Feminism Made Sexual Bondage As We Know It Possible

Kind of an interesting coincidence, the way sexual bondage took off in American culture in the 50s and 60s via Betty Page and Movie Star News, after long being a part of culture generally, but not widely recognized. Then it really got established in the 80s

Kinda like feminism, which took off in the sixties after long being part of American culture, then became established in the 80s. The timing isn't exact, but it's close.

But I don't think it's a coincidence.

Here's the thing. One of the key points in feminism is that “No means no.” I'm down with that. Women have the right to refuse sexual roles, experiences, whatever, that don't work for them.

But the obverse is also true. “Yes” means “Yes.” Women have a right to their choices, and the ability to say “No” and have it mean something also implies the ability to say “Yes” and have it mean something.

And for sexual bondage to be possible, women have to be able to say “no” and “yes” and it has to mean something (or whatever the safeword happens to be). The personal and cultural freedom that feminism has created for women is what allows them to participate in sexual bondage.

This is why feminism is essential to sexual bondage play. I'm sure there have been exceptional women throughout history, who could do the sexual bondage play and understand it as play even in a society where women are second class citizens with great limitations on their choices, but that's what they were – exceptions.

There is a tendency on the part of people who don't understand sexual roleplay that if it's maledom/femsub play, that the participants must not be aligned with feminism. They're acting out their social/political agenda in the bedroom. There probably are people out there doing that somewhere. I just don't know if you can call it “sexual roleplay” under those circumstances, because it doesn't sound much like play.

So bondage fans owe a lot to feminism. The feminists may not have been intentionally working to ensure that women have the freedom to participate in bondage play and have it be actual play, but that's what they did. And good for them!


“Thanks, feminism!”