The New Intimacy

SSC or RACK?

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Contributor: Gdom Gdom
In many circles, SSC (safe, sane, consensual) has been replaced by RACK (risk-aware consensual kink) as the acronym of choice for BDSM safety, in part due to the vague, subjective character of terms like "safe" and "sane." Do you strongly prefer one of these acronyms over the other? Or do you think about safety in terms that three or four word acronyms are probably inadequate to capture? Or do you have a totally different view on things?

Whatever the case, feel free to share in the comments!
Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):
I prefer SSC
KrissyNovacaine , ImmortalFantasy , geekkink , Eugler
4  (8%)
I prefer RACK
solitudinarian , ScarletFox , NymphetamineKiss , ohsnaprawr , Pixel , RavenInChains , spiced , BloodHound , Genderfree , SaucyxGirl , Sir
11  (22%)
I don't have any significant preference
LavenderSkies , Zandrock , charletnarouh , null , Taylor , Adriana Ravenlust , J5ive , seamable , itismedi , sweetpea12 , Princess-Kayla ♥ , Artishok , Stinkytofu10 , Augustxsins , damnbul12 , Stagger13 , PassionCpl , MistressDandelion , tunacan75 , kdlt , Missmarc , Strider , hall5885 , KyotoAngel , Incendiaire , A Good Girl
26  (53%)
I've never even heard of SSC and/or RACK
Scott Snow , unfulfilled , Rraine , TheHardOne , cicispizzaisyummy , froggygal91 , hhh
7  (14%)
BDSM, SSC, RACK? Do you guys have an acronym fetish or something!?
adam71
1  (2%)
Total votes: 49
Poll is closed
09/03/2012
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Contributor: LavenderSkies LavenderSkies
Quote:
Originally posted by Gdom
In many circles, SSC (safe, sane, consensual) has been replaced by RACK (risk-aware consensual kink) as the acronym of choice for BDSM safety, in part due to the vague, subjective character of terms like "safe" and "sane." Do you ... more
Don't have a preference, I just care that everyone is playing smart and safe!
09/04/2012
Contributor: Pixel Pixel
This was actually asked a few days ago. link Hopefully the answers there will help you.

Personally, I'm a RACK player.
09/04/2012
Contributor: Zandrock Zandrock
I think understanding risks is more important than safe. Technically lots of BDSM isnt safe. If it breaks the skin there is always risk of infection. I think understanding this is more important than just saying be safe
09/04/2012
Contributor: charletnarouh charletnarouh
i agree that RACK is probably more accurate and clear, but i'm generally fine with either acronym since they both express the same spirit of the message. i have my rules about how i play and what's ok and i just think its important that everyone has theirs, no matter what we call it as a blanket term.
09/05/2012
Contributor: NymphetamineKiss NymphetamineKiss
RACK personally, all the way. I have significant issues with the "SSC" idea - "safe" is very absolute (nothing we do in life is truly safe, we can only seek to make it safeR), "sane" is subjective (I have a mental health issue, does that mean no one should play with me?)...

Whereas "risk-aware" works so, so much better imho.
09/06/2012
Contributor: Adriana Ravenlust Adriana Ravenlust
Quote:
Originally posted by charletnarouh
i agree that RACK is probably more accurate and clear, but i'm generally fine with either acronym since they both express the same spirit of the message. i have my rules about how i play and what's ok and i just think its important that ... more
This is how I feel
09/07/2012
Contributor: KrissyNovacaine KrissyNovacaine
SSC all the way. RACK seems like an excuse to hurt people.
09/07/2012
Contributor: itismedi itismedi
I think as long as you are safe it doesnt matter what you call it.
09/07/2012
Contributor: sweetpea12 sweetpea12
Quote:
Originally posted by Gdom
In many circles, SSC (safe, sane, consensual) has been replaced by RACK (risk-aware consensual kink) as the acronym of choice for BDSM safety, in part due to the vague, subjective character of terms like "safe" and "sane." Do you ... more
I don't have a preference
10/03/2012
Contributor: Artishok Artishok
I don't have any significant preference
10/05/2012
Contributor: Stinkytofu10 Stinkytofu10
Quote:
Originally posted by Gdom
In many circles, SSC (safe, sane, consensual) has been replaced by RACK (risk-aware consensual kink) as the acronym of choice for BDSM safety, in part due to the vague, subjective character of terms like "safe" and "sane." Do you ... more
I don't have any significant preference
10/06/2012
Contributor: Augustxsins Augustxsins
I have no significant preference; whichever acronym I were to use, the essence is the same, for me: I won't HARM my partner when he is being submissive, nor will he harm me when I am in the submissive role. Key to that is checking with your sub to make sure they are ok and paying attention to physical and emotional cues. Don't cross any pre-established boundaries set out prior to a scene.
10/06/2012
Contributor: geekkink geekkink
Never liked Rack, basically you are saying, you know the risks, sure there are always risks, but I would much rather avoid all the risks as much as possible.
10/08/2012
Contributor: damnbul12 damnbul12
I don't have any significant preference
10/08/2012
Contributor: Stagger13 Stagger13
Quote:
Originally posted by Gdom
In many circles, SSC (safe, sane, consensual) has been replaced by RACK (risk-aware consensual kink) as the acronym of choice for BDSM safety, in part due to the vague, subjective character of terms like "safe" and "sane." Do you ... more
no preference.
10/09/2012
Contributor: unfulfilled unfulfilled
I had never heard of them before, but we're light players and prefer safe!
10/09/2012
Contributor: adam71 adam71
10/09/2012
Contributor: Missmarc Missmarc
Quote:
Originally posted by Gdom
In many circles, SSC (safe, sane, consensual) has been replaced by RACK (risk-aware consensual kink) as the acronym of choice for BDSM safety, in part due to the vague, subjective character of terms like "safe" and "sane." Do you ... more
I don't have any significant preference
11/25/2012
Contributor: KyotoAngel KyotoAngel
Well out of the two, RACK makes more sense considering life itself isn't even safe...let alone BDSM.
I don't really have a preference just yet, but I think I'm leaning more towards RACK.
If someone wants to hurt people they won't need an excuse, they'll probably just go on and do it no matter which of the two acronyms they use.
It's up to both/all the people involved to make sure they're playing with someone trustworthy and understand the potential risk involved, it wouldn't be fair to place that responsibility fully on either person/any one person in my opinion.
12/04/2012
Contributor: RavenInChains RavenInChains
I think keeping a SSC mentality is great for beginners or for anyone with a new or unfamiliar partner. Always better safe than sorry. But as relationships become more trusting and people become more educated and active in kink I tend to see them switch towards RACK ideals (I certainly did). RACK allows for more edge playing, there is always risk in anything.
12/09/2012
Contributor: A Good Girl A Good Girl
I don't really think of safety in terms of an acronym but I do think I like RACK
02/18/2013
Contributor: Genderfree Genderfree
I've never heard of SSC, but i have heard of RACK.
03/10/2013
Contributor: Sir Sir
RACK, because I am an edge player and my bottoms know this beforehand.
03/23/2013