As a community, we are able to pool our resources and knowledge and experience things that we are unable to as individuals. This month MauiBDSM will have two world renowned educators in the BDSM community travel to teach classes on Maui, something some of us would only be able to attend by traveling to the Mainland. There is also the added pleasure of being a part of a group or Ohana that we can relax and be ourselves knowing that most believe in "my kink is okay, your kink is okay"

It's a comfort to be able to talk with someone about the things we do without watching them run for the doors, so to speak, and know that they support us as part of the ohana. In a group, there are safety nets in place. There is an overall safety of being around others in public play, knowing that playing with someone in private, you have to depend on your instincts entirely to know whether the other person is an honest to goodness fellow kinkster or something all together darker. Leaders within the communities take the time to personally meet and get to know each member so that they can feel well knowing that everyone is safe, will play by the rules of the community and public play spaces and treat each other with the respect and understanding we all deserve.