German dominatrices’ choices of working names as reflections of self-constructed social identity

Abstract

Professional dominatrices tend to practice under pseudonyms. On the assumption that generalizable patterns in their pseudonym choices may reflect the self-constructed identity and emphases of professional domination and submission, this paper undertakes a detailed linguistic analysis of the working names chosen by 141 dominatrices based in Germany. The most typical form of name chosen involves a title and a personal fn'st name without an accompanying surname (e.g. Lady Barbara), suggesting an ambiguous position on the continuum between distance and intimacy. Foreign-language rifles (e.g. Lady)are also found to be preferred to German-language ones (e.g. Herrin), pointing to the role of language symbolism in creating a sense of sophistication and internationalism. The most preferred title choices also largely avoid direct references to power. In terms of name choice, although direct references to aspects of sadomasochism are not unrepresented, the predominant choices seem to identify a group of women who construct themselves as cultured, educated, classy, and feminine. Elements of mysticism and mythology are also present, which seem to support psychoanalytic--and especially Kleinian--theodes of fetishism and sadomasochism. Further research should aim at replicating the analysis with dominatrices based in countries other than Germany.

BDSM as therapy?

“…T. Weinberg, 1983 provides an excellent summary of relevant literature). Of the two studies that deal with prodommes in their own right, one (Wilson, 2005) is a linguistic analysis of the working names selected by German dominatrices, and the second (Scott, 1983) involves a researcher who had become a novice dominatrix -an analysis that has been criticized as 'not scientifically sound' (Moser, 1984: 418).…”

Female-to-male to mistress: A layered account of layered performances

“…Although many professionals do not offer sexual intercourse in sessions, some do, and commercial BDSM regularly involves other sexual acts including erotic touching, oral sex, manual stimulation, and penetration with sex toys. Second, whereas literature on professional BDSM has consistently focused on women (Khan, 2009; Lindemann, 2012; Sisson and Moser, 2005; Wilson, 2005), whose identified genders do not vary within and outside work even if their enactments of femininity/masculinity do, this article engages the complexities of navigating trans(masculine) identity in the field. Third, investigations of performativity in sex work, including professional BDSM, overwhelmingly focus on laborers’ interactions with clients (Bernstein, 2007; Brooks, 2010; Lindemann, 2012; McClintock, 1993; Smith, 2016), in which they are often expected to be enacting a temporary persona that aligns with clients’ desires.…”

“…First, scholars have overwhelmingly focused on cisgender women professionals (Khan, 2009; McClintock, 1993; Pinsky and Levey, 2015). Wilson (2005) explicitly defined “dominatrix” as “a woman who, normally for financial purposes, participates in forms of sexually charged role-play with a fetishistic or sadomasochistic backdrop” (2005: 32). Sisson and Moser attempted unsuccessfully to recruit cisgender men for their investigation, and although they recruited two transgender participants, both were excluded from analysis.…”

“…Prior investigations of professional BDSM have focused on cisgender women laborers (Khan, 2009; Lindemann, 2012; McClintock, 1993; Pinsky and Levey, 2015; Sisson and Moser, 2005; Wilson, 2005). This work has offered tremendous insights into the gender dynamics of these women’s paid dominance over cisgender men, including the paradoxical tendency for this practice to both challenge and reinforce gender norms.…”

‘Are You Top or Bottom?’: Social Science Answers for Everyday Questions about Sadomasochism

“…Nonetheless, the interviews and narratives are not totally unhelpful; they indicate that customers of a professional dominatrix can obtain a set of services known as ‘commercial fetishism’ (McClintock 1993a, 70) whereby the client pays to engage in fetish acts such as foot worshipping, babyism or infantilism, housecleaning, cross‐dressing or forced feminization (McClintock 1993b; see also Highleyman 1997; Wilson 2005). In one of the few analytical essays to date, Anne McClintock (1993b) writes, ‘By far the most common service paid for by men in heterosexual S/M is the extravagant display of submission.…”