New Mexico Leather League Consent Guidelines

NMLL promotes this consent policy for use of event attendees in general interaction, guiding play negotiations and helping to improve safety for all involved. Our goal is to help provide a safer space for the exploration of BDSM. We believe these consent guidelines provide a solid foundation for that space. Alleged violations of consent of another in any way, before, during or after an NMLL event, may result in a verbal warning, an immediate revocation of event membership and/or a permanent ban from events.

Consent Guidelines

1. No touching people or personal property without permission.
2. Treat everyone as an equal, and only engage in verbal role-play if you have permission. For example, don’t call someone as “Mistress” or “slave” or any other role-play word unless you’ve asked if it’s okay.
3. Negotiate the scope of your scene prior to the activities. Before the scene begins, it must be clear that the bottom has given consent to the proposed acts.
4. Each participant is responsible to make sure everyone involved has the mental and emotional ability to give informed and voluntary consent during their negotiation for the scene.
5. Anyone can withdraw consent, make a nonverbal safe sign or use the universal safe word “Red” at any time. Once consent is withdrawn, the activity must stop immediately. Partners need to share what safe words or safe signs are being used to prevent consent violations.
6. The top is legally responsible for stopping the activities at any suggestion that the bottom has withdrawn consent. The bottom is ethically responsible for being clear and unequivocal when withdrawing consent.
7. Depending on all participants’ state of mind, we recommend that you don’t renegotiate in the middle of your scene. When a person is in subspace or otherwise not in a clear state of mind, you may not have informed consent even though they agree in the heat of the moment.
8. If your consent is violated, verbally tell a play monitor or clearly marked delegate of the event organizer immediately. Violation of the consent policy may result in expulsion from the event or group. No one is exempt from the rules.
9. Disclaimer: Every reasonable effort will be made to enforce this policy, but this organization makes no representations or guarantees about its ability to do so, and all participants/attendees retain full, sole responsibility for their safety and the safety of others with whom they interact.