- FEMDOM -

Femdom

The term "femdom" is a contraction of the words "female domination". It is also used as a contraction of the words "female dominance". Additionally, it is a contractive form of "female dominant" to identify a woman who primarily takes on the dominant role in a sexual relationship. There are some who look upon the second usage of the term with some degree of disdain.

Actually, female domination means different things to different people and it is a bit difficult to come up with one definition agreed upon by everyone. Nearly everyone will accept that it refers to some kind of relationship involving some form of BDSM (Bondage & Discipline; Dominance & Submission; Sadism & Masochism) in which a woman possesses more power or control than her partner (or partners). And everyone accepts that it is a consensual exchange of some form of power in which all parties involved have agreed to participate in the relationship of their own free will and with reasonable knowledge -- otherwise it would be a form of abuse.

It seems that one of the more widely-accepted views of female domination is that of a heterosexual Dominant/Submissive (D/S) sexual relationship, with a woman (or women) in the dominant role and her male partner (or partners) in the submissive role. Often this relationship includes elements of Bondage & Discipline (B&D) and/or Sadism & Masochism (S&M) as well. Frequently, it is a Mistress/slave relationship. The relationship is primarily based on the sexuality of those involved in it.

A broader view, which seems to be gaining more and more acceptance, defines female domination as any type of relationship between a woman (or women) who has some sort of power advantage -- be it physical, psychological, metaphysical, or some combination -- and her partner (or partners) of any gender. The relationship need only have some sort of BDSM-related sexual basis -- even if it only plays a very minor role in the overall relationship -- to be considered female domination.

The practice of female domination may range from regular, occasional "sessions" or "scenes" in which a woman takes on a dominant role for very specific periods of time to an on-going, full-time lifestyle Mistress/slave relationship. Most people do not consider an occasional, spontaneous playful exchange between a woman and her partner to be female domination -- even though these exchanges may occur with the woman usually in control.

Various components of female dominance in a relationship may include one or more of a wide variety of components such as (to name just a few examples):

Adoration; Aggressive sex play; Alternative spirituality; Body worship; Bondage and discipline; Cruelty; Denial; Depersonalization; Domestic service; Dominance and submission; Erotic boxing/wrestling; Erotic "torture"; Feminist spirituality; Fetishism; Flagellation; Foot worship; "Forced" feminization; "Forced" chastity; Goddess worship; Gynosupremacy (female superiority) as a form of role playing; Humiliation & Humbling; Masochism; Maid service; Pain play; Personal services; Role playing; Sadism; Sensation play; Service (of a wide variety of means); and Subservience.

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