For one thing, I am not sure I have been in an actual nightclub for an actual club night for really quite a long time. I am, well, not so young as I was, so heavy bass and packed dancefloors and long bar queues… I am out of practice with that stuff. I got a bit unsettled at the Gale during BFW, but I did end up quite enjoying myself at the Fetish awards. I ran in to quite a few people I hadn’t seen for a while and there was definitely plenty of eye candy and some fabulous outfits. It was also enjoyable to hear the cheers as several mates’ names were read out during the awards ceremony itself (and congrats to all those who won, especially the BBB crew).
The UK Fetish Awards are very much a Good Thing. The event itself was set up to celebrate kink, BDSM and those who are professionally involved in providing goods and services to kinky people, with a heavy emphasis on the smaller and more independent
workers, groups and organisations. Winners are chosen via a public vote, and in the run up to the event each year you will find plenty of your favourite whipmakers, service providers, event organisers and performers announcing their participation and appealing for votes all over whatever social media you follow them on.
As the UK lurches further and further towards fascism, with all the associated nastiness towards the sexually diverse, it’s warming and reassuring to see kinky people coming together to celebrate their authentic selves. Vice magazine gives more history and more detail here.
Next year I plan to pull myself together in time to find a category appropriate for me and put myself forward. If you’re one of us in that sense, then you should probably have a go, too. You’ve got to be in it to win it…