Talking to Mahogany…

1> What do your BDSM scene friends call you?
It depends on their relationship to me. Lady Kona, Ma’am, Kona, Mama… Imp, brat-top, scary, intimidating, sadistic, … LOL!

1b> What would you like for us to call you?
I think Kona would do just fine

2> How old are you? Location? Race?
This year I’ll be turning 38! I have no idea how that happened that I am almost 40… I’m in Vancouver,  BC Canada. I am of Guyanese, South American decent on both sides. First one born outside of the country (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) on both sides for a few generations.

2b> Are you Male, Female, TV, TS Pre-op, TS Post-Op?
Cis-female all the way. All original parts still accounted for.

2c> Are you Straight? Bi? Gay? Unsure?
I am often gay – especially if there is sunshine – but I identify as a Femme-Dyke

2d> Are you Dominant? Submissive? Switch? Or Undecided?
Non-switching Dominant Top

2e> Are you single? Looking? Married? Married but looking? Polyamorous?
I’m single and currently courting someone who may have primary potential.

3> Are you looking to meet someone from this group?
That depends. I don’t know anyone form the group as yet! Played a little BDSM CSI with Mr. Worf but we didn’t approach it as partners… which might have made it go easier on us… LOL!

4> Do you participate in munches? (a munch is a meeting/lunch gathering)
I used to go to EVERY munch in my area. I don’t do this anymore. I may do it in the future. I consider it from time to time. They are normally, in this area, attended by hetero-focussed folks. Not a lot of dykes. When I travel, if there is a munch I definitely make an effort to attend.

5> Do you participate in BDSM play in public? We often have parties at a local dungeon. Would you be interested in participating?
I attend one or two parties a month. Some are public. Some are private. Some are personal. Sometimes attend BDSM-lite fetish events as well. I’m on the local DM Team so sometimes I show up to socialize and/work. If I was in your area, I’d certainly post and would make every effort to attend a party if the dates worked. Increasingly I’m willing to travel to be in POC play spaces. In the the fall of 2007 I travelled to New York to attend one.

6> How long have you been exploring BDSM? How long have you been actively participating in BDSM?
Wow. Well, I was  for more than five years before I came out publically 10 years ago. Longer if I think about it. That doesn’t include things I did as a young adult, youth or child. and have been in the public scene for about 10 years. When I came out I had to LEARN percussive and “BDSM” play because that’s not what I was doing! I was into the juiciness of power exchange/dynamics.

7> Do you like physical pain? Or do you enjoy the psychological aspects of bondage?
HUH? I’m a sadist. I enjoy playing with the energy that can come out of bondage… but that’s not the question you’re asking me. Right?

8> Are you a exhibitionist or voyeur?
I regard myself as neither. I consider myself to be a participant.

9> What does BDSM mean to you?
That’s a pretty big question. Especially these days. I recently did a Femme Domme mentoring intensive for three days with an Elder racialized leather dyke. It fucked me up and I’m still recovering. Ask me when the water has slowed it’s swirling.

10> If you could add a question to this survey what would it be?
Have you considered or can you articulate your relationship to BDSM as a person of colour living in the Americas (North, South and points in between)?

11> How did you first hear about BDSM?
I’m not even certain to be honest. I probably didn’t start really looking at the vernacular and the meanings of the component parts until I came out publicly. I had no words. I had seen some things which Identified as edgy sexually… and I figured that they had to be who I was or at least constituent parts since I OBVIOUSLY wasn’t like my peers or what I saw in the media…

12> How did you hear about Mahogany?
I was cruising around the Dark Connections site. I’ve had it bookmarked for years and have visited every once in a while to see about changes and continue reading content i hadn’t read before. And i came across this link! I’m really focussed these days on growing my connection to other POC that are interested in BDSM.