The Eight Levels Of Castration

by Artemis

It's funny, the first six levels I practice regularly with my male subs, but never thought of it as castration.

Castration is the supreme symbol of the Othering of the male. The Other is the one with the Lack -- the lack of the phallus, Voice and Gaze. To be lacking in these is to be castrated. The jouissance of the Other is in submitting to castration. Sex is a process of Othering as it is what the Subject does to the Other. This is why matriarchal sex is so very different from patriarchal sex.

Sex keeps the Other in his or her place as Other.

In working towards a more complete theory on matriarchy, an analysis of castration is needed. Castration, of course, is a complex concept much like the complexity of the concept of the Phallus. The Phallus, as a signifier, means more than the mere penis. It entails the Voice and Gaze as well. So possession of the phallus means having the Voice and Gaze. Possession of the phallus is synonymous with being the Subject.

Conversely, castration means not merely the removal of the male genitals. It means much more than that. It also is a complex concept and is the signifier for the loss of the phallus. Castration entails not having the Voice and Gaze.

To castrate the male is to Other the male. When the feme castrates the male, she has the Voice and Gaze.

The Voice and Gaze are not attributes of the male genitals as such. It is the power to take, or the taking which positions the feme as Subject. The genitals can still be attached to the male's body, but still be in her possession and control. If she owns, possesses, and controls his genitals, she owns, possesses and controls him. That is what it means to be a Subject as feme, and a male as Other. There can, therefore, be different levels of castration in terms of different levels of possession and control:

The castration of control

The first level of castration would entail the male giving up control of his sexuality to a/the feme. He would have no sexual experience without her permission, and according to her direction. While this is only the first level, if carried out, the male becomes available to serve feme desire. If a feme can control male sexuality to even this degree, she has broken the control of the male over her body, and has control of his. If a male's sexuality can be controlled, he probably can be controlled as to almost anything else as sex is an essential part of the lives of almost all males. As stated by Jean Baudrillard in his book, Seduction, "in the absence or denial of the orgasm, superior intensity is possible."
The castration of ejaculation

Males can be trained to withhold and postpone ejaculation and to maintain an erection for the length of time desired by the feme. If males are not permitted to ejaculate but must withdraw and achieve their climax by masturbation after withdrawal, then there is very little risk of pregnancy. Eventually, the male will lose the capacity to climax introvaginally, and can only experience an orgasm through manual manipulation. The second level of castration is achieved when the male is no longer able to ejaculate while inside the feme. This frees the feme from the problems of birth control. She no longer has to take chemicals or insert a foreign object such as a diaphragm. At the same time, it has the advantage over a vasectomy in that the male can maintain an erection
The castration of possession

The third level of castration is achieved when the male willingly turns over his genitals such that they can be placed beyond his own control. This is the castration of bondage. The wearing of a Kali's teeth bracelet or some other control device which prevents him from having a sexual experience or even an erection until the device is removed.
The castration of pain

The fourth level of castration is achieved when the male is subject to what is commonly known in the Scene as "cock torture," this level entails the willingness of the male to accept pain applied to his genitals. The pain at this level is mild, as it serves a symbolic function. It establishes in the psyche of the submissive that his genitals exist for the pleasure and enjoyment of the feme.
The castration of ownership

Possession doesn't necessarily entail ownership. When one owns something, they are free to do what they want with it. The ownership of the genitals establishes the ownership of the male to which they are attached. This level of castration is accomplished by the feme lending her sub to other femes for their enjoyment and use. This level of castration establishes that the male no longer owns his self. He belongs to a feme to do with as she wishes. It also serves the important function of canceling the vestiges of monogamy/sexual exclusivity in the psyche of the male. A further step in the castration process can be accomplished by requiring the sub to witness the feme enjoying other males. This establishes in the male's psyche that he has no claim on, or rights over, the feme's body. She is the free Subject and he is the Other. At this level of castration, any idea of the male possessing a/the feme should be gone.
The castration of blood

The sixth level of castration is achieved through subjecting the male genitals to piercing and to the placement of rings, frenums, amphallangs, or other forms of genital jewelry which a feme may wish her sub to endure or wear. The most ancient form of the castration of blood is carried out in ritual circumcision. The taking of the foreskin shows complete ownership of the genitals. When the dried foreskin is in a jar on her shelf, the phallic serpent is fully in the grip of her fist.

The point of carrying out the first six levels of castration is to fully Other the male and in the process for the feme to become fully the Subject with the Voice and Gaze. As well, they would be carried out by the feme for her enjoyment -- schadenfreude, and if carried out properly and responsibly it would create for the male joissance of Otherness.

These first six levels of castration are generally, depending upon how serious they are, carried out repeatedly. As ongoing fucking keeps the feme as Other, the repetition of these levels of castration maintain the male as Other.

Seduction into Otherness is the name of the game. And as stated by Baudrillard in Seduction, "The law of seduction takes the form of an uninterrupted ritual exchange where seducer and seduced constantly raise the stakes in a game that never ends." He further suggests that "sexual pleasure can be just a pretext for another, more exciting, more passionate game." That "more exciting, more passionate game" is the one of leading the male through the first six levels of castration. Levels seven and eight below bring an end to the game.
The castration of performance

The seventh level of castration is more permanent. It prevents the male from having an erection or performing sexually. It is generally done by deep and radical piercings and the insertion of genital jewelry. It can also be accomplished chemically. The seventh level of castration, unless it entails temporary chemical castration, leaves the male with sexual desire but a total inability or incapacity to obtain a sexual release or orgasm. [Note: males without Dominas or Masters will perform these procedures on themselves.]
Radical castration

The eighth level of castration, radical castration, entails surgical removal of the testicles, and possibly more. Radical castration frees the male from sexual desire as well as eliminating sexual pleasure.

This form of castration is used to create the Gallae, or sexual eunuch slave of the priestess/Goddess. Such males performed an essential role in ancient matriarchal societies and would be necessary in future matriarchies -- as well they were found in patriarchates too, e.g., the Roman temples. Matriarchies need male warriors under their control.

The warrior requires a certain degree of aggression to be in place if he is going to protect the community. This aggression can take a sexual form which presents a danger to the femes of the community. The Gallae are there to be fucked by the males whose aggression may be needed. Also in a transition from patriarchy to matriarchy, the Gallae serve a protective function by receiving male aggression which might otherwise be targeted on femes. This is not homosexuality. The Gallae function as surrogate femes. Basically, there is a place for every male in a matriarchy, but every male is kept in his place and under full control. No violence or force of any kind is required, as the male is manipulated by and through his sexuality and seduction into Otherness alone.