It's just that no-one else seems puzzled so I think it must be me who's missing out on something obvious! Maybe I should go and stick a ball in my mouth and see what happens....
Let's see if I can provide some helpful explanation!
Okay, out of nowhere, yeah, the ball gag is probably not that fun; I don't think grabbing a tennis ball with your teeth or something is a good test! I certainly wouldn't randomly enjoy that. Gags in general probably are only fun in context.
(In case anyone is unsure what a ball gag is/looks like: it's a (usually rubber) ball, probably in the 1-2" range, large enough to be uncomfortable but not so large it would, say, dislocate the jaw -- I actually found the description of Doyle's jaw "cracking" in the story a bit disconcerting -- which the bottom cannot actually fit all of in the mouth; it is secured so that s/he can't spit it out, forcing the mouth open around it, by means of straps that go around the head.)
Gags are fun for some of the same reasons as other restraints: loss of control, feeling of helplessness, ceding power. Additionally, a gag provides freedom to react as much as one wishes, noise-wise. It's a great feeling, including physically, if one is into that sort of thing. The discomfort (the mouth/jaw stretching over the gag) can also hit an erotic pain kink. Ball gags, especially, are also going to force the bottom to drool rather a lot, which can provide an erotic feeling of humiliation, which, again, lots of people like.
Visually, the (ball) gag is sort of an iconic image of BDSM, and it will often be attractive to both top and bottom on that account.
Gags can be fairly dangerous. If, as mentioned in a comment above, anyone is feeling unable to breathe, you're doing it wrong! And should not do it! For instance, if the bottom is having any difficulty with breathing solely through the nose, or has a tendency to choke, or what have you? Gags are right out. Breath play is really, really, really dangerous. There's also a big danger from possible aspiration if the bottom should gag/vomit: a gag should not actually cause gagging! That's really unsafe. (I'm sure some people find that danger a turn-on, so YMMV.)
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2009-04-18 04:57 am (UTC)Let's see if I can provide some helpful explanation!
Okay, out of nowhere, yeah, the ball gag is probably not that fun; I don't think grabbing a tennis ball with your teeth or something is a good test! I certainly wouldn't randomly enjoy that. Gags in general probably are only fun in context.
(In case anyone is unsure what a ball gag is/looks like: it's a (usually rubber) ball, probably in the 1-2" range, large enough to be uncomfortable but not so large it would, say, dislocate the jaw -- I actually found the description of Doyle's jaw "cracking" in the story a bit disconcerting -- which the bottom cannot actually fit all of in the mouth; it is secured so that s/he can't spit it out, forcing the mouth open around it, by means of straps that go around the head.)
Gags are fun for some of the same reasons as other restraints: loss of control, feeling of helplessness, ceding power. Additionally, a gag provides freedom to react as much as one wishes, noise-wise. It's a great feeling, including physically, if one is into that sort of thing. The discomfort (the mouth/jaw stretching over the gag) can also hit an erotic pain kink. Ball gags, especially, are also going to force the bottom to drool rather a lot, which can provide an erotic feeling of humiliation, which, again, lots of people like.
Visually, the (ball) gag is sort of an iconic image of BDSM, and it will often be attractive to both top and bottom on that account.
Gags can be fairly dangerous. If, as mentioned in a comment above, anyone is feeling unable to breathe, you're doing it wrong! And should not do it! For instance, if the bottom is having any difficulty with breathing solely through the nose, or has a tendency to choke, or what have you? Gags are right out. Breath play is really, really, really dangerous. There's also a big danger from possible aspiration if the bottom should gag/vomit: a gag should not actually cause gagging! That's really unsafe. (I'm sure some people find that danger a turn-on, so YMMV.)
Does that help explain it at all?