Showing posts with label folsom st fair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label folsom st fair. Show all posts

An Elder of Our Tribe - Part 2 of 3: The Sex Positive Photo Project Interview of Dossie Easton


by Airial Clark
(You can find part one of this interview here.)

Copyright 2011 Shilo McCabe
 It was March when the Sex Positive Photo Project had theopportunity to photograph and speak with Dossie. She was preparing to leave thecountry soon, and with a twinkle in her eye told us that Schmact! was on hertravel itinerary.  Schmact! is theInternational Women BDSM Conferenceheld annually in Berlin. The organizers of Schmact! have been keeping the kinkin women’s sexually since 1999 and Dossie had many friends she was lookingforward to seeing again.

I asked Dossie what she thought about the ever-expandingsize of the BDSM community. “It is fabulous!” she gushed, “I’m totally excitedwith what I find all over the world.” Yet again, Dossie can bare witness to thetime before BDSM was a common enough referent to an alternate sexuality. Whenthere was no “scene”, no support networks, no Folsom Street Fairs orSchMact!’s, no acknowledgement of darker desires, “I am very pleased to seethis larger community growing.”

In comparing the 50’s and 60’s to today she says, “We haveso many resources now. I’ve spent a lot of time in the places where the scriptshave been written. Which is a great privilege, I was born at the right time Igot the rebel urge at the right time.  Iwas in the places where we deciding that the old reality wouldn’t do and sowe’re going to make up a new one.” I ask her for an example of this new realityand she tells me with a whispered excitement, and I feel like I’m being let inon a secret sexy conspiracy: “All over this country there are hotels hostingBDSM conferences where we build dungeons in the banquet rooms. It’s soexciting.” The look on her face leaves no doubt that this is a woman proud ofthe collective kinksters, perverts, tops, bottoms, freaks and sluts that shehas dedicated her life to helping.

In Part 3 we conclude our interview with Dossie’s belief inthe power of Eros and how BDSM can be healing.

Hushed.

A very happy girl at Folsom St. Fair, 2010 Copyright Shilo McCabe

Folsom St. Fair 2010

copyright Shilo McCabe 2010
Somehow, with the house guests and other weekend debauchery I missed a large part of the actual Folsom St. Fair this year. (oops!) However, I can still honestly say that it was my best Folsom weekend EVER! Thanks to the debaucherous house guests and the wonderful folks at The SF Citadel. That being said, I do wish the SF Citadel's women and trans only party had actually been women and trans only.  Afterall, in the attempt to create a women/trans positive space letting that one bio-guy in does create a ripple in the force.  Personally, I found it distracting, though I love my bio-boy brothers too.  It's just that women/trans only play parties are few and far between and I would prefer that a hard line be held on this one.

Folsom St. Fair 2009

Copyright Shilo McCabe 2009
Copyright Shilo McCabe 2009
Copyright Shilo McCabe 2009
Copyright Shilo McCabe 2009
Copyright Shilo McCabe 2009

This was the first year in a long time that I've gone and photographed the fair just for myself.  For 2 years I photographed the women's area and also staffed my own art booth during the inaugural year of the Artist's Area.  Speaking of the Artist's Area, this year's was lackluster.  The space only appeared partially full and the only enticement to head down that artery was to look for a hiding spot for a quickie.  It was actually the one and only place that I saw someone getting some on with someone - as opposed to the self-play that was on display everywhere.  This year's more rigid policy on lewd behavior created a noticeable lack of cocksucking public sex - at least from what I saw.

The Folsom St. Fair is all about seeing and being seen, exhibitionism and voyeurism.  People dressed up and posing for would-be paparazzi.  Celebrities for a day. There is such a wide variety of people putting themselves on display.  I even saw some "sweet old lady" who looked like my kindergarten teacher done up in a bustier leading a tall middle-aged man in PVC on a leash.  She carried a handbag, had a cloche style hat and cute little reading glasses.  And I couldn't help but think "well good for you!"  It's always good to see elder people out and about having a good time. I also saw one young woman on the BART heading toward the fair who was done up in stockings, garters and a bustier, topped off with a tiara. She looked terrified and self-conscious.  I wanted to wrap a coat around her and give her a hug.  But then again, good for her, too!  Maybe she's battling the demons of anxiety, and if so, then she was winning.  She stepped off the BART and walked directly toward the freakfest. I didn't see her again, but I hope she had a wonderful time.

Countdown to Folsom St. Fair.... Sunday Sept. 27th.

Copyright Shilo McCabe 2007
Copyright Shilo McCabe 2007
Copyright Shilo McCabe 2007
Copyright Shilo McCabe 2007
In  honor of Folsom St. Fair month, which also happens to be my birthday month,  here are a few of my favorites from years past. And I was also excited to notice that my photographs taken from the women's area in 2007 are being used to promote this year's event.  Check out the site, and I'll see you at the fair!