Play (BDSM)

[1] This includes both physical and mental activities, covering a wide range of intensities and levels of social acceptability.

The term originated in the BDSM club and party communities, indicating the activities taking place within a scene.

Most BDSM clubs and local communities offer classes and materials about negotiating play scenes.

As the BDSM scene matures and gains greater mainstream tolerance, mental play is becoming an increasingly noteworthy part of the community.

Extensive classes and workshops teach technical skills to carry out these activities competently, as well as safety considerations and protocols.

While mental 'players' have considerably less documented material to study, an active Internet community and classes offered through local groups and conventions provide many learning opportunities.

In males, restriction of flow of urine and semen may contribute to the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia and erectile dysfunction.

[2] Some deaths related to play, including erotic asphyxia, have resulted in criminal prosecutions, with some defendants arguing in court that their partners had died accidentally.

Such defenses have been deemed as problematic by some scholars, who believe that male defendants have disguised misogynistic conduct as a strategy to manipulate trial and sentencing results.