neighborhoods first, then our nations. I wasn’t just thinking about borders. I was thinking about gardens. I was thinking about the colors that have grown around us all our lives. The ones on the walls of the ...
October: Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) was launched nationwide in October 1987 as a way to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues while raising awareness for those issues. Over the past 30+ years, much progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to ...
- Guest Blog: Young Adults & BDSMBy Dr. Lee Kinsey Trends in young adult sexuality are poorly tracked. Because many in the United States are squeamish about studying sexuality there is not much we know about what emerging adults do and do not do with their sexuality. However, some researchers who study sexuality have noted a recent rise in aggressive sexual behaviors ...
- IPV Tactics Matrix for the Kink CommunityThe Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV) developed this matrix to explain the power & control tactics that abusive partners in the kink community might use. Because MNADV recognizes that abusive partners in the kink community might be any gender or sexual orientation, the Power & Control Wheels – Duluth Model are not usable in ...
- Kink and Polyamory Aware ProfessionalsOctober is Sexual Assault Awareness Month – If you’re experiencing abuse within a kink or non-monogamy dynamic, NCSF has a directory of Kink and Polyamory Aware professionals (KAP) for you to get help. www.kapprofessionals.org
October: National Kink Month
- July 24 is International BDSM DayThe observance was created to celebrate the practice of BDSM and offer its followers a day devoted to their passion. It was created in 2003 by a Swiss BDSM lover, Kurt Walter Fisher, who is also the founder of the Rosas Cinco Club, the first club in Europe dedicated to BDSM, located in Barcelona.
- October is National Kink Month!Best Practices for Explicit Prior Permission for Consent to Kink: 1. Did you agree to the specific acts you’re going to do together, including if there’s going to be any sexual contact like touching the breasts or genitals? 2. Is everyone an adult and able to consent: they’re not under the influence, in subspace, having ...
- October is National Kink Month!Best Practices for Explicit Prior Permission for Consent to Kink: 1. Did you agree to the specific acts you’re going to do together, including if there’s going to be any sexual contact like touching the breasts or genitals?2. Is everyone an adult and able to consent: they’re not under the influence, in subspace, having a mental ...
November: Transgender Awareness Month
- Check out NCSF’s Amplify Voices project! The Transgender Awareness Flag is also known as the Trans Pride Flag. It was created in 1991 by Monica Helms, an American trans woman, activist, veteran and author. The first time the flag was flown publicly was at the 2000 Phoenix Pride parade. What does the Trans Pride Flag represent? The Trans ...
- Celebrate Transgender Awareness in November!Check out NCSF’s Amplify Voices for resources.
- Celebrate Transgender Day of AwarenessCheck out our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion resources for the kink and nonmogamy communities under NCSF’s Amplify Voice page.
- Getting Off on Pleasuring Others: Trans/Nonbinary Responses to Relational InjuryBy Dee Church, LLMSW (she/they), Transcendent Therapies You’re in the middle of sex with one of your regular hookups and feeling totally in your element. With each flick of your tongue, smack of your paddle, and dragging of your nails, you see your partner writhe in such pleasure. You’re so fucking good at this. Like a ...
- NCSF Spotlight: Transgender Awareness MonthNCSF Asks Laura A. Jacobs: What would you like to see the Leather, kink, and polyamory communities do to support transgender awareness and transgender people? How wonderful it sometimes is to be transgender or nonbinary! What exhilarating worlds are BDSM and polyamory! And how valuable allies become when they are well informed and compassionate! This is what ...
- Transgender Awareness Month ResourcesEach year between November 13 – 19, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility about transgender people and address issues members of the community face. The week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of ...
December: Accessibility Awareness
- Accessibility Awareness Month ResourcesNCSF honors Accessibility Awareness in December by providing resources to assist your group or event in being more accessible. Note: The language used to describe people with disabilities changes over time, as it should. Some terms and phrases that are currently considered disrespectful/offensive were, at a previous time, considered acceptable. “Person first” language and more ...
- Being a more Accessible and Inclusive PresenterBy Tess Zachary, NCSF Chairperson Being a More Accessible and Inclusive Presenter Introduction Years ago I started using subtitles because I was presenting in these giant event spaces and the AV was not always perfect. In a short period of time after beginning to use subtitles, I had three people who changed how I present, and how I ...
- December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022July is Disability Pride Month in the United States Explanation of the elements of the Disability Pride Flag: The base of the flag is a black background. This design originally intersected diagonally with five brightly colored zig zags that were shaped like lightning bolts: blue, yellow, white, red, ...
- Guest Blog: BDSM, But Make It Accessible – A Guide to Requesting ASL InterpretersBy Madam Interpreter Ëm Medina (she/themme), Certified ASL Interpreter and Leather Probie Some of you may recognize me from leather conferences or dungeons. However, for those who don’t know me, I am Madam Ëm, your neighborhood sign language interpreter. With 20 years of experience interpreting, coordinating, and directing, I’ll share some insider tips on requesting interpreters ...
- Guest Blog: Better Than Vanilla? Navigating Neurodivergence and Disability within the BDSM CommunityBy Taylor E. Mackenzie (he/they), Science of BDSM Research Team Member I’m Taylor, a mid-twenties white queer, greysexual, trans man. I grew up in North Carolina and now reside in Illinois where I am working on completing my M.A. and Ph.D. in Social-Industrial/Organizational Psychology with a Quantitative focus at Northern Illinois University. I have been an ...
- Guest Blog: How Events Can Be More InclusiveBy Tess Zachary I hear event producers and organization managers say all the time that “everyone is welcome” and they will accommodate if someone asks them. That is admirable, however having run a club for 11 years, I have learned that you shouldn’t wait until you have a member or attendee who needs a particular accommodation. ...
- NCSF Spotlight: Celebrate Accessibility Awareness in DecemberA “Straight Diagonal” version of the Disability Pride Flag: A charcoal gray flag with a diagonal band from the top left to bottom right corner, made up of five parallel stripes in red, gold, pale gray, blue, and green NCSF Asks: What would you like to see the kink and polyamory communities do to support accessibility ...
- Virtual Events are More AccessibleBy Seq, NCSF Board Member As a person who was born with anatomical differences, diagnosed as a child and adult with a neurodevelopmental disorder, and then six years ago developed chronic illness, I often struggle to find my place and identity as a person living with disabilities. To attend an in-person multiple day event, I most often ...