Power exchange (BDSM)
Encyclopedia
In BDSM
, the term power exchange refers to a relationship or activity in which the submissive gives to the dominant partner power and authority over the submissive's body in exchange for the submissive's happiness and health. The details of the arrangement would be negotiated
and may be set out in a formal contract
and can be for any duration, according to the agreement of the participants, ranging from a single scene
, to a proscribed period of hours, days or weeks, to a 24 hour a day open-ended agreement with no termination date.
On a psychological level, most BDSM roleplay involves power
and dominance, whereby one person willingly hands over personal autonomy to another. This can range from addressing another person as "master" or "mistress" for a ten-minute scene
, to a witnessed, formal collaring
with a lifelong agreement which micro-manages the submissive's life.
The latter is often referred to as total power exchange or TPE or 24/7 or 24/7/365.
In "safe, sane, and consensual" BDSM, power exchange is always negotiated. Before play, the participants would discuss their physical and psychological limitations, establish safeword
s and work out what will happen.
A submissive is a person who submits or potentially submits to another. Within a BDSM-only context, submissive is sometimes synonymous with bottom
. Submissives can vary in how seriously they take their position, training, and situation. Reasons for this include relief from responsibility, being the object of attention and affection, gaining a sense of security, showing off endurance or working through issues of shame.
A dominant is a person who exercises the power to take control of a person or situation through usage of some means (such as physical, mental, financial, etc.) on a regular basis; the gender specific titles being dom for a man, domme or dominatrix
for a woman. Reasons for this include demonstrating skill and power, having ownership of another person, being the object of affection and devotion.
In most power exchange as referred to in a BDSM scene, there are limitations on the power the dominant has over the submissive, include things such as safeword
s, time limits, or explicitly negotiated understandings of what is allowed.
In some cases, "topping from the bottom", or the attempt by a submissive to covertly control the top, is considered poor practice within lifestyle BDSM and power exchange. However, in the instance of interrogation scene
play, such cues from the submissive are necessary in order to have a successful experience.
The term power exchange translated into Latin is "visvicis", "vis" meaning power and "vicis" meaning exchange.
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...
, the term power exchange refers to a relationship or activity in which the submissive gives to the dominant partner power and authority over the submissive's body in exchange for the submissive's happiness and health. The details of the arrangement would be negotiated
Negotiation (BDSM)
In the BDSM community, negotiation is a form of communication where participants make arrangements on each others' requirements, responsibilities, and limits to find the best possible agreement....
and may be set out in a formal contract
Contract (BDSM)
In BDSM, a contract is an agreement, usually written, between the dominant and submissive in a 24/7 or Total Power Exchange relationship. It is the formal act of consent to the power exchange....
and can be for any duration, according to the agreement of the participants, ranging from a single 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...
, to a proscribed period of hours, days or weeks, to a 24 hour a day open-ended agreement with no termination date.
On a psychological level, most BDSM roleplay involves power
Power (sociology)
Power is a measurement of an entity's ability to control its environment, including the behavior of other entities. The term authority is often used for power perceived as legitimate by the social structure. Power can be seen as evil or unjust, but the exercise of power is accepted as endemic to...
and dominance, whereby one person willingly hands over personal autonomy to another. This can range from addressing another person as "master" or "mistress" for a ten-minute 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...
, to a witnessed, formal collaring
Master/slave (BDSM)
In BDSM, Master/slave or M/s is a relationship in which one individual gives to another ultimate authority over them. It is a form of dominance and submission or total power exchange. The participants may be of any gender or sexual orientation...
with a lifelong agreement which micro-manages the submissive's life.
The latter is often referred to as total power exchange or TPE or 24/7 or 24/7/365.
In "safe, sane, and consensual" BDSM, power exchange is always negotiated. Before play, the participants would discuss their physical and psychological limitations, establish safeword
Safeword
A safeword is a code word or series of code words that are sometimes used in BDSM for a submissive to unambiguously communicate their physical or emotional state to a dominant , typically when approaching, or crossing, a physical, emotional, or moral boundary...
s and work out what will happen.
A submissive is a person who submits or potentially submits to another. Within a BDSM-only context, submissive is sometimes synonymous with bottom
Bottom (BDSM)
In BDSM, a bottom or submissive is the partner in a BDSM relationship or a BDSM scene who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or dominant....
. Submissives can vary in how seriously they take their position, training, and situation. Reasons for this include relief from responsibility, being the object of attention and affection, gaining a sense of security, showing off endurance or working through issues of shame.
A dominant is a person who exercises the power to take control of a person or situation through usage of some means (such as physical, mental, financial, etc.) on a regular basis; the gender specific titles being dom for a man, domme or dominatrix
Dominatrix
Dominatrix or mistress is a woman or women who takes the dominant role in bondage, discipline and sadomasochism, or BDSM. A common form of address for a submissive to a dominatrix is "mistress", "ma'am", "domina" or "maîtresse"...
for a woman. Reasons for this include demonstrating skill and power, having ownership of another person, being the object of affection and devotion.
In most power exchange as referred to in a BDSM scene, there are limitations on the power the dominant has over the submissive, include things such as safeword
Safeword
A safeword is a code word or series of code words that are sometimes used in BDSM for a submissive to unambiguously communicate their physical or emotional state to a dominant , typically when approaching, or crossing, a physical, emotional, or moral boundary...
s, time limits, or explicitly negotiated understandings of what is allowed.
In some cases, "topping from the bottom", or the attempt by a submissive to covertly control the top, is considered poor practice within lifestyle BDSM and power exchange. However, in the instance of interrogation scene
Interrogation scene
An interrogation scene is a form of BDSM roleplay in which the participants act out the parts of torturer and victim. As in real life torture chambers throughout the world over, the "torturer" uses threats, humiliation and physical pain to extract whatever information he/she believes the "victim"...
play, such cues from the submissive are necessary in order to have a successful experience.
The term power exchange translated into Latin is "visvicis", "vis" meaning power and "vicis" meaning exchange.
See also
- LimitsLimits (BDSM)In BDSM, limits refer to those activities that participants in a BDSM scene feels strongly about, and to which special attention must be paid....
- ContractContract (BDSM)In BDSM, a contract is an agreement, usually written, between the dominant and submissive in a 24/7 or Total Power Exchange relationship. It is the formal act of consent to the power exchange....
- NegotiationNegotiation (BDSM)In the BDSM community, negotiation is a form of communication where participants make arrangements on each others' requirements, responsibilities, and limits to find the best possible agreement....
- SceneScene (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...
External links
- Devus article on Power Exchange
- BDSM Education lots of articles including Power Exchange
- Power exchange on Wipipedia, the specialist BDSM wikiWikiA wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
. - Total Power Exchange on Wipipedia, the specialist BDSM wikiWikiA wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
.