Abstract
I argue that our bodies are “owned” bodies—that proprietary rights over our bodies are shared with others whose bodies are, in turn, shared by us. Drawing from literature on the self, I develop a theory of body ownership centered on the notions of multiple selves and “controlling interests.” Proprietary sentiments are evidenced in linguistic constructions, cultural artifacts, traditions, and social and sexual behaviors. Using a single case study, I explore dimensions of body ownership within a social/sexual community based on consensual Mastery and slavery in the US. The case study illustrates a variety of ownership patterns and centralizes ownership as a point of contention among inhabitants of sexual worlds.
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Notes
Originally performed by Sue Thompson (1952). The variety of subsequent recordings—by Jo Stafford, Patti Page, Dean Martin, Patsy Cline, Bob Dylan, Tori Amos, the Misfits, and others—across six decades and array of musical genres testifies to the enduring salience of this message.
“The organized community or social group which gives to the individual his unity of self may be called ‘the generalized other.’ The attitude of the generalized other is the attitude of the whole community. Thus, for example, in the case of such a social group as a ball team, the team is the generalized other in so far as it enters—as an organized process or social activity—into the experience of any one of the individual members of it” (Mead 1934: 154).
Capitalization of leather lifestyle terminology throughout this paper will conform with community norms. “There is a convention in the D/s Scene that Tops—both roles and names—begin with a capital letter, and bottoms—both roles and names—begin with a lower case letter” (Lorelei). These terms will be elucidated later in this paper.
The swing community, which provides a necessary frame of reference but which will not be directly engaged in this analysis, embraces practices such as polyamory (wherein a subject has sexual or romantic relationships of varying degrees of commitment with two or more partners simultaneously) and “swapping” (wherein a couple who is currently involved in a romantically monogamous relationship engage sexually with persons outside that partnership in addition to one another). Swapping behavior may occur within or outside the presence of one’s primary romantic partner but always with that partner’s knowledge and consent. Members of leather (also called “BDSM” or “S&M”) communities often—though not always—engage in one or both of these practices, but the addition of sadomasochistic elements to their sexual repertoire separates them from typical “swingers.”
In my analysis, Mistress Linda’s quotes have been edited to exclude conversational mechanisms such as “um,” “ah,” “like,” etc.
Mistress Linda continues to support herself working independently in the field of law.
“A dungeon is any place specifically designated for [S&M] play and where larger equipment specifically used for the purpose of play is kept. A dungeon can be your own basement...or it can be a commercial space which is rented out for individual use or for play parties, in which case it is called a pay dungeon or a commercial dungeon” (subaltern). Sex is prohibited in most American commercial dungeons; clients pay to dominate or to be dominated—not for intercourse.
Leather practitioners use the term “24/7” to distinguish between casual and serious S&M practitioners. A person who lives the lifestyle 24/7 is a fully committed practitioner who seems to prioritize his or her role identification within the leather community over all or at least most other identifications.
Mistress Linda: “I think that it goes in stages because you can’t just meet someone and suddenly own everything about them. Because that’s just not a safe thing to do emotionally or financially or anything else. I think that it’s much safer and makes much more sense to take things just a step at a time.”
Mistress Linda did not describe the content of this ritual. An Internet search on the ritual’s title reveals a “short format seminar” offered by Master Jim and slave marsha called “Edgeliving: Would you Die for Me?”. (It is worth noting that the “you” is left uncapitalized in the title, indicating that the question is directed to a slave, not a Master.) The seminar, which may or may not be the same one witnessed by Mistress Linda, is described this way: “Those who live in Master/slave relationships often find themselves on the edges of our leather/BDSM communities. Are these relationships ‘safe, sane and consensual?’ Are they abusive? Can you go to the edge and beyond? Join Master Jim and slave marsha for a very personal discussion of the kind of relationship that often makes our community uncomfortable—and makes all of us think about what it means to be Master and slave” (slave marsha).
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Acknowledgments
The author thanks her colleagues in the spring 2004 sociology writing seminar at Rutgers University and the seminar leader, Patricia Roos, for their careful review of various drafts of this manuscript. Thanks are also extended to Arlene Stein, Sarah Rosenfield, and Stephen Hansell for their guidance and support.
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Butts, A.M. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered ... I’m Yours”: Calibrating Body Ownership through the Consensual Mastery/slavery Dynamic. Sex Cult 11, 62–76 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-007-9003-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-007-9003-9