DATE: Saturday, May 25, 2024

TIME: 10am PT/1pm ET/7pm CEST to 2pm PT/5pm ET/11pm CEST

CLASS DURATION: 4 hours

LOCATION: Zoom

PRICING: Tickets for this workshop are offered on a sliding scale ($99, $139, and $169) in order to increase accessibility to the class, with a limited number of reduced price tickets. We also have available tickets at $50 each for BIPOC participants with financial need (please email training@IPAinternational.org if you would like to request one of these tickets). ALL TICKET PRICES ARE IN USD.

LEVEL: This workshop is open to everyone, whether you are still training to become an IC or you have been working as an IC for years. 

CLASS DESCRIPTION

Intimacy coordinators are frequently asked to help support scenes of BDSM and kink, even if the scenes sometimes don’t have any nudity and/or simulated sex in them. To assist in these scenes in a manner that is professional, ethical, and responsible, we must be familiar with the basics of BDSM and kink play in order to minimize the chances of causing harm to anyone we are working with. IPA’s Introduction to BDSM will acquaint students with a foundational understanding of kink, kinky identities, and kinky activities and teach them how to discuss and work with this type of material in a way that is affirming and non-shaming of those involved. This class will give students a strong theoretical background in the art of BDSM and equip them to understand the psychological dynamics of BDSM play in order to more professionally support scenes involving BDSM. 

During this class, we will cover:

• An intro to the topic of BDSM and kink 

• The history and ethics of BDSM 

• Kink in the media

• Kink and mental health 

• Types of BDSM and kink play (with some show-and-tell) 

• A look at kink and IC work 

This course will be taught by IPA-certified intimacy coordinator Heath Pennington (see below for instructor bio) and facilitated by IPA founder Amanda Blumenthal. The class will be mainly in lecture and Q&A format, so come prepared to take lots of notes and ask questions! 

Through this workshop, students will:

• Gain insight into BDSM toys and activities through a show-and-tell 

• Cultivate an understanding of the who, what, when, where, and why of kink

• Develop flexible strategies to approach accurate, authentic portrayals of consensual BDSM

• Understand the importance of consent, safety, and negotiation in relation to BDSM and kink

• Hold a critical awareness of kink and BDSM, including history, ethics, and media portrayals, that will inform your work as an intimacy coordinator

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Heath (they/them) is an intimacy coordinator, sex educator, and scholar. With over ten years of acting, script supervising, and sound post-production experience, Heath’s work is grounded in practical knowledge of the industry. Heath holds a BA in Theatre from USC, Masters degrees in Performance and Gender Studies, and is currently a Chancellor’s Fellow at UC Santa Barbara, pursuing a PhD focused on consensual BDSM. Non-binary, polyamorous, pansexual, and kinky, Heath’s diverse affinities inform their focus on consensual and creative portrayals of intimacy while reflecting the values of equity and inclusivity. You can learn more about Heath here.