Gauge -> RE: What does being owned and collared mean to you? (6/10/2014 1:39:17 PM)
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Welcome to the forums and also, no snark intended here, but welcome to the Internet. These are shark infested waters, swim with care. The short version of my answer to your question would be that a collar represents a committed relationship between two partners. The longer version of my answer would likely bore you to tears so skip down a paragraph or two. I have always found it interesting that there seems to be a prevalent attitude amongst some dominants that keeps a relationship at arms length. Perhaps dominants that are afraid of commitment use the BDSM dynamic to shelter themselves, that of course could be an entire subject on its own. My point is, that for my way of thinking, a BDSM dynamic is a relationship between two people. How intricate or involved that relationship is, is obviously based on the individuals. If all you have found are people that want something different than you do, then all you have done is found the wrong people. Never let anyone tell you an absolute in BDSM when it comes to something that you want for yourself. If the phrase starts out with, "Dominants/submissives should always _______" and what is said is not for you, ignore it and move on. So, those that have told you that if you want a relationship and that in BDSM there are no relationships, that is fine for them, but not what you seek. To the question of whether or not the Master should also give back, well, I suppose that could be open to interpretation. As a dominant, I feel responsible to protect my submissive and to help her grow. When we first talked one of the first things I told her is that I wanted an individual, not a doormat. I wanted her to be strong, able to do things for herself and able to think for herself too. So, for me, I feel that I need to help her emotionally by supporting her and being there for her to talk to. Physically, I am there for her too, and definitely responsible for her well being when she is in restraints of any kind. I do not wish to take care of her finances, nor do I think that I ever would unless she wanted me to do so, but she would be involved every step of the way if she asked me to do that for her. I am sure there are some on here that would question whether or not I was a "true dominant" with some of the things I do, but they suit me and my submissive has never thought less of me... in fact, quite the opposite. If you are recently out of a toxic relationship, then take time to recover and understand why you got into that relationship to begin with, and why you did not recognize the signs earlier than you did. While you may have a very deep need to serve someone, you also don't want to repeat the same mistakes, so there is no rush to leap into a new relationship. I may get blasted by a few people, but I also think it is just fine for a submissive to communicate what she wants from a relationship. If your particular needs do not fit someones expectations, then move on to the next one, unless you both are willing to compromise. For example, if someone wants a "pain slut" and you are not one, then there is no compromise to be reached, however if they want to inflict pain and you want to set a limit on the amount of pain inflicted, then there is a compromise that can be negotiated. I will agree with DarkSteven that you may be well served by getting into your local BDSM scene if for no other reason then the fact that you can physically be around other like-minded individuals and have lengthy discussions. The forums are a great place to ask questions, however, do not accept advice that does not fit what you want, rather look for things that really speak to you in terms of what you like. You may benefit from a dominant mentor, someone who will look out for you and help you learn and grow without a relationship. It sounds like you do not have a great deal of experience, and what experience you do have has been rough, someone to look out for you may help a lot.
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