BDSM is a range of generally erotic tactics or roleplaying involving bondage, willpower, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, along with other relevant interpersonal dynamics. Presented the wide selection of techniques, several of which may be engaged in by those who will not look at by themselves to get practising BDSM, inclusion while in the BDSM Neighborhood or subculture frequently is said to count on self-identification and shared working experience.

The initialism BDSM is to start with recorded in a very Usenet article from 1991, and is also interpreted as a combination of the abbreviations B/D (Bondage and Willpower), D/s (Dominance and submission), and S/M (Sadism and Masochism). BDSM has become utilised like a catch-all phrase masking an array of actions, varieties of interpersonal associations, and distinct subcultures. BDSM communities frequently welcome everyone using a non-normative streak who identifies Using the Group; this might consist of cross-dressers, system modification lovers, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and Other people.

Things to do and associations in BDSM are often characterised from the contributors' taking on roles which have been complementary and entail inequality of power; thus, the concept of informed consent of equally the partners is important. The conditions submissive and dominant are sometimes used to tell apart these roles: the dominant husband or wife ("dom") will take psychological Command above the submissive ("sub"). The conditions leading and base are employed; the best will be the instigator of the motion whilst the bottom is definitely the receiver from the action. The 2 sets of conditions are subtly various: by way of example, anyone might opt to work as base to another individual, by way of example, by remaining whipped, purely recreationally, without any implication of getting psychologically dominated, and submissives can be purchased to therapeutic massage their dominant partners. Although the bottom carries out the action and the very best receives it, they have got not essentially switched roles.

The abbreviations sub and dom are frequently utilized as an alternative to submissive and dominant. From time to time the feminine-specific terms mistress, domme, and dominatrix are utilized to describe a dominant woman, as opposed to the often gender-neutral expression dom. People who transform concerning major/dominant and base/submissive roles—whether or not from partnership to connection or in a presented romantic relationship—are named switches. The exact definition of roles and self-identification is a typical matter of debate amongst BDSM participants.