Monoglove

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A monoglove (also called single glove and single sleeve) is one of the many physical restraints called armbinders and used in bondage play.

The invention of the monoglove, under the name single glove, is often attributed to the bondage artist John Willie, who helped popularize its use.

Monogloves are usually made of leather, though occasionally other fetish materials, such as spandex or rubber, are used. For do-it-yourself enthusiasts, denim can be used; it is effective, although visually less striking.

A monoglove is a conical sleeve that encloses both of the wearer's arms from the fingertips to well above the elbows, holding them together behind the back. The sleeve is typically closed with a zipper or lacing, which is often supplemented with straps around the wrists and upper arms.

To stop the wearer from wriggling his or her arms out of the sleeve, one of several arrangements of straps is used. The most common is a pair of parallel straps that join to the outer top of the sleeve, run over the shoulders and under the armpits, and join again at the inner top of the sleeve. To avoid having the straps slip off the shoulders, they are often crossed behind the neck or across the upper chest; however, the latter position can cause problems if the straps ride up and press on the wearer's throat.

Other arrangements include an additional strap across the chest, connecting the parallel straps; a Y-shaped strap that runs up the back, forks over the shoulders, and runs under the armpits; and a strap that runs up the back, to a collar around the neck. The fingertip end of the monoglove usually has D-ring, allowing the arms to be anchored into a hogtie or strappado position, or to the front of a belt (forcing the hands into the crotch).

Because of the extreme position the arms are forced into, monogloves often cause problems with the soft tissues of the shoulder joints and the circulation in the hands. Only the most flexible people can wear them for any length of time and thus they are more often used for dramatic effect in bondage erotica rather than in actual BDSM play.

For those who can stand having their arms pressed so tightly together behind their back that their elbows touch or nearly touch, a monoglove is a less uncomfortable way than ropes to hold the arms in such an extreme position. Great caution should always be used when doing this, to avoid dislocating the shoulders.

There are variations on the basic monoglove design, including sleeves that end at the wrists, allowing some freedom of movement for the wearer's hands, and those that are incorporated in place of the pair of sleeves on a larger garment, such as a jacket, catsuit, or dress.

[edit] Popular culture

The video for the Madonna song "Human Nature" includes brief shots of a woman wearing a monoglove, along with other bondage imagery.