Top, bottom, switch

BDSM couples, with the femme tops sitting on male bottoms who are kneeling, leashed and in handcuffs, at 2006 Cologne Pride, Germany.

The terms top, bottom, and switch are used to describe an individual's role during a sexual act. They may more broadly denote a psychological, social, or sexual identity, or indicate one's usual preference.[1] Terms top and bottom refer to active and passive roles, not to who is physically on top in a particular sexual act.[1][2][3] A switch is someone who can act as both a top and bottom. Older terms of "active", "passive", and "versatile" are still often used, especially in the context of gay sex.[4]

  1. ^ a b Jones, Angela (2013). A Critical Inquiry into Queer Utopias. Springer. pp. 111–112. ISBN 978-1137311979.
  2. ^ "Dominant Honorifics in BDSM". KYNK 101. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  3. ^ "Submissive Honorifics in BDSM". KYNK 101. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  4. ^ Langdridge, Darren; Richards, C.; John Barker, Meg (2007). Safe, Sane and Consensual: Contemporary Perspectives on Sadomasochism. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 140. ISBN 978-0230517745.

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