Play (BDSM)
Encyclopedia
"Play" is the term given to taking part in a BDSM
scene
. It is a deliberate use of the word's ambiguous meaning - suggesting both a Play
in the literary sense (taking in the roleplay aspect) and Play
in the child-like sense (taking in the experimentation, gleefullness and wonder aspects). Often in BDSM clubs, "Shall we play?" is the equivalent to the vanilla
"Shall we dance?".
Play can take many forms, from a light session where two people get to know each others likes and dislikes to a heavy or lengthy scene
between two or more committed "players" who know each others limits and are willing to push or be pushed at their boundaries.
Many people engage in promiscuous play to learn about themselves until they have found the role they are comfortable in. Many BDSM couples also engage in play with either a third person or separately with another partner. It is almost always the case that these play encounters are of a non-sexual nature.
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
scene
Scene (BDSM)
In BDSM, a scene is the stage or setting where BDSM activity takes place, as well as the activity itself. The place where a BDSM activity takes place is usually called a dungeon. A BDSM activity can but need not involve sexual activity or sexual roleplay. A scene will vary, depending on the wishes...
. It is a deliberate use of the word's ambiguous meaning - suggesting both a Play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
in the literary sense (taking in the roleplay aspect) and Play
Play (activity)
Play is a term employed in ethology and psychology to describe to a range of voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with pleasure and enjoyment...
in the child-like sense (taking in the experimentation, gleefullness and wonder aspects). Often in BDSM clubs, "Shall we play?" is the equivalent to the vanilla
Vanilla sex
Vanilla sex is a description of what a culture regards as standard or conventional sexual behaviour. Different cultures, subcultures and individuals have different ideas about what constitutes this type of sex...
"Shall we dance?".
Play can take many forms, from a light session where two people get to know each others likes and dislikes to a heavy or lengthy scene
Scene (BDSM)
In BDSM, a scene is the stage or setting where BDSM activity takes place, as well as the activity itself. The place where a BDSM activity takes place is usually called a dungeon. A BDSM activity can but need not involve sexual activity or sexual roleplay. A scene will vary, depending on the wishes...
between two or more committed "players" who know each others limits and are willing to push or be pushed at their boundaries.
Many people engage in promiscuous play to learn about themselves until they have found the role they are comfortable in. Many BDSM couples also engage in play with either a third person or separately with another partner. It is almost always the case that these play encounters are of a non-sexual nature.