Role play

In sexual role play, the people involved take on previously agreed roles in order to create erotic tension, fantasy, and new dynamics. The roles are often emphasized through behavior, language, clothing, or props. Role play can take place in a BDSM context, but it is also common in the so-called vanilla sphere and ranges from playful scenes to pronounced power or authority roles.

Clear agreements, consensual limits, and a safe stop signal are important, because roles can be misunderstood or trigger emotional responses. In principle, the choice of roles is open, but it should be made responsibly; in particular, authority-based or teacher/student-style roles should not imitate real dependency relationships or legally problematic situations in a way that could endanger others or cross boundaries.