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What do "top" and "bottom" mean in ... - 10/14/2005 11:45:57 AM   
needy


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I am so ignorant. Please explain to a newbie. Thanks.
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 11:48:13 AM   
EmeraldSlave2


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Top usually means the one on top, the one controlling things during a specific time/event, like a scene

Bottom usually means the one on the bottom, the one not in control during a specific time/event like a scene

It's usually a fairly limited exchange/situation related to the activities and does not consist of a day-to-day relationship dynamic.

Top/bottom are also the most common terms heard to define what it is that we do (wiitwd) outside of the scene.

(in reply to needy)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 11:57:07 AM   
FangsNfeet


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To help you out needy I'll say a few of my thoughts.

Massochist dose not mean submissive.

Sadist dose not mean Dominant.

The term Topping form the Bottom indicates a person who likes being tied up and such is the own in controll. Thus you are a massochist of sorts who dominates the Saddist in supplying your bondage/painfull needs.

In most relationships, some one is in more controll than the other. You have your Dom/sub relationships and your Massochist/Sadist ones. Every couple is different how BDSM fits into there relationship. Some are 24/7 while others just have it a certain way while in the bedroom. Other couples are Switch's who trade off the Dom/Sub role. Just because you change the Sadist/Massochist role from time to time dosen't necessarly make you a switch.

A top from the bottom is a person with massochist tendencies that's in control over the serving sadist for the most part.




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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 11:58:24 AM   
needy


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Thank you!

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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 11:58:51 AM   
EmeraldSlave2


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quote:

ORIGINAL: FangsNfeet
Other couples are Switch's who trade off the Dom/Sub role.

That's not necessarily what a switch is, and many people don't consider "dom" or "sub" to be roles.
quote:


A top from the bottom is a person with massochist tendencies that's in control over the serving sadist for the most part.

Topping from the bottom can have nothing to do with S&M.

(in reply to FangsNfeet)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 12:30:07 PM   
Lordandmaster


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I'll try to explain it as simply as possible. (It's actually a very complicated question.)

The first line of your profile says this:

quote:

I Just got spanked for the first time last night!


The person who spanked you was the top, and you were the bottom.

(in reply to needy)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 12:42:36 PM   
ImpGrrl


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quote:

ORIGINAL: needy

I am so ignorant. Please explain to a newbie. Thanks.



Top - one who administers sensation during play.
Bottom - one who receives sensation during play.

Alternatively, some communities (mostly Gay/Lesbian) use Top and Bottom as other communities use "Dom" and "Sub" - to indicate authority positions in a relatioship.

(in reply to needy)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 3:26:35 PM   
fastlane


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Top... a toy, an instrument that is wider and narrows down to a smaller size to spin.

Bottom... Hmmm, harder to define, but if this isn't rock bottom, I don't know what the hell is?

To answer your question....If I Top you, I'm going to spin your ass into oblivion....as you bottom for me and allow me the pleasure.

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Just because it hurts, doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing.

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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 3:46:21 PM   
swtnsparkling


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Hi needy

This is how i view top/bottom. If the Dom and the sub are not in a relationship together.
say for example you go to a club or party and there is a Dom there you wish to session you, but he is not your Dom. Then he would be Topping You -Top- A term used for the Dom/me role.  The one that controls things but only for the play time.
and you would be the bottom - A term used for the submissive role. Gives up control but only for the play time.


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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 4:22:54 PM   
greenie


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quote:

To answer your question....If I Top you, I'm going to spin your ass into oblivion....as you bottom for me and allow me the pleasure.


Or You could top them and spin their bottom into oblivion.

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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 4:24:57 PM   
fastlane


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yours, I suppose, but then you would lose our bet?

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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 7:42:13 PM   
girl4you2


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quote:

ORIGINAL: needy
I am so ignorant. Please explain to a newbie. Thanks.

ignorance is merely the lack of knowledge. assimilating knowledge leads to informed education. in asking, one learns. of course, there are other ways to learn things, some of them quite hard.

(in reply to needy)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/14/2005 8:18:48 PM   
OscarHargraves


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Hi Needy!
Everyone else has given you good descriptions of 'Top' and 'Bottom' so I'll just say welcome to the boards! Hang around. Read. Learn. Enjoy.


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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/15/2005 2:03:54 AM   
wolfinside


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Top and bottom are not to hard for most people to define. And I think there is much aggreement on those terms.

Like most things in this lifestyle, people all kind of make it up as they go along and have their own definitions to terms. (I wish that weren't so)

What does get lots of hot debate is what "a dominant", "or "a switch" is.

Talk about your personal definitions those on most forums and you will get the living hell flamed out of you.


Wolf




(in reply to OscarHargraves)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/15/2005 10:00:21 AM   
ImpGrrl


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quote:

ORIGINAL: FangsNfeet
The term Topping form the Bottom indicates a person who likes being tied up and such is the own in controll. Thus you are a massochist of sorts who dominates the Saddist in supplying your bondage/painfull needs. <snip>

A top from the bottom is a person with massochist tendencies that's in control over the serving sadist for the most part.


Not exactly.

Topping from the bottom is manipulation by he one who is supposed to be controlled, in order to control.

What you are referring to are "dominant masochist" and "submissive sadist".

H

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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/15/2005 10:02:00 AM   
ImpGrrl


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quote:

ORIGINAL: FangsNfeet
Other couples are Switch's who trade off the Dom/Sub role.


True - while some d/s switches are quite happy in a relationship as one or the other for the wntirety of the relationship.

quote:

Just because you change the Sadist/Massochist role from time to time dosen't necessarly make you a switch.


Sure it does - it makes you an s/m switch.

(in reply to FangsNfeet)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/15/2005 10:09:57 PM   
Focus50


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I tend to define Top & bottom as the most basic definition of roles for physical BDSM interaction. Top is the "doer" with bottom being the "doee". Once the play has ended, so does the meaning of the title roles....

Focus.

(in reply to needy)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/16/2005 1:53:17 AM   
Wolfie648


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quote:

quote:

To answer your question....If I Top you, I'm going to spin your ass into oblivion....as you bottom for me and allow me the pleasure.

Or You could top them and spin their bottom into oblivion.


Not that it's any of my business but I am hugely curious as to which crack (from what I can tell in the pic) is your tattoo associated with :-) im 90% certain I know which. Regardless, of which, i do enjoy a certain visceral response from it. Thank you!

If you feel the desire to respond PM me or respond in general chat here (not trying to tell you what to do but I am curious) depending on what, if anything, you are comfortable with.

D (owner of j)


(in reply to greenie)
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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/16/2005 2:12:55 AM   
Wolfie648


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quote:

quote:

Just because you change the Sadist/Massochist role from time to time dosen't necessarly make you a switch.

Sure it does - it makes you an s/m switch


As most people would understand it I am a 'top' (as I have posted). If that means that if I tell you to flog me into (x) oblivion (insert into x as required for your situation) or until I tell you to stop I would tell you that I am not a switch but that I like having things done my way - Im not saying any of this has or ever will happen (or won't) but I would hope that it affords you (someone) a broader understanding.

For someone to want and be able to tell their partner to do it, to be flogged one day and flog another does not make them a switch it makes them in control (under the circumstances I've described) - it makes them the dom. So you can be both a flogger and floggee and still be either a dom or a sub, at least in my eyes.

For me the distinction is are you doing it because you want to (and are able to) or because you have been directed to (and want to). Who has the power. Simon says.

D (owner of j)





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RE: What do "top" and "bottom" mean... - 10/16/2005 7:29:07 AM   
stormie


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quote:

ORIGINAL: needy

I am so ignorant. Please explain to a newbie. Thanks.


this is what I have found to be very helpful, sorry for it being so lenghty,,,Definition:

[Domination] is the desire to exert control over a consenting partner for the purpose of mutual gratification.
We left off with the definition of domination. In this section, we'll explore the basics of what it means to be a dominant. Understanding the fundamentals of the lifestyle is crucial to your growth, no matter how you choose to implement them.
Definition:


From that flows the term "Dominant" as one who exerts control over a consenting partner. Notice the words "consenting" and "mutual." It is important to dispel a common misconception that many novice dominants have. Being a dominant does not entitle you to lord over any and all submissives who happen your way. The critical term that distinguishes "domination" from "abuse" is consensuality.

Definition:

Consenuality is really the first law of D&S communities ....Clear, informed, and verbalized consent is the moral dividing line between brutality and D&S: Partners must voluntarily and knowingly give full consent to D&S activity before it begins.

Different Loving, p. 52
This applies to more than just sexual activities: It extends to our interactions on every level. Unless you have a relationship with a submissive, you have no right to expect their submission to you. Waltzing into a room and commanding subs to "kneel before you" will, at best, get you laughed at and will likely earn you the disdain of dominants and submissives alike. We have various terms for such people: CHuDWa (Clueless heterosexual dom/me wannabe), HNG (Horny net geek), and several other less polite adjectives.
Definition:

The essence of domination is to take another's power and then use it for mutual pleasure.

The Loving Dominant, p. 24
John Warren, Ph.D.
Published by Masquerede Books, Inc.

From this, you can see that it's not all about "me, me me!" but about "us." Everything that occurs between dominant and submissive should be for mutual benefit, not for yours alone. It's not about the sub giving everything and you sitting back and taking it all, offering little or nothing in return. It is a power exchange.

Definition:

Power exchange is the empowerment of the dominant by the submissive's surrender to his/her control. Power exchange is consensual and should be well negotiated. The depth of the power yielded by the submissive is equal to the level of responsibility assumed by the dominant.

Screw the Roses, Send Me The Thorns, p. 235
Miller & Devon
Published by Mystic Rose Books

take a closer look at that. We see from the definition that the dominant is empowered by the submissive. Control isn't something that we take, but it is something that we accept. There's a subtle difference. In order for the submissive to surrender some of his/her control to you, you have to earn their trust. It isn't something that you are entitled to by virtue of your title as "dominant." Once again, the emphasis is on "consensual." Of particular note is the last sentence in the definition. This is an exchange, which means it is a two-way process. In return for your submissive's surrender of control, you have an obligation to assume responsibility for those things surrendered. This is where the idea of negotiation comes into play.

Definition:

Negotiation is the process of determining the practices of sexual and SM activities between a top [dominant] and bottom [submissive]. It may apply to the whole relationship or just a specific scene. Negotiating is an ongoing process that that is repeated as the players' needs change.


Screw The Roses, Send Me The Thorns, p. 233

What? You mean it's not as simple as me giving the orders and the sub obeying?" In a word: no. Fiction and the media certainly have led many to that misconception. In reality, it takes communication. Both parties have to make known to each other what their needs, desires, and limits are. Failure to do so can lead to serious physical or emotional injury and is the most common reason for a bad session or the failure of a relationship. It is more than you simply laying down the law. You need to know what your submissive's hopes, desires, and expectations are. She may need something from you that you cannot or are not willing to offer. You may need something from your relationship that the sub is not ready to give.

Since you are going to be dealing with subjects that, for most people, are very difficult to discuss, it helps to have tools that make the process easier for both of you. Communicating our most intimate emotional and sexual needs and desires isn't something we are used to doing. Additionally, as a novice you or your submissive may not have any idea what kinds of activities might be enjoyable other than what they have already experienced. Most experienced dominants utilize a checklist of sorts as a negotiation tool in order to discover hard limits, high- and low-interest activities, as well as a means to expose the submissive to things they may not have even considered as potentially erotic. One very common mistake dominants make and that you should avoid: you should fill it out as well, so that your submissive knows your interests. This will help to guide them toward pleasing you better. Most dom/mes I've encountered think of the checklist as a tool only for the submissive to fill out. But if you don't express your interests, how will the sub know how best to please you?

You can find a sample checklist in the links below. Print out two copies and both of you fill it out. Then exchange them and discuss the results. You might be amazed at how this opens up the lines of communications between the two of you.

D/s relationships are built upon a foundation of trust and communication. Those two factors, more than any others, will determine how successful and satisfying your relationships will be. You can no more build a house without a solid foundation than you can a relationship. The choice is yours: Build your relationship upon sand or stone. It doesn't take an engineer to know which will last longer.

This is just an overview to get you started along the path. You have so much more to learn before you can call yourself a "Master." Where to you go now? To the bookstore. These books are an absolute necessity for your personal library, not just to own, but to read and understand. At this stage of your journey, you can best further your training by learning from the vast experiences of those who have gone before you

I have done some research on this for I at one time with a newbie as everyone else has and this is what helped me in many ways. I am not saying all have to agree with it because there will be some that do not. Here is the Link if you are interested in reading up on it and research for yourself.

http://castlerealm.com/kingdom/kingdom.htm

I do wish you the best of luck in all things you do.
GW's Pet
~stormie








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~Fire that Burns within, is a Great Servitude of submission~

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