Power, Symbol, and Care: A Jungian Reading of Leather Relationships and the Lessons of Pillion

Abstract

This article offers a Jungian-symbolic reading of leather power‑exchange relationships through the lens of Pillion (2025), a film that portrays the emotionally charged dynamic between a timid young gay man and an emotionally defended biker.

Drawing on Jung’s concepts of archetypes, shadow, persona, and individuation, the analysis explores how Dominance and submission function not merely as erotic roles but as symbolic postures through which the psyche seeks balance, structure, and integration. 

The article argues that the difference between generative and harmful BDSM dynamics lies in the quality of consciousness with which these archetypal energies are held, particularly in the domains of consent, attunement, vulnerability, and responsibility.

Pillion serves as a case study for examining how projection, misrecognition, and unmet developmental needs can shape power exchange, illuminating the tension between longing and avoidance that characterizes the protagonists’ bond.

By situating leather culture within a broader symbolic and psychological framework, the article contributes to kink studies by clarifying how ritualized power exchange can support individuation when practiced with awareness, and how it can become destructive when driven by unconscious defenses.