Elements Of BDSM: Sadomasochism

Sadomasochism is the name given to the sexual practices of those who derive pleasure from the mutually consensual domination or infliction emotional and physical pain upon others according to Brenda Love's Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices. Bondage is one of many expressions of S&M play where one person is restrained by another and usually at their mercy. Once a person is restrained, a number of other sexually arousing activities may follow, which can range from tickling and feathers to various forms of punishment incorporating paddles, whips, nipple clamps, and other BDSM devices. For the most part, sadomasochism and associated activities are a stylized form of fantasy play, where the bondage role players often negotiate ahead of time the rules of the bondage fantasy play so that the bondage or BDSM activities remain consensual between the partners. In this fourth article concerning the elements of SM play some of the multiple facets of sadomasochist or SM sexual play will be briefly discussed and defined.

The major subdivisions of sadomasochism.
Extra! Extra! The entire community agrees! There is no such thing as an official, all encompassing definition of sadomasochism. However, what happens during most sadomasochistic play falls into one of three major subdivisions: bondage play, sensation play, and domination/ submission play.

Bondage play involves applying rope or some other material to the submissive partner's body in order to limit their ability to move which according to Brenda Love, can create intensely erotic feelings in the submissive as well as increase the feelings of trust between the submissive and the dom.

Sensation play may or may not be synonymous with pain play, but it often is as sensation play typically includes such practices as spanking, whipping, applying clamps, using ice cubes, dripping hot wax, and so forth to excite the senses of the body. Despite many preconceived notions, not all SM-related sensation play is related to pain and pleasant sensations, such as rubbing a piece of velvet or fur over a person's skin or sexually stimulating the partner, is as much part of S&M play as pain. Jay Wiseman informs us that "a fairly large number of people are into spanking as a form of erotic or semi-erotic play, but some of them deny that what they are into is a subdivision of SM. They see spanking as a stand-alone activity in its own right and sometimes speak of themselves as members of the "spankin-community" as opposed to the "SM community."

Domination and submission play has to do with the general idea of one person making themselves consensually subservient to the will and commands of another person. In this form of SM play, one person gives orders and the other obeys them, within negotiated boundaries. SM play can also involve a number of related activities that are separate practices and not by definition part of SM play itself. Cross-dressing is a well recognized related activity and other related practices may include age play (in which an adult role-plays that they are a child or an infant), enema play, corsetry, and foot fetishism.