My name is Kate Davoli (a Neuroscience major, by the way) and this letter is, in part, a response to the essay in the Review by Francisco Franco regarding the Oberlin BDSM charter. Mr. Franco brings up several questions and concerns that the OBDSM club would like to address because we feel that they are valid concerns that much of the Oberlin community shares.
Q: Why is there a BD/SM group on campus?
A: Because so many people have a similar interest in the arts of Sadomasochism, Bondage, and Domination, that a group of over 60 people got together to learn about and promote safe practices. Additionally, many people feel a need for a group which provides support and validation for their marginalized culture - this is a primary goal of the group.
Q: What's a charter?
A: It's a document written by the members of a group (in this case the OBDSM group) that details an agreement between the group and the college that establishes the specific and regimented way in which the group will conduct itself in return for the use of college space and funds and official recognition. The specifics include everything from the chain of officer command to the allotment of funds to the limits of the group's conduct.
Q: So, what exactly does being a "chartered group" entail?
A: Being a chartered group at Oberlin College means that the group is restricted to the conduct explained in the charter.
Q: Why does the OBDSM club want a charter?
A: For two reasons. 1, to acquire funds that the club feels is necessary for its operation, and 2, to ensure that the club stays on for future classes.
Q: Why are people opposed to chartering the OBDSM club?
A: For many reasons. Some feel that the College sanctioning a group that discusses alternative practices would be immoral. Some, like Franco, feel that the group has every right to exist as long as it is financially independent of the school. Some feel that the school will suffer grand losses in enrollment if they sanction the group officially via charter.
Q: Shouldn't the College reject the charter due to the controversial nature of the club?
A: It should not. It is not the place of the College to decide what is moral and what is immoral to discuss.
Q: Shouldn't the College reject the charter due to the issues of money?
A: It should not. The chartered group would not sap the funds of other groups on campus as Mr. Franco would profess, and the group and the College would work best together with financial ties. With money comes responsibility and this way the group can be checked in its behavior.
Q: Why do they need money at all?
A: Everyone wants to know what the OBDSM group would need money for if they're just a discussion group. Good question. Here's the answer and if any reader wishes to know more about budgeting, they can read the charter for details. The OBDSM group feels that money is key to obtaining resources. By resources, I do not refer to Franco's suggested "gross of flogging whips" or "exhume[ing] the bodies of the Marquis deSade and Voltaire to speak at their functions." Instead the OBDSM group would like to create a BD/SM library of books for curious people as to how to ensure safety, sanity, and consensuality between partners and to describe how to perform some techniques in the safest way possible. There are a lot of reading resources out there that could greatly supplement the discussion. Outside of reading material, the group would also like to bring in contemporary speakers on BD/SM (many of whom are activists, scientists, and revolutionaries in their own right) and as we all know, speakers cost money.
Q: Shouldn't the College reject the charter due to the predicted grand losses in enrollment of minorities?
A: I do not believe that the College will lose any significant number of minority prospies due to the passing of the charter. I do not know that one can make the assumption that prospective students would notice a chartered group over an unchartered group. Also, it might turn off a significantly greater number of prospies to hear that the College rejected the charter.
Q: Can't the group be an ExCo instead?
A: Well, yes it could. There is discussion among a few people about having an ExCo as well due to the limiting nature of the charter. The charter explicitly states that the OBDSM club will not perform any demos during meetings and an ExCo could allow something like a demo on the correct way to tie knots as to not cut off one's circulation. Something rather difficult to describe otherwise. Also, an ExCo could make reading of safety literature mandatory to those who want to receive credit whereas the OBDSM club can only recommend it. I, however, am opposed to the idea of having an ExCo for several reasons. First, it would limit the participants to students and therefore, if the instructor wanted to demonstrate something, the choices would be limited to those students in the ExCo. There would be some serious issues about actually interacting with other students in possibly personal and intimate ways. With the OBDSM club, there is no obligation for members to develop any relationship whatsoever with the other club members. Second, it would be almost impossible to grade the ExCo students objectively. Third, it would be much more of a publicity problem for the College to have people receiving college credit connected with SM/BD discussion.
Q: What are the benefits to the Oberlin community as a whole if the College passes the charter?
A: The Oberlin community will benefit because interested people can use the resources (bought with the money provided via charter) to learn more about the safe practices in BD/SM. The more materials at the disposal of the community, the less fear people will have of both the BD/SM theory in general and those who are interested in it.
Q: How can I show that I support the passage of the OBDSM charter?
A: Come to meetings. Discuss the charter with your friends. And especially bring your opinions to the faculty of the College, since they are the ones who will pass or reject the charter.
Copyright © 1998, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 10, November 20, 1998
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