Professional sports, the military, politics, law, medicine, beer sales - what do these things all have in common? They are areas within society which are all dominated by men. But this is not an article about which sex dominates what and why, and I'm certainly not out to debate Gloria Steinem's quote that, "...a woman has two choices: she's a feminist of a masochist" - at least not right now. Why I mention these few random sectors in which there is a male predominance is because I wish to add another to the list. One that few of my fellow ladies (at least outside of this realm) may have never though about: recreational casting.
Yes, by and far casting in all its splendid, rock hard glory is a world unto men, because it is men who tend to have a penchant for casting. Indeed it's women who we most often see as cast models, but it is men who are usually the first to come forward with their casting, and be most vocal about what they'd like to see in the casting world. I haven't the slightest clue as to what the actual ratio of men to women users are on the big pay casting sites, but I'd venture to guess that it's somewhere in the fibreglass encrusted neighborhood of 90-95% men and 5-10% women. Again, that's just be ballpark figure, but I'm basing it off of one largely defining factor; the ratio of men to women that you see participating on casting message boards and related medical fetish/hobby/fantasy sites (of course there is some wiggle room there, as anyone can assume the alias of their choice on such sites and so defining a person's actual gender becomes a tad trickier).
There are two main reasons why I think we far more menfolk are into the world of casting (and why their presence is a whole lot more prevalent within the community). For starters we have to look at casting on a sexual level first. Whether that means it's something that turns a guy on or a sector of kink that has evolved into a full-fledged fetish, it would appear that most casters who see casting as something tied to their sexual preferences are men. How do we know this? Well for one, if you check out the largest casting mecca sites that use (paid) models you will see that the people (models) in casts are almost always women. Typically young, pretty to beautiful, usually thin to average built women. Not all cast models posse nude or even semi nude but on some level I think that the director behind the shots always tries to implement some sense of female sexuality into the picture, even if it's just a shot of something as mundane as crutching down the street (in a mini skirt or one high heel or a tight pink shirt...). Don't get me wrong here for one red second, I'm not complaining and I'm not even beginning to broach my personal views on women and adult porn, instead I'm looking into why it is that the majority of casting enthusiasts appear to men.
Yes, many casting sites in a multitude of languages around the globe almost all feature women in casts, sometimes (though not overly common) a man (almost never casted, himself) will be in the picture with her. Though most shots feature one casted woman some adhere to the motto, "the more the merrier", and feature two or more (be still my beating heart!) casted gals. Another theme which you might run into (sadly not often enough) is a picture in which you see a casted women with a non casted women, perhaps dressed as a nurse (hell, yes!) or in another role where she is assisting the casted beauty. What we see with almost all of these images is that they are geared towards straight, horny men. No worries, a great deal of porn, erotica and adult imagery is, because quite matter of factually straight men do comprise a significant chunk of the porn buying industry. (Though I can assure you that women have just as many fantasies and sexual thoughts as you guys do, we just tend to approach them differently, and porno geared towards women/produced/written by women does often sell very well.) With only a couple of exceptions (the site "
Jessica's Cast Dreams" springs to my mind), every large scale casting site that I know is run (and/or started by) men, and I don't think I'd be off base if I were to say that, ohhhhhh, I bet these men are themselves casting (and/or leg/foot/medical) fans, so they project their own desired fantasies into their shots. Thusly producing casting shots for men by men, but staring women. (Could you image a casting site run by women featuring images that those female casting fans wanted to show the world? I can, and it's one sweet thought.)
Reason number two; in my many years as a woman, and in speaking with a great deal of my fellow she-rads on this point, I can tell you that women are often very passive and shy when it comes to outwardly expressing their hobbies or sexual desires if they verge even remotely on anything that is not safe-as-a-childproof-cap and clean as a whistle (really, are whistles really that clean, think about it, all that saliva) in the eyes of society. Indeed, if I was in a club, at the gym, shopping for 4 inch heels, and I heard one woman turn to her girlfriend/sister/lover (or heck, any man in her life for that matter) and say something to the extent of, "you know what really gets me hot? The idea of wearing a leg cast!" I'd probably need a minute to scrape my jaw off the floor, as the smile spread from dangling earring to dangling earring across my face. It's never happened, and I'd put my odds on the fact that in the throws of everyday life, it never will. I might hear about how she wishes her boyfriend would give her more/better oral sex, or that she'd love to try a three-way (women, despite stereotypes to the contrary, do think about this one too), but that'd she'd part with her favourite handbag or childhood heirloom for two nights in a hip spica - wow, I think I'll be abducted by aliens first. To me, this is a darn shame,and I firmly believe that it is not because women don't have fantasies and desires that involve casting but because they are not apt to talk about them within earshot of anyone else, often including their partners and spouses. More often than not (this applies a bit more to straight rather than gay women) erotic images are not geared towards what a woman would want as her type of ideal (we'll settle for "enjoyable") type of sexual imagery. Casting is no exception.
Though I do have to interrupt myself (so much nicer than when someone else interrupts me), and say that I personally, LOVE, images of women in casts, no complaints here, though I do wish we'd see a whole lot more of certain types of casts and scenarios!
Steeping out of the sexual realm for both men and women, there appears to be a lot more guys who are into casting on the whole. Whether it be wearing casts, seeing casts, casting, having their partner model a cast and so on, men do tend to lead the pack in the world of casting, if only by sheer numbers alone. Luckily, there are some women (I wish I could offer you even a semi-hard number here, but I can't find any stats to support a love of lacs) who do clearly adore, admire and respect all that enshrines casting, and really heaven bless them, for it is with these souls that I feel an instant kinship, a desire to probe their minds and know what drives their casting thoughts and whims. I want to know how, when and why they are fascinated by casting. Do they wish to be casted, or care for someone who is casted? Do they prefer to see men, women or couples in casts? Here's a biggie, have they ever been casted? How many guys who are into casting have actually worn a recreational cast compared to women who pine for the very same thing? Why do women feel (for those that do) that they must keep their casting dreams and thoughts such tightly guarded secrets? Surely they are no stranger or off-beat than a plethora of things that people long for and find fun in, from S&M to role playing.
How often have we seen posts from men who want to know how to tell their girlfriend/wife about their love of casting, yet do were hear these same types of things from women? Almost never. Surely though, I adamantly believe that ladies too, face the conundrum of how to breech this subject with their partners. It is never easy or simple to just come right out and say to someone (especially somebody that we care a lot about) that we're into casting. For the subject of casting is not an everyday occurrence, heck, it's something that most people will never speak of unless they injure themselves or work in the medical field. To most people casts are simply there to mend broken bones (of course, an excellent and highly important use) and be the occasional theme of a joke or gag, nothing more. (I understand this, I really do.)
Perhaps another reason why we don't hear or see to many gals who are into recreational casting is because often, as soon as a women makes her casting thoughts and ideas known she is quickly swarmed upon by a flock of aroused men who are all to quick to pour forth detailed descriptions of exactly what they'd love to do to her sexually. In some respects it's like the idea that just because a women choices to wear a tight fitting top or a sexy skirt she must be out to get laid. Such things (and I say this as a woman) are completely and utterly not true. A women can enjoy sex and dress sexy/pretty without wanting to find a date or get laid, and I promise you women can talk about their casting thoughts and desires without wanting to endure an inbox full of lurid perversion which is enough to scare her away from ever publicly discussing her love of casting again. Men, I (we as women) understand that your libidos differ from ours greatly, but that is no excuse to send a complete stranger a fantasy that you've been building for ten years. Take it from a lady, you'll (almost always) have far better luck if you start out with an amicable friendship and let the tides take your relationship where they will from there. Or (and perhaps better yet in many situations) just let us (women) voice are thoughts on casting and respect (and value) them as you would those of a fellow male caster. I have no doubt in my mind that women have a great deal to bring to the world of casting, to place upon the Risser table and share with their fellow casters and to express to the whole world. Now, when will this happen, if ever? I really can't guess, but I hope that by my humble rantings here, it will help other women and casters in general to know that it's okay (and entirely normal) to speak up about their casting ideas and wants, to let us as a community in on the inner workings of your own unique casting brain.
Part of the reason that I started this blog was (and is) because I so feel so strongly that all people, including women should have a place to come and know that another soul just like them thinks about casting, loves casting and spends time pondering countless facets about recreational casting. I extend an open call to women everywhere to feel that (if nowhere else) there is a safe spot for them here, and within in the casting world. Ladies, let us all take pride in our love of casting, for surely it is wonderful thing to have as a constant source of creative inpseration and fun.
