For many people it’s a nerve-wracking step going out into the community especially to the myriad of events, workshops, munches and parties. This is especially because of uncertainty about what to expect and how to behave. Also how should they react to how other people behave?

Here are a few things you should always be able to expect no matter what the event.

  1. To be treated with respect
  2. Not to be touched, slapped, spanked, groped, played with or otherwise molested without consent
  3. Not to have your personal space disregarded
  4. Never to be told that you ‘have’ to submit
  5. Not to be told how you ‘should’ behave
  6. To not have anyone make you feel uncomfortable or scared

Here are a few rights that you should never forget you have or be made to be feel uncomfortable exercising

  1. You have the right say NO
  2. You have the right to your own opinion
  3. You have the right to disagree
  4. You have the right to be new and learning without that being held against you
  5. You have the right not to like some kinks, not everything’s for everyone
  6. You have the right to completely disregard anything ever said by anyone who tells you you’re not a ‘true’… submissive, dominant etc.

Common sentences beginning with or containing…

  1. All submissives/dominants are…
  2. All submissives/dominants should…
  3. All true…
  4. All real…
  5. Oh you’re a natural…
  6. Oh you’re not a natural…

…should be carefully analysed to determine their bullshit content.

Many people come to kink via fiction of one kind or another. There’s nothing wrong with this. Very many people do. Often these routes will include books, films, stories or fantasies… These things are very often not really true to life and in some cases present a very skewed view of what kink is and how relationships are viewed. They can therefore lead to expectations that aren’t in line with the reality of kink or human relationships. With that in mind I apologise if the following points seem obvious but experience shows that sometimes it is worth stating the obvious.

New dominants, you absolutely do not have the right to tell any submissive whatsoever what to do. The only time you will is when you have actual consent from the individual. You have no automatic right to demand anything of anyone in a d/s ever.

New submissives, you absolutely do not have to submit  obey or otherwise do what anyone tells you in a d/s context unless you actually want to and consent to it. Nobody has any automatic right to demand anything of you.

If someone does… treat you in any of the above mentioned inappropriate manners you should remember that you absolutely have the right to call them on it.

Be sure that you’re not overreacting, be sure that you’re being proportionate but. You absolutely have the right be treated with politeness and respect and if you are not, even by someone you feel is ‘experienced’ do not feel that you are in the wrong to have expected politeness and respect and to speak up if it’s not shown, no matter masochist, sadist, top, bottom, switch, dominant, submissive or miscellaneous.