Sex-Interface-Aesthetics: The Docile Avatars and Embodied Pixels of Second Life BDSM

Anyone paying the slightest attention to virtual worlds knows that sex is a major part of them, in particular, more fetishized forms of sex, including cyberstripping and escorts, furry sex (sex between humanoid-animal avatars), and BDSM. Virtual world sex is ubiquitous, appearing in fantasy-themed commercially created worlds such as World of Warcraft [9; 15]. But sex, especially fetish sex, comes into its own in metaverses with user-created content, such as Second Life, There, and ActiveWorlds. There are obvious reasons for the popularity of fetish sex in these worlds: they can be considerably less expensive than real-life fetish sex (rubber outfits, whips, restraints, and swings add up); the anonymity of these worlds frees people to act without the usual social restraints; and the increasingly compelling visuals of these environments provide high quality visual stimulation.