Defining Terms: Samois in their own words

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Defining Terms: Samois in their own words Dictionary.jpg

From the beginning, Samois positioned themselves as “feminist lesbians who share a positive interest in sadomasochism.” Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title The first major publication included not only their definitions of those words but also how they understood them together as part of their specific political project.


The following are excerpted from “A Lesbian Glossary of S/M Terminology”Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title in Samois’ first publication What Color is Your Handkerchief.

Lesbian: A woman whose primary emotional and erotic interest is focused on other women.

Feminism: A diverse political movement aimed at ending the oppression of women.

S/M: …an eroticized exchange of power negotiated between two or more sexual partners


Based on these definitions, the group declared: “We believe that S/M can and should be consistent with the principles of feminism. As feminists, we oppose all forms of social hierarchy based on gender. As radical perverts, we oppose all social hierarchies based on sexual preference.”Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title



Keywords: Samois, lesbian, feminism, lesbian-feminism, SM, sado-masochism, BDSM, kink, pervert, hierarchies <comments />


  1. Samois, “Our Statement” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, 2.
  2. Samois, “A Lesbian Glossary of S/M Terminology” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, 5-7.
  3. Samois, “Our Statement” in What Color Is Your Handkerchief, June 1979, 2
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