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EspañolTOP AND BOTTOM IN SEX AND BDSM
(Redirected from Top (sex))
''This article is about human sexuality. For other uses of the terms, see Top (disambiguation) and Switch (disambiguation).''
In the context of human sexual behavior, a 'top' is an insertive or dominant partner, or a person who prefers the insertive or dominant role, and a 'bottom' is a receptive partner (that is, a partner who is penetrated or submissive).
A person who enjoys both topping and bottoming is called 'versatile' or a 'switch'; the act of doing so is called 'switching'.
These terms are used among gay men, BDSM practitioners, in some lesbian circles, and are gaining use among some opposite-sex couples too. For example, the act of pegging involves a female ''top'' and a male ''bottom''.
The top need not be physically on top of the other partner though this is often the case.
"Top" can also be used as a transitive or intransitive verb meaning to sexually penetrate (someone).
In some American contexts, "tops" sometimes identify themselves by wearing a set of keys on the left side of the belt or a color-coded handkerchief in their left rear pockets, in this system the top did not always penetrate the bottom nor was he always the "active" partner, rather the "top" role would be different from act to act. This practice, called ''flagging'', began in the gay male subculture.
However, be wary, as some straights may have taken this up without realizing its significance.
"Bottom" can also be used as an intransitive verb meaning to be sexually penetrated by: ''to bottom for someone.''
Beginning in the 1970s, bottoms sometimes identified themselves by wearing a set of keys on the right side of the belt or a handkerchief in their right rear pocket. In this system the bottom was not always penetrated, nor was he always the "passive" partner. Rather, the "bottom" role was different from act to act, as signified by the color of the handkerchief. The practice is used much less today.
To be versatile is to be willing to alternate as either or both a penetrative or receptive partner in sex; this is primarily used for homosexuals in reference to anal sex. A switch lesbian enjoys being alternately the active partner and the receptive partner, for example while engaging in oral sex or while using a strap-on dildo.
Common slang terms in some gay communities include: pitcher (top), catcher (bottom), and switch-hitter or flip (versatile). In some languages "passive" and "active" are always used, rather than "bottom" or "top". Some gay men dislike the term "bottom" as they feel it has negative connotations, and prefer not to use that term or the corresponding "top".
In Japanese bondage and sexually themed anime and manga, especially shounen-ai and yaoi, a top is referred to as '攻め (seme)' (lit. attack), a term from kabuki and martial arts. A bottom is referred to as '受け (uke)' (lit. defense / agreement / acceptance), also a term from martial arts.
In ancient Roman civilization, pathic is used to describe a bottom, and has weak / feminine connotations.
'Power top' refers to both a sexual and hierarchical position in a sexual relationship between men. The "power" in the term refers to the fact that the person is more dominant in non-sexual situations. It may also be used to describe a top who has lots of stamina. Contrast with 'power bottom'[1]
The term 'Total Top' is used to describe a man who exclusively tops.
In BDSM, a top is a partner who takes the active, ''dominant'' role in sexual play (such as in flogging, bondage, servitude, humiliation). The top performs acts such as these upon the bottom, who takes on the submissive role for the duration of a scene. (Note: bottom has significant connotative differences from submissive or slave.)
A top filling the ''dominant role'' is not necessarily ''a'' dominant, and vice versa, and a bottom is not necessarily submissive. At one end of the continuum is a submissive who enjoys taking orders from a dominant but does not receive any physical stimulation. At the other is a bottom who enjoys the intense physical and psychological stimulation but does not submit to the person delivering them.
The 'top' may sometimes even be the partner who is ''following'' instructions, i.e., they top when, and in the manner, requested by the bottom. A person who applies sensation or control to a bottom, but does so to the bottom's explicit instruction is a ''service top''.
'Topping from the bottom' is a related BDSM term, meaning a person who wants to be dominated but simultaneously direct the top to do it according to their wishes.
Setting hard limits may be considered to be a subtle form of topping from the bottom, since the submissive partner would be placing restrictions on the dominant partner, rather than fully submitting to his or her influence.
Contrast this with the pure dominant, who might give orders to a submissive, or otherwise employ physical or psychological techniques of control, but might instruct the submissive to perform the act on him.
A 'dominant' is one who enjoys performing any of a variety of BDSM practices upon a submissive; or one who holds a dominant position within a relationship based upon dominance and submission (D/s). This enjoyment can spring from a simple desire for dominance or an enjoyment of the interplay of wills involved in such a scenario. A male dominant is often called a Dom; a female, a Domme or dominatrix.
The main difference between a dominant and a top is that the dominant ostensibly does not follow instructions, although they are limited by what the submissive is willing to do.
It should be noted that for 'bottoms' who are not submissive, the bottom is most often the partner who is ''giving'' instructions—the top typically tops when, and in the manner, requested by the bottom. Failure to choose a trustworthy top can be very dangerous (see safeword), and even a trustworthy but overzealous top can inflict severe pain or injury by failing to pay attention to the bottom.
A 'submissive' is one who enjoys having any of a variety of BDSM practices performed upon them by a dominant; or one who holds a submissive position within a relationship based upon dominance and submission (D/s). This enjoyment can spring from a simple desire for submission or an enjoyment of the interplay of wills involved in such a scenario. A submissive is also referred to as a "sub", where the dominant in a D/s relationship is the 'Dom.'
The main difference between a submissive and a bottom is that the submissive ostensibly does not give instructions, although they do set limits on what the Dominant can do.
There are also indications that submissive males currently outnumber Dominant Males. While Pro-Slaves/Submissives like Colette Caine, Submissive and others are proving there is a strong and ever growing market for Submissive women in the same sense there is a need for Pro-Dominatrixes now thanks to the Internet. Colette Caine has been writing articles and erotica on Pro-Slaves for over a decade on adult sites. Professional Dominants provide stimulatory services (which may or may not include sex) for those unable to find a compatible partner for this activity.
There are some indications that preference in D/s activities follows a 'compensatory' pattern, with people who have much power and responsibility in real life often preferring a submissive role; no hard scientific data to either confirm or reject this hypothesis seem to exist, however.
In many BDSM communities, there is a distinction between a submissive and a slave. In this context, a slave's goal is surrender and obedience. In contrast, a submissive tends to expect some gratification in return for his or her submission.
In BDSM, a switch[2] is someone who participates in BDSM activities sometimes as a top and other times as a bottom or (in the case of domination and submission) sometimes as a dominant and other times as a submissive. Switches are very common; partners may switch roles based on mood, desire, or to allow each partner to experience their preferred activity. For example, a switch may be in a relationship with someone of the same primary BDSM orientation (e.g., two dominants), so switching provides each partner with an opportunity to realize his or her BDSM needs.
It is also common for people to switch with different partners, such as when a person acts exclusively as a top with one partner and exclusively as a bottom with another.
The act of "switching" may also refer to a spontanaeous reversal of roles, initiated by the bottom, who then takes control.
A person who engages in self-bondage can be viewed as taking both roles simultaneously.
The terms "dominant" or "active" have been used for "top" in sex, and the terms "submissive" or "passive" have been used for "bottom", though these may be confusing as the sex in question need not be part of a dominance relationship, nor is the bottom necessarily "inactive" or less "active" than the top. By extension, the term "top" is also used in BDSM to mean a partner who applies stimulation to another, and who may or may not be dominant.
Also, a top in BDSM need not be the 'insertive' sex partner; for example, a female dominant may command her submissive to penetrate her.
★ BSDM dictionary
★ BSDM education
★ Different Loving: The World of Sexual Dominance and Submission ISBN 978-0-67-976956-9
★ Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy. ''The New Topping Book.'' Greenery Press, 2003. ISBN 1-890159-36-0.
★ on Wipipedia, the specialist BDSM wiki.
★ The Control Book'' by Peter Masters
★ Domsub.info - D/s Information and Resources
★ Robert J. Rubel, PhD "Master/slave Relations: Handbook of Theory and Practice." Nazca Plains Publishers, 2006
★ Domination & submission (BDSM)
★ Sadism and masochism
★ Master/slave (BDSM)
★ Female dominance
★ Male dominance
★ Switch (rod)
★ List of sexual positions
★ Paraphilia
''This article is about human sexuality. For other uses of the terms, see Top (disambiguation) and Switch (disambiguation).''
In the context of human sexual behavior, a 'top' is an insertive or dominant partner, or a person who prefers the insertive or dominant role, and a 'bottom' is a receptive partner (that is, a partner who is penetrated or submissive).
A person who enjoys both topping and bottoming is called 'versatile' or a 'switch'; the act of doing so is called 'switching'.
These terms are used among gay men, BDSM practitioners, in some lesbian circles, and are gaining use among some opposite-sex couples too. For example, the act of pegging involves a female ''top'' and a male ''bottom''.
Top and bottom in sex
Top
The top need not be physically on top of the other partner though this is often the case.
"Top" can also be used as a transitive or intransitive verb meaning to sexually penetrate (someone).
In some American contexts, "tops" sometimes identify themselves by wearing a set of keys on the left side of the belt or a color-coded handkerchief in their left rear pockets, in this system the top did not always penetrate the bottom nor was he always the "active" partner, rather the "top" role would be different from act to act. This practice, called ''flagging'', began in the gay male subculture.
However, be wary, as some straights may have taken this up without realizing its significance.
Bottom
"Bottom" can also be used as an intransitive verb meaning to be sexually penetrated by: ''to bottom for someone.''
Beginning in the 1970s, bottoms sometimes identified themselves by wearing a set of keys on the right side of the belt or a handkerchief in their right rear pocket. In this system the bottom was not always penetrated, nor was he always the "passive" partner. Rather, the "bottom" role was different from act to act, as signified by the color of the handkerchief. The practice is used much less today.
Switch or versatile
To be versatile is to be willing to alternate as either or both a penetrative or receptive partner in sex; this is primarily used for homosexuals in reference to anal sex. A switch lesbian enjoys being alternately the active partner and the receptive partner, for example while engaging in oral sex or while using a strap-on dildo.
Slang and related terms
Common slang terms in some gay communities include: pitcher (top), catcher (bottom), and switch-hitter or flip (versatile). In some languages "passive" and "active" are always used, rather than "bottom" or "top". Some gay men dislike the term "bottom" as they feel it has negative connotations, and prefer not to use that term or the corresponding "top".
In Japanese bondage and sexually themed anime and manga, especially shounen-ai and yaoi, a top is referred to as '攻め (seme)' (lit. attack), a term from kabuki and martial arts. A bottom is referred to as '受け (uke)' (lit. defense / agreement / acceptance), also a term from martial arts.
In ancient Roman civilization, pathic is used to describe a bottom, and has weak / feminine connotations.
'Power top' refers to both a sexual and hierarchical position in a sexual relationship between men. The "power" in the term refers to the fact that the person is more dominant in non-sexual situations. It may also be used to describe a top who has lots of stamina. Contrast with 'power bottom'[1]
The term 'Total Top' is used to describe a man who exclusively tops.
Top and bottom in BDSM
In BDSM, a top is a partner who takes the active, ''dominant'' role in sexual play (such as in flogging, bondage, servitude, humiliation). The top performs acts such as these upon the bottom, who takes on the submissive role for the duration of a scene. (Note: bottom has significant connotative differences from submissive or slave.)
A top filling the ''dominant role'' is not necessarily ''a'' dominant, and vice versa, and a bottom is not necessarily submissive. At one end of the continuum is a submissive who enjoys taking orders from a dominant but does not receive any physical stimulation. At the other is a bottom who enjoys the intense physical and psychological stimulation but does not submit to the person delivering them.
Top
The 'top' may sometimes even be the partner who is ''following'' instructions, i.e., they top when, and in the manner, requested by the bottom. A person who applies sensation or control to a bottom, but does so to the bottom's explicit instruction is a ''service top''.
'Topping from the bottom' is a related BDSM term, meaning a person who wants to be dominated but simultaneously direct the top to do it according to their wishes.
Setting hard limits may be considered to be a subtle form of topping from the bottom, since the submissive partner would be placing restrictions on the dominant partner, rather than fully submitting to his or her influence.
Contrast this with the pure dominant, who might give orders to a submissive, or otherwise employ physical or psychological techniques of control, but might instruct the submissive to perform the act on him.
Dominant
A 'dominant' is one who enjoys performing any of a variety of BDSM practices upon a submissive; or one who holds a dominant position within a relationship based upon dominance and submission (D/s). This enjoyment can spring from a simple desire for dominance or an enjoyment of the interplay of wills involved in such a scenario. A male dominant is often called a Dom; a female, a Domme or dominatrix.
The main difference between a dominant and a top is that the dominant ostensibly does not follow instructions, although they are limited by what the submissive is willing to do.
Bottom
It should be noted that for 'bottoms' who are not submissive, the bottom is most often the partner who is ''giving'' instructions—the top typically tops when, and in the manner, requested by the bottom. Failure to choose a trustworthy top can be very dangerous (see safeword), and even a trustworthy but overzealous top can inflict severe pain or injury by failing to pay attention to the bottom.
Submissive
A 'submissive' is one who enjoys having any of a variety of BDSM practices performed upon them by a dominant; or one who holds a submissive position within a relationship based upon dominance and submission (D/s). This enjoyment can spring from a simple desire for submission or an enjoyment of the interplay of wills involved in such a scenario. A submissive is also referred to as a "sub", where the dominant in a D/s relationship is the 'Dom.'
The main difference between a submissive and a bottom is that the submissive ostensibly does not give instructions, although they do set limits on what the Dominant can do.
There are also indications that submissive males currently outnumber Dominant Males. While Pro-Slaves/Submissives like Colette Caine, Submissive and others are proving there is a strong and ever growing market for Submissive women in the same sense there is a need for Pro-Dominatrixes now thanks to the Internet. Colette Caine has been writing articles and erotica on Pro-Slaves for over a decade on adult sites. Professional Dominants provide stimulatory services (which may or may not include sex) for those unable to find a compatible partner for this activity.
There are some indications that preference in D/s activities follows a 'compensatory' pattern, with people who have much power and responsibility in real life often preferring a submissive role; no hard scientific data to either confirm or reject this hypothesis seem to exist, however.
In many BDSM communities, there is a distinction between a submissive and a slave. In this context, a slave's goal is surrender and obedience. In contrast, a submissive tends to expect some gratification in return for his or her submission.
Switch
In BDSM, a switch[2] is someone who participates in BDSM activities sometimes as a top and other times as a bottom or (in the case of domination and submission) sometimes as a dominant and other times as a submissive. Switches are very common; partners may switch roles based on mood, desire, or to allow each partner to experience their preferred activity. For example, a switch may be in a relationship with someone of the same primary BDSM orientation (e.g., two dominants), so switching provides each partner with an opportunity to realize his or her BDSM needs.
It is also common for people to switch with different partners, such as when a person acts exclusively as a top with one partner and exclusively as a bottom with another.
The act of "switching" may also refer to a spontanaeous reversal of roles, initiated by the bottom, who then takes control.
A person who engages in self-bondage can be viewed as taking both roles simultaneously.
Contrast between "top" and "bottom" in sex vs BDSM
The terms "dominant" or "active" have been used for "top" in sex, and the terms "submissive" or "passive" have been used for "bottom", though these may be confusing as the sex in question need not be part of a dominance relationship, nor is the bottom necessarily "inactive" or less "active" than the top. By extension, the term "top" is also used in BDSM to mean a partner who applies stimulation to another, and who may or may not be dominant.
Also, a top in BDSM need not be the 'insertive' sex partner; for example, a female dominant may command her submissive to penetrate her.
Sources
★ BSDM dictionary
★ BSDM education
★ Different Loving: The World of Sexual Dominance and Submission ISBN 978-0-67-976956-9
★ Dossie Easton, Janet W. Hardy. ''The New Topping Book.'' Greenery Press, 2003. ISBN 1-890159-36-0.
★ on Wipipedia, the specialist BDSM wiki.
★ The Control Book'' by Peter Masters
★ Domsub.info - D/s Information and Resources
Resources
★ Robert J. Rubel, PhD "Master/slave Relations: Handbook of Theory and Practice." Nazca Plains Publishers, 2006
See also
★ Domination & submission (BDSM)
★ Sadism and masochism
★ Master/slave (BDSM)
★ Female dominance
★ Male dominance
★ Switch (rod)
★ List of sexual positions
★ Paraphilia
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psst.. try this: add to faves
