Is DD D/s or is D/s DD, and Other Alphabet Soup by Patricia Green

Photo by Grendelkhan

 

We all read packaging labels. We want to know what ingredients are in a product before we pay for it. We want to feel comfortable with the product and confident that it's what we want. Labels are good. But when does a label get so restrictive that we miss out on products we might have liked? Maybe you don't usually go for cumin in your chili, but that chicken chili sounds interesting. Still, it gets put down in favor of the same old thing you are used to. You've missed out on a chance to try something new and potentially wonderful.

The same can be true for the labels we put on books. We see the acronym "D/s" and we assume we know what's on the pages. We might read the acronym "DD" (domestic discipline) and think we know what that means too. The potential tragedy here is that there is a huge amount of crossover within the two sub-genres and maybe we're throwing the baby out with the bathwater. 

DD is almost always about dominant males and submissive females. Unlike D/s, the females are unlikely to consider themselves "slaves" or servants, but in DD they accept that there is a head of household and they agree in principle to adhere to his rules. Generally, spanking takes a prominent role, but there are also time outs (called "corner time") and occasionally writing lines or what have you. Are there BDSM elements in DD? Do you consider riding crops and wooden hairbrushes applied to the rump to be BDSM? Most of us would say that these tools do fall under the BDSM moniker. 

Those are the similarities, but there are significant differences that can't be overlooked. One of the tenets of BDSM is bondage. While in DD a head of household might secure his wife over his lap, it's more so she doesn't squirm herself right onto the floor. He's not about enjoying the bondage aspect of the position. And is there sadomasochism? Yes, frequently, at least in my books, the head of household finds his submissive wife's reddened behind to be sexy and alluring. Maybe that makes him a bit of a sadist and, assuming she likes it too, we might consider her a tad masochistic.

It appears that there are more similarities than differences in these two paradigms. I'd like to gently suggest that if you enjoy a good spanking romance (DD), you'll also enjoy some BDSM books, and vice versa. Stick with the stuff that's close to your comfort zone, but don't be afraid to expand that zone by trying a new thing now and then. You might find something unexpected that resonates and entertains you.

For a selection of domestic discipline books as well as a few that cross over into BDSM, visit my website. There are more than two dozen to consider, as well as free short stories of different kinds, from sweet to erotic. Enjoy the new experience. http://www.patriciagreenbooks.com