Flirting Glossary – BDSM
Source: © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
BDSM is essentially a collective term for a group of related sexual preferences. These sexual behaviors can be related to dominance and submission, pain in pleasure, bondage play, or playful punishment.
BDSM is also often referred to as “leather sex” or “kinky sex” . The abbreviation BDSM comes from English: bondage & discipline = bondage and education, dominaton & submission = control and submission.
The basic principle of BDSM is that it is generally practiced by responsible partners who engage in these practices voluntarily and with mutual consent. This voluntary or consensual nature separates BDSM legally and ethically from crimes against sexual self-determination and abuse of violence.
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The participants in BDSM voluntarily move from their equality into a power imbalance and gain pleasure from it. In doing so, the submissive partner (sub) gives up part of his autonomy. This is done by the dominant partner (Dom). A single BDSM game, also called a session, usually takes place in the form of an erotic role play and covers a fixed period of time.
A previously agreed signal word (safe word) gives those involved the opportunity to revoke their consent at any time.
