ladychatterley
Posts: 132
Joined: 3/10/2006 Status: offline
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I have a stupid newbie question based on having read too much without actually getting involved in real life, but I find myself scared by some of the things I've read. So, in initial negotiations, can one assume certain things? Two places really shook me: some doms in our local on-line discussion group were arguing for the right to cut off a sub's ear. (I think they were arguing theoretically, but it still really shook me.) One of the doms argued for the "modicum of initial consent" theory which basically said that if she hadn't specifically specified it as a limit, then she couldn't add it as a limit later, even if she didn't know what she was in for. I think at least one of them was arguing "she should trust me enough to know I'd never do that" but it wasn't phrased that way--more of 'it's my right to do with my property as I see fit." Also in another situation where I didn't get involved, we discussed possible future three-ways, which I wanted to be open to considering, but then found out later that he considered condoms inappropriate--it would be withholding some form of participation, even in a situation with multiple partners. This was a hard limit for me, but one I hadn't realized until challenged because I just assumed everyone would use condoms with multiple partners. I know the old adage about assuming, but I also don't want to be someone that has a huge long list of limits, however I don't know how much one can take for granted. Are there accepted guidelines of what one can assume is not included unless otherwise specified? I know that "Safe, Sane and Consensual" is both controversial and nebulous, but if it is agreed on, does it actually mean anything? I've sort of started saying "nothing that purposefully breaks skin" but I don't then specify "or bones" because I assume that is assumed, and if I specify that, do I have to talk about ligaments? I don't want to list everything I'd never do because I'd much rather start off with positives than negatives, but I don't want to mislead someone or turn around and have to deal with this "modicum of initial consent" issue.
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