Fifty shades of organising kinkster events: munch events in the BDSM community

The purpose of this paper is to explore the practical issues and concerns of the organisers of BDSM non-play events. Previous research has shown that these events are critical elements in their lifestyle/community. While something is known about the events and their centrality in BDSM culture, no research has yet investigated munch events from the perspective of the organiser of munches and similar events. This article investigates munch events to show how organisers deal with the challenges of organising munches throughout the world, based upon data from a global survey of munch organisers. The findings indicate that the organisers are largely self-selected individuals who organise munches to fulfil a community need. The findings not only show us what munch organisers face in terms of challenges but suggest models for a collaborative economy and the need for further investigations into the motivations of volunteer organisers of events.