The Paradox of Polyamory and Power Exchange – w/Sinclair Sexsmith

Available online and in person at a watch party in Austin, TX!

Consensual non-monogamy and D/s relationships can seem in contradiction to one another. Where polyamory and other forms of CNM tend to value egalitarianism, autonomy, and personal agency, D/s relationships rely on hierarchy, control, and surrender.

Within this seeming contradiction lies multiple possibilities for new ways of playing with passion and power.

In this 2-hour live online workshop, you’ll learn: 3 frameworks to help you make sense of your negotiated non-monogamous and D/s relationships, hear perspectives to help you clarify your own relationship priorities, and discover resources to guide you in your own explorations.

We’ll explore questions such as: When polyamory and power exchange collide, how do you decide what takes precedence? Where are the boundaries between one person’s authority and another person’s autonomy? Is it possible to fully surrender and have multiple relationships?

You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how these relationship styles can play together, as well as next steps for your own journey.

Presenter Bio:

SINCLAIR SEXSMITH (they/them) is a queer trans butch, a leather dominant, and a writer, focusing on individual, interpersonal, and institutional systems of power. They study dominance and submission, social & restorative justice, the energetic body, trauma, and transformation. They have been in the kink communities since 1999, and orchestrate transformative kink scenes through written erotica and ritual practice, and exploring the philosophies of power exchange and the practicalities of sustainable, long term D/s. As a leather community member, titleholder, producer, and organizer, Sinclair has presented and performed 200+ times at 75+ venues, including International Ms. Leather, Dark Odyssey, SXSW, Harvard, and Oz Kink Fest. Their short story collection, Sweet & Rough: Queer Kink Erotica, was a 2016 finalist for a Lambda Literary Award, and they have edited 7 queer erotica anthologies. Find Sinclair online at http://sugarbutch.net/find-sinclair

Class skill level: All

Class format: Lecture with audio/video presentation and in person through a watch party in Austin, TX.(presenter will not be present at the watch party).

Participant Materials: None

We believe that a quality education should be accessible by all. If you need a scholarship ticket, please email [email protected].

If you are able to pay it forward and donate a larger amount, it is greatly appreciated and helps us continue to keep our classes available to everyone.

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We do not record our classes or permit recording. This is to protect everyone’s privacy, and the intellectual property of the presenters. Class resources, discussion topics, and notes will be available to attendees via email. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates and early-access tickets!

Event Details
  • Start Date
    October 18, 2023 8:00 pm
  • End Date
    October 17, 2023 10:00 pm
  • Organizer
  • Hybrid Event - Online (globally) and in person (ATX)

    This class will be broadcast via Zoom globally, and a limited number of in person tickets are available for a watch party in Austin, TX. The presenter will not be present at the watch party.

Eventbrite - online and in person
$10-13

Tickets for online and in person are available here.

Forbidden Tickets - online and in person
$10-13

Tickets for online and in person are available here.

Yes. Our classes are for 18+ consenting adults only, and may include content that could be stressful to some attendees. We do our very best to be clear about what may be discussed in a particular class, and encourage attendees to care for own their safety and well being. We do not close our classroom, so attendees are free to leave and re-enter as they wish. Additionally, attendees are not obligated to have their name or scene name listed, or their camera or microphone on at any point during the class.

Absolutely! We encourage respectful and active participation. Please post your questions in the chat, and Leadership will ensure the presenters see them. If you would like to ask a question anonymously, please private message any SADE leadership member during class. If you think of any after class, feel free to message us and we'll get in touch with the presenters for you!

Yes! We will email class handouts to our attendees by the end of the week of class.

For the privacy of all, and the protection of intellectual property of our presenters, we do not record any of our classes and prohibit any recording. After class notes will be sent to all attendees by the end of the week of class. Sign up for our email newsletter for free resources!

Closed captioning will be provided through the Zoom app.

Event Details
  • Start Date
    October 18, 2023 8:00 pm
  • End Date
    October 17, 2023 10:00 pm
  • Organizer
  • Hybrid Event - Online (globally) and in person (ATX)

    This class will be broadcast via Zoom globally, and a limited number of in person tickets are available for a watch party in Austin, TX. The presenter will not be present at the watch party.

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