This post is part of an effort to provide a glossary for novice submissives of words commonly seen across this site and in the BDSM community.
A person who receives spankings, floggings, or other forms of stimulation in situations which specifically exclude power exchange. For example, a masochist may be interested in receiving some kind of stimulation but may not be interested in giving up psychological control; whereas asubmissive has given up authority and may receive some kind of stimulation on the instruction of a dominant, a bottom does not give up authority and may control exactly how, under what circumstances, and to what degree he or she receives some form of stimulation. ( Xeromag)
Okay so anyone just reading that is probably still a bit confused.
A bottom is a person who chooses to receive sensation during play. A bottom does not submit unless that is negotiated beforehand. Most bottoms have very clear terms of what they want to have happen and they get it during play. A submissive doesn't usually declare what they want during play and expect to get it - a bottom does. It's a mutual agreement to be play partners.
The BDSM community uses the terms bottom, submissive and slave interchangeably on occasion but they really do have specific meanings and I try my best to make sure these definitions are clear in what I'm writing here at the site but they are quite muddied in other resources.
What is a bottom to you? Does it have a different definition in your understanding?
