As we figure out how to build and share a good community here, I thought we’d try a multi-leveled topic.

What is BDSM? A quick and short answer are the common abbreviations of Bondage & Discipline, Domination & Submission, Sadism & Masochism, but is this really an accurate description, or just a pithy mnemonic? I would think there’s a lot more to it both in practice, identity and image, for example, why do I think of leather when it’s not in the abbreviations?

Where did you learn about BDSM? Where did your ideas and notions about it come from?

Have your notions changed with time? Do you have any guess as to why?

Feel free to engage with as many or few of the questions as you feel comfortable to.

And as we are new as a community, please try to be a little generous in both your sharing and your listening, we can all help to set a good norm.