Higher Education: Students Create BDSM Club at All-women’s School

Campus Reform: Students at an all-women’s school are seeking funding for their very own BDSM club. More than 60 Mount Holyoke College (MHC) students RSVP’d to the first meeting of the club which calls itself “The Control Tower.”

BDSM—or Bondage, Dominance, Sadism and Masochism—constitute a variety of sexual practices that have risen in popularity recently due to the release of the movie Fifty Shades of Grey.

Club members plan to use the organization to educate MHC students about BDSM practices and the safety procedures.

Caedyn Busche, a sophomore at MHC and a psychology and gender studies student, founded the club and told Mount Holyoke News in an interview that BDSM is a “huge topic of passion” for her.

Following the release of the film adaptation of E.L. James’ best-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey, club organizers pointed out the need for discussion around BDSM topics. “Especially with 50 Shades of Grey coming out, it’s important for a group like this to meet,” MHC senior Jessica Avery told Mount Holyoke News. “There needs to be positive dialogues around consent, safety with a partner, proper usage of toys and basic knowledge of what BDSM/kink is outside of the false Hollywood fantasy.”

Despite some students’ excitement for the group, not all students are sure whether or not it’s appropriate. Mount Holyoke first year, Elizabeth Desimone told Campus Reform she thinks the funding of the group is inappropriate.

“Many students have a hard time paying their books each semester. I’m shocked that a club promoting sexual desires would request college from the funding. Not that I’m against clubs of this nature, but I think if MHC agrees to this, they have lost sight of their priorities,” Desimone told Campus Reform.

The club welcomes students of various “experience” levels and is open to all MHC students and students from other local colleges.

MHC is not the first college in the area to host a BDSM event; Hampshire College recently held a BDSM related workshop called “BDSM 101: Whip Yourself into Shape!” Pennsylvania State University also has its own BDSM club called Kink Positive (kink+) and Harvard University founded a kink-related club in 2012.

Busche told Mount Holyoke News that the The Control Tower’s only rule is “don’t yuck someone else’s yum.” Caedyn Busche declined to comment for this article.