Saturday, January 20, 2007

A Day Trip Out

Sir took me down to Cork this week for a day of siteseeing while he was in business meetings. It is a lovely city, much larger than Galway, and the weather was reasonable for achange.

We drove down rather than fly. Stayed in a hotel overnight.

We walked out for dinner that evening and saw a bit of the city centre. It is quite nice and fairly large and has many shops, bars, and restaurants. We had a nice dinner in a restaurant near city centre. I had fish (Sir ordered) which I cut into small chunks and then ate beneath my red burqa. The waitress was visibly cakenaback by a red burqa'd woman sitting at the table, but did not say anything. Sir and I both find it beautiful to see me cut up my dinner with red rubber gloved hands, protruding through the arm slits in the red burqa, then to take a small plate under the burqa to eat in silence with him. The picture below with me sitting with my hand on the couch arm is my favorite from that group. I lov ethe look of my gloved hands and arms disappearing into the burqa.

Then the next morning, after breakfast, I went out looking around. I was wearing my white burqa with the silencing hood built in over a long black latex dress with full skirt. Rubber gloves, boots and corset, of course.

I sat with Sir during breakfast but did not eat or drink anything. had a cup of coffee earlier in the room, but Sir wanted me to join him for breakfast even though I could only sit silently across from him.

I walked out after he had left to his meeting. At the desk,as I was looking at the city map of attractions, museums, and churches to see, the receptionist, a very pretty red-headed Irish girl of about 22 asked me if I always had to wear a burqa. I could not speak, but I nodded to her and she asked if I liked it. I nodded again and then wrote her a note saying that I could notspeak to strangers, but that I DID like wearing my burqa because I believed I was supposed to. With that I left to go see the sites of Cork.

I went to the St. FinnBarres cathedral, an anglican cathedral. It is quite beautiful with many gargoyles. There was a small group of othertourists, and they certainly looked at me oddly, but they did not pay much attention to me.

Then I went off to the Cork Butter Museum but they were closed. Finally, I wandered back into city centre and went through the English Market which wouldhavebeen more interesting if I had been buying food. It was, nonetheless, intriguing.

I was not hassled or hindered in any way. Everyone I met was quite polite even though I was silent and enclosed. Viewingtheworld throughtwo layers of perforatedrubber is a bit difficult, but very peaceful as well. it started to rain while I was out and the patter of raindrops on the rubber was most loud, blocking many of the other noises. Of course my hearing is reduced anyway under the multiple layers of latex...three in this case with black dress hood, white burqa hood and white burqa.

I met Sir for a late lunch after that, me sitting silently as he ate a sandwich and drank a cup of coffee. He would feed me later, on our way back to Galway.

Then we headed back up to Galway and home. It was a very interesting day and I had quite a lot of fun, particularly the rain coming down on me as i walked the streets of Cork.

regards
Lady

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Lady,
I just need to comment on something that u mentioned before, u said that whenever u travel, ur husband tells airport officials that u are a Devout Muslim Woman and u have to dress like that, and u can't speak in public. My comment is, ur lifestyle is your own choice and ur own decision, but when u present yourself in public, don't steal the identity of a muslim woman, so people don't get the impression that u are presenting Islam, while you are not. In Islam, women are equal to men in everything, in their duties and responsibilities and also in their rights. If u want to make sure, check the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him. To have a clean and chaste society, women are supposed to dress and act modestly in front of non-relative men, but other than that they can live their lives to it's max. exactly like men. Women in Islam are not supposed to be submissives and men are not supposed to be dominants. Otherwise the relation between them is supposed to be love, harmony and co-operation. Men are supposed to protect their wives, and be keen that they are not looked at with lust by other men, but they are not supposed at all to control their wives's freedom. I'm muslim, and I wear the veil(face veil that shows the eyes), I started wearing it before I got to know know my husband and marry him, it was my own choice to do so. I just wear the veil when I'm outside in the presence of non-relative men, but I never wear at home, or in the presence of women or male relatives. Practicing muslims always hold social gatherings like parties, weddings,etc.. seperately, means men and women are in different rooms or halls or whatever. This way I can dress in whatever fashion I like either at home, or in any gatherings that have women only. As for my outside dresses and veils,I choose the material to be matching the weather, and also choose whatever styles and colours I like as long as it is covering, I can speak to anyone in public with respect, the only thing that is reserved to my dear husband is my beauty, and of course no-one else can enjoy looking at me with lust other than my husband, that's why my husband loves my veil and encourages me to wear it. But other than that I live completely free, I can go to work, live as a normal person in the society.
Again, I ask you please not to represent urself as a muslim, you are free to choose whatever lifestyle u like, no-one can object to that, as long as u r not causing harm to others. But do not claim that u represent Islam, because what you do is not Islam. Thank you for reading my comment, and wish you a happy and fulfilled life.

Anonymous said...

So why not go after rubber nun outfit wearers, too? Islam isn't any less a steaming pile of mythological bullshit than Christianity, so it is as much a target for parody and other forms of self-amusing mis-appropriation as anything else. If your illusions are so weak that you have to post such a whiny and defensive diatribe, I think you should remove your veil and take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror. If an Iranian gets a pass for using the convenient lie "I'm Persian" to allay ignorant morons who can't tell an Egyptian from a Pakastani, then latex lady's owner gets the same pass for bullshitting airline screeners rather than opening himself and his slave to dirty looks or getting used as some stranger's wank fodder. Your veil makes you as much a slave as her collar, and you chose to accept it as much as she did, so don't get pissy when someone borrows a bit of your kink and leaves the rest behind.

Anonymous said...

Hi all,
Please anonymous keep the discussion calm and respectful, there's no need for anger and frustration. Don't worry, I'll take ur advice and go look my face in the mirror..
First, let me explain to lady and to you all why I read her blogs, for one simple reason, I really admire her devotion and dedication to what she believes in. She is very dedicated, and doesn't mind going through some hardships to apply what she believes in. Either people agree or not to what she and Sir does, but they should be respecting their dedication.
As for my comment on why it is not right to people that she is Muslim. I think I have to full right to say so, no one can claim that people who don't believe in something, and don't adopt it, go represent themselves to others as people adopting this thing. Islam is a creed and a way of life, if someone claims he is a Muslim and leads a way of life completely different that what Islam requires, then it would be misleading to other people to think he or she is a Muslim, they will get an untrue image of Islam, which really upsets real Muslims, and they have the full right to. Again, I urge u anonymous to comment in a quiet manner. To lady, again I wish you a fulfilled life, and hail you for the strength of will u have in adopting what u believe in.

Latex Lady said...

First, let me thank everyone for the comments. Certainly they are always intersting and stimulating. Dark, have no fear, I am very careful.

Now with respect to the great debate above. I would like to say that I do not and i do not believe I have ever represented myself as muslim. I do recall that, not long after we started our experiment, Sir DID tell an airport official I was muslim to get them to find a private room for me to be ID's in.

We no longer resort to that, but rather simply say that I need a private id inspection with a female agent.

Now, one can immediately say that just by wearing a garment that appears to be what has been seen in the press and popular culture as a 'muslim' garment, i am perpetrating the same deception. And I will even concede that we DO allow people to draw that conclusion. Perhaps that is a sin of ommission (however, that's more of a Catholic concept).

Anonymous' comments are a bit strident, but I tend to agree with his overall sentiment. I do not feel any great obligation to correct a person's misconceptions. Beyond that, if they DO think I am muslim, they must think i am a very weird one who wears rubber. I suspect most people figure out that I am a fetishist instead. Can a muslim be a latex fetishist? I certianly seem to correspond with many. Of course, if i were to be dressing as a nun or Sir as a priest, would we get other criticism? of course we would. However, most peple understand that dress does not equate to person. No one mistakes SIR fora priest when he wears his rubber cassock in public. And, if you look at the picture of a catholic priest recrutiing poster at http://www.deliriumsrealm.com/delirium/blogview.asp?Post=251 I don't think anyone would mistake Fr. Jonathan Meyer for NEO.

I agree that we should not portray ourselves as muslim, but I contend we do not. Sir did once, but no longer. Nor do we HIDE behind the burqa, we EXPLOIT it. That is, a burqa IS an acceptable way for a woman to appear in public, even in most western countries, with her face and body fully covered. I know of no other garment that will serve and if I were to appear in a hood, or in bondage, then I or Sir might get arrested...hoods ARE illegal in some places.

Does the burqa symbolize slavery to ones husband? I do not think so. many women in the mid east veil, wear burqas or chador for the simple reason that they want to. now, perhaps they WANT TO because it makes them feel more in compliance with their religion's teaching and mabe some WANT TO because they WANT TO comply with the wishes of their husbands. I also recognize that many do so because they fear physical reprisal if they do not...THESE are the slaves...slaves to fear and violence.

But the others are not. they are independent women who have chosen a mode of dress that reflects their personal responsibilities and desires. SO HAVE I.

Anonymous, I wuld ask that you try to express your opinions with a bit less profanity in my comments. i will NOT, however, edit or delete them because I do not believe in censorship. And I generally agree with your views on the mythological natures of these religions. However, I still respect people who believe in them whether i believe or not.

Muslim Woman, as I said earlier, I do not represent myself as Muslim. neither, I think, do I show disrespect to Islam by wwearing a burqa, be it rubber or silk. the burqa, like veiling in general, long predates islam...romans, greeks, babylonians all veiled women for millenia before Christ or Mohammed. i expropriate a particular regional garment. If i wore a kimono, I would not be representing myself as Japanese either. If I wear the silk Shalwar kameese I acquired in Malaysia long ago, am i

However, I also comport myself modestly and respectfully, and no more 'slavishly' than I have seen muslim women, mennonite women, jewish women, and catholic women comport themselves. I AM more slavishly attired underneath, perhaps, but the burqa actually attenuates that.

So IF someone assumes i am muslim in my rubber burqa, they are presented with an image of a quiet, modest, respectful woman...there something wrong with that?


With respect to an untrue image of islam upsetting muslims, I mustsay that on the one hand muslims need to become more self confident in their religion and less concerned about what the world thinks of them or it. Jews, Hindus, and Wiccans have all had to ultimately decide that the opinion of the world is BEST changed by members of those religions practicing them with dignity and confidence and not worry too much about what others say.

Thank you for your comments about our determination.I appreciate them and I hope that, issues of garments aside, my writings have provided you with enjoyment.

Regards
Lady

Anonymous said...

I really don't like to use profanity, except for rare, but necessary, dramatic impact. To not put the skewer to Islam the same way I would to any other religion is a disservice to myself and to the other parties involved. I think latex lady has defended herself perfectly and nothing more needs to be said.

Latex Lady said...

Dark,
one of the first lessons in polite society is, "don't frighten the horses"

Even if i COULD walk out in full bondage and hooded, it would FRIGHTEN many people. Sir wore a leather hood for a daytime halloween party once years ago and was told by a police officer to remove it when he was on the street or he could be arrested for disturbing the peace and potentially for assault since it FRIGHTENED people.

Burqas may draw stares, but they do not frighten (or have not to date).

Your description of the young lady in a miniskirt gives you away...you are makign assumptions of people's character based on their dress...but she might just be a sales clerk in a top shop.

I recontextualize ethnic costumes. I do so as a way of both being comfortable and achieving my goals. would you complain so much if I wore a kimono to hide bondage? may NO women but muslims wear shalwar kameez or abayas?

I do not make money from how I dress and i do not decieve anyone who asks me if i am a muslim. if you wear a suit and someone asks you if you are a banker, do you deceive them?

Wearing jeans is not how MOST people expect an architect to dress...are you DECEIV|IN|G them by dressing casually?

We dress how we choose...as long as we do not decieve, the assumptions of others we are NOT responsible for

besides who would believe in a muslim in a rubber burqa?

regrds
Lady

Anonymous said...

Hi Lady,
Thanks for your reply. It's good to hear that u stopped telling officials that you are Muslim, the issue of dressing like a Muslim is a little different than telling people you are a Muslim. Let me explain to you first why I feel bad when I see someone making people think he or she is a Muslim while they are not. It's not the matter of being offensive to me personally. It is rather that those who embrace Islam fully view Islam as a very Dear Creed, it is a complete system that all their life is affected by, that's why they always like it to be presented in the correct clear manner, no confusion happens in presenting it to others. It is part of every Muslim's belief to present it clearly to others, because Islam is intended to be a Mercy to Mankind, so God will ask us, we Muslims, if we did our best in showing people this Mercy so they embrace it if they like. Even though I'm not now very disturbed because as u said u no longer say you are Muslim, but still I wish that you do something that makes people not confused about your identity. Still, it is your own decision, and I cannot do anything but to explain my situation to you. I agree with you that Muslims should have more confidence and less worry, that's very true, but when it comes to presenting Islam to others, it's a matter of responsibility, it has to be presented as it is, so people can get true image they can decide upon.
Dark, it seems you are such a STRAIGHTFORWARD person, u like everything to be VERY clear and transparent. This is a great attribute. It seems you became atheist because u didn't find the clarity u want in religions, but I advise you to keep searching, and u will find this clarity one day.

ClassicV said...

Equal to men in all respects .. except that they have to wear particular dress .. when men cam wear pretty much what they like. Equal to men .. but not allowed to drive a car. Equal to men in that they have to be accompanied when out and about. Equal to men in that they have a right to life .. unless a man decides otherwise ... give us a BREAK !

Anonymous said...

Well said.