BDSM is many different generally erotic tactics or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, together with other linked interpersonal dynamics. Supplied the big selection of techniques, several of which can be engaged in by folks who will not look at by themselves to get practising BDSM, inclusion while in the BDSM Neighborhood or subculture usually is said to depend on self-identification and shared experience.

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 typically welcome anyone which has a non-normative streak who identifies Together with the Neighborhood; this may include cross-dressers, overall body modification fanatics, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and others.

Functions and associations in BDSM will often be characterized by the members' taking on roles that happen to be complementary and include inequality of ability; As a result, the idea of knowledgeable consent of both the companions is critical. The phrases submissive and dominant will often be employed to differentiate these roles: the dominant spouse ("dom") usually takes psychological Handle around the submissive ("sub"). The phrases best and base are applied; the very best will be the instigator of the action while The underside may be the receiver in the motion. The two sets of conditions are subtly diverse: for instance, another person may possibly decide to work as bottom to another man or woman, as an example, 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 utilised to explain a dominant girl, in lieu of the sometimes gender-neutral term dom. Individuals who change in between best/dominant and bottom/submissive roles—no matter whether from romance to marriage or inside of a specified marriage—are termed switches. The specific definition of roles and self-identification is a standard subject matter of discussion between BDSM members.