Why do I Shiny Stream?

Ok so this is the answer to a question I was asked recently by someone I personally know. I’m going to send him this link and hope he understands.

He saw a link to me on Twitter and followed it through to my Twitch; whereupon he saw a stream where I was fully clad in black latex. He asked, quite seriously, “why?”.

Firstly let me make it clear that it’s not just about the latex, it’s also a demonstration that we 49 year olds can game as well as the rest of you can – we’ve been doing it since the 80’s, and the late Gen Xers and Xennials were the ones who first started serious gaming. Do you think we’re going to just stop? Gaming is in your blood!

As younger people we also lived in less liberated times. We saw the dawning of homosexuality and bisexuality, and eventually fetish and BDSM being thrust into the public’s eyes. Through the 70’s camp men were always the but of jokes, or they were really overly camped up, and always ridiculed.

Through the 80’s we saw gay pop stars being accepted into mainstream culture and being idolised. Suddenly LGBT became cool, and as the 90’s and 00’s progressed we saw the acceptance of the pride movement by many. There’s been a huge change in attitude.

Alternative clothing, on the other hand, has always been associated with sex and BDSM. Latex is currently still very “out there” and whilst Sam Smith’s recent appearance in a Harikrishnan inflatable latex suit was an absolute sensation they’ve still been mocked for it. I’ve seen it overdubbed with Squidward sounds. Do you get my drift yet?

Well for shiny latex in particular we’re still in the 70’s. It’s outrageous. It’s sensational. It gets mocked. I’m part of the movement trying to get it accepted into mainstream life by doing my little bit. Wearing it occasionally to stream, or to have a photo shoot done is my way of saying “look! I’m here, I’m in latex, and it can be classy”.

I don’t wear catsuits, gags, gimp suits, harnesses etc. I just wear clothes. Regular, normal cut clothes. Jeans. Shirts. T-shirts. Jackets. Waistcoats. Trousers. Just these ones are made of rubber. They’re just shiny clothes.

They look incredible in the gaming room lit up with all those tiny point sources, and they look brilliant on stream and really show my viewers that you don’t have to sexualise latex. You can also fashionise it.

So last night I did my usual Shiny Sunday Stream. It’s the only stream in the week where you can be guaranteed I’ll be totally clad in shiny clothing – usually latex – but throughout the week I’ll often wear shiny trousers – and not just to stream – in real life too.

Now my 50th birthday is rapidly approaching, and honestly, I can say I’ve enjoyed my last 10 years where I’ve been comfortable in who I am far more than my first 39 where I was trying to comply.

Perhaps you should all try it and deviate a bit?

So here are last night’s “post stream shots”. I always try and grab a few of these. I’ve made these fully public and accessible to all because I think we have a long way to go to be accepted.