BMEzine (Body Modification Ezine) is an online magazine dedicated to body modification. It is noted for covering extreme and fringe aspects of body modification and erotic body play.
Overview
- Type of site: Online magazine
- Language: English
- Owner: BMEzine.com, LLC
- Founded: 1994 (launched December 6, 1994)
- Founder: Shannon Larratt
- Commercial: Yes (registration optional)
- Current status: Active
History and Development
BMEzine began as a website hosted on Internex Online on December 6, 1994, created by Shannon Larratt. It was the first dedicated body‑modification website. In 2000 the site expanded with the addition of IAM, an online community that hosts blogs for members of the body‑modification community.
Further extensions included:
- BMEvideo (a video sister site) and Modblog (a body‑modification blog) added in late 2005.
- Annual April Fools’ Day hoax articles.
Shannon Larratt announced on May 14 2008 that he would no longer be employed by BMEzine. He passed away on March 15 2013.
Community Activities
Patrons of BMEzine and its IAM community have organized gatherings known as “BME BBQs.” The largest of these events, called BMEFest, were traditionally held near Toronto, Ontario, often on Canada Day, attracting hundreds of participants. Activities at BMEFest have included body‑modification demonstrations, fireworks, and communal meals. Attendance is generally free but may require prior sign‑up.
Censorship and Legal Issues
BMEzine has been blocked by several Internet filtering services due to adult content such as nudity and depictions of body‑modification procedures. In 1999, Germany’s Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien classified the site as a “danger to the youth” because it lacked age‑verification mechanisms, leading to its removal from Google’s German search results in December 2005. The site’s founder, Shannon Larratt, responded by relocating servers outside the United States and refusing to make content changes to comply with the German ruling.
References
- “RIP Shannon Larratt 1973‑2013.” News.bme.com, March 15 2013.
- “BMEFest at BME Encyclopedia.” Wiki.bmezine.com, archived June 28 2012.
- “BME Events Calendar.” Iam.bmezine.com, archived August 7 2011.
- “Germany Hates BME?” News.bmezine.com, archived March 2 2012.
- “Zentastic.com” (archived May 9 2006).
Note: The above summary is based on publicly available information from the Wikipedia article on BMEzine and related references.