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  • Part I: IT BEGINS
    • Chapter 1: Facing the Problem
      • What is Sex?
      • Persephone Calls
    • Chapter 2: Getting Programmed
      • We Love You But….
      • The Culture
        • The Culture of Violence
          • Where Babies Come From
        • The Culture of Control
          • Defining Reality
          • White Supremacy Culture
          • The Toxic Brew
          • “Sex”
        • The Culture of Romance
          • My Romance
          • What’s Love Got to Do With It?
          • Limerence
          • Lovesickness
      • The Knack
    • Chapter 3: Biology’s Clout
      • Psychoneuroendocrinology
        • The PEA Cascade
        • Aging and Sex
    • Chapter 4: The Consequences
      • Am I a Masochist?
      • Buying the Victim Role
        • Intimidation
        • Am I My Craziness?
        • Buying the Dynamics of “F**ing”
      • Coping with Masochism
        • The Awful Question
        • Bartky’s Answer
        • Feminist Practitioners Answer
          • Marcus’ Split Self
        • Non-practitioner Feminist Masochists Coping
        • A Hard Look
          • The Panacea of Consent
          • Damaging the Social Contract
          • Psychological/Spiritual Issues
            • Perverting the Erotic
            • Addiction
            • How Far Domination?
            • The Energy of Tantra
            • Mortification
            • Catharsis
            • The Political is Personal
            • Escape
        • My Own Coping
      • Persephone Regrets
      • Avoidance Giving Up
  • Part II: CHANGING IT
    • Chapter 5: Healing the Culture
      • Struggling Toward Compassion
      • Picking It Up by Myself
    • Chapter 6: The Art of the Self
      • Creating Reality
      • Selfing
      • The Cage
      • Shifting Focus
      • The Illusion Fades
      • Out of the Cage
      • Right Ego
      • Beyond Projection
      • Lysistrata?
      • Recycling Hurt
    • Chapter 7: Reframing Religion
      • My Religion is Kindness
      • Finding the Goddess
    • Chapter 8: The Practice of Body
      • Deeper
      • Dancing to the Beat
      • Laughing Black Wolf
    • Chapter 9: Relationship
      • Relationship Expectations
      • Still Needy Kids
      • When He Raises His Voice
      • Choice of Words
      • Beyond Polarizing
  • Part III: OWNING SEX
    • Chapter 10: Hunting Tantra
      • Outrageous Woman Meets Sassafras Man
    • Chapter 11: Sex I Want
      • The Ground Opens
      • Beyond Al-Ith
    • Chapter 12: Arousal
      • Delightful Magic
      • The Seventh Wave
      • Cosmic Shivers
    • Chapter 13: Orgasm
      • Gift of the Wind
  • Part IV: CHOOSING
    • Chapter 14: Centering
      • Ironic Wisdom
    • Chapter 15: Direction
      • I Choose Life
    • Chapter 16: Re-vision
    • Chapter 17: No Wrap
  • References
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Persephone's Choice

Persephone's Choice

Re-visioning the Victim Goddess

Tag Archives: fear

New Section: Am I a Masochist?

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Kay

The central issue that started this book. A fundamental source of hating myself.

Getting this on the Web has taken much struggle. With my terrible health. With tricky html. With my fear of exposure. But above all, with my need to speak painful truth, in hopes it may help others.

Here it is.

Posted in Author Progress, Website Progress, Witnessing | Tagged fear, masochism

Random Quote

The popularity of victimhood … remains a rich subject for sociologists and political scientists. Like contestants on “Queen for a Day,” Americans of various persuasions assert competing claims of victimhood, vying for attention and support. The intense preoccupation with addiction and abuse reflects an ominous sense of powerlessness that infects gender and race relations, and notions of justice and heroism, as well as our view of the self.

— Wendy Kaminer / I’m Dysfunctional, You’re Dysfunctional

Recently updated:

Defining Reality

White Supremacy Culture

The Toxic Brew

“Sex”

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