BDSM is a number of usually erotic procedures or roleplaying involving bondage, self-control, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, together with other related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of tactics, many of which can be engaged in by individuals that never take into consideration them selves being practising BDSM, inclusion from the BDSM Local community or subculture typically is claimed to rely 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 usually welcome any one that has a non-normative streak who identifies With all the community; this will likely contain cross-dressers, physique modification fans, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and Other folks.

Actions and interactions in BDSM are frequently characterised with the individuals' taking over roles which can be complementary and involve inequality of electricity; Therefore, the thought of informed consent of both equally the partners is vital. The terms submissive and dominant are sometimes used to tell apart these roles: the dominant partner ("dom") normally takes psychological Command above the submissive ("sub"). The conditions leading and base are also employed; the best may be the instigator of the motion whilst the bottom is definitely the receiver in the motion. The 2 sets of conditions are subtly distinct: one example is, somebody may possibly prefer to act as bottom to another man or woman, such as, by becoming whipped, purely recreationally, with no implication of staying psychologically dominated, and submissives may be ordered to massage their dominant companions. Even though the base carries out the motion and the best receives it, they've not always switched roles.

The abbreviations sub and dom are usually applied instead of submissive and dominant. Occasionally the female-certain phrases mistress, domme, and dominatrix are applied to explain a dominant female, in lieu of the sometimes gender-neutral term dom. Individuals who alter among best/dominant and bottom/submissive roles—no matter if from marriage to marriage or inside of a given relationship—are called switches. The specific definition of roles and self-identification is a standard issue of discussion between BDSM members.