We've Lost the Spaces That Foster Friendship

“When we began studying BDSM communities, I expected to be writing about sex. Instead, I found myself documenting something much more structural: networks that many mainstream spaces no longer seem able to generate.

The majority of participants were embedded in some form of community, whether online or in person. A substantial proportion had close friends within that community. Many reported receiving emotional support, practical help with moving or repairs, even financial assistance or job referrals from people they met through those networks. The more involved someone was in repeated, face-to-face gatherings, the denser their network became and the more tangible support they reported receiving.”