Tracing the history of the BDSM community from its origins in the 1950s to the near present, award-winning historian Steve Stein will discuss how a distinct BDSM community developed and how it changed over time, noting the formation of the first BDSM organizations in the 1970s, the first BDSM conferences in the 1980s, and the emergence of a united BDSM community in the 1990s along with the development of a specific BDSM ethos and body of practice epitomized by the emphasis on consent, negotiation, and safety. Perceptions of the BDSM community, both by community members and outsiders, have changed dramatically over time, and Dr. Stein will discuss these changes in detail, illustrating important points with examples from popular (and less popular) movies.