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What Is BDSM?

"Bondage
& Discipline"
"Domination/submission"
"Sadism/masochism"

-
Bondage - 2) A
state of subjection to a force, power or influence. It comes from the Old
English word bonda, which means husbandman (farmer)
-
Dominant - 1)
Exercising the most influence or control; governing. 2) Most prominent in
position or prevalence; ascendant. Comes from Old French and Latin dominans,
to dominate.
-
Dominate - 1)
To control, govern or rule by superior authority or power. Comes from Latin dominari,
to rule > dominus, lord.
-
Submissive -
comes from Submit.
-
Submit - 1) To
yield or surrender (oneself) to the will or authority of another. 2) To
subject to a condition or process. 3) To yield to the opinion or authority
of another; give in. 4) To allow oneself to be subjected; acquiesce. Comes
from Middle English submitten > Latin submittere, to set
under: sub=under + mittere=to cause to go.
-
Sadism - 1)
The perversion of deriving sexual satisfaction from the infliction of pain
on others. 2) Delight in cruelty. 3) Extreme cruelty. Comes from Comte
Donatien de Sade (1740-1814)
-
Masochism - 1)
An abnormal condition in which sexual excitement and satisfaction depend
largely on being subjected to abuse or physical pain, whether by oneself or
another. Comes from Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, Austrian novelist (1836-1895)
-
Sadomasochism
- 1) The perversion of taking pleasure, especially sexual gratification from
simultaneous sadism and masochism.

It is not BD/SM. It is not a technique.
It is not what you are. It is not a particular form of "play."
It is a term that describes three groups of
people:
-
Those who primarily
prefer B&D
-
Those who primarily identify with D/s
-
Those who mainly
consider themselves sadists or masochists
One does not "do" BDSM. One may
be a member of the BDSM community, however - a general term that
encompasses a lot of different practices and attitudes. It is difficult to
define precisely what each group actually does, since activities often overlap.
A bondage enthusiast, for example, may include flagellation in their repertoire
(an SM practice) or the masochist may enjoy strict discipline (a B&D
practice). The terms, however, are not interchangeable. A submissive does not
necessarily find erotic pain to their liking. They can only be described in
general terms of primary interest. The sadist derives pleasure in inflicting
erotic pain, the masochist from receiving it. Someone who identifies himself or
herself as a member of the B&D group finds pleasure in restraint and
discipline. These two categories center on distinctly identifiable acts.
D&S, in contrast, is not so readily captured and can only be defined in
terms of the dynamics of the relationship of those involved.

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