A gag snob is a term used in bondage to refer to either someone who is only sexually aroused by bondage imagery which contains a gag, has a difficult time being aroused by bondage imagery unless it contains a gag, or has a fetish for gags instead of bondage. The term can be two words, or one - i.e. "gagsnob".
The term's origins are unknown, but some believe it to have originated as a term jokingly used by a bondage fetishist to refer to himself, as a tongue-in-cheek way of stating that his preference for bondage imagery which contains gags is a sort of snobbery.
It is unknown exactly how gag snobs are formed. Some believe them to have originally found bondage imagery itself arousing, and that due to overexposure to such imagery, in order to continue to be aroused, such individuals began to require an extra, related stimulus. In this case, the extra stimulus proved to be a gag. After a while, the gag became the dominant stimulus, either replacing bondage itself, or assuming greater importance. This may explain why some bondage fetish message boards contain discussions of gags more often than discussions of tying - the fetishists who stay on the boards the longest tend to be those who have had so much exposure to bondage, that their tastes have shifted.
An opposing view offers that gag snobs started out being struck by a gag's use in bondage, and found that more compelling than the use of rope. For example, some people find the inability to talk more dramatic than the inability to move one's body, and as a result, despite gags and bondage being closely related, it is only the gag that the person cares about, or the gag that they care about first. If the former is the case, it could be argued that the person is actually a gag fetishist.
Gag snobs in discussion boards
Some bondage fetishists tend to find gag snobs annoying or insulting due to some of their tendancies, such as the following:
- Recount bondage situations and describe the gag in heavy detail, while mentioning the ropes and tying method - which are what are important to most bondage fetishists - only in passing.
- Frequently comment things such as "it would have been nice if she were gagged", "it would be better with a gag", "she should have been gagged" on bondage pictures which do not contain gags. This predictable repetition can be a source of contention for those who find gag snobs annoying.
- Talk only about gags and not bondage. For example, to say "she'd look great in a gag" while never mentioning actual bondage.
- Recount bondage situations while mentioning only the gag, no matter what other things may have occured in the situation. For example, a movie may have featured a heroine tied up three different times, and tied and gagged differently each time. A gag snob might mention only that she was gagged three times, without mentioning the different forms of bondage at all.
- Related to the above, describe bondage imagery while only describing the gag in detail. For example, say that someone was "tied and gagged with a blue polka dotted bandanna between the teeth", while failing to describe that she was also tied with rope, to a chair, wrapped multiple times around her torso while her arms were at her sides and her feet were bound together.
- Only mention bondage imagery if it contains a gag. To fetishists seeking out variety in bondage, this can be frustrating, as gag snobs can prove to be unreliable in their search for more bondage imagery.
- Say things such as "if she isn't gagged, it isn't bondage", as if implying that ordinary bondage fetishists aren't as important as gag snobs.
For these reasons, gag snobs can be a source of frustration to bondage fetishists who do not require a gag in order to be aroused by bondage imagery. However, gag snobs are generally tolerated in bondage forums and groups, as they are simply a different form of bondage fetishist. When they tend to dominate the discourse, they may be resented by "non-snobs".
Furthermore, many gag snobs attempt to justify their attempts to control discourse by assuming that the majority of bondage fetishists are also gag snobs. Another argument often used by gag snobs is that many "non-snobs" still prefer gag imagery over non-gag imagery, and thus, refusal to discuss or describe gagless imagery is harming only a negligable minority. Gag snobs sometimes use these arguments when confronted about their selfish habits, such as their refusal to discuss bondage imagery without a gag.
It is important to note, however, that not all gag snobs show such malice; in fact, many do not. Many gag snobs are simply unconsciously describing their desires the way they see them by placing the greatest detail on the elements that are most important to them, a behavior that people in general tend to show in any subject. When their behaviors are pointed out to them, some gag snobs are apologetic and have shown change, such as being more willing to describe the actual bondage, in addition to the gag, in great detail. It is only when gag snobs act like actual "snobs", so to speak, that they are resented by the "non-snobs" in a bondage community.
An interesting note is that some gag snobs even apply such terms as "gag elitist" to themselves, or refer to themselves as "proud gag snobs", "severe gag snobs", etc.