Rope Podcast

Fox and Mya continue their interview with author and educator Andrew James, Ph.D.on building eroticism through power exchange and rope. In the episode, AJ discusses with Fox and Mya his thoughts on: * How a Rope Daddy might express himself differently from a Rope Master and how partners can express different power exchange archetypes with rope * How it might work when a D-type is inside the rope, and the s-type is outside the rope * Practical tips on how to make a rope scene more erotic * Re-affirming consent and desire in a rope scene in a power exchange context * Playing with emotions such as erotic shame and fear in rope * Rituals in rope to enhance the power dynamic * Practical constraints on play in the real world - including doing rope with a disability * His experience with the queer and LGBTQ+ community and how he has seen the rope world change in ways that echo that * The huge variety of diversity in rope now, and what that means Note - If you haven’t already listened to part 1 of this episode, check it out. Author of 6 books on alternative relationships and sexuality, including the wonderful Erotic Slavehood (as Christina Abernathy) and the way of the pleasure slave, AJ is A trans man who identifies as both a Master and a Daddy. Involved in D/s and the kink community since 1992, he has been in a 24/7 authority-transfer dynamic with his wife for 8 years. This episode was sponsored by FrictionLive.CA Check them out!

Fox and Mya go deep into power exchange, erotic slavery and rope with in this interview with Andrew James, Ph.D., an author and educator in the field of alternative sexualities. Author of 6 books on alternative relationships and sexuality, including the wonderful Erotic Slavehood (as Christina Abernathy) and the way of the pleasure slave, AJ is A trans man who identifies as both a Master and a Daddy. Involved in D/s and the kink community since 1992, he has been in a 24/7 authority-transfer dynamic with his wife for 8 years. In the episode, hear Fox and Mya talk to AJ about: * AJ’s entry into the kink scene and how he first encountered rope * Terminology and what power exchange means to him * How to come back to sex and kink after a period without it in a relationship * Using rope to meet different emotional needs * How power dynamics can develop and strengthen intimacy * How to integrate rope into a power exchange relationship * How a D-type can demonstrate strong power exchange in a rope scene * How an s-type can best show their submission when being tied Episode sponsored by FrictionLive.ca who offer live streamed kink-related video classes. Go check them out! Note - once again, our guest was so interesting we’ve had to split it into two episodes - so look out for part two coming next!

Fox and Mya explore the world of cosplay, fetish modelling and the challenges of navigating the kink world as a person of colour with the vibrant and creative MakiRoll. Based in Washington DC, in the USA, she has over twelve years of cosplay and seven years as an entertainer where she has entertained the masses as a panelist, shibari model, burlesque performer, side show performer, and much more. In the episode, hear Fox and Mya talk to MakiRoll about: * Her rocky start in the world of rope bondage, and some of the challenges she had as a new rope bottom * How she developed her bottoming skills and a discussion of the importance of bottom advocacy * How she creates her incredible cosplay looks * The sensations of mixing latex and rope * Discussion of some of her rope shoots, including favourites and the most challenging * How she collaborates on shoots with riggers and photographers on shoots * How rope and cosplay have helped her build a healthier relationship with herself * Her work facilitating the Kink in Color panel at BlerdCon * How being black has affected her journey in rope * Advice for BIPOC listeners on how to navigate kink spaces * Suggestions on how non-BIPOC can support BIPOC in kink

Fox and Mya discuss bamboo in rope - specifically when it’s being used directly within the tie; such as tying limbs to the bamboo, or sliding it into the tie. They also talk about: * Why you might want to use bamboo, and some of its mechanical properties * How might you use bamboo in a tie and what it can do * Ideas to use bamboo really painfully! * Challenges of tying with bamboo and how you might overcome some of these * And of course - safety and risk management with bamboo

In part two of the interview, and Fox and Mya go behind the scenes with Zero-Gi and SamJay about one of their photos, the incredible TK vertical hang from a bridge in Central Park. In the episode, hear them discuss their stunning collaboration further, including: * Walking through how they created their iconic shot against a bridge in Central Park * How SamJay and Zero-Gi’s D/s relationship does - and doesn’t - play out in this project * They answer some of the wilder questions people have about how they create the art (spoiler alert - it doesn’t involve helicopters or cranes!) * The toughest challenges of their shoots from each of their perspectives: rope model; rigger and photographer * How they manage risks and danger * New York city’s unique history and how their project has been the beneficiary of the work of pride and the LGBTQ+ community * Advice on how you can improve your own photos * Their collaborations and what they’ve got coming up with Feterotica * Weather play! The incredible NYC Street Shibari project team consists of rope model Zero-Gi, photographer The Dirty Archangel, and rigger Sam Jay. Their gorgeous project brings shibari to the streets with iconic backdrops from New York city contrasted with Zero-Gi doing incredible feats of rope Note - this is the second of a two-part interview, catch the previous episode for part one!

An interview with SamJay and Zero-Gi of the NYC Street Shibari team Fox and Mya interview two of the team behind the incredible NYC Street Shibari project, which consists of rope model Zero-Gi, photographer The Dirty Archangel, and rigger Sam Jay. Their project brings shibari to the streets with iconic backdrops from New York city contrasted with Zero-Gi doing incredible feats of rope, such as hanging from a vertical chest harness off a bridge in central park. Fox and Mya talk to SamJay and Zero-Gi about the project, its inspiration, and how they work together with The Dirty Archangel to make their art. In the episode, hear them discuss their fascinating collaboration, including: * How they both got into rope, and how the NYC Street Shibari project started * The extent they go to to research the risks of their ties * The unique blend of experiences and talents the team possess between them * The unusual culture, laws and history of New York that enable them to create their art * The reactions from bystanders and law enforcement and how they handle them * What colours of underwear say to those looking at it and the colour that doesn’t sell! * How they distinguish between art and kink in what they do and how they share shibari with others Note - this is the first of a two-part interview, catch the next episode for part two!

Fox and Mya introduce a new type of episode, a Rope Field Report! @-Cad- and @-Miscellany- came to Bangkok and taught two workshops, Freeform Floor Rope and Freeform Suspension Rope. Fox and Mya share their experience of the workshops including: * Some of the exercises included * The differences between the very switchy rope relationship of the teachers and Fox and Mya’s power exchange rope * Pre-requisites that you probably need to have for this type of rope * What skills Fox and Mya developed from the workshops * What a bottom can bring to workshops about tying * Fox and Mya’s different approaches to workshops and face to face learning * The concept of ‘no plan’ in rope and how we found a middle way * Ways to get the most from this kind of workshop * The concept of making things go wrong on purpose, and how that can help your rope practice more generally * The learnings we took from the workshop into our rope Spoiler alert: Fox has dubbed this ‘Chaos Rope’!

Fox and Mya discuss active bottoming in rope - what it does (and doesn’t!) mean to them and the pros and cons of being an active bottom in scenes. They also talk about: * The different things people call active bottoming in Rope, and how Fox and Mya differentiate what they call active bottoming * How bottoms might prepare for active bottoming by knowing their strengths and development areas in rope * Mya gives some examples of what she knows about herself in rope, and how she uses active bottoming to compensate - and where she doesn’t have the skills to do this * What a bottom might be ‘active’ about and how * Why you might active bottom - and why you might not * Safety in active bottoming * How and why you might want to discuss active bottoming with your top in advance, to make sure you don’t accidentally change the dynamic of the scene

Fox and Mya interview Miranda, the person behind Friction Live, who host video conference classes live streamed to the comfort of your own home. They partner with experienced presenters, so individuals can access high-quality educators outside their locality, and educators can reach multiple communities at the same time - brilliant for those of us who don’t live close to more formalized rope education. (Or, you know, in a global pandemic where you can’t leave home.) In the episode, hear Miranda talk about: * How these kind of events work and what’s different from video courses * How to get the most from this style of event when you attend * How the Covid-19 crisis has affected the business * What’s next for Friction Live (check out this week’s question to make suggestions on future classes in the comments)

We know you love these! Fox reads one of his recent pieces of erotic writing, this time writing in advance of a scene he planned for Mya on Valentine’s Day. Read about the wicked delights he had in store for her. Contains rope suspension, sadistic rope, fear play and needles.