SAMOIS Collective

SAMOIS Collective was a lesbian feminist S/M organization founded in San Francisco in 1978. The group took its name from the fictional island in the erotic novel "Story of O" and emerged during a period of intense debate within feminist communities about sexuality, power, and consent. The collective produced "Coming to Power," a groundbreaking anthology published in 1981 that explored lesbian sadomasochism from feminist perspectives. This collection included personal narratives, theoretical essays, and practical guides that challenged prevailing feminist orthodoxies about power dynamics in sexuality. SAMOIS disbanded in 1983 after internal conflicts and external pressure from anti-pornography feminists. The organization operated during the height of the feminist sex wars, a contentious period when feminists debated whether practices like S/M and pornography could be compatible with women's liberation. The collective's work influenced subsequent discussions about sexual agency, consent, and the relationship between personal desire and political ideology within feminist theory and LGBTQ+ communities.

Readers describe "Coming to Power" as groundbreaking for its frank discussion of lesbian S/M practices during a time when such topics were taboo within feminist circles. Many appreciate the anthology's combination of personal narratives and theoretical frameworks, finding the individual stories particularly compelling and honest. Readers value the book's historical significance as one of the first publications to address lesbian sadomasochism from a feminist perspective. The practical advice and safety information receive praise from readers who found few other resources available on the subject. Some readers note the book feels dated in its language and theoretical approaches, reflecting the specific context of early 1980s feminist discourse. Others find certain essays more academic than accessible, preferring the personal accounts over the theoretical pieces. Several readers mention the book's role in documenting an important moment in feminist history, even when they disagree with some positions presented. The anthology's influence on later discussions about sexual agency and consent appears frequently in reader commentary.