Difference between revisions of "Workshops, Hanky Codes and Coming to Power, oh my!: Samois’ Educational Practices"

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(New page: Samois’ Educational Practices Image:OutHistory-3-web.jpg One of Samois’ major objectives was education about the meaning and possibility of lesbian-feminist SM. Member educatio...)
 
 
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Samois’ Educational Practices
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One of Samois’ major objectives was education about the meaning and possibility of lesbian-feminist SM.  Member education entailed workshops on SM technique and safety, through programs on topics such as anal sex, fisting, topping and whipping.<ref name="Samois Newsletter Reference">Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” January-December, 1980, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.</ref>  Yet, Samois’ educational practices extended beyond its membership in a number of ways. Samois hosted at least three public information sessions between January 1979 and April 1981, drawing large crowds from all over the Bay Area. <ref name="Samois Newsletter Reference 2">Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” April 1979-April 1981, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.</ref>
  
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<ref name="Original Artwork 2">Samois, “Handkerchief Color Code for Lesbians” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, cover and 36-44.</ref>
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One of Samois’ major objectives was education about the meaning and possibility of lesbian-feminist SM.  Member education entailed workshops on SM technique and safety, through programs on topics such as anal sex, fisting, topping and whipping.1  Yet, Samois’ educational practices extended beyond its membership in a number of ways. Samois hosted at least three public information sessions between January 1979 and April 1981, drawing large crowds from all over the Bay Area.2 Additionally, they created and sold an informational booklet, What Color is Your Handkerchief, which included, among other things, lengthy discussions of the definitions of and politics behind lesbian-feminist SM and the first lesbian hanky-code.3 Throughout the group’s existence, they also published a monthly newsletter that helped spread the word about the group and lesbian-feminist SM to interested parties around the country and, indeed, the globe.4  Later, in 1982, the group expanded this educational reach with its controversial publication, Coming to Power, which was chock-full of narrative, poetry and fiction advocating for the understanding and acceptance of lesbian-feminist sado-masochism.5
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Additionally, they created and sold an informational booklet, What Color is Your Handkerchief, which included, among other things, lengthy discussions of the definitions of and politics behind lesbian-feminist SM and the first lesbian hanky-code.<ref name="Samois Hanky Code">Samois, “Handkerchief Color Code for Lesbians” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, 36-44.</ref> Throughout the group’s existence, they also published a monthly newsletter that helped spread the word about the group and lesbian-feminist SM to interested parties around the country and, indeed, the globe.<ref name="Samois Newsletter Reference 3">Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” April 1979-March 1982, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.</ref>  In 1981, the group expanded this educational reach with its controversial publication, Coming to Power, which was chock-full of narrative, poetry and fiction, also advocated for the understanding and acceptance of lesbian-feminist sado-masochism.<ref name="Coming to Power Reference">Samois, Coming to Power (Boston: Alyson Publications, 1987).</ref>
  
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Key-words: Samois, education, lesbian-feminist, SM, sado-masochism, What Color is Your Handkerchief, hanky-code, Coming to Power
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'''In This Article:'''
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<BR>
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[[Defining Terms: Samois in their own words]]<BR>
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[[The Leather Menace: Samois Organizes Lesbian Sado-Masochists, Bay Area, CA, 1978-1982]]
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<BR>
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Workshops, Hanky Codes and Coming to Power, oh my!: Samois’ Educational Practices (Current Page)
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[[Celebrate!  Samois and The Gay Day Parade]]
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<BR>
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[[Socio-Sexual]]
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<BR>
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[[The Leather Menace:  Samois’ Conflicts]]
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[[Beyond the Bay, Beyond Samois … ]]
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[[About Us]]
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Key-words:
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Samois, lesbian, feminism, lesbian-feminism, SM, sado-masochism, BDSM, kink, education, What Color is Your Handkerchief, Coming to Power
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#Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” January-December, 1980, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
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#Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” April 1979-April 1981, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
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#Original Artwork by Katie Diamond; Samois, “Handkerchief Color Code for Lesbians” in ''What Color Is Your Handkerchief'', June 1979, cover and 36-44.
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#Samois, “Handkerchief Color Code for Lesbians” in ''What Color Is Your Handkerchief'', June 1979, 36-44.
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#Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” April 1979-March 1982, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
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#Samois, ''Coming to Power'' (Palo Alto, CA: Up Press, 1981). <comments />

Latest revision as of 11:16, 1 May 2010

One of Samois’ major objectives was education about the meaning and possibility of lesbian-feminist SM. Member education entailed workshops on SM technique and safety, through programs on topics such as anal sex, fisting, topping and whipping.[1] Yet, Samois’ educational practices extended beyond its membership in a number of ways. Samois hosted at least three public information sessions between January 1979 and April 1981, drawing large crowds from all over the Bay Area. [2]

OutHistory-3-web.jpg

[3]

Additionally, they created and sold an informational booklet, What Color is Your Handkerchief, which included, among other things, lengthy discussions of the definitions of and politics behind lesbian-feminist SM and the first lesbian hanky-code.[4] Throughout the group’s existence, they also published a monthly newsletter that helped spread the word about the group and lesbian-feminist SM to interested parties around the country and, indeed, the globe.[5] In 1981, the group expanded this educational reach with its controversial publication, Coming to Power, which was chock-full of narrative, poetry and fiction, also advocated for the understanding and acceptance of lesbian-feminist sado-masochism.[6]



Key-words: Samois, lesbian, feminism, lesbian-feminism, SM, sado-masochism, BDSM, kink, education, What Color is Your Handkerchief, Coming to Power


  1. Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” January-December, 1980, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
  2. Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” April 1979-April 1981, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
  3. Original Artwork by Katie Diamond; Samois, “Handkerchief Color Code for Lesbians” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, cover and 36-44.
  4. Samois, “Handkerchief Color Code for Lesbians” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, 36-44.
  5. Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” April 1979-March 1982, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
  6. Samois, Coming to Power (Palo Alto, CA: Up Press, 1981). <comments />
  1. ↑ Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” January-December, 1980, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
  2. ↑ Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” April 1979-April 1981, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
  3. ↑ Samois, “Handkerchief Color Code for Lesbians” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, cover and 36-44.
  4. ↑ Samois, “Handkerchief Color Code for Lesbians” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, 36-44.
  5. ↑ Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” April 1979-March 1982, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
  6. ↑ Samois, Coming to Power (Boston: Alyson Publications, 1987).
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