BDSM is a range of frequently erotic tactics or roleplaying involving bondage, self-discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and various related interpersonal dynamics. Given the big selection of methods, several of which can be engaged in by those who don't contemplate on their own for being practising BDSM, inclusion inside the BDSM community or subculture often is alleged to rely upon self-identification and shared working experience.

The initialism BDSM is initially recorded in a very Usenet put up from 1991, and is also 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 utilised like a catch-all phrase masking a wide array of routines, forms of interpersonal interactions, and unique subcultures. BDSM communities usually welcome anyone that has a non-normative streak who identifies Together with the Neighborhood; this could include things like cross-dressers, human body modification fanatics, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and Other folks.

Things to do and relationships in BDSM are frequently characterized through the participants' taking up roles that are complementary and require inequality of electrical power; thus, the concept of educated consent of equally the associates is important. The conditions submissive and dominant are frequently used to tell apart these roles: the dominant husband or wife ("dom") normally takes psychological control in excess of the submissive ("sub"). The conditions best and base can also be utilised; the top would be the instigator of the action although The underside will be the receiver on the motion. The two sets of terms are subtly unique: for example, an individual may perhaps decide to act as base to a different person, by way of example, by remaining whipped, purely recreationally, without any implication of getting psychologically dominated, and submissives can be purchased to massage their dominant partners. Although the bottom carries out the action and the highest gets it, they may have not necessarily switched roles.

The abbreviations sub and dom are regularly utilised in lieu of submissive and dominant. In some cases the female-particular terms mistress, domme, and dominatrix are employed to describe a dominant girl, in place of the in some cases gender-neutral time period dom. People who change in between best/dominant and bottom/submissive roles—no matter if from romance to marriage or inside of a given relationship—are known as switches. The precise definition of roles and self-identification is a common subject of discussion among the BDSM contributors.