Locked & Loaded: Chastity & Cages
Ready to get locked in?
Here in Queersville, the month of October means a lot of things: Spooky, slutty, Halloween parties. Jocktober. Mean Girls Day (October 3rd, obviously), and all the birthdays of our lovable-yet-chronically-indecisive Libra friends.
But, October is also Locktober; an auspicious month for a subset of the BDSM community that seems to be gaining traction lately.
The technical term is "Male Chastity", although not everyone uses that term and of course not everyone with a cock identifies as "male" - whatever you call it..., it’s all about keeping your penis inside a locked cage that prevents your dick from getting fully erect. Which also prevents you from actively using your penis for sex or masturbation.
Note: Although this blog is mainly focussing on the use of cock cages, there are also chastity devices for people with vaginas.
If you’re participating in Locktober, you’re staying locked up all month long, baby.
A balls deep (but brief) history
There’s a lot of contradicting evidence out there on where the first chastity ‘devices’ came from - or even if they actually existed. Some say that chastity ‘belts' (kinda like a modern cage, but with an attached loop that you wear around your waist), date back to the Renaissance period in Europe.
The idea behind these chastity belts were that in order for a woman to remain ‘virtuous’ to her husband (yuck) while he was away from home, he’d force her to wear a belt that would prevent her from getting herself some good dick on the side. These belts could be unlocked with a key that only the husband would possess. There are also some accounts that chastity belts were used as a form of torture. Imagine stealing a loaf of bread, and instead of being executed or thrown in prison… you were sentenced to a life without orgasm.
Most modern day historians believe these are myths, overly exaggerated or just straight-up lies.
But, we don’t blame you for falling for the fantasy that these kinky toys started out as legitimate chastity-enforcers. Even the kleptomaniacs experts at the British Museum ended up with a supposed ancient chastity belt on display that turned out to just be an elaborate prank.
Another interesting point in history that legally we’re not allowed to say was totally a scam: in 1971, a British company called Hugessin managed to get tax exemption after successfully arguing that the chastity belts they produced were a form of ‘male birth control’. Here’s a picture that exists for some reason, of their founder, Robin Hugessen, wearing a crown made out of a chastity belt. Unfortunately the company went bankrupt within a few years. Definitely not a scam!
Modern-day cages
These days, you don’t really see much about chastity belts - instead it’s ‘cock cages’ (cages, colloquially). We couldn’t find much evidence about where the first cages came from, but according to Google Trends, worldwide Google searches for ‘cock cage’ and similar keywords seemed to increase in the years between 2010-2016, and they’ve been consistent since then.
So what is a cock cage?
According to Wikipedia:
Most chastity cages consist of a ring seated around the base of the penis behind the scrotum and a tube or penis cage that holds the penis, with the two parts mating together with a hinge or pin. The penis cage is designed so that the penis inside cannot be stimulated directly with hands and fingers. The tip of the penis cage is perforated to allow urine to pass and the design may incorporate vents to facilitate long-term wearing and cleaning. The flaccid penis is inserted into the cage and is held at a downwards angle so as to make an erection uncomfortable or impossible.
Cages are commonly made out of different types of plastics, silicones or metal. It’s up to you what your preferences are, but it’s a good idea to make sure you use a BPA-free plastic cage, if that’s the type of cage you like.
Chatting to 2 locked-up boys
We chatted to Ricky (He/Him, Gay, Pākēhā) and Tim (He/Him, Gay, Asian descent, Tauiwi) who are into cock cages, and are both currently enjoying Locktober, about their experiences.
Do you have a preference for what type of cock cages you use?
Ricky: I prefer resin cages. I know a lot of people prefer metal ones, but I find them too heavy. I know there’s silicon ones out there too, but I don’t really see the point of them because you can still feel things through it.
Tim: My current cage is my favourite. It’s called the Kink 3D Cobra; it’s 3D-printed and it’s made of nylon resin. I like that it’s more lightweight and I prefer the locking mechanism on this one. But you can get all kinds of cages now, like I’ve seen a brat green one recently, that was cute.
Can you describe what makes cock cages pleasurable for you?
Ricky: It’s self-discipline for me. It's not really the feeling of the cage itself that I'm into. It's more like the submissive mindset that it puts me in.
Tim: During sex, since I’m locked and I can’t get hard, my whole focus is on pleasuring my partner. Also, anatomically, I think when you’re caged and you’re feeling horny, there’s a lot of pressure in that groin area and I feel like that makes any sensation there more heightened as well.
But, I get pleasure outside of sex, too. Like, I’ll wear my cage to do errands, and that can be hot. For example, I’ll be sitting at a cafe and there’s a hot guy that sits down near me, and he’ll just casually look at me, and in my head, I’ll be like, ‘Oh he doesn’t know I’m locked up’ and that really turns me on. There’s this fantasty of, like ‘Do they know? Can they see the outline in my pants?’
Are there any other kinks that you have?
Ricky: There's a few other kinks I enjoy as well. I like bondage and I like getting tied up. BDSM in general.
Tim: Yeah, I’ve always been interested in sexual exploration, and cages are one of those things that I’ve just figured out I enjoy.
Can you still cum while being locked up?
Ricky: Technically, yes! It’s more like a build-up that gets released slowly, though. So if I’m getting fucked while locked, I’ll have a lot of cum dribbling out, rather than a big ejaculation, so to speak, yeah.
Tim: When I’m in the right mood, yeah I can cum, and even experience a full-on orgasm while locked. It's definitely possible but it doesn’t happen often to me. For some guys, I think it would definitely turn them on to know that they’ve made their partner cum even with a cage that’s prevented them from getting hard.
What’s the longest amount of time you’ve been caged before?
Ricky: I kept myself locked for two months once. And that day I finally took it off… I was topping and I went like 4 rounds the day!
Tim: The longest I’ve worn my cage is maybe 2 or 3 days? I’m still getting used to it, or maybe I’m just not the type of person that likes to wear it for long periods of time. I don’t necessarily feel comfortable wearing it at work, for example.
Do you have a specific person who holds the key for you?
Ricky: I don't have a key holder. I'm my own key. I would be interested in getting someone else to hold the key for me… but its just about finding someone I trust that much in the first place. That’s a huge part of the dom/sub thing, ya know?
Tim: I have given the key to someone else before, yeah, like a ‘Master’. I find that quite hot as well, like the idea that someone else locked you and made you submit to them, in a way. But, of course with all kinks, you want to feel safe with whoever you’re playing with. One thing to keep in mind is that most of the time, cock cages will come with 2 sets of keys. So you can give one to your master and then keep another one at home.
What kind of reactions have you had from your sexual partners about your cage?
Ricky: I’ve had really positive reactions from guys I’ve hooked up with. Anyone that didn't know about it was more just curious about it. It’s obviously Locktober right now, so anyone who wants to have sex that doesn’t like my cage, they’re comfortable waiting for the end of the month.
Tim: For the most part, when I’m locked, I’ll play with doms who are more aware of cages - or I’ll hook up with guys that are generally more open to trying things. I don’t wear my cage for every hook up though. I’ll figure out what someone is interested in before we meet up.
Are there any health or safety issues associated with cock cage play?
Ricky: A more snug fit is better than looser! Especially for the the O-ring that goes around everything. If it's too loose, it can adjust and things can pop out and that can be very painful. Keep any hair down there trimmed, that can help avoid painful snagging too.
Bottoming while being caged can also be uncomfortable if the top is pushing down on it, so just communicate with your partner if you’re locked and having sex.
Tim: Yeah, definitely. When I’m locked, I always try to keep the key with me, in case my balls go the wrong way so I can unlock and adjust things.
Also, try and get the right size for you. Usually cages will come with multiple sizes of the rings that go through the balls and through the shaft as well so you can figure out the best size for you.
Hygiene is also important, so unlock your cage regularly to keep it clean - perhaps a couple of times a week. Get some aloe vera, coconut oil, or lube to keep things moisturised and prevent chafing.