Proper Online Etiquette

No Body​(dom male) • Aug 7, 2019

Seen this for years and it boils down to who you are speaking to. As a Dom I don't do the ? unless I am speaking to everyone and there is a reason for it. As when I am talking to a mixed group and I will come in and say hello A/all. I do this when the room has notice that it should be done and not just out of habit. I have seen many sub/slave do this all the time but that is them. Few Dom/Domi do that I have seen except when talking about the lifestyle and wanting to get a point across.

bellelabellamd​(sub female) • Aug 7, 2019

Yes it was most confusing to me because it seemed to be entirely in a vanilla setting. I think that’s what threw me off and continues to throw me off about it but I understand, perhaps just preference..but they’ve gone as far as to try and validate it by training people about the usage as if encouraging everyone to speak this way to everyone..perhaps just not for me.

The raising the voice an octave btw did leave me laughing 😂😂

Bella duPuy​(sub female){Not lookin} • Aug 7, 2019

Hi @bellelabellamd 👋

i hope that you are well.

i am relatively new & began 'speaking' in this manner because it made sense to me to do so.

After meeting a few long-timers (on a different platform), they were happy to see it being used again by someone new to the Lifestyle.

'Hope that helps in answering your question.

Be well.
~ bella ~

MasterBear​(other butch) • Aug 8, 2019

There is no globally understood protocol for online.

So-- online protocol needs to be discussed with the person.

If someone writes me I don't expect them to know how I personally handle online protocol.

We cant forget this is all a negotiated way of relating to each other.

Holding someone accountable for what is a negotiated and individual preference before that conversation has happened is bullshit.

bellelabellamd​(sub female) • Aug 8, 2019

Truly appreciative of all the replies

InYourHead​(dom male) • Aug 27, 2019

I used to have my slaves do it years ago. The capital letter showing respecr to all dominants..and the lower case referancing the subs... I stopped several years ago..it got annoying to me as well...and i only made them do it within the confines of the lifestyle. Never in a vanillla setting.

djinni​(dom female){smplylaura} • Aug 28, 2019

I did it 17-20 years ago. We all did back then it seemed. I haven’t done it for years. I don’t have any protocols as far as how I write in an online forum. I usually capitalize Dominant unless I’m being insulting and then I don’t. Lol

kadou • Aug 28, 2019

The only time pronouns other than "I" have ever been capitalized in English is when referring to God in a Christian context, unless you also count usage within titles such as His Majesty and His Excellency. To insist on having your pronouns capitalized, or to capitalize your master's pronouns, no matter how much respect you have for him, is a misuse of the English language, and completely unnecessary for a D/s or M/s dynamic. What's even worse is when submissives use a lowercase "i" or begin a sentence with a lowercase letter. It makes things difficult to read. So no, I don't enjoy seeing "W/we" and "O/our" all over the place, or anything like that. It's awkward, unnecessary, and probably doesn't indicate anything about your relationship that couldn't already be inferred from context.

Then there's the added difficulty of making everyone else remember how to "properly" refer to you. Language exists as a way to communicate ideas, and therefore requires a standardized set of rules. Bending the rules specifically for yourself just confuses everyone, which is counterproductive to the original goal of communication.

I'm sure there are people who will take offense at that. Personally, I'd rather offend such people than impair my own ability to communicate effectively with a general audience.

Purplehaze93​(sub female) • Sep 1, 2019

May also depend on training. I,myself, refer to any known Dom or Mistress with a just that. (Sir, Ma'am, etc). And all subs in lowercase out of respect. I learned it from an older friend of mine whose been into BDSM for years. Since then its jist a habit. Was I officially trained on it no. But the Y/you does eem a bit drastic but if thats what someone was taught its difficult to unlearn it.