ABSTRACT
Th author says she was 22, when she first attended a kink party and the room full of mostly naked people in all states of debauchery was not a gentle first glimpse into the BDSM scene she had been expecting. The first time she got the inkling that her sexual preferences might not be the “norm” was her sophomore year of college. The author joined the online social media site for kink and BDSM called Fetlife, where she learned about the local BDSM group and worked up the courage to attend a munch. At a camp, she began to notice the sheer variety of experiences, preferences, fetishes, and body types that existed. She discovered that she was a masochist and loved sharp quick stingy pain of whips and canes. She says that the freedom she has had within BDSM culture to explore without judgment has given her so much confidence and strength.
