FETISHWEEK – Spanksgiving Unfairly Targeted

November 14-20, 2011

Welcome to the first issue of FETISHWEEK!

The Feature Story about the “Spanksgiving” convention in St. Louis is a good example of the sort of “soft” discrimination that members of the BDSM community have to endure if they engage in semi-public activities.  National Coalition for Sexual Freedom spokeswoman Susan Wright, correctly notes “What is being asked of this conference that is not being asked of other conferences?” Wright said. “You can’t just enforce it against one group and not another. Did other conference vendors have to pay this fee? It’s because of the nature of the event.”  You can read the article below.

Also from St. Louis, “The Clan of the Barbarian” club has had its permit yanked to operate a legal dungeon, and that’s after jumping through numerous hoops and setting some precedents in the process.  In both cases, members of the BDSM community are required to comply with endless requests for governmental compliance that are not required for similar endeavors.  They are forced to fight government bureaucracy due to the prejudice of a few key individuals.

What do you think?  You can leave me a comment below or email me at: dirk@dirkhooper.com

[highlight]Feature Story[/highlight]

‘Spanksgiving’ convention organizers say Fairview Heights unfairly targets vendors http://bit.ly/tgvitg

[highlight]News[/highlight]

St. Louis board strips permit from sadomasochism club http://bit.ly/vSKGhW

Does boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya have a fetish for cross-dressing? – Times LIVE http://bit.ly/sM6OKE

S&M Tabloid Queen Suing Her Documentarian Errol Morris — ANIMAL http://bit.ly/u6sUsz

[highlight]Articles[/highlight]

Pornography: Make It Fair Trade http://bit.ly/tX6D72

Interesting Sources for Punishment in BDSM | Island of Pain http://bit.ly/vmW4pC

A Rich Orgasm: Luxury Sex toys » Mystress Lady Evyl http://bit.ly/shBp5Q

What is Kajira? | Submissive Guide http://bit.ly/uBKUte

Porn memorabilia becoming collectible – http://UPI.com

Sometimes, I am asked “what is it that You get out of being a Domme?” http://bit.ly/umAtb0

Becoming More Verbally Responsive During Sex | Exploring Intimacy http://bit.ly/sIaH8d

The 12 Gates.: How to create a ‘scene’. http://bit.ly/txCAmb

Embarrassment vs. Humiliation – One Opinion | Submissive Guide http://bit.ly/vmfKCX

Guest post: A Feminist Defense of Consensual Nonconsent | Kit O’Connell’s Homepage http://bit.ly/usPcHL

Kit Q&A: Clover Clamps (w/ Reader Feedback) | approximately 8,000 words – Kit O’Connell’s Homepage http://bit.ly/tXzTIm

[highlight]Entertainment[/highlight]

The Fetish Show 21 – Candychrome Fetish Art Show | The Fetish Show http://bit.ly/tGbcFP

Keira Knightley on Understanding S&M, But Not Quite Understanding Zombies http://bit.ly/v0MdUF

Keira Knightley: I downed vodka to get through S&M sex scenes http://bit.ly/tB9j7a

[highlight]Art[/highlight]

Bernard Montorgueil Femdom Art http://bit.ly/vTSXrS

[highlight]Advice[/highlight]

How can I find a woman to share my foot fetish? | Life and style | The Guardian http://bit.ly/vOYOKA

[highlight]Fiction[/highlight]

Smashwords – The Olive Grove – A book by Narcisse Navarre http://bit.ly/rZAjj8

[highlight]Photos of the Week[/highlight]

Ellen Von Unwerth’s book “Revenge” – S&M : Swing Fashionista http://bit.ly/vbmCBN

El Wood pictures – Bizarre Magazine http://bit.ly/vfgfZv

[info_box]Dirk Hooper is a fine-art fetish photographer, host of The Fetish Show radio program, BDSM mentor, FETISHWEEK editor and personal brand czar.[/info_box]