Risk-aware consensual kink

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Risk-Aware Consensual Kink (RACK, also Risk-Accepted Consensual Kink) is an acronym used by some of the BDSM community to describe themselves and their philosophies. It specifies that any activity between fully-informed consenting adults is acceptable.

[edit] Philosophy

RACK's tenets are best described by a deconstruction of the acronym.

  • Risk: We have thought about this and assessed any risk
  • Aware: We are aware of what we are doing and the risks it carries
  • Consensual: We have sought this out and have agreed to take part
  • Kink: Alternative sex.

The RACK philosophy encompasses several elements that are consensually agreed among the larger BDSM community, (generally reffered to as "Safe, sane and consensual" or SSC, but expands upon those elements to include elements of edgeplay and play that is engaged in without safewords.

RACK focuses primarily upon awareness and informed consent, rather than accepted safe practices. [1] For example, RACK participants are aware that legal consent often does not create a defence to criminal liability for any injuries caused during edgeplay, and that under English law, non-physical injuries are included in the definition of grievous bodily harm. An SSC person would shy away from such activities as too unsafe. A RACK person on the other hand would analyze the risk, and decide for themselves whether they would accept that risk.

[edit] History

RACK was coined in reaction to dissatisfaction within the BDSM community regarding the internal and external political issues surrounding the SSC ethos.[2] Gary Switch in an essay that has circulated among USENET lists, first proposed the term over the mailing list out of a desire to form a more accurate portrayal of the type of play that many engage in. [3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Rack vs. SSC. Within Reality (2003). Retrieved on 2006-11-13.
  2. ^ Medlin, Justin (2001). SSC vs. RACK. Leather and Roses. Retrieved on 2006-11-13.
  3. ^ Switch, Gary. SM Origin of RACK: RACK vs. SSC. Vancouver Leather. Retrieved on 2006-11-13.
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