Club Vandersexxx

Whether it is in The Secretary or 50 Shades of Grey, representations of SM and BDSM in mainstream media is becoming more and more normalized as a form of erotic pleasure and sexual acitivity.  Interpretations of bondage, leathersex, domination, and roleplaying are being shown in movies as simply an alternative form of sexual play.  As BDSM and SM used to be looked down upon, it is now seen in not just shown in late night sexy and dark representations in media but also light hearted comedic forms as well.  However, one representaion in particular actually goes against Weiss' study and paints the BDSM picture as an alternative form of sexual activitity that is uncommon, undesirable, and ironically done against the character's will.

In Eurotrip, a teen comedy about a boy who travels to Europe in search for his German pen pal, representations of BDSM are not shown in the most positive or even normative light.  While Scott and his friends travel across Europe, they find themselves in the obscure and unique country of Amsterdham.  When Scott's friend Cooper decides to explore what the Red Light District has to offer, he walks into "one of the best erotic clubs in the city" called Club Vandersexxx. Upon entering, Cooper is surrounded by beautiful women in a harmless, pink and comfortable room.  After laying down with a few girls and given the "safe word" if the pleasure gets to intense (even though reluctant to take it becuase he would never need it),  one of the girls screams and the pink comfortable room is immediately transforms into a concrete dungeon.  Then, Cooper is chained down by his wrists and ankles to a steel cage.  When he realizes the horrors that are about to ensue, he tries to free himself by uttering the safe word.  Unfortunately for him, the word looks like this.  

When Cooper is unable to pronounce the safe word, he has to endure sadistic actions involving anal play and other painful erotic pleasures.  When he meets back up with his friends the next day (limping as if somehting had been put somewhere he did not want), his friends ask him what he did the night before.  His response was simply, "I don't want to talk about it."

That response alone, his obvious reluctant confusion, and multiple acts of unwillingess demonstrate the obscurity and unnatural sexual activity that is BDSM and SM.  This scene serves as a illustration and deviance from what is "normal, vanilla, procreative, heterosexual, and suburban sexuality" (Weiss, 127).  Having this scene take place in the Red Light Distrcit of Amsterdham (an area of the world frequently looked down upon), shows how this type of sexual activity is also looked at negatively.  Showing this dichotmy between Amsterdham and the Western World (U.S.) shows how the latter is characterized as normative, suburban, heterosexual activity and the former as "uncommon."  

Although the increase in representations of BDSM and SM in media is indeed prevalent, some other representations such as this in Eurotip denounce this type of sexuality.  As a practioner of non-BDSM sexual activity, I tend to feel semi uncomfortable when watching representations in media.  If I feel uncomfortable watching it by myself, I can't imagine what it would be like to watch this scene with my parents.  I would much rather avoid the situtation entirely then engage in any type of parental mediation, whether it is restrictive, active, or coviewing (Guo & Nathanson, 360).  However, out of experience with sexual representations in media, I believe that my parents would also avoid coviewing at all costs.  Especially those that involve sadistic role playing, bondage, and leather. 

Guo, W. & Nathanson, A. I. (2011). The effects of parental mediation of sexual content on the sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of adolescents in the US. Journal of Children and Media, 5(4), 358-378. doi: 10.1080/17482798.2011.587141

Weiss, M. (2006). Mainstreaming kink: The politics of BDSM representation in U.S. popular media. Journal of Homosexuality, 50(2/3), 103-132. doi: 10.1300/J082v50n02_06