BDSM is a number of usually erotic procedures or roleplaying involving bondage, self-control, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and various related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of tactics, many of which can be engaged in by folks who never take into consideration them selves being practising BDSM, inclusion while in the BDSM Local community or subculture usually is said to depend on self-identification and shared encounter.

The initialism BDSM is first recorded inside of a Usenet write-up from 1991, which is interpreted as a combination of the abbreviations B/D (Bondage and Discipline), D/s (Dominance and submission), and S/M (Sadism and Masochism). BDSM has become applied being a catch-all phrase masking a wide array of routines, forms of interpersonal interactions, and unique subcultures. BDSM communities normally welcome any person having a non-normative streak who identifies While using the Local community; this will include cross-dressers, overall body modification fanatics, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and others.

Functions and associations in BDSM are often characterised from the members' taking on roles which have been complementary and entail inequality of power; As a result, the idea of knowledgeable consent of both the companions is essential. The phrases submissive and dominant are often utilised to differentiate these roles: the dominant spouse ("dom") usually takes psychological Handle around the submissive ("sub"). The terms top rated and bottom may also be made use of; the very best could be the instigator of an action when The underside will be the receiver with the motion. The two sets of phrases are subtly unique: as an example, anyone might elect to work as base to a different individual, one example is, by being whipped, purely recreationally, without any implication of getting psychologically dominated, and submissives may very well be ordered to massage their dominant partners. Although the bottom carries out the motion and the highest gets it, they may have not necessarily switched roles.

The abbreviations sub and dom are often utilised in place of submissive and dominant. Sometimes the female-particular terms mistress, domme, and dominatrix are employed to describe a dominant lady, as an alternative to the from time to time gender-neutral time period dom. People who improve between leading/dominant and bottom/submissive roles—no matter whether from romantic relationship to romance or in just a supplied marriage—are termed switches. The specific definition of roles and self-identification is a standard subject matter of discussion amid BDSM individuals.