Since most people who engage in S&M in our society are eager to talk about the spiritual aspects of their lifestyle and how they practice a safe, sane and consensual form of sexuality, it is difficult to label such a sexuality with the desires and writings of Marquis de Sade. Although his life is held up as a celebration of sexual thought and freedom by those who practice S&M, his obvious disdain for women and his pessimistic view of the human condition only lends itself to the negative perception that most of society holds toward the term S&M. In stark contrast, the writings and desires of Sacher-Masoch are a better representation of what those involved in the BDSM community want to convey to society.

Namely, a Dominant/submissive relationship based on mutual love and trust.

In reality, S&M started out as an underground group of purely dominant women and submissive men based on the writings of Sacher-Masoch.

Over the years, S&M has changed to become pan-sexual where either a male or a female could be dominant and either a male or a female could be submissive. But S&M originally stood for a sadistic woman and a masochistic male based primarily on Sacher-Masoch's book "Venus in Furs".

In the early 1900’s, there was an underground society in Europe called the SM Society. Little is known about this society but it is believed that a wealthy German man who had submissive and masochistic desires founded the SM Society. Domination was popular and prevalent in Germany prior to the reign of the repressive regime of Hitler’s Third Reich. In the 1920’s, one could walk down certain streets in Berlin and see whip wielding women standing in door ways or standing in open windows, inviting men inside for a session of professional female domination. It was during this time that German women gained a worldwide reputation as being tough, no-nonsense Dominantly Frauen (Dominant Women).

German men of high society would never frequent one of the flogging houses in Berlin for fear of being recognized, therefore the wealthy male who desired to be flogged by a woman would pay to have Dominantly Frauen come to him. According to the unofficial story about the SM

Society, a wealthy German man had an affair with one of the Dominantly Frauen. Together, they started the SM Society where other Female Sadist/male masochist couples would join to share in their common sexual interests. The SM Society was a kind of a forerunner to the many BDSM groups that exist today. However, in the 1920’s such an organization had to be totally underground and secretive. The popularity of the SM Society spread from Germany to Austria and eventually to other European countries like England. The oppression of Hitler’s Nazi Party closed down the flogging houses of Germany, launched a World War across Europe and the SM Society was never heard from again.

However, its influence continued as the couples of the SM Society no doubt secretly practiced female sadism and male masochism within the privacy of their homes.