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Proposed River North Sex Club Raises Questions, So Here Are Its Rules

By Mark Konkol | November 10, 2015 6:20pm | Updated on November 13, 2015 4:40pm
 A River North sex club proposal raises some questions.
A River North sex club proposal raises some questions.
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RIVER NORTH — When word spread that a sex club, Galleria Domain 2, is set to open above Chicago’s best hand car wash on a fancy River North block that's home to million-dollar town houses, some neighbors weren't too happy.

And other people — especially folks who would never consider talking about, you know, S-E-X, in public or risk inappropriate Googling at work — had loads of questions.

People wondered, and I paraphrase, what's a sex club, and what kind of freaky-deaky stuff happens there?

Well, that all depends who you ask.

On its website, Galleria Domain 2 owners bill the place as a private club that offers members and visitors a safe opportunity to experience pleasure, joy, develop intimacy, experience spiritual growth and find and sustain interpersonal relationships.

But according to the Internet, a sex club is a joint where adults are free to get together and be super kinky, engage in public sex acts with anyone and/or everyone who is willing and explore any sexual fetish imaginable without being judged.

For instance: At a sex club it's reportedly acceptable for people of any sexual persuasion and identity to give a spanking or get one, whip or be whipped, get tied up, handcuffed, gagged, tickled or splattered with hot wax. Go ahead, wear casual clothes, latex body suits, leather chaps or even sport a ballgag.

It’s also place where you can sit back, sip a 7-Up — there's no booze allowed at Galleria Domain 2 — and watch other people engage in sex acts, which are called “scenes," if that’s what you're into, as long as you're not leering, according to the Internet.

And while you might encounter swingers — couples who engage in sex acts with multiple partners, that is — Galleria Domain 2 isn’t a swingers club.

That’s right, fetish-curious Chicago-area residents, it’s OK to come alone.

Now, that might sound like a dangerous hot bed of sexual anarchy.

But the folks at Galleria Domain insist online that there are very specific rules, guidelines and sex club etiquette that must be followed. There’s even a “house safe word” — which happens to be “safe word.” Yell that loud enough and sex club workers will arrive to make sure unwanted action stops.

Here are a few interesting rules — and fun facts — from the Galleria Domain 2 website:

*   No Snitching. Galleria Domain 2 has a strict confidentiality agreement that all patrons must agree to before entering. And all cellphones, smart watches and sneaky electronic devices that can be used to capture images of the action are strictly prohibited. In short, what happens at the sex club above the hand car wash stays there.

*  Feel free to use a fake name.

*  You're never too old for Galleria Domain 2 (they have members who are 88 years old); but you must be at least 18 years old to enter.

*   Galleria Domain 2 is BYOT — Bring Your Own Towels (and/or Toys).

*    Watching patrons engaging in “scenes” is fine, but try not to stare — it’s rude and creepy. Good rule of thumb: Stand at least 15 feet away and avoid eye contact with people engaged in various sexual antics, er, “scenes.”

*   Get permission before attempting to have a “scene” with another sex club patron. And don’t join in on a “scene” including sex act preparation or “aftercare” — the quiet period following a scene involving bondage and discipline, dominance and submission or sadism and masochism, that’s BDSM for short —unless you’re invited.

*    Engage in “scenes” only in appropriate locations — “turmoil, serenity and tranquility.” Sex scenes are not allowed in social areas including bathroom stalls. Galleria Domain 2 is a sex club, not a 4 o’clock bar in Wrigleyville.

*    Don’t use the club bondage equipment as furniture. “To sit or lay on it … prevents other from using it for a scene.”

*    You are REQUIRED to clean scene stations after use.

*    Bring a “tarp” if your scene may make a mess “whether from food, wax, bodily fluids, or anything else.”

*   It’s OK to be curious. Feel free to ask people about their scenes only after the scene and “aftercare" is complete.

Other than that, Galleria Domain 2 goers will be free to just be themselves and experience spiritual growth, among other kinky things.

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