I've been a WAM fan for as long as I can remember (and though I've tried to get away this is my 3rd profile here), but I've noticed as I've gotten older I've felt less and less comfortable about using food for my fetish - especially with everything happening in the world and the rise of food bank use in the UK.
It's gotten to the point where I'll very rarely use food and instead use gunge or something else if I want to get messy.
Does anyone else find they feel the same way? If you do, how do you reconcile those feelings?
GungedHairFan said: Not really. I mean, I primarily use cake mix and chocolate syrup, both of those things aren't really staples in a diet.
Yeah, that's my line of thinking. Cheap overprocessed sugary cake batter and pudding are better off on people than in them.
I'd love to find a vegan/chemical equivalent of eggs and shells, though. I know vegans use flax and some aquafava to make "eggs," but being able to put them in a thin crackable shell would be a gamechanger...
A bit, yes. So I try to use 'approved foods' a supplier of stuff nearly or already out of date, use gunge or paint etc instead, use up the out of date stuff from my own cupboards, and have donated to food charities monthly for 15 years.
I also don't use anywhere near cheap eggs due to poor treatment of hens and I banned honey in my wam and sessions - some honey farmers give bees glucose instead after harvesting honey and it weakens the bees immune systems... and we really need bees.
According to official statistics, 6.7 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK each year. A few hundred WAM fans getting covered in custard a few times a year is literally a drop in the ocean compared to that total.
There are deep and major questions to be asked of governments and the powerful about poverty, food waste, food security, and global hunger, but our contribution as a fetish is tiny.
It could also be argued that foods like chocolate gateaux and canned custard aren't primarily about nutrition, but pleasure, and so if they're used in a wam session, or a scene that's filmed and thus gives pleasure to multiple people, they've not actually been wasted, but just used for a slightly different version of their intended purpose.
CandyCustard said: A bit, yes. So I try to use 'approved foods' a supplier of stuff nearly or already out of date, use gunge or paint etc instead, use up the out of date stuff from my own cupboards, and have donated to food charities monthly for 15 years.
I also don't use anywhere near cheap eggs due to poor treatment of hens and I banned honey in my wam and sessions - some honey farmers give bees glucose instead after harvesting honey and it weakens the bees immune systems... and we really need bees.
Those are some great ideas CC - I tend to lean towards not using honey myself, like you say we need our bees!
DungeonMasterOne said: According to official statistics, 6.7 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK each year. A few hundred WAM fans getting covered in custard a few times a year is literally a drop in the ocean compared to that total.
That's true, but I feel like if everyone thinks 'it's fine to waste some food because everyone does' then food wastage never actually gets cut back. Having said that, given how much does get chucked away each year you're probably right in that a few cans of custard isn't likely to make much of a difference!
I get what you're saying, but the thing is, is it actually being wasted? Like it's being used for something, namely having fun/entertainment, just not it's original purpose ie. to be eaten.
It's a bit different to food being produced, not sold and just thrown away which also has a by product of a load of wasted time and resources.
I tend to stick nowadays to value savoury sauces which isn't particularly nutritious for the poor and hungry. I see the point though, smashing a trifle in a face when it could be eaten could be seen by some as a waste and immoral. It's a tough one but the main reason for the huge inequalities is actually capitalism (in my opinion ) and the ridiculous acceptance of more and more billionaires in the world but that's a different matter altogether.
No. Tbh, there's enough guilt around sex as it is, and a six pack of cake batter isn't going to change it either way. If it helps, maybe find a way to compost your leftovers? Pour them in a doubled up paper grocery bag, and chuck that in the green bin, maybe.
I am pretty sure that if I consumed all the custard that has been on me over the years, I would have become a seriously unhealthy person with all the sugar!
I echo Candycustard's and DungeonMasterone views as well, they made great points
I feel bad too about waisting food, and try to be good about composting, not waisting food I eat and trying to limit plastic from being purchased. I used to buy the cheapest things for wam sessions but now I buy stuff from a healthy no gmo store cause I feel like only rich people shop there and they probably are not shopping there for cake mix and frosting as much as the organic veggies and healthy food stuffs. They also have a lot of gluten free stuff which I need to use for wam
DungeonMasterOne said: According to official statistics, 6.7 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK each year. A few hundred WAM fans getting covered in custard a few times a year is literally a drop in the ocean compared to that total.
That's true, but I feel like if everyone thinks 'it's fine to waste some food because everyone does' then food wastage never actually gets cut back. Having said that, given how much does get chucked away each year you're probably right in that a few cans of custard isn't likely to make much of a difference!
I'd say that food used for WAM isn't being wasted though. It's being consumed, just not in the usual way. And as someone else said, there's enough guilt piled up around sexuality as it is without making it worse.
Apparently one of the most wasted things of all is bagged salad. People buy it because they think they should eat more healthily. But then don't actually eat it because who actually wants a salad when cheeseburger and chips is an option? So it stays in the fridge till the use-buy and then gets binned and replaced with a fresh set - that suffer the same fate. Meanwhile, vasty resources are being used to grow the plants that go into said salad, pick them, pack them, transport and sell them. All of which is 100% waste. Compare that to say canned custard, which is produced by the thousands of gallons and pretty much all eaten bar the fraction people like us have fun with - and we're still actively using it. So none is actually wasted in the "chuck it in the bin unopened" way.
Having said that, if someone really wants to avoid any wastage of foodstuffs, then outdoor mud is probably the lowest-impact form of messy play. But in the UK the weather does rather restrict when it can be indulged in.
DungeonMasterOne said: It could also be argued that foods like chocolate gateaux and canned custard aren't primarily about nutrition, but pleasure, and so if they're used in a wam session, or a scene that's filmed and thus gives pleasure to multiple people, they've not actually been wasted, but just used for a slightly different version of their intended purpose.
I agree with this completely - food used in WAM isn't necessarily wasted, but simply being used differently.
However I do echo Candy Custard's sentiment about honey - I won't use honey for the same reasons, and if you want a replacement golden syrup works fine and I think is actually a better WAM substance (and is also technically a biproduct, so therefore not a staple food). I also don't use eggs but mainly because I don't actually find them slimy/gooey enough - they just run off and generally disappoint so I've stopped using them.
I do think about the additional water usage needed for cleanup but then personally I only indulge in messy play maybe twice a year. So it's a very small detail. My thing is sweet and sticky so cake batter and pudding aren't so healthy so I figure I'm saving a person from obesity. It kinda balances out.
My wife and I usually use one Marie Calendars pie that she sits in wearing either jeans or a miniskirt and thong to get her little ass messy and one 4 cup pack of pudding all over her breasts and top.. She's small enough that the mess from that is still big enough. I feel worse about the financial costs than the "waste" of food.
slimealon said: especially with everything happening in the world and the rise of food bank use in the UK.
OK, so how much are you donating or how much have your charitable contributions increased in this period as well to keep rate?
IMO I'm paying money for a good that someone had to produce, ship, sell, etc. so the profit line is still there. I rarely use "new" foods, mostly cleaning out the fridge, stuff about to spoilt, etc. I don't buy six dozen eggs during a dairy shortage or clean out the shelves kind of stocking so a can of syrup here, a tin of beans there, doesn't make much of a difference in the big picture. No orphan is going to starve because of my sexual indulgence.
I have definitely questioned this as well. I have thought about alternatives to my usual frosting. I probably don't have to use butter and egg whites, although in making all these cakes I discovered that I can replace the whole egg for just the egg yolks when baking the boxed cake mixes and the cake turns out just fine.
And as a cake decorator who wants to experiment with different cake designs and try different things out, I'd say that it is not a waste. Some people who want to experiment with designs on cakes just end up throwing away the cake, eating it, or giving it to people. And I can't just go around eating cake all day.
Not only do I get to have an artistic outlet and practice new things with cake, but I also get to work on my photography skills and video editing. And... I get to smoosh cakes and share my smooshes for others to enjoy.
So, I guess if it provides any sort of pleasure to me and to others. I don't see it as a waste.
See, this is where shaving cream pie fans have the moral high-ground.
In all seriousness though, it's something that has crossed my mind, but rarely ever came into practice for me since the most I ever waste is uncooked cake/brownie batter or gram cracker pie crust. It is a waste, but I doubt my purchases of said products put a dent in the supply chain or will count as a net loss to the food bank.
Still, I find it admirable when people who do large-scale WAM content try to make up for the loss by making food donations or other charitable acts. I believe that's something MadLoversCosplay did in the past, particularly after making the giant pie for Genevieve to face-plant in as Harley Quinn.
All this cake, there must be a princess somewhere.
Mightywam said: It's a difficult question, and the fact that the community here is even willing to bring it up says a lot of good about the people who frequent this site. One thing I will bring up, though, is that it takes literally thousands of pounds of corn a year to feed a single cow. Statistically, this means that reducing or outright stopping your consumption of red meat will be far more of a benefit to the global food supply and environment than dropping the custard from your wam sessions. So if you're feeling guilty about your consumption, it's much more logical to start with how many hamburgers you're eating in a year, as opposed to how many pounds of sweets you occasionally wash down the drain.
I'd never thought about the amount of corn they eat. I knew it was bad water wise to grow the corn / the menthane out put is hella high, so ozone and water wise red meat wasn't sustainable but that's a good point too.
slimealon said: especially with everything happening in the world and the rise of food bank use in the UK.
OK, so how much are you donating or how much have your charitable contributions increased in this period as well to keep rate?
I'm not sure it's relevant to this conversation, but I donate regularly to my local food bank and volunteer weekly to help them out. You?
MarioFan64 said: See, this is where shaving cream pie fans have the moral high-ground.
MisterJ said: We both do all the time, yes. Especially now that she can't use shaving cream the way we used to.
I'm sorry to hear that, how come?
Trouso said: The decadence of WAM's profligacy is much of its appeal.
The ways in which we might be compelled to atone for it are frequently misguided or irrelevant.
That's very profound Trouso. You're right , the decadence of it is definitely part of the fun.
Something else I hadn't considered is that a lot of what gets used in WAM sessions - the cake batter etc - doesn't often turn up in food bank collections. The custard certainly does, but a lot of the raw ingredients doesn't have an impact in making sure people are well fed.
I appreciate how many of you have replied to this, a lot of you with really thoughtful (and different) views - it's made me reconsider my viewpoint quite a bit in that maybe using food a bit more often isn't the end of the world in comparison to everything else discussed and given me a lot to think about!
Mightywam said: It's a difficult question, and the fact that the community here is even willing to bring it up says a lot of good about the people who frequent this site. One thing I will bring up, though, is that it takes literally thousands of pounds of corn a year to feed a single cow. Statistically, this means that reducing or outright stopping your consumption of red meat will be far more of a benefit to the global food supply and environment than dropping the custard from your wam sessions. So if you're feeling guilty about your consumption, it's much more logical to start with how many hamburgers you're eating in a year, as opposed to how many pounds of sweets you occasionally wash down the drain.
I'd never thought about the amount of corn they eat. I knew it was bad water wise to grow the corn / the menthane out put is hella high, so ozone and water wise red meat wasn't sustainable but that's a good point too.
But that's only for feedlot cattle. Grass-fed cattle don't consume ANY corn (or soy, or similar), and the meat they produce is several magnitudes better for you too. And the cow is happier eating grass
Grass-fed cattle play a very valuable role in converting stuff that we humans can't eat (i.e. grass) into stuff we can (beef). Often that grass is growing on land that won't (sensibly or profitably) grow anything else. Plus, the pastures on which cattle graze also absorb HUGE amounts of CO2, which is A Very Good Thing.
Do rope fans feel bad about wasting rope that could be used for rescuing people from floods? Do fans of latex clothing feel bad about wasting latex that could be used for medical gloves? Do fans of paddling feel bad about wasting their body's resources on repairing the bruising they've received?
I've been hearing this question for decades. When there is a global shortage of whipped topping and cake batter, I may revise my perspective; but for now, let me repeat what others have said: it's not being wasted. In fact, it's often bringing me far more life satisfaction and mental health benefit than consuming the food traditionally would have.
All hobbies and leisure activities consume resources to some extent - My bigger concern with WAM stuff is the amount of short-lifespan plastic that can be involved, from packaging to pools and sheeting, that usually goes to landfill. I do feel that there's something crass and uncomfortable about using meat and fish products for WAM, though that's my feeling about it and not an objective statement. I'm not even vegan or vegetarian, but if we're going to kill animals for our use, doing it for food feels more justifiable to me than doing it for people to get off on.
MuddyOtter said: All hobbies and leisure activities consume resources to some extent - My bigger concern with WAM stuff is the amount of short-lifespan plastic that can be involved, from packaging to pools and sheeting, that usually goes to landfill. I do feel that there's something crass and uncomfortable about using meat and fish products for WAM, though that's my feeling about it and not an objective statement. I'm not even vegan or vegetarian, but if we're going to kill animals for our use, doing it for food feels more justifiable to me than doing it for people to get off on.
With you completely on the meat issue, we would never use meat or fish products in our scenes, or anything heavily meat based like cat or dog food. I know there can sometimes be tiny traces of meat-derived stuff in apparently non-meat things but we're not aiming to be purist, however in general terms if something is obviously meat-based it's not getting used for sploshing around here.
We do use raw eggs, but strictly free-range only. We've had people surprised that we don't use the cheap ones when no-one is eating them, but it's not about the food value, it's the welfare of the chickens that matters. We also agree with Candy on not using honey. We used to, but stopped many years back after Felicity raised the bee welfare issue.
Regarding plastic, that's something that reduced for us when we shifted from mainly solo scenes to mainly two-person ones. In the early days of all-solo scenes, we used to put down two layers of carpet, then several layers of plastic sheeting, and have the model finish the scene lying down and rolling around in the pool of mess that had gathered on the floor through the scene. The carpet was to make it more comfortable to roll around on the otherwise concrete floor and the plastic sheeting to protect the carpet. But as our style developed and we started shooting two person scenes, the need to have anyone rolling on the floor diminished, and so we saved the work of putting down, cleaning, and taking back up, the paddded floor, and now our people do a mix of standing up or sitting on chairs, and we leave the floor bare.
We only use our paddling pools for wetlook scenes, so can be re-used many times, and put down a douuble camping mat under them for protection from the floor. They do tend to pack up after a dozen or so uses but I think that's more down to not being a long-life product than our specific use of them.
I like the cheapest food substances that are full of HFCS and other processed chemicals. I think it's better suited to wear than eat in that case. We're talking store brand, dollar tree, and as always, expired or damaged off the clearance shelf.
MuddyOtter said: All hobbies and leisure activities consume resources to some extent - My bigger concern with WAM stuff is the amount of short-lifespan plastic that can be involved, from packaging to pools and sheeting, that usually goes to landfill. I do feel that there's something crass and uncomfortable about using meat and fish products for WAM, though that's my feeling about it and not an objective statement. I'm not even vegan or vegetarian, but if we're going to kill animals for our use, doing it for food feels more justifiable to me than doing it for people to get off on.
I strongly agree with you on this one - I can't stomach the thought of using meat or fish of any kind in a WAM session for much the same reasons you've stated.
Plastic wise I'd agree as well - I've become a lot more conscious of that in the last few years as well. I now use a base layer of heavy tarp and a layer of cheap fabric over the top. When finished the fabric goes in the wash and the tarp gets a wipe down then gets packed away for another day. Doing this has cut back a lot on what I'd usually throw away.