There’s always more than one way to subvert a power dynamic.
Over the years, we’ve delighted in portraying female tops in any number of contexts: as bosses, as leaders, as teachers or nurses or mothers. All of these roles are ones in which women and femmes wield power, and all of them have plenty of kinky angles to explore. But power dynamics don’t have to rely on external reinforcement to work. There’s no reason a tradwife shouldn’t be as much in control as a Headmistress.
Alright, so “tradwife” might be a bit of an exaggeration. But on the surface of it, a relationship like the one portrayed in Welcome Home is as traditional as they come: a husband as the breadwinner, back from work in his sharpest suit to dinner in the oven and all the kids in bed. But that surface melts away quickly into a truth that’s far more interesting. Daddy’s home, and he’s on his knees with a red bottom as he gags on the end of Mummy’s spiked heel.
There are layers of contradiction inherent here, obviously – the same layers that exist in all BDSM. Submissive partners always do wield more of the power than seems apparent at first glance. But you don’t have to think about that right now, do you? Down you get, there’s a good boy.
