Recap: Spanko Brunch 2.0 for November 5

Your thoughts on cowboys.

Wendel: I do love the cowgirls. Long flowing hair, jeans and boots, oh my.
And who does not love watching John Wayne spanking Maureen O’Hara in the barn.

Roz: Oh yes, cowboys! The sometimes rough, tough looking exterior. Yes, the jeans, boots, hat etc. Mostly the sense of strength, power and masculinity. 

Bonnie: I think it's all the attributes that Roz mentioned, plus one more big one - Leather! Belts, gloves, harnesses, reins, crops, whips, cords, even saddles, coats, and boots. They're all made of leather. I think about how all that leather must smell and how it would feel to the touch. So many soft, flexible stinging pervertibles.

Rosco: Well, I’m a heteronormative submissive man, so I can’t speak to cowboys, but I’ll speak cowgirls more or less.

I’ll commend the Bellamy Brothers song “Redneck Girl” - not exactly a cowgirl but close enough.

And we once had access to a tack room with all the riding crops lined up. Not really western but also similar.

Then there’s the idea of the barn, a literal roll in the hay, boots, petticoats or tight jeans and, of course, attitude.

Jack: It was a time where women respected their man, they had a role in life that meant being who they were, a woman, a female, one who needed a man, one who wanted to have children. Was brought up knowing this. I suppose there were a few trips to the barn in those days, and some trouble sitting in church, but was just a part of life.

KDPierre: To me there is absolutely nothing appealing about cowboys/cowgirls in the context of the spanking lifestyle. I also believe that the concept of the romantic/sexy and especially noble cowboy is as much as myth as other popularized aspects of the "Hollywood Western". They were all just people like anyone else and probably just as prone to being shitty as everyone else. (If you think about it, historically cattle towns had to employ all sorts of methods to keep these people from behaving too unruly. Saloons provided opportunities for gambling, excessive drinking, and prostitution...hardly traits that make for an admirable authority figure.)

And while driving cattle is admittedly a difficult and necessary task requiring effort and skill, it is not an occupation known for employing intellectuals and academics. And given the nature of the job, I can only imagine they had to smell like a combination of sweat and horse...not for me, thank you. 

Prefectdt: The Hollywood depiction of a rough and ready guy, used to controlling great herds of large steaming beasts. Always with a length of rope, a whip, and other leather things ready at hand, who could drop from their horse and easily take a female in hand. This all adds up to a great Toppy figure. However, the same filmmakers did not treat cowgirls in the same way. They were usually the ones getting spanked, so cowgirls do nothing for me. If I am going to fantasize about someone on a horse, it will be the lady of the manor. Wearing skin tight jodhpurs and a well tailored riding jacket, crop in hand, ready to hand out swift justice to any transgressing person on her land.

Dan: I don't disagree with KD about the attributes of real cowboys. But, the unruliness, the excesses, the fact that they rebel against efforts to control them...I suspect that's exactly why many submissives fantasy about them as dominants. Other male dominant archetypes in the romance books seem to include mafia dons and bikers. Some people are clearly attracted to not just bad boys, but bad boys who are uncontrolled and plain old dangerous.

My father actually was a cowboy and, without going into details, kind of the epitome of the unruliness and excesses KD identifies. I've wondered whether some of that is at the root of my adult desires to be disciplined, subject to someone else's unpredictable power, etc., even if it manifests in a F/m dynamic.

And, as Bonnie says, there is the leather. :-) 

Anon: I have no insights to offer, but when both the spanker and spankee are wearing cowboy hats it seems much more sexy, fun, and dynamic.

Hermione: I'm with Prefectdt on this one. I much prefer a tall, lean riding instructor in tight breeches and shiny black boots, armed with a riding crop, surrounded by a handy hay bale and all that supple, well-oiled leather.

Slava Ukraini
Glory to Ukraine