Despite sex work and BDSM consistently being featured in the Hollywood spotlight, these communities have historically been perceived as taboo. The media has the power to change these derogatory perceptions and one Netflix series is bringing the community to light.
BDSM stands for bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism. It includes a wide variety of sexual and nonsexual activities that can be practiced casually or as a lifestyle, according to a Feb. 12 Cosmopolitan article.
“Bonding,” a Netflix series that follows the life of a dominatrix Mistress May and her assistant, released its second season on Jan. 27.
A dominatrix is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities, whether in paid jobs or within a relationship, according to Dictionary.com. The role of a Domme is similar to a Dom, except a Dom is usually male.
The first season of “Bonding” received backlash from the BDSM and sex work community, according to a Jan. 27 Variety article.
Members of the community argued that the writer, Rightor Doyle, was not truly connected to the BDSM world and made a comedy out of experiences that were not his.
Some BDSM community members also criticized the inaccuracy of how the BDSM community was represented throughout the show.
An ex-dominatrix, who prefers to be referred to by her domme name for privacy concerns, Princess Sophie, thought the show portrayed the BDSM community inaccurately in its first season.
“The show doesn’t encompass how consent between [submissive and dominant partners] really works and the small details aren’t entirely accurate,” she said.
According to the same Variety article, Doyle used to work as an assistant and bodyguard for a dominatrix and agreed with the first season’s backlash. He aimed to make the second season more educational and true to the BDSM community.
This is a big step toward normalizing the BDSM and sex work culture. The way the media portrays these types of communities can have an immense impact on how sex workers are treated.
SJSU media and culture lecturer Apryl Berney said that media portrayal, especially in a capitalist society, has a great influence on what we value.
“It guides and shows us not only what is possible in terms of the lives that we’ve lived, but also what is good or bad,” Berney said.
To increase the authenticity of the second season Doyle hired Olivia Troy, a BDSM professional and founder of Reps On Set, a production consultancy that is dedicated to telling underrepresented stories responsibly.
Troy critiqued several aspects of the first season, according to a Feb. 4 Bustle article. She corrected costuming issues, including protagonist Mistress May’s collar, which is actually meant for submissives and not dominants. Troy also helped source BDSM gear from real dungeons in New York.
Dungeons are places specifically designed for BDSM activities and can be located inside businesses that rent out spaces or can be individually owned, according to a Jan. 9, 2018 Kinkly article.
Troy also made sure to create scenes that challenged the incorrect notion that dom and sub relationships are dirty or disrespectful.
"The relationship is often quite caring and quite devoted," Troy said in the same Feb. 4 interview with Bustle. "There's mutual respect, mutual affection and mutual appreciation for what each person is bringing into the experience."
Troy also made sure to carry the idea of mutual respect between dom and sub relationships into the filming process. She worked with actors throughout the filming of BDSM scenes to ensure their comfort and safety.
This greatly influenced the accuracy of the scenes because actors were made to feel comfortable and informed.
A former sex worker, who preferred to go by “Mr. R” because of privacy concerns, said the responsibility also falls on the actors to make sure the BDSM community is accurately represented.
“[The best thing an actor can do] is to give truth to the environment that they’re in and to play the character as best as they can, which I think they did,” Mr. R said.
The second season of Bonding is not perfect, but it is an example of how media creators should learn about communities they portray.
Accurate representation is absolutely necessary for combating intolerance of the BDSM and sex work community.
“It is important for the media to portray these communities because hopefully, more exposure will lead to normalization,” Princess Sophie said. “Sex work has a negative connotation and proper media attention can help destigmatize fetishes and sex work.”
