Is bondage/bdsm a fetish...?
 

As far as categorizing porn sites? I think of fetish as unusual things that turn people on. Spanking, smoking, panties maybe...but I think of bondage/bdsm as being a category all to itself. I've seen it both ways, just wondering how others view it.

And maybe someone could explain the difference in bondage and bdsm while you're at it...

Bondage is the practice of tying people

BDSM is when someone recieves pleasure from pain or humiliation, so you can include bondage in it.

Most of link list have one or another. In case theres none of those available Id submit under fetish.

BDSM is a mixture of Bondage/Discipline Dominance/submission Sadism/masochism.

Bondage is just what you'd think it is.

For some, there is a "bdsm lifestyle" lived by those in the Scene (capitalized to show it's not a scene, which is used to refer to a bdsm session). For others, their interest is more in the fetishes related to bdsm-related activities and the clothing and situations. And there are the 'weekenders' who enjoy playing but have no interest in living a lifestyle centered on bdsm.

Almost anything can be a fetish for someone, including simply looking at bdsm and fetish photos and movies.

Figuring out how to sell to the different segments of these markets is the tricky part since they do not react to the same things in the same ways.

For example, a real bondage enthusiast will know if those knots would actually hold someone, or if that suspension rig could safely support her weight under stress.

And the hardcore bondage lover usually won't be moved by images of pretty models artistically bound, since they know that bondage doesn't actually begin until someone wants to be released and isn't.

It's kind of like marketing gay paysites if you're not gay yourself. There are a lot of things that aren't really obvious unless you're involved, but over time you can learn most of what you need to know to make sales.

HTH

In clinical terms a fetish is a sexual fixation on an inanimate object, such as latex clothing, stiletto heels, etc.

In porn terms just about any such sexual fixation is considered a fetish.

Wouldn't that cross over beyond sex between consenting adults?

Thanks for the info, all. For my linklist, i've kicked around the idea of having "fetish" cat with a bunch of sub cats..but somehow bondage/bdsm doesn't seem to fit as a sub cat of "fetish"...I agree fetish can me most anything, but I think someone looking for "fetish porn" is looking for something out of the ordinary, on the kinky side.

i those years i am on the net i learned that bondage is different from bdsm, most bondage sites i get submited are realy only bondage pics and nothing else, bondage alone is seen as a art.
ps i should have say...bondage is a seperate cat....well for me it is

I've always wanted to add a new, secondary BDSM category just confuse people. Big Dick Small Man. :D

Depends who you ask, and depends who does the asking.
And it really depends on which sub-culture those people belong to.

Consensual non-consent (CNC) is very important to some people, and my point is that trying to sell porn membership to them requires specific imagery that's different from that which appeals to bondage as art fans.

It's sure as hell not one of my fetishes

But if I didn't have a "BDSM" cat - I'l list it under "fetish"

I have been in the BDSM lifestyle for many years now and yes bdsm and bondage are two different things, all tho what they do have in comon is that the one being tied is willing to submit to the desires of the one tieing them up :). Fetishs to me are things like watersports,bootworship,feet,trampling,breath play, panties and so forth. Its All Fun as long as its Safe,Sane and Concensual.

There's also the distinction between BDSM and Femdom. While technically, some femdom is BDSM, I think when most surfers approach the category they have a very clear fetish for one of the sexes to be the dominant one.

Most of my work is in the bondage/bdsm side of things, and I can tell you, a lot of bondage lovers hate looking at bdsm, like totally despise it. And a lot of BDSM lovers think of bondage as trivial, vanilla even.

Obviously the general porn viewing public aren't going to really know the difference, but if your site is "fetish" orientated at all, I would suggest two categories for these two very different things.

This makes more and more sense to me. No matter one's kink, there are always those who can survive happily role playing or fantasizing - then there are those, the hardcore folk, who cannot be satisfied with playing dress-up, they must walk to the edge, look back at you, then leap. I'm sure the majority could not understand how anyone could derive enjoyment from being bound or beaten or screwed (or all simultaneously) after one has been pushed outside the bounds of comfortability, both physically and emotionally, but the sexual mind never ceases to amaze. What may seem horribly dysfunctional to many, is right as rain to others.

If by rain, you mean piss - then yes :-D