Transcript of Video
There is something magic about beginnings. Anything is possible. In many ways, my beginning as a member of the BDSM community, over two decades ago, is what inspires and motivates me today.
The BDSM and leather community was around long before I identified my own personal desires, but growing up in sleepy conservative Moore Oklahoma was not conducive to fulfilling those desires. I’d read glossy editions of Skin Two Magazine, and O Magazine (and I’m not talking about Oprah) and wished I could attend the amazing parties I saw in those pages. I was dazzled by the powerful people in wild latex outfits and by the power exchange I saw. I read every word to glean some insight into the world of fetish and BDSM.
The meager information and images I got from books, magazines, films, and let’s face it, porn, are what forged the foundation of my love for fetish and BDSM. But it was the lack of quality information that frustrated me to no end though. Before the internet, it was very difficult to get answers to all my questions.
Now if you do a Google search for BDSM you’ll get millions of results, but there’s still a dearth of good information. Actually, in a lot of ways, we now have the opposite problem. Tons of websites, magazines, books, clubs, and porn are aimed at professional and amateur kinksters, but weeding through all of that and finding the good stuff is harder than ever. There’s so much bad information from people who have no idea what they’re talking about. Lately, mainstream media has become fascinated with BDSM and that’s definitely a double-edged sword.
Years ago I found the local BDSM community and became a fine-art fetish photographer, and the last three years I’ve won an award as Best Fetish Photographer at the Fetish Awards. Over the past 20 plus years I’ve met a lot of wonderfully kinky people, enjoyed several 24/7 BDSM relationships (I’m in one now) and travelled around the world to attend the real parties like I saw in Skin Two Magazine, but I’ve never forgotten what it was like to be new to the scene. I never forgot about all the questions I had and how delicate that first foray into the community was for me.
Due to my desire to get positive information out to the public ten years ago I created a podcast called The Fetish Show, and now I’m doing the Safeword Podcast with world-renowned lifestyle dominatrix Mistress Eva Oh. I’ve also used my own photography site as a place to discuss news, opinions and personalities with the fetish and BDSM community. Additionally, I’ve consulted with erotic writers, professional dominatrices, fetish models and adult entertainers about personal branding and marketing through SexyNetworking.com, to share what I’ve learned.
I’m all in on the fetish, kink and BDSM communities.
However, I’m always looking for new opportunities to speak to a wider audience. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce that I’m going to be expanding my FETISHWEEK offerings on my website www.DirkHooper.com. Video has quickly become a major part of my plan across everything I do, and I’m going to be doing news, interviews, reviews, event coverage, advice, and more, under the FETISHWEEK banner, available on several video platforms, and hosted on my site www.DirkHooper.com.
I’m excited to engage with, inform and entertain people who are beginning their own journey, or those who are looking for truth in a world full of misinformation.
