Kink Advocacy Groups
Sadly, the freedom to be kinky is a privilege not shared by all human beings.
We want to recognize and applaud the efforts of advocacy groups around the world, such as those listed below. These courageous groups are creating much-needed support networks for socializing, learning, and acceptance of every sexuality and gender, along with promoting sex-positivity and sex education in their respective countries.
Kinky Collective (India)
Kinky Collective seeks to strengthen the BDSM community in India by providing BDSM and kink information, educational resources, and blog posts by Indian kinksters. Their (now inactive) website explained:
We want India to be a safer and sexier place for all people- including those practicing safe, sane consensual acts among adults, yet who are considered to be 'sexual deviants'.
Note: As of the time of this writing, COVID-19 was wrecking havoc in India. In 2022, the Kynk 101 team discovered the website was no longer active, but their social media account (linked above) appears to have last been updated in January 2022.
Toyko Kink Society (Japan)
Tokyo Kink Society provides safe space for kinksters to meet and socialize, primarily through ‘lounge gatherings’ for first-timers, educational events, and parties which are scheduled on a regular basis. The group defines itself as an ‘international non-profit fetish and kink organization’. Their website states:
TKS welcomes both foreigners and Japanese adults, anyone who is curious about fantasy, fetish/SM, and alternative lifestyles. We accept people from many gender and sexual orientations and from all walks of life. Artists, professionals, and all others are welcome, provided you have an open mind, tolerance of others, and respect of the human spirit!
Rainbow Street & Ahwaa (Middle East and North Africa)
Rainbow Street is an international group working in the Middle East and North Africa. This organization “partners with local activists and care providers in the Middle East and North Africa to develop immediate and long-term solutions for queer and trans communities who experience systemic persecution and disenfranchisement due to perceived sexual orientation and gender expression.” Their initiatives include things such as connecting queer and trans individuals with service providers who understand the unique needs of these groups and offer emotional and financial support to those who are in need.
Ahwaa.org creates a digital safe space for Arab LGBTIQ+ individuals to engage with one another and find community through its unique use of gaming mechanics. The group explains this in detail on their site:
LGBT youth felt increasingly isolated, distant, and depressed. To escape this loneliness, we placed ourselves at risk by resorting to unsecure tools to communicate with each other. With so many young LGBT people across the Middle East and North Africa region embracing the web, we saw an opportunity to create an interactive platform that connected this community in an anonymous and supportive space.
Ahwaa is just one of many laudable initiatives that are ongoing under the umbrella organization of Majal which was founded in 2006 as a community-run portal for exploring ways to elevate underrepresented people and initiatives.
Russia LGBT Network (Russia)
Russia LGBT Network is currently only on Facebook, but in our research we discovered and wanted to elevate this group. It’s no secret that the LGBTIQ+ community in Russia has been severely persecuted. Thanks to celebrities such as Pussy Riot, the atrocities conducted in Russia have been further exemplified by mainstream media. Russia LGBT Network continues to report on civil rights violations and hate crimes in the country, while also advocating for the equal treatment of every Russian, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender.
Sadly, even countries where kink, BDSM, and diversity can be celebrated often still carry very real challenges for individuals who don’t fit society’s definition of ‘normal’.
