Unclamping BDSM culture
by Vanessa Gillard
Illustration by Courtenay Davidson Gags, nipple clamps and leather outfits. It may sound like a fun costume, but there's an entire culture focused on BDSM.
So, I know we’re all thinking about what ingenious costume we can come up with this year, and it seems every year there is a scramble among young women to come up with the most ridiculous sexy-fill-in- blank-here All Hallows Eve disguise. I think my favorite stupid-sexy sighting of 2009 was Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo, but sexay! That is never going to bring sexy back, but points for wearing masks so you never have to admit you were the lusty heroes in a half shell. Turtle power indeed.
Why not actually go for scary this year? Or better yet, be scary and sexy.
Picture this: gag in mouth, clamps on nipples (and genitals if you’d like), a leather getup the likes of which Lady Gaga couldn’t even get away with and a collar complete with leash, attached to another leather lover who is spanking you with a riding crop as you get off the BustLoose bus (which suddenly makes such appropriate sense) to continue on with your pub-crawling debauchery.
“OMG, I love your costume. Where did you get it?”
“Oh, you know, costume shops, Dungeongear.com, but I got the slave for my birthday.”
BDSM: it’s actually a lot more complicated than it sounds. It’s an acronym for bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism.
Most of us are reasonably familiar, at least we think we are, with the abstract idea of what’s more commonly thought of as S&M. So get out your whips and ropes all you studs and studded, we’re about to delve into the wonderful world of the undulating underground.
The main purpose of BDSM is to give the participants, of which there may be two or more, a feeling of sexual arousal and then a release, but not necessarily an orgasm as actual intercourse may or may not be involved. This release is predominantly comprised of endorphins; those are the thingies I’m told give you “the runner’s high.” I don’t run so I don’t get it, but I’ll take a spanking over a jog any day. Afterward there is said to be a trance-like state that is very comforting.
BDSM is played out in scenarios known as scenes. This could be as simple as being chained to a wall and told you’ve been a very immoral young thing, but gets as intricate as having a personal relationship where the dominant person, or “top” controls every aspect of the submissive person, or “bottom’s” life. There has been a set of guiding principles that provide safe practice of BDSM since the 1980s known as “safe, sane and consensual” or SSC. The guide is meant to allow for consenting adults to enjoy or disparage themselves, but also give parameters and boundaries.
Obviously the scenes can play out in a plethora of ways. One scene, which involves bondage, submission, domination and a little old- fashioned role-playing, reminds me of that old Dudley Do-Right villain, Snidley Whiplash. Participants dress in Western period costumes, one as a villain and the other as an unsuspecting and innocent young lady just going about her church-going life. And bingo-bango the little lady’s tied up, gagged and possibly blindfolded, and being carried off to those, ahem, train tracks, only to find that her hero doesn’t come to the rescue and she gets…railed.
Those of you ladies who are bristling in your chastity belts at the thought of such restraints, consider this: in 1990 the Kinsey Institute reported that 11 per cent of men and 17 per cent of women had reported trying bondage. Imagine how many people are doing it now! The chase is pretty enthralling but it appears that the capture is even more enticing. I encourage those of you who are intrigued to consider taking your next vacation at the Other World Kingdom.
The Other World Kingdom is a 16th century château in the Czech Republic that maintains its own currency, police force, passports, court system and coat of arms, and is run solely by women who live to dominate what they have dubbed “man creatures.” This Matriarchy is comprised of Her Royal Majesty Queen Patricia I, who also has lots of other titles that have “sublime” in them, and a series of classes of women that form the nobility. Men make up the lowest classes and are either subjects or slaves. There are extensive dungeons, as well as riding stables and a library for those ladies who like to punctuate their torturous schedule with some culture. These women are not fucking around either, they will whip your ass until it bleeds and then kick you in the balls. That’s not to mention what I don’t want to mention.
Makes me wonder though, what are their leading exports/ imports? Humiliation and white-collar slaves? Is the Queen on the currency? If so, is she wearing leather undies and a man for a shawl? What sort of armaments do they have? How would an invasion go down? Spike heels versus bayonets? Butt plugs versus grenades? I’ve never played World of Warcraft but I’m pretty sure this scenario would make a far superior role playing game.
