Dominatrix

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"Domina" redirects here. For the wine grape, see Domina (grape).

A dominatrix (plural dominatrices or dominatrixes) or mistress is a woman who takes the dominant role in bondage and discipline, dominance and submission or BDSM. The counterpart term for a male dominant is "Master". A common form of address for a submissive to a dominatrix is "mistress", "ma'am", "domina" or "maîtresse"--although some prefer to be addressed in the masculine as "Master". Note that a dominatrix does not necessarily dominate a male partner; a dominatrix may well have female submissives.

The term "domme" (pronounced /ˈdɒm/) is a coined pseudo-French female variation of the slang dom (short for dominant). It stems from the Latin words "dominus" = master, "domina" = mistress. The pronunciation is identical to the term "dom", by analogy to one-syllable French-derived words like femme or blonde.

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[edit] Word history

Dominatrix is the feminine form of the Latin dominator, a ruler or lord, and was originally used in a non-sexual sense. Its use in English dates back to at least 1561. Its earliest recorded use in the prevalent modern sense, as a female dominant in S&M, dates to 1967.[1]

Although the term "dominatrix" is not used, the classic example in literature of the female dominant-male submissive relationship is portrayed in the 1870 novella Venus in Furs by Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. The term masochism was later derived from the author's name.

[edit] Professional versus lifestyle dominatrices

See also: Female dominance
Search Wikinews Wikinews has related news: BDSM as business: Interviews with Dominatrixes
French dominatrix Maîtresse Françoise.'

The term dominatrix is often used to describe a professional dominant woman (or pro-domme) who charges money to engage in fantasy play with submissive clients by visiting their homes in person or via chat. In reality most dominatrices are not professionals, but lifestyle dominants. A lifestyle dominant is a person who is assertive and in control of their relationships both inside and outside the bedroom.

Women who engage in female domination recreationally are known as dommes, dominatrices, mistresses, or simply dominants.[2] A high percentage of dominants are lifestyle dominants, but some simply play the dominatrix role because it is a high-paying profession. It is common for professional dominatrices who are also lifestyle dommes to have both paying clients and a "personal slave or sub" or slaves or subs, who are not paying clients. A personal slave will typically perform a domme's housework and run errands for her. A personal slave may or may not live with his or her domme. Professional dominants most frequently do not engage in sexual contact with their paying customers, as this can be construed as prostitution in some places. Outside of their life as a pro-domme, they may or may not engage in sexual behavior with a devoted slave or sub. A common form of domination involves chastity where a dominant controls her slaves' sexual access, sometimes keeping them locked in a chastity device except for rare occasions.

The stereotypical image of a dominatrix is of a woman wearing a rubber or leather catsuit and thigh-length boots with high heels or, in a more elegant and teasing mode, black lingerie, stockings and high heels, or some combination of these two alternatives. Many professional dominatrices do indeed wear similar outfits for their work in order to meet client expectations.

[edit] Dominatrices in popular culture

As fetish culture is increasingly becoming more prevalent in Western media, depictions of dominatrices in film and television have become more common.

[edit] Depictions of dominatrices in modern film

Year Country Title Notes
1967 United States Venus in Furs Sexploitation film directed by Joseph Marzano loosely based on the novella by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch.
1969 Italy Venus in Furs Based on the Sacher-Masoch story, directed by Massimo Dallamano. (Not to be confused with the Jess Franco horror film also from 1969.)
1976 France Maîtresse Gérard Depardieu becomes involved with dominatrix Bulle Ogier.
1985 Germany Seduction: The Cruel Woman Inspired by Venus in Furs, this is a study of a dominatrix who takes on both male and female slaves.
1992 Japan Tokyo Decadence Miho Nikaido portrays a timid call girl who does a kinky session with a male client and female dominatrix.
1994 United States Exit to Eden Comedy with Dana Delany as the dominatrix owner of an S&M resort.
1994 The Netherlands Venus in Furs Faithful adaptation of the Sacher-Masoch novella.
1997 United Kingdom Preaching to the Perverted Comedy with Guinevere Turner as the dominatrix owner of a notorious English S&M club.
1999 United States Body Shots Emily Procter plays a dominatrix who binds and paddles Ron Livingston.
1999 United States Payback Lucy Liu portrays a sadistic dominatrix who is the leader of a gang of Chinese Triads
1999 United States The General's Daughter Leslie Stefanson's character is shown on a tape watched by John Travolta's character as acting the role of a dominatrix with a male partner
2000 United States Dancing at the Blue Iguana Jennifer Tilly plays a stripper in S&M outfits and part-time dominatrix seen in an extensive scene bullying a male client.
2002 United States The Fashionistas Award-winning pornographic film from Evil Angel explores the world of fetish fashion, BDSM, and kinky sex.
2004 United States Bettie Page: Dark Angel Biopic recreates many of her sub/dom fetish films for Irving Klaw.
2004 United Kingdom The Dominatrix Drama about the life of a career Dom.
2004 United States EuroTrip Comedy with Lucy Lawless as a German dominatrix in an Amsterdam S&M club.
2004 United States Going Under Drama about the relationship between a married man and a partnered dominatrix.
2005 United States Mr. & Mrs. Smith Angelina Jolie's character poses as a dominatrix as a plot to assassinate a target
2005 United States Bettie Page: Bondage Queen Cult Epics DVD compilation of Irving Klaw's 1950s BDSM fetish films featuring Bettie Page as both dominatrix and damsel-in-distress.
2007 Canada Walk All Over Me Comedy-drama with Tricia Helfer as a professional dominatrix.
2007 Japan New Tokyo Decadence - The Slave Dominatrix turned secretary is blackmailed into being an S&M slave by her boss.
2009 United States Modern Love is Automatic A bored nurse moonlights as a dominatrix for hire.
2009 United States Brüno (film) Bruno attends a swinger party at which is he whipped by a dominatrix played by Michelle McLaren.

[edit] Depictions of dominatrices in modern television

Year Season Show Episode(s) Notes
2000 Two Family Guy Let's Go to the Hop Gag depicts main characters Lois and Peter suiting up for a sadomasochistic session (Lois as a dominatrix) while carrying on a mundane conversation.
2000 One Jack of All Trades (TV series) X Marquis the Spot Angela Dotchin pretends to be a dominatrix at the S&M island resort of the Marquis de Sade.
2003 Two Alias Second Double Jennifer Garner goes undercover as a German dominatrix in a Berlin leather bar.
2004-2005 One Desperate Housewives Come Back to Me In one scene, Sharon Lawrence plays a dominatrix who walks across Rex Van de Kamp's back in stiletto heels
2005 Three NCIS Kill Ari (Part 1) In the aftermath of agent Kate Todd's (Sasha Alexander) death, McGee (Sean Murray) remembers her initially as Trinity from The Matrix, then as a dominatrix.
2005 One House M.D. Love Hurts A 21-year-old male was diagnosed with an aneurysm. Chase reveals that the woman visiting the patient is a dominatrix after finding her choking him during a visit.
2001-2008 Several CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Slaves of Las Vegas, Lady Heather's Box, Pirates of the Third Reich, The Good, the Bad, and the Dominatrix, Leave Out All the Rest Several stories with BDSM themes plus five episodes featuring Melinda Clarke as Lady Heather, a dominatrix who owns a fetish club.
2007 One Secret Diary of a Call Girl 1.4 (no title) In the 4th episode, "Belle" (Billie Piper) takes BDSM lessons from a professional dominatrix to please a submissive client.
2008 Two Private Practice KaDee Strickland is seen roleplaying as a German dominatrix in a latex outfit with studded collar and whip.
2009 One Dollhouse Spy in the House of Love Echo (Eliza Dushku), is seen as a leather-clad whip-wielding dominatrix.
2009 Two 1000 Ways to Die (Domin-a-Dead) Episode where dominatrix gags a guy with a severe allergy to rubber latex
2009 Five Rescue Me (TV series) Initiation Callie Thorne's character seduces Tommy (Dennis Leary) dressed as a cheerleader, Playboy bunny and latex-clad dominatrix. They are seen briefly paddling each other in a fast-motion sequence.

[edit] See also

[edit] Books

[edit] References

  1. ^ OED, "Dominatrix." http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50068518?query_type=word&queryword=dominatrix&first=1&max_to_show=10&single=1&sort_type=alpha
  2. ^ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dominatrix

[edit] External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: BDSM
David Shankbone interviews two dominatices about strange client requests.ogg
Two professional dominatrices interviewed. Go here for the full transcript.
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