Gag (BDSM)
A gag is a device used in sexual bondage and BDSM roleplay. Gags are usually associated with roleplays involving bondage, but that is not necessarily the case. The person who wears the gag is regarded as the submissive partner, while the other is regarded as the dominant one. People may wear gags for a variety of reasons. Some people derive erotic pleasure from a gag, either in a submissive or dominant role. When combined with other physical restraints, the wearing of a gag can increase the wearer's sense of helplessness and anxiety level within a BDSM scene by rendering them unable to speak during sexual activity, which some people enjoy.
For some people, gags have connotations of punishment and control, and thus can be used as a form of humiliation. To some, wearing a gag without restraints is still an act of humiliation, as is an open mouth gag. Some fetishists are sexually aroused by the sound gagged people make when they try to speak, or by seeing a person drool uncontrollably.
The type of gag used depends on the tastes of the parties and the type of roleplay scene, what is available at the time, and safety considerations. Some gags are designed to fill the mouth, while others are designed to provide access to the mouth by forcing the mouth open. Gags may be classified as over-the-mouth type, mouth stuffing type or mouth opening type.
When a person is sexually aroused by gags,. One specific gag paraphilia relates to video depictions in which the captor gags the damsel in distress to stop her screaming for help. Some people are sexually aroused by such imagery, even if there is no nudity or sexual act present, or even if the victim is only gagged but not restrained in any way.
Safety
Gagging anybody is very risky, as it involves a substantial risk of asphyxia if the subject's nose is blocked while wearing a gag. Using a gag on somebody who is ill or has a common allergy is also quite dangerous, as most gags make it difficult or impossible to breathe through the mouth. Vomiting and choking also pose a risk, since they further block the airway. A gagged subject should never be left alone.In practice, no gag is effective enough to silence someone completely without inhibiting breathing. Most gags that prevent the subject from making intelligible speech still permit loud, inarticulate noises to call for help. Thus, a pattern of noises, such as three grunts in rapid succession, is sometimes used as a safeword by BDSM players. It is also common to use an additional non-verbal safety mechanism, such as a solid object held in the hand that can be released by the gagged person to signal distress.
Types of gag
Ball
A ball gag is usually a rubber or silicone sphere with a strap passing through its diameter. The most common diameter is, but other sizes can be found.The ball is strapped into the mouth behind the teeth, with the straps going around the head to secure it in place. They are used as a sign of control by the dominant. If the ball is very large, it may be difficult to insert behind the teeth or to remove it. The wearer can still be heard, but it renders their speech completely unintelligible, distorts their facial features, and causes drooling if the wearer attempts to talk.
A wiffle gag is a simple ball gag that replaces the standard solid rubber ball with a light plastic ball similar to the one used for the game of floorball. It is generally safer due to the constant airflow.
Bandit / over-the-nose (OTN)
A bandit gag covers the mouth as well as the nose, and is commonly used in Japan and on many cartoons. Without stuffing, it is not very effective.Bit
A bit gag is styled like the bit used in a bridle for a horse, and much of its sexual appeal stems from fetishistic symbolism in pony play.It consists of a bar that is held in place in the wearer's mouth by straps or other devices. Unlike the metal bit that is most common in horse bridles, the bar of a bit gag is usually a soft rubber cylinder. It is not very effective in preventing speech, unless combined with mouth stuffing, although it will make it somewhat more difficult for the wearer to produce coherent speech. Occasionally, reins are attached. Because of the possibility of injury to the lips, the bit gag is not suitable for rough play.
Butterfly
A butterfly gag is a wing-shaped gag that is usually inflatable by means of a rubber bulb. The central part fits behind the teeth to fill up the mouth, while the wings go between the teeth and the lips. The gag inflates in the shape of a butterfly. This kind of gag is very hard to keep in the wearer; the use of an O-ring in front of the gag strapped to the back of the head will hold the butterfly gag in place.Cleave
A more effective variant of the over-the-mouth gag is called the cleave gag. Instead of being tied over the person's mouth, the scarf or cloth is pulled between their teeth. While such a gag of thin material is not very effective, a thick scarf can be used to hold their mouth open. Cleave gags are difficult to remove as they are between the teeth, not over the mouth. When it is applied properly, the gagged person's speech is muffled, but not completely silenced.Detective / over-the-mouth (OTM)
The detective gag, or over-the-mouth gag, is often described in fiction as preventing the subject from speaking through the use of soft materials such as scarves or bandannas. The long scarf or bandanna is pulled over the subject's mouth and tied at the back of his/her head. In practice, it does not silence the subject very effectively. Images of OTM gags, usually applied on women, have been prevalent since the film serials of the early 1900s. For this reason, the OTM gag is associated with the typical damsel in distress. OTM gags are often combined with stuff gags to make them more effective in silencing the wearer.Forniphilic
A forniphilic gag is a type of gag that has the primary purpose of objectifying and/or humiliating the wearer. The term forniphilic comes from the word forniphilia, which is the incorporation of a bound person into furniture or other objects. The gag becomes a mounting point for a tool or other device which allows a slave to perform a task or service for their master or mistress. When employing the gag, the slave's hands are usually bound behind them so they have no other option than to control the tool with the gag. In order to provide stability and to allow the slave to control the tool, a muzzle gag with a mouthpiece is commonly used as a base for attaching the tool.Types of tool or device can include the following:
- A dildo or vibrator
- An ashtray
- A toilet brush
- A feather duster
- A boot or floor brush
Funnel
A funnel gag consists of a funnel with a tube leading from its spout into the mouth, usually with straps to hold the tube in. Such a gag is used to force the bound person to drink a fluid. It is very easy to choke during such forced drinking. People involved with watersports may also find interest in this gag.Hand
A hand over the mouth can be used as a gag. When hand gagging someone, a person usually grabs the victim from behind since the victim cannot see this coming. Then, the person firmly places their unfolded hand over the victim's closed mouth. Then they may pull the victim into their body for extra leverage and control. Handgags are common and are often associated with damsel-in-distress phenomena.Harness
A harness gag encircles the head, with straps generally secured by buckles fastened at the back. Head harnesses are most commonly used to provide points of attachments to secure various kinds of gags, such as ball gags, bit gags, muzzle gags and ring gags; although they also have other uses, such as providing attachment points for other forms of bondage, or may be used simply for their psychological effect. Head harnesses may also function as a gag by themselves, by restricting the ability to open the mouth, or have a mouth cover as an integral part.Head harnesses, like many other forms of bondage, also have the effect of creating a sense of objectification and erotic helplessness in the wearer, which can be erotic for the wearer, or for those observing them. Many head harnesses are designed with straps that pass in front of the wearer's eyes, restricting their vision, and further increasing the sense of objectification and erotic subjection.
Inflatable
An inflatable gag is usually a rubber balloon which is inflated by a hand valve. Most inflatable gags will not hold in the gagged person's mouth well, so the gag is usually paired with a ring gag to keep it in place.Knotted
A knotted gag is a blend of the ball and cleave gags. The scarf either has a knot tied in the middle and placed in the gagged person's mouth or is an over-the-mouth gag placed backward with the knot tied inside the person's mouth. The knotted gag is able to soak up the saliva that the ball gag does not and can be easily washed for reuse. Knots can be doubled or tripled to fit the size of the gagged person's mouth.Layered
This is a term for a series of gags over each other; for example, an over-the-mouth gag over a cleave gag. Another piece of cloth could be tied under the gagged person's chin in conjunction with an OTM gag.Medical
also depicts the use of medical gags such as the Whitehead and Jennings gag in BDSM contexts. Such gags allow unlimited access to the mouth. They stop coherent speech, but do little to silence a person.Mouth corset
A mouth corset is a type of neck corset that covers both the neck and the mouth.Incorporating a gag into a neck corset presents a few safety issues: should the wearer begin to choke, it is not easy to remove the gag quickly. For this reason, most mouth corsets use a simple muzzle gag that merely covers the mouth and does not force anything into the mouth, thus minimising the risk.
Despite not forcing anything into the mouth, mouth corsets are usually very effective in gagging the victim. This is due to the fact that the chin piece prevents the wearer from opening their mouth and dislodging the gag, and the lacing at the back of the corset holds the gag tightly against the mouth, making a very effective seal. In addition, it compresses the wearer's cheeks.