it's all about trust.

we kinksters trust each other with our bodies. we give ourselves to each other, saying, in effect, here i am, take me, restrain me, do as you wish with me - within the limits of what is safe, sane, and consensual, of course.

more than that, though, we open ourselves emotionally. we let down our shields, put aside our defences, reveal ourselves as we truly are, share our deepest desires and darkest fears.

to stand before another naked, physically and emotionally, to reveal one's innermost secret self, and to be accepted, is a truly liberating experience.

the corollary, of course, is that when we make ourselves vulnerable and are rejected, the hurt goes deep, and takes a long time to heal.