"Did not a certain Lady whip of late her husband's own Lordship? And though a Grandee of the House claimed him with fundamental blows, tied him stark naked to a post and firked his hide as if she had riposte; and after in Sessions Court when whipping's judged, had honor for it."

So began the lecture given by Brother Leo on Tuesday, December 11. It was a ribald romp through the history, politics and economy of 18th century S/m. No one was spared examination. Brother Leo spoke of Voltaire, Rousseau and Franklin who incidentally was called the Le Grand Papa. In France there was a popular chamber pot created with Benjamin Franklin's visage within. What does that tell you about his predilection? There were too many stories to go into but if you are interested in further exploration of the history of 18th century S/m contact Brother Leo or look for the entire text with references in the spring issue of Prometheus. It was a very charming evening.

TES BOARD VOTES ON MEMBERS OF OTHER GROUPS

In a series of votes over the past two months, the TES board of directors has extended some TES Member privileges to Members of other SM/leather organizations. Now if you have a valid membership card from another SM/Leather organization or a backpatch, you are entitled to pay the same donation rate that TES members pay at meetings, parties, socials and workshops.



PROTECT YOURSELF: PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE COULD BE USED TO INCRIMINATE YOU
A Statement From NCSF

Do you photograph your scenes? Do you video record your play? If so, you could be creating evidence that could be used against you in court. Videos, photographs, internet communications, and even handwritten diaries describing your scenes are evidence. They can and will be used against you in court.

Recently, prosecutors are using this type of evidence to put people on trial for their sexual expression and even for their sexual fantasies.

Police and prosecutors can use your pictures - however lovingly and artistically rendered - to indict you for assault and battery, for sodomy, or for any criminal offense for which they believe they can obtain a jury conviction.

In this current prosecutorial climate, the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom reminds you that photographic evidence and video recordings of your sadomasochistic activities could be used against you in court. If you want to preserve these documents, send them securely wrapped and insured via a private carrier (such as UPS or FedEx) to the Leather Archives and Museum, 6418 N. Greenview Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626, 773-761-9200, fax 773-262-7499.

We know that this isn't "fair." We recognize that scene photographs are crucial documents testifying to our love and our affection for our partners. But if Linda Fairstein, the Assistant District Attorney and head of the Manhattan Sex Crime Unit, has her way such photographs and videos could be used to prosecute members of our community. NCSF is committed to protesting any criminal prosecution of alternative sexual expression among consenting adults in New York City and elsewhere. We will continue to educate law enforcement officials about the SM/Leather/Fetish communities. But we feel it is essential to warn you against complacency in this matter. We should not trust law enforcement to treat us fairly. Fairstein's decision to criminally prosecute consensual SM is ample proof that our community is vulnerable to persecution.

NCSF's advice for dealing with the police: Be adverse to the police. Don't invite the police to search your home or your belongings. Remember that photographs or videos put you at risk for prosecution. Don't talk to the police without your attorney present. Remember, if the police and the prosecutor believe sadomasochism is morally wrong, they can and will find a crime with which to charge you. Don't set yourself up to be a victim of a morality squad.

For more info about NCSF: www.ncsfreedom.org

DMsw LITERARY CONTEST BREAKS RECORDS
by Linda

There was a tremendous response to the 5th Annual Submissive Women's Literary Contest this year. Over 25 "submissions" were received for the contest sponsored by the TES Dominant Men/submissive women's SIG Group.

The contest entries are in the judges' hands and the winners will be announced at the January 2 DM/sw SIG meeting. The three top stories will be read at that meeting and published in future issues of Prometheus.
Due to increased number of entries and increased recognition for this contest, we are considering compiling all entries into a booklet. This would be sold at a nominal cost.