As some of you may know, I’m addicted to People’s Court. Sometimes the cases aren’t great, but usually there’s a lot of bad lying, laughable claims, and other shenanigans going on.
Today there was an interesting case between a carpenter and dungeon owner. That’s right…a guy owning a sex club was being sued by his carpenter for not paying a bill to help build some bondage furniture. In the end, he didn’t get any money because he couldn’t prove his case (always get contracts, people!), but that’s not what disturbed me.
First of all…I have the utmost respect for the judge on that show, but when the defendant described (in a very PG-13 way) the job he hired the carpenter to do, she made a face like he sad they were murdering babies and fucking chickens. At one point, she looked at the bailiff, and they snickered together.
If you’re a People’s Court fan, you’ll know that after commercials, they go outside with a mic and ask people on the street what they think. When the interviewer asked if anyone could explain the appeal to bondage, one guy was a bit rattled, but said that some people like domination and being kinky. There was a woman in orange, though, who said it was "sick."
And that makes me sick.
At the end of the show, they gave both people time to say a little something, and I have to applaud them both for speaking with dignity. The owner was asked why he wouldn’t give the name of his club on TV, and he was absolutely right when he said that many of his customers are persecuted for tastes that are out the parameters of what the average person considers normal. He noted that they’re regular, hard-working, good people, not the stereotypes that people imagine. Good for him to go on national TV and stand up for us all.
Thank you to everyone out there brave enough to stand up for the BDSM community. I hope that someday we don’t have to hide behind screen names and unidentifiable pictures…that it will be ok to be who we are all of the time, without worrying about persecution in any way.
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I very much doubt that day will be coming anytime soon though…
Maybe you should write to the show and bitch ‘em out about this.
I will say that until a few years ago, I thought BDSM was all about whips and chains and latex and leather. I discovered it gradually – and as I learned more about it, things initially that really freaked me out (and I said I’d NEVER do that!), I began to explore more. There are still lots of things that fall under this broad umbrella that make me snicker, roll my eyes, and get grossed out by.
Our society is rather uptight about sex. So people exploring their own sexual desires makes them uncomfortable with what they don’t understand. Not asking people to embrace it – but the media is looking for ratings, so they play into the ‘scandalousness’.
But I think the Society Against Fucking Chickens should stand strong.
@The Duchess – You’re probably right, but I hope you’re wrong!
@Bruticus – That’s a good idea. I’m going to look into at least emailing them.
@Sk – I agree, as I also originally was weirded out by it. My problem was less that people didn’t agree and more with the judge and bailiff who didn’t act professionally. I mean, at the end of the day, even though it is TV, it is still a court of law.
It’s sad that they have to take a consensual act and make it seem disgusting. Who’s the judge to judge?
Actually, it’s not really a court of law. It’s tv. It’s entertainment and ratings. They don’t care about anything but eyeballs.
I think of a recent show featuring past winners of “The Biggest Loser” – every one of them had gained back a huge amount of weight. They were dumped like yesterdays news once the show was over. Sad.
It is true that it is difficult to be “Out” about being kinky. But until more of us do so, the stigma won’t be shaken. In the same way ubiquitousness and persistence assists in the mainstreaming of any fringe culture, beig out about being kinky is the only way to shake the shame.
On the other hands, it is the very culture of secrecy that many Leatherfolk crave. It is a double-edged sword.
Peace
Mollena Williams
Totally out, Totally Proud.