Couples Privilege
8 March 2021 11:31Had to school a fella on Twitter who thought it should be OBVIOUS TO ALL that cuddling and other forms of foreplay/aftercare are OFF LIMITS if you're setting up a BDSM playdate. I said there's no reason that an encounter has to be either/or, and that I encourage anybody who wants both to hook up with me.
He then replied that he does enjoy both cuddling and BDSM in one session but that's what his HUSBAND is for.
Ah, so this is Couples Privilege, got it. He didn't know what I meant by that. So:
Couples privilege -- when a non-monogamous couple decides together to have non-negotiable rules about their sexual/romantic encounters with other people, specifically with a hierarchical purpose to privilege the primacy of the couple's relationship. Such as -- no kissing others.
This guy thought everybody should obviously play by the same rules that he does -- snuggling is reserved for the HUSBAND. But not everybody plays that way. Lots of people appreciate foreplay and aftercare with BDSM. Many of us think that aftercare should always be an option upon request, for the mental health of the participants. BDSM can bring up some difficult emotions, even if you're doing it to have fun. I remember at least one time when I burst into tears while Sir K was spanking me. Other times when I became quite angry.
Part of ethical nonmonogamy, especially when BDSM is on the table, is having some thought about the emotional well being of the other sentient humans you're playing with. To insist that nobody have any difficult emotions, that this MUST BE FUN ONLY, that nobody should require foreplay or aftercare, is kind of naive.
He then replied that he does enjoy both cuddling and BDSM in one session but that's what his HUSBAND is for.
Ah, so this is Couples Privilege, got it. He didn't know what I meant by that. So:
Couples privilege -- when a non-monogamous couple decides together to have non-negotiable rules about their sexual/romantic encounters with other people, specifically with a hierarchical purpose to privilege the primacy of the couple's relationship. Such as -- no kissing others.
This guy thought everybody should obviously play by the same rules that he does -- snuggling is reserved for the HUSBAND. But not everybody plays that way. Lots of people appreciate foreplay and aftercare with BDSM. Many of us think that aftercare should always be an option upon request, for the mental health of the participants. BDSM can bring up some difficult emotions, even if you're doing it to have fun. I remember at least one time when I burst into tears while Sir K was spanking me. Other times when I became quite angry.
Part of ethical nonmonogamy, especially when BDSM is on the table, is having some thought about the emotional well being of the other sentient humans you're playing with. To insist that nobody have any difficult emotions, that this MUST BE FUN ONLY, that nobody should require foreplay or aftercare, is kind of naive.