HOWDY!
Welcome to Houston. With this year’s heat wave, hopefully it’s become apparent why I refer it to as Hell. We have an interesting community here with many events going on. Our town is distinct in the regard that we have several groups that are not only diverse in their audience, but also by their design and affiliations.
DISCLAIMER:
I have spent the past decade moving in and around all the different social circles. I attend events in each of them. It’s through my personal social networking that I have compiled this “list” of the 2009 HOUSTON BDSM SCENE. While I do not mind sharing this information with interested parties, this is the furthest I will take my assistance in your emergence into the community.
From this moment forward, you alone are responsible for your engagement amongst its leaders, members and supporters. Until we are truly acquainted, do not give me as a personal reference – you must earn your respect completely on your own deeds, actions and words, not because you would drop my name. Should you develop a reputation [bad or good] it will be of NO responsibility to me. I am only providing you with leads – the rest if of it all is up to YOU.
Each group has their own set of rules and/or protocols. You should ask the leadership what the general standards are for each group and NEVER assume what applies in one social arena is going to be the same in another. Also do not fall prey to the general misconception that this community is going to be welcoming, non-judgmental and all accepting. It is still a microcosm of the world at large built by people with all the same fragilities as everyone else.
To make this list easier for those whom I send it to on response of inquiry, I have broken it down into three segments: PANSEXUAL, SPECIAL INTEREST and LEATHER. Provided is my personal observations of each with basic definitions, links and any additional information I can provide.
Good luck on this path. It will definitely take you on an adventure. Mine seems always filled with high peaks and beautiful scenery ~ may the same befall you!
*Remember these are MY opinions/observations. YOU may or may not have the same experience for none of us are truly standing in the same river. By giving you the information about our community I am in NO WAY endorsing their leadership, organization and/or members. This is just a list of the ones I see most supported and promoted. There are surely others out there too that even I haven’t encountered yet.
2009 HOUSTON BDSM SCENE
Each group has different things to offer different people. Typically in this scene you find groups that have: Yahoo Egroups for announcements and discussions [www.groups.yahoo.com], house parties, group outings, classes/meetings and/or munches. [Defining “munch” – dressed like vanillas in a public dining establishment. Usually in a private room of the place, these are social networking opportunities in a low pressure/non-sexual environment. Attendance is often required before party attendance allowed.] All groups limit their party attendance based on space available.
Pansexual – Pansexual is typically defined as all sexualities are accepted. This is NOT always true, as the general audience tends to lean more towards the straight singles and couples with some bisexual proclivities allowed for individuals. To be blunt, the general vibe is bisexual women and Lesbianism is more readily acceptable then two men. [But sometimes you see that too.] Certain clubs are more ‘straight’ then others and all groups go through phases where you see more variety in the sexual attitudes from time to time.
Pansexual groups for the Houston area [in alphabetical order]:
ELITE SUITE [Tomball] – About a year old now, I think.
This is what their site says about the organization:
Welcome to The Elite Suite. This is an Alternative Lifestyle House. We are here to provide you a place to play and invite other groups to use our house to play in. Welcome and enjoy your stay. Parties will be announced when they are set. Any Questions please fill free to email the Moderators. PARTY DOOR FEES FREE. We do ask that you bring your best culinary delight. We also ask that you donate at the party so that more toys for your enjoyment can be bought and built.
I know the people who manage this group and all of them are very nice people. It is too far for me to get to, so I can not give any opinion of the membership and/or the space. I also don’t have a clue what they offer. This one puts you completely on your own here!
They have an Egroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/elitesuite
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Erotic Rose Society/EROS [Houston] - http://houston-eros.com/
[Leadership/membership]
This is a board run group, without election but instead by Presidential appointment of position. It is one of the oldest groups in Houston. Many people start out with group and tons are loyal to it for life.
According to their site their mission is:
Our aim from day one (October 1997) has always been to have fun and to encourage our friends to do likewise as we explore all sorts of interests relating to the mental and physical pursuits of BDSM through our weekly meetings/classes. Then applying that knowledge in real life play parties! (as opposed to purely online endeavors)
[What they offer]
In terms of education, exploration and social networking their Saturday afternoon classes are second to none, according to their supporters. See their site for details and location. After class they have a munch around the corner for people interested in getting to know the group better in a less structured setting.
They have two “house parties” each month. [House party definition: group or club party held at a house on a weekend normally. Play party is the term most often heard.] To attend you must go to the meetings, get a sponsor and RSVP to the VicePresident in advance with prepayment encouraged.
They also attend large social events across the state en masse, such as the annual “Burning Man: Flipside”. They do camping trips and other public outings. Some of these are nights out dancing at swingers bars and/or other local venues.
Oh and they have an Egroup. You’ll have to find that link for yourself.
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FRINGE/Friends Reveling in No Guilt Entertainment [Atascocita] – BRAND NEW GROUP
[Leadership/membership]
Currently this group is run solely by its headmistress, Anastasia. The membership is made up of the friends of her family and the family itself.
Because this is beginning to form, I am unsure of what the game plan is. Please join their Egroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fringe-houston if you want to learn more.
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HPEP/Houston People Exchanging Power [Houston] – Houston longest lasting pansexual group - www.HPEP.org –
[Leadership and membership]
This is a board elected organization. They welcome everyone. The board meetings are open to interested members and it is completely on a volunteer basis. It has recently elected a new board and has traditionally been plagued with venue location issues, plus political infighting, which this board promises to absolve. Keep an eye on them; they might just make it happen!
[What they provide]
HPEP has special interest groups which focus on certain topics and will be covered in the “special interest” section of this document. All the links to these organizations main pages are available through the HPEP link already provided.
They also offer a “new comers” munch. All people new to the community should attend at least one of these to find out what is going on. The dates and more information are on the site too.
Their regular meetings include discussions, demonstrations of techniques and socializing opportunities. They have one a month. See their site for details.
They try to host a large community wide event annually. This year they hosted “Spring Iniquity” with the National Leather Association. HPEP is one pansexual group that has shown an interest in bridging the gap between the pansexual and leather communities from the pansexual side. In addition to the large event[s], they have smaller parties for their members as well.
They have two Egroups. One is announcement only [you’ll have to get the link from them] and the other a discussion group [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPEP_Discussions]. If this group appeals to you, I would recommend jumping onto the group and seeing what it sounds like.
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LYON’S DEN, THE [Heights] – Another brand new club!!
Here is what the owner writes about it:
The Lyon's Den aka Cubs Corner - Houston, TX
This is a dungeon in the works, the build out will officially start in two weeks. However, we are still hosting classes and small gatherings. There isn't much equipment yet, but the space is 2100 sqft.
It is a true warehouse (not loft) with concrete floors and all. I have 28ft at the peek of the roof and about 15ft at the low part. The joists are rafter like and can easily support many people.
We are excited to be hosting our first gathering. It is posted under Events...Boss Bondage - Texas Tour 09'. This will be the very first get together. I'm hoping for a good turn out, because I want community opinions on the build out.
[Leadership/membership]
Breutanan is a FemDom with a fresh attitude full of creativity and enthusiasm. It will be nice to see who supports this venue. I look forward to my participation and hope others can find a place there as well…To contact them, please drop me an email so I can forward you the address.
[What they plan to offer]
Parties and education are the focus, as I understand things. More details to be released soon.
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SAFARI CLUB, THE [Woodlands] – This is a private party group hosted by the home owner. They once had a board when it first began, but I don’t see any read evidence of it still having much influence. Their parties happen once a month and require RSVP to their Egroup on the Monday before. They do have a supportive Egroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thesafariclub
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SPRING ADULT FUN/SAF [Spring] – About less than a year old, but growing rapidly.
[Leadership/members]
This group is membership supported. The hostess allows those interested in organizing things to step into leadership positions. I have not heard speak of a board, but have witnessed the enthusiasm of the folks working towards making this one of the best groups in town. Everyone I have seen supporting this group seems to be of earnestly driven interest and very nice.
[What they offer]
They have munches, classes and parties. They also do nights out. Here is what they say about their schedule:
Parties are held the 3rd Saturday of every month in the Spring area.
Munches are held the 2nd Thursday at 7:30 pm and the 4th Sunday at 11:00 am. Munches are held at Wolfie's Restaurant and Sports Bar on I-45 in Spring. We meet in the party room and it's always lots of fun. We prefer that you RSVP to xidera@msn.com for each munch, but feel free to just show up if you decide to join us at the last minute.
In order to attend a party, you have to be a member. In order to become a member, you either have to attend two munches, be sponsored by a current member, or be a member in good standing in another local group.
We host a demo one hour before each 3rd Saturday party. The topic varies and is announced prior to the party date.
Every so often we have host a discussion about a topic of interest at the SAF dungeon. Date, time, and topics vary.
Occasionally we will host a special guest at the SAF dungeon. Date, time, and topics vary for this as well.
You are allowed to consume alcohol responsibly at the SAF dungeon.
We sporadically, but somewhat frequently, get together for vanilla nights out. These include going to the movies, out dancing, concerts, etc.
For more information, join us at springadultfun@ yahoogroups. com.
It’s a very active group. To get involved, please join their Egroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/springadultfun
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STUDIO, THE [Heights] – And still another new group!!
[Leadership/membership]
It is run by SirWingz and his poly-family. It’s too new to determine membership just yet.
[What they have to offer]
As they wrote:
What The Studio Will Have to offer:
Two beautiful dungeon rooms, with a St Andrews Cross
and another St Andrews Cross , a spanking bench, a bondage horse, and a chain rig
There will be an outdoor smoking tent 10'x20'
We will have soda, water and ice on hand
Two full bathrooms
Coming soon will be a Dressing Room
What The Studio is for:
We will be offering Dungeon space for rent to those who do not have a place to play of their own.
We will be offering over night stays at The Studio that will include a self serve breakfast.
We will be offering The Studio for rent as a whole for Private Parties.
We are in the process of setting up our website so stay tuned for updates and pictures. If you should have any questions before the website is up and operational please feel free to drop us a line at Info@thestudiohouston.com
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VIOLET SOCIETY [Houston] – A good group for anyone. I truly love these people.
What they say about themselves:
....An alternative lifestyle group for people of all colors exploring the many flavors of BD/SM, D/s and M/s.
Formed in November 2004, The Violet Society was established to allow individuals in Houston and the surrounding area, a forum for discussion, fellowship, friendship and risk aware consensual experiences. The name Violet Society was chosen because Violet is the final color in the spectrum of the rainbow. It represents our belief that people of all colors and cultures deserve a place where their alternative expressions of lifestyle can be respected and celebrated. The Violet Society invites members of all ethnicities, nationalities and cultures to join us in exploring the many varied flavors of lifestyle, including BD/SM, D/s, M/s, leather, fetishism and kink.
The Violet Society Mission :
o To provide a safe, discreet inclusive environment for people of all colors and cultures to participate in mature and healthy educational, social, and sensory experiences within the context of alternative sexual lifestyles.
o To reach out to members of minority cultures providing a gateway into the BD/SM, D/s and M./s communities for education and support.
o To help raise the level of consciousness of the greater alternative communities regarding special concerns of minorities involved in alternative lifestyle expressions.
o To support other lifestyle groups, organizations and individuals with missions that encourage the expression of alternative sexual orientation, lifestyle choice, belief and practice.
IF you are interested, their Egroup link is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/violet_society
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WIPS/Women in Power Society [Katy] - www.wipsociety.net - by their definition, “is a pansexual leather levis fetish legal adult entertainment and social club”.
[Leadership/membership]
This in a NO BOARD group that is run by two loving women who have been married to each other for several years now ; I have heard them joke if there were a board no men would be allowed to hold position because this is a club run by women for women. They are the only pansexual group in Houston to be an active member of the leather community’s Houston Counsel of Clubs [HCC] for many years. Members are female and male with all sexualities truly be accepted.
[What they provide]
In terms of social networking, this group has most of its opportunities for such at the cocktail hours they do to support HCC. They also do event nights and performance oriented parties at their home clubs – Tony’s Corner Pocket and Mary’s. Their group volunteers to DM [Dungeon Monitor] at some of the local events and support many of the other clubs as well. Occasionally they have a home party, but not as often as they used to.
To get announcements of their group’s adventures, please join: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EandE-WIPSociety
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS:
HPEP has a whole list of smaller groups focusing on special interests such as bondage, photography, edge play, age play and much more. They even have one called HELL which focuses on literature and movies! Please go to their homepage for details.
SAF is starting up a few special groups for their club. I am currently watching to see what will happen with their membership in terms of the next generation age group [18-35] and its desire to develop a support networking system within this group.
CLUBFEM [Houston]
ClubFem is run by females for females who only partner with males in the D/s dynamic where the female is always superior. It’s a cloistered group that does not openly lend itself to across the board community support, information or participation. To learn about how you get past the dungeon guards and into one of their monthly fantasy parties, please visit their homepage at www.clubfem.org
THE LEATHER COMMUNITY:
In Houston there is what is known as the Leather Community. Focused in the gay leather traditions, it is completely different from the Pansexual, but shares the commonality that anyone can participate in aspects where any sexuality is acceptable.
There are too many damn links to deal with here, so I will just provide you with a link that will gain you access to every thing associated with the Houston Counsel of Clubs. It’s the blanket organization that these groups organize larger functions through…It’s the support Egroup for their largest annual event LUEY - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lueyweekend - from there you can find what you need.
Finally, I hope you find a group that works for you. If you wish to find out about more events and activities across Texas, please get yourself on the egroup Kinky Texans – www.groups.yahoo.com/group/kinkytexans . It covers the entire state and has a vast collection of people to get to know involved.
Best of luck with your adventure; if our paths should cross along the way please never hesitate to come up and introduce yourself!!
Lv M
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