(S)exchange Of Power
Columbia's BDSM group "Conversio Virium" opens up for Valentine's Day
It’s the same procedure every year. Valentine’s Day is coming up, and lovers all over the world are getting ready to profess and celebrate their attraction. With posters advertising the sale of flowers in Lerner, Feb. 14 promises to be another annual commemoration of red roses and romantic cards. But can’t we do better than that?
Author and political commentator Ann Coulter might be getting a very interesting Valentine this year.
“We’re thinking about sending her a ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ card,” says Tyler, BC ’08, and Vice President of Columbia University’s now-notorious BDSM club, Conversio Virium, known as CV. “She helped us out a lot,” adds Tyler. “She gave us a lot of free press. She should have a Valentine’s Day just like anyone else.”
If you’re living under a rock (or just don’t read Bwog), last semester an undercover reporter for the New York Daily News infiltrated one of CV’s meetings, posing as a University affiliate. The journalist subsequently published an “exposé” on the sexual practices of University students, with a special focus on CV. Ann Coulter ran with the piece and soon after appeared on Fox News, publicly denouncing the group as a sex club for “the biggest losers on campus.”
Conversio Virium is not the most visible group on campus, even though they’ve been around for over 10 years. The name is Latin for “exchange of power” and is related to BDSM, which stands for bondage and discipline, domination and submission, and sado-masochism. “BDSM is loosely related to sex as in part of someone’s sexuality, but for a lot of members, or a lot of people, it’s not so much about sex but the exchange of power,” explains Tyler.
CV prides itself on being an educational group rather than an activity group. At their Monday night meetings in 306 Hamilton, CV invites weekly speakers who give presentations on topics like saran wrap bondage to puppy play, where you role play treating your partner as a pet.
The group stresses safety above all else, however. “Safe, sane, and consensual” is the club’s motto, and they go over it at every meeting. The club suggests that all their members take safety precautions in all their activities, and that they do not engage in BDSM under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or in any kind of heightened emotional state, and most importantly that they obtain the explicit informed consent of all participants involved.
Which all begs the question—what does the kinkiest club on campus due to celebrate V-Day?
Officially, CV members are planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day just like everyone else. Hannah, BC ’08 and president of CV, says that, in addition to reaching out to Coulter, “We [club members] are planning to send out kinky Valentines with dirty poetry” to other people as well.
“One of our members is having a ‘seven deadly sins’ theme of parties,” Tyler says. “Like seven consecutive parties and this one is envy for Valentine’s Day. So, you know, I think the BDSM community does sort of entertain this holiday in a light-hearted way.”
Light-hearted, hmm. But what actual sexual practices does that involve? “Every person should do what makes them feel good,” responds Hannah. “We don’t recommend any sorts of particular practices.”
So, if CV isn’t spilling their secrets, who will?
If you’re too afraid to Google, here’s a breakdown of some common BDSM practices:
-Sensation play: A form of play that focuses on physical sensation. Many partners who don’t consider themselves into BDSM are familiar with these activities—it can involve stimulation using props like scarves, oil, ice, or feathers. It can also be the act of biting, clawing, and tickling.
-Flagellation: An act of whipping using instruments like rods.
-Sensory deprivation: An act that involves impairing one of the senses. This can include blindfolding, earmuffs, or hoods.
-Physical restraints: Think handcuffs, rope, straitjackets.
-Suspension bondage: Self-explanatory.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The Eye encourages readers to be safe should they choose to engage in any of these activities. g