Take Clothes Off As Directed by Helenish

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

Take Clothes Off As Directed by helenish is NC-17, BDSM themed, and an unauthorized homage set in the alternate universe created by xanthelj in General & Dr. Sheppard and Coming Home.

I read Helen's story both as a sly, clever reflection of male/female relations in Western society, and a look at the potential pitfalls of a society with an institutionalized BDSM lifestyle. And it's an interesting contrast to Xanthe's stories and style.

First off, I have to say I feel kind of cheeky posting about this, because I've only read parts of General and Dr. Sheppard, and I haven't yet decided whether or not to read Coming Home. I have some strong feelings about BDSM, and (of course) that colors how I read stories with that subject matter. I think BDSM in the bedroom is a kink, and I take a live and let live attitude toward kink. BDSM (and Domestic Discipline) as a lifestyle is something else, and it's something which for personal reasons makes me uncomfortable.

Having said all that, I think I read enough of General & Dr. Sheppard to get something of a feel for the writing, and I think it's an interesting contrast. Xanthe's writing feels lush and emotional, sweeping the reader along like a fictional Tchaikovsky. Helen's writing is more spare, quirky and at times almost uncomfortable, more like, say, Erik Satie. And I think these different styles suit the different stories very well. I can see these two styles/stories existing in the same universe, the lush, operatic story told of people who are happy and suited to their lives in this society, and the quirky, sadder story of people who don't quite fit and aren't quite as happy.

I found Helen's story to be very sad, the only hopeful part being that John had finally found in Rodney a partner who loved him and would treat him the way he wants/deserves to be treated. I'm not sure if it was Helen's intent, but I read this as John not really being a sub per se (nor Rodney being much of a top), but both of them forced into the roles by the rigid hierarchy of their society, and going along the best they could. I read it as John being the sort of person who wants to play BDSM games in the bedroom, not live it as a lifestyle, and the only reason he wasn't crushed by this society is because he's a stubborn, contrary bastard.

I was almost nauseated by the way Elizabeth so obviously and earnestly felt she was doing the best, right thing for John with her inappropriate 'discipline', when in actuality she was more of a hindrance, just one more thing to be ignored/overcome in John's attempts to be himself and to do his job. Because being routinely beaten, undermined and humiliated is just the downside of being a sub who's trying to do his chosen job. (And, of course, he wouldn't have these problems if he hadn't got above himself and stayed in his proper place.) It felt very realistic, and therefore very unsettling, to see just how easy it was to strip John of his dignity and humanity, and turn him into a second-class citizen, essentially a slave. And perhaps it's all the more unsettling because there are still people in the world who are slaves, and who are routinely treated in degrading, disrespectful ways, and they too have no choice but to suck it up and endure.

Although it's a bit of a slap in the face to overlay this dynamic on our society and see the sub=women angle, I think (I hope) things are not quite that bad for women anymore. At least not in first world Western societies. It's also good to remind myself that fantasy universes aside, most of the people living rigid BDSM lifestyles are doing so because they want to, not because they have no choice. Nevertheless, I think this story is going to stay with me for a long time.

Comments

[september1967.livejournal.com]

The reason why I dismissed the notion that it was not an allegory was because the very idea that a sub would be viewed as less than was upsetting to me and why I moved on to the relationship in the story.

Sure I find feminist issues as appropriate to discuss in any topic, but closely binding it with negative notions about what it means to be in a D/s relationship was doing the very things everyone claims the story wasn't about- that it was supposed to show that women were treated badly and in some cases still are in a culture that denigrates women- it falsely assigns negative notions to being a sub.

Whether it was intentional or not, when saying that because the subs were inappropriately treated that therefore means the story is an allegory about how women were treated and in some cases still are, reflects badly on submissives. People keep saying but that isn't what the story was about. I don't know what the purpose of the story was, but it brought up negative notions of what it is to be submissive.

As I have said and will repeat, I didn't automatically think of women and their history in our society because I was thinking about relationships and how we relate to each other. The story to me was about how some people have difficulty relating to others for many reasons and Helen definitely did express that. That is what I keep saying is what I liked about the story, even if it was overwhelmingly sad and meant that being in a relationship takes work and communication.

[mutecornett.livejournal.com]

I don't think it gives the wrong message about submissives at all, because I think people get this isn't actual real-life BDSM. I think most people here understand that BDSM in real life is a CHOICE. Consent is of paramount importance--even hardcore 24/7 BDSM lifestylers have to have some kind of negotiated consent, or else it's just abuse, rape, assault, etc. Flogging someone without their consent is--obviously--assault, in this universe.

In helenish's world, there is no consent given, and it's just systematic abuse from society serving as an allegory for systematic abuse towards women, who also never gave their consent.

This is not the BDSM in the real world, it's a wholly different system. Regardless of whether you interpret it as a critique of BDSM in the real world or not, it is important to note that in the story John doesn't enjoy the sexual harassment, he doesn't enjoy the restrictions placed on his career, and this isn't consensual, it isn't a choice made of his own free will. As such, I think real-life consensual BDSM and this universe's BDSM aren't remotely the same thing even though they have the same name, because there's a big difference between flogging someone who wants it and flogging someone who doesn't--one is BDSM and the other is assault.

And yes, some people aren't understanding that this isn't how BDSM works in the real world, but whether that's the fault of the author or the fault of the reader is a whole different question. But I still think helenish makes it very clear that it's not entirely consensual, and as such it's not that being a submissive is bad, but that systematic and nonconsensual oppression is bad, and I do think most people here get this.

[mutecornett.livejournal.com]

Flogging someone without their consent is--obviously--assault, in this universe.

When I say "in this universe" I meant "in real life". Man, those discourse deictics.

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

Are you saying that Helen's story accurately reflects being a sub? To me the story can't be reflecting badly on submissives or bringing up negative notions of what it means to be submissive, because it really has nothing to do with what being a submissive is about.

I mean, I'm certainly not an expert on how one lives a 24/7 sub lifestyle, but I didn't see any indication that John was that kind of sub, nor did I see the cultural, institutionalized harrassment he was subjected to as anything like what people in the BDSM lifestyle do. Are there specific examples you find troubling, or is it the story's overall use of D/s as a backdrop? I think I understand where you're coming from, but it would be clearer if you gave some examples where you feel the story reflects badly on subs.

I agree with you about the real difficulties of working out relationships. Writing prickly, uncomfortable romance and relationships is one of Helen's strengths, I think.

Another thought

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

I'm making an assumption here, and if I'm wrong, I apologize, but it seems like you feel very strongly about the accurate representation of BDSM and D/s, and if that's the case I do understand. It would be hard for me to see something I cared about warped the way Helen has warped BDSM in the service of her story, and think that people unfamiliar with the subject would read that story and think that's how it was.

Re: Another thought

[september1967.livejournal.com]

I have let my emotions get the better of me but yes, that is what I was trying to express the entire time. Other issues certainly cropped up after reading some comments after reading but that is the gist of it.