PLAN

How To Meet People in the Pittsburgh D/s Community

So... you've decided that you have an interest in some aspect of the D/s lifestyle or your curious about BD/SM. I bet your asking yourself, "How do I meet others in the area who are in the lifestyle?" Well... that's precisely what this web site is all about. Helping you find you're way into the Pittsburgh area community in a safe and sane fashion. Newcomers to the lifestyle, whether dominant or submissive, tend to have some fear and unrealistic expectations of what the lifestyle holds for people. In time, participation within the community will give you a full understanding of the dynamics of the lifestyle. But the keyword here is time... so be patient.

There are many ways to meet people from any type of function, society, or club. And likewise, there are many ways you could meet someone involved with the D/s community here in Pittsburgh. You could wander into a chat room on the Internet and ask if there was anyone from the area. Maybe you already know someone involved in the community and asked about meeting others since you were curious. Perhaps you showed up at one of the few clubs in the area that holds a fetish night, liked what you saw, and stayed to talk to some of the patrons there. In the old days, information about this lifestyle was typically passed from person to person through word of mouth. You had to know someone already in the lifestyle to find out more about it. But in the last ten years, by far, the most common way people make first contact into the D/s lifestyle is through the Internet. We strongly recommend caution when talking with or meeting someone from "online" until you actually know something of him or her in real life. So what else is there besides the Internet? There are munches, fetish nights, and still good old-fashioned word of mouth.

The D/s community is not some secret society that requires a covert invitation, secret handshake, or knowing some password to join. It is a quiet community though for various reasons. You won't see advertisements in the newspaper for a "play party" or educational workshop. Most events are held in public places and the majority are not kinky in nature. If you think that we only get together to have leather-clad sex while beating someone's butt, then your disillusioned about what the lifestyle is about. We have nice, regular get-togethers called munches where we simply meet and talk about anything and everything. The unrealistic stigmas that have been attached to D/s and BD/SM are partially the reasons the community is a quiet entity. But that doesn't mean new people aren't welcome. On the contrary, we openly welcome new people and are trying to make it easier to meet other like-minded individuals in the Pittsburgh area.

Oh… and get your mind out of the gutter… we don't welcome newcomers simply to have more people to play with. The D/s community is just that, a community. You'll make new friends, learn new things, and become part of something that is very tolerant and understanding of individual differences. And, the community has a high regard for good manners, protocol, and proper etiquette. Sound good??? Well read on then.

Getting out and meeting new people from the D/s community in Pittsburgh isn't as hard as it sounds. In many ways, the community is geared towards the introduction of new people. Oh… and don't get upset if your referred to as a "newbie", it's actually an affectionate term. Pittsburgh is fortunate to host four different munches within the confines of Allegheny County. There is literally a munch every week, and each is different and independent from the others. Not to mention there are at least two other munches within a 40 mile drive of Pittsburgh. There are also two clubs that currently host a once a month "fetish night". What's that you ask? It's basically a casual event where you can come and relax, talk with friends, look at some vendor's goods, and watch some very classy "scene's" take place. It's a night out where people from throughout the community meet and catch up on what's been going on. And a great place for a newcomer to get acquainted with true aspects of the Pittsburgh D/s community.

This web site acts as sort of a "clearinghouse" for information about the Pittsburgh D/s community for both the newcomer and experienced person alike. Within this site, you'll find listings of what munches are where, local vendors (always a good source of information), clubs that are D/s friendly, and informative articles on how to get started within the community. Also, we list all the resources you'll need to find your way into the Pittsburgh D/s community and start meeting new people you may have never met before. Think of PLAN as your one stop shopping point for your Pittsburgh D/s community needs. So welcome to the community and we hope you will find all that you were searching for.