Where once chastity devices were meant to stop women from masturbating or cheating on their knight husbands in the 19th century, now they’re a key kink in the BDSM community — particularly among gay men, who use them for erection and orgasm denial. Some people might wear them for short periods of time (an hour or so), while others opt to keep them on for days, weeks or months at a time. One guy even told Pink News that he’d been locked up for 430 days.
So, for those who live, breathe and sleep chastity, wearing a cage becomes part and parcel of everyday life. They shower in the cage, go to work in the cage, visit family in the cage. And, as if exercising isn’t, er, hard enough, they go to the gym in the cage. Although it’s fairly easy to avoid being seen while showering — by anyone who doesn’t already know about the cage, at least — and to hide the device when wearing pants, it seems like a tall order to keep your dick trap a secret while wearing tight lycra, or lying face-up-legs-open doing bench presses. It’s not just the fear (or desire, if you’re into that) of being caught, but the practicality of exercising in a cage. Is it inconvenient? Does it make a noise? I don’t have a dick and balls, but do they wobble when you run? And if so, that’d be painful in a cage, right?
Luckily, loads of people seem to be doing it — and documenting it in the r/gaychastity subreddit. The three people I spoke to — who are referred to pseudonymously in this piece — are fairly new to chastity play, and especially new to wearing their cages to the gym, so they haven’t necessarily learned the tricks of the trade yet. One person who seems more versed in gym chastity did share the following recommendation in the main r/chastity subreddit, though: “In a cage, wear a chord around the waist to prevent bouncing. Apply lots of Gold Bond body powder to avoid chafing. Wear a pair of tights. Wear sweats. Running is the enemy. Lifting is great.”
Alongside logistics, many people were asking about the ethics of wearing a chastity cage at the gym, in case people saw it in the locker room. The general consensus appears to be that you shouldn’t involve someone else in your kink without their consent — meaning, be stealthy when you’re naked. Not everyone holds this view, however, with some wearing their cages to the gym specifically to be seen.
Anyway, without further ado, it’s time to get locked in with three locked-up guys.
‘It Wasn’t Terribly Busy So I Could Snap a Few Pics to Post for a Cage Check on Reddit and Twitter’
David, 39, New York City: I’ve been wearing a chastity cage on and off for a little over a year. I like walking around having a kinky little secret under my clothes, and being frequently reminded of my dick. I wear it purely for the orgasm denial — cumming at the end of a lockup is epic. And there’s something delicious about being frustrated and horny 24/7. A lot of guys will pair it with other kinks like submission, humiliation, sissification, size play, etc. It’s sort of a choose-your-own-adventure kink like that, and I feel as though a lot more guys are getting into it.
This week was my first time wearing it to the gym — I’d been too nervous about people noticing it to try it before. But I finally thought, “Fuck it, just go for it.” For me, it’s really just an extension of being kinky and sexual in public without anyone else having a clue. Also, honestly, it was perfectly normal. I went about my usual workout without any issues. It’s a pretty discreet cage to begin with. Before I left the apartment, I checked to see how obvious it was in the particular pair of shorts I was wearing, and it was barely noticeable. I certainly own a few pairs that I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing while locked in public, though.
Thankfully, it wasn’t terribly busy so I could snap a few pics to post for a cage check on Reddit and Twitter. After the pics, a few guys came through, but I went about my business as usual and changed into my street clothes like normal. They could have noticed the obvious cage-shaped bulge under my jockstrap if they looked (but since it’s a pretty bro-y gym, the fact of an Andrew Christian jockstrap would have averted their eyes pretty quickly). I also live close enough to the gym that I don’t need to shower there, so I didn’t have to contend with someone seeing it directly. Plus, with the idea of showering, I feel as though being naked in the locker room wearing a cage would non-consensually involve others in my kink, and that’s not cool.
I don’t intend to wear it during sessions with my trainer, but when I’m on my own, I’ll absolutely be locked from now on.
‘I Didn’t Try to Hide the Cage with Baggy Clothing. I Did the Opposite — I Wore the Tightest, Most See-Through White Basketball Shorts I Have’
Malcolm, 20, Tennessee: I first got my cage in February, but have only been wearing it for the last week. I decided to wear it to the gym because I wanted to see what thrill I would have in the locker room. I didn’t try to hide the cage with baggy clothing, in fact, I did the opposite — I wore the tightest, most see-through white basketball shorts I have. It was exhilarating. While working out, I couldn’t even feel it. I didn’t do anything too extreme this time around, though, so maybe that was a factor. But I ran a mile and did some cardio, and it was just as if it wasn’t even there. Thankfully, my cage is very well-fitted and comfy.
Unfortunately, there was no one in the locker room, but I showered in the communal shower and walked around naked kinda hoping someone would come in. I wanted someone to see or comment, but no one did. I do believe that a couple of people noticed, though, because the cage was bulging through my shorts, and I did get two or three stares, but that was it.
It was really hot for me, and turned me on so much. I’m actually going to the gym tonight locked again — hopefully this time, someone will catch a glance.
‘When Getting in the Proper Form to Do Certain Exercises, I Could Feel the Belt Pressing Against My Body’
Pup Starry, 34, Pittsburgh: I got into chastity because orgasm denial is something I’ve always wanted to try. It can make you frustratingly horny, which can be an outlet for other sexual activities like anal sex, or it can enable you to focus more in the gym, as you need something to distract you from the constant horniness the belt puts you in.
I only wore it to the gym because I’m locked via a keyholder, so I’m forced to do my workouts belted. So far, it’s been easy. It wasn’t painful to work out, but it was annoying that when getting in the proper form to do certain exercises, I could feel the belt pressing against my body. Although, I’ll add that this particular model of belt is from Behind Barz and that it takes two to three weeks of on and off wear for it to adjust and form to your body. I expect working out in it will be much more comfortable when that finally happens.
There’s no risk of anyone seeing it in the locker room, as I change into my gym clothes at home, go to the gym and then shower at home. No one else has noticed the belt yet — not that I’m aware of, anyway. Not even my trainer!
It absolutely does turn me on knowing I’m wearing a $1,300 chastity belt around all these hot guys who have no idea. Also, sweating from a workout can increase how horny I get, so it’s a gamble when I work out belted whether I’ll leave the gym more horny and frustrated than before.
Brit Dawson
Brit Dawson is a London-based journalist who mostly writes about sex, women's rights and sex work. She is also the staff writer at Dazed.
