Sunday, September 04, 2005

Fetishes in Black and White.

When I first started reading IR romances, they were your typical garden variety fare: Boy meets girl; problems with friends and family due to the make-up of the relationship. Boy and girl struggle with themselves and society; they tell friends and society to kiss off; they get back together-HEA!

We’ve come a long way baby! Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVED those books, I was hungry for them. But like everything else—you grow and so did the IR Romance Genre.

We have Historical, Paranormal, Vamps and Werewolves, Gay and Lesbian and yes THREESOMES—M/F/M!! (May fave if you haven’t noticed LOL)!!!

There is also another genre out there—Fetish.

What is Fetish you ask? Well, think about your love of shoes. (I’m sure every woman reading this can relate)! Now take that love and add some kink to it. Ex: You have to have sex in the latest pair of Manolo Blahnik pumps. Your walls in your closet are stacked with heels from floor to ceiling. You only wear certain pairs for certain sex acts. You get the picture.

There is also lifestyle Fetishes-Bondage, Spanking, Stockings and other things I care not to go into.

Where does IR Romance fit into all of this?

Well look at your favorite e-publishers. Adrianne Kama, Eve Vaughn, Jaci Burton and Marilyn Lee, just to name a few.

We are now seeing more IR relationships participating in these ‘delights’.

Is this a good thing? YOU BETHCHA!

Will it offend some, especially those that associate BDSM with the old slave master mentality? Let’s face it, seeing a Black woman with a collar on and a chain with a White dude (no matter how fine—Hubba Hubba) standing over her can be controversial at best.

But remember, these are consenting adults in trusting loving relationships.

So having said all of that, I’m asking women of color this (those of the lighter persuasion can put in their two cents also LOL!!!):

1. Do images and stories like these offend you?
2. Do you enjoy reading (or seeing) these images?
3. Would you like to see more of the genre, especially on the bookshelves?
4. Do you entertain the idea of participating in these pastimes? (This is a rhetorical question of course LOL)!!

Let’s hear what you have to say!