Thinking Kink

When the mildly kink-themed trilogy 50 Shades of Grey became popular reading in 2012, the media speculated that feminism was in reverse, as the public went mad over bondage and discipline, domination and submission and sadomasochism (BDSM). The novels provoked academic debate about BDSM and the issues it raises for feminists. Is the female dominant truly powerful or is she just another objectified body? Does lesbian BDSM avoid the problematic nature of heterosexual kink, or is it actually more subject to the "male gaze" of feminist theory? And what is it about kink that has creators of pop culture--from Anne Rice to the producers of Scrubs--using it to attract audiences? Examining the tropes of kink in books, TV shows, film and the music industry, this work addresses these and other questions that depictions of BDSM raise for the feminist audience. The author interweaves her own research and experiences in the BDSM scene with the subculture's portrayal in the media. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

A New York Times Notable Book Kink is a groundbreaking anthology of literary short fiction exploring love and desire, BDSM, and interests across the sexual spectrum, edited by lauded writers R.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell, and featuring a roster of all-star contributors including Alexander Chee, Roxane Gay, Carmen Maria Machado, and more. A Most-Anticipated book of 2021 as selected by * Marie Claire * O, The Oprah Magazine * Cosmopolitan * Time * The Millions * The Advocate * Autostraddle * Refinery29 * Shape * Town & Country * Book Riot * Literary Hub * Kink is a dynamic anthology of literary fiction that opens an imaginative door into the world of desire. The stories within this collection portray love, desire, BDSM, and sexual kinks in all their glory with a bold new vision. The collection includes works by renowned fiction writers such as Callum Angus, Alexander Chee, Vanessa Clark, Melissa Febos, Kim Fu, Roxane Gay, Cara Hoffman, Zeyn Joukhadar, Chris Kraus, Carmen Maria Machado, Peter Mountford, Larissa Pham, and Brandon Taylor, with Garth Greenwell and R.O. Kwon as editors. The stories within explore bondage, power-play, and submissive-dominant relationships; we are taken to private estates, therapists’ offices, underground sex clubs, and even a sex theater in early-20th century Paris. While there are whips and chains, sure, the true power of these stories lies in their beautiful, moving dispatches from across the sexual spectrum of interest and desires, as portrayed by some of today’s most exciting writers.

When the mildly kink-themed trilogy 50 Shades of Grey became popular reading in 2012, the media speculated that feminism was in reverse, as the public went mad over bondage and discipline, domination and submission and sadomasochism (BDSM). The novels provoked academic debate about BDSM and the issues it raises for feminists. Is the female dominant truly powerful or is she just another objectified body? Does lesbian BDSM avoid the problematic nature of heterosexual kink, or is it actually more subject to the “male gaze” of feminist theory? And what is it about kink that has creators of pop culture—from Anne Rice to the producers of Scrubs—using it to attract audiences? Examining the tropes of kink in books, TV shows, film and the music industry, this work addresses these and other questions that depictions of BDSM raise for the feminist audience. The author interweaves her own research and experiences in the BDSM scene with the subculture’s portrayal in the media. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

A smart, sexy guide to embracing the repressed, tabooed, and often unwanted aspects of ourselves so we can discover our inner power and finally live the life we deserve. “We always get exactly what we want; but often, though we may not be aware of it, what we most want is dark—very dark.” Each of us has a dual nature: we are light (conscious) and dark (unconscious). The dark side of our personality—the “other,” the shadow side—is made up of what we think is our primitive, primal, negative impulses—our “existential kink.” Our existential kink also drives the dark or negative repeating patterns in our life: always choosing the abusive partner or boss, settling for less, thinking that we’re undeserving, not worthy. But it also is the source of our greatest power. In Existential Kink, Carolyn Elliott, PhD, offers a truth-telling guide for bringing our shadow into the light. Inviting us to make conscious the unconscious, Elliott asks us to own the subconscious pleasure we get from the stuck, painful patterns of our existence. Existential Kink provides practical advice and meditations so we truly see our shadow side’s “guilty pleasures,” love and accept them, and integrate them into our whole being. By doing so, Elliott shows, we bring to life the raw, hot, glorious power we all have to get what we really want in our lives.

Anna has another fantasy. Can Kline take her to the place she wants to be? With another weekend away due, Anna requests that Kline take her to subspace during sex, somewhere he's been several times but something she has so far failed to achieve. This time she's intent on getting there, and with the help of her sexy-as-hell Dom, there's no room for entertaining the fact she might not. Kline wants to satisfy Anna's every need and takes her to a new kind of hotel—one with a dungeon so he can use the facilities there to enable him to grant Anna's latest desire. Will they experience an off-the-charts-hot sexual experience that they'll never forget?

Thousands have run afoul of Britain's Obscene Publications Act--from Victorian erotica presses to 21st-century dominatrices. At a time when the internet has made sexually explicit material ubiquitous, why are British traditional media still regulated by a vaguely worded law from 1857? This comprehensive analysis of obscenity in British culture explores what is considered obscene, who gets to decide, and how class, race and gender inform laws regarding adult content. The author describes how obscenity laws disproportionately affect the BDSM subculture, the LGBT community and feminist porn performers.

In a raw and riveting, completely candid autobiography, Dave Davies, co-founder of the legendary, ever-popular English rock band The Kinks, delves into the turbulence of his own amazing life: sex, drugs, and rock and roll; his famous feuds with brother Ray; and an insider's life in the steamy center of the music scene. of photos.

Winner of the MLA's 2016 Alan Bray Prize for Best Book in GLBTQ Studies How BDSM can be used as a metaphor for black female sexuality. The Color of Kink explores black women's representations and performances within American pornography and BDSM (bondage and discipline, domination and submission, and sadism and masochism) from the 1930s to the present, revealing the ways in which they illustrate a complex and contradictory negotiation of pain, pleasure, and power for black women. Based on personal interviews conducted with pornography performers, producers, and professional dominatrices, visual and textual analysis, and extensive archival research, Ariane Cruz reveals BDSM and pornography as critical sites from which to rethink the formative links between Black female sexuality and violence. She explores how violence becomes not just a vehicle of pleasure but also a mode of accessing and contesting power. Drawing on feminist and queer theory, critical race theory, and media studies, Cruz argues that BDSM is a productive space from which to consider the complexity and diverseness of black women's sexual practice and the mutability of black female sexuality. Illuminating the cross-pollination of black sexuality and BDSM, The Color of Kink makes a unique contribution to the growing scholarship on racialized sexuality.