Shibari Enemies

Are there Shibari enemies? Not quite. There are neither anti-bondage groups of any sort nor public figures immersed in a crusade against rope games. There are, however, people who are quite unsupportive of bondage and all things BDSM. Additionally, to make things more complicated, they might be your friends or relatives. Hence, in this article, we offer you some tips on how to deal with them.

First, do not engage in a bitter discussion. We better repeat that, because it’s too important: do not engage in an argument. Yelling and exchanging insults with someone who doesn’t share your taste for bondage will not bring a positive result. And, no matter how much you love ropes, Shibari is not worth losing a friend or becoming distant with a relative.

Instead, try to focus on the myths and misunderstandings about bondage and BDSM. Many people don’t have an accurate vision of what kinky lifestyles and practices are. This offers an opportunity to correct their perception and, perhaps, lead to a better understanding.

On a more positive note, try to show the richness of bondage. You know that Shibari goes way beyond tying. Talk about the Japanese bondage tradition. Point to the artistic value of any given scene. Share your emotional experiences, and the intense, deep level of communication that you can achieve through ropes. These positive aspects of Shibari stand a better chance to prove convincing than whatever insult you can throw at the other person.

If possible, get a promise from the other person to join you at the next Shibari exhibition or workshop you attend. Some people don’t get what bondage is all about until they experience it firsthand.

Finally, don’t be stubborn. Some people don’t like Shibari. Some people are just not into kink. And that doesn’t make them Shibari enemies. Period. Just as you expect others to respect your lifestyle, you should do the same for them.