9 Levels of Submission
Copyright 1984 and 1988, Diane Vera
The following isn't intended as a rigid classification. It was
written by Diane Vera and published in Lesbian S/M Safety Manual,
edited by Pat Califia, from Alyson Press (still in print).
Please feel free to take parts of different groups to find what
you think you are... no two people are the same...
Within the S/M subculture, different people use the words "submissive
and slave" to mean many different things. When submissives say "I want
to be your slave," sometimes they mean only that they want to be tied
up and whipped. Many professional dominants routinely refer to their
(usually
not
very genuinely submissive clients) as "slaves." At the other extreme,
there are people who want to be full-time personal servants, and who
truly want to exist solely for their Dom(me)'s use, pleasure and
convenience. And there are many shades in between these two extremes.
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1.
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The outright non-submissive masochist or Kinky Sensualist
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Not into servitude, humiliation or giving up control; just pain
and/or spiced-up sensuality, on the masochist's own terms and
for the masochist's own direct pleasure (i.e. turned on
solely/mainly by one's own bodily sensations rather than by
being "used" to gratify one's partner's sadism).
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2.
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Pseudo-submissive non-slave
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Not into even playing "slave," but into other "submissive"
role-playing, e.g. schoolteacher scenes, infantilism, "forced"
transvestitism. Usually into humiliation, but NOT into servitude,
even in play. Dictates the scene to a large degree.
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3.
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Pseudo-submissive play slave
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Likes to play at being a slave; likes to feel subservient;
may in some cases like to feel one is being "used" to gratify
partner's sadism; may even really serve the dominant in some
ways, but only on the "slave's" own terms. Dictates the scene
to a large degree; often fetishistic (e.g. foot worshippers).
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4.
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True submissive non-slave
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Really gives up control (only temporarily and within
agreed-upon limits), but gets her/his main satisfaction
from aspects of submission other than serving or being
used by the dominant. Usually turned on by suspense,
vulnerability, and/or giving up responsibility. Doesn't
dictate the scene except in very general terms, but still
seek mainly her/his own direct/pleasure (rather than getting
one's pleasure mainly from pleasing the dominant).
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5.
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True submissive play slave
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Really gives up control (though only temporarily; only during
brief "scenes" and within limits) and gets main satisfaction
from serving/being used by dominant-but only for FUN purposes,
usually erotic. May/may not be into pain. If so, is turned on
by pain indirectly, i.e. enjoys being the object of one's
partner's sadism, on which the submissive places very few
requirements or restrictions.
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6.
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Uncommitted short-term but more than play semi-slave
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Really gives up control (usually within limits); wants to
serve and be used by the dominant; wants to provide
practical/non erotic as well as fun/erotic services; but
only when the "slave" is in the mood. May even act as a
full-time slave for, say, several days at a time, but is
free to quit at any time (or at the end of the agreed
upon several days). May or may not have long-term relationship
with one's Mistress, but, either way, the "slave" has the
final say over when she will serve.
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7.
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Part-Time consensual - but real slave
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Has an ongoing commitment to an owner/slave relationship
and regards oneself as the dominant's property at all
times. Wants to obey and please dom(me) in all aspects
of life-practical/non erotic and fun/erotic. Devotes most
of time to other commitments (e.g. job) but Dom(me) has
first pick of the slave's free time.
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8.
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Full-Time live-in consensual slave
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Within no more than a few broad limits/requirements,
the slave regards herself/himself as existing solely
for the Dom(me)'s pleasure/well being. Slave in turn
expects to be regarded as a prized possession. Not
much different from the situation of the traditional
housewife, except that within the S/M world the slave's
position is more likely to be fully consensual,
especially of the slave is male. Within the S/M world,
a full time "slave" arrangement is entered into with an
explicit awareness of the magnitude carefully, with more
awareness of the magnitude of power that is being given
up, and hence is usually entered into much more carefully,
with more awareness of the possible dangers, and with
much clearer and more specific agreements than usually
precede the traditional marriage.
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9.
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Consensual Total Slave with NO Limits
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A common fantasy ideal which probably doesn't exist in
real life (except in authoritarian religious cults and
other situations where the "consent" is induced by
brainwashing and/or social or economic pressures, and
hence isn't fully consensual). A few S/M purists will
insist that you aren't really a slave unless you're
willing to do absolutely anything for your Dom(me),
with no limits at all. I've met a few people who
claimed to be no-limit slaves, but in all cases I
have reason to doubt the claim.
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