A gimp can best be described as a sexual submissive who is dressed in a rubber or leather suit that covers the entire body, including the hands and head. Harnesses, gags, posture collars and other restrictive gear is often used to further objectify and subdue the gimp for its Mistress or Master. A convenient phrase to understand the role of the gimp in BDSM is that all gimps are submissive, but not all submissives are gimps.
Origins of the Term
Historically, the term 'gimp' used in this way came from the movie "Pulp Fiction" (1994), due to its use for a character in heavy latex bondage and kept in a cage; according to Tarantino, the character was originally a hitchhiker who was overpowered and kept in that state for seven years, in order to become "the perfect victim."
Controversy
The term "gimp" is also used outside kink as derogatory slang for a person who is physically disabled. As such, it is a term best kept to those who self-identify as gimps.
