Curious about this for awhile...

[saucyirishlass.livejournal.com]

It's been said in many places by different people that LKH's portrayal of the BDSM lifestyle is off. I know a bit more than just the basics - ah, the joys of reading - and can sort of inherently pick up that something isn't right with her depiction, but I can't really articulate it. I was just curious to hear from those who participate in the lifestyle, what they personally find offensive, frustrating, or just headdesk-worthy about LKH's portrayal. Perhaps they can help make it clearer to me why it feels amiss.

Comments

[vmisery.livejournal.com]

But between the various magical ardeur type stuff and the 'you'll get killed/have no sex ever/be punished by your boss/ if you don't fuck Anita or Merry - you've removed choice from the relationship. And instead of playing with that power dynamic game, she pretends it isn't there by saying that everyone 'loves' A or M and wouldn't mind being nothign but a fucktoy - no matter that the characters were presented as powerful, ambitious people.

I agree with everything you've said, but this especially. The rape aspects are really disturbing, especially because Anita/Merry is so wonderful and powerful and beautiful, it's not rape because everyone wants to fuck her anyway. The ego is just staggering.

[vmisery.livejournal.com]

Well, my point is that the characters don't seem to consider it rape because it's such a privilege to fuck Merita, resulting in orgasms that register on the Richter scale, so why should we? (sarcasm alert)

The whole thing basically comes across to me as, "You were raped by George Clooney. But OMG, it was GEORGE CLOONEY, why are you complaining?"

Apologies to Mr. Clooney, but his name was just the first that came to mind.

I do agree, though, it is really f'ed up. If it's not straight out rape, it's coercion and a whole bunch of 'not quite rape but still really creepy and wrong'.

Then again, society in general has such a horrible double standard when it comes to sexual abuse/violence against men, so it really doesn't surprise me to see it here.