Cultural Immersion: Mini Assignment C

Jasmine Barnes
SW 3000, Alpharetta
Georgia State University

What is a Dominate/Submissive Relationship?

Dominance and submission (D/S) is an alternative relationship consisting of two or more people who are
mutually consenting adults who agree on one partner taking the dominant, controlling role and the
other taking on the subordinate, controlled position. A switch is an individual who plays in either role. A
dominatrix is a term reserved for a female professional dominant who dominates others for money.
The master or Dom (male) or Dommes (female) takes the controlling role. The Dom controls the actions,
emotions and will of the Subs. A Subs duty is solely to serve and please their Dom or Master. The Dom
and Sub are dependent on each other to satisfy their own needs. Both parties take pleasure from either
dominating or being dominated. D/S relationships may be sexual or non-sexual, long-term or short-term
and intimate or anonymous (Retrieved from www. asubmissivesjourney.com).
A D/S relationship may entail all or some forms of BDSM which stands for bondage and discipline,
domination and submission and sadism and masochism. Many Subs in D/S relationships symbolize their
relationship by wearing a collar around their neck to symbolize their status and commitment to their
Dom. Some subs wear a more traditional collar such as a bracelet or ankle chain so it can pass in nonBDSM situations. Be cautious not to make assumptions, because many people in punk rock or Goth
subcultures wear collars for fashion (Retrieved from www. asubmissivesjourney.com).
Level of Exposure
Jasmine has been aware for quite some time about BDSM and particularly D/S relationships. The first
time she was exposed to it was after watching a documentary that followed the lives of a few
dominatrix. Prior to researching this subculture, she had negative feelings towards D/S relationships and
BDSM in general. Jasmine believed people who engaged in BDSM were bizarre and in need of therapy.
After educating herself on the subculture she has come to realize they are just people who have a sexual
interests outside the norm. They chose to pick another flavor instead of vanilla. BDSM individuals and
those in D/S relationships use the term vanilla to describe mainstream society. The term refers to
normative sex (non-kinky) and relationships, and it stems from vanilla ice cream being the default
flavor.
Portrayals in the Media
Recently D/S relationships have made a claim to fame with the best-selling novel by E.L. James called
Fifty Shades of Grey. Many movies use BDSM in a comical sense and female artists such as performers
have dressed in dominatrix costumes and used whips and chains as props for music videos. The public
perception of BDSM is shifting to match the reality. BDSM was once viewed exclusively as perversion,
but it has crossed over and become virtually respectable, stylish and safe. More and more people are
recognizing the typical BDSM practitioner could be the man or woman next door.
Forms of Oppression
People with sexual interests in BDSM are mistakenly considered by others as being damaged (a need for
therapy) or worst, dangerous (in need of legal regulation). The common assumption is those involved in
D/S (BDSM) relationships are sexually deficient in some way and need particularly strong stimuli such as
pain infliction to reach orgasm. People assume they suffer from sexual difficulties which they attempt to

alleviate through engaging in deviant activities. Several empirical studies have been performed on BDSM
practitioners that suggest BDSM participants are no more damaged or dangerous than the rest of the
population [12, 21, 23,-27] According to the Australian Study of Health and Relationships, it is reported
that 2.0% of sexually active men and 1.4% of sexually active women aged 16-59 years old engaged in
BDSM in the past year. Findings support the idea that D/S relationships and BDSM in general is simply a
sexual interests or subculture attractive to a minority, and that for most participants, the activities are
not pathological symptoms of past abuse or of difficulty with deemed normal sex (Richters, J., de
Visser, R. O., Rissel, C. E., Grulich, A. E., & Smith, A. A. (2008).

Continued Cultural Work

Jasmine will continue to learn more about this subculture in an effort to understand potential clients
who belong to this community. Understanding D/S relationships is important in not mistaking a clients
D/S relationship for a domestic violence case. For instance, a client in a D/S relationship may have burn
marks or rope marks on their body from a prior play session. As a social worker you may see those
marks and assume the client is in a domestic dispute but in reality they are just a BDSM practitioner.