Speaking from my personal journey and identification with the term âownedâ, as someone who is generally naive to old world understandings of BDSM and âthe lifestyleâ and someone who has limited capacity to immerse myself into all that I would like to, I can say that it provides a state of mind, a constant reminder, wherever I go out in the world that I belong and am cherished no matter the distance or limitations of the âhatâ that I am wearing at that time. It is cerebral, an invisible leash that binds me always. It keeps me safe and elevates me.
My/Our circumstances are restricted to online and I cannot give up control in much of my life - responsibilities and the way things are do not allow for that. Itâs understood, respected and worked with. Therefore, what we do is carefully cultivated to be specific for us and the dynamic. The strongest aspects of our connection are in the nuances - the feelings and ways of being that escape clear definition. For me, owned is not a set of rules, there is no contract, itâs a way of being and staying in tune with each other alongside all the other practices that bind me to him.
I see the importance of language and ensuring there is clarity of meaning and expectations. I also see the concern for fractured culture and practices - ever shifting goal posts and the way terms change and lose meaning. Others will disagree with how the term is applied in our dynamic. But it doesnât matter - it means so much to us. Itâs one of our cornerstones; I walk with it, embody it and it sustains me, because the distance is hard and every symbol and signal of us is vital.
I hope I have explained my unique position clearly. Iâm a bit of a âhead in the cloudsâ sort of person