Knotty Rope Jam (20th Edition)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5TH 7PM - 11PM

AT EAST BAY COMMUNITY SPACE (EBCS), OAKLAND

Welcome to The Knotty Scouts, a vibrant community of shibari enthusiasts hailing from the Bay Area! Join us for our exhilarating monthly Knotty Rope Jams, typically held on the first Thursday of every month. Our jams are designed to be enjoyable and inclusive, catering to all skill levels. With multiple secure hardpoints available for suspension, we provide a safe and supportive environment to explore your desire for human connection thru shibari.

Each month, we offer an engaging hour-long workshop covering a wide range of topics, from acro shibari to intricate BDSM ties. Our events are play-friendly and offer a clothing-optional atmosphere, allowing you to express yourself freely. To ensure the comfort and consent of all participants, a comprehensive consent speech is delivered at every jam.

Capture the artistry of your shibari experience with the help of our talented resident professional photographers. They skillfully create stunning, artistic shibari photos for interested participants. We prioritize privacy and respect individual preferences. For those who prefer not to be photographed, wristbands are provided, and all photos are thoroughly reviewed and approved before being shared on our private event page.

EBCS has a sauna and showers- bring your own towel if you would like to partake!!! Tea Service will be held upstairs in the Cloud Room. Feel free to bring drinks/food. Light refreshments will be provided. There is a fridge onsite. Music will be provided by some of our favorite local community DJ's and musicians.

Fundamentally, Kink is about trust. Trusting ourselves enough to surrender. Trusting our own capacity to be trustworthy. Trusting the container enough to explore taboo practices. In this short but profound exercise, we will discover and tap into a wellspring of group trust and trustworthiness, which will help make for a fucking awesome night of connection. 

Please join us at 8:30 pm for a mandatory consent talk. We will go over FRIES and other consent topics. Please learn more about FRIES consent before attending. FRIES stands for Freely given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, Specific.

Freely Given: Consenting is a choice one only makes without pressure, manipulation, or repeated asking (even from a partner).

Reversible: Anyone can change their mind about what they feel like doing at any time. Even if they’ve done it before, and even if they’re in the middle of it, they can say no or no more.

Informed: One can only consent to something if they understand the acts they are being asked to participate in. For example, if someone has an STI, it is only full consent if they disclose this to anyone they are having contact with, before they take a risk they are unaware of.

Enthusiastic: Consent should always be enthusiastic. If there's any doubt about whether the person is fully interested, then it's a NO. When it comes to anyone's body, everyone should only do stuff they WANT to do, not things that one feels they are expected to do.

Specific: A person saying yes to one thing doesn’t mean they’ve said yes to any others. Ask for consent prior to any escalation.

Stay sober enough to give and perceive consent. Please do not interrupt scenes in progress.

COVID safety - Please don't come if you are sick. Masks inside are welcome but optional.

Tickets are transferrable but not refundable.

No phones and no pictures without enthusiastic consent! 

A professional photographer will be onsite taking artsy shibari photos.

Wrist bands are available to opt out of photos. Consent will be obtained prior to posting link to pics in private fb group.

For further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to our dedicated organizers, Krissy Mahan or Celina Diaz Borquez. They are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. In addition to our monthly rope jams, our Knotty Scout Leaders are available to conduct workshops beyond our regular events, ensuring you have ample opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills.