Desmond Ravenstone

Desmond Ravenstone (Boston, Massachusetts) is a writer, blogger, activist and educator on sexuality issues, with a particular focus on BDSM and other alternative sexual identities. He is also a Unitarian Universalist lay leader, and frequently addresses the intersection of sexuality and spirituality.

Ravenstone first became involved in the BDSM community addressing the issue of “ravishment” or rape fantasies. He wrote a number of articles and two books.^[1][2] dealing with both the psychology and practical enactment of ravishment role-play,^[3] and helped to form the online Ravishment Network (RavNet) as a forum for education and advocacy.

Ravenstone has also led workshops on ravishment, erotic role-playing and other subjects to a number of BDSM groups across the country. He served as education coordinator for the New England Dungeon Society for two years, and authored an advice column for the online zine ‘‘The Dominant’s View’’.^[4]

Ravenstone is a member of Arlington Street Church, an historic Unitarian Universalist congregation, where he serves on the worship committee as well as other leadership roles, including representing the congregation as a delegate to the Mass Bay District. He also writes a blog, ‘‘‘Ravenstone’s Reflections’’’, offering his thoughts on sexuality, spirituality, politics and other related topics. This has given him a prominent place to speak on behalf of kinksters, polyamorists and other “alt-sexers” within the UU denomination. Ravenstone has recently started a new organization for UUs involved in BDSM, called "Leather & Grace".^[5]

Ravenstone is politically unaffiliated, and describes himself as a “libertarian progressive”.^[6] In 2008, he ran a write-in campaign for President on a sexual freedom platform; his running-mate was Theresa “Darklady” Reed, a fellow writer and sexual-freedom activist from Oregon.

References

1. ^ Ravenstone, Desmond. Ravishment: The Dark Side of Erotic Fantasy (2005) ISBN 1-4116-5547-8
2. ^ Ravenstone, Desmond. Taken: A Story of Ravishment (2005) ISBN 1-4116-5559-1
3. ^ Holy Whip: Interview with Desmond Ravenstone
4. ^ Dear Desmond, Advice for the Kinky (archive)
5. ^ Leather & Grace website
6. ^ Desmond Ravenstone's Facebook page

External links

• Ravenstone's Reflections
• Dear Desmond, Advice for the Kinky (archive)
• Holy Whip: Interview with Desmond Ravenstone
• Desmond Ravenstone's Facebook page

Persondata
Name	Ravenstone, Desmond
Alternative names
Short description	Unitarian Universalist lay leader, educator and advocate for BDSM and polyamory
Date of birth	1963
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death