Why we’re doing this series about paraphilias is not complicated. For many years a lot of questions have mostly gone unasked and unanswered in our public debate over so-called LGBT “rights.” As we noted in our must-read series opener, on one side is nature’s design and intent (natural sex between men and women), and on the other is everything else. We are merely asking questions about how society is prepared to handle the “everything else.”
We are not making predictions. When it comes to the prediction game, it would seem all bets are off since in recent years so many people have walked away from common sense when it comes to making moral judgments about the many ways people experience “intense sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations, or individuals” (which, again, is the definition of a paraphilia).
One commentator who identifies herself as a lesbian and a political conservative wrote that too many Americans are controlled “by what the media, and left-wing special-interest groups” tell them. They are:
…struggling in a swamp of groupthink, fearful of offending and refusing to face the devastation wrought by the sexually compulsive.
Let us turn to our paraphilia of the day: sadomasochism. Technically I think we get credit for two paraphilias (sadism and masochism) — note the italicized sentences that are included on this Wikipedia page:
This article is about aspects of BDSM. For other uses, see Sadism.
“Sadism and masochism” redirects here. For sadism and masochism in a medical context, see sadism and masochism as medical terms.
“Masochist” and “Masochistic” redirect here. For other uses, see Masochism.
Sadomasochism is the giving or receiving of pleasure—often sexual—from acts involving the infliction or reception of pain or humiliation. A subset of BDSM, practitioners of sadomasochism usually seek out sexual gratification from these acts, but can also seek out other forms of personal pleasure. While the terms sadist and masochist specifically refer to one who either enjoys giving pain (sadist), or one who enjoys receiving pain (masochist), many practitioners of sadomasochism describe, as can be found with the enjoyment of the experience in other fields of personal gratification activity, can have a spectrum or an activity switch, from someone being 100% active to 100% passive (although there is some reasonable assumption that a passive participant can become very involved in a scene).
To our basic and important questions:
- How will society respond when sadomasochists start clamoring for their “rights”?
- How will society respond to After the Ball-type efforts to normalize sadomasochism and demonize those who disapprove of it?
- How will society respond to a future well-funded marriage “equality” effort for sadomasochists.
- If someone were to donate to an organization that prohibits hiring of sadomasochists, will this donor be fired?
- Will the expression of disapproval of sadomasochism be deemed bullying or hate speech?
- How will schools respond to requests to start pro-sadomasochism clubs to support students who experience unwanted sadomasochism feelings and who seek to come out of the sadomasochism closet? Will the Day of Silence expand to include sadomasochists?
- Will therapies to help minors change their unwanted sadomasochistic desires be banned?
- Will “sadomasochism orientation” be added to enumerated anti-discrimination policies and laws?
- Will the letter S be added to the LGBTQIA (etc.) abbreviation?
- Will we see prime time television programs and movies with lovable sadomasochism-oriented characters?
- Will wannabe sadomasochist journalists form professional journalism associations (such as this one) to monitor and exploit the Fourth Estate in the service of breaking down barriers and normalizing sadomasochism?
- Will sadomasochists join “pride parades”? (Frankly, we already know the answer to this since yes, they have.)
- Will loud and proud sadomasochists “out” those who prefer to remain in the sadomasochism closet?
Up next we’ll take a look at another example of the ways people experience “intense sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations, or individuals.” If America is to be truly free, shouldn’t all sexcentric-identified individuals be treated equally under the law?
