Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Within the discourse of human sexuality there is a long tradition of documenting deviations from society’s sexual norms. There exists a copious amount of literature documenting such deviations. Sadomasochism has become a beacon of research concerning deviant sexuality. However, the majority of this literature focuses entirely on male (homo)sexuality or positions the female as the feminine, passive object and never the active subject. Although the research and literature regarding women as the subject of sadomasochism is slowly expanding, there remains vast numbers of questions that cannot be answered until they have first been asked. The preliminary goal of this article is to emphasize the lack of academic research and literature specific to female sadomasochism, and offer a small contribution in closing the gap. From here the article will demonstrate how female masculinity within a sadomasochistic context, contrasted with the misogynistic history of sadomasochism, produces interesting discourses regarding female sexuality and gender. This article will reveal, with regard to opposing feminist and queer theory, how female masculinity is produced by and incorporated into a sadomasochistic context.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Sadomasochism has become a beacon of research concerning deviant sexuality. However, the majority of this literature focuses entirely on male (homo)sexuality or positions the female as the feminine, passive object and never the active subject. Although the research and literature regarding women as the subject of sadomasochism is slowly expanding, there remains vast numbers of questions that cannot be answered until they have first been asked. The preliminary goal of this article is to emphasize the lack of academic research and literature specific to female sadomasochism, and offer a small contribution in closing the gap. From here the article will demonstrate how female masculinity within a sadomasochistic context, contrasted with the misogynistic history of sadomasochism, produces interesting discourses regarding female sexuality and gender. This article will reveal, with regard to opposing feminist and queer theory, how female masculinity is produced by and incorporated into a sadomasochistic context.