An Evening of Literary Exploration and Kink
On a crisp October evening, the lobby of a historic building just off Park Avenue in Manhattan buzzed with anticipation. A uniformed doorman gracefully ushered a select group of writers and editors into a vintage hand-crank elevator, setting the stage for an unconventional gathering. This was no ordinary soirée; it was a celebration that promised to merge the literary elite with the innovative minds behind Feeld, a dating app known for its open-minded approach to romance and kink.
As the elevator doors creaked open on the ninth floor, the guests were greeted by the lively sounds of animated conversation spilling from a nearby apartment. The atmosphere was electric, a mix of intellectual curiosity and playful intrigue. The host of the evening, Daphne Merkin, stood poised to welcome her guests. A seasoned critic, novelist, and journalist, she has spent over five decades carving out a niche as a candid observer of the cultured class.
Yet, Ms. Merkin admitted, her most recognized work might still be an essay penned nearly three decades ago titled “Unlikely Obsession”, published in The New Yorker, where she candidly explored her own desire to be spanked. “I often feel a twinge of fatigue when people bring up the spanking essay,” she remarked as guests filtered in. “I’ve penned countless pieces on sexuality and have delved into various topics over the years. However, I firmly believe that sex remains an underexplored subject in literature—such a fundamental human experience. So, I was delighted to be asked to host this launch party for a new erotica magazine released by Feeld.”
Originally named 3nder, Feeld began as a platform connecting singles and couples seeking threesomes. Today, it has evolved into what it describes as the “dating app for the curious,” distinguishing itself from its many competitors by catering to a diverse array of desires, including polyamory, bondage, and even celibacy. Users enjoy the freedom to select from a broad spectrum of gender and identity preferences, embracing identities from gender fluid to two-spirit.
The launch was in celebration of AFM, a stylish biannual print magazine that Feeld has recently introduced. At the helm of this intimate gathering was the illustrious Daphne Merkin, now 70, whose reputation as an insightful commentator on sexuality, paired with her inviting, book-lined Upper East Side apartment, made her the ideal host for such a unique event.