The Lesbian Sex Mafia (LSM) was founded in New York City in 1981 by a group of lesbian BDSM practitioners seeking to create a welcoming educational and social environment for women interested in consensual sadomasochism, Leather culture, fetishism, and power exchange.

Unlike organizations primarily focused on political advocacy, LSM emphasized education, community building, practical workshops, discussion groups, social events, and mentorship. Its members promoted informed consent, negotiation, personal responsibility, and mutual respect while encouraging women to explore BDSM without shame or stigma.

Throughout its history, the organization has welcomed a broad diversity of identities, including lesbians, bisexual women, queer women, transgender people, and non-binary participants, reflecting the gradual evolution of the Leather community toward greater inclusivity while maintaining its commitment to consensual BDSM education.

LSM was established during the period commonly known as the Feminist Sex Wars, when debates surrounding pornography, BDSM, sadomasochism, and sexual autonomy divided many feminist organizations in North America.

While groups such as SAMOIS laid much of the intellectual groundwork for lesbian BDSM, LSM focused on sustaining a long-term educational community. Through workshops, demonstrations, publications, conferences, and public events, the organization became one of the principal institutions supporting lesbian Leather culture throughout the 1980s and beyond.

Many influential educators, authors, and activists—including Patrick Califia, Gayle Rubin, Vi Johnson, Midori, and numerous Leather educators—have participated in or collaborated with LSM activities over the decades, contributing to its reputation as one of the most important educational organizations within lesbian BDSM history.

Although founded specifically to support lesbian BDSM practitioners, LSM's historical significance extends beyond lesbian communities alone. The organization helped establish educational models that later influenced BDSM organizations across North America, particularly regarding workshop-based learning, negotiation, consent education, and peer mentorship.

Within the history of Leather culture, LSM represents the institutional maturation of lesbian BDSM. Rather than simply defending the legitimacy of consensual sadomasochism, it created sustainable structures through which knowledge, traditions, practical skills, and community values could be transmitted across generations.

Today, LSM remains an important reference point in the historical development of sex-positive BDSM education and lesbian Leather community building.