BDSM is many different generally erotic tactics or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and also other relevant interpersonal dynamics. Presented the wide selection of procedures, a number of which may be engaged in by individuals who usually do not contemplate on their own to become practising BDSM, inclusion within the BDSM community or subculture normally is alleged to rely upon self-identification and shared practical experience.

The initialism BDSM is initially recorded in the Usenet submit from 1991, and it 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 currently utilized as a capture-all phrase covering a wide range of things to do, sorts of interpersonal relationships, and distinctive subcultures. BDSM communities commonly 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 relationships in BDSM will often be characterized by the members' taking on roles that happen to be complementary and include inequality of ability; Hence, the thought of knowledgeable consent of both of those 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 about the submissive ("sub"). The terms prime and base may also be applied; the top would be the instigator of the action even though The underside will be the receiver on the motion. The 2 sets of terms are subtly diverse: for example, a person may well choose to act as bottom to a different human being, for instance, by currently being whipped, purely recreationally, with none implication of remaining psychologically dominated, and submissives might be requested to therapeutic massage their dominant companions. Even though the base carries out the motion and the best receives it, they've 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 girl, 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 in just a supplied romance—are termed switches. The specific definition of roles and self-identification is a standard subject matter of discussion amid BDSM individuals.