In February 2024, a student named Jane Connory enrolled in my Dominatrix Seven Realm Arts certificate course. It turns out that student was a university professor - Dr Jane Connory.
She took my 8 week course intensive, and attended in-person training classes at my premises at 2 Collins Street additionally with my colleague Mistress Electra Amore assisting.
Never did I imagine that 7 months later, I would be forced to preparing documents to her university and legal drafts - in response to her plagiarising my work - website title (History of the Dominatrix), title font and even distinctive design flourishes.
So similar was the marketing, name and identical font, that people reported believing it was me behind the project, which I was also tagged on.
What makes it even more inconceivable to me, was that Jane Connory is a professor of Design and a university lecturer.
SAME NAME AS WEBSITE & SIMILAR TITLE
So that hopefully I clear up the confusion, this is me:
This is Jane Connory's advertisement which went out on socials for "The History of the Dominatrix".
SAME EXACT FONT & VERY SIMILAR MOTIFS
The Victorian flourish motif above - was specifically at the section of my book on the Dominatrix's equipment. I indicated in class that I was expanding in my 2nd edition to the smaller equipment. I shared information on equipment and its history in my course.
NO CITATION OR REFERENCE - Claims "the rich history of the objects has never been explored"
Within Jane Connery’s “Explanatory Statement for Dominatrix Interviews”, under “What is this project about and why is it being undertaken”, she writes:
“The analysis of these objects is being undertaken because the invisible power women hold in this taboo space and through the rich history of the objects has never been explored.”
Oh the irony. Having just read my book, taken my 8 week Seven Realm Arts course, for which the first video of the course is ironically on "The History of the Dominatrix talk".
She spent 8 weeks learning all about the Dominatrix's history, her arts and equipment, as part of the Seven Realm Arts course.
In fact, Jane Connory had earlier wrote by email to me acknowledging:
“I absolutely love your lectures and the incredible research you have undertaken.”
(Email from Jane Connory to Anne O Nomis: 29/01/2024)
Nowhere in her research statement or proposal - does she mention - or cite - my book, my research, my course or my work.
Her statement made out as if she would be the first to write on the topic.
I wrote to Dr Jane Connory about my concerns.
THEIR RESPONSE? TO BLOCK.
I received no response or reply whatsoever from Jane Connory, who blocked me across all socials in response to receiving my email.
THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY
University students are held up to high standards in respect of plagiarism. Students can be failed or even expelled for plagarism.
However, when it comes to university professors, many have pointed out that their treatment when caught plagiarising appears much more lenient.
The appropriate department is Research Ethics and Research Integrity, to whom I wrote.
I am appreciative that they looked into the matter, and appeared to take it seriously.
I found their reply partially satisfactory.
On 7 November, 2024, they wrote that they had completed an ethics review, and that:
- that the ethics explanatory statement would be updated. That the version available contained text which was not consistent with the project's ethics approval.
- that the ethics explanatory statement and consent form doesn't include any reference to you. (Note from me: This is rather ironic. Plagiarising my book title, font style, work etc - nowhere did she reference or cite my book, research or course that she'd just spent so long studying. Indeed making it sound from her statement as if she was the first in the world to cover the topic. The fact she didn't reference my work is the problem.)
- that the title "The History of the Dominatrix" was according to Dr Connory, a "working title" and that will not be the title of any resulting publication.
- that she would not be using identical font as my book.
- that she would not use my coursework from the Seven Realm Arts or The Ki.
I appreciate confirmation of the terms I sought from the university. There was no apology as such from the university - which I would have appreciated.
I understand from other academics is pretty much "standard" in consideration of risk mitigation of potential lawsuits, but still nonetheless feels pretty unsatisfying to the the person on the receiving end.
Nor have I received any apology from Jane Connory.
I've heard from others in the scene that her response is it should be a free and open world, you know?"
Free in other words for people to take up whatever they want, and I read into this - appropriate what they want, and I wonder from the era of the lecturer whether the strong influence of post-modernist theories and frameworks (which emphasised no such thing as originality, ability to borrow, copy, reproduce and pastiche from anywhere) may have influenced their perspective.
Thankfully for me - the common public - and copyright law - don't share this view.
Community support
I have received numerous emails, direct messages, text messages and in-person support from colleagues, students, academics at the same institution and community members.
To all who have written and passed on kind messages of solidarity and support - I am deeply appreciative. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get back to everyone right away, taking time both to process what had occurred, what would be done about it, and what if anything I need to change about my teaching and delivery of my original research materials, including unpublished work.
I have always tried to practice according to "Lady of the Largest Heart" - sharing information and resources generously, open to people of all sexualities and genders and professions.
I've never worried about students not doing the "right thing" in terms of citing my work and acting honourably. I have taught over 500 diverse students around the world over what will be coming up to 10 years.
All have previously followed appropriate citation and acknowledgment of my work, with many feeling inspired or using the course as a point-of-departure for some aspect of their own exploration into the topic.
This violation has been cause of much rumination, on what - if anything - may I need to change, to prevent someone doing similar in the future?
I took some months to reflect, sought counsel from university professor friends of mine, colleagues, friends, students and even psychologists who had taken my class - weighed in with their perceptions of what kind of a person acts in that manner or what drives such a motivation to act in this manner.
The response from the university, I find not wholly satisfactory. The point is not to remove all reference to me and my work, but rather to cite it appropriately. And an some acknowledgment of wrongdoing and an apology - is what goes a long way to heal and reconcile.
I further regard the taking up of my work in name, font, design flourishes and motifs, and uncited - as well as the consequential response to block me rather than respond with an apology - to not be at a level of behaviour I regard as appropriate to the station of a university professor. I don't believe a person who behaves in this manner deserves tenure or to be teaching or influencing undergraduate students in Design.
Image: Detail of lion striding on the Ishtar Gate Processional Way,
Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin; by
CHANGES IN THE WAY I WILL APPROACH THINGS IN FUTURE
I felt physically dirty as if contaminated, as if exposed to contagion, the week or so after it all occurred; and I couldn't seem to shower it away. This was a physiological kind of response alongside psychological - to violation and disgust.
1) Use incident as a Case Study & Teaching Opportunity - I will speak of the case in all my classes, and discuss what occurred as an example. To let my students know that I welcome their enthusiasm, passion and desire to do any research or work in my field. I only ask that they cite me appropriately (and not copy or plagiarise my work). I will teach them also what to do if they ever do err - how to take responsibility, own their mistake, apologise to the person they've done wrong to, self-reflect and try and do better.
The Ki provides a wonderful framework for looking at the power dynamics - of Sumere (to take up) that which one thinks they can use to self-interest, a power response which is often at play in acts of appropriation.
To bear responsibility on the Ki is Durare (to endure - carry responsibility and bear consequence), Offere (to offer - an apology), Dedere (to surrender - cede ego), Admittere (to admit - error and wrongdoing), and part of a larger discussion for how we can show take accountability, express remorse, change and grow from our errors.
2) Assert Copyright - Rather than just featuring my name and course name, I will begin updating and pasting a Copyright notice onto every page I teach, every video course, and every pdf I prepare for students. Sigh.
3) Celebrate, Spotlight and showcase wonderful students / graduates - I choose to spotlight all the wonderful and amazing projects my past students have undertaken and done with my work. To some degree I already do this, such as featuring a blog post on students who've done or appeared in music videos on the Dominatrix theme, two International artists who've done a project on the Dominatrix's Seven Realm Arts, and so forth. However I will make a point in 2025 to even more deliberately showcase and honour the work of my students and graduates who've done interesting things with the history, Seven Realm Arts and Ki training work.
4) Poised for legal action - I am poised for legal letters and a lawsuit as necessary if further materials come out that appear to be copied and plagiarised from my own work, and materials which appear nowhere else in the world other than in my book, class and research work - appearing uncited. I've also had world-experts in BDSM and kink within academia offer to identify any work plagiarised and explain to publisher, university and court - the originality of my own work and research as experts in the field.
5) Publish my unpublished materials - A significant amount of work I share in my classes is not in my 2013 first edition of The History & Arts of the Dominatrix; and is from my more recent work over the last decade, and new Ki work.
I will therefore make push to progress new publications issuing out my recent work, so that it will be very clear where certain ideas and information has originated in my original research and work.
Thank you to all who have sent me their support and well wishes through what was a trying few months.
Best,
Anne O Nomis