The Kink In Me: The Existence of Identity in Perversion

Why is the modern world so freaking obsessed with kinky smut? Now before you click that X and exit this article, don’t worry folks—this girl has two thumbs, loves to use them to crack open book spines, and read characters getting to the nitty gritty. This isn’t a campaign to end the reign of spice, it’s just a girl with her gentle readers trying to get to the bottom of why the community lives for freaky nasty motherfuckers. 

The general arguments for kinky content ranges from the reverent  support where readers fight to emphasize the benefits of spice, to the people arguing the overconsumption of sexual content is the first stage to “porn addictions.” Then on top of that, there’s the issue of public avoidance due to sex’s prescribed label of taboo topics where instead of having constructive conversation, we perpetuate shame against the genre. At this point, it pegs the question—pun intended—what’s the purpose spice in books serves and how does it sway the people? 

I mean, after all these years of spice, there’s got to be more than any physical gratification people assume readers gain from these stories. You see, my running theory is that the pull towards this specific genre lies within satisfying our essential pink matter, our brains. The act of sex tantalizes more than the body, but serves to unveil the identity of the character. Yearning for an intimate intrigue and stimulation is a darling classic Freudian case; a game of the psyche to exercise the eros theory for all to enjoy thoroughly. Such fascination with the perverse project the voices of our Id. 

From the words of Black lesbian writer and activist Audre Lorde, “the erotic is a measure between the beginning of self and the chaos of our strongest feelings” (Lorde, 1984). An intangible tool to exercise autonomy and power. Through the erotic, we are able to deconstruct monolithic expressions of self defined from White supremacist heteropatriarchial systems. However, in Lorde’s examination of the erotic, we don’t see a specific pinpointing of how kink specifically could be a tool of exploring one’s self and reaching empowerment. 

Due to the history behind purity culture and sexual shaming, it’s unfathomable to contextualize kink being a method of expression, but it can be done folks. The book, Color in Kink: Black Women, BDSM, and Pornography by Ariane Cruz explores this dichotomy of exploitation and liberation through the expression of kink in Black queer spaces. Cruz explores the scholarly analysis of BDSM through critical lenses that both critiques the practices tied to heteropatriarchal and racial violence while reflecting on the empowerment of obscurity. Advocates of the sexual practice declare its ability to empower and invert the systems of exploitation largely denoted in popularized sexual media. Cruz asserts the claim that 

“BDSM highlights the moral compass of the slippery, often neoliberal, politics of consent and its operation as a mode of validating, legalizing, and hierarchizing sexuality” (Cruz, pg. 45, 2016). 

 The particularity of race is an inalienable trait that informs practitioners motivations for certain tools, behaviors, and systems of sadomasochism, however through the act of kink one can explore the reclamation of autonomy. When practitioners act in scenes of sadomasochism—with explicit boundaries and consent—they are affirmed in their anatomical dominion, achieving a power they deem themselves worthy of. Such exploration of autonomy can run synonymous with the assertion of one's sense of self, hence the identity in perversion. The exploration of kink in literature is a treasure trove when it comes to the understanding of erotic literature—particularly in the recent trends of dark romance. Here’s where we get the smutty books we know and love!

Themes of sex appear in various genres where authors use it as a tool of sensory development, plot progression, emotional bonding, or social commentary; however, in this article we’re going to focus on how it serves characterization. Elements of dark literature stimulate carnal desires and illustrate the hidden nature of the character. An example of this is in the dark romance novel Merciless Obsession by Tay Mo’Nae. A stand-alone second installment of the Bloodline series, the story follows hacker Ziora Lambert who runs an online blog investigating shady figures in hopes of uncovering the trafficking ring that stole the life of her sister. Her pursuit to gain justice leads her down the path of investigating the illusive Tavarez family and their ties to the underworld of her town. Nonetheless, everything is not what it seems and her investigations place her on the radar of the family lawyer and enforcer, Ezra Tavarez. 

The novel features the main character, Ezra, who utilizes bondage in the pursuit of his desire, Ziora. Mo’Nae beautifully establishes a dual plot development in the novel where we see both a dark romance and a mystery thriller subplot. In the novel, we see not only the use of bondage and kink as a way to illustrate the ruthless pursuit of Ezra, but the underlying nature of  stratagem and obsession—to at times alarming degrees. Said features later translate throughout the progression of the story as readers see the man beyond the role in the family's business as a lawyer, but the man of carnal desires and greed.

When Mo’Nae utilizes rope play in the character’s intimate scenes, we witness Ezra metamorphose from the straight laced persona of the criminal lawyer to the unhinged MMC we know and come to love. During a scene where Ezra is pursuing Ziora, he speaks on how “one of [his] biggest kinks is tying [his] partner up…turning [his] partner into art in the most complex ways” (Monae, pg. 82, 2025).  Ezra’s desire to capture Ziora not only illustrates his need to enrapture her in a moment of stillness, but also connects a major characterization of his need for possession over things he fixates on. Ezra’s need for dominance, and visual reminders of his possession through rope illustrates an innate inclination to affirm his right to such power over those outside of himself and the familial hierarchy.  That element of dark romance in the novel establishes with an obsessive stalking from Ezra and we see the use of erotic and artistic bondage in his romantic pursuit. Honestly, The bondage serves to not only illustrate the innate need to bind his desires to him, but illustrates the perceptions of self within his chosen kink. 

In addition to the previous example, the novel Fruit of the Flesh by I.V. Ophelia utilizes BDSM dynamics to establish characterization in the novel. Set in the early 19th century New York, the gothic romance follows a marriage of convenience between a former Ballerina, Petronille and a sculptor Arkady. Their marriage of convenience takes a turn towards a dark nature as secrets, obsession, and revenge begin to bleed into their happily ever after.  

Ophelia utilizes D/S (dominant and submissive) dynamics in the relationship dynamic to not only illustrate an emotional connectivity and yearning between Arkady and Petronille, but serves to demonstrate their individual unconsciousness. Ophelia establishes a dynamic in which Petronille gains from Arkady autonomy from her submission, and Arkady gains realm of power over his life. In the novel’s beginning, the two were at distant odds and were unable to establish common ground until the commencing of the plot’s first conflict. 

A beginning scene between the due creates a cat and mouse relationship as Arkady describes her as “...a bird, ready to fly as soon as the cage is open” to which Petronille replies with, “should I consider fleeing, Mr. Kamenev?” (Ophellia, Chapter 2, 2026).

That conflict lights the torch for which Arkady takes on a dominant role for Petronille in their relationship defining them as characters and their future pursuits.  The act of power relinquishing from Petronille and Arkady’s claiming establishes a dichotomous nature within the characters of selfish need fueled from a sense of dominance; this dichotomous nature is additionally seen in the difference in class, perspective, and action in the main couples experience with the other characters.

Sexual content in media is a polarized topic due to the significant history of religious fervor, stigma due to miseducation and political erasure. In conjunction, the kink scene adds more weight to the plight of suppression; Yet, these truths, the public outcry doesn’t diminish the power of the erotic. The erotic affords readers and consumers to challenge societal norms and learn one’s self midst the pleasure. Freedom in expressing our inner workings through the exercising of sexual acts is a draw to sexual content that many don’t consider. Sure, there’s the freaky frogs that enjoy the content for the love of the game but for others, the content demonstrates to them that there is such a thing as power and autonomy. Some feelings and emotions are not easily translated through talk, so sometimes authors utilize sexual content to demonstrate intimate specificities. While sex comes with a long history of exploitation, healthy representation of sexual content in media is a powerful tool  for understanding the identity of someone or one’s own identity. 

So I sign off with this–if Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most notable musical composers, can have an alleged scat fetish and still produce some of the most legendary musical assemblies then never let someone shame you for enjoying erotic, kinky literature friends or how it makes you feel. I pinky promise I didn’t make this up…research this at your own discretion. 

References:

Cruz, A. (2016). Color in Kink: Black Women, BDSM, and Pornography (1st ed., Vol. 1) [Kindle.]. New York University Press.

Lorde, A. (1984). Sister Outsider: Essays and speeches.

Monae, T. (1983). Merciless Obsession (1st ed.) [Kindle]. Tay Mo’Nae Presents.

Ophelia, I. V. (2026). Fruit of the Flesh (1st ed.) [Kindle]. Montlake Publishing.