The Lifestyle
A Community In Splinters?
By Shelly and Dan of Alternative Travel
A Community In Splinters?
By Shelly and Dan of Alternative Travel
Since returning a few weeks ago from Conclave, a swinger's convention in Chicago, we have had time to evaluate the information we shared at the club owner’s meetings and keynote address. We would like to share what we felt was the general consensus among attendees.
The club owner’s meeting addressed some issues that have come up regarding the right’s of loving couples to assemble in Pennsylvania. A bill currently before the Pennsylvania state legislature is causing shudders throughout the lifestyle It call for the closure of all couples clubs whose purpose is to promote or meet for sex. This is putting it simply without the legal wording contained within the bill. Those who have the most to fear are the on-premise clubs. The opinion was that it may well be passed and then fought over the courts. Once a bill is passed it will end up in an ongoing battle for years. The court may also render a decision that other states may follow, using the Pennsylvania bill as a landmark for other cases.
On the other side of the room, a call was put forth that we need to clean up our act and take the emphasis of the lifestyle off sex. We must eliminate focusing our information on sexual activity alone. Instead, we need to promote our social activities. We all know why we go to clubs and what our expectations are. Do we really need to broadcast our intent to the community at large? I think not.
Toni and Glen of Club H, the keynote speakers, said what we have felt for years. They said that this lifestyle needs to clean up its act and present a positive image. The lifestyle has a responsibility to avoid negative press and to focus attention away from our sexual activities, much like the gay and lesbian community did many years ago. They received a standing ovation from 300 couples and mutual agree among most of the participants.
The lifestyle community needs to realize that we are under assault from political and religious groups. We make ourselves very easy targets. Most of us are unwilling to fight for the right to assemble, and our foes know it! If you think this is idle speculation, you’re wrong! It is real and our clubs are definite targets. First on their his list are the on-premise swing clubs, which are considered to be the bath houses of our lifestyle. There are enough community standards being violated and it’s easy to use local laws to close and prosecute. Any anyone on the club premises who’s even partially disrobed goes along for a ride in the paddy wagon. Sure, we can fight it after the fact and probably win! That is if you have enough money and lawyers. And, after you’re booked, identified, fingerprinted and written up in your local paper, complete with mug shots. Scary? You bet it is!
Off premise (dance/social) clubs need to protect themselves as well. Keep your patrons dressed! There plenty of time to party after the ball. Don’t provide them ammunition by loading the pistol yourself. Use common sense, and of course your “big” head to think with not your “little” one! Some clubs will tell you anything they think you want to hear. Take it with a grain of salt because it’s your ass that’s on the line.
Most club owners at the Conclave meeting were very much in favor of presenting a positive image while some seemed like they could care less. They wanted nothing to disrupt their operations. The sad part for those who do not take it seriously is that they are putting others in jeopardy. They may, in due time, not have an operation, nor the dollars to defend themselves in a court of law. For some of you this might seem scare or extreme, and in a way it is. Remember... if you are not in violation of any laws, community standing, not attracting unwanted negative attention, you have less to be concerned about.
Look around at the changes going on. There are a lot of positive things taking place that will benefit all of us in the long run. Many clubs are changing attitudes and their focus. Clubs are organizing together to fight the oppression that’s being threatened. We take these groups very serious and are preparing to fight them with our own resources. We don’t have big war chests that they have, but we’ve mounted campaigns though donations to selective civil liberties groups. If we continue to operate as a splintered and divided community, we make ourselves easy targets and sitting ducks. There’s no need to be divided. That is what the other side wants us to do. Let’s not do it to ourselves.
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