Sunday, July 25, 2010

In Which We Dipp into the Dark Side (Text only)

Text only version. Click here to see the full version, which contains images of extreme violence.

Every once in a while, one runs across a creator so imaginative, so capable of conjuring up worlds and ideas hitherto unconceived, that one's breath is taken away.

And then there are creators like Dipp Canning.

My first introduction to Dipp's "work" was about a year ago or so, when I ran across her "BDDSM Orgasmic Stake," a terribly clever little scripted device consisting of a giant spike upon which to impale a female avatar, with sex balls allowing the victimizer to perform sexual acts upon her. The tag line that appeared on Xstreet with this must-have addition to any torture chamber pretty much said all that needed to be said about the function of this device: "fuck your slave as they die."

Frighteningly, there is evidently a segment of the population who find this idea quite a turn-on. Nonetheless, it is interesting that this item, while still listed on Xstreet, is now "Unavailable for purchase."

In fairness, it has to be said that the "BDDSM Orgasmic Stake" is somewhat atypical of Dipp's usual oeuvre. To judge from the majority of the offerings for sale on Xstreet by this "artiste," Dipp has a rather singular view of women. When she imagines them, what she apparently sees are pretzels. Or, more precisely, women bent and twisted into fuckable, abusable pretzels, and held in bone-breaking, muscle-tearing, and sinew-popping contortions by a variety of chains, thongs, rods, and spikes.

This sort of thing is, in some ways, standard BDSM or Gorean fare: apparently, to many of the aficionados of these particular "lifestyles," a woman isn't sexually desirable until her body has been obscenely twisted into something almost unrecognizable. But to add a bit of variety, Dipp has gone one step further in many of her products.

So, how do you vary pretzels? By sticking things into them. Sharp things.

A case in point is her "DD Spiker," a series of stakes and poles upon which is impaled a female avatar. The phallic subtext of the spike featured in her "Orgasmic Stake" is here even more explicit: the stake penetrates the victim through the vagina, runs through her body, and exits out through her mouth in a grotesque parody of fellatio. This effect is even more marked when the device is viewed in-world, with the animation functioning. The woman's body alternately stretches and contracts on the pole, as she straightens or bends her spine: the result is that the pole slides back and forth within her vagina and mouth even as she remains impaled upon it. Anyone who doubts that the penis can, in certain contexts, be metaphorically conceived of as a "weapon," and the act of sexual penetration as invasive and violent, needs only view this device to have all doubts removed.

Somewhat similar is the "Devil's Prong," which, however, features merely one wound, through the vagina, but Dipp has cleverly recognized that if two bloody and violent penetrations are good, then four must be twice as exciting. With this in mind, she has thoughtfully also made available the "DD Bloody Bitch," in which spikes impale the victim (as near as I could tell) though the vagina, clitoris, and both breasts. (These may actually penetrate through the anus, vagina, and breasts, but I declined the opportunity to look too closely to make an exact determination.)


So, what are the common themes here? Well, penetration is obviously a big selling point, and not always through the vagina, anus, or mouth: in common with much "torture porn," there is an interest here in creating new orifices to penetrate, through "wound fucking." (A new zombie film by Toronto filmmaker Bruce La Bruce, LA Zombie, features a similar motif, and has been banned from screening in Australia because of it.) The entire female body is reduced in this way to the status of genitalia: a woman, in this view, really is nothing more than a cunt. But because Nature has not accommodated this view by making the female body penetrable everywhere, "art" must intervene. And so, the act of intercourse is explicitly re-imagined as an act of invasive, and ultimately deadly, violence. This suits the male tormentor just fine, as that violence establishes his "mastery" and "power." So sexually potent is the male tormentor that the woman literally dies in the act of "intercourse." It is an affirmation of male sexual power as destruction.

Another important element of all of these products is, of course, the utter passivity of the woman, who is rendered completely inert (and in some cases, of course, actually "lifeless") by these devices. Traditionally, BDSM and D/s are founded upon a willing exchange of power between the Dominant and the submissive; the latter willingly and consensually submits to the Dominant. And indeed, any "female" avatar who undertakes the position of victim on these devices has presumably consented to do so by "sitting" on them first, and accepting the animations.

And yet, while the role play may itself be consensual, the depiction clearly is not. The sexual charge that the victimizers (and presumably also the victim) get from these devices derives in large measure from recreating the illusion of force and violence. In the fiction that is spun from the role play, the victims are not imagined as circus performers or talented contortionists: they are not willingly pretzeled. They are instead held firmly in place by chains and spikes. However important the element of consent in undertaking the role play, the experience itself is, apparently, the more enjoyable because it depicts an absence of consent: the male's hard-on here comes from reveling in the pretense of overriding the woman's consent with bondage and torture devices.

The importance of the element of violence and subjugation (rather than mere submission) is reinforced by what is apparently a selling point of these devices: the fact that all of them are "RLV compatible." The "Restrained Life Viewer" (RLV) is an add-on to the SL viewer that permits a Dominant to take complete control of the sub's avatar: in extreme cases, the only way that the sub can regain control is to log off. The RLV, in other words, allows the Dominant to mimic in gaming terms the force and violence being depicted through the role play. Once a sub has agreed to employ the RLV, the Dom doesn't need to ask permission to impale her: he can simply take control of her avatar and do it himself. While it is true that the initial consent from the sub has been obtained, the point of the RLV is to heighten the sexual excitement by removing the sub's freedom of choice from subsequent actions.

Force and violence are, of course, central to the notion of bondage, and so it is unsurprising to discover that they are a central element even of some of Dipp's less "deadly" devices. For instance, Dipp offers for sale not one, but two rape devices featuring "staked" victims: in these, the stakes are more modestly driven into the ground, and hold the female avi in place while she is raped.

Any number of Dipp's other scripted objects might be added to a boycott list focussed upon representations of violence against women. A few additional ones are particularly worthy of note, however. The "K&D Beauty Rest" (pictured above) shackles the female across a table featuring no less that "20 sharp spikes." The "BDDSM 'Hot' Stuff" device binds a woman to a post with her vagina mere inches above a lit candle. Similarly, "DD Inflamed" suspends her, legs pried wide open, directly over a large fire, while the "Honey Roaster" features a woman spread-eagled in front of a fireplace, and impaled through her vagina. The name of the "DD BDSM Barb-B-Cue" more or less adequately describes that device. (Dipp apparently likes her pretzels roasted.)

Many of Dipp's devices are designed to facilitate beating and whipping: the Xstreet ads for "DD Exposed," and the "DD Punishment Bench" show the female avatar with bloody cuts and welts across her body, while the "Rear Hang Whipping Rack" suspends the avatar by her hands, tied around her back, from a scaffold.

So, why should any of this trouble us? Dipp Canning produces pornography, it is true, and particularly violent and distasteful pornography at that, but these are, after all, merely "cartoons," are they not? And if it is also true that all of the victims depicted in the Xstreet advertisements for these products are women, must we not concede that any "female" avatar (whether male or female in RL) using these is consensually agreeing to participate in this violent torture and snuff porn?

It is certainly true that no pixels were injured during the employment of these products; it would be foolish and reductive to equate this kind of role play with real life violence against women. Nor does it follow that any man using these devices to role play, however much it might suggest a deep-seated (and deeply disturbing) predilection for sexual violence, is going to actually escalate his behaviour by attempting to do any of these things in the real world.

The critical issue is that, by catering to a profoundly misogynist attitude towards sexual violence, these objects reinforce the kind of thinking that enables real life sexual violence. Everything about these objects asserts that "violence is fun!" What is more, "it's a real turn-on!" And every time that a female avatar (whether or not controlled by a real life woman) mounts one of these devices, "she" is sending the message that, yes indeed, women find the ideas of sadism, violence, rape, and even murder very very sexy. Given the very real "rape myths" ("She was asking for it! She loved every minute of it!") that permeate our culture, these are very dangerous messages to send indeed.

We complete our brief survey of Dipp's "artistry" with one final product. The "DD TipToed" suspends the naked female on a hanging cross; she is held in place there by her hands, which are impaled by the cross bar, and from which scripted blood drips.

One wonders if Dipp is capable of seeing the irony inherent in this image of woman crucified.

No, probably not.



Note: A notecard was sent to Dipp Canning previous to the writing of this feature, informing her of this review, and soliciting comments and responses to particular questions. As of the time of writing, she has declined to respond.


The SLLU Feminist Network invites you to join in a boycott of all products produced by Dipp Canning, to be maintained until the items listed in the boycott notice have been removed from sale. A good way to make your personal decision to join this boycott more effective is to send a notecard to Dipp Canning, announcing your decision to join in the action.

For a full list of the items by Dipp Canning that have sponsored this boycott call, see the
SLLU Feminist Network Boycott Notifications.

For more information about representations of violence against women in Second Life, see "Gender Violence in SL: FAQ and Some Answers"

Friday, July 23, 2010

Battle Royale Redivivus

WARNING: This post contains images of violence that may be triggering.

In October of 2009, Prokofy Neva posted a feature on his blog Second Thoughts regarding a new line of skins available from the very popular skin designer, Gala Phoenix, owner of the store Curio. These new skins for women, entitled "Battle Royale," featured a variety of cuts, abrasions, and bruises. Prok is not generally known for his liberal views, but he is surprisingly progressive on most issues relating to gender; here is how he responded:

"I can only protest. It's wrong. Battering women -- or men -- or children -- isn't right. It's not cool. It's not 'fashionable'. Why would anyone think it is 'beautiful'?!

I'm just frankly appalled that this stuff goes by week after week on World of SL and other sites and nobody complains. This time of year it reaches a particular peak. Nobody says, hey, that's ugly. That's wrong! And claiming that it 'doesn't matter' because it is in a virtual world doesn't make it right."

Prok's story triggered a firestorm of responses, on his blog and elsewhere. Prok was responding not merely to Gala's new skin line, but to the ecstatic response to it posted on the popular fashion blog Juicy Bomb:

"These new Gala Phoenix Battle Royale skins are so interesting I have to show you them in larger than normal sizes. There are 6 makeups total, with 2 versions each and a light and dark skin tone option. These skins also have a version called Battle Royale Defeated, which features the same makeups on a more banged up and bloody body. Scroll down to see all the makeups available & pics of the body :) I squealed a little when I tried on each one.. they get bloody!"

What was most disturbing about the Juicy Bomb story was that it treated the skins not (as Gala herself has claimed was the original intent) as combat role playing skins, but as fashion accessories. Taking "Heroin Chic" one step further, Juicy Bomb turned Gala's skins into "Abuse Chic." This impression was strongly reinforced by images of the new skins published alongside the review, featuring a bruised, bloodied, and battered woman wearing a short purple floral-patterned dress. The "squeals" of slightly shocked delight from the review's author, Gogo, didn't help: "It's still pretty, but dirty and totally bad ass!"

Gala's skins are by no means unique: they are neither the first, nor by any means the worst examples of skins depicting abused women in Second Life. One skin that was for sale a little more than a year ago, until (apparently) banned, was simply entitled "Rape," and featured a badly bloodied and injured woman, with the word "WHORE" carved into her stomach. Other skins clearly designed to represent the effects of abuse, including, for instance, one plainly entitled "Victimized" and advertised as featuring "3 levels of abuse" (because one is never enough?), remain for sale in Second Life.

What makes Gala's "Battle Royale" skins so very disturbing, however, is that while such "rape skins" have largely in the past targeted a "niche" market of combat and/or rape and snuff role players, Gala's Curio is an enormously popular store focused upon a mainstream audience. The introduction of skins depicting the physical effects of violence and abuse against women to a mainstream audience has the potentially insidious effects of both making such depictions more "acceptable," as well as encouraging the notion that the signs of abuse can be "attractive," "fashionable," and "chic."

That many have, in fact, viewed the "Battle Royale" skins as fashion accessories, rather than as role playing tools, is evident from the response of others who followed in the wake of the original controversy. While a story in the fashion blog Shopping Cart Disco featured a picture showing the skins employed in something like a "combat" role, and maintained a consistent line that these skins were intended for combat RP, a story by Iris Ophelia, the fashion writer of the popular Second Life blog New World Notes, attempted rather more inconsistently to argue that "they represent someone tough, battle-hardened, and capable of holding their own in a fight. I see a real statement of feminism in the virtual world." Unfortunately, some of the accompanying pictures to Iris's story belied that interpretation: the headline snapshot, for example, shows the "Battle Royale" skins on two women more clearly dressed for a night of clubbing than of being clubbed.

Personally, I've always taken a perverse enjoyment in the sheer idiocy of the "This isn't a battered woman, it's a tough woman!" response to this kind of debate, because it is so utterly disconnected from the reality of abuse. This brand of "Thelma and Louise Feminism" seems to assume that "feminism" is not directed at ending gender violence and bringing about social justice and equality, but rather about ensuring that women have higher calibre weapons than the men who would otherwise be willing to hurt them. In her NWN article, Iris goes on to explain that "I love these mangled-looking skins because when I wear them, I see my avatar as someone who does a lot of damage, but at the same time is not somehow magically immune to taking some damage herself." Feminists, it seems, should be less worried about preventing physical abuse -- indeed, women should be willing to just "suck it up" -- and more concerned about teaching women to hit back, harder! This is a feminism of the "if you can't beat them, join them" school . . . literally. It's an approach that would turn every real life scene of abuse into a kind of restaging of the OK Corral, or a rematch of Spinks versus Ali. In a "real life" context, it's an approach that is illogical, unrealistic . . . and very, very dangerous.

The terms of the controversy were much complicated by Gala Phoenix's own response. When I spoke to Gala personally about this in IM, shortly after having called for a boycott of her products, she seemed sincerely upset and bewildered by the response to the skins. When Gala told me that producing skins to represent physical abuse was the last thing on her mind, I honestly believed her. Indeed, I am still reasonably convinced that she was being sincere. Explaining that she was going to be away for several weeks, she replied to my suggestion that she produce a notecard or sign disclaiming any such intent with the assurance that she would respond upon her return.

A subsequent note by Gala sent to Shopping Cart Disco, however, seems to have signaled a new harder line by the designer:
"I in no way advocate or promote violence against women. Having been in an abusive relationship in the past, I'm fully aware of how serious this issue is to many women. I created the “Battle Royale” series in response to the hundreds of requests I've received for a tough, tomboyish line of skins. The skins weren't meant to depict violence towards women at the hands of men. Of course a few people will interpret it that way and I'm aware that residents of the BDSM community might purchase them with this interpretation in mind. Ultimately these women are being subjected to virtual violence with their own consent, and thus, are not victims of domestic abuse."
As a response, this might have made more sense had anyone actually been claiming that avatars who donned these skins were "victims of domestic abuse." Of course, no one was: the real issue was the trivialization and, indeed, potential glamorization of violence against women by those who would wear these to represent abuse against women, or as a fashion accessory. Gala's new apparent willingness to sanction the use of these skins by those who do wish to represent violence against women is the result, one surmises, of a disinclination to alienate a (large) potential market for the skins. Gala attempts to have her cake and eat it too: No, of course the skins weren't meant to depict violence against women! Eeek, perish the thought. But, um, if you'd like to buy them with that purpose in mind, then please feel free: the vendor is there, on the wall to the left . . . (Ka-ching! Ring up another sale!). Gala's response triumphantly manages to convert a self-justification and apologia into a marketing opportunity.

It is also interesting to note that Gala made no reference here, nor in her discussion to me, of the Japanese movie Battle Royale, an ultra-violent cult teen exploitation flick, upon which many of her supporters were subsequently to claim the skins were based. That Gala neglects to do so, and that the skins she has created are a) only female, and b) demonstrably not depicting Japanese teens, leaves that explanation in doubt.

(One rather ambiguous note regarding Gala's response remains unexplained: someone posting as "Gala Phoenix" on Prokofy Neva's blog wrote that "The only woman that I advocate getting beaten is you, Prok." Prok is, as is well-known, a woman in real life. There is of course no way to know for sure that this appalling comment was actually written by Gala, but subsequent calls on her to disclaim it went unheeded. It would be nice if Gala made it clear, once and for all, whether this remark was hers or not. Who knows? Maybe she'll do so here.)

Gala Phoenix is one of the most respected skin designers in Second Life. And it is this that makes her response -- or lack thereof -- so very disappointing. Gala has claimed to have been a victim of abuse herself. She has claimed that she did not "intend" that the "Battle Royale" skins be taken to represent violence against women, and has asserted that she would never "promote" gender violence. And yet these skins do just that, by trivializing and "aestheticizing" the physical signs of abuse and violence. Her sole response to date has been a reiteration of the irrelevancies that wearing these skins is "consensual" (which no one to my knowledge has denied) and not in itself abusive (which no one to my knowledge has ever suggested). Sadly, profit seems to come before principle after all.

One expects better from a leader of the community.

Well over a half a year has now passed since Gala first put these skins up for sale. To date, she has made no attempt to dissociate them from either the "Abuse Chic" market, nor the BDSM and rape/snuff role playing markets. Indeed, since her brief note to Shopping Cart Disco, she has remained obstinately silent on the subject. The "Battle Royale" line of Curio skins is still to be found for sale, undifferentiated from and on the same wall of her shop as many of the other high-end fashion skins for which she has become so well known.

And indeed, what are they, after all, but another chic fashion accessory?


The SLLU Feminist Network invites you to join in a boycott of all products produced by Gala Phoenix, to be maintained until the items listed in the boycott notice have been removed from sale. A good way to make your personal decision to join this boycott more effective is to send a notecard to Gala Phoenix, announcing your decision to join in the action.

For a full list of the items by Gala Phoenix that related to this boycott call, see the
SLLU Feminist Network Boycott Notifications.

For more information about representations of violence against women in Second Life, see "Gender Violence in SL: FAQ and Some Answers"

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

In Which We Dipp into the Dark Side

WARNING: This post contains language and images of extreme violence. To view a Text Only version, click here.

Every once in a while, one runs across a creator so imaginative, so capable of conjuring up worlds and ideas hitherto unconceived, that one's breath is taken away.

And then there are creators like Dipp Canning.

My first introduction to Dipp's "work" was about a year ago or so, when I ran across her "BDDSM Orgasmic Stake," a terribly clever little scripted device consisting of a giant spike upon which to impale a female avatar, with sex balls allowing the victimizer to perform sexual acts upon her. The tag line that appeared on Xstreet with this must-have addition to any torture chamber pretty much said all that needed to be said about the function of this device: "fuck your slave as they die."

Frighteningly, there is evidently a segment of the population who find this idea quite a turn-on. Nonetheless, it is interesting that this item, while still listed on Xstreet, is now "Unavailable for purchase."

In fairness, it has to be said that the "BDDSM Orgasmic Stake" is somewhat atypical of Dipp's usual oeuvre. To judge from the majority of the offerings for sale on Xstreet by this "artiste," Dipp has a rather singular view of women. When she imagines them, what she apparently sees are pretzels. Or, more precisely, women bent and twisted into fuckable, abusable pretzels, and held in bone-breaking, muscle-tearing, and sinew-popping contortions by a variety of chains, thongs, rods, and spikes.

This sort of thing is, in some ways, standard BDSM or Gorean fare: apparently, to many of the aficionados of these particular "lifestyles," a woman isn't sexually desirable until her body has been obscenely twisted into something almost unrecognizable. But to add a bit of variety, Dipp has gone one step further in many of her products.

So, how do you vary pretzels? By sticking things into them. Sharp things.

A case in point is her "DD Spiker," a series of stakes and poles upon which is impaled a female avatar. The phallic subtext of the spike featured in her "Orgasmic Stake" is here even more explicit: the stake penetrates the victim through the vagina, runs through her body, and exits out through her mouth in a grotesque parody of fellatio. This effect is even more marked when the device is viewed in-world, with the animation functioning. The woman's body alternately stretches and contracts on the pole, as she straightens or bends her spine: the result is that the pole slides back and forth within her vagina and mouth even as she remains impaled upon it. Anyone who doubts that the penis can, in certain contexts, be metaphorically conceived of as a "weapon," and the act of sexual penetration as invasive and violent, needs only view this device to have all doubts removed.

Somewhat similar is the "Devil's Prong," which, however, features merely one wound, through the vagina, but Dipp has cleverly recognized that if two bloody and violent penetrations are good, then four must be twice as exciting. With this in mind, she has thoughtfully also made available the "DD Bloody Bitch," in which spikes impale the victim (as near as I could tell) though the vagina, clitoris, and both breasts. (These may actually penetrate through the anus, vagina, and breasts, but I declined the opportunity to look too closely to make an exact determination.)


So, what are the common themes here? Well, penetration is obviously a big selling point, and not always through the vagina, anus, or mouth: in common with much "torture porn," there is an interest here in creating new orifices to penetrate, through "wound fucking." (A new zombie film by Toronto filmmaker Bruce La Bruce, LA Zombie, features a similar motif, and has been banned from screening in Australia because of it.) The entire female body is reduced in this way to the status of genitalia: a woman, in this view, really is nothing more than a cunt. But because Nature has not accommodated this view by making the female body penetrable everywhere, "art" must intervene. And so, the act of intercourse is explicitly re-imagined as an act of invasive, and ultimately deadly, violence. This suits the male tormentor just fine, as that violence establishes his "mastery" and "power." So sexually potent is the male tormentor that the woman literally dies in the act of "intercourse." It is an affirmation of male sexual power as destruction.

Another important element of all of these products is, of course, the utter passivity of the woman, who is rendered completely inert (and in some cases, of course, actually "lifeless") by these devices. Traditionally, BDSM and D/s are founded upon a willing exchange of power between the Dominant and the submissive; the latter willingly and consensually submits to the Dominant. And indeed, any "female" avatar who undertakes the position of victim on these devices has presumably consented to do so by "sitting" on them first, and accepting the animations.

And yet, while the role play may itself be consensual, the depiction clearly is not. The sexual charge that the victimizers (and presumably also the victim) get from these devices derives in large measure from recreating the illusion of force and violence. In the fiction that is spun from the role play, the victims are not imagined as circus performers or talented contortionists: they are not willingly pretzeled. They are instead held firmly in place by chains and spikes. However important the element of consent in undertaking the role play, the experience itself is, apparently, the more enjoyable because it depicts an absence of consent: the male's hard-on here comes from reveling in the pretense of overriding the woman's consent with bondage and torture devices.

The importance of the element of violence and subjugation (rather than mere submission) is reinforced by what is apparently a selling point of these devices: the fact that all of them are "RLV compatible." The "Restrained Life Viewer" (RLV) is an add-on to the SL viewer that permits a Dominant to take complete control of the sub's avatar: in extreme cases, the only way that the sub can regain control is to log off. The RLV, in other words, allows the Dominant to mimic in gaming terms the force and violence being depicted through the role play. Once a sub has agreed to employ the RLV, the Dom doesn't need to ask permission to impale her: he can simply take control of her avatar and do it himself. While it is true that the initial consent from the sub has been obtained, the point of the RLV is to heighten the sexual excitement by removing the sub's freedom of choice from subsequent actions.

Force and violence are, of course, central to the notion of bondage, and so it is unsurprising to discover that they are a central element even of some of Dipp's less "deadly" devices. For instance, Dipp offers for sale not one, but two rape devices featuring "staked" victims: in these, the stakes are more modestly driven into the ground, and hold the female avi in place while she is raped.

Any number of Dipp's other scripted objects might be added to a boycott list focussed upon representations of violence against women. A few additional ones are particularly worthy of note, however. The "K&D Beauty Rest" (pictured above) shackles the female across a table featuring no less that "20 sharp spikes." The "BDDSM 'Hot' Stuff" device binds a woman to a post with her vagina mere inches above a lit candle. Similarly, "DD Inflamed" suspends her, legs pried wide open, directly over a large fire, while the "Honey Roaster" features a woman spread-eagled in front of a fireplace, and impaled through her vagina. The name of the "DD BDSM Barb-B-Cue" more or less adequately describes that device. (Dipp apparently likes her pretzels roasted.)

Many of Dipp's devices are designed to facilitate beating and whipping: the Xstreet ads for "DD Exposed," and the "DD Punishment Bench" show the female avatar with bloody cuts and welts across her body, while the "Rear Hang Whipping Rack" suspends the avatar by her hands, tied around her back, from a scaffold.

So, why should any of this trouble us? Dipp Canning produces pornography, it is true, and particularly violent and distasteful pornography at that, but these are, after all, merely "cartoons," are they not? And if it is also true that all of the victims depicted in the Xstreet advertisements for these products are women, must we not concede that any "female" avatar (whether male or female in RL) using these is consensually agreeing to participate in this violent torture and snuff porn?

It is certainly true that no pixels were injured during the employment of these products; it would be foolish and reductive to equate this kind of role play with real life violence against women. Nor does it follow that any man using these devices to role play, however much it might suggest a deep-seated (and deeply disturbing) predilection for sexual violence, is going to actually escalate his behaviour by attempting to do any of these things in the real world.

The critical issue is that, by catering to a profoundly misogynist attitude towards sexual violence, these objects reinforce the kind of thinking that enables real life sexual violence. Everything about these objects asserts that "violence is fun!" What is more, "it's a real turn-on!" And every time that a female avatar (whether or not controlled by a real life woman) mounts one of these devices, "she" is sending the message that, yes indeed, women find the ideas of sadism, violence, rape, and even murder very very sexy. Given the very real "rape myths" ("She was asking for it! She loved every minute of it!") that permeate our culture, these are very dangerous messages to send indeed.

We complete our brief survey of Dipp's "artistry" with one final product. The "DD TipToed" suspends the naked female on a hanging cross; she is held in place there by her hands, which are impaled by the cross bar, and from which scripted blood drips.

One wonders if Dipp is capable of seeing the irony inherent in this image of woman crucified.

No, probably not.



Note: A notecard was sent to Dipp Canning previous to the writing of this feature, informing her of this review, and soliciting comments and responses to particular questions. As of the time of writing, she has declined to respond.


The SLLU Feminist Network invites you to join in a boycott of all products produced by Dipp Canning, to be maintained until the items listed in the boycott notice have been removed from sale. A good way to make your personal decision to join this boycott more effective is to send a notecard to Dipp Canning, announcing your decision to join in the action.

For a full list of the items by Dipp Canning that have sponsored this boycott call, see the
SLLU Feminist Network Boycott Notifications.

For more information about representations of violence against women in Second Life, see "Gender Violence in SL: FAQ and Some Answers"

SLLU FN Boycott Notifications

The following is a list of Second Life Merchants and Creators that we would ask you to consider boycotting. Each of these sell and/or makes at least one object that features graphic depictions of sexual violence.


If you do choose to boycott a maker or retailer, we would ask you to consider sending a notecard in-world to that resident to inform them of your decision: this will provide him or her with tangible evidence that the boycott is having an effect upon business.


This list will be updated periodically. Creators and retailers who remove the items on this boycott list will be removed from the list itself.

------------------------------------------------------

Dipp Canning (Dipp Dexines Bdsm Toys)
Item(s): BDDSM Wicker Man-boxed; BDDSM Head Locked; BDDSM "Cum-fortable"; BDDSM Staked & Raped 2; BDDSM Staked & Raped; BDDSM Devil's Prong; DD Spiker; K&D Beauty Rest; DD Exposed; Rear Hang Whipping Rack; K&D Neck Hang; DD Inflamed; DD Fireplace X Hang; DD Arm Wrencher; DD BDSM Barb-B-Cue

Gala Phoenix (Curio)
Item(s): Battle Royale Skins

Welcome to the SL Left Unity Feminist Network's Consumer Watch!

This electronic newsletter is intended to raise awareness of, initiate discussion of, and document Second Life content that relates to images and representations of gender violence. While the focus will be upon representations of violence against women, which comprise the vast bulk of depictions of sexual violence in Second Life, it will, where it seems appropriate, also feature content relating to sexual violence against men. Additionally, it is our intention to feature "woman-positive" content available in-world.

A new issue of The Consumer Watch will be appear every month or so. Each issue will generally highlight the products of one particular content creator in Second Life, either in-world through retail outlets, or through internet sources such as Xstreet and Slapt.me. Because there are literally thousands of products depicting sexual violence in Second Life, reviewed content will focus upon the most egregious examples, or upon "popular" creators and retailers attempting to introduce such content into the mainstream. We welcome suggestions for content to be reviewed.


What is the Point of this Newsletter?

One of the most important projects that the SL Left Unity Feminist Network has appointed itself is the documentation of representations of violence against women in Second Life. Such representations are important because of the proven links between violent pornography and attitudes towards sexual violence and rape in "real life." While it is true that the vast majority of those who engage in activities such as rape or snuff role play in Second Life are doing so consensually (with the understanding that "consent" can itself be a problematic concept), the prevalence of such role play, and of other gratuitous pornographic depictions of violence against women in Second Life means that the activities of many in this virtual world are contributing to the continued acceptance of rape myths and other socially-harmful attitudes towards sexual violence.

This newsletter represents an important part of our campaign to bring the existence and prevalence of depictions of violence against women to the attention of a broader audience. It is a fact that, while most Second Life residents are at least vaguely aware of the existence in-world of BDSM and Gorean role play, relatively few know the full extent to which violent pornography has seeped into our virtual world. Fewer still are aware of how graphically violent and deeply misogynist much of this material is. This newsletter, then, is intended to educate residents about these issues and to generate meaningful discussion about its functions and effects.

For more information about these issues, please see the "SLLU FN Boycott Notifications" on this site, and our "Representations of Violence against Women in Virtual Worlds: A Bibliography of Sources" on the group Wiki.


Why Are You Calling for Boycotts?

One component of this newsletter will be the generation of an ongoing list of creators and merchants whose in-world businesses we believe should be boycotted. This list will be largely but not exclusively comprised of those whose products are featured here. When and if a merchant or creator removes those products that triggered the boycott call, he or she will be removed from the list, and a notice sent out to that effect.

Boycotts have been chosen as the mechanism by which to respond to this content because boycotts are democratic, participatory, and work within the existing economic system in Second Life. They are democratic because boycotts ask that everyone consider the evidence themselves, and make their own decision about whether or not to participate. They are participatory because the effect of boycotts derives from the cumulative results of individual action. And they work within the existing system because they apply the economic leverage of the individual, rather than seeking a "top-down" ban on content. Boycotts allow residents to vote against misogynist and sexually violent materials with their wallets.