What Exactly is Role-play?
Role-play is the act of changing one’s behaviour, characteristics and, at times, clothing to assume the role of a different person. Often incorporated into sexual experiences, scenes or kink practices, role-playing serves to fulfil fantasies, explore taboos, experiment with various kinks and engage in consensual power exchange.
Role-play is a part of BDSM that allows us to explore and try out a whole new world!
Role-play Let Us Explore Other Kinks!
Kink and BDSM offer a rich tapestry of interconnected experiences. Exploring one kink can lead to the discovery and exploration of others, creating a dynamic and ever-expanding realm of possibilities. It’s like opening boxes within boxes, each containing new avenues for exploration, play and experimentation. Just like role-play often explores consensual power dynamics, other kinks can also integrate into role-play.
Due to this, it is vital to maintain a foundation of informed consent, clear communication, thoughtful negotiation, and aftercare when engaging in role-play or any other exploratory activities.
Let’s Talk about Consent
Just like everything in kink and BDSM, consent, communication and negotiation are vital for some safe, successful, risk-aware role-play!
In kink, specific tools are employed to ensure consent is obtained in the most thorough and consensual manner possible.
Informed consent and risk awareness are integral components of kink, emphasizing that all participants understand the potential risks associated with each activity and have actively agreed to proceed with awareness.
Communication in the kink community is nuanced, so there’s a need to distinguish between kinky dirty talk and clear communication. In some scenes, especially role-play, saying the words “no” or “stop” can be a part of the play. To navigate this, partners establish a safeword—a predetermined term that, if uttered, means everything must stop immediately.
Negotiation is a crucial step in kink and BDSM, involving a pre-play conversation between partners. This discussion delves into the specific kinks each person is enthusiastic to explore, those they may consider, and those they are unwilling to engage in.
Negotiation, simply put, serves to clarify expectations, discuss potential risks, figure out systems and procedures for play, and determine which activities will be on and off the menu during the scene.
Aftercare
Aftercare is the time after play when partners recover and take care of each other. Since scenes can be physically and psychologically taxing, aftercare is essential for providing support and comfort.
In the context of role-play, aftercare may involve discussing the positive and negative aspects of the scenes, getting out of any costumes, or engaging in comforting activities like cuddling.
Examples of Role-play!
Student/Teacher
- What is a better way to experiment with power dynamics than by playing a relationship where a power dynamic is inherent?
- Another draw to this type of role-play for beginners is the outfits for this play can help you get in the “mindset” of the dynamic. Plus they can be arousing!
- Besides exploring power dynamics, punishment can also be incorporated into Student/Teacher role-play scenes
Boss/Employee
- “Secretary” anyone? This is another great example of a relationship where there are inherent, clear power dynamics
- This type of play may involve formal wear, assignments and punishments
Doctor/Patient
- Grab a pair of scrubs, hop on the examining table and play! This type of play explores a dynamic with more subdued power dynamics but allows for medical play to come into the picture!
- Medical play is considered a more advanced form of play by many in the BDSM community, as the activities require special safety considerations so be aware of this when exploring.
Caregiver/Little
- This type of role-play often involves someone acting as a father, mother, older figure or caregiver and someone who plays the role of the person being cared for, sometimes acting younger than their age.
- Caregiver/little role-play can help facilitate a scene full of safety, affection, vulnerability and nurturing that we often experience from being taken care of.
Head of the House/Maid
- Service submission anybody?! This type of role-play is great for exploring power dynamics, ordering people around, expressing dominance and your service submission side!
Owner/Pet
- If you are interested in a type of role-play where you can be completely different from yourself, pet play may be your play! Pet play can help us release our “human” inhibitions and play around with playfulness!
You will get unlimited access to
GET STARTEDGenerating Your Own Role-play Scene
- What do you want to play with? Whether it’s power dynamics, punishment, or something else — figure out what you want to experiment with!
- Do you want to portray a character that resembles yourself or something completely different?
- What are things that are off-limits during roleplay?
- What things are particularly appealing during role play?
- How much do you want to “act” and how much do you want things to come naturally?
- Do you want the role-play to be strictly “bedroom-only”?
- What makes you excited about role-play?
- How can role-playing help you explore and fulfil your fantasies?
Is Role-play Bedroom Only?
Nope, role-play can be (and is) done outside the bedroom! With role-play, we often see that a couple will bring it outside of the bedroom.
Especially in public settings, it’s important to note that random onlookers haven’t consented to witness kink or role-play in public spaces. When engaging in role-play outside the bedroom, it could look more like dressing, talking and acting out your respective roles without any sexual or inherently kinky aspects. This could, for instance, include activities like walking on hands and knees with a collar and leash.
Role-playing in public could look like you and your partner acting as your chosen characters while out and about, whether it’s at a bar, in the park, during shopping or at a restaurant. This form of role-playing can serve as a playful and exciting prelude to more private role-playing sessions later on! Public role-play is also a great way to dip your toes into a bit of exhibitionism without explicitly involving sex.
Interestingly, public role-play is a kink that has found its way into popular media. Examples include Phil and Claire Dunphy’s alter egos Clive Bixby and Julianna in “Modern Family” or Samantha Jones from “Sex and the City,” who enjoyed role-playing various characters in public with her actor-bae Smith Jarron. Drawing inspiration from such depictions, feel free to flex those acting muscles and indulge in some public role-play. Just be mindful of the context and ensure that it aligns with the consent and comfort of everyone involved.
