Illustration by Cara Seccafien
Wearing fetish apparel in public is inappropriate
By Jessica Berget, Opinions Editor
Not too long ago while I was walking around Vancouver, I had the misfortune of seeing someone wearing a leather fetish dog mask. You would think that this was an isolated incident, but sadly this was not the first time I’ve witnessed people wearing fetish gear firsthand.
Now, I’m not one to kink-shame and I understand wanting to own and be proud of your sexuality, but if you think wearing this kind of apparel or any other sexual, kinky, or BDSM gear in public is okay then I will shame you. I don’t care what you do in the comfort of your own bedroom, but I do care when people decide to publicize their kinks. It’s inappropriate and, if you ask me, a little creepy.
There is a time and a place for wearing fetish gear and being in public in the middle of the day is certainly not it. For one thing, there is a good chance that children will see that, which could be disturbing to them. If they are too young to be aware of that aspect of human sexuality, seeing people wear fetish garb can be confusing and even scary to them. I think seeing these overt demonstrations of kinks and fetishes could also possibly give them a negative or unhealthy perception of sex if it’s their first experience with something of that nature.
It’s also disturbing to adults. I don’t think anybody wants to know the sexual preferences and fetishes of strangers and even if they do, a public street is not the best place to find that out. The only time I think this kind of clothing would be acceptable to wear in a public setting of any sort would be at certain adult-themed events such as a gay club, nighttime pride events, or maybe a kinky Halloween party. Otherwise, keep your fetish gear at home.
To me, sex and sexuality should be a private affair. I don’t even like to see people kiss in public to be quite honest, so seeing people brazenly wearing gag balls, leather dog masks, and bondage gear in broad daylight is a little too much to deal with. People’s particular kinks, fetishes, or preferences in the bedroom should only be between the people consensually engaging in these acts, not shared with the general public.
Please leave your collars, latex, leashes, and fursuits at home. It’s uncomfortable for anyone who sees you wearing it, especially for kids, and just plain inappropriate in a non-private setting.
