Abbreviations Used in Chat Rooms and Emails

Many of the acronyms below are used throughout the net. The emphasis of this list, however, is to cover the acronyms that are commonly used in one newsgroup: alt.sex.bondage (ASB). My goal is to help make the postings in that group understandable to those new to the group. There will always be some uncommon acronyms that aren't on this list, and I may miss some others. I'm trying to keep the list as short as possible while still achieving adequate coverage.

Note that the exact translation of some of these is subject to some dispute. IMHO, the definitions here are close enough to get the idea across, even if you disagree about the exact wording.

Given the choice, I'd prefer to have corrections and arguments via Email, rather than starting another long thread about acronyms.

Frites (an94951@anon.penet.fi)

If these acronyms are new to you, then there are two other things you probably should read. The "Welcome to ASB" contains valuable information about this (ASB) newsgroup and BDSM on the net. The ASB FAQ contains lots of good information on what BDSM is and the actual practice of it, including safety information. Both are available via gopher to //unix.tpe.com/11/outreach/online/usenet/bondage (Select "sm leather & Fetish community outreach", "online SM", "leather and Fetish Resources", "Usenet Newsgroups". The FAQ is also available via FTP from (/pub/usenet-by-group/alt.sex.bondage). The Welcome is also available via Email request to arsmith@holly.ColoState.edu.

Further Details from Big Al:

Androphile - One who loves men. Note that this says nothing about the sex or orientation of the one doing the loving.

ASB - Shorthand for alt.sex.bondage

Bisexual - One who orients towards males and females.

BDSM - A catchall phrase made up of B&D (Bondage and Discipline) D&S (Dominance and Submission) and S&M (Sadism and Masochism). It describes alternate sexuality in general, except bestiality and orientation variations. Oftentimes there is some blurring of the lines among the three types, fetish play, etc., so BDSM makes a useful term.

Bondage - The act of restraining someone's movements, usually in a sexual context.

Bottom - The person who, in B&D or S&M play, is restrained, recieving the beatings, cuttings, etc.

Cane - A long, thin (usually flexible) rod used to strike a bottom.

CIS - "Complete Irrevocable Submission." Rather self-explanatory.

Chudwah - (From CHDW) a Clueless Het-Dom Wannabe. Chudwahs don't get a whole lot of respect. They often send wannafucks. (As I recall, The Horseman also came up with this term.)

Dominance and Submission - The act of exchanging control of one of the participants. Some feel this is accomplished only if the submissive has exchanged all power, and has no way of deciding their fate.

Dominant - In D&S play, the one who controls.

Femdom - A dominant woman. The systems of D&S where a woman is dominant.

Fetish - A sexual attraction to an object, body part, etc. not usually associated with sex. Common examples are latex and feet.

Flogger - A whip of more than one tail.

Fnord - A small blue plush creature whom you are enamored of. (The exact reasoning behind "whom you are enamored of" is slightly long and convoluted, and doesn't make a whole lot of difference anyway unless you're talking to him. This is one of those terms that didn't seem to make it outside the computer-based groups.)

Gynophile - One who loves women. Note that this says nothing about the sex or orientation of the one doing the loving.

Heterosexual - One who orients towards members of the opposite sex.

HNG - Horny Net Geek. Often sends wannafucks.

Homosexual - One who orients towards members of the same sex.

IMO - In My Opinion. There are a LOT of variants on this.

Kink - One's sexual or semisexual leanings, enjoyments, etc.

Masochist - One who enjoys experiencing pain.

Master< - Synonym for Dominant. Not used by everyone into D&S.

Pistachio - An ice cream flavor. Symbolic for BDSM. See Vanilla.

Rack - A medieval torture device. To my knowledge, not used in BDSM play since the industrial revolution. A (hopefully) rigid frame used to secure the bottom during a scene. Used after the industrial revolution.

Sadist - One who enjoys giving pain.

Safe Word - Some form of signal that the participants in a scene use to stop slow, or otherwise take the scene out of a dangerous situation. Depending on who you ask, this may or may not be a good idea, and may or may not affect the power dynamics of a scene profoundly.

Safe, Sane, Consensual - This, I feel, is what constitutes acceptable BDSM play on asb. Exactly what this IS has some variability to it, though.

Scene - B&D, S&M, and sometimes D&S are arranged into scenes, short periods during which the BDSM play takes place.BDSM in general, its participants, and their organizations.

Sie/Hir - Gender-neutral pronouns, which the english language has a distinct lack of. There is some debate amongst asb linguists over whether sie and hir should be used at all, and the reader is encouraged to decide on their own. (I, personally, am all for it, but I'm trying not to do it here.)

Sillyopheran - One of several asb posters recognized for their ability to post funny things to asb.

Slave - Synonym for submissive. Not used by everyone into D&S.

Squick - asb: a violently aversive reaction to a particular kink, often involving nausea. Formulated by STella. any aversive reaction. alt.tasteless: to remove the top of someone's skull and have sex with the hole. Legend has it that this was introduced to at by an asber who was having some fun.

Submissive - In D&S play, the one who gives up control.

Switch - One who enjoys both the top and bottom or dom and sub roles. Or all four.

Top - The person who, in B&D or S&M play, is restraining, beating, cutting, etc.

TPE - For Total (or True) Power Exchange. A form of D&S (or, depending on who you ask, the only form of D&S) where the submissive gives up all power to the dominant. Also a BBS in Washington, DC (only that's The Power Exchange).

Vanilla - A very common ice cream flavor. Also used to describe the non-alternative versions of sexuality and people who practice them exclusively.

Wannafuck - An unsolicited sexually graphic piece of email. Posters who self-identify as female often get these. Posters who self-identify as male get them too, but less often.

YMMV - Your Milage may vary. Or, Yaks Make More Volkswagons, depending on your mood.