I’ve been following this thread with interest, hoping someone may step forward and present the counter argument regarding on-line relationships. Sadly it really hasn’t happened.

There seems to be a stigma attached to online people, that, for the most part is deserved, however there are people conducting very successful relationships. I know that tehya and myself are living proof of that. We are not an exception!

In our 9 months, we have met live twice, for 24 hours each time, and it is unlikely we will meet again in the next 12 months. Our first meeting was pure unadulterated vanilla lust. The second, more interesting, but hardly touched on many of the activities we have experienced in our online relationship.

I was interested in the example of an online Dom bullwhipping his sub. Interesting example. Aside from being a physical impossibility it ignores the many real time activities that a cyber based relationship can indulge in.

We never engage in any activity that can not be physically done by either of us. Example if teyha has earned a punishment – I don’t cyber spank, or whip her. I may simply ask her to stand in a corner with her hands on her head. Which in real life situation would be close to what I would do anyway.

To return to the whipping – what is to stop a real life person, with no experience putting a sub in hospital? None what so ever, and sadly I have seen it done.

There are many submissive and dominant who have the true drive and commitment to fulfill all that lifestyle has to offer. Why should accidents of geography cause them to be looked down on. Teyha comes from a very small town in Mid West America, over four hours drive to the nearest city big enough to support a local community. Yet I will argue she is every bit a true submissive as has been my pleasure to encounter. So she has little choice in the ways she can attempt the journey she chooses to under take. Is it truly wrong for her to take the path of an online relationship?

I wont argue that restrictions encountered with online let participants truly embrace lifestyle. I will argue in the absence of alternatives it will help them grow together. Help them explore who they are, who they need to be. Helps them understand the commitment it will take to make a real life relationship hold together.

Sure the vast majority of such relationships flounder all to quickly. How many real-life ones suffer the same fate? I know of far too many real life relationships that have ended in virtual tragedy. In a perfect world we would all live the life we want, where we want, being what we want. This is not a perfect world, and many of us just have to do the best we can.

In my time I have had two online, two real life D/s relationships. By a country mile teyha is the most committed…driven submissive it has been my pleasure to know. I feel this thread does her and the many like her a dishonor to discount their efforts in such an off handed way.

Maybe I am being over defensive over this issue, and sorry to come across like that. However I feel I speak for all those who through no fault of their own, are enduring an online relationship. Rather than tell them how ‘artificial’ it all is. We should encourage them, reward them for their solutions of the restrictions, and wish them the best of luck….cause it ain’t the easy cyber fuck road some seem to think it is.

Canopus.