In BDSM, dominance is when one person chooses to lead and direct in a consensual authority dynamic, within negotiated boundaries. It’s defined by communicating needs/wants, decision-making, and responsibility, not by specific sexual acts, aesthetics, or aggression.
Dominance is one of the core principles of BDSM and the opposite of submission. The D in BDSM stands for "dominance" as well as "discipline."
The level of dominance can change greatly between dynamics, roles like Master or Mistress are a different kind of dominance than other roles like Mommy or Daddy. However all are valid the the dynamic that people choose to be in.
