The Library of Spanking Fiction: Wellred Weekly
|
||||||
|
Articles
Items of interest regarding all things spanking
|
||||||
|
|
Spanking, Feminism and Gender Roles  Can a feminist be spanked? More specifically, if a woman allows herself to be spanked does that violate the code of sisterhood? Should authors even write stories about submissive women disciplined by dominant men?As an erotic romance author who specializes in domestic discipline and spanking romances, I encounter those questions (criticisms) on occasion. For the record, I am a feminist. When I was younger, I probably would have taken myself to task for what I write, but I've matured and have come to appreciate the complexity of feminism and gender roles. The concept of egalitarianism resides at the core of objection to spanking, the belief that men and women are, and should be, equal and entitled to the same rights, privileges and opportunities in the workplace, the world, and the home. That a husband would spank his wife violates this notion of equality. To women who consider themselves feminists or at least modern, spanking represents yet another way that men have dominated women over the millennia. Erotic spanking v. domestic discipline But judging from blog comments and reviews, it isn't spanking per se that feminists object to, but domestic discipline. Erotic spanking for sexual pleasure seems to be A-OK, even if it's the male spanking the female. But take it out of the bedroom, and appoint the husband as the head of household with the authority to discipline, and teeth begin to gnash.Personal choice Spanking opponents ignore that choice lies at the heart of feminism. To exchange one set of proscriptions for another isn't the least bit liberating. When women were expected to stay home and raise their families, housewives felt stifled and longed to be able to work and have the full range of job opportunities. But is it progress if all women are forced to seek careers and are prohibited from being housewives? I doubt it. Does the opportunity to become doctors mean that women shouldn't become nurses? I don't think so.If a woman and man decide that he will lead their family and her role is to support him, that's their choice - and an egalitarian one in that they decided it together. She's not forced or coerced into making that lifestyle - she chooses it. Not every employee longs to be the boss and not every wife wants to lead or co-lead the family. Domestic discipline merely adds a physical component to a mutually-agreed upon pact. If you don't want to be spanked - don't be. But if that's what you want, you should have the right to choose that. Relief in surrendering control As more women take on increasing responsibilities in the workforce and their communities, they may find relief and relaxation to hand over some control to their husbands. To lead and direct every facet of one's life grows tiring. "Traditional" marriages of yore offered a respite to both parties: the wife was freed from the burden of earning a living; the husband was relieved of the minutiae involved with running a household. In the domestic discipline relationship, the man bears the burden for guiding the family, making the major decisions, relieving the wife of the responsibility.Gender roles But why is it always the man who does the spanking while the woman is the spankee? Short answer: it isn't. It's the way that certain couples have chosen to define their relationship. One has no way of knowing how many men are spanked by their wives. But women who demand an egalitarian relationship, for the most part, still don't want a submissive husband. They still want a man to be strong and protective.And the fact remains, while we've made strides toward egalitarianism as a Western culture, traditional sex roles still play out. Look around at couples/families driving down the street. Who's driving? In most cases, the man. Who stays home from work to take care of a sick kid? Generally, the woman. Now, you might argue the latter occurs because the husband earns more, but that only proves the point. Traditional gender roles of dominant males and submissive females still exist, and domestic discipline is a reflection of that. Spanking defines masculine and feminine, dominant and submissive, in an unambiguous, concrete, sharp way. Veto power How do you follow a leader or submit to discipline if the husband's judgment is in error? Chances are he will be wrong on occasion. But, even couples who don't practice DD will give in to a partner who they perceive as wrong to keep the peace. And think of it this way: parents are charged with the responsibility to discipline their children. I don't know of a single parent who wouldn't admit to making mistakes. You do the best you can. And wives in DD relationships ultimately and always have the right to say no. No one can take away the power of veto - no matter what one has agreed to.Feminists have expressed concern that a man might abuse his power in a DD relationship. There's no doubt that one should pick one's partner well. Surrendering control to another requires that the person receiving it be worthy of it. Trust and communication must be a mutual. But how is that any different from what makes a vanilla relationship work? Spanking in fiction Finally I'd like to discuss DD and spanking as it relates to fiction. Some readers unfamiliar with spanking fiction have criticized what they see as the hero dominating the heroine. But, it's a common trope of the romance genre for the hero to thwart the heroine's goal and desires. In many marriage-of-convenience stories the heroine is forced to marry a man she initially can't stand. In other romances, the businesswoman is outmaneuvered by a rival businessman. Or the bounty hunter/secret government agent/military commando insists on protecting the heroine and refuses to allow her to hunt down the bad guy by herself. So having a dominant man enforce his will by spanking is only an extension of what is common anyway. Furthermore, fiction offers fantasy fulfillment. People often imagine things they wouldn't want or wouldn't do in real life. One can enjoy reading spanking fiction and still maintain an egalitarian relationship. For women who want to imagine surrendering control to or being spanked by a powerful, sexy man, spanking fiction fits the bill. 9 comments
|
|||||
| Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 | ||||||
