Nyre is away this issue and this column is being written by a guest, Jim

Tal, Ladies!

If you’re surprised to find a man writing this column this month (one-off only, I assure you) then you’re no more surprised than I was on being asked. Finding myself in an unfamiliar situation I turned to a friend for inspiration and guidance in the form of a suitable topic. I finally decided on the question: ’Is a Free Woman better off in BDSM circles than Gorean?

In many ways this may seem a strange question to ask. BDSM and Gor are so far apart, with only an overlap for some people in the area of certain sexual flavours, that the idea of FW in a BDSM arena seems preposterous.

The Gorean free woman is the common female presence on Gor, who, ideally, is the loving wife in the house, the uninhibited wench in the bedroom, the charming hostess when entertaining guests - all rolled into one; not forgetting of course the adoring but firm mother with the children. She has charm, sophistication, poise, strength, compassion, sense and sensuality, pride and presence. She is, indeed, the perfect compliment to the strong Gorean man to whom she is companioned. Perhaps it is not too bold to say that she is what she is required to be; an admirable and dependable trait, albeit, perhaps, a submissive one.

The Mistress on the other hand, the BDSM equivalent of the elegant Gorean free woman, her counterpart or opposite number, need hold few of the traits listed above. Far more practical within the circles she frequents are her wiles, her seductiveness, her ability to manipulate, humiliate and subjugate, her coldness and indifference; even, perhaps, if one may presume, her hatred of men. Is such a woman a man-hater? She rarely interacts with those who are not submissive to her, and when she does she finds that often they wish to submit to her. So as often as not she finds men to be cringing, weak, submissive and pliable, easily controlled by one with her seductiveness. Would such a reversal of the natural state of the male-female relationship not confuse her? The instincts, desires and emotions that she has as a woman to find a man stronger than she and be submissive to him (to some degree or another) in direct contrast with what she finds crawling at her feet, begging to kiss her shoes. Would she not, in truth, despise these men? And does not contempt turn to hatred when so much emotion and frustration is bound with it? Perhaps it is not so, yet perhaps it is. And of the others for which this is not so, perhaps it is not so because they are not just BDSM Mistresses, but switches.

There would appear to be little commonality between the Gorean free woman, elegance personified, and the BDSM Mistress, the epitome of confusions and frustrations. And yet, several things would seem to contradict this.

A casual look at IRC Gor and you will see that several Gorean free women have slaves (of both genders), and sexual relationships therewith. Is this a BDSM trait? You might wish to claim that it is; but before you do so, recall that free women in the books indulged themselves similarly. A casual look at BDSM on-line and you will see that what few Mistresses there are appear to have steady and monogamous relationships with their slaves, and seem, if not irritated, at least apathetic to the continued advances by other slaves that they regularly need endure. Moreover, they seem content, even happy with their lot in life. It seems that the practicalities of being a BSDM Mistress do not always corroborate the theory.

And a third point: what position do Gorean free woman have within IRC Gor? Do many have the opportunity to play the loving wife and uninhibited wench to an on-line companion? Does any woman count as guests the visitors to the channels she frequents but does not own nor Op in? Does she have an opportunity to play host? Or, indeed, mother? It would seem that it is rare for a free woman on-line to have the occasion to demonstrate her full range of talents.

Indeed, in several channels the free woman is expected to do nothing but sit quietly and on occasion receive a small glass of water.

The Gorean man belongs to Gorean circles because he lives and breathes a philosophy. Descartes said ’I think, therefore I am’. If you follow the Christian philosophy, you are a Christian; If you pursue Bushido, a Samurai. Similarly, if a man makes the Gorean philosophy his way of life, he is Gorean. So he comes to IRCGor to pursue the philosophy and to speak to those who do the same.

The kajira belongs to Gorean circles because she seeks a mastery that can be found nowhere else. There is no Gorean philosophy for slaves.

And yet, is there a Gorean philosophy for free women? There is yet to be a book written in the first-person of a free woman. Do you, as free women, pursue a philosophy by coming to on-line Gor? If so, who defines the philosophy’ If not, then does it matter where you spend your time? Indeed, if not, and you come to Gor to master slaves, what difference between Gor and BDSM? And if instead you pursue no philosophy and come instead to talk, what difference between Gor and anywhere else that allows you conversation?

The question is: Is a Free Woman better off in BDSM circles than Gorean? If you do not know where you stand after reading the preceding paragraph, it is likely that you would be better off in BDSM circles, or indeed some other chat forum if your sexual preferences do not lean towards male subjugation. If you believe you are being true to yourself with your continued presence in on-line Gor, then maybe that is reason enough for your being here. And if you’d like to own slaves, (and recognise that the opinions of some will count against you if you do), then there is no reason why you need depart for the distant lands of BDSM so that you can.

Before asking ’is a free woman better off anywhere other than in Gorean circles’, perhaps you should ask yourself ’what is my place here, on Gor’

A matter of geography it is not.

Jim.

JP149@aol.com