Glossary
BDSM emblem
A sign you only notice if you know what you are looking at, which is exactly what it is for.
What is the BDSM emblem?
BDSM emblem is the name for the symbol BDSM practitioners use to recognize each other: a three-part triskelion inside a circle. It is meant as a discreet sign, clear to anyone who knows it and unremarkable to anyone who does not. You see it on rings, pendants, and profile photos.
| Shape | a triskelion, a figure with three turning parts, inside a circle |
| Where it comes from | the use within BDSM derives from the Ring of O in the novel Histoire d’O |
| What it is for | recognizing each other without outsiders noticing |
| Copyright | the BDSM Emblem Project claims rights to one specific rendering; other variants of the triskelion are free |
| Main caveat | there is no reliable source on the designer, the year, or the symbolism |
Where does the BDSM emblem come from?
The triskelion is far older than BDSM. It is a classic symbol with three turning arms that shows up across many cultures, and the use within BDSM is a later offshoot of it.
That line runs through literature. The encyclopedia establishes that a widely used symbol in the BDSM community is derived from a triskelion inside a circle, and that the BDSM use traces back to the Ring of O from the book Histoire d’O, in which a ring stands for belonging to someone.
There is also a copyright claim on it. The same source reports that the BDSM Emblem Project claims copyright on one specific form of the symbol, while other variants of the triskelion are free of that.
What about the BDSM emblem is not confirmed?
A lot circulates about this emblem that cannot be pinned down anywhere. Stories about a designer, a year, and a meaning for every arm and every hole turn up in countless places, but I found no source for them that meets the standards of this glossary.
So what this page states is what the encyclopedia says about the shape and the origin. What you read elsewhere about who designed it and when, and what the three parts symbolize exactly, is not verified. That a symbol without a fixed meaning still works is not so strange when you think about it: the job is recognition, not explanation.
Sources
- Triskelion. Wikipedia. Provides the finding that the BDSM symbol is derived from a triskelion inside a circle, the tracing back to the Ring of O from Histoire d’O, and the copyright claim of the BDSM Emblem Project on one specific rendering.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What people still ask about the BDSM emblem.
What is the BDSM emblem?
The BDSM emblem is a three-part triskelion inside a circle, meant as a discreet sign of recognition between BDSM practitioners. You see it on rings, pendants, and profile photos.
Where does the BDSM emblem come from?
The triskelion is a classic symbol with three turning arms that is far older than BDSM. Its use within BDSM traces back to the Ring of O from the book Histoire d’O. There is no reliable source on the designer, the year, or the symbolism.
Who can you turn to with questions about the BDSM emblem?
Victor, a gigolo with twenty-five years of experience in BDSM and a background as a psychotherapist. Even if you just want to know what it is you have hanging around your neck. You can ask him a question with no obligation through the contact form, or chat for free first.
Learn more
Still have questions about the BDSM emblem?
I am Victor. A lot circulates about this symbol that nobody can pin down anywhere, and I find that a good conversation to have. Ask me anything. No obligation, I will message you back whenever it suits you.