Glossary
Sadist
In consensual kink, a sadist is a person who takes erotic pleasure in giving pain, sensation, or control to a willing partner who wants to receive it.
In the context of BDSM and kink, a sadist is someone who finds erotic pleasure in giving pain, intense sensation, control, or humiliation to a partner who has agreed to receive it. The role is defined by consent and negotiation, which sets it apart from the clinical or harmful sense of the word, where the desire to hurt others is neither wanted nor agreed to. Sadists often pair with masochists, who enjoy receiving those sensations, in negotiated power exchanges built on trust, limits, and aftercare. The S in S&M and in BDSM points to sadism as a recognized part of consensual adult sexuality. Within LGBTQ+ leather communities, the term has a long history of shared ethics and care.
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