Gag (BDSM)
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.
Some fetishists are sexually aroused by the sound gagged people make when they try to speak, or by seeing a person drool uncontrollably.
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.
A ball gag is usually a rubber or silicone sphere with a strap passing through its diameter.
Because of the possibility of injury to the lips, the bit gag is not suitable for rough play.
While such a gag of thin material is not very effective, a thick scarf can be used to hold his or her mouth open.
When it is applied properly, the gagged person's speech is muffled, but not completely silenced.
The long scarf or bandanna is pulled over the subject's mouth and tied at the back of his/her head.
Images of OTM gags, usually applied on women, have been prevalent since the film serials of the early 1900s.
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.
Then, the person firmly places their unfolded hand over the victim's closed mouth.
A harness gag encircles the head, with straps generally secured by buckles fastened at the back.
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.
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 (OTM) placed backward with the knot tied inside the person's mouth.
Knots can be doubled or tripled to fit the size of the gagged person's mouth.
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.
It is so called because it resembles a muzzle used on animals, with a flexible pad which straps over the mouth, and sometimes also around the cheeks and chin.
Restricting movement of the jaw and covering the cheeks can both increase the efficiency of a gag.
The use of a phallic shape is intended to give it an erotic connotation, but it may be a large knob — similar to a ball gag — or may be inflatable.
The pecker gag may be wide and flat and large enough almost to fill the mouth, intended to depress the tongue.
The person's mouth is stuffed with handkerchiefs, scarves, socks, hosiery, panties, day sheers, bandanas or any item rolled into a ball, acting as a stopper.
To reduce the chances of choking, the stuff gag is never pushed all the way into the person's mouth.
While it works in preventing speech, a person who has been stuff gagged can easily spit it out by pushing it with his/her tongue.
The tape can also rip hair off when wrapped around the head, despite making the gag more difficult to get off.
The dominant may use tape during a roleplay where a ball gag will be inappropriate; for example, a kidnapper and captive scene that does not immediately lead to sex.
Tape gags are commonly used in crime thrillers where the villains wish to prevent the victims from speaking.
