‘Tied Up’ in Controversy: Spotlighting UoN’S Non-Conforming Societies 18 - 19

Impact’s Cora-Laine Moynihan checks out two of the more controversial UoNSU societies - BDSM Society and Students For Life.

Universities provide a space for diverse groups of people to meet and connect through their numerous student networks, societies, and sport clubs. Alongside these groups come many opportunities for inclusivity and freedom of speech. However, how lenient are Student Unions and communities when it comes to the types of groups that are affiliated?

Founded in 1887, the University of Nottingham has witnessed the lives of over a century’s worth of people from different demographics and, with them, generations worth of opposing opinions and values. In the decades since, the University of Nottingham has continued to observe movements of beliefs, opinions, and values ranging from mainstream to controversial, particularly through the Student Union’s 200 odd societies and around 70 sports clubs.

Over 30,000 people attend the University; all stemming from a range of diverse backgrounds. According to research by the Office of Students, 6.6% who joined in 2020-2021 were mature students; 29% were identified as BAME; 17.2% reported having a disability; and finally 9.8% were considered to come from the ‘most deprived’ backgrounds. Every one of these students at the University have individual interests, hobbies, and values. Yet some feel silenced or judged when it comes to them.

The endless rumours that BDSM is all about sex, sex and more sex.

The BDSM society is in its infancy but faces numerous unwarranted rumours, judgement, and misconceptions because of the subject matter.

“The most common misconception I’d say is that people think it’s a sex society,” the society’s president, people think it’s a sex society,” the society’s president, Erin Cranston, explained over a video call. The sparse knowledge and understanding of BDSM and the student group itself, often lead to misguided judgments towards it and its members. Illustrating this, Erin shared that at their first meet and greet, somebody attended who thought that it was “more like a hook up event.” This assumption resulted from the endless rumours that BDSM is all about sex, sex and more sex. But, in reality, the meet and greet was just a social event for members to meet, get drunk, and make new friends over a common interest. It was a “safe place for members to meet without judgement.”

And that last comment is entirely what Erin asserted the BDSM society is.

With an average of 80-90 members, the BDSM society aims to educate people about practising Bondage, Dominance/Discipline, Sadism/Submission, and Masochism safely in their private sex lives, while also offering a safe and accepting space for members to talk both online and in-person. They also run educational workshops where a professional demonstrates how to correctly practise Bondage and Shibari (Japanese Rope Bondage), all the while ensuring consent is given and received throughout every step.

They thought people who like BDSM have experienced trauma

To further offer members a safe haven, the committee provides and regularly monitors a members-only discord server. Offensive, demeaning, and discriminatory messages, comments, and behaviour are not tolerated - with miscreant members receiving a warning first, followed by removal from the group if they continue.

“One member at the start was sending dark humour jokes, as they called it, but it just wasn’t very funny and they thought that was okay. They thought people who like BDSM have experienced trauma or dark things. That’s not always the case. So they were making these jokes thinking it was fine, but it wasn’t.”

This story is just another instance of where a misconception has warped perceptions of a community. What we learn online, in the media, and from others unrelated to a group may not be the truth. But the BDSM society is not alone in facing this. It is not the only group causing controversy on campus.

Fears that NSFL would ‘become a ‘Campaign Group’’ were also mentioned.

Nottingham Students For Life (NSFL) - who describe themselves on the SU website as “dedicated to the protection of that which is most beautiful, pure and innocent, namely the unborn” - have unsurprisingly faced more stigma than most groups on campus.

The current President, Cameron Macadam, explained that in 2019 the founding committee of NSFL had to battle the UoNSU to become an affiliated society. The society’s application for affiliation was initially rejected because the group’s aims “went against the UoNSU’s policies/values” or “against the overall current student viewpoint.” Fears that NSFL would “become a ‘Campaign Group’” were also mentioned.

After highlighting that the UoNSU were in violation of the Equality Act 2010, which protects people from discrimination based on protected characteristics including religion or belief, the NSFL was officially affiliated with the Student Union.

Since then, the pro-life group has maintained their presence on campus with around 25-30 members. Cameron emphasised that the society is there for people with this common belief to meet each other and talk in a safe environment.

Although formed under hostility, the society now experiences little backlash from the student community: “I don’t feel threatened by most people,” Cameron shared, “since it’s not something they think about too often or feel passionate towards.”

However, he mentioned that a loud and aggressive minority does occasionally rear their head, particularly during fresher’s week.

While running a stall at the 2021/22 Freshers Fair, two security guards were stationed beside them.“So much is how you talk about things”, Cameron stated before describing how one girl kept trying to bait him into arguments, hoping to goad him into behaving like the violent and misogynistic stereotype the media presents pro-lifers as: “I told myself to be calm. Be polite.”

Mixed responses and opposition to controversial groups are expected, especially when discussions of the subjects are prominent in the media’s current focus on abortion and women’s safety. While freedom of speech on campus is important, the existence of both societies raises questions about the limits of what our Student Union should affiliate with, and how exactly the SU assesses these groups during the application process. Whether the BDSM Society and NSFL are comfortable with the other’s affiliation is questionable, but they do illustrate the dilemma regarding who and what is okay for our Student Union to endorse.

by Cora-Laine Moynihan