The USA’s South-Western states aren’t traditionally thought of as liberal, progressive or tolerant places. When it came to flogging, humiliation and slave-ownership, it’s no exaggeration to say that the Southern folks of yesteryear didn’t altogether grasp the concepts of fantasy or consent. It’s a difficult legacy for modern residents to live with.

However, organisers of Scottsdale’s Fetish Prom, due to take place tonight in Arizona for the third year running, hope to show the rest of the world that their home has changed for the better. Over a thousand people are expected to attend this event, the biggest yet, and enjoy live music, burlesque cabaret, a fetish market, and a spectacular suspension show involving body piercing and flesh hooks. “We are ready to put Arizona on the map as a world-class kink & fetish market,” say Horns ‘n Halos who host the event. “Our goals are to create, stimulate and evolve the Phoenix and Arizona fetish and kink communities through world-class fetish/adult oriented events. We have an amazing team working to bridge entire fetish worlds and help build our new combined community.”

Find out more here.