I would think that one may call one's self whatever they wish...

... however, as with titular distinctions in day to day vanila life...

...and taking in to account how much gravitas is given to the words "trust" and "respect" within the real life bdsm community (especially amongst the ranks of the pre-internet practicioners)...

... one should also expect to find that one is not taken very seriously if one "pretends" to be something which one is really not and then lays claim to certian titular distinctions which one has not really earned etc.

That goes not only for titles like Slave btw.

In other words dont tell people your something your not just becuase you wish you were or like to roleplay it. You tarnish everything about yourself when you do such a thing.

The problem would be pretty much mute Fetish if people would only be more specific when they lay claim to certian titular distinctions imho.

Like if your serving someone only online (ie following online commands etc) and have no real life contact with whoever it is; then don't be afriad to say your an "Online Only Submissive" etc (or whatever other title you wish to use), no one is going to bite your head off for being honest about not practicing the arts of submission (or dominance for that matter) in real life...if your upfront and honest about it from the begining.

Same goes for Online RolePlayers etc.

There is a hudge difference (often ignored by many more casual crowds in the club scene and online) between undergoing a long term real life apprentiship and or devoting years of real life effort in self study to make the journey from vanila, to bdsm curious bottom, to submissive, to becoming an actual slave in real life, and just calling one's self a slave becuase one day one decided it sounded nice and was applicable becuase one was serving someone via a long distance venue like the internet or roleplaying a part and doesnt care about "definitions" but wants others to see them as if they were doing something just as wieghty as the real life crowd.

News flash people... In Monopoly no one actually becomes the shoe or gets rich.

Not that there is anything wrong with roleplaying or serving in an online only capacity in and of themselves mind you. Both are valid ways of exploring, learning and having fun etc and have their place...

...just dont try to tell me it makes you so and so's "slave" in real life.