warning: image NSFW

musingsfrombelow:

Ah the internal thought struggle. Admit it, you laughed, and also admit it does feel good. It is an interesting thought battle though, at least for anyone who considers themselves even remotely a feminist.

I wanted to reblog this because for some reason, the interplay between BDSM and feminism has been all over tumblr recently. I’m not a part of a D/sub relationship, nor have I ever been, but I’m definitely familiar with it and know one or two people who have been in relationships like this. I think it’s really important for people to understand that BDSM and being a sub in a D/s relationship is not against feminism. Putting yourself in a position of submission is not inherently against feminism. That’s why I disagree with the above graphic, because fulfilling your sexual desires should never be a question of ‘well, in order to do this though i’ll have to leave my ideals about equality behind’. 

Being true to yourself, and having the courage to ask for and engage in your sexual desires is really hard. Seriously. Especially when your tastes run to the inkier side of the spectrum. Taking pleasure in being sexually submissive is 100% NOT the same thing as giving up your ideals of equality. The nature of ANY healthy D/s relationship is that one in which both partners have inherent worth and power. Yes, you’re giving up autonomy temporarily to another person, but you’re doing it because you want to, because you consented to it. They have power over you because you allowed them to have power over you, and good Dom’s understand that. when you consent to engage in a BDSM or D/s relationship, you are *not* giving up your inherent equality or worth as an individual or a human being. All of what I’ve listed above is definitely in line with feminism. 

Feminism should encourage women to have healthy, exciting, and satisfying sexual lives, and BDSM and D/s relationships based on consent definitely fit into feminism and are feminist. :)