1.
a. The author's argument in this paper is that racially oriented bsdm is not damaging to
women of colour and that doing so can offer relief to a larger landscape of sexual
politics. She provides input towards racial play being okay as long as both parties are
enjoying their involvement, similarly to other conversations about bdsm in this class,
it is hard to say that parties should not indulge in these activities if said parties are
happy in doing them.
b. Following the general argument that racial play is acceptable if both parties are
agreeing, the author conveys this further by citing Williams when she says “ I like my
violence consensual”. This point is adding to the narrative that people who wish to
engage in these activities should be able to if they please. Especially when paired with
an alternative topic in this paper which are black women feeling empowered by this
type of race play, stating it provides them with therapeutic and restorative quantities
during said race play. Both of these areas fall under another argument that is women
of colour when partaking in sex are not thinking about the correlation to political
racial agendas. As seen by Williams's quote “my vagina isn’t really interested in
uplifting the race”, this quote carries truth as a woman’s sex interests aren’t going to
prompt her into allowing racism into her day-to-day life as most times during race
play these are fictional scenes occurring separately from the genuine living experience
one may face day to day.
c. Overall, I feel that the author's arguments are fair and race-play shouldn’t be frowned
upon. The benefits the authors list aside, I believe that whatever sexual desires parties
want to enter should be accepted. In comparison to some of the other articles of
extreme bdsm which required participants to get medical assistance, this realm of
kinkiness does not provide the same extent of harm. One may argue that this type of
play could be psychologically damaging but if the participants are both agreeing and
into this dynamic, it seems that they would not be off put by it.
d. 1. Do you feel that race-play is damaging to people of colour/Does it encourages
racism in a political-social context?
2. This type of dynamic is justified by saying that it is only fantasy/play, do you think
this mindset is justifiable in other contexts such as old man/young girl role play or
would this topic arise separate issues?
3. Do you feel that critiquing this area of porn is able to be enjoyed by a black
women's lens as well or is this genre only for the appeal of white men?