Eros BDSM Miami
The history of BDSM in Miami is a long and storied one, with multiple practitioners having helped pioneer the way forward for the kinky subculture in South Florida.
eros bdsm miami
In the ‘70s, an early wave of teachers and students helped establish the philosophy and traditions of BDSM in the area — with many practitioners first having learned their craft in other states and then brought their knowledge and skills with them to the new world order that was Miami.
In 2014, BDSM in Miami is a thriving community, with multiple clubs and organizations supporting the lifestyle and culture, such as the local chapter of the Society of Exotic Adventure Travel, or SEAW, which has assisted in the development of many local business connections and partnerships.
SEAW works with local governments to provide tourist information on Sustainability and the Environment, including offering classes and workshops relating to climate change and energy conservation, rainforest preservation, and water resource management.
The organization has also teamed up with Habitat for Humanity, raising awareness and funds for the non-profit construction organization while providing expert guidance in the development and implementation of environmentally sensitive building standards.
An Early Practitioner
One of the first people to bring Miami BDSM https://vibe-city.us/city/Florida/Miami/BDSM was a doctor named Richard Kamen, who in the ‘70s started a pain management center in Sunny Isles named the Bridge Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Kamen was well-known in the area for treating a variety of injuries and was the first doctor to offer neuromuscular therapy, a technique that combines physical and occupational therapy to retrain your body in the correct alignment and functioning.
The Bridge was also one of the first centers in Miami to offer reflexology, a foot-pampering treatment where the practitioner examines the patient’s feet and massages or applies therapeutic lotions to soothe the tense muscles and improve blood circulation.
Not only did he treat a range of injuries and surgeries at The Bridge, Kamen also advocated for alternative methods of healing as a complement to traditional care.
One of his early patients was a young woman who came to be known as the “Painted Lady,” due to her exquisite looks, or who she was, depending on your point of view.
The story goes that one night, as Kamen was treating her, the Painted Lady asked him if she could tie him up and use his fingers as she had seen masters use straps on other patients during sexual activities.
Kamen, ever the professional, agreed and asked her to follow him into the next room, where he had a wide selection of apparatus, including leather straps, that she could use to bind him.
Once in the next room, the doctor sat in a chair while the Painted Lady, still in her street clothes, dressed herself in the outfit she had on the night before – a long-legged skirt and high-heeled shoes.
After donning the leather straps that Kamen had left out for her, the Painted Lady walked over to the chair and pushed the doctor back, sitting down in his lap.
The doctor then adjusted her skirt and asked her to step back farther, to which she replied, “Not so fast, buddy. First I have to ask you a question: Do you think big breasts are the epitome of femininity?”
Kamen nodded, and she continued, “Do you like to look at them?”
Kamen nodded again, and she asked, “Do you think little boys are cute?”
Kamen hesitated for a moment, and she said, “Come on, Doc, be honest — you want to look at them, don’t you?”
Kamen agreed that he did and she continued, “Well, do you want me to tie you up and use you as a little sex doll, so you can watch female breasts bounce around as they walk up and down the street?”
“Yes,” Kamen replied, not knowing what else to say.
So began an intense six-hour session during which Kamen was strapped to a treatment table and had leather belts used in a wide array of kinky positions, including the ever-popular “spread eagle” or “suicide” position, in which he was attached at the wrists and ankles, and suspended in the air.
In 1975, the same year that Dr. Richard Kamen started the Bridge Health and Rehabilitation Center, a young man named Marc D’Amelio opened a BDSM store in the lobby of The Fountain Hotel in Sunny Isles.
The store offered a selection of whips, chains, and other devices for BDSM beginners and experienced practitioners alike, and was an immediate success, bringing in a lot of business and new customers to the area.
Soon after, several other stores opened their doors, catering to the larger community in South Florida.
As BDSM in Miami grew in popularity, more and more people were looking for ways to combine work with pleasure, and in 1983, the first Fetish Fair was held in the city.
Held annually since then in January, the Fair is one of the largest and most popular expositions of BDSM in North America, with over 50,000 square feet of exhibition space, live demonstrations, workshops, and dozens of vendors selling everything from clothing and accessories to toys and equipment.
SEAW
Though the early practitioners of BDSM in Miami helped lay the foundations for the community as we know it today, it was a group of volunteers who helped to make it what it is today.
One of the first organizations to step up and provide a voice for the underrepresented communities in the BDSM scene was SEAW, which stands for the Society of Exotic Adventure Travel.
SEAW was started in 1971 by a group of volunteers who were tired of the discrimination they experienced in other parts of the country and wanted to create a space for people of all genders, orientations, and abilities.
As founder and executive director Keith Jeffery explains it, “SEAW is a place where people can come together to be themselves and not worry about what anybody else thinks.”
The organization now has over 60,000 members and maintains a presence in over 30 countries, with South Florida being the largest chapter.
In 2014, with the support of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, or GMCB, the organization held its first Miami Fetish Fair, an annual expo of sorts that provides a space for BDSM groups and individuals to come together and celebrate their lifestyle, with many practitioners showcasing their skills and sharing their knowledge with attendees.
As part of the Fair’s educational arm, the SEAW Learning Center offers classes in bondage, rope bondage, dominance and submission, flogging, and other related topics, with many schools and organizations in the area using the curriculum developed by the organization.
A Different Kind of Education
The SEAW Learning Center is one of the areas of the Fair where you can find numerous classes and workshops, most of which are free, and some of which are even offered at no cost.
But perhaps the most prominent feature of the SEAW Learning Center is its staff, made up of both teachers and students, who are more than willing to help guide you through the steps to successfully complete a professional Domination Training program.
This form of education is very different from a regular classroom setting, as it uses a lot of experiential learning.
You won’t find textbooks or written assignments, instead, students follow a structured regimen of exercises, assignments, and assessments, which are combined with in-depth discussions and reflection to foster critical thinking and problem solving skills.
It’s a method of education that allows practitioners to develop their skills quickly in a professional environment while also providing them with a greater degree of job satisfaction and a deeper understanding of the subjects they’re learning.
A Community That Supports Each Other
One of the unique things about the BDSM community in Miami, and in general about the kink scene in South Florida, is that it’s a community that supports and respects one another. Eros BDSM Miami