Conversio Virium (CV), one of the oldest university student-run
BDSM
BDSM is a variety of often Eroticism, erotic practices or Sexual roleplay, roleplaying involving Bondage (BDSM), bondage, Discipline (BDSM), discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given ...
education groups in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, is the central
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
student organization
A student society, student association, university society, student club, university club, or student organization is a society or an organization, operated by students at a university, college, or other educational institution, whose membership ty ...
that represents the college's collective population who engage in consensual BDSM and related activities. CV is a
not-for-profit
A not-for-profit or non-for-profit organization (NFPO) is a Legal Entity, legal entity that does not distribute surplus funds to its members and is formed to fulfill specific objectives.
While not-for-profit organizations and Nonprofit organ ...
group that advocates strongly for freedom of
sexual self-expression and is particularly concerned with creating a safe and welcoming environment for young people to explore their interest in alternative
sexual practices, especially
consensual sexual dominance and submission (D/s). CV participates in many of
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
's sexuality community events alongside similar organizations such as
The Eulenspiegel Society.
History
In 1994, soon after Conversio Virium's inception, a Columbia University
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
group accused CV of violating its own
constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed.
When these pri ...
and as a result the university expelled CV from its grounds. The accusations were eventually proven untrue and CV was reinstated as an official Columbia University student organization. In the process, CV gained many allies from both the BDSM community and elsewhere, including Robert B. Chatelle, board member of the
National Writers Union
National Writers Union (NWU) is a trade union in the United States for freelance and contract writers founded on 19 November 1981. NWU is affiliated with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the International Authors Forum (IAF), a ...
at the time, who wrote to CV offering support.
In 2007, Conversio Virium made national television headlines when
Fox News
The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
invited
Ann Coulter to comment on an article published in the ''
New York Daily News
The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...
'' about the university's sex clubs called ''Wild Sex 101'', in which the club and the university was criticized.
Conversio Virium's records are housed at the
Leather Archives & Museum in Chicago.
See also
*
Cuffs (Iowa State University)
*
List of universities with BDSM clubs
University, Universities and colleges with BDSM clubs exist in a number of countries, especially in the United States. Some of these Student society, student clubs dedicated to BDSM (along with sexual fetishism and Kink (sexuality), kink) are o ...
External links
*
Link on University website
References
BDSM organizations
Columbia University student organizations
{{Columbia University