BDSM is various typically erotic techniques or roleplaying involving bondage, willpower, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, along with other relevant interpersonal dynamics. Presented the wide selection of procedures, 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 very first recorded within a Usenet publish from 1991, and is interpreted as a mix of the abbreviations B/D (Bondage and Self-discipline), D/s (Dominance and submission), and S/M (Sadism and Masochism). BDSM is currently used as a catch-all phrase covering an array of routines, types of interpersonal interactions, and unique subcultures. BDSM communities typically welcome anyone which has a non-normative streak who identifies Together with the Neighborhood; this could include things like cross-dressers, entire body modification enthusiasts, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and Many others.

Pursuits and relationships in BDSM in many cases are characterized via the individuals' taking over roles which might be complementary and involve inequality of electric power; Therefore, the thought of informed consent of both equally the partners is vital. The terms submissive and dominant in many cases are utilized to differentiate these roles: the dominant companion ("dom") can take psychological Regulate more than the submissive ("sub"). The phrases top and bottom are utilized; the highest is the instigator of an motion while the bottom could be the receiver of the action. The two sets of conditions are subtly different: by way of example, anyone might opt to work as base to another particular person, one example is, by being whipped, purely recreationally, without any implication of currently being psychologically dominated, and submissives may very well be ordered to massage their dominant partners. Although the base carries out the motion and the highest gets it, they may have not necessarily switched roles.

The abbreviations sub and dom are often employed in place of submissive and dominant. Sometimes the female-particular terms mistress, domme, and dominatrix are employed to describe a dominant lady, in place of 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 romance or inside of a specified marriage—are called switches. The specific definition of roles and self-identification is a standard issue of discussion amid BDSM members.