Do you want to use the Emblem on your
web site?
Sure, no problem--as long as you're not using the
Emblem for profit. The Emblem is a copyrighted design
under US and international copyright law. I have held
onto the copyright in order to maintain my legal right
to protect the symbol. However, I have made it
available for use, free of charge, for cultural,
educational and non-profit use within the BDSM
community.
You are also welcome to use the official
explanation of its meaning. All I ask is that
you include the appropriate copyright notice(s) below.
Here's the
most popular sketch of the Emblem. It's a GIF file
with a transparent background. Feel free to download
it from here. If you'd prefer to have a copy of the
file emailed to you, just send me mail. I'll
be glad to oblige. Or, if you prefer a different
format, a silver Emblem or a colored background let me
know and I'll work that up for you as soon as I can.
You can also feel free to make your own drawing of it,
as others have. In doing so, though, please keep in
mind that every feature of the Emblem has a symbolic
meaning. They are all spelled out in the official
explanation. If you deviate, you are probably
eliminating symbolic meaning. Which leads us to...
Displaying the Emblem
There are a few errors that seem to pop up on sites
displaying the Emblem--particularly those on which the
Emblem is redrawn. For my best explanation, (ie, to
let me slide by on work I've already done) I'll just
reproduce here an expanded version of some email I've
sent to various webmasters in order to clear up areas
of confusion.
Notes
on Display of the BDSM Emblem
The BDSM emblem has really caught on--at
least as far as online display is
concerned--since it was first conceived in a
chat area by one group of BDSMers and
designed by Yours Truly.
It's since been pointed out me that my
description of its symbolism is not complete
enough to make for clear guidelines for
online display. For that I apologize. And
thus these brief notes.
Please note that I am not trying to impose
my design sense on anyone. I see no reason
why folks shouldn't play with the form in
various ways to best serve the design of
their web pages. I do wish to assure,
however, that when people choose to diverge
from the "standard" representation it is by
conscious choice and with specific design
intent, and not by error.
Keeping that in mind, here are the three
aspects that are most often overlooked in
representing the emblem.
- The rim and three curved "spokes" of
the design are meant to be presented in
some metallic color. On the original pins
and pendants this area is raised. This
color (it may look like iron, gold,
silver, copper, bronze, anything metallic)
is indicative of the "chains" or "irons"
of BDSM servitude/ownership.
- The three inner fields are black,
representing a celebration of the
controlled "dark side" of BDSM sexuality.
- The three "dots" are not dots but
holes. The background of the page should
be visible though them. These holes, as
described in the original explanation of
the symbol, denote the incompleteness of
any individual practioner in that BDSM is
at the least a playstyle and at most a
lovestyle, and cannot be practiced alone.
There is always the need for a
complimentary other.
- The arms curve
clockwise. There is no reason
for this other than the fact that
this is how I envisioned it when I was
first designing it. But it's been set,
so one clockwise is
correct and counterclockwise is
backwards.
No doubt other questions will pop up now
that I've spelled these points out. I'll
answer those as they arise.
Best,
Quagmyr
quagmyr@aol.com
|
Links
If you want to direct your readers to more info on the
Emblem, you're welcome to link to the Emblem Project
home page at http:/members.aol.com/quagmyr/emblem.htm.
You're equally welcome to use the Emblem Project logo,
downloadable from this page or most of these pages. If
you'd rather offer an email link directly to me at quagmyr@aol.com, that's fine
too, although I'll probably direct general inquiries
back to this site.
Copyright Notices
Feel free to put these notices in small print and out
of the way. I require this to protect my right to
protect the Emblem, not to take bows. In fact, once
upon a time I didn't ask for credit or copyright
notice at all--until some other folks started claiming
that they'd designed the Emblem and had authored my
explanation of it. Which meant I had to either defend
my rights or risk losing them. Such a nuisance!
If you are using just the Emblem on a BDSM page,
please use this notice:
The BDSM Emblem is copyright 1995 by
Quagmyr@aol.com
who maintains the copyright in order to
protect the symbol. It is
freely available for all educational and
non-commercial use
within the BDSM community without charge. |
If you are using just the Emblem on a NON-BDSM page,
using the Emblem to identify yourself secretly to any
BDSMer who happens to drop by, just use this notice:
Copyright 1995 by Quagmyr@aol.com. Used
by permission. |
If using the Emblem and explanatory copy on the same
page, use this notice:
The BDSM Emblem is copyright 1995 by
Quagmyr@aol.com
who maintains the copyright in order to
protect the symbol. It is
freely available for all educational and
non-commercial use
within the BDSM community without charge.
The explanatory
text is copyright 1995, 1997 by
Quagmyr@aol.com and used
here by permission. |
If using just the explanatory copy on a page, use
this notice:
Copyright 1995, 1997 by
Quagmyr@aol.com. Used by permission.