myths

Vancouver, BC-based electroccult female duo MYTHS will enchant cities across the US and Canada on The Mythical Gymnastics Tour w/ Grimes and Elite Gymnastics. Don't miss this!

“Like most things that are depicted in a problematic way, BDSM is subject to uninformed sweeping generalizations about what it looks, acts and feels like,”says writer Stacey May Fowles. Indeed any subculture can find itself badly misrepresented, especially when the media gets involved. So before we let loose on pop culture, let's consider and debunk some of the myths surrounding BDSM and the folks who participate in it...

Earlier this month the Village Voice made public the findings of a study conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, which looked to define the most vulnerable population of sex workers: underage prostitutes. According to the study, "The typical kid who is commercially exploited for sex in New York City is not a tween girl, has not been sold into sexual slavery, and is not held captive by a pimp." The study found that 45% were boys, 45% got into the business through friends, 90% were U.S. born, most serviced white, wealthy men and struck deals on the street (as opposed to the Internet). Importantly, 95% of respondents—70% of whom had sought assistance through a child service agency within the past year—said they exchanged sex for money "because it was the surest way to support themselves." According to these researchers, even the most at-risk segment of the sex worker population—underage sex workers—are going it alone, selling sex on their own volition, and perceive themselves as making a choice given their circumstances. Only 10% were involved with what the researchers labelled a "market facilitator" (aka pimp).