Untraditional communities are often rejected or even feared by participants of mainstream normative culture, especially surrounding taboo subjects, such as sex lives. There are many groups of sex culture that contradict the “norm,” such as LGBTQ+ communities, polyamory, and BDSM. However, unlike other untraditional sex groups, BDSM is still in its infancy of introduction to a broader audience, meaning participants of this community face intense stigma due to a general lack of awareness and education around kink. Although some claim that unconventional sex is morally and/or fundamentally wrong, the negative responses that members of these groups have received and the effects it has had on their personal lives shows that judgement for the unknown is a far greater threat than any activity they participate in. Therefore, more research and representation are needed in the mainstream world to combat the societal stigma and “othering” that BDSM practitioners experience.

Deconstruction theory is a powerful tool of meaning and structure that seeks to show how meaning is relational to society and expresses predetermined binaries where one is held as superior but is dependent on the inferior. Deconstruction’s power can be used both socially and politically, making it a tool used often in Feminism. Feminists who use deconstruction theory seek to expose the origins of patriarchal power and how it is constructed on the attempt to control and manipulate women into an inferior status. However, there is no clear argument or opinion where Feminists agree on the value of deconstruction when advancing women’s interests. So, how can deconstruction theory contribute to feminism?

Frankenstein is a classic piece of literature that was written originally in 1818 by Mary Shelley. Many scholars have argued about what Shelley was trying to accomplish when she authored her famous novel, some looking at the roles of gender, some looking at implicit meaning of good v. evil, etc. However, by simply rhetorically analyzing what is right in front of us, we can notice deeper details about Shelley’s writing that allude to multiple things. For example, the real title of this story has a second half: Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. Prometheus was a Greek god that betrayed the other gods of Olympus. He wanted so badly to be adored and revered – worshipped, even - above all the other gods that he let himself be blinded to the consequences of his own actions. He then stole fire from the gods and gave it to the humans to elevate himself. However, when the other gods found out, they were terribly angry and he was severely punished; Zues damned him for all eternity to be chained to a rock and to have his liver eaten by birds every night, which would then regrow the following day. Prometheus lost everything he had worked so hard to achieve because he refused to be content. When Mary Shelley calls Frankenstein the modern Prometheus before we have even picked up the book, it is clear that she crafted this book with a heavy theme of prometheanism. This is a concept that applies the story of Prometheus to the men of the world and focuses on what happens when they pursue their ambitions and goals with the end goal of becoming worshipped, adored, and revered, becoming a god among humans. By conveying Victor Frankenstein’s destructive behavior through his ever-growing and reckless ambition, Mary Shelley reveals her criticism of prometheanism and the dangerous consequences it holds.

Think of the millions of snowflakes that fall during the winter. Now think about how every single snowflake that falls is different. Millions of these microscopic beauties, yet no two are the same. There are no copies. There can be similarities, and I’m sure that there are many of these within different flakes. But none are exactly the same. This is an exceptional trait, and one with hidden value. This vast distinction between individuals is what makes the snow so amazing and beautiful. This phenomenon of nature describes the phenomenon of writing that is rhetoric. Rhetoric has that same trait that allows it to grow and become a beautiful thing that can have all of these individual and personal differences for each person.

Religion is a faith-based system that involves a series of beliefs, usually placed in a greater system or being. Philosophy is an educational and psychological concept that drives towards wisdom. Philosophers ask deeper questions about the things that we think we know, like what really exists, how do we know something, what is morally right or wrong, and what constitutes bad or good reasoning? Philosophers often focus on religion, among other things, because placing blind faith in a certain being and making claims about the world because of it raises a lot of philosophical issues. For example, claiming that God exists, as most traditional Western theists do, creates a lot of questions. How do you know that God exists? How can you be sure that you know that you know? What rational and explainable proof do you have? If God exists, what qualities does he have? How do you know he has said qualities? The list could go on indefinitely.

He watched the rain beat on the closed window.

“I don’t know what to do, mom,” I admitted into the phone’s receiver. It had been two years since I left home. I had grown up in a small town, surrounded by more cows than actual people. I had felt invisible my entire life, stuck in static, unable to move or grow, or truly do anything. I had grown tired of that life, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was meant for more - that I was destined to become something amazing. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do that there. So I left. Packed my bags and said a tearful goodbye to my parents. We had always been a close family, and it was hard to leave. When there’s nothing and no one else around, it’s easy to grow together, tangled up into one garden. But to survive, I had to detach my roots and look for someplace else where I could grow like I was meant to - my own little paradise. 

Ice is all I know

I look on helplessly as the green all but disappears from the trees, replaced by orange tongues licking at the branches. I can hear the shouts of the other firemen as they race towards the danger, but I’m frozen. The fire licks at my chest and throat, filling me with a rage I had never known. I had grown up running in this forest. I had painted mud on my face. I wasn’t prepared to watch my childhood burn down. I reached down to dip my fingers into the ash before spreading it on my cheeks. I will save it. 

You break the tree line to walk into a wild meadow, feeling the long stiff grasses brush your fingertips, the dry, loose dirt shifting beneath your boots, the mountains and evergreens and aspens surrounding the open space. You inhale and smell the sweet and spicy scents of pine and wildflowers and fresh air. The sun shines on your face, warming your entire body, making you feel light, and you can’t help but smile. You look out over the vast yellow-green landscape to see bright splotches of color - the adaptable, resilient flowers that could grow all the way up in the mountains, and all the way down on the plains. Well drained soil and plentiful sunlight are all these flowers need to survive. They are even known to endure through drought-like conditions - they’re determined little things. Especially the bright red stalks dotting the grass, spiking up to paint the field. They’re hemiparasites - they receive their nutrients from photosynthesis, but a large portion of the necessary food it needs to survive is obtained from the roots of other plants. They’re survivors. They have been around a long time, known for their connections to Native American culture and their specificity to North America.   

It happened almost every night. She feels happy for a moment, but knows exactly what’s coming. Her heart pounds in her chest as she tries to prepare for the inevitable. Still, a sense of dread curls up from the pit of her stomach, and she can’t help feeling afraid. 

(Discalimer: I am not a dungeons and dragons player - this was created for a class, not a campaign)

Dread Nation, Chapter 12, Page 146-147

(TW: Inappropriate Language, Violence, SA)

The novel Legendborn, written by Tracy Deonn, is a fantasy novel about a young black woman taking on Arthurian magic in a mostly white social setting while navigating the grief of losing her mother. There is a lot of emphasis placed on her own self doubt in her place in this society while also doubting who she is. It is a beautifully written book, with tones of empowerment and self-discovery. Because of the minority perspective, some could argue that it is an offensive book, and should be banned for its taboo topics of anti-racism and mental illness. However, the empathetic point of view that you get immersed into with this differing experience is an opportunity to learn and introduce our young adults to diversity. Going through this story in Bree’s eyes keeps us grounded to her story and allows us to better understand a life that is different than ours; a chance to erase the “otherness” that is still so prevalent in our society.