Future of Sex
tagline
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • CES Sex Toy News and Sex Tech Brands

  • Policing Intimacy: AI Companion Apps Are Removing NSFW Features, and People Are Not Happy

  • The Future of Sex Is Non-binary Genital Surgery That Advances Bodily Agency

  • Is Equity Crowdfunding the Future of Sex Tech Investment?

  • Sex Tech News: New VR Sex Game, a User-Generated Erotica App and ‘Porn for TV’ Streaming Relaunches

  • Blyynd Brings on Investors to Build Anonymous Sexting App

  • A Fitbit for the Penis? The FirmTech Tech Ring Product Review

  • Sex Tech at CES 2023: 6 Brands Exhibited, Including an Anonymous Sexting App

Future of Sex is supported by our readers. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Home > Dating & Relationships > Will Face Masks Inspire a New Sexual Revolution?

Dating & Relationships
Home›Dating & Relationships›Will Face Masks Inspire a New Sexual Revolution?

Will Face Masks Inspire a New Sexual Revolution?

By M. Christian
September 26, 2020
1109
0

Concealing oneself can be liberating, but it also has its dark side.

Pandemic Masking Ring in a New Sexual Revolution

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”—Oscar Wilde

What with our constant reminders of how to stay safe during the pandemic, it’d be easy for our stressed-out minds to forget that thousands of years before becoming an effective way to prevent the spread of disease, masks were magic. 

A tad on the whimsical side? Maybe, but is there a better way to describe an item that, when worn, can free you—from being yourself?

As COVID-19 persists, an ability that has a pretty good chance of unfettering many of our wildest desires. All through the power of anonymity. 

Freedom to express

Image showing masks

Motivated by a growling stomach and a starkly empty fridge, I checked and double-checked my pandemic precautions before heading out to my local grocery.

There, life during COVID-19 was on full-display: hand-sanitizer stations, signs demarking how to be six feet apart from fellow shoppers, and,  naturally, every face all-but completely obscured by a mask.

There was something else, though: while everyone was stringently covered up, many bodies weren’t. Sure, it was a warmish-day but needing to stay cool didn’t fully explain all that exposed skin.  

And not just displayed but quite provocatively. And before you ask, no, this wasn’t a Walmart. 

You could almost hear all the communal wheels turning: why shouldn’t I?  It’s not like anyone can tell who I am. 

While not always this provocatively expressed, the growing comfort in being facially invisible is getting more and more attention. 

As in Samantha Matt’s tweet, which was referenced in an article for the, tweeted:

“Masks protect you from coronavirus yes, but they also protect you from running into people you know in public. Add sunglasses and you are literally in disguise. It’s safe to do anything, anywhere, even in your hometown. This is my dream.“

All this is nothing new to researchers, who’ve studied for decades the allure of  being unrecognizable and what can happen when people feel free of daily societal constraints.

If that last bit sounds scary, then it probably won’t help that a lot of our understanding of this phenomenon comes from that spooky time of year.

Unmasking our dark sides

In 1960, Edward Diener and his team of researchers used Halloween to test the moral compasses of trick-or-treater. They watched whether or not  the subjects would steal candy if  their faces were hidden behind masks.

The results were disturbing, to be blunt about it. Diener found that because no one could tell who they were, as he puts it in his paper’s abstract: “Significantly more stealing was observed under conditions of anonymity.”

Technically, this is called deindividuation, and there’s ample evidence it gets way worse when you couple this social invisibility with choosing, or being coerced, into assuming a predetermined role. A mask, if you will. 

Famously, or infamously it’d be more accurate to say, Stanford professor Philip Zimbardo’s prison experiment, where his test subjects were segregated into either guards or prisons, demonstrated how nightmarishly bad this can go wrong.  

Sobering to be sure, but while this is an undeniable part of human nature, it doesn’t mean social anonymity invariably leads to nightmare scenarios like Zimbardo’s. 

Instead, wearing a mask can be the opposite: a way to explore and affirm who we are.  

Revealing sexual identities 

Image showing men revealing sexual identities

Talk Internet and you’ve got to mention trolls: those irritating if not outright malignant so-and-sos who, emboldened by invisibility, have been pestering us since practically the first line of code was written. 

But they have their uses. For instance, here they perfectly fit the kind of toxic deindividuation Diener studied. But despite their egos, they aren’t the entirety of the Internet. For all of their acting out, there are millions of others who, because they are safely anonymous, can comfortably express who they are—and what they enjoy sexually.

Take this and expand it outwards into our pandemic world of masks and you can see how though there’ll always be the danger that some might use having their face covered to act on their worst impulses others will instead use it to celebrate their gender preference, their orientation, or they’re beautiful bodies. 

Who knows where all this could lead us? As we get more and more into life during quarantine, with it sliding steadily towards “this is just the way things are going to be for a long time,” people might gather for exhibitionism/voyeurism parties. 

There they’d dance, prance, and sexually show off what nature gave them while remaining a safe six feet apart. Add in virtual reality or video conferencing and our party goes world-wide. 

We’ve already looked at how masks are getting kinky, so why not postulate this trend by imagining this freedom of erotic expression graduating to our entire bodies: a joyously wild fashion parade of color, fabrics, and unashamedly exposed skin.

With looking good, we could also feel good: guilt and shame washed away by no longer fearing what others might think of you as, behind your mask, you’re nicely safe and secure.

Cosplayers and drag performers are already intimately familiar with this, often feeling a deep personal kinship to their favorite characters.  In this spirit, there might see masks widely used to manifest entirely new erotic personas: giving us a chance to put not one, but many faces forward.  

We might even see a new offshoot of BDSM, where a potent new aspect to submission all hinges in willing unveiling your most inmate self: your bare face.   

Naturally, we’ll have to be careful—the dark side of deindividuation and all that—but in our over-excitedness doing something tragically reckless. Being optimistic, though, as we get familiar with this new world we’ll no doubt begin to build in self-imposed limitations to keep things from getting too out of hand. 

There’s also the important question of consent, as though it’ll be thrilling to display yourself while hidden behind your COVID-19 mask, folx around you may not have agreed to participate in your exhibitionism. 

A specifically designed party, where everyone knows what they’re getting into—or clothing out of—would solve a lot of this, of course. 

Facing tomorrow together

Steadily emboldened by anonymity, longing to sexually connect with other people—even if we have to stay away from them, discovering that though masks obscure our faces they also free us to be who we are, the pandemic might, it’s own weird way, help us mature as a species. 

But only if we don’t give in to ignorance and fear, that is. So, no matter how bleak things might appear, stay educated, take care of yourself and those around you, help those who can’t help themselves, try to stay optimistic, and no matter how it makes you feel, never go anywhere without your mask.

Image source:  Naval S, Harikrishnan Tulsidas, istolethetv

M. Christian

M.Christian (they/them) loves nothing better than exploring the intersections of sex and technology—and speculating on the future of both. A highly regarded erotica writer they have six novels,12 collections, 100+ short stories, and 25 anthologies as an editor to their name. Their non-fiction regularly appears in many sites, but they're most proud of being a regular contributor to Future of Sex.

Of their erotic fiction, Tristan Taormino said that “M.Christian is a literary stylist of the highest caliber: smart, funny, frightening, sexy—there's nothing [they] can't write about… and brilliantly.”

Reflecting their unique ability to sympathetically and convincingly write for a range of genders and sexual orientations, their stories have appeared in multiple editions of Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, The Mammoth Books of Erotica, and others. Their collection of gay erotic fiction, Dirty Words, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award.

While a majority of their stories have been collected into books like Dirty Words, their fondness for combining sex and science fiction is clearly evident in collections that include Rude Mechanicals, Technorotica, Better Than The Real Thing, Skin Effect Effect, Bachelor Machine, and Hard Drive: The Best Sci-Fi Erotica of M.Christian.

As a novelist, M.Christian’s versatility is on full display with Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Brushes, Painted Doll; and the somewhat controversial queer BDSM/horror/thrillers Finger's Breadth, and Me2.

M.Christian has worked on the industry’s production side as an Associate Publisher for Renaissance E Books and as a Publisher for Digital Parchment Services. The latter dedicated to celebrating the works of science-fiction legends such as William Rotsler, Jerome Bixby, Jody Scott, Arthur Byron Cover, Ernest Hogan, and James Van Hise.

Covering topics like BDSM safety, sexual education, senior sexuality concerns, queer and gender issues, plus reviewing a variety of sex tech products, M.Christian’s non-fiction has appeared on sites like Kinkly, Tickle.Life, Sexpert, Queer Majority, Sex for Every Body, and—of course—their ongoing work for Future of Sex.

If there’s anything M.Christian enjoys more than writing, it’s teaching. A featured presenter, sometimes with their friend Ralph Greco Jr, at national sex and BDSM events, they have lectured on kink play (with an emphasis on safety), polyamory, boosting sexual creativity, and erotica writing--for beginners or those wanting to go pro.

M.Christian is a cohost on two popular sex-education podcasts: Love’s Outer Limits with Dr. Amy Marsh and Licking Non-Vanilla with Ralph Greco, Jr.

M.Christian's Books (Sizzler Editions)
M.Christian's Audiobooks
Previous Article

Neither Brave nor New: Why the Sex-shaming ...

Next Article

It’s Raining Men in Gay Harem, an ...

Related articles More from author

  • View of The White House and front yard with fountain
    Dating & Relationships

    White House Is Using Dating Apps to Get People Vaccinated

    June 22, 2021
    By M. Christian
  • Dating & Relationships

    The Seven Days of Swiping, Day 3: Hinge, the App That Makes You Put Your Best Foot Forward

    February 9, 2020
    By Connor Leshner
  • Virtually Dating VR
    Dating & Relationships

    4 Predictions on the Future of Dating from Futurist Ross Dawson

    February 7, 2019
    By M. Christian
  • Tech Sex Study
    Dating & RelationshipsSex Tech

    We Research Sex; Let Us Tell You About the Future

    August 24, 2021
    By Lily Moor and Dr. Alexandra James
  • Tinder
    Dating & Relationships

    The Seven Days of Swiping, Day 1: Tinder, the Firestarter that Burned the Dating Forest

    February 7, 2020
    By Connor Leshner
  • A smartphone shows two heart emojis with a yellow-face kiss emoji in the middle.
    Dating & Relationships

    Guide to Virtual Dating During Quarantine

    November 14, 2020
    By Vanessa Smith

  • Robots

    ‘Love and Sex with Robots’ Conference Re-launches After Malaysian Ban

  • Close up of the illustration showing the original sex machine.
    Robots

    Perception and the Pursuit of Pleasure: A Brief History of Sex Machines

  • Sex Tech

    How to Control Your Sex Dreams with Science and Sex Tech

Virtual Lust is a 3D interactive sex game.
3DXChat
Discover the best virtual sex parties and 3D sex worlds.
  • TOP REVIEWS

  • “Bright Lights, Loving City”—An Erotic Speculative Fiction Story

  • Woman in blue lighting with yellow binary code projected across her face.

    Policing Intimacy: AI Companion Apps Are Removing NSFW Features, and People Are Not Happy

  • Porn for TV logo (computer screen graphic with pink u shapes and a mouse cursor).

    Sex Tech News: New VR Sex Game, a User-Generated Erotica App and ‘Porn for TV’ ...

  • The Blyynd logo with two screens. One has a chat screen and one has the sexual desire options listed.

    Blyynd Brings on Investors to Build Anonymous Sexting App

  • FirmTech Tech Ring

    A Fitbit for the Penis? The FirmTech Tech Ring Product Review

  • Sex Tech at CES 2023: 6 Brands Exhibited, Including an Anonymous Sexting App

  • What Vibrating Buttplug Support in a Video Game Taught Us About the Future of Webcam ...

  • Is Virtual Reality Dating Going Mainstream?

  • Sex Doll Brothels: Reality vs. Expectation

  • Replika AI Chatbot saved human marriage

    How Replika’s AI Chatbot Saved One Man’s Human Marriage

  • Meet the Humans Forming Romantic Relationships With AI

    Replika Romance: Meet the Humans Forming Romantic Relationships With AI

  • The future of sex is mind-reading AI that reveals your deepest, most unconscious fantasies

    The Future of Sex Is Mind-Reading AI That Reveals Your Deepest, Most Unconscious Fantasies

  • Sex Robots Are Getting Closer to Feeling Human-Like With Second Skin Materials

    Sex Robots Are Getting Closer to Feeling Human-Like With Second Skin Materials

  • R/gonewildaudio's gender inclusive audio erotica

    /R/gonewildaudio: An Array of Free, Inclusive and Categorized Audio Erotica

  • Fantasy Inspired Sex Toy by Tentickle Toys

    Out of This World: How Fantasy-Inspired Sex Toys Could Be the Next Big Trend

  • Virtual Sex in the Metaverse

    Virtual Sex Will Soon Become a Reality in the Metaverse

  • OnlyBans Game Play As A Sex Worker

    Play as a Sex Worker in New Onlybans Game

  • Black chess pieces laying across an orange background.

    Teledildonics and Chess: The Unexpected Possibilities That Could Enhance Sex

  • A couple with a woman sitting on a man's lap. They each are holding the Tenuto 2 with one hand.

    Tenuto 2 Erection-Enhancing Vibrator Rises To The Occasion

  • Woman looking at a laptop in a bed. You can see a blurry European city outside of the window.

    Here’s How Often Each European Country Is Searching For Sex Toys Online

  • A Woman Showing Her Smartphone.

    Disclosing Trans-ness on Dating Apps

  • Image of Emma the AI bot.

    Will Young Women of the Future Feel Pressure to Perform Like Robots?

  • Realistic Sex Games

    Review of the Best Sex Games and Most Realistic Sex Simulators of 2021 [UPDATED]

    0
  • Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    Review of the Best Massively Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    0
  • Sex Games for Mac

    The Best Sex Games for Mac

    0
  • foot-fetish-sex-games-girlvania

    Foot Fetish Games That Will Knock Your Socks Off

    0
  • The Best RPG Sex Games of 2021

    0
Fantasy sex game Dream Sex World lets you explore your wildest desires.
Multiplayer sex world Red Light Center continues to impress with its massive userbase and incredible sex graphics.
A blonde and light-skinned love doll face sppears next to the text Go now realdollxthe future is real.
  • 27KFollowers

Like Us on Facebook

Newsletter Subscription

Sign up for our monthly newsletter sharing the very best of the future of sex from our publication and others across the web.

DreamSexWorld offers a stunning XXX 3D world filled with incredibly interactive erotic experiences.

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget

RLC_ad_v2

Tweets by @FutureofSex
Future of Sex Report

Follow us

  • Home
  • About
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contribute
  • Story Ideas
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2011 - 2022 Future Exploration Network
This website or its third-party tools use cookies to improve user experience and track affiliate sales. To learn more about why we need to use cookies, please refer to the Privacy Policy.

By clicking the agree button or continuing to browse through the website, you agree to the use of cookies. Accept Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT