The chaplain of a private liberal arts college in Memphis, Tennessee, reportedly tried to hold a “BDSM workshop” on campus, Fox13 reported this week.
Rhodes College chaplain Rev. Beatrix Weil, an ordained Presbyterian minister, had planned to “host a local dominatrix to share wisdom on how to safely, sanely, and consensually learn about bondage, disciple, dominations, sadism-submission, and masochism,” according to the “BDSM 101 Workshop” invitation obtained by the outlet. The event was supposed to take place on the campus’ Burrow Hall, the report stated.
Rhodes College, which is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, told the outlet the proposed event was canceled on Friday “as soon as it came to our attention.”
“It was not a college-sanctioned event. No such event is planned for our campus,” the school said in a statement.
According to Commercial Appeal, the administration canceled the event on November 10.
“On Monday, conservative commentator and columnist Todd Starnes wrote about the situation critically, and asserted that many parents, alumni and donors, were enraged over Weil’s attempt to host it. Other media outlets published stories, too, and word of “BDSM 101” spread further,” according to the report. “A Fox13 Facebook post that shared its story about the controversy garnered more than 400 comments, with many vehemently condemning Weil and calling for her firing, and others supporting her.”
One student told Fox13 the idea of a BDSM event on campus was “absolutely ridiculous.”
“I don’t think anything sexual like that or any seminar like that should be held on a college campus. Even though this is a private school and they can get away with it, I don’t think that that belongs here, especially at Rhodes where I go. I’m not proud of it,” student Coleman Clay said.
Fox13 said Chaplain Beatrix did not respond to request for comment.
