Category Archives: BDSM 101

Red Flags

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What does red flags mean?

Red flags are warning signs that a potential partner may not be a safe person for you to play with. What is a red flag for one person, may not be a red flag for someone else; to a certain degree what constitutes a red flag can be somewhat personal.

Here is a list of some common red flags.

  1. Demanding straight off that you call him or her by certain titles.
  2. Saying you can’t have a safeword.
  3. Having you stop contact with family and/or friends.
  4. Collaring after a week or less . (This is classed as a velcro collar, A sub wanting a collar more than a bond or a Dom/me wanting to collar someone too quick normally means they are collector).
  5. They don’t care about your mental or emotional wellbeing.
  6. Anyone who says they have no limit or wants someone none.
  7. No aftercare by the dominant after a scene. (This can leave the sub feeling emotional, vulnerable and feel like they have failed).
  8. When a Dom/me says the word NO is not acceptable in any context.
  9. When a sub “tops from the bottom” without discussing it with the Dom/me first.
  10. Only communicates with you at strange hours and gets made if you try contacting them at other times.
  11. Criticises the local BDSM community, refuses to participate especially if they never were part of it.
  12. Consistently breaks promise.
  13. Always finds excuses for not meeting.
  14. Does not respect your limits, negotiations or contracts.
  15. Pushes you into a D/s relationship too fast.
  16. Falls in love you way too fast and swears undying love before even meeting you.
  17. Hides behind their D/s authority and says that their authority should not be questioned.
  18. Tries to make you feel guilty for not being good enough.
  19. Says they are a “true Dom/me, sub” or says that they are a “true Dom/me, sub”.
  20. Loses control of their emotions in arguments and resorts to yelling, name-calling and blaming you.
  21. Will not discuss what your possible future relationship could be like.
  22. Tries to keep you in the dark about what might happen next in the relationship.
  23. Does not respect your feelings, rights or opinions.
  24. Blames you for your hurt feelings.
  25. Is constantly asking for money from you.
  26. Threatens suicide or other forms of self-harm to get you to do what they want.

Trust your instincts, if you feel uncomfortable, pressured, overwhelmed in a negative way or just have a nagging gut feeling that something in not quite right. Then step back, take some times to consider what is causing you to feel this way, consider if this relationship is right for you. (Applies to D-types and s-types).
It’s okay to walk away. Don’t think you have failed or that this is not for you, sometimes things just don’t work out. Sometimes it may take you a little longer to spot a fake. Look after yourself you are important, your thoughts and feelings matter!

 

As always S.S.C, R.A.C.K, P.R.I.C.K.

Safety and meeting new people

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Where is a good place to meet for the first time?

Meeting in public is a good idea for safety.  Most people usually meet  for the first time at a cafe/coffee shop. Other people choose to meet at a Bar.

What is a safety call?

A safety call is when you tell a friend where and when you are meeting someone, what time and when to text/call you to see if you are okay or if you need a reason to leave the meet.
Some people tend to have catch phrases/codes that they use so its not obvious to the person you are meeting that your safety call is giving you a reason to leave.

When should you use a safety call?

Anytime you meet someone new, anytime you play with someone the first few times. Some times  people use safety calls for every “play date” .

What other precautions can you use for safety.

Many people tend to do a bit of research on  their potential play partners by asking other people if they know them, if they have a bad rep or not. once you have met the new person sometimes people ask to talk to previous partners or other current partners.

If able give your safety call any/all details of the person you are meeting.

If you feel pressured into going home with them thats a good time to check in with your safety call.

You always have the right to walk away when you want to with out having to give a reason.

As always S.S.C, R.A.C.K, P.R.I.C.K.

What is BDSM

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Bondage. is the practice of consensually tying, binding, or restraining a partner for erotic, aesthetic, or somatosensory stimulation.

Rope, cuffs, bondage tape, self-adhering bandage, or other any  other physical restraints may be used for this purpose.

Bondage itself does not necessarily imply sadomasochism. Bondage may be used as an end into itself, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage.

It may also be used as a part of sex or in conjunction with other BDSMactivities. The letter “B” in the acronym “BDSM” comes from the word “bondage”. Sexuality and erotica are an important aspect in bondage, but are often not the end in itself. Aesthetics also plays an important role in bondage.

A common reason for the active partner to tie up their partner is so both may gain pleasure from the restrained partner’s submission, and the feeling of the temporary transfer of control and power.

For sadomasochistic people bondage is often used as a means to an end, where the restrained partner is more accessible to other sadomasochistic behaviour. However, bondage can also be used for its own sake. The restrained partner can derive sensual pleasure from the feeling of helplessness and immobility, and the active partner can derive visual pleasure and satisfaction from seeing their partner tied up.

Another type of bondage is mental bondage. This is where the Dominant instructs the submissive/bottom to be in a certain position and not be allowed to move.

 

Discipline in BDSM refers to the practice where the dominant sets rules for the submissive that he/she is expected to obey. When rules of expected behaviour are broken, punishment is often used as a means of disciplining.

Dominance and submission (also called D/s) is a set of behaviors, customs, and rituals involving the submission of one person to another in an erotic episode or lifestyle. It is a subset of BDSM.

Physical contact is not necessary, and D/s can be conducted anonymously over the telephone, email, or other messaging systems. In other cases, it can be intensely physical, sometimes crossing into sadomasochism.

In D/s, both parties take pleasure or erotic enjoyment from either dominating or being dominated. Those who take the superior position are called dominants—Doms (male) or Dommes (female)—while those who take the subordinate position are called submissives—or subs (male or female).

A switch is an individual who plays either role. Two switches together may negotiate and exchange roles several times in a session.

A dominatrix is usually a female sex worker who dominates others for pay.

It is common for writers to capitalise the “D” in Dominant but leave the “s” in lowercase for the submissive. Many extend this to His/Hers, Him/Her, He/She, etc., to make it clear when they are referring to a Dominant.

Sadomasochism is the giving or receiving pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation.

Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual gratification from their acts.

While the terms sadist and masochist refer respectively to one who enjoys giving or receiving pain. Practitioners of sadomasochism may switch between activity and passivity.

The abbreviation S&M is often used for sadomasochism, although practitioners themselves normally remove the ampersand and use the acronym S-M or SM or S/M when written throughout the literature.

Sadomasochism is not considered a clinical paraphilia unless such practices lead to clinically significant distress or impairment for a diagnosis.

Similarly, sexual sadism within the context of mutual consent, generally known under the heading BDSM, is distinguished from non-consensual acts of sexual violence or aggression

Aftercare

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What exactly is aftercare?

In simple terms, it is the time you take after a scene or playtime where both or more parties take the time to recover and take care of each other's physical and emotional needs.

Now if you are just starting out you might wonder, why exactly would you need aftercare? With BDSM or kinky play we at times tend to really get physical but besides the physical aspect, the emotional and mental side is also a big roller coaster.

Aftercare for one person would look completely different to another person’s need for aftercare. And although you might be reading a lot on aftercare in regards to submissives/bottoms, it is also for Dominants/Tops.

So to get to a few examples for you to get an idea on aftercare. Now as I said the individual’s need for aftercare will be as unique as them. So the best way to get an idea is to negotiate this ahead of time if you are playing with someone new or for the first few times. After this, it tends to be part of the continues communication flow between parties.

THERE IS NOT JUST ONE CORRECT WAY OF DOING THIS! So talk and communicate but also be ready to play it by ear afterwards.
Another thing to keep in mind that at different times the same submissive will need aftercare in a different form depending on the need of the submissive or top.

So let's divide it up into two categories to make it easier to understand:

1. Physical Needs:

Rehydrate: Have a bottle or glass of water ready nearby for afterwards. The reason is during play you will sweat and need to replace this. As a submissive might not have the coordination afterwards to drink from a glass or bottle you might want to consider having a straw to drink from.

Blankets at times to keep warm: A few submissives might want to warm embrace to cuddle into but it also has a physical need. Body temperature can drop quite quickly after play.

Something small to eat like a piece of chocolate or a cookie: (make sure on medical conditions that might prevent this). It sometimes helps to increase the blood sugar levels a little bit and also releases oxytocin. The “feel good” drug.

Now if there is any cuts, lacerations, bruises or wounds that need to be taken care off. Have a look, *disinfect and dressing* any wounds. Perhaps using a cream to reduce bruises.

If a submissive is leaving the club/venue or have to *travel* to their place of residence. Make sure they are capable of driving or call a taxi. This can be arranged ahead of time so that a third party is able to take them home. Or to wait until they are in a position to drive themselves.

There are several more examples but you get the basic idea. Physical needs are taken care off. Like helping your submissive get to a bathroom to relieve themselves and helping them to a point where they can stand on their own two feet and able to make decisions again.

2.Emotional Needs:

Lots of cuddles: Try not to leave a submissive alone by themselves as for some abandonment issues can set in. Or a feeling like they were not good enough. At times it is not possible for Tops/Dominants to be the one taking care of aftercare but if you can stay and cuddle or give encouraging words until a third person (negotiated beforehand) can take over and take care of the submissives aftercare.

Positive verbal communication: Lots of praise, gentle talking and encouragement so it is not such a big shock from going from a place of serene peace at times to a harsh wake up back in reality. Perhaps the play was a lot more degrading and humiliation and a submissive (as well as Dominants) need the time to transition back to a place of reality.

Skin to skin. For some submissives and Dominants, they need that reassurance that everything is okay and still good and they need no barriers between them.

Shower: Taking a shower or bath can be relaxing for both parties. It takes care of a physical need to getting clean but also emotional need to keep the connection and making sure both of you are okay.
There are a lot more ways some submissives needs can be taken care of emotionally so these are just a few examples to get you going and thinking about it. The needs can differ in regards to the different relationships between parties as well so please talk beforehand about what you might think you will need if you are not completely sure.

Now, most of the above might be seen that it is mostly a Dominant taking care of the submissives need but quite often afterwards a lot of Dominants have an intense need to make sure the submissive and bottom is, in fact, okay and doing good.

Other examples specific to Dominants/Tops:

After taking care of a submissive they need their alone time to be able to process things.

Taking care of equipment and cleaning everything off and packing their toys away is a ritual for some.

Needing to talk it out after their play partners are able to. What was good. What wasn't? How did you find it?

Submissives and bottoms please consider when you are able to... To give thanks the Dominant/Top for their time. You really don't know how much that means to them. You might have given them a gift of submission but they gave you a gift as well.

Dominants don't neglect you're own physical or emotional needs. For a lot of submissives aftercare involving being allowed to take care of their Dominant and that is how they best process a scene or playtime.

Aftercare at times can be used for all parties to return to their “positions” and equilibrium before a scene or play started.

When does aftercare stop or how long should it be?
This is a very difficult question to answer as the answer is as unique as the situation, circumstances and people involved. Talk, talk and more talk.

It is nice to check in now and then with someone you just started playing with. A quick text message or just knowing that you are available to talk. (no matter if you are a sub or a Dom/me)

On the scale of more 24/7, it is just a continues part of the relationship.

Please remember that there is no right or wrong way. Some individuals might not want any of the above and just want to be taken to a safe place and left alone to be able to process and detune.

Remember to stay safe and have some fun.

Consent in BDSM in general

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CONSENT in BDSM in general

Consent is one of your foundation blocks for BDSM. It is a very important concept for anyone to understand as well as to apply, regardless if you are participating in any BDSM related activities.
So for the next few articles, I am going to concentrate on the different ways consent is and can be applied in different scenarios. BUT it always has to be present.

Our first one is going to be just the basic idea of consent in BDSM itself and why it is so important.

You might have heard a lot about the following terms and will see it crop up time and time again on this website:
SSC: Safe, Sane and Consensual
RACK: Risk Aware Consensual Kink
PRICK: Personal Responsibility Informed Consensual Kink.

In all three these approaches you see that Consent is a very important part of it. Reason for it is simple. We want everyone that is taking part to be willing to take part and have fun. They need to be able to consent, not to be coerced into it, and that they do this of their own free will. Without the consent part what is happening is not consensual anymore and you are in fact abusing a person.

So how does consent look like? It takes many different forms as you get all sorts of different ways you can partake in BDSM. So one method of consent won’t always be the same method for all. But for today we are just going to look at the basic method of consent in a general situation.
For you to take part in any of the activities (regardless if it is just sex or kinky activities without sex or any combination of that):

1. You need to be able to consent: This means that you can’t be drunk, heavily medicated, under the influence of any substance that can alter your decision-making skills. It also means that emotionally you are in a place that you can consent.

Take BDSM itself out for a moment. Think of the following: You have someone that got completely drunk and passed out and you always wanted to do it with that person. Do you think it is okay to have sex with them?

What if this person is starting to come onto you? But they are just too drunk to really know what they are doing?

What if this person just broke up with someone close to them and they are extremely vulnerable?

Now some might argue that in some of these cases it is not black and white. But life is not black and white. It is just mostly shades of grey. But to get consent it NEEDS to be a bit clearer as there is almost more at stake and there can be very serious consequences on either side.
Without Consent, it is abuse.

2. You need to know what you are consenting to: This means knowing exactly what is involved for Tops or Bottoms. What is more or less on for play, and what is not.

It is easy to say you consented to sex but in the end, it landed in anal sex. And what one person thought they consenting to is completely different to what another person meant. This gets back to communicating. Clear communication in a way that all parties know exactly what they are consenting to. See articles on negotiating and the different methods you can use.

3. Agree on safewords: This is a way to make sure consent is always present. Both sides have safewords to either halt play for a bit (see safeword article on more) or to stop play. Use safety signals if you can't use safewords.

If you play without safewords you are getting in a bit more murkier water as you might overstep someone’s boundaries and you might go towards or over the line of not having consent anymore. So be safe and play with safewords.

4. Age of consent: Now this some might say is not part of basic consent and more an ethical or moral or even legal issue. But I am going to put it in here. Yes, some countries have a legal sex age limit but I think if we going to talk about BDSM you need to look even further. A lot of studies have shown that a brain is still developing at age 16 (legal age of a lot of countries) but even at age 20, some brains are still developing. You also still have to deal with a lot of hormone influxes to confuse the situation even more.

Studies have shown that teenagers are more impulsive can take more risks and not think of consequences, where other studies have shown it is less on risk-taking itself but the urgency to learn more about the world. Either way it is something to take under consideration. Different countries will have different age limits for sex or even have a different one for certain type of sexual activities. In regards to this article, I would highly recommend at least age 18. (and in some cases even 21). But always make sure that who you play with is the legal age of consent.

Watch out for the next article in the series of consent.