Male dominance
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Maledom, or male dominance, generally refers to heterosexual BDSM activities where the dominant partner is male, and the submissive partner is female. However, the term is sometimes used to refer to homosexual BDSM activities, where both partners are male and one is dominant.
Compare with female dominance, also known as femdom.
Maledom scenarios are common in BDSM fiction, including works such as the Story of O and the works of John Norman and Adrian Hunter.
Maledom fiction began with the works of the Marquis de Sade who wrote about sexual scenarios in which men (mostly) tortured women. The term "sadism" is derived from de Sade's name. Since then, the lifestyle around male dominance and (mostly) female submission has grown into a large part of the BDSM scene.
Maledom scenarios are often critiqued by feminists because the imposition of the male as the dominant figure can be seen as implying the inferiority of females, though some say this is hypocritical as they generally do not critizise female dominance.
Maledom scenarios are seen by some as physical abuse and rape. However, the distinction between the two rests on the consent of the submissive partner which may or may not amount to legal consent and represent a defence to criminal liability for any injuries caused. Injuries are rare, though, as great care is taken in BDSM to avoid permanent damage to the submissive partner.
Moreover, elements of maledom relationships exist in many modern relationships, and although some say that it is less so now than in the past, many believe that the overall male dominance of sexual and romantic relationships in the world has not changed. Maledom is seen by some as unnecessary perpetuation of stereotypes in a patriarchial world, whereas femdom is a reversal of society's roles. Others postulate that the rise in maledom interest came as a backlash against the feminist movement of the 1960's.
It has been postulated by some that male dominance is the natural sexual inclination of human beings, by certain historians, as well as masculist intellectuals. Some feminists argue that male dominance is a manifestation of patriarchy, or traditional sexual practices.
See also
- Domination & submission
- Patriarchy
- Traditional Gender Roles
- Romance
- Female submission
- Female dominance
Categories: BDSM | Gender