Being black.
Technically I'm mixed but I'm brown-skinned therefore most people just assume I am black.
I've noticed that I rarely come across black Dommes and even rarer are the black submissives.
My mother raised me very strictly not to see color. She'd often say, "I don't care if you have a friend who is blue, if they treat you nice that's all that matters." I have tried to live by this and like to think that my dating record shows that, it looks much like a United Benton ad campaign.
But when I stepped into the BDSM realm six years ago I realized I was a scarce minority. For the most part this has not been a problem. But on occasion it has been brought to my attention in a polite (and not so polite) way.
The few black Dommes that I do know are older...much older, most of them over 40. It made me wonder why is there such a lack of minority within this community?
I have my theories. One being that many of the black people I have encountered are quite religious. They aim to be a righteous folk, failing in many of the same areas of other religious people regardless of color, but they try none the less. I believe a lot of what BDSM has to offer would be looked upon as "heathen acts" or just down right sinning. There may also be some negative connotations about being "submissive" or a "slave" tied to BDSM due to their historical notions. And I do notice that black males are more apt to joining up with the scene. Not to mention the undaunted fact that many black people I know are un-accepting of something that is new, different, or strange. If it falls into any of those categories it can stay outside, in the streets, where it belongs.
I've gotten from a few black friends the rudely asked question: "What's wrong with you?" As if to say: You seemed normal growing up.
It's not even a question, since I don't believe they sincerely care about my answer. It's moreso a statement of incredulous disbelief that they shared string cheese with moi, this now crazy bitch. They let this leather clad monster in their home. Heck, they even told this whip wielding sex fiend some of their secrets. But mostly, I think they feel dirty when they ask this. They wonder how could they have ever considered me a friend?
I always assure them that there isn't anything wrong with me, that I am very physically and mentally sound and that this is something that I am choosing to do. But their wide eye, sideways glances tell me they think I am most definitely, not okay, and that I do have a few screws loose.
Then the next statement is what makes me want to groin kick some people.
"Oh, it must be a white thing." I hate this!
Why does something that doesn't make sense have to be tied to a certain race? Why can't it just be a "human thing" that they are too personally dense to grasp? The racial comments tied to my involvement with BDSM will not fade anytime soon I'm sure but I just wanted to make others aware that it is an issue. I like to believe that education and explanation is really the best policy for informing the general populace.
Submerging into BDSM has not always been an easy path to take. I've weeded out the close-minded minions that I knew, tried to remain ambiguous in my sexual desires, and generally stopped giving a fuck what people thought but at times it still irks me that things are the way that they are.
