BDSM and the National Union of Students

The latest Consenting Adult Action Network (CAAN) includes an item sent in by one student supporter detailing a motion put before the NUS LGBT conference this weekend. I've been following the conference via twitter and will boo some general observations a little later on. The BDSM motion was apparently passed and I've pasted the full motion below:

NUS Motion Heading: BDSM Rights: An LGBT Issue Conference Believes:

1. That BDSM refers to the practice, orientation or lifestyle of Bondage and Discipline, Domination and Submission, Sado-Masochism and related activities.

2. That many activities that consensual BDSM practitioners participate in are illegal under current UK law.

3. The Criminal Justice Act 2008 outlaws various forms of "extreme" pornograpy.

4. BDSM Liberation organisations such as CAAN (the Consenting Adults Action Network) have spoken out against this legislation.

5. The Government's consultation document for the Criminal Justice Act (2008), clearly states that research has found no causal link between exposure to violent sexual imagery, and propensity to commit violent sexual acts.

6. The forthcoming extreme pornography law in Scotland is even more restrictive and criminalising than the Criminal Justice Act (2008)

7. That the Consenting Adult Action Network (CAAN) statement of principle, which reads: "We believe in the right of consenting adults to make their own sexual choices, in respect of what they do, see and enjoy alone or with other consenting adults, unhindered and unfettered by government. We believe that it is not the business of government to intrude into the sex lives of consenting adults."

Conference Further Believes

1. That children, and non-consenting adults, need to be protected from being the victims of sexual activity

2. Activities that take place between consenting adults behind closed doors are not the business of government.

3. That LGBT people are more likely than heterosexual and/or cis people to be victimised in matters pertaining to sex and pornography - demonstrated in cases such as R vs Brown where gay men received disproportionate punishment - whilst straight, heteronormative couples are often let off by judges.

4. "Pornographic" BDSM imagery is often instrumental in educating BDSM practitioners in safe sex practices.

5. That policy on censorship must be equal and evidence-based .

Conference Resolves:

1. To campaign against the forthcoming censorship laws in Scotland as being unjustly criminalising of consenting adults.

2. To sign up as an organisation to CAAN's statement of principle in solidarity with BDSM rights activists.

3. To inform NUS LGBT membership about issues pertaining to censorship and pornography, and specifically how they affect LGBT people.

You can sign up as a supporter of CAAN here.

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