Queer Subjection Apparatus

•The Project's Objective and Its Evolution Throughout the Research Period:

The fundamental objective of this undertaking sought to reframe historical accounts of the gay leather and BDSM milieu, establishing them as a crucial socio-economically integrated aspect of LGBT history, commencing with the tangible characteristics of fabricated items. Primarily, the scholarly inquiries explored how an understanding derived from leatherwork and fetish crafting might elucidate the ways in which gay men were influenced by global economic shifts and the concurrent 'normalization' of same-sex partnerships, particularly from the nineteen sixties onwards. Within the initial proposition, this scope was disaggregated into four distinct lines of inquiry; these probes delved into: firstly, the genesis of various object categories; secondly, the availability of guidance publications; thirdly, the visual attributes of leather clubs; and finally, the promotional strategies for merchandise sanctioned by the Tom of Finland foundation.
Given that the undertaking relied extensively on accessing tangible archival resources situated across various nations, the widespread travel limitations enforced throughout two thousand twenty and two thousand twenty-one rendered its completion as originally envisioned unattainable. Originally, the endeavor's intent had been to furnish a sequential account detailing the evolution of fetish creation, spanning from the nineteen sixties up to the contemporary period. This was intended to foster a deeper comprehension of the interplay between informal (amateur) and specialized (professional) production methodologies, as well as to illuminate how leather imagery and artifacts achieved greater integration within the broader design landscape. Owing to the voluminous and diverse material amassed pertaining to the period from the nineteen sixties through the nineteen eighties, the project's emphasis subsequently gravitated towards scrutinizing the historical genesis of production and consumption cultures within a global framework. This reorientation was further augmented by a supplementary inquiry specifically analyzing the Swedish milieu and the genesis of queer consumer habits.

A Concise Overview of Its Execution:
Consequent to the curtailment necessitated by travel constraints linked to the global pandemic, the initiative culminated in three distinct inquiries being brought to fruition:
The inaugural investigation delved into the contributions of fetish designer Jim Stewart, the individual who established the Fetters company, and further scrutinised the adaptive strategies employed to modify military gear for application in restraint scenarios. This encompassed conducting oral history interviews across both the United Kingdom and the United States, alongside undertaking extensive archival research at locations such as the London Leather Archives (specifically the Bishopsgate Institute), the Leather Archives and Museum in Chicago, and also the GBLT archives situated in San Francisco.
The second line of inquiry, in its construction, evaluates the significance of do-it-yourself (DIY) culture in shaping the evolution of erotic furniture within the gay leather subculture. This was achieved by utilising resources drawn from private assemblages and various publications, all of which are preserved at the Leather Archives and Museum in Chicago.
Regarding the third inquiry, it focused on the part played by material culture and the formation of queer marketplaces in Sweden throughout the nineteen seventies. This research drew upon collections preserved at The Archives and Library of the Queer Movement in Gothenburg, The National Library of Sweden, along with interviews carried out with persons actively engaged in the Swedish gay press at that time.

The Initiative's Three Foremost Outcomes and Their Contributions to Global Scholarship, Accompanied by a Deliberation Thereon:
The inquiry scrutinizing the historical background of Fetters, a British manufacturer of restraint apparatus, has elucidated how the evolution of conventional BDSM attire originated from the tangible context of the United Kingdom's military and became interwoven with conventional narratives concerning suitable masculine recreation during the mid-twentieth century. This particular case examination serves as an illustration of the manner in which unconventional sexual practices (kink) were integrated into wider societal customs of assemblage and enjoyment, thereby blurring the distinctions separating kink from alternative modalities of pastime.

Furthermore, the subsequent inquiry clearly evidences the critical role played by do-it-yourself (DIY) sensibilities and communal involvement in the creation of novel categories of items, alongside highlighting the permeable nature existing between profit-driven and group-oriented furniture design endeavors.

The third line of inquiry brings to light how the commerce involving leather and restraint apparatus functioned as a significant forerunner to the eventual genesis of a more expansive queer consumer base across Europe. Through the lens of visual culture, this study meticulously charts the interrelationship among expressions of longing, the accessibility of fetishistic consumer goods, and the conceptualization of sexual liberation as an 'anti-authoritarian' political current. It further underscores certain inherent paradoxes within the concept of sexual liberalism, considering on the one hand, its theoretical stance, and on the other, the practical assimilation of sexual aesthetics via consumption patterns.

Collectively, these discoveries render more intricate the understanding of the mechanisms by which queer identity was forged during the nineteen seventies and nineteen eighties. While scholarly endeavors concerning queer culture frequently exhibit a propensity to emphasize queer exceptionalism, the explorations executed as part of this project furnish paradigmatic methodological instances for situating queerness amidst the ordinary and conventional facets of material culture that characterized the daily lives of gay men during the epoch under examination.

•Emergent Research Queries Sparked by This Project:
Among the most compelling attributes of this initiative has been the opportunity to encounter numerous small-scale craftspeople active in the present day, whose contributions and perspectives were not originally factored into the project's initial scheme. Presently, I am deliberating on the viability of conceiving an inquiry specifically scrutinizing the driving forces among present-day artisans for establishing petite and mid-sized ventures. The methodological framework employed herein is informed by strategies elucidated in Susan Luckman's "Craft and the Creative Economy" (published in two thousand fifteen), and potentially could yield data for further engagement extending past the designated project timeframe. My particular interest lies in investigating the degree to which enterprises of this nature might be perceived as interwoven with the artisanal economies detailed by Luckman, and, concurrently, their reliance upon the historical interconnections previously delineated within this endeavor. By what means do diminutive artisanal ventures currently propel advancements in the fabrication of kink-related items?

Another promising domain for scholarly inquiry, which surfaced from the systematic review of existing literature conducted regarding the historical trajectory of Revolt Press, pertains to the prospect of a design-focused historical examination concerning RFSU. This initiative has culminated in a preliminary internal proposition for research, aiming to scrutinize the design histories associated with RFSU and RFSU Rehab, utilizing collections accessible at Arbetarrörelsens arkiv and Centrum för Näringslivshistoria as foundational resources.

The Initiative's Global Scope, Encompassing Connections and Resources:
Extensive empirical research has been conducted in a number of major urban centers, including London, Chicago, San Francisco, Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Stockholm. Such efforts have facilitated a comprehensive comprehension of this specific milieu as a truly worldwide phenomenon. This aspect holds considerable significance given that prior academic inquiries into leather culture have typically concentrated on a singular nation (e.g., Andersen, two thousand nineteen) or a particular metropolis (e.g., Rubin, nineteen ninety-four), in stark contrast to enterprises which commonly transacted operations transcending regional and national boundaries. The global emphasis, which specifically interconnects transatlantic crafting methods within the leather community, has indeed constituted a distinguishing characteristic of this undertaking.

Methods of Dissemination of Findings by the Project Team to Fellow Scholars and Non-Academic Communities, Alongside a Discussion and Elucidation of Collaborative Endeavors:
Work pertinent to this initiative has been showcased at various gatherings hosted by HDK-Valand:
• In October of two thousand eighteen: A panel discussion titled 'Queer Heritage and its Contradictions' was convened in concert with Ben Campkin and Laura Marshall from the UCL Urban Laboratory.
• During September of two thousand nineteen: A symposium, which I coordinated, bearing the title ‘Materials! Sex! Heritage!', was held through a partnership with Isabelle Held (affiliated with the Royal College of Art), securing financial support from the Centre for Critical Heritage Studies.
• My participation extended to the yearly symposium 'Att framföra kropp' at HDK-Valand Campus Steneby, where I delivered a presentation designated as 'The Design of Leathersex.'
Additionally, academic findings have been put forward at these international conferences:
• The Queer History Conference, hosted at San Francisco State University, in June of two thousand nineteen
• The Annual Conference of the Design History Society, held at Newcastle University, during September of two thousand twenty
• The PARSE Biennial Conference, centered on the theme 'Human,' conducted at HDK-Valand, Gothenburg, in November of two thousand twenty
• Nordic Design Cultures in Transformation, organized by Linneus University (delivered virtually), in May of two thousand twenty-one
The interview data amassed throughout the project's duration has been bequeathed to the Leather Archives and Museum, located in Chicago.

• A comprehensive roster of publications and associated personal web addresses is provided. Kindly employ subheadings to facilitate improved clarity and navigability (for instance, monographs; articles; textbooks; digital platforms, Wikipedia inclusive; discussions; popular science works). Please signify items released via Open Access (OA). (It should be noted that investigators awarded RJ grants originating from the two thousand ten application cycle are mandated to disseminate their peer-reviewed academic works, specifically those in journals and conference proceedings, through open access channels, thereby ensuring their free availability on the internet. Therefore, it is imperative to specify the mechanism by which open access has been guaranteed for each entry.)

Peer-Reviewed Book Chapter
Tom Cubbin (two thousand twenty-two) authored 'Revolt Press, Internationalization and the Development of Gay Markets in Sweden before HIV/AIDS,' featured within "Queer Print in Europe," edited by Glyn Davis and Laura Guy (London: Bloomsbury, two thousand twenty-two). [This material has undergone simultaneous publication via the University of Gothenburg's digital repository, thus guaranteeing unrestricted access.]

Peer-Reviewed Article
Tom Cubbin (two thousand twenty-two) presented 'Building the Sex Dungeon: Gay Leather Culture and the Development of Spaces for Recreational Sex at Home,' appearing in Interiors, volume twelve, issue one, pages seventy-five to ninety-nine, with DOI: 10.1080/20419112.2022.2047527. [Made available through Open Access. As of its inscription, this submission held the distinction of being the most frequently accessed article in the journal's history, a periodical that commenced its operations in two thousand ten.]


Tom Cubbin (two thousand twenty-two), authored 'Fetters and the Design of Bondage Objects in Britain during the Nineteen Seventies and Nineteen Eighties,' published electronically on the twenty-sixth of September, two thousand twenty-two, in the Journal of Homosexuality. DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2022.2122359. [Released under an Open Access license.]

Other

Tom Cubbin (two thousand twenty) contributed 'Crafting Fetish Across Materials and Sexual Styles: An Interview with Skeeter of Mr. S Leather,' found in The Journal of Modern Craft, volume thirteen, issue two, pages one hundred seventy-nine to one hundred eighty-seven, with DOI: 10.1080/17496772.2020.1815337. Accessible via Open Access.