The Daily Dot has published an interesting article on Edge Play. One of the questions it raises is what exactly is edge play? Before reading the article I thought I knew, but now I’m not so sure.
I think there are three basic definitions you can come up with. They key question is what line is being played up to?
- Is it the edge of the submissive’s comfort zone?
- Is it the edge of mainstream BDSM activities?
- Is it the edge of life itself?
I’ve personally always assumed the definition was (2). That means things like scat, branding or very intense corporal play that draws blood would count as edge play. I’ve also known some professional kinksters who use the definition of (3), limiting it to activities involving knifes, guns, choking, etc. In that case edge play is the kind of thing that might land you not just in the emergency room but ultimately in the morgue.
What this article suggests is that (1) is actually the correct definition of edge play. Which seems kind of odd to me. Everyone has limits and a comfort zone, and that’s going to be in a different place for each submissive. So with that definition it almost becomes a meaningless term. Normally I’d just assume it was an article from a journalist who didn’t really understand the subject, but if features quotes from genuine experts in the field.
What constitutes edge play is different for everyone. I consider edge play to be play that occurs at the edge of what one can bear. Play where there is enough trust to push past what is comfortable creates the possibility of a new outcome.
Mistress Blunt
The article also goes on to list a 24/7 dynamic as another example of edge play, which is something that I’d suggest exists on an entirely different dimension to specific BDSM activities. So where exactly is the edge correctly drawn? Is it just one of those things that is always defined with respect to the person involved? Is my edge just someone else’s light warm-up?
Here’s the aforementioned Mistress Blunt exploring an activity that I guess could be an edge play candidate – mummification. This is from this tweet.
i must most respectfully disagree with Mistress Blunt. i think that, if edge play is in the mind of every individual sub, it has no meaning. If a sub requests a session of a pro Domme and asks for edge play, i think the Domme will have certain expectations in planning the session. i agree everyone defines edge play differently (is breath play edge play if the Domme puts a latex hood over your face and, as you struggle for breath, She asks if you would prefer a kiss on your latex covered lips or to breath? That is edge play to me. If, instead, She puts Her hand over your lips and closes your nostrils for 5 seconds, is that edge play? Not for me). But i think most people would agree blood play, scat, etc., is edge play and, in that way, it makes sense to me.
Regardless how correct or misguided this post is, i am grateful for the forum you provide for discussion of such a wide variety of play, submission, and intellectually interesting issues.
I’m going to assume something was lost in translation in the article. Possibly the quote from Mistress Blunt I used was answering a slightly different question or framed in a different way when she spoke to the article writer. Mistress Blunt is undoubtedly an expert, but it would seem odd if edge play was anything that pushed a limit. For a novice with a low pain threshold, that might make spanking edge play.
I think you’re right that everyone will definite it differently, even using the other two definitions I gave. But at least with those there’s a possibility to agree a common set, rather than having an endlessly moving target.
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-paltego