Too Many Shades of Breached Privacy

The Style Section of the New York Times recently celebrated a new sexual minority emerging from the shadows and clamoring for public recognition and respect: the so-called “BDSM Community.” Those less trendy than typical Times readers, might be surprised to learn that BDSM stands for “Bondage, Domination, and Sado-Masochism.”

Inspired by the international popularity of the pornographic bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey, fans of such forms of self-expression now proudly patronize fashionable clubs in major cities and organized a student group officially endorsed by Harvard University. The problem with such developments is their sick disregard for privacy. Consenting adults who pursue unconventional forms of gratification gain nothing by advertising their very private preferences in “pride parades” or lurid media accounts.

It’s healthier for both individuals and for society at large to keep some intimate details…well, intimate.