BDSM is many different usually erotic techniques or roleplaying involving bondage, willpower, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, as well as other connected interpersonal dynamics. Provided the wide selection of methods, a few of which may be engaged in by people that usually do not contemplate on their own to become practising BDSM, inclusion within the BDSM community or subculture normally is alleged to depend upon self-identification and shared knowledge.

The initialism BDSM is 1st recorded within a Usenet publish from 1991, and is interpreted as a mix of the abbreviations B/D (Bondage and Self-control), D/s (Dominance and submission), and S/M (Sadism and Masochism). BDSM is now used to be a capture-all phrase covering a variety of functions, kinds of interpersonal relationships, and distinctive subcultures. BDSM communities normally welcome any person with a non-normative streak who identifies Along with the Neighborhood; this may include things like cross-dressers, human body modification enthusiasts, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and Many others.

Pursuits and relationships in BDSM in many cases are characterized via the members' taking over roles which might be complementary and involve inequality of electric power; Hence, the thought of informed consent of both of those the partners is critical. The terms submissive and dominant will often be employed to differentiate these roles: the dominant spouse ("dom") usually takes psychological Handle about the submissive ("sub"). The terms prime and base may also be made use of; the top could be the instigator of the action even though The underside will be the receiver with the motion. The two sets of phrases are subtly unique: for instance, an individual may perhaps decide to act as base to a different person, as an example, by staying whipped, purely recreationally, with none implication of being psychologically dominated, and submissives could be requested to therapeutic massage their dominant associates. Even though the bottom carries out the action and the very best receives it, they've got not essentially switched roles.

The abbreviations sub and dom are routinely utilized as opposed to submissive and dominant. From time to time the feminine-unique conditions mistress, domme, and dominatrix are used 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—regardless of whether from romantic relationship to connection or inside a presented romance—are termed switches. The specific definition of roles and self-identification is a standard subject matter of discussion amid BDSM members.