Is there a difference between Daddies and Slave Masters?
-JR
The labels that we apply to ourselves tends to be constantly in flux when it comes to the definition and connotation of the words. Daddy, slave, Master, boy, Dom, sub... the meaning can change from year to year and even from one area to another. "Daddy" used to simply mean a man who was significantly older than his partner, or one who liked partners much younger than himself. It has also been used to describe any man over the age of 40, regardless of how old his partner is.
In my case, "Daddy" is how I describe myself because that's the sort of role that I have in my relationship with my sub. He was quite inexperienced in BDSM when I met him, so there was a strong sense of teaching, mentoring, and guidance in how I trained him. I was not only training him to serve me, but was also introducing him to the world of BDSM and the gay culture as well. During his training, I instructed him to choose a name that he would call me by to differentiate those D/s times from the "real life" times (my sub is married, so there are times when we need to be "just friends" around others - addressing each other by a specific name makes it clear when we are in D/s mode) and he chose to call me "Daddy." My name for him is "pup," though we don't engage in puppy play. In my younger days as a sub, "pup" was my training name and my sub said he'd be honored to adopt that for himself.
But I digress.
"Master" is a title that usually denotes one who commands a slave. The lines between "Master" and "Dom" can get blurry, but generally speaking a Master has a slave and a Dom has a sub. Slaves are treated as the Master's property, subs are treated as the Dom's submissive lover. Again, depending on whom you ask, you may get a different answer. These are the definitions that I use.
There is also a segment of the leather community that frowns on the use of "Master" until that person has been deemed worthy of it by his peers. He will be presented with his "cover" (leather cap) and given the title by them. This is a holdover from the Old Guard protocol, where a man's leathers are earned rather than purchased for himself.
As for me, even if I should be presented with a cover and given the title of Master, I would still probably refer to myself as a Daddy. It fits me, I'm comfortable with it, and when my sub uses that name for me it is intensely personal and meaningful.
Daddy
