About Penitential Arts
This site grew out of my fascination with Leather/BDSM/fetish history. Over the years I have seen any number of websites that touch upon this topic, but only a handful have gone into the kind of depth (with the appropriate scholarship) that I have been seeking. Unfortunately, much of the available online history leans heavily towards romanticism, legend, and outright myth.I have spent a considerable amount of effort (and money) over the years piecing together bits of this history by examining the ephemera, periodicals, books, photos, and art that were produced prior to the Internet explosion of the mid-1990s. As a result, an entire room of my house ("The Forbidden Library") has been set aside to store and display these items.
There is an enormous amount of overlooked material out there with vast historic and cultural importance for those in sexual minority communities. Unfortunately, many of these materials (particularly flyers, programs, and newsletters) fall into the category of "ephemera" - the bits of paper from daily life that are generally thrown away. Given the limited lifespan of many of these items, it is important for those of us who study them to share our finds with others. What better way to do so than via the World Wide Web?
My point in putting this online is to share the things I have found with others, force myself to develop a better organization system for the materials, spark conversation, and (hopefully) meet others who share my passion for collecting and studying such things. Cataloging and studying the materials I own is an ongoing process, as is development of the website. Keep visiting every few weeks to see the new material that has been added!
Who am I? I am a reference librarian in Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth area). I have been involved in my local scene for about 8 years, and served in several offices on the board of a former local pansexual BDSM group. I am a switch, and have a girl who is a slightly switchy submissive.
I enjoy getting email, so please do not hesitate to write! In addition, I am always looking for new items within this topic (particularly ephemera), so feel free to contact me if you have some to sell or trade.
- Jesse, 2006