Center for Sex Positive Culture
 | |
| Formation | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Sex positivism |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington |
Region served | United States |
| Website | sexpositiveculture.org |
The Center for Sex Positive Culture (CSPC), formerly known as The Wet Spot,[1] is a non-profit, membership-based organization located in Seattle, Washington.[2][3][4] It organizes events and provides space for several different sex-positive subcultures, notably BDSM, Swinging, and polyamory groups. It caters to both heterosexual and LGBT people. The Center is a 501(c)(7) recreational club; its sister organization, the Foundation for Sex Positive Culture is a 501(c)(3) charitable/educational organization.[5][6]
The organization held its first event, a fundraiser, in March 1999.[7]
Mission and vision
The mission of the Center for Sex Positive Culture is "to inspire and assist volunteers to produce experiential events where members can explore their sexual interests in a physically and emotionally safe environment".
From www.sexpositiveculture.org: As proponents of sex positive culture, we believe that the appropriate uses of sex extend beyond reproduction. They include creating personal pleasure, bonding interpersonal relationships, promoting spiritual growth, and enhancing emotional and physical health. In a sex positive world, everyone has the freedom and resources to pursue a fulfilling and empowering sex life.
Membership and activities
The CSPC's primary location was known as and is still sometimes referred to as The Wet Spot. It is a nondescript 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) group of buildings in Seattle's Interbay district. Membership is open to anyone over the age of 18 who has attended an orientation class and agrees to the organization's rules of conduct. There is also an annual membership fee. Volunteers organize and run most events.
The space includes a library including a wide variety of books on sexuality and kink, as well as several flavors of pornography.
Specific regular events include:
- BDSM socials and pansexual BDSM play parties every Saturday.
- Grind, a dance night featuring gothic and darkwave music as well as BDSM and sexual activities every Thursday.
- Monthly homosexual focused men only nights and women only nights on Fridays.
- Monthly massage nights on Sundays.
- Monthly bondage parties on Sundays.
- Monthly Polyamory potluck on Sundays. There is also a play party following the potluck.
- Various discussion groups, classes, and workshops.
The same physical space is used in various configurations for different events. Some have only tables and chairs, other prominently feature dungeon equipment with an adjoining social area, plus private spaces for those who wish to avoid voyeurs.
Annual events organized by the CSPC include:
- The Seattle Erotic Art Festival.
- Paradise Unbound, aka Wet Spot In Paradise, an annual kinky campout.
- Cirque du Noc, masquerade ball and carnival.
History
Founded in 1999 as the Seattle Sex Positive Community Center, it later became known as The Wet Spot. Socially speaking, it is an outgrowth of Allena Gabosch's Beyond the Edge Cafe, which hosted BDSM related events. Several regulars of the cafe started discussing getting a dedicated space for their activities. One famously quoted "It would be great if we could get 200 members." In fact the idea became more popular than they envisioned; in its first year The Wet Spot registered about 2,000 members. In September 2007, they reached 10,000 registered members, although not all of them are current members. In 2007 the organization also changed its name to the Center for Sex Positive Culture[1] and opened a second, "annex" building.
In November 2008 the Center for Sex Positive Culture was scrutinized in a KOMO-TV report regarding the Center's non-profit status,[8] and the sexual activities which occur there. The story was criticized by Dan Savage[9] and others for inaccuracies, and was later pulled from the station's website.[10] The Center recently launched its first and only chapter outside of Seattle, in Colorado.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gabosch, Allena (2008-02-26). "A Sex Positive Renaissance". Retrieved 2010-07-09.
- ↑ "The Stranger, Hot Town". Retrieved November 7, 2005.
- ↑ "Sexuality.org". Retrieved November 7, 2005.
- ↑ "The CSPC". Retrieved August 31, 2007.
- ↑ "About the Foundation for Sex Positive Culture". Center for Sex Positive Culture. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
- ↑ Holden, Dominic (2008-11-25). "Beat Off". The Stranger. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
- ↑ Allena Gabosch, We've come a long way, Director's blog on official site, July 19, 2007. Accessed online 15 October 2007.
- ↑ Savage, Dan (2008-11-17). "Maybe It Wouldn't Be a "Problem" If They Called It a Church? | Slog". Slog.thestranger.com. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
- ↑ Savage, Dan (2008-11-18). "Dan Lewis Needs to Apologize Too | Slog". Slog.thestranger.com. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
- ↑ "Beat Off by Dominic Holden - Seattle News - The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper". Thestranger.com. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
External links
Coordinates: 47°38′01″N 122°22′33″W / 47.633738°N 122.375803°W