Thanks for the comments from Dark and 13 to my last entry on ‘Is “totally sealed rubber object” a gender’. As you probably guessed, it was not an entirely cogent point, but a hope for fresh debate. Maybe I was looking to clarify my fetish rather than just come up with a new explanation for my actions. It certainly got some people thinking – which is the fun thing about it for me. I am still amazed (and very pleased) that people read my blog given how infrequently I have been updating it! Here are some more questions and feedback for you:
Does the rubber disable us from interacting with society – or does society handicap rubber TE fetishist from interacting with it?
Dependency on a security blanket – Is wonder if there is a coloration between children who reply on a security blanket to those who grow into adulthood with a rubber fetish? Also, is their a relationship between those children who experience involuntary withdrawal of their security blanket by their parents/guardians and those who become hooked on rubber fetish?
Addiction – I think that is certainly true that many of us use rubber as a crutch and become very dependant on regular top up doses (in my case very regular daily doses). On the other hand, addiction is usually taken (I think) as a state were not only are you psychologically dependent but that there is a physiologically dependency resulting in a negative physical reaction on withdrawing the substance (e.g. cold turkey). Now I have noticed that once you have become fully adjusted to daily and prolonged enclosure in latex over several months, there are some physical reactions when you go cold turkey – but to be honest the worst of these are non-serious skin issues for the first week or so. So – is rubber TE an actual addiction or a dependency? Maybe I am splitting hairs – given people use the word addiction so loosely – like “I am addicted to tobacco” which I (as a ill informed non-smoker) would think would be better described as a dependency. Mind you, it’s not that easy to give up smoking, so maybe we underestimate dependency (rubber TE included) at our peril!
As for the question of the usual desire for new experiences, rather than ice cream 24/7, I think this is what separates my particular fetish from other experiences and makes me think of the question of self image. Yes, I know MOST rubberists get into their latex suits for some sort of fix – either a regular quick fix or an occasional big session and I cannot see anything wrong with that. However, for me the quick fix may be a factor to deal with, but not the real full story. For me the sleek rubber TE look is my true inner self – and/or self image or “natural” state. I specifically want to be mainly in that rubber state as my default mode and know it will make me feel at ease. Although am perfectly willing to dress up in weird itchy, drafty, uncomfortable outfits for specific social or other functions (like climbing gear, sailing gear, business suit…), these are just costumes that portray me in somebody else’s idealised form.
Isn’t all this rubber TE just all related to sex – well yes, but don’t many women only feel comfortable with their appearances when fully made up and wearing sexy clothes? It doesn’t stop it being their own self image of their gender does it? And here we go back dangerously close to the original gender point I think…
Dark thinks that they would not want to be in rubber (or any other experience) 24/7 as it would become “a prison not a place of comfort”.
Firstly, I have come to think that we need to decouple lifestyle rubber TE and the whole “24/7” phrase – which I find has become a block to our understanding and personally irritating. OK, yes some of us only fantasies about the 24/7/365 thing, but that does not stop us aspiring or living out OUR versions of a lifestyle rubber TE fetish. Me living in rubber 23/7, 20/7, 15/7 hours – what does it matter? The fact that this is my “normal” state, affirming my self image, makes me different from other rubber fetishists and the horrible tag “lifestyle” is the only one I have come across that comes close to explaining it so far. [WARNING – off topic example coming up] Ellen McCarther sailing the south Atlantic or me sailing the North Channel at night – we both feel we are having a great sailor adventure. I think if you put numbers against a personal adventure, you miss the point of how the person feels about their experience and themselves. If we keep going on about the South Atlantic or 24/7/365 in rubber as the norm is just going to make some of us feel inadequate! :o)
Secondly, I am very happy in my prison – particularly given I have the proverbial key and can get out when I need to. [I say proverbial key as, when I think about it, I do often chose to lock myself in my rubber skin and give the key to someone else!!!]. What I would be less happy about is being locked out of my latex prison – as it is my rightful home, but I guess that I would survive it – just not necessarily like it. I know others will feel differently – and that’s fine. I so see their point of view and know I may never be able to explain why my rubber fetishist is not just like theirs. Of course, it does help to know they are all trying very hard to see my point of view too.
Thanks,
Sealed
2 comments:
There is clearly polarizatiopn between those like Dark and myself who regard their fetish life as a compartment, and Sealed whose ambition is to have nothing but a fetish life.
As Dark points out, the practicalities of life, social and plumbing, restrict the total devotion. The traditional ascetic, St. Simone Stylites (how's that for a cultural reference) had to have some food and drink to survive.
The conclusion is that the ideal may be impracticable, but it may still striven towards.
Whether we compartmentalised folk are lesser I cannot say. For myself, I am much happier now that I have fetish in its place, not overwhelming my life.
Sharing fetish with a partner is a problem to many. Some achieve a partner - and it is usually a man seeking a woman - but few do. Interestingly that since I am older the directly sexual aspect of fetishism has diminished, but the fetish drive remains. Odd.
But then as Shakespeare said in slightly different words (Falstaff?)it is no use my mind making appointments that my body cannot keep.
I cannot though but admire Sealed for his capactity to pursue his ideal even after repeated sexual release.
As regards the expression of fetishism in everyday life, I can imagine various fetishes becoming acceptable. As Dark think said the clothes women wear today were not long ago, and in many countries still are, completely unacceptable. Homosexuality is the same.
My own public rubber wearing is surprisingly acceptable in carefully chosen places. It would however completely disrupt some aspects of my life. I have though been surprised as I push the boundaries towards these areas, such as old friends and family how much acceptance I find. I can easily become a bore on my own experiences, so will stop.
This a fascinatig blog though, with the comments to my mind playing a major part. The blog without comments is a poor thing. I know. My own is.
True I can't type very well, especially as now in gloves. I have had a hot evening fully rubbered in the pub.
All I can say is that being a laborious typisty ,akes you think before you write - like scratching on a Babylonian clay tablet - more culture.
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