Why do many BDSM people look down on switches?

[Red-15]

I am puzzled by the whole premise of this thread. Look down? Look at, maybe. Look to, look for, but look down? Never! If that were the case, I would be without my bride. That wouldn't do at all. I would be without nearly a third of my friends, IRL and on the other kink site I frequent.

For what it's worth, I think switches make a whole lot of kink possible, never mind fun. Let them get and give in proportion to their wants and needs, and those of their partners and play mates.

I'm also rather tickled by the comparison to the Kinsey scale. For the record, 0 is exclusively heterosexual, and 6 exclusively homosexual. If people could get together on how to set up the nomenclature, for instance, 0 = bottom, 6 = top, it could be a useful tool for those seeking mates, partners and play friends.

Don

[Dog's Lady]

Thanks for the clarification, Red-15--I can never remember which end is which. The only problem with using the 0-6 scale for BDSM is that there is so much variety in it. Even if you state that you are, for example, a "0", what does that mean? Do you like orders, bondage, pain, all of the above, or something else completely? (And, yes, I know that I brought the idea up. I thought of this problem later.) I, to use a real example, like being tied down, but not masses of rope in painful bondage. Dog is introducing me to shibari (I know I spelled that wrong, hope you all know what I mean,) but that is not painful. I like being spanked, and am learning to take more and harder strikes, but I don't like all pain. I do like being ordered around, and some of what one author termed "erotic humiliation," but I am sure there are other subs who enjoy it when it is much more intense than I would be comfortable with. Maybe us BDSM folks need multiple scales to cover all of our play. Anyone want to take a swing at setting up a profile?

[Red-15]

@Dog's Lady, This has been done, sort of. At least in a sort of individuated way. I don't know if one can post a link to another kink site here without irritating TPTB, but if you are interested, PM me, and I'll be happy to direct you to the tool to which I refer.

Don

[Captivesoul]

Would anyone look down on a great cook, who also likes to eat?

Anybody ever tried telling Clint Eastwood he can't be both a real director and a real actor?

We know human beings are complex, multifaceted characters in other aspects of life. To insist on rigid categorization in our relationships, which are among the most complicated things we involve ourselves in, really makes no sense.