Beyond the Bay, Beyond Samois …

In its four years, Samois made a profound impact on the Bay Area and one can see that impact even today in the group The Exiles, the organizational granddaughter of Samois (via The Outcasts).

Yet, Samois’ influence extends much beyond the Bay Area. Through its newsletters, booklet and book, Samois’ ideas about the possibility of lesbian-feminist sado-masochism found their way into countless women’s communities around the country and the world.

Indeed, throughout the last thirty years, innumberable women’s SM and Leather clubs, publications and contests have created an entire subculture of Leatherdykes. And, in some way, that all began with Samois …

In This Article:
An overview of key terms used in exhibit as well as the political positioning of Samois, based on published sources.
The Leather Menace: Samois Organizes Lesbian Sado-Masochists, Bay Area, CA, 1978-1982
Workshops, Hanky Codes and Coming to Power, oh my!: Samois’ Educational Practices
Celebrate! Samois and The Gay Day Parade
Socio-Sexual
The Leather Menace: Samois’ Conflicts
Beyond the Bay, Beyond Samois … (Current Page)
About Us

Key-words: Samois, lesbian, feminism, lesbian-feminism, SM, sado-masochism, BDSM, kink, Exiles, Outcasts, Leather, Leatherdykes

1. Outcast Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA.
2. Original Artwork by Katie Diamond; Samois, “Samois Newsletter,” February 1982, p. 5, Samois Archive, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, CA. <comments />