Secrecy

In these times of minority and identity politics, where everyone and everything claims a right to equal recognition, many people in the consensual Master/slave community are increasingly overt about their lifestyle. Tired of apologizing for their dominant/submissive nature, they adopt a belligerent and defiant attitude. They say, “We are what we are and the rest of society can get used to it.” They demand that the “straight” or “vanilla” world accept them and their lifestyle. This has become the stance of a whole range of sexual minorities, most notably the gay community, where “coming out of the closet” and being openly and defiantly gay is now the standard posture vis-à-vis the “straight” community.

Various provisions of Code d’ Odalisque direct players to a different, more cautious, position as far as odalisque slavery is concerned. There is a code of secrecy that operates under Code d’ Ode. The odalisque lifestyle is, by nature and by policy, a discreet affair. The Code directs that players maintain utmost discretion and that play be “under the rose” – sub rosa – as they say. Players should not make a public spectacle of the lifestyle. It is not something for open public display. There is no politics of confrontation.

Rather, it is well understood that “straight” society is not going to understand and accept the concept of “submissive sex slave” and so it is better not to rub it in their faces. It is much wiser to conduct the lifestyle behind closed doors. Nothing is to be gained from drawing attention to it. Odalisques are kept and enjoyed behind closed doors, and only those people who are involved need know about it.

Slaves under Code d’ Ode are sworn to this. A motto of the Code is: “Her tongue is never free.” This means that she is never at liberty to discuss her slavery in public. It is entirely improper for a woman to be public and open about her slavery. The word “occlusion” – which is used to signify the state of active slavery – means “hidden”. An odalisque is a woman of occlusion. She is held in secret, kept secret from the world. She does not go on Jerry Springer to confess to her life of debauched service. She does not go to bars or parties and blab or boast about being a cockslave. She must respect the code of secrecy. Her life is “sub rosa.” Only a small number of people need know of her life in occlusion. Her Master keeps her captive, to be used for sex – the wider world need not know anything about it.

Similarly, gentlemen who own and enjoy odalisques ought to be very circumspect about this activity. It is most improper for them to boast or big-note themselves about owning a cockslave. Ordinarily, neither their neighbors nor many of their friends need know that he owns and is served by an odalisque. Only those who are involved need know. He may choose to share his odalisque with other gentlemen, but there is no need for her to be made general knowledge. The articles of the Code specifically forbid him from making a slave into a public spectacle.

The odalisque lifestyle, therefore, is “closed”. It is “in the closet”. It is behind closed doors. This is both prudent and it is inherent to the psychology and character of odalisque slave play. An odalisque is an essentially sexual slave. She is held in captivity. Captivity, by definition, is an imprisonment. It is closed. It violates the whole nature of the institution of occlusion to make it open to public viewing. The activities of slave life under Code d’ Ode are necessarily secretive.

This is a necessary feature of ‘code culture’ – it is underground. This is one reason why odalisque play it governed by a detailed (quasi-legal) code of rules. It must be safe, legal and consensual – but it remains outside of immediate public scrutiny. Moreover, it is not political. Many minority sexual tastes are now highly politicized. There are activists for everything. Code d’ Ode is not a political statement. It stays out of the public gaze and, as far as possible, out of public discourse. It proceeds quietly – legally, safely, consensually – without attracting undue public attention. Where people pry, it is best to ignore them. Don't debate them. Don't try to convince them. Don't try to explain. In most cases, the less "vanilla" folks know about your lifestyle the better. This has proven to be the best position to adopt.