#whump explained

The “scold” part of the name comes from the derogatory term “scold” for a gossip or a nag. The “bridle” is because it worked much like a horse’s bit or bridle.

(The above picture is a modern one, likely used for kink purposes and without the extra iron around the head and mouth. This one is probably not made out of iron but some sort of lighter material. However, it illustrates the bridle/bit allegory quite well)

It had a flat, iron, bridle-bit, or curb-plate that either forced the tongue down or pressed it against the roof of the mouth to painfully prevent speaking. It also caused excessive salivation and fatigue in the mouth. 

If you’re interested in specifics, it was about 2 in x 1 in (5.1 cm x 2.5cm).

Occasionally, the bit was spiked and would puncture the tongue if the wearer attempted speech. Others had sharp edges that would lacerate the tongue/inside of the mouth if the mouth moved at all.

(It’s a bit pixelated but you can see the little knob things on the above picture. Those were sharper and crueler but time has aged/worn down the pictured bridle)

It was usually used on women and traditionally, after a woman was condemned of slander, excessive gossip, or excessive scolding, her husband would place the bridle upon her face.  While wearing it, the victim would be unable to speak, eat, or drink.

Generally, the wearer was then marched through the town to be humiliated and punished. Husbands could attach leashes to the bridle and take their wives on literal walks of shame, often encouraging the townspeople to beat, verbally berate, spin upon, etc. 

Violence was encouraged and wearers could be beaten or shaken by the head. I’m sure it comes as no surprise that this often resulted in broken teeth and jaws, bleeding, and vomiting.

Some bridles additionally held bells to draw more attention to this walk of shame

Sometimes, instead of being led about town, the victim was attached to a hook or a wall and left there. Sometimes these places were public, other times a husband might leave his wife by the fireplace.

The Lanark Burgh Records  record a typical example of the punishment being used: 

"Iff evir the said Elizabeth salbe fund [shall be found] scolding or railling… scho salbe sett [she shall sit] upone the trone in the brankis and be banishit [banished of] the toun thaireftir [thereafter]" (1653 Lanark B. Rec. 151).

Now all of this  is my personal opinion and I welcome people to disagree with me and/or offer their own opinions. These are simply mine.

I don’t think it’s wrong for you to read noncon stuff so long as you know where the lines are.

It’s important that you are able to separate fiction from reality, know that what’s happening in the story is not at all permissible in real life, and be aware of your own comfort level/potential triggers. If you’re aware of all those things, then I don’t think there’s a problem.

(Also, I’m not going to pretend that teenagers - who are minors - aren’t having sex. If you are, it’s important to know that noncon content isn’t something that’s okay for your partner to do but you CAN and SHOULD have open discussions with your partner if you encounter certain things you’d like to explore. This isn’t that kind of blog so I’m just going to say: be honest and open with your partner, set up boundaries and stick to them religiously, and safe words are good things.)

I got into noncon stuff when I was underage too. I know a lot of people read smut before they’re 18 and in a way, both smut and noncon are similar when it comes to access on the internet.

Now I’m going to explain a common reason writers ask minors not to read or interact with their work. My hope is that a better understanding of that will help you to understand where you fit in.

Much like the real world, these kinds of things come down to consent.  

Warnings and tags are ways to state what’s happening in a piece of media (art, writing, etc) and allow the consumer to make informed choices. If you see those tags/warnings and choose to proceed anyways then you are consenting to consume that piece of media. In this case, you are consenting to read those kinds of stories. It’s why many writers online are irked by people asking them not to write about certain topics. When you choose to follow them, you are consenting to be exposed to certain things.  

Now this is where things get tricky because minors can’t give consent. But this is a piece of writing, not something in real life or something physical. So in this situation “consent” is more of the dictionary use and less of the modern use. It’s giving permission. Essentially a reader is telling the website “Yes. I give you permission to show me this.” Now, in this context, permission comes down to understanding.

Writers can’t control what level of education a reader has or what their comfort level is, we can only do our best with tags and warnings. Most writers warn minors away so that those with less education/understanding of certain topics stay away.

If you’re say, 16, then you’re a minor but you also have a level of education/understanding regarding mature topics. That’s very different from someone who’s say, 10, encountering those topics. ESPECIALLY regarding noncon.

Now I don’t know how old you are (and you shouldn’t disclose that information online nor am I asking you to) but I’m assuming you have a level of education/understanding where you’re not going to be confused or traumatized by consuming that kind of writing.

No one can truly police the internet so it’s up to you (and anyone on the internet) to take care of themselves.

For you personally, I think that if you know what you’re getting into, then it’s fine to read that stuff. Just be aware of your comfort level. It’s 100% okay to close out a story or step away. That’s WHY there are trigger warnings and tags.

What I’ve found is that most writers that warn minors away are just trying to keep children safe. There are a lot of little kids on the internet. I knew people who were on Instagram and Pinterest when they were 10 years old and had simply lied about their age. Now Instagram/Pinterest are a little different than say, Tumblr/DevianArt. You’re far more likely to run into mature content on tumblr, devianart, fanfiction sites, etc. Still, there are younger kids accessing sites more likely to host mature content. So creators stick up a bunch of flashing red signs telling minors to stay away because YOU WILL NOT LIKE WHAT YOU SEE. THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. No one wants a ten year old accessing their mature content.

For writers that tag “minors don’t interact”, it’s much the same. Everyone is trying their best not to traumatize ten year olds. For group chats/discords that ask minors not to interact, it’s often because adults are uncomfortable discussing mature content with minors. Even if that minor is 16/17 and well aware of mature content. It also can be dangerous to discuss these things with minors as you don’t know their age online (and again, no minor should disclose their age online) and no adult should be discussing these kinds of things with kids unless they’re a parent, teacher, counselor, etc.

My advice to you (and anyone in the whump community) is to mind the tags. Block tags you don’t want to see and consider everything to be exactly what it says it is. For example, I don’t like eye horror. If something is tagged with eye horror, I don’t read any further than that. Could it be something I could handle or skip over? Potentially. But I don’t want to take that risk.

Do you know the tag on Ao3 “Dead Dove: Do Not Eat?”. If not, it boils down to “this is exactly what it says on the label. I’m not kidding. Mind these tags. I’m not playing around here. What you see is what you get”. Treat everything as though it’s Dead Dove: Do Not Eat.

If you don’t know what something is, Google is your friend.

In all, no one can stop you from reading their work and usually, they’re just trying to protect you. You’ve already accessed this stuff so you have at least a base level awareness of what you’re getting into. Help writers protect you by knowing your own boundaries and minding the tags.

Be aware, be responsible, and don’t try to engage in mature discussions online until you’re 18.

As long as you’re comfortable, you’re fine reading this stuff.

What is a TBI? A TBI is a Traumatic Brain Injury, which comes from physical trauma to the head. However, not all blows to head produce the same things. Some are minor, some are deadly, and some have long lasting effects.

Types of TBIs and descriptions.

Concussions

A concussion is the most common type of TBI. It occurs when the impact on the head is severe enough to cause brain injury. It can be caused by direct blows to the head, gunshot wounds, violent shaking of the head, force from a whiplash type injury, etc. It’s thought to be the result of the brain hitting against the hard walls of the skull.

Generally speaking, the loss of function associated with a concussion is temporary. However, repeated concussions can eventually lead to permanent damage that may permanently change mood, behavior, and brain function.

Signs of concussion include the following:

Disorientation

Vomiting

Headache

Fatigue

Nausea

Temporary loss of consciousness

Confusion or feeling as if in a fog

Ringing in the ears

Slurred speech

Sleep disturbances

Concentration or memory problems

Irritability and other personality change

Brain Contusions

A contusion is a bruise under the skin. If a brain contusion does not stop bleeding on its own, or is especially large, it may need to be surgically removed. 

The extent of damage associated with a brain contusion depends on the size of the bleed, the length of time it lasts, the effects of surgery, and the location of the injury.

Generally this shows up after a serious head injury/loss of consciousness. Victims often wake up confused, tired, agitated, or emotional. Severe contusions can lead to brain swelling within 48-72 hours.

Symptoms of brain contusions may include:

Memory loss

Attention problems

Emotional disturbances

Difficulty with motor coordination

Numbness

Loss of ability to understand or express speech

Diffuse Axonal Injury

A diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is an injury to the brain that doesn’t cause bleeding but does damage the brain cells.  With a DAI, the head jerks about so violently that the brain stem cannot keep up, causing tears in the connections of the brain. A DAI can be caused by shaking or strong rotation of the head, as with Shaken Baby Syndrome, or by rotational forces, such as with a car accident. Extensive tears can cause brain chemicals to be released, causing additional injury. The tearing of the nerve tissue disrupts the brain’s regular communication and chemical processes.

This disturbance in the brain can produce temporary or permanent widespread brain damage, coma, or death.

The damage to the brain cells results in them not being able to function. It can also result in swelling, causing more damage. Though it isn’t as outwardly visible as other forms of brain injury, a DAI is one of the most dangerous types of head injuries. Victims will likely need intensive rehabilitation after receiving this (but what whumpee doesn’t need that?)

Symptoms include 

disorientation or confusion

headache

nausea or vomiting

drowsiness or fatigue

trouble sleeping

sleeping longer than normal

loss of balance or dizziness

Second Impact Syndrome

A second impact before the first is fully healed is more likely to cause severe brain damage than a first, even if the victim does not lose consciousness. However, loss of consciousness after the initial injury followed by secondary brain damage enhances the vulnerability of the brain, greatly increasing the risk of death, even if the second injury was far less intense.

Second impact injury can result within a matter of days or weeks, or it can occur within a few hours if the victim isn’t removed and treated after the first concussion. Neither impact has to be severe for second impact syndrome to occur. Symptoms usually occur immediately following the second impact and progress rapidly.

Common symptoms include:

Dilated pupils

Loss of eye movement

Unconsciousness

Respiratory failure

Death

Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury

A "coup" injury is the initial site of impact. For example, if you were in a car accident and struck your head on the steering wheel, you might have a "coup" brain injury near the location of the forehead.

A contrecoup injury happens at the opposite side of the site of injury, so if you struck your forehead, the brain injury would be at the back of the brain. This happens because the brain is the consistency of firm pudding, moves within the skull. The initial impact on the forehead causes the first injury, but the movement of the brain within the skull causes the second impact against the back of the skull.

Together, these injuries are called a coup contrecoup injury, indicating that both injuries are present. There does not have to be an impact to cause either the coup or contrecoup injuries. Shaken babies, for example, can have these injuries even if the head is never struck by another object. The movement of the brain within the skull is enough to cause the injuries.

Symptoms include

Trouble swallowing

Muscle weakness,

Paralysis, and/or sensory changes.

Problems with decision making, speaking, and language comprehension.

Loss of consciousness

Coma

Confusion

Headache

Seizures

Dizziness

A loss of balance and coordination

Fatigue

Nausea or vomiting

Memory problems

Mood issues, including depression, agitation, or anxiety

Blurred vision

A ringing in the ears

Sensitivity to light and noise

Slurred speech

Penetrating Injury

A penetrating injury occurs when an object penetrates the skull and brain - such as the impact of a bullet, knife or other sharp object - that forces hair, skin, bones and fragments from the object into the brain.

These injuries can be fatal if not promptly treated, because they often cause severe bleeding, blood clots, disrupted oxygen supply to various brain regions, and other immediate side effects.

Removing the object that penetrated the skull may worsen the bleeding or further damage the brain, so never remove an object lodged in the skull.

Objects traveling at a low rate of speed through the skull and brain can ricochet within the skull, which widens the area of damage.

A “through-and-through” injury occurs if an object enters the skull, goes through the brain, and exits the skull. Through-and-through traumatic brain injuries include the effects of penetration injuries, plus additional shearing, stretching and rupture of brain tissue.

The devastating traumatic brain injuries caused by bullet wounds result in a 91% firearm-related death rate overall.

People who survive penetrating injuries may need repeated brain surgeries, high doses of antibiotics, and an assortment of therapies designed to restore function. Ultimately, the degree of disability and the prognosis depends on the location of the injury, its severity, whether there was a brain bleed, and similar factors.