BDSM can arguably be considered a basic human erotic/sexual urge, as the historical record provides evidence of sexual dominance among both genders stretching back thousands of years. Many practitioners today consider BDSM to be a lifestyle, and not just a sexual proclivity, but that is by no means a rule, as BDSM practices range from mild spankings as erotic foreplay to complete restraint and dominance, including public displays of control.
BDSM Today - From Erotic Stimulation to D/S Lifestyles
Modern BDSM practices are almost all characterized by the concept of consensuality. That is, one partner (the sub or bottom) voluntarily gives some degree of control of himself/herself to the other partner (the dom or top).
The degree of control and the expectations of both partners are worked out in advance, and safety rules (like a "safe word") are typical practices. The degree of control and dominance (and pain inflicted) varies extremely widely among BDSM practitioners, from mere token spankings to complete restraint/bondage and extreme pain. Some people even choose a full-time dominance/submission (D/S) lifestyle.
History of BDSM and BDSM in Erotic Art
Dominance, control, and sexuality have been associated in human culture for thousands of years. There are written records of ritual flagellation related to religious practices as early as 900 BC in Sparta. The earliest graphical representations date back to a 6th century BC Etruscan grave site, where there is a remarkably well-preserved painting of two men spanking and caning a woman as she performs fellatio on one of them (see picture). There are also several references in early (first and second century AD) Roman literature to flagellation and bondage related to sex and/or foreplay.
The Kama Sutra also provides some of the earliest written evidence of early dominance and pain-producing practices related to sexuality that are close to modern fully consensual BDSM. The Kama Sutra outlines four kinds of hitting practices, where to hit, and the types of "joyful cries" that might be produced by the women being hit. It also clearly spells out that this should only be practiced consensually as not all women enjoy the practice, mirroring the fully consensual nature of modern BDSM.
By the 14th century the historical record has a great deal of evidence of various BDSM practices, although it should be noted that the Marquis de Sade, whose name along with that of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch is where the term sado-masdochism is derived, did not practice modern BDSM as his dominance activities were frequently not consensual, and would certainly be considered abusive today.
Modern BDSM definitely has some early roots in the gay male leather culture, which began to develop after the Second World War. This movement really came into its own in the 1970s and remains an established part of the BDSM subculture.
Psychology of BDSM (Sadism and/or Masochism as Normal Human Behaviors)
Historically, and up until the last couple of decades, BDSM practices had been generally categorized as a form of mental illness, but in 1994 the mainstream medical community revised the standards in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV to make it clear that BDSM practices were not a mental disorder unless practiced to the extent that it impaired basic life functionality.
BDSM practitioners (both tops and bottoms) often describe a feeling of euphoria akin to a "runner's high" during and after BDSM activities, and that it is self-reinforcing.
While there has been relatively little study of the psychology of BDSM practitioners, a well-known study by Charles Moser in 1988 clearly debunked the idea that individuals involved in these practices have any special or more psychiatric problems based on their lifestyle preferences.
Prevalence of BDSM in Modern Society
The famous 1990 Kinsey Report stated that 5% to 10% of Americans occasionally engage in sexual activities related to BDSM, and 11% of men and 17% of women reported having tried bondage. And according to two surveys by Durex Co. in 2004 and 2005 involving over 300,000 people in 41 countries, 20% of the respondents had used masks, blindfolds or other bondage implements, and 19% admitted to spanking as part of their regular sexual practices.
For more on relationships and human sexuality see:
Improve Your Sex Drive – Better Sex for Men and Women
The Best Places to Meet Women Today
Sources:
Durex.com, "Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey" (accessed August 17, 2010).
The Kinsey Institute, "Frequently Asked Sexuality Questions to the Kinsey Institute" (accessed August 17, 2010).
Popculture.com. "The Marquis de Sade, Last Will and Testament" (accessed August 17, 2010).
Clayton Browne - Clayton Browne has a BA and an MS in Anthropology, and has been writing professionally since 1994. He worked for many years in both ...
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