CONSENT HARBOUR · LEARNING LIBRARY
Learn at your own pace.
Plain-language introductions to consent, communication, community terms, and risk awareness. Start with a question, explore a category, or follow a related topic.
15 categories · 561 topics — choose a category to explore
- Active listeningActive listening means attending to someone’s meaning rather than preparing a reply while they speak.
- Affirmative consentAn active expression of agreement to a specific activity, rather than an inference from silence or lack of resistance.
- Asking without pressureAsking without pressure means making an invitation that leaves refusal genuinely available.
- Blanket consentA broad or ongoing permission claim whose scope needs careful clarification and remains revocable.
- BoundariesPersonal conditions that define what someone is comfortable participating in or sharing.
- Changing your mindWithdrawing or revising an earlier agreement.
- Check-in questionsShort, specific questions used to clarify comfort, preference, and willingness during an interaction.
- Coerced consentAn apparent agreement obtained through pressure, threats, manipulation, or consequences that undermine a free choice.
- Communication stylesCommunication styles are the different ways people express needs, process questions, and participate in conversation.
- ConsentFreely given agreement to a particular activity, with the ability to refuse or stop.
- Consent agreementsWritten or spoken records of expectations, limits, and responsibilities.
- Consent fatigueConsent fatigue is informal language for feeling worn down by repeated decisions, requests, or boundary discussions.
- Consent FRIES frameworkA consent mnemonic: freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific.
- Consent to photographs and videoSeparate permission to capture, retain, or share someone's image or recording.
- Consent violationsActions that go beyond, ignore, or occur without a person's consent.
- Digital consentDigital consent is agreement about online messages, images, calls, and other interactions through technology.
- Discussing uncertaintyDiscussing uncertainty means making room for an undecided answer without treating it as permission.
- Enthusiastic consentA way of describing clear, willing participation rather than reluctant compliance.
- Explicit prior permissionSpecific permission established before an activity begins, with the proposed scope clearly understood.
- Finding words for questions and boundariesPractising language that makes preferences and uncertainty easier to express.
- Hard limitsActivities or conditions a person does not consent to.
- Informed consentAgreement made with a meaningful understanding of the proposed activity and its relevant risks.
- Intent and impactIntent and impact describe the difference between what someone meant to do and how their action affected another person.
- Interest, compatibility, and consentThe distinction between liking an idea, matching preferences, and agreeing to participate.
- Mismatched expectationsMismatched expectations occur when people agree to the same words but imagine different experiences.
- Naming needs without justificationNaming needs without justification means stating what helps you participate without having to reveal the personal history behind it.
- Negotiating marksDiscussing whether visible or lasting physical traces are acceptable before an activity.
- NegotiationNegotiation is the conversation people have to decide whether—and under what conditions—they want to participate in a BDSM or kink experience together.
- Nonverbal stop signalsAgreed gestures or actions for communicating when speech is unavailable or difficult.
- Ongoing consentConsent that remains open to checking, changing, and withdrawal throughout an activity.
- Receiving a refusalReceiving a refusal means respecting a declined invitation without punishment, argument, or demands for explanation.
- Renegotiating an agreementRenegotiating an agreement means reviewing existing arrangements when needs, circumstances, or preferences change.
- Revoking consentEnding previously given permission for an activity or arrangement.
- Risk-aware negotiationsDiscussion approaches that make risk awareness and negotiation explicit, including alternative consent frameworks.
- SafewordsAgreed words that communicate a pause, change, or stop during play.
- Soft limitsActivities that may be considered only under separately agreed conditions.
- Talking outside a roleTalking outside a role means pausing the agreed dynamic so people can discuss real needs without performing their scene identities.
- Traffic light consent systemA communication system using agreed colour words or signals to express consent-related status.
- Yes-no-maybe listsA discussion aid that sorts possible interests into welcome, excluded, and uncertain categories.
- 24/7 dynamicsA 24/7 dynamic is community language for an ongoing power-exchange arrangement rather than one limited to individual scenes.
- BDSMBDSM is an umbrella abbreviation commonly used for bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism.
- Bedroom-only dynamicsPower exchange limited to agreed intimate settings or particular scenes.
- Boot worshipAgreed admiration or service focused on boots and their symbolism.
- BottomA person who receives an activity in a particular encounter.
- BratBrat is a self-chosen role label sometimes used for playful resistance or teasing within an agreed dynamic.
- Brat tamerBrat tamer is an informal role label for someone who enjoys responding to agreed playful resistance.
- Co-dominanceA negotiated arrangement involving more than one person in a dominant role.
- Co-toppingTwo or more tops coordinating an agreed interaction.
- Collar symbolismCollar symbolism refers to the personal or relationship meanings people assign to wearing a collar.
- Collaring ceremoniesA collaring ceremony is an optional ritual some adults use to mark an agreed relationship commitment.
- Consensual punishmentAn agreed consequence within a dynamic, distinct from retaliation or abuse.
- Discipline in a negotiated dynamicDiscipline in a negotiated dynamic refers to agreed structure, expectations, or consequences within a consensual relationship or scene.
- Domestic disciplineA negotiated domestic dynamic incorporating rules and agreed responses to them.
- Domestic serviceChosen household tasks used as an expression of service.
- Dominance and submission (D/s)A consensual dynamic involving agreed direction and yielding.
- DominantA person who takes an agreed directing role in a consensual power dynamic.
- Dominant bottomSomeone combining a dominant role with receiving an activity.
- Female dominanceA term for consensual dominance by someone who identifies as a woman.
- Female-led relationship (FLR)A relationship in which a woman holds particular authority by agreement.
- FetishFetish is a word often used for a particular attraction or interest focused on an object, material, body feature, or situation.
- Financial dominationA consensual adult interest in financial giving or spending within a negotiated dominance context.
- FunishmentA playful consequence enjoyed as part of an agreed scenario.
- Gentle dominanceA style of consensual dominance that emphasizes warmth, reassurance, or a less forceful presentation.
- Gorean role-play and lifestyleAdult fictional-role or lifestyle interests inspired by the Gor novels.
- HandlerHandler is a role label sometimes used for a person taking an agreed supportive or directing role in adult pet play.
- High protocolA style of dynamic using detailed, explicitly agreed rules of conduct and presentation.
- Inspection playA fictional or ritualized review of presentation, posture, or another agreed feature.
- Kajira and kajirusGendered fictional slave-role terms associated with Gorean settings.
- KeyholderA person entrusted with agreed access or symbolic authority concerning a chastity arrangement.
- KinkKink is a broad, context-dependent word for interests or experiences someone considers outside conventional expectations.
- Low protocolA style of power exchange with fewer formal rules or a more relaxed presentation.
- Male dominanceA term for consensual dominance by someone who identifies as a man.
- MasochismIn consensual kink, enjoyment associated with receiving an agreed intense or painful experience.
- Master and slave terminologyMaster and slave terminology is used by some adults for a specifically negotiated power-exchange identity or relationship.
- Ownership symbolismChosen language or symbols expressing belonging within an adult dynamic.
- Personal-attendant serviceA chosen service role involving agreed personal assistance.
- Play partnersPlay partners are adults who arrange agreed kink activities together, with or without a romantic relationship.
- Power exchangeA consensual arrangement that gives one participant agreed authority in defined areas.
- Professional dominationProfessional services involving negotiated adult domination or related experiences.
- Protocol and ritualsAgreed routines, manners, or symbolic actions within a dynamic.
- Pup playPup play is a form of adult pet play in which a participant adopts a puppy or dog-like persona.
- Reward-based dynamicsDynamics using agreed appreciation, privileges, or symbolic rewards.
- SadismIn consensual kink, enjoyment associated with giving an agreed intense or painful experience.
- SadomasochismA broad term for consensual interests involving giving or receiving pain, intensity, or related psychological experiences.
- Service submissionSubmission expressed through agreed acts of service or assistance.
- Service topA top who provides an agreed experience primarily shaped by the receiving partner's preferences.
- Sexual and nonsexual dominanceDifferent contexts in which someone may enjoy exercising consensually agreed authority.
- SubmissiveA person who chooses an agreed receiving or yielding role in a power dynamic.
- Submissive topSomeone combining a submissive role with performing an activity.
- SwitchA person who may enjoy more than one role, depending on the context.
- Switching within a sceneSwitching within a scene means changing agreed roles during one encounter.
- Titles and forms of addressTitles and forms of address are chosen names or honorifics used within some agreed dynamics.
- TopA person who performs or directs an activity in a particular encounter.
- Topping from the bottomA disputed phrase sometimes used for a receiving person's attempts to direct an activity.
- Total power exchangeA community term for a broadly scoped consensual authority arrangement, whose actual limits must still be defined.
- Training dynamicsNegotiated learning or practice routines within a dynamic.
- VanillaVanilla is informal community language commonly used for interests or interactions outside BDSM or kink.
- ArmbindersRestraint equipment designed to restrict arm movement.
- Ball gagsA gag design involving a ball-like element held at the mouth.
- Ball mittsRestrictive hand coverings that can limit finger use and dexterity.
- Bit gagsA gag design with a bar-like element associated with bit imagery.
- Blindfold fit and communicationBlindfold fit and communication concerns how an agreed vision restriction affects comfort, awareness, and the ability to speak up.
- BondageConsensual restriction of movement using agreed restraints or positions.
- Bondage aesthetics and functionBondage aesthetics and function distinguish how restraint looks from what it does to a person’s movement and experience.
- Bondage cagesEnclosing structures associated with restraint, display, or adult role-play.
- Bondage clothingBondage clothing is clothing or wearable equipment associated with restraint themes, which may or may not actually restrict movement.
- Bondage hooks and ringsSpecialist hardware terms that can refer to very different restraint-related objects.
- Bondage positionsThe arrangement of a person's body during restraint, which matters independently of the equipment used.
- Bondage sacksSack-like garments or enclosures intended to restrict movement or create enclosed imagery.
- Bondage tapeTape marketed for restraint, sometimes designed to adhere to itself rather than to skin.
- Breast bondageRestraint or rope arrangements focused on breast or chest tissue, described here only as adult terminology.
- Chains and shacklesRigid or linked metal restraint equipment.
- Chastity cages and beltsDevice categories associated with limiting access to genital areas in agreed adult contexts.
- Chest/box-tie terminologyRope-community vocabulary commonly associated with chest and arm arrangements.
- Cuffs and other body restraintsRestraints worn around parts of the body to limit movement.
- Day collarsA collar-like item chosen for ordinary-day wear or discreet symbolism.
- Decorative ropeRope worn or arranged primarily for appearance rather than intended restriction.
- Ebi/shrimp-tie terminologyJapanese rope vocabulary for a flexed, shrimp-like body arrangement.
- Emergency release planningPreparing how restraints or equipment will be removed promptly if something goes wrong.
- Floor-based bondageFloor-based bondage describes restraint activities organized without suspending a participant above the floor.
- Furniture bondageRestraint that involves furniture or a fixed structure.
- Futomomo terminologyJapanese rope terminology associated with a bent-leg arrangement.
- GagsDevices or materials intended to limit speech as part of consensual adult restraint or role play.
- Hogtie terminologyA restraint arrangement commonly described as connecting restrained wrists and ankles behind the body.
- Karada terminologyRope terminology often used in English-speaking contexts for body-pattern or harness arrangements.
- Leather bondageRestraint using leather equipment such as cuffs or straps, with effects depending on design and use.
- Metal bondageRestraint using rigid metal equipment rather than flexible rope, fabric, or leather.
- Mummification playAdult restraint involving extensive wrapping that can substantially restrict movement or perception.
- Panel gagsA gag style involving a panel or covering over the mouth area.
- Partial suspension terminologyPartial suspension generally describes bondage in which some body support remains on a surface while other support comes from rigging.
- Play collarsA collar used for an agreed scene or occasional role expression.
- Predicament bondageA negotiated restraint scenario in which positions or choices create competing discomforts.
- Restraint and accessibilityRestraint and accessibility means considering whether a proposed restriction fits an individual’s movement, communication, and practical needs.
- Restraint beltsEquipment connecting or supporting restraints around the body.
- Restraint devicesEquipment intended to restrict movement or hold a position.
- Ring gagsA gag design involving a ring-like mouth element.
- Rope and equipment checksChecking equipment condition, intended use, and suitability before an activity.
- Rope bondageBondage using rope as the restraining material.
- Rope bottomA rope bottom is a person receiving or being involved in rope placed by an agreed partner.
- Rope frictions, hitches, and knotsVocabulary describing different ways rope segments interact or are secured.
- Rope harnessesRope arrangements that form a structure around part of the body, often for visual, tactile, or restraint purposes.
- Rope material terminologyRope material terminology names the fibres or manufactured materials used in rope and the properties people associate with them.
- Rope practice partnershipsA rope practice partnership is an agreement to learn or rehearse rope-related skills together within defined limits.
- Rope topA rope top is a person taking the tying or directing role in an agreed rope interaction.
- Self-bondage: risk awarenessAn overview of restraint hazards when no other person is present to help.
- Shibari and kinbaku terminologyJapanese terms used in different ways for rope tying and erotic rope practices.
- Spanking benchesFurniture marketed or used for supporting particular adult impact-play positions.
- Spreader barsRigid equipment used to hold attached restraints apart, limiting how a person can reposition.
- St Andrew's crossAn X-shaped structure used as a visual or restraint fixture in some adult spaces.
- Stocks and pilloriesHistorical and contemporary restraint structures involving fixed openings or positioning.
- Straitjacket-style restraintsGarments or costume equipment resembling jackets used to restrict arm movement.
- Suspension bondage: risks and learning prerequisitesAn overview of the additional hazards when restraints support body weight.
- Training collarsA community term for a collar associated with an agreed developing dynamic or training role.
- Transitions in ropeChanges between positions or arrangements during a rope interaction.
- Under-bed restraintsRestraint systems designed to use a bed or mattress as part of their arrangement.
- BitingConsensual adult interest in biting sensations, whose meaning and desired intensity vary widely.
- BlindfoldsItems used to limit vision during an agreed activity.
- CaningImpact play associated with a narrow, relatively rigid implement.
- Choosing intensityChoosing intensity means agreeing on the character and limits of an experience rather than assuming stronger is better.
- ClampsEquipment that applies localized pressure to tissue as part of a negotiated adult interest.
- Crops and whipsA group of impact implements with widely differing designs and effects.
- Electrical play: risk awarenessAdult interests involving electrical stimulation or its symbolism, presented only as terminology and risk awareness.
- Feather playFeather play is agreed use of feathers or feather-like objects as part of a sensory experience.
- Fire play: risk awarenessAn adult interest involving flame, heat-related spectacle, or related fantasy, with significant injury concerns.
- FloggingImpact play associated with an implement that has multiple flexible tails.
- Hair pullingAn adult interest involving contact with or pulling hair, which needs separate discussion from other touch.
- Ice and cold playActivities using cold sensations, sometimes involving ice or chilled objects.
- Impact playConsensual activities involving strikes that create agreed sensations.
- Knife play: risk awarenessAn adult interest involving knives, blade imagery, or related role-play, presented without practical instructions.
- Needle play: risk awarenessAn adult interest involving temporary skin piercing with needles, discussed here only as a higher-risk term.
- PaddlingImpact play associated with a relatively broad, firm implement.
- Pain and pleasure preferencesPain and pleasure preferences describe individual responses to sensations rather than a universal scale of what people should enjoy.
- Pinwheel sensation playAdult sensation interests involving a rolling wheel with pointed projections, discussed here as vocabulary.
- Scent boundariesScent boundaries are personal preferences or limits about fragrances, smoke, scented products, and other smells in a shared setting.
- Scratching and nail playConsensual sensation involving nails or scratching-like contact.
- Sensation mappingSensation mapping is informal language for discussing or noticing which kinds of touch or sensation a person welcomes or excludes.
- Sensation playActivities focused on how touch, texture, pressure, or another stimulus feels.
- Sensory contrastAn interest in differences between sensations, such as soft and firm textures or quiet and sound.
- Sensory deprivationReducing access to one or more senses as part of an agreed activity.
- Sensory overloadSensory overload is informal language for feeling overwhelmed by the amount or intensity of sensory input.
- Sensory playActivities that deliberately shape experiences involving the senses.
- Sensual touchSensual touch is touch chosen for a pleasing or meaningful sensory experience, without necessarily implying sexual activity or pain.
- SlappingAn impact-related adult interest that may involve very different body areas, emotional meanings, and boundaries.
- Sound in a sceneSound in a scene concerns the agreed use of music, voices, background noise, or quiet as part of an experience.
- SpankingImpact play commonly associated with strikes made using a hand.
- Temperature playActivities involving deliberately warmer or colder sensations.
- Texture playTexture play describes agreed exploration of how different surfaces or materials feel.
- Thud and sting terminologyThud and sting are informal descriptions people use for different qualities of impact sensation.
- TicklingTouch intended to produce a tickling response.
- Vibration as a sensory interestVibration as a sensory interest refers to an attraction to vibrating sensations or equipment within a specifically agreed experience.
- Warm-up in sensation playWarm-up is a term people use for a gradual beginning to an agreed sensory or impact experience.
- Wax play: risk awarenessAn overview of hazards associated with applying melted wax during play.
- Adult age role-playRole-play between consenting adults involving fictional age differences or age-associated roles.
- AnticipationAnticipation is the experience of looking forward to, imagining, or wondering about an agreed activity.
- Bimbofication and himboficationAdult fictional transformation themes using exaggerated presentation or persona stereotypes.
- Body worshipConsensual adult attention that symbolically celebrates a partner's body or a specifically agreed aspect of it.
- Boss/employee role-playAdult fictional workplace authority roles.
- Captor/captive role-playFictional adult role-play involving captivity or authority themes.
- Caregiver dynamicsConsensual adult dynamics in which one partner takes an agreed nurturing or guiding role.
- Chastity playAn agreed restriction related to sexual activity, sometimes involving wearable equipment.
- Clown-themed interestsAdult interests in clown-associated costume, aesthetics, or fictional personas.
- Consensual beggingAgreed adult requests or pleading used as a fictional scene element.
- Consensual blackmail fantasyAdult fictional leverage or secret-keeping themes that must remain distinct from extortion.
- Consensual non-consent (CNC): negotiation and risk awarenessA term for negotiated role-play that portrays resistance or lack of consent within actual consent.
- Consensual teasingAgreed playful provocation or anticipation whose acceptable content depends on the people involved.
- Consensual wrestlingAgreed adult wrestling-themed interaction, sometimes connected with kink or role-play.
- Cosplay interestsAdult interests involving costume portrayal of fictional characters.
- Dirty talkAdult verbal communication intended to feel erotic or suggestive.
- DollificationAdult role-play involving doll-like presentation or an imagined doll persona.
- DronificationA niche term for adult fictional personas emphasizing uniformity or depersonalization.
- EdgingA term commonly used for approaching climax and then reducing or stopping stimulation.
- Embarrassment and shameEmbarrassment and shame are feelings that may arise around attention, disclosure, mistakes, or an agreed scene theme.
- Erotic ASMRAn adult erotic interest combining audio or sensory attention with ASMR-associated presentation.
- Erotic crying interestAn adult interest in crying-associated imagery, emotional expression, or tears.
- Erotic humiliation and degradationNegotiated play involving words or scenarios intended to evoke agreed embarrassment or degradation.
- Erotic hypnosisAn adult interest combining consensual hypnotic suggestion, focused imagination, or hypnosis-themed role-play with erotic context.
- Erotic verbal degradationSpecific adult interest in agreed demeaning words or language.
- Erotic writingAdult interest in reading or creating erotic writing.
- Exhibitionism and voyeurism: consent and privacyInterests involving being observed or observing, within a setting where everyone affected agrees.
- Fantasy and real-world interestFantasy and real-world interest distinguish what someone enjoys imagining from what they want to experience.
- Fear playConsensual adult role-play using agreed anticipation, suspense, or fictional fear themes.
- Feminization role-playChosen adult role expression involving feminine-associated presentation.
- Human furnitureAdult objectification themes in which a person symbolically takes a furniture-like role.
- In-role and out-of-role languageIn-role and out-of-role language distinguishes fictional speech from real communication about an interaction.
- Interrogation role-playAdult role-play built around fictional questioning, secrecy, or an agreed authority scenario.
- Jealousy kinkAn adult interest in imagined or specifically agreed jealousy-related feelings.
- Kidnapping fantasy role-playAdult fictional abduction themes within a clearly agreed scenario.
- Little space: adult role-play terminologyA community phrase some adults use for a younger-feeling or playful headspace within adult role-play.
- Mannequin posingAgreed adult posing or presentation resembling a mannequin.
- Masculinization role-playChosen adult role expression involving masculine-associated presentation.
- Military-style role-playFictional adult roles inspired by military styling or commands.
- Objectification languageObjectification language uses agreed words or descriptions that frame a participant as an object, function, or role within a scene.
- Objectification playNegotiated role-play in which a participant is treated symbolically as an object or function.
- Orgasm controlAn agreed arrangement about whether or when sexual climax is pursued.
- Orgasm denialAn agreed choice to delay or avoid climax during a defined period or activity.
- Performance anxietyPerformance anxiety is worry about meeting expectations or being judged during a planned experience.
- Pet playRole-play using agreed animal-inspired behaviours, identities, or routines.
- Praise kinkAn interest in receiving or giving affirming language within an agreed intimate dynamic.
- Primal playA style of adult play emphasizing physicality, instinctive expression, or less formal presentation.
- Primal predator and prey rolesHuman-adult fictional pursuit roles within some primal-play contexts.
- Race-play terminologyA highly sensitive term for adult fantasy using racialized roles or language.
- Religious-themed role-playAdult fictional roles or imagery involving religious symbolism.
- Resistance playAdult role-play involving agreed fictional resistance, with a clear distinction from actual refusal.
- Ritualized obedienceConsensual routines that use agreed following of instructions to express a chosen dynamic.
- RobotificationAdult fictional transformation or role-play involving a robot persona.
- Role-playAn agreed activity in which participants adopt fictional roles or scenarios.
- Role-play boundariesRole-play boundaries specify which characters, themes, language, and actions are welcome in an agreed fictional interaction.
- Role-play privacyRole-play privacy concerns who may know about fictional identities, scripts, recordings, and experiences shared by participants.
- Scene scriptsScene scripts are agreed outlines or fictional dialogue used to organize a role-play or other planned interaction.
- SissificationA sensitive community term for some chosen feminization or humiliation-themed adult roles.
- Superhero/villain role-playAdult fictional personas built around heroic or villainous characters.
- Surprise within agreed limitsSurprise within agreed limits means leaving selected details unknown while keeping the actual scope of consent clear.
- Teacher/student role-play between adultsRole-play with adult characters involving fictional instruction or evaluation.
- Voice and erotic-audio interestsAdult interests in voices, spoken delivery, or consensually shared erotic audio.
- A negotiation checklistA memory aid for discussing key decisions before an activity.
- Abrasion playAn adult community term involving friction or abrasion-related sensation.
- Allergies and shared spacesConsidering material sensitivities and allergens when activities involve a shared environment.
- Attention and distractionAttention and distraction concern whether participants can notice communication, changing conditions, and their own limits during an activity.
- Ballbusting terminologyA community term for genital-focused impact involving the testicles.
- Bastinado/falaka terminologyTerms associated with striking the soles of the feet.
- Blood play: risk awarenessAn adult interest involving blood or its imagery, presented only as terminology and risk awareness.
- Branding/scarification interestsInterests associated with permanent body marking through tissue injury.
- Breath-play risks: high-risk topic overviewAn overview of serious hazards from interfering with breathing or blood flow to the brain.
- Budgeting for kink interestsBudgeting for kink interests means deciding what time and money to spend without treating purchases as proof of identity or commitment.
- Cancelling a planned sceneCancelling a planned scene means deciding not to carry out an agreed encounter before it begins.
- Changing health needsRecognizing that comfort, capacity, and relevant precautions can change with a person's health or circumstances.
- Check-in contactsA check-in contact is a trusted person who agrees to receive planned communication about a meeting or activity.
- Chemical/irritant-play terminologyAdult community vocabulary involving intentionally irritating substances or chemical exposure.
- Circulation concernsProblems associated with restricted blood flow or pressure on the body.
- Cock and ball torture terminologyAdult terminology for genital-focused pain or intense sensation involving the penis and testicles.
- Consent in group scenesConsent planning when more than two adults participate directly in a scene.
- Consent under financial pressureConsent concerns arising when money, housing, work, or other essential resources affect a person's freedom to refuse.
- Cumulative demands in a sceneCumulative demands describe how several activities or conditions can combine into a more demanding experience than each considered alone.
- Cupping and suction playAdult interests involving suction-associated sensation or imagery.
- Edge playA community term for activities perceived as carrying unusually high physical, psychological, or contextual risk.
- Emergency cutters and release toolsTools kept available to help remove restraints when normal release is not enough.
- Emergency planningPreparing for a medical, equipment, or communication problem.
- Enema-play terminologyAdult interest associated with enemas or their imagery.
- Equipment care and storageEquipment care and storage concerns maintaining items according to their actual materials, construction, and manufacturer guidance.
- Exit planningExit planning means considering how someone can leave a meeting, venue, scene, or dynamic when they choose.
- False confidenceFalse confidence means feeling more certain about knowledge or preparedness than the available evidence supports.
- Figging terminologyA community term associated with intentional use of an irritant on sensitive tissue.
- First meetingsFirst meetings are initial in-person encounters where adults can assess whether they want further contact.
- Genital bondageRestraint focused on genital areas, distinct from generic body restraint.
- Gun/weapon fantasy role-playAdult fictional themes involving weapon imagery or apparent threat.
- Injury response and when to seek medical careRecognizing that injury concerns may require prompt professional help.
- Intoxication, capacity, and consentHow impairment affects the ability to understand, choose, and communicate.
- Material sensitivitiesMaterial sensitivities are individual concerns or reactions related to contact with particular substances or products.
- Medical playConsensual adult role-play or interests involving medical imagery, roles, or equipment, separate from actual healthcare.
- Nerve compression concernsProblems that can occur when pressure or positioning affects a nerve.
- Nipple playAdult interest in sensation or attention focused on nipples.
- Percussion/punching playCommunity terminology for direct body impacts beyond ordinary light sensation play.
- Personal information in scene planningPersonal information in scene planning is the relevant information people choose to share so an activity can be discussed responsibly.
- Personal responsibility, informed consensual kink (PRICK)A framework emphasizing personal responsibility, information, and consent.
- Personal risk profilesThe individual circumstances that affect which activities or conditions someone accepts.
- Risk-aware consensual kink (RACK)A framework emphasizing awareness of risk and voluntary agreement in kink.
- Safe, sane, and consensual (SSC)A longstanding phrase used to describe consent and attention to safety in kink.
- Scene fatiguePhysical or mental tiredness that can affect an experience, communication, and willingness to continue.
- Scene planningPreparing an agreed encounter with practical boundaries and care arrangements.
- Sexual barriers and agreementsDiscussion of protective barriers and shared expectations for sexual contact, without prescribing a clinical plan.
- Sexual health conversationsPrivate discussions of relevant sexual health information, preferences, and precautions before sexual contact.
- Shared equipment boundariesShared equipment boundaries are agreements about lending, borrowing, communal items, and contact with equipment used by others.
- Suspension risksHazards associated with supporting a person's body weight through restraints.
- TramplingAn adult interest involving foot contact or body-weight pressure, depending on usage.
- Travel planning for eventsTravel planning for events means considering transport, accommodation, communication, and privacy before attending.
- Urethral-sounding terminologyTerminology for inserting an object into the urethra.
- Using safewords and signals in practiceMaking agreed stop communication usable and responding to it promptly.
- Vacuum-bed terminologyRestraint-equipment terminology associated with an enclosing flexible structure.
- Vetting a potential partnerVetting a potential partner means gathering relevant information before deciding whether to interact or arrange an activity.
- Vomiting-related fetish terminologyUncommon terms for adult interests associated with vomiting or its imagery.
- AftercareAgreed support or comfort following an intense or meaningful experience.
- Aftercare kitsA collection of personally chosen items that may support an agreed post-scene routine.
- Aftercare mismatchesDifferences in the kinds or amounts of support people want after an encounter.
- Apologies and accountabilityApologies and accountability concern acknowledging an action, its impact, and the changes needed afterward.
- Asexuality and kinkAsexuality and kink concerns the experiences of people on the asexual spectrum who may or may not have kink interests.
- Attachment and play partnershipsAttachment and play partnerships concerns the emotional connections that may develop around shared activities.
- Chosen support networksChosen support networks are trusted people someone selects for companionship, perspective, or practical help.
- Delayed aftercareAgreed support or contact later after an encounter, when needs may become clearer or change.
- DomspaceA community term for the focused or absorbed experience some dominants or tops describe during play.
- Emotional check-insBrief conversations that invite someone to describe how they are doing.
- Emotional overwhelm after playFeeling emotionally overloaded after an experience, without assuming one explanation or diagnosis.
- Ending a dynamicEnding a dynamic means choosing to stop an agreed power-exchange or role-based relationship arrangement.
- Follow-up boundariesAgreements about contact after an encounter, including timing, frequency, privacy, and emotional expectations.
- Grounding after a sceneHelping someone reconnect with their ordinary surroundings after an intense or absorbed experience, according to their preferences.
- Jealousy in kink relationshipsJealousy in kink relationships is an emotional response that may involve fears about attention, comparison, exclusion, or a changing connection.
- Long-distance dynamicsLong-distance dynamics are relationships or power-exchange arrangements maintained while participants are geographically apart.
- Nonsexual kinkNonsexual kink describes kink-related activities or identities that participants do not experience or intend as sexual.
- Planning aftercare in advanceAgreeing on likely support needs and realistic arrangements before play.
- Play partnership expectationsPlay partnership expectations are the relationship and contact arrangements people hope for beyond an individual activity.
- Privacy after a relationship endsPrivacy after a relationship ends concerns respecting intimate information, images, and experiences after contact changes or stops.
- Rebuilding trustRebuilding trust is the optional process of deciding whether confidence in a person or arrangement can develop again after a concern.
- Relationship check-insRelationship check-ins are conversations about whether an ongoing arrangement still fits the people involved.
- Repair after a boundary concernAddressing a crossed or uncertain boundary with accountability and respect for the affected person.
- Repairing a misunderstandingRepairing a misunderstanding means addressing a difference in interpretation without assuming that clarification alone settles its impact.
- Scene debriefsA later conversation about how an encounter felt and what should change.
- Self-compassion after a sceneResponding to one's own feelings and uncertainties without using them as a test of worth or role authenticity.
- Solo reflectionSolo reflection is private consideration of an experience, preference, or relationship without immediately asking another person to interpret it.
- SubdropA community term for difficult feelings or a low period after an experience, often described by receiving or submissive participants.
- SubspaceA community term for an absorbed, shifted, or unusually focused experience some submissives or bottoms describe during play.
- TopdropA community term for difficult feelings after an experience, often described by directing or giving participants.
- Triggers and emotional safetyRecognizing that words, situations, or sensations can evoke distressing reactions.
- Unwanted aftercareSituations in which offered post-scene care is not wanted, or a familiar form of support no longer fits.
- Adult-only community spacesSpaces restricted to adults under the community's eligibility rules.
- Attending an event aloneAttending an event alone means choosing participation without relying on a partner or companion to organize the experience.
- BootblackingLeather-care practice and a cultural or service role in some leather communities.
- Choosing educatorsChoosing educators means considering whether someone’s teaching experience, scope, and approach fit what you want to learn.
- Community consent cultureThe shared habits, expectations, and accountability practices through which a group supports consent.
- Community gatekeepingCommunity gatekeeping is conduct that claims to decide who is authentic, worthy, or entitled to belong based on imposed standards.
- Confidentiality and privacyRespecting people's control over identifying information and private participation.
- Consent for observersAgreement about who may watch an activity and under what conditions.
- Consent policy and actual practiceThe distinction between a written community rule and what people actually do when boundaries matter.
- Demonstration consentSpecific agreement to participate in an educational demonstration, separate from attendance at a class.
- DungeonA private or shared space intended for consensual adult BDSM activities, with rules that vary by venue.
- Dungeon etiquetteShared expectations for behaviour in a venue where consensual kink activities may take place.
- Dungeon monitorsA dungeon monitor is a person assigned by some venues to observe conduct and enforce event rules in activity spaces.
- Event and venue consent policiesRules describing permitted conduct and how a venue handles concerns.
- Fetish clubsA venue or event organized around fetish interests, aesthetics, or adult social activity.
- Fetish fashionClothing and styling associated with fetish aesthetics, which may be personal expression, event wear, or erotic interest.
- Hanky codeA historically used signalling system involving coloured handkerchiefs and placement, with meanings that vary.
- How terminology varies across communities and culturesRecognizing that kink vocabulary has multiple local, cultural, and personal meanings.
- Inclusive and accessible languageCommunication that respects varied identities, abilities, and ways of understanding.
- Kink-aware professionalsProfessionals who describe relevant familiarity with kink contexts in healthcare, counselling, law, or other services.
- Leather boy and leather girlAdult identities or titles used in some leather and power-exchange communities.
- Leather community terminologyLeather community terminology refers to language and identities associated with diverse leather-oriented social and kink communities.
- Leather cultureCommunities, identities, traditions, and aesthetics associated with leather, whose meanings vary across groups and generations.
- Leather familiesChosen-community or relationship networks within some leather cultures.
- Leather runsA leather-community gathering or extended event, with format depending on the organizer.
- Mentorship boundariesMentorship boundaries define the scope of an educational or supportive relationship between a more experienced person and a learner.
- Moderator roles and escalationThe responsibilities and limits of community staff responding to content and conduct.
- MunchesA munch is commonly an informal social gathering for adults interested in kink, usually organized around conversation rather than play.
- Observing a sceneWatching an adult scene with the participants' permission and within the rules of the space.
- OutingOuting means revealing someone’s private identity, interests, or community involvement without their permission.
- Photos and recording at eventsCapturing images or sound within a venue's consent and privacy rules.
- Play partiesPlay parties are organized gatherings where some consensual kink activities may be permitted under specific venue rules.
- Pseudonyms and display namesPseudonyms and display names are chosen names used instead of, or separately from, a person’s legal or everyday name.
- Public play and venue rulesHow agreed activities relate to shared spaces, observers, and local rules.
- Reporting concernsUsing available channels to raise a safety, conduct, or boundary issue.
- Rope jamsA social or learning gathering focused on rope interests or practice.
- Skill-share eventsA community gathering where people exchange knowledge or experience.
- SloshesSlosh is a community term sometimes used for an informal kink social gathering in a bar or similar setting.
- Supporting someone who says a boundary was crossedListening and helping without taking control of the person's decisions.
- The scene: community languageA phrase that may refer either to the wider kink community or, in another context, an individual encounter.
- Workshop participationWorkshop participation means choosing how to engage with an educational session within its stated format and your own boundaries.
- Cross-dressing and kinkThe relationship, for some adults, between wearing clothing culturally associated with another gender and kink interests.
- Foot fetishA personal erotic or sensory interest in feet, which may involve appearance, symbolism, or specifically agreed contact.
- Footwear fetishAn erotic, aesthetic, or symbolic interest in shoes, boots, or other footwear.
- Hosiery fetishAn erotic or tactile interest in stockings, tights, or similar garments.
- Latex fetishAn erotic or sensory interest in latex material or clothing, including its appearance and tactile qualities.
- Leather fetishAn erotic or sensory interest in leather as material, clothing, or a symbolic aesthetic.
- PeggingA community term commonly referring to consensual adult anal penetration using a strap-on, with usage varying.
- Rubber fetishAn interest in rubber materials or rubber-associated clothing and imagery, whose exact meaning varies.
- Uniform fetishAn erotic or symbolic interest in uniforms, including the roles or visual structure they suggest.
- Wet and messy playAn adult sensory interest involving wet or messy textures, sometimes using materials or imagery associated with mess.
- Anchor partnerA context-dependent term for a significant or grounding partner.
- BullA context-dependent role term for an outside participant in some sharing or cuckolding arrangements.
- CandaulismAn adult interest in a partner being viewed or admired by other consenting adults.
- Comet partnerA relationship connection maintained through intermittent or infrequent meetings.
- CompersionA term for feeling pleasure or happiness about a partner's positive experience with another person.
- Consensual non-monogamyAn umbrella term for relationship arrangements allowing multiple romantic or sexual connections with the knowledge and agreement of those involved.
- Couple privilegeAdvantages an established couple may have when interacting with other partners.
- CuckoldingA consensual adult interest involving a partner's involvement with someone else, sometimes with jealousy or humiliation themes.
- CuckqueaningA gendered community term related to cuckolding themes.
- Don't ask, don't tell (DADT)An agreement limiting discussion of outside relationships or encounters.
- Garden-party polyamoryA label for occasional cordial network interaction without extensive daily involvement.
- Hierarchical polyamoryPolyamory involving explicitly or practically different levels of priority or commitment.
- Hinge partnerA person who has relationships with two people who are not directly partnered with each other, in a commonly described V configuration.
- Hotwifing and hothusbandingConsensual non-monogamy themes in which a partner's outside encounters are part of an agreed interest.
- Kitchen-table polyamoryA preference for friendly interaction among partners and metamours.
- MetamourA partner of one's partner with whom one is not directly in a romantic relationship.
- MonogamishA label for mostly exclusive relationships allowing limited agreed exceptions.
- MonogamyA relationship structure involving agreed romantic or sexual exclusivity, with the scope defined by the people involved.
- Nesting partnerA term commonly used for a partner with whom someone shares a home.
- New relationship energy (NRE)A term for excitement or intensified attention associated with a new relationship.
- Non-hierarchical polyamoryA polyamory approach that avoids preset ranking of partners.
- Open relationshipsA relationship arrangement in which agreed outside romantic or sexual involvement is permitted, with meanings that vary.
- Parallel polyamoryA preference for keeping different relationships and metamour contact relatively separate.
- Play exclusivityAn agreement about whether particular kink activities or partnerships are exclusive.
- PolyamoryA relationship approach allowing multiple romantic or loving partnerships with the knowledge and agreement of those involved.
- PolyculeA community term for a network of connected non-monogamous relationships, whose members may not all date one another.
- PolyfidelityA relationship agreement limiting additional romantic or sexual involvement within a defined group.
- Primary and secondary partner labelsLabels used by some people to describe relationship hierarchy or differing commitments.
- QuadA relationship pattern involving four people, whose connections may vary.
- Relationship anarchyA relationship philosophy emphasizing autonomy and commitments chosen by the people involved rather than automatic assumptions from relationship categories.
- Relationship escalatorA metaphor for conventional expectations about relationship progression.
- Soft-swap and full-swap terminologySwinging-community labels distinguishing different scopes of partnered sexual activity.
- Solo polyamoryA polyamory approach emphasizing personal autonomy without necessarily seeking shared-home or merged-life partnerships.
- SwingingA form of consensual non-monogamy commonly focused on agreed sexual experiences with others, with practices varying.
- TriadA relationship pattern involving three people, with the actual connections defined individually.
- UnicornA context-dependent term for a sought-after additional partner, often in couple-oriented settings.
- Unicorn huntingA critical community term for some couple-centred searches for an additional partner.
- Veto arrangementsAgreements giving someone a claimed power to end or prohibit another relationship.
- Adult baby and diaper lover (ABDL)Adult-only terminology covering baby-associated fictional roles or diaper-focused interests.
- Alpha pupA leadership title used by some pup groups.
- Bunny playHuman-adult role-play involving a rabbit-like persona.
- Diaper fetishAn adult interest focused on diapers as garments.
- Furry fandom and kinkThe varied connections some adults have between furry fandom and kink.
- Fursuiting and kinkWearing an animal-character costume, with kink relevance only when the wearer chooses it.
- KemonomimiA fictional or costume aesthetic combining human appearance with animal-like features.
- Kitten playHuman-adult role-play involving a cat-like persona.
- Middle-space terminologyA term some adults use for a nonsexual younger-feeling imaginative role or persona.
- Pet headspaceAn absorbed or imaginative experience some adults associate with a pet persona.
- Pony playHuman-adult role-play involving a pony or horse persona.
- Pony tack terminologyVocabulary for costume or equipment associated with human pony personas.
- Pup moshA pup-community gathering that may include social interaction and agreed play.
- Pup packA social or relational group within some pup communities.
- Scalie fantasyFictional reptile-like characters or personas that some adults connect with an erotic interest.
- Stray pupA label some independent pups use when they have no handler or formal pack.
- Apron fetishAn adult interest in aprons and their clothing or role associations.
- Clothed intimacyAn adult interest in remaining partly or fully clothed during intimate interaction.
- Clothed/nude contrastAn adult interest in contrasting clothed and unclothed presentation.
- Corset fetishAn adult interest in corsets, their styling, or associated presentation.
- Denim fetishAn adult interest in denim clothing, texture, or styling.
- Fur-clothing fetishAn adult interest in fur-like garments, textures, or styling.
- Gas-mask aesthetic interestAn adult aesthetic or fantasy interest in gas-mask imagery.
- Glasses fetishAn adult interest in glasses as accessories or associated imagery.
- Glove fetishAn adult interest in gloves as clothing, texture, or symbolic presentation.
- Harness fashionClothing or accessories using a harness-like visual arrangement.
- Jewellery fetishAn adult interest in jewellery as appearance, material, sensation, or symbolism.
- Lace fetishAn adult interest in lace patterns, garments, or tactile presentation.
- Lingerie fetishAn adult interest in lingerie appearance, texture, wearing, or presentation.
- Mask and hood interestsAdult interests in masks or hoods as costume, identity, sensation, or symbolism.
- Neoprene fetishAn adult interest in neoprene material, garments, or associated styling.
- PVC/vinyl fetishAn adult interest in PVC-associated glossy garments or vinyl-like aesthetics.
- Raincoat fetishAn adult interest in raincoats, their materials, or related imagery.
- Satin fetishAn adult interest in the appearance or feel of satin textiles.
- Silk fetishAn adult aesthetic, tactile, or erotic interest in silk material or garments.
- Sock fetishAn adult interest in socks or their material, appearance, or associations.
- Spandex/Lycra fetishAn adult interest in stretch fabrics or close-fitting garments containing elastane.
- Sportswear fetishAn adult interest in athletic clothing, styling, or associated imagery.
- Stripping interestAn adult interest in the act, performance, or imagery of removing clothing.
- Suit/formalwear fetishAn adult interest in suits, formal clothing, or their symbolic associations.
- Swimwear fetishAn adult interest in swimwear styling, materials, or appearance.
- Underwear fetishAn adult interest in underwear, including appearance, material, symbolism, or consensual sharing.
- Velvet fetishAn adult interest in velvet texture, appearance, or associated clothing.
- Armpit fetishAn adult interest in armpit appearance, scent, or consensually agreed contact.
- Back-focused interestAn adult interest focused on the back or its appearance.
- Beard fetishAn adult interest focused on beards.
- Belly fetishAn adult interest focused on the belly or midriff.
- Body-hair fetishAn adult interest in body hair or its presentation.
- Body-modification attractionAdult attraction to body modifications such as tattoos or piercings.
- Breast fetishAn adult interest focused on breasts.
- Buttock fetishAn adult interest focused on buttocks or their presentation.
- Calf-focused interestAn adult interest especially focused on calves.
- Ear-focused interestAn adult interest focused on ears.
- Erotic massageConsensual adult touch described as massage with an erotic context.
- Eye-focused interestAn adult interest in eyes, gaze, or eye-associated imagery.
- Genital-focused attractionAdult attraction especially focused on genitals or their appearance.
- Hair fetishAn adult interest in hair, its appearance, styling, or texture.
- Hand fetishAn adult interest focused on hands or their appearance and expression.
- Heartbeat interestAn adult interest in heartbeat sounds, awareness, or imagery.
- Kissing fetishAn adult interest particularly focused on kissing.
- Knee-focused interestAn adult interest especially focused on knees.
- Leg fetishAn adult interest focused on legs.
- Nail fetishAn adult interest in nails, nail styling, or their appearance.
- Navel fetishAn adult interest specifically focused on the navel.
- Neck-focused interestAn adult interest in the neck's appearance or consensually agreed attention.
- Nose-focused interestAn adult interest focused on noses.
- PartialismAn interest especially focused on a particular body area or feature.
- Piercing-focused attractionAn adult interest especially focused on piercings or their appearance.
- Scent fetishAn adult interest in particular scents.
- Skin-focused interestAn adult interest in skin appearance, texture, or consensual touch.
- Sweat fetishAn adult interest associated with sweat, its appearance, scent, or symbolism.
- Tattoo-focused attractionAn adult interest especially focused on tattoos or tattooed presentation.
- Thigh-focused interestAn adult interest especially focused on thighs.
- Adult food-service/body-display themesAdult presentation themes combining food service and a person's body as a display element.
- Balloon fetishAn adult interest focused on balloons or balloon-associated imagery and sensations.
- Body-expansion fantasyFictional interests involving imagined expansion or exaggerated body changes.
- Discovery/getting-caught fantasyAdult fictional themes involving discovery, exposure, or an apparent risk of interruption.
- Doll-focused attractionAdult interest in dolls as objects, imagery, or fictional presentation.
- Enclosed-space interestAn interest in enclosed-space imagery or experiences.
- Food-related erotic interestAn adult interest involving food-associated imagery, presentation, or agreed interaction.
- Ghost/supernatural fantasyAdult fictional interests involving ghosts or supernatural personas.
- Giant/giantess fantasyAdult fantasy involving imaginary giant beings or exaggerated growth.
- Inflatable-object fetishAn adult interest focused on inflatable objects or their imagery.
- Mirror-focused interestAn adult interest involving mirrors, reflection, or reflected presentation.
- Monster/alien fantasyAdult fictional interests involving imaginary monsters or extraterrestrial beings.
- Object sexualityA personal experience of strong emotional, romantic, or erotic connection with objects.
- Object-crushing interestAn interest in the imagery or action of crushing inanimate objects.
- Petrification fantasyAdult fantasy about becoming a statue or stone-like figure.
- Plush-object fetishAn adult interest in plush objects, materials, or their symbolism.
- Recording/performance interestAn adult interest in performing for an agreed audience or recording.
- Robot-focused fantasyAdult fantasy or object interests focused on robots or mechanical personas.
- Sacred-object interestAn interest in sacred or religiously associated objects or imagery.
- Shrinking/tiny-person fantasyAdult fantasy involving imaginary tiny beings or shrinking.
- Size-difference kinkAdult interests in body-size contrast or its fictional symbolism.
- Smoking imagery fetishAn adult interest in smoking-related imagery or symbolism.
- Statue/mannequin attractionAdult interest in statues or mannequins as objects or imagery.
- Tentacle fantasyAn adult fantasy or art theme involving imaginary tentacles.
- Transformation fetishAdult fictional interests involving a change of form, appearance, or persona.
- Vehicle/machinery fetishAdult interests in vehicles or machinery as imagery, objects, or symbolic presentation.
- Vore fantasyAn adult fictional theme involving imaginary consuming or being consumed.
- Water-focused interestAn adult interest associated with water, aquatic imagery, or related settings.
- Adult lactation interestAdult interest associated with lactation or breast-milk-related themes.
- Anal playA broad term for adult interests involving anal-associated sensation or sexual activity.
- Breeding kinkAdult fantasy or interest involving conception-associated themes.
- Burping fetishAn adult interest associated with burping or its imagery.
- Dogging terminologyA community term associated with sexual encounters or observation in public or semi-public settings.
- Double-penetration terminologyAdult sexual terminology for simultaneous penetrative activity.
- Erotic sleep fantasyAdult sleep-associated sexual fantasy, requiring careful distinction between fiction and actual incapacity.
- Face-sittingAn adult sexual or role-play term describing one person seated over a partner's face.
- FistingA sexual term involving hand insertion, requiring particular injury and health awareness.
- Flatulence fetishAn adult interest associated with flatulence-related sounds, imagery, or experiences.
- Forced-orgasm fantasy terminologyAdult fantasy language about apparent lack of control over orgasm.
- Free-use fantasyAdult fictional or relationship language for broadly available intimacy within defined, revocable boundaries.
- Glory-hole terminologyA sexual-setting term involving a partition opening and potentially limited visibility.
- Gooning terminologySlang for a highly absorbed or extended arousal-focused experience.
- Group-sex terminologyAdult sexual interaction involving more than two people.
- Masturbation instruction role-playAdult role-play involving agreed verbal guidance of masturbation.
- OmorashiA community term for adult interests in urgency or wetting themes.
- Oral-sex interestsAdult interests in sexual activities involving the mouth.
- OrgyA term commonly used for a gathering involving multiple adult sexual participants.
- Pregnancy-focused attractionAdult attraction associated with pregnancy or pregnant presentation.
- Rimming/anilingusA term for adult oral contact involving the anal area.
- Rough-sex terminologyA broad label for sexual activity perceived as more forceful or intense.
- Ruined-orgasm terminologyA community term for an orgasm perceived as interrupted, altered, or less satisfying than expected.
- Scat-related fetish terminologyAdult terminology for feces-associated erotic interests.
- Semen-focused interestAdult interest associated with semen or its imagery.
- Sneezing fetishAn adult interest associated with sneezing or its imagery.
- Spit/saliva playAn adult interest involving saliva-associated imagery or specifically agreed contact.
- ThreesomeA three-person sexual encounter or proposed arrangement.
- Urine playAdult interests involving urine-associated imagery or agreed activities.