Female dominance

Femdom, or female dominance, refers to BDSM activities where the dominant partner is female; the submissive partner may be of either sex. A female dominant is sometimes called a domme, femdomme, domina, or dominatrix. In the English speaking world, "mistress" is by far the most common dominatrix title, while in most of continental Europe, the most common titles are, and some are etymologically related, maitresse, maid, maidress, matress, mother, mate, madre, or "momina." The most common dominatrix title in the Spanish language is "ama." The equivalent Japanese term is 女王様 (joōsama, or queen).

Femdom activities may draw on all areas of BDSM. Feminization and strap-on dildo play are common activities, as well as panty fetishism and boot worship. Cuckolding is also an area of female dominance.

Erotic humiliation can focus on the inadequacy of a male's penis, demoting it to a plaything for the dominatrix, over which the male has no real control. Related femdom activities include ballbusting, cock and ball torture (CBT), verbal humiliation, forced chastity, orgasm denial, and forced homosexuality (in which a dominant female forces a heterosexual male to engage in homosexual acts for her amusement, or as part of feminization)

Many participants in this lifestyle conform to the safe, sane and consensual and RACK models prevalent in the BDSM community.

Light female domination scenarios may involve ageplay, erotic spanking, cunnilingus and body worship, especially foot worship and ass worship. Heavier and more intense female domination scenarios may involve facesitting or smothering, which tend to focus on the sub giving the dominant female oral pleasure, or the dominant female performing anal sex on the sub using a strap-on dildo (see pegging). Other forms of more intense female domination can include face slapping, hair pulling, caning, heavy torture, dripping hot wax on the genitals and heavy whipping. For these purposes, note the issue of legal consent which may or may not represent a defense to criminal liability for any injuries caused.

In extreme scenarios, there is a focus on exchange of bodily fluids and total forfeit of rights from the slave (TPE), and acts may involve spitting domination or watersports (also known as golden showers). Some dominant women expect to be served orally during their menstrual periods, a practice that is known as having a sub earn his "red wings".

A fairly common variation on this is a rape fantasy in which the female is the dominant partner, or wrestling/fighting in which the female is stronger than the male. This places an emphasis on emasculating the male, with him trying, or pretending to try, to take control, but failing.

Books

 * Claudia Varrin, Cynthia Lechan, The Art of Sensual Female Dominance: A Guide for Women. Birch Lane Press, 1998. ISBN 1-55972-447-1, Citadel Press, 2000. ISBN 0-8065-2089-2.
 * Christina Abernathy, Miss Abernathy's Concise Slave Training Manual, Greenery Press, 1996. ISBN 0963976397
 * Stephen Elliott, My Girlfriend Comes To The City And Beats Me Up, Cleis Press, 2005. ISBN 1573442550
 * Claudia Varrin, Female Dominance: Rituals and Practices. Citadel Press, 2004. ISBN 0-8065-2659-9
 * Claudia Varrin, The Female Dominant: Games She Plays. Citadel Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8065-2669-6
 * Claudia Varrin, Dominación Sensual. Edicions Bellaterra, 2006. ISBN 84-7290-316-8
 * Claudia Varrin, ''Die Kunst der weiblichen Dominanz." Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, 2006. ISBN-10: 3-89602-710-7, ISBN 13: 978-3-89602-710-8.
 * Elise Sutton,  Female Domination Lulu.com, 2003. ISBN 1411603257.
 * Elise Sutton,  The FemDom Experience Lulu.com, 2007, ISBN 1430304642.