Viola Johnson visits Dallas to spread the leather gospel at Beyond Vanilla XVII Philly based leather archivist brings more than 15,000 S/M titles and a political message

(DANIEL A. KUSNER/Dallas Voice)

This week, a huge room inside the John Thomas Gay and Lesbian Center morphed into a parlor of perv. On the wall hangs a poster for London's Royal Rubber Orgy. A reading table holds the collected editions of Dungeon Master newsletters. In the corner, an exhibit illustrates the 15-year history of Dallas' very own International Master and slave contest.

Guiding visitors around the kinky collection is Viola Johnson, a leather librarian, if you will. Earlier this week, she packed up her staggering stockpile of literature, memorabilia, photography and ephemera and drove from Philadelphia to Dallas for Beyond Vanilla XVII, the annual weekend of workshops and social events that's organized by National Leather Association of Dallas. Throughout this weekend, Dallasites can dip into Johnson's collection to celebrate a vibrant history and revive a passion to preserve.

Johnson is an old guard pack rat the kind who can't seem to part with any of the smutty treasures that touch her life. Growing up in New Jersey, she was blue-dog Republican. In college, she studied English literature and history. But one day, a leather daddy gave her an eye-opening volume about spanking and beating titled, "Curiosa: As Told By a Flagalent." Johnson directs me to the sacred 1885 text, and she allows me to delicately page through it.

She vividly recalls the first time she read it almost 40 years ago and how it introduced her to her first lesson in Leather 101: To serve.

LEATHER LIBRARIAN: Viola Johnson shows off a copy of Fantasia magazine.

When you think about it, the first glimpses into sexuality are often burned into one's memory. And for many gay folks, erotica often expressed a love that dare not speak its name. Unfortunately, landfills have cruelly devoured many precious layouts, stories, illustrations and culture.

Coming out as gay and coming out as "leather" are apparently two distinct processes that are usually mutually exclusive. Ever since Johnson cracked the spine of "Curiosa," she began saving practically every scrap of BDSM history she could find.

"Basically, I moved the contents of my house to Dallas," she laughs.

Who knows if those stuffed shirts on "Antiques Roadshow" would agree. But one thing is certain Johnson's definitely a rare collector. While a majority of her library contains published works, the items were usually sold under the table. She unveils a pristine anthology of Fantasia the type of post-WWII underground journals that gave rise to Bettie Page. She also proudly hands me her most prized possession, an early edition of "The Merry Order of St. Bridget," Margaret Anson's mid-1800s epistolary novel about life in service among a coterie of female flagellants.

Now a staunch liberal, Johnson also gives the keynote address at Beyond Vanilla. And she's about to crack the whip on a shameful chapter in Texas' history: Johnson is pissed about the weak voter turnout that overwhelmingly decided to pass the marriage protection amendment in November of 2005. Earlier this week, she e-mailed me her speech. One phrase particularly stands out: "I'm a dangerous person in politics. I'm a bitch with a ballot and I plan to use it!"


Let the Floggings Begin

The Viola Johnson Library will be on display at Beyond Vanilla,
Sept 28-30 on the second floor of the Sterling Hotel, 1055 Regal Row.

Johnson's delivers her keynote address on Sept 30 at 9 a.m. in the hotel's Grand Ballroom.


PERVERATI PLAY IN DALLAS

Name the scene dominant, submissive, bondage, sadomasochism. At Beyond Vanilla XVII, you're likely to meet some playful new friends, learn some kinky new tricks and bolster the fetish and S&M communities.

Presented by the National Leather Association-Dallas, this weekend's Beyond Vanilla is a pansexual educational weekend with workshops and demonstrations on bondage, and sadomasochism techniques and dominant-submissive relationships. More than 25 workshops are open to all from newbies to sexy experts. Check out some of this year's enticing workshop titles: "Cautery Pens," "Art of the Bite" and "Spirituality and Technique of Cutting."

The fun goes down at the Sterling Hotel on Regal Row.

If you haven't registered yet, cost will be $110 for the weekend.

Check out the Whip Lounge, a haven for whip enthusiasts to exchange tips, crack off a few or receive one-on-one instruction from experienced handlers.

The Vendors Market is open to anyone over 18 who wants to shop for kinky toys, leather goods and clothes as well as other items for sale.

There's also the International Puppy and Trainer Conference workshops and demonstrations for all those who love those "human" puppies.

Beyond Vanilla is once again supporting the 3rd Annual Teeter-Totter-a-Thon, a marathon teeter-totter ride raises money for local charities.

Sept. 28-29 at the Sterling Hotel Dallas, 1055 Regal Row. To register and for a complete schedule, visit BeyondVanilla.org.


This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition September 28, 2007