Sensual Programming

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Sensuality & Community Care

Historically, BDSM spaces have been hubs of queer community care.

BDSM is about perverting social norms and playing with extremes as safely as possible. During the AIDS crisis, queer dungeons and kinksters were instrumental in distributing information about safer sex. At the beginning of the COVID crisis, they did the same. But in time, many of them have given up on that kind of community care. 

We pick up where others have left off, developing care and connection through radical play, education, and a few whips and chains.

Disabled sexuality is also an underrepresented social need.

When we’re building community around creating social opportunities for disabled, queer adults, it’s important to include opportunities for sex, dating, and intimate social experiences. It’s normal for disabled people to be desexualized in our culture and for people to assume that we either don’t need or don’t deserve intimacy. 

We deserve safer spaces to indulge in our freakiest desires (just like ableds do, but hotter).

Vetting for Sensual Programming

Participating in Sensual Events, Groups, and Gatherings requires additional vetting.

It’s important that everyone who participates in sensual programming is mature and capable of clear and direct communication around consent. Anyone who wishes to be approved for participation in sensual programming can fill out the following form:

Members may qualify for any of three levels of sensual event participation.

Approved for Educational Events, Munches, & Groups

Qualifying to attend Educational Sensual Events and Munches and to join Sensual Groups means that a Member has little to no experience with BDSM or sensual programming. We want to make sure that everyone is properly educated and ready before attending play parties. 

These Members can participate in Groups with sensual themes unless the Host of the Group decides to require a higher level of approval.

Approved for All Events

Being approved for all events means that a Member has enough knowledge and experience with BDSM and sensual events to attend Play Parties. These members can also attend Educational Sensual Events and Munches, as well as participate in Groups with sensual themes.

Approved for Hosting & Dungeon Monitoring

Being approved to Host sensual programming means that a Member has enough knowledge and experience with BDSM and sensual events to organize them. These members can organize Educational Sensual Workshops, Munches, Groups, and Play Parties.

After attending some events at their approved tiers, Members are invited to submit the same vetting form again to seek a higher level of approval.

Hosting Sensual Programming

Sensual Events, Groups, & Gatherings must have at least two Hosts.

To enhance safety and oversight, Members must work as a team to Host any Sensual Programming.

For hands-on educational workshops and play parties, there must be dungeon monitors.

Dungeon Monitors are Hosts or volunteers who supervise play spaces to ensure that everyone is playing safely and consensually. They are experienced kinksters whom newbies can turn to for help and guidance during the Event. Dungeon Monitors usually work in shifts so they can spend some time enjoying the Event themselves.

Even though Educational Workshops are not play events, there may still be some hands-on practice or specific skills. If that’s the case, there must be at least one Host or Dungeon Monitor per every 15 attendees.

At Play Parties, the assumption is that attendees will need less hands-on support because they’ve been vetted as more experienced. The role of the Hosts and Dungeon Monitors becomes less one of support and guidance and more one of safety and oversight. In this case, there must be at least one Host or Dungeon Monitor on duty per every 20 attendees.

In-person Sensual Programming is still subject to our airborne disease precautions.

Like all DT4T Events, Play Parties are masks-required occasions. However, Hosts have the option of establishing a mask-free zone for play that involves mouths, as long as it follows the following requirements:

• It may not be the same as the designated area for medically-necessary unmasking.
  
  • There must still be a dedicated, enclosed space for one person at a time to unmask to eat, take meds, drink water, etc.
• It must be completely enclosed and separate from the rest of the event area.
• Everyone who plans to enter the mask-free zone must isolate themselves for at least four days prior to the event.
  
  • Unlike at our other events, where we ask everyone to do their best with isolation, Members who plan to enter the mask-free zone at sensual events must be completely isolated or be employing two-way masking with everyone they come into contact with during the four days prior to the Event. If that’s not possible for a given Member’s lifestyle, that Member is ineligible to unmask for play.
  • It’s fine to self-isolate along with one or two loved ones, as long as none of them comes into contact with others during those four days. 
• Everyone who plans to enter the mask-free zone must test within 48 hours of the event.
  
  • Unlike at our other events, where we ask everyone to do their best given financial and access limitations, Members who plan to enter the mask-free zone at Play Parties must take one of the following:
    
    • A PCR test
    • A home molecular test like Metrix or Lucira, plus one Rapid Antigen Test, using the throat swab method
    • Four Rapid Antigen Tests, using the throat swab method
  • Hosts can provide the tests at the door or require attendees to procure their own testing. Hosts who wish to provide tests can reach out to local mask blocs and clean air clubs who may have testing machines to loan out.

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