The Bias against Subs

Dr. Richard A. Sprott

July 2008

Last month I reported on some recent psychological and social research that found that power, and positions of power, affect many subtle aspects of how we behave and think. A number of people pointed out that the research, or at least the interpretation of the results, exhibits some sort of bias against submissive people, behavior, positions. And by extension, my writing repeated that bias.

Yes.

I admit that the bias is there, and it needs to be acknowledged, addressed and corrected. The larger cultural bias against submissive behavior does get recreated and repeated in our BDSM culture, even as we resist that bias. We can call it “internalized sub-phobia” if you like.

First, the research: many of the research questions and interpretations of the findings focus on how being in a less powerful position causes “problems” or limitations in what is considered healthy adaptive behavior. For example, most of the research I know tends to emphasize that subordinate or submissive positions are related to less controlled, competent behavior. (Although some research on stress does report that animals in submissive positions in social hierarchies are often less stressed and physically healthier than animals in dominant positions, and especially compared to animals whose positions are in flux because of some sort of social change).

No research I know actually attempts to understand or address how submissive behavior or positions might actually be adaptive, healthy, or advantageous. This is a perspective sorely lacking in the wider culture and in research circles.

Second, the larger culture: American culture, with its emphasize on rugged, masculine individualism, does not value submissives, followers, supporters, enablers, workers. There is a misogynistic dynamic in this, of course.

We in the leather community also exhibit a bias against subs. I can go through many many examples. However, it is also important to note that we in the leather community also resist this bias, contend with it actively. We discuss how submissives take on leadership positions in the community, we put submissives in leadership positions in our community organizations and title contests. But we can still do better.

Dr. Richard A. Sprott is a developmental psychologist and active in the leather community of the San Francisco Bay Area. He is San Francisco Leather Daddy XXIII, serves on the board of the Leathermen's Discussion Group, and is Executive Director of CARAS - Community-Academic Consortium for Research on Alternative Sexualities (at www.caras.ws). He can be reached at sfleatherdaddy23@earthlink.net