Support NeoGAF

[brap]

https://www.dailydot.com/irl/healsluts-queer-kink-gaming/

“Some people might assign spanks as punishments, and others might do simpler things,” H.F., a trans woman who is part of the Healsluts Discord, told me. “It’s basically just an extension of BDSM into gaming. You could call it a method of doing long-distance BDSM while hanging out.”

If you’re unfamiliar with BDSM, healslutting may sound weird. But the kink isn’t just about masturbating while playing video games. It’s a powerful outlet for self-discovery and community, one that’s mirrored in every fandom where adult content flourishes.

Eimi, a trans woman from Kansas, felt “completely awkward and disconnected” from others during high school, partly because of her gender dysphoria. Massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) gave her an avenue for self-expression well before she realized she was transgender. After getting into the MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, she took on the role of a woman in-game and told others she was a girl. She soon entered into a relationship with another player who went by the username Teyah.

“I introduced myself to her as a girl and we hung out for a while, a week or so, but eventually I ended up telling her my story,” Emi says about presenting as a boy prior to her gender transitioning. “She asked me out, and so began that extremely long-term relationship. We were inseparable, or at least I was inseparable from her.”

During their relationship, Eimi had her first online sexual encounter with another Final Fantasy XI player who “played a girl character who had a dick.” She bottomed for that player and learned that “the idea of being fucked rather than doing the fucking” was sexually pleasing to her. While the incident caused major tension between Eimi and Teyah, the two eventually patched things up, and the encounter would influence how the couple had online sex once they started cybering together.

“We started off playing as we were, me as a boy topping her as a woman,” Eimi told me. “However, I really wasn’t satisfied with that. I asked her if I could first play as a woman, and then a woman with a dick. She preferred me topping but was open to topping me, something I begged for more and more. I can remember her making a joke about me preferring anal and saying, ‘Oh, she’d have to do it on me first,’ and I was just like, ‘Sold!'”

I doubt Square Enix designed Final Fantasy XI so its queer players could hook up and go steady. But MMOs are fundamentally social experiences. Eimi had to make friends to play the game. Because users found ways to engage with each other sexually, Final Fantasy XI became more than just a space for play. It became a world where people like Eimi and Teyah could experiment with each other privately and safely. That legacy lives on today through spaces like the Healsluts Discord, where players can use games like Overwatch and League of Legends to explore without shame.

 

[angelic]

Fucking hell.

 

[Barakov]

Um...what?

 

[Ailynn]

Again...I'm definitely thankful to be mostly asexual.

I'm not judging, but BDSM, as well as most any other kink...has always been a strange concept to me.

 

[TLZ]

 

[Viliger]

Wait, that's real? I thought it was a hoax screencap, as always.

 

[CyberPanda]

*hopes asteroid hits the earth*

 

[EviLore]

Fascinating, a BDSM kink for pocket healers. Kind of makes sense based on the role dynamics.

Healslutting is a BDSM dynamic where players take on dominant/submissive roles through in-game characters. Usually, the submissive will play as a healer, while the dominant will play as an offensive character, although this isn’t always the case. Either way, one person submits to the other’s in-game demands for sexual pleasure. But instead of in-person roleplay or online kink sexting, gaming becomes the vehicle for the power exchange between mutually consenting parties.

 

[Jigsaah]

Again...I'm definitely thankful to be mostly asexual.

I'm not judging, but BDSM, as well as most any other kink...has always been a strange concept to me.

Enlighten me, from what I'm gathering you're saying you're MOSTLY attracted to nothing.

What does that even mean?

 

[Pejo]

That's a lot to process. My pocket healer in FFXI was me on my laptop when I dualboxed. Needless to say I did not share these experiences.

 

[Shaqazooloo]

I honestly thought this was gonna be satire and I really wish it was...

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

I've always felt like these MMOs had their kinky side lol.

 

[Ar¢tos]

Whatever rocks their boats, as long as it is legal. Good for them!

 

[Mercer_CAR]

Jesus Christ the degeneracy never ends with these people. Their entire culture is about what hole they can put things in....

 

[Ar¢tos]

Jesus Christ the degeneracy never ends with these people. Their entire culture is about what hole they can put things in....

Why would you care? I'm sure it doesn't affect your life.
If it intrigues you, it's an easy fix. You have holes too, give it a try. You might even like it!

 

[Mercer_CAR]

Why would you care? I'm sure it doesn't affect your life.
If it intrigues you, it's an easy fix. You have holes too, give it a try. You might even like it!

I care because this sexual degeneracy is inescapable. Music, films and games. 2% of the population obsessed with where to stick things demanding their "culture" be better represented in every human endeavour. Literally their entire culture is sex. Nothing more. And now they want their sex torture better represented. Where does this slippery slope end?

 

[Mercer_CAR]

I'll await the inevitable report followed by a banning because these people never like to be challenged.

 

[EviLore]

No one's banning you, hush.

I care because this sexual degeneracy is inescapable. Music, films and games. 2% of the population obsessed with where to stick things demanding their "culture" be better represented in every human endeavour. Literally their entire culture is sex. Nothing more.

That doesn't appear to be the case here, this is just something fringe that a journalist stumbled upon for a feature. They're shut-ins in long distance relationships, not frothy sex fiends.

Most relationships have a dominant and submissive role, less exaggerated than the ones in BDSM play, but still present. They're attributing goofy names to it here, but there are tons of nerd couples where one person is a pocket healer in their MMO/multiplayer sessions.

 

[bati]

Looking back on my time in WoW a lot of things are suddenly starting to make sense lmao.

I've seen some extremely weird behaviour from some people who played pocket healers but at the time chalked it up to be the consequence of the amount of attention they were getting because healers were always in demand.

Apparently not the kind of demand I had in mind at the time though.

 

[Ar¢tos]

I care because this sexual degeneracy is inescapable. Music, films and games. 2% of the population obsessed with where to stick things demanding their "culture" be better represented in every human endeavour. Literally their entire culture is sex. Nothing more. And now they want their sex torture better represented. Where does this slippery slope end?

I don't do BDSM, but I know that what is "torture" to some, is just regular pleasure for others. I respect diversity and the right to diversity. Just because someone doesn't live your cookie cutter lifestyle, it doesn't make then less than you, or less deserving of respect than you.
If its legal and consensual, it's OK.

 

[Mercer_CAR]

No one's banning you, hush.



That doesn't appear to be the case here, this is just something fringe that a journalist stumbled upon for a feature. They're shut-ins ins in long distance relationships, not frothy sex fields.

Most relationships have a dominant and submissive role, less exaggerated than the ones in BDSM play, but still present. They're attributing goofy names to it here, but there are tons of nerd couples where one person is a pocket healer in their MMO/multiplayer sessions.

Like I said, fring. Less than 2% of the population.

 

[Mercer_CAR]

I don't do BDSM, but I know that what is "torture" to some, is just regular pleasure for others. I respect diversity and the right to diversity. Just because someone doesn't live your cookie cutter lifestyle, it doesn't make then less than you, or less deserving of respect than you.
If its legal and consensual, it's OK.

Please, no one but a fring minority want this BS in gaming.... And by your standard you'd be ok with a blatantly racist game? That's a diverse option and not illegal or do you only extend such liberties to sexual degeneracy?

 

[Ar¢tos]

Please, no one but a fring minority want this BS in gaming.... And by your standard you'd be ok with a blatantly racist game? That's a diverse option and not illegal or do you only extend such liberties to sexual degeneracy?

Racism is never consensual...

 

[Mercer_CAR]

No one's banning you, hush.



That doesn't appear to be the case here, this is just something fringe that a journalist stumbled upon for a feature. They're shut-ins ins in long distance relationships, not frothy sex fields.

Most relationships have a dominant and submissive role, less exaggerated than the ones in BDSM play, but still present. They're attributing goofy names to it here, but there are tons of nerd couples where one person is a pocket healer in their MMO/multiplayer sessions.

Oh really? I was banned for a week for using punctuation when pointing out someone was Jewish and not white. Who knew that was a banable offence....

 

[Mercer_CAR]

Racism is never consensual...

It's a diverse option though right? And not hurting anyone in any physical way. Sure someone might be offered but some are offended by sexual degeneracy...... Shocker you don't hold 100% true to the whole "I respect diversity"....

 

[Ar¢tos]

It's a diverse option though right? And not hurting anyone in any physical way. Sure someone might be offered but some are offended by sexual degeneracy...... Shocker you don't hold 100% true to the whole "I respect diversity"....

You have issues...
You shouldn't be bothered by what others do, but why what they do bothers you so much.
You might discover some interesting things.
Come on, go down the rabbit hole!

 

[Mercer_CAR]

You have issues...
You shouldn't be bothered by what others do, but why what they do bothers you so much.
You might discover some interesting things.
Come on, go down the rabbit hole!

Not an argument.

 

[Ailynn]

Enlighten me, from what I'm gathering you're saying you're MOSTLY attracted to nothing.

What does that even mean?

Well, not to detract from the thread, but to recap quickly...

I'm a transgender/transsexual woman that was caused congenital sexual differentiation through prenatal exposure to a drug called Diethylstilbestrol. It has been known to cause millions of multi-generational mothers and their offspring many different health issues...including many forms of cancer, genital and chromosomal abnormalities, and transsexual brain neurology. One other largely experienced side effect is infertility and asexuality.

I never experienced sexual attraction growing up...even after a surgery I had at age eleven to get my testosterone flowing. It wasn't until just 3 years ago when I started hormone replacement therapy (testosterone blockers and estrogen) that I finally started understanding sexual attraction and the effects of pheromones. I do now occasionally find men attractive, but not to the level where I would want to have a relationship. I still have absolutely no interest in sex, even though I do now find guys attractive sometimes.

I don't know if that makes much sense, but there you go!

 

[Ar¢tos]

Not an argument.

Everybody has the right to be racist, as long as they keep it to themselves... Expressing that racism would hurt others and that wouldn't be a consensual action.
Stop being selfish and thing of people with limitations, that can't have sex in real life, for example.
Virtual sex works as an escape, a form of therapy for them.
A long time ago, I worked with a girl that couldn't have sex, it caused her grave physical discomfort. She used to go home and play a game called Second Life, that had some sort of sex rooms or areas where sex animations were allowed. For her it was the only way to have sex and she eventually met a guy that couldn't have sex in real life there and they started dating.
Stop being so close minded.
The age of sexual discovery meaning guilt or wrong is long gone.

 

[GeekyDad]

Um...what?

.

 

[Mercer_CAR]

Everybody has the right to be racist, as long as they keep it to themselves... Expressing that racism would hurt others and that wouldn't be a consensual action.
Stop being selfish and thing of people with limitations, that can't have sex in real life, for example.
Virtual sex works as an escape, a form of therapy for them.
A long time ago, I worked with a girl that couldn't have sex, it caused her grave physical discomfort. She used to go home and play a game called Second Life, that had some sort of sex rooms or areas where sex animations were allowed. For her it was the only way to have sex and she eventually met a guy that couldn't have sex in real life there and they started dating.
Stop being so close minded.
The age of sexual discovery meaning guilt or wrong is long gone.

Nice, an anecdote. Case closed. Degeneracy is degeneracy, always has been just because the neo-liberal, globalists promote sex as a unquestionable positive doesn't make it so.

Ponder this, we are always told that degerate pornography is an example of freedom of expression in the west, why then when Israeli troops took over three Palestinian television stations in Ramallah did they broadcasts pornographic movies? Did the Israelies want to free the Palestinians? Or was it because they used it as a weapon against the Palestinians knowing full well sexual obsessions make a population dull, subservient and obedient to authority?

 

[EviLore]

Oh really? I was banned for a week for using punctuation when pointing out someone was Jewish and not white. Who knew that was a banable offence....

Oh, (((punctuation))), right. lol. Looks like you can't help yourself.

 

[Tesseract]

jesus lord too much information

 

[Ar¢tos]

Nice, an anecdote. Case closed. Degeneracy is degeneracy, always has been just because the neo-liberal, globalists promote sex as a unquestionable positive doesn't make it so.

Ponder this, we are always told that degerate pornography is an example of freedom of expression in the west, why then when Israeli troops took over three Palestinian television stations in Ramallah did they broadcasts pornographic movies? Did the Israelies want to free the Palestinians? Or was it because they used it as a weapon against the Palestinians knowing full well sexual obsessions make a population dull, subservient and obedient to authority?

Ugh... Pointless to discuss with fanatics...
I'll go back to my satanic orgies, lots of holes to be filled!

 

[gela94]

I'm confused and a bit sad for humanity . . what will happen to us once VR really kicks off?

 

[SonOfSheba]

Well, not to detract from the thread, but to recap quickly...

I'm a transgender/transsexual woman that was caused congenital sexual differentiation through prenatal exposure to a drug called Diethylstilbestrol. It has been known to cause millions of multi-generational mothers and their offspring many different health issues...including many forms of cancer, genital and chromosomal abnormalities, and transsexual brain neurology. One other largely experienced side effect is infertility and asexuality.

I never experienced sexual attraction growing up...even after a surgery I had at age eleven to get my testosterone flowing. It wasn't until just 3 years ago when I started hormone replacement therapy (testosterone blockers and estrogen) that I finally started understanding sexual attraction and the effects of pheromones. I do now occasionally find men attractive, but not to the level where I would want to have a relationship. I still have absolutely no interest in sex, even though I do now find guys attractive sometimes.

I don't know if that makes much sense, but there you go!

Wow, very interesting! Thanks for sharing your story.
I never knew something like that is even possible.

 

[Winter John]

Well shit, this explains all them comments I get playing Mercy on Overwatch.

 

[Despera]

Healslutting...

I'm getting too old for this shit

 

[joe_zazen]

I'm confused and a bit sad for humanity . . what will happen to us once VR really kicks off?

We’ll evolve or die as tech progresses. We already have a lot of unintended consequences from tech, the biggest being the decoupling of coordinated action over time from local bonds and emotions into an amoral abstract system based on math.

I do think we are scared of evolution and extinction because we are essentially vessels for our genes, and our job is to ensure their survival. It is pretty hard to have a conversation that involves people’s children. But everything ends, even homo sapien sapiens, so the questions will be answered whether we want to think about them or not.

My guess is that the moral and systemic bifurcation that has already happened between the rulers/rich/global-elites vs everyone else will result in the rulers using tech for life extension and genetic manipulation, while letting the losers continue their short brutish lives. And that is where our species will diverge. There will come a point where homo sapien sapiens will become the equivalent of neanderthals and then a separate species entirety, and then become extinct. Beyond that, I cannot even guess because I have no idea how next gen humans will perceive the world.

I like to think it will be something like this:

........humanity should be honored to be "the first species in the universe to develop the conditions for its own replacement."

Today, some fifty years later, reality has largely confirmed the prophetic tone of Hubczejak's speech-more so than perhaps even he envisaged. There remain some humans of the old species, particularly in areas long dominated by religious doctrine. Their reproductive levels fall year by year, however, and at present their extinction seems inevitable. Contrary to the doomsayers, this extinction is taking place peaceably, despite occasional acts of violence, which also continue to decline. It has been surprising to note the meekness, resignation, perhaps even secret relief with which humans have consented to their own passing.
Having broken the filial chain that linked us to humanity, we live on. Men consider us to be happy; it is certainly true that we have succeeded in overcoming the forces of egotism, cruelty and anger which they could not. We live very different lives. Science and art are still a part of our society; but without the stimulus of personal vanity, the pursuit of Truth and Beauty has taken on a less urgent aspect. To humans of the old species, our world seems a paradise. We have even been known to refer to ourselves—with a certain humor—by the name they so long dreamed of gods.

History exists; it is elemental, it dominates, its rule is inexorable. Yet outside the strict confines of history, the ultimate ambition of this book is to salute the brave and unfortunate species which created us. This vile, unhappy race, barely different from the apes, which nevertheless carried within it such noble aspirations. Tortured, contradictory, individualistic, quarrelsome and infinitely selfish, it was sometimes capable of extraordinary explosions of violence, but never quite abandoned its belief in love. This species which, for the first time in history, was able to envision the possibility of its succession and, some years later, proved capable of bringing it about. As the last members of this race are extinguished, we think it just to render this last tribute to humanity, an homage which itself will one day disappear, buried beneath the sands of time. It is necessary that this tribute be made, if only once. This book is dedicated to mankind.

 

[Ogbert]

Again...I'm definitely thankful to be mostly asexual.

I can recommend marriage.

 

[Jack Videogames]

this fucking timeline, dood

 

[CrustyBritches]

I remember when chatrooms and cyber sex became a thing. I was talking to this completely anonymous "person" and asking if "she" had huge tits. She was like, "of course, these puppies are huuuge!" and then told me to attack them. She might have been holding infant canines and telling me to be rude to them and even if the dogs couldn't read, she might just read the shit I was saying aloud and blame me for insulting them although I actually was being overly aggressive to my mental projection of her tits? But yeah...

 

[Hissing Sid]

I can recommend marriage.

I say steady on, the poster said mostly.

 

[Hudo]

Well, nothing is stopping them from making an RPG Maker game (or using another engine) and put it on Steam etc.

 

[Wink]

Subcultures in MMOs are fascinating. No reason to freak out. I like how the article is written, there's no pushy undertone there, simply a report on something very niche.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

Well, there should be adults only matches/rooms/servers for this - I.E. I don't think an 8 years old should be subject to these people exploring their sexuality safely.

That being said we thought it was funny to have the bears in Altered Beast going at it back then, now I wonder if one of my friends was excited by that!


Most games have some kind of moves that you can interpret that way, I would never have guessed that people masturbated to it.

 

[zcaa0g]

Need to nuke Earth from orbit. "It's the only way to be sure.,"

 

[Whitesnake]

This kind of thing has been around for at least a couple years now.

I do not understand why the Daily Dot would show off this deranged sexual degeneracy, or why they would act like this is representative of queer people.

Someone who gets sexual gratification from the idea of healing people in a game is probably not entirely mentally sound. Maybe it's not a good idea to associate that kind of person with gay people in general.

 

[spookyfish]

Again...I'm definitely thankful to be mostly asexual.

I'm not judging, but BDSM, as well as most any other kink...has always been a strange concept to me.

I’m asexual too. I’m married. >rimshot<

Thank you for sharing your story. It’s interesting to know.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

So, when we masturbate we are actually practicing self-discovery? Then, i'm glad that I have gotten to know myself this much.