View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Smith College: Smith ScholarWorks Smith ScholarWorks Theses, Dissertations, and Projects 2014 From sadomasochism to BDSM : rethinking object relations theorizing through queer theory and sex-positive feminism Simon Z. Weismantel Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Weismantel, Simon Z., "From sadomasochism to BDSM : rethinking object relations theorizing through queer theory and sex-positive feminism" (2014). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA. https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/825 This Masters Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations, and Projects by an authorized administrator of Smith ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Simon Z. Weismantel From Sadomasochism to BDSM: Rethinking Object Relations Theorizing Through Queer Theory and Sex-Positive Feminism ABSTRACT This theoretical thesis explores the phenomenon of BDSM. BDSM is a type of consensual erotic experience that covers a wide range of interactions between or among people. Referencing the compound acronym BDSM, these interactions encompass: bondage and discipline; dominance and submission; and sadism and masochism. This project investigates psychoanalytic conceptualizations of BDSM, often called sadomasochism in analytic literature. In particular, object relations theory conceptualizations of BDSM are explored.