Beyond Pleasure and Pain, BDSM in Argentina.

Throughout history, human sexuality has had an ever-changing discourse that keeps evolving with time.

Historically, the idea of what is right and what is wrong, of what is forbidden and what isn’t, has been a social construction dictated by “power”; which has controlled the sexual integrity of individuals and decided over their bodies.

Through the years, sex has been used as a tool of social order. Nowadays; like never before, society has tried to experiment and comprehend the conventional limits of sexuality and pleasure.

In the Latin American context, sexual liberties from a legal or institutional perspective have been considerably developed in some countries, in spite of the fact that the region has had a predominantly catholic and conservative background.

In the specific case of Argentina and its capital city Buenos Aires, it could be inferred that there is a parallel with what happened in Spain after the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and the birth of the cultural movement known as “La Movida Madrileña”, in the sense that after many years of repression, the society acquired freedoms that; until then, had been very limited, which resulted in the sudden birth of diverse social and cultural expressions.

After many decades of dictatorship by “La Junta Militar”, and the subsequent transition to democracy, Argentina gained a special attitude towards personal freedoms. It became accepting of very liberal behaviors and customs, which set it apart from the other countries in the region. The consequence of this; apart from becoming a leader in human rights, reproductive rights and gender equality issues, is that a number of social, artistic, sexual and countercultural movements emerged before they did in the rest of Latin America, and that today those movements are grown and matured. This is why the city of Buenos Aires is an ideal location to witness how those freedoms are lived and enjoyed.

One of those movements is BDSM (Bondage, Discipline/Dominance, Submission / Sadism, Masochism). Even though it’s made of several concepts and practices (inflict pain, interchangeable roles, submission, etc.) it’s core seems to be in the decision of giving absolute power of one’s own body to another person with the intention of getting pleasure. It focuses in a game of power executed in a consensual way, in which an individual is dominated by another.

Even though it’s clear that this practice is the materialization of fantasies of a sexual nature, the experience can transcend and take an emotional or even spiritual character.

It’s logical to think that a great amount of trust in the other person is needed before being subjected to this type of practices. This results in very strong and close relationships among members of the community.

The practice also posses a very rich aesthetic, nurtured by it’s diverse symbols, languages, dress codes, objects and attitudes.

Immersing yourself in this context allows to, at least try, to see the thin line between pleasure and pain, explore the limits of the body and admire the beauty of the act, while appreciating it’s socio-affective and human aspect.