HollyS
Posts: 230
Joined: 1/5/2006
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Hi julia,
quote:
ORIGINAL: juliaoceania
It is a little disheartening to hear about a professor in another discipline being closed minded to other ways of being and other experiences.
I would be careful drawing this conclusion. Knowing this professor, I think it's more a matter of kink simply not being on his radar rather than a purposeful exclusion, though I'd have to ask him directly to be sure. And academia can be (not always, but can be) very close-minded -- they call it the Ivory Tower for a reason. *smile*
quote:
It wasn't until very recently that BDSM changed from being a deviant disorder into being an accepted way to express one's sexuality. I went to a therapist a couple of years ago that I tried to explain this aspect of my life to, and I was given the clear message that it was not ok... so I clammed up and shortly after that I quit going...
Yes, 1994 brought a major change to the Diagnostic Standard Manual (DSM-R IV), where consentual S/m behavior in and of itself is no longer considered pathological. Twelve years ago... not very long at all. As you've found out, though, clearly not every therapist got that memo and many continue to treat kinky people as inherently neurotic with their kinks at the root of their other issues. Changing attitudes is a slow process, even for people currently in training for the profession. Many of my classmates have used the word "perversions" to describe bdsm activities, making no distinction between consentual activity and non-consentual S/m, because 1-that's how they were raised and 2-psychology has this nasty habit of pathologizing behavior that falls outside the norm. Believe me, it's an uphill battle for wider acceptance and understanding within my class population.
quote:
I hope if you go into the theraputical part of your discipline that you will become a kink friendly therapist that can help people deal with these parts of themselves.
Honestly I can't imagine "not" serving people with alternative sexualities, practices and interests. It can be terribly scary to become aware of one's kink if not surrounded by other supportive people and there just aren't enough therapists who know how to work with bdsm, Gor or S/m people appropriately. This is part of my experience and in recognizing the need, it will certainly become one of my areas of practice.
Thanks for all that you've said here, your thoughts are great.
~Holly
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RE: Coming "out" in kink - 
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